Biomedical subjects

S Honzová

Publications and source records attributed to S Honzová.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1996

Immune system of cold-exposed and cold-adapted humans.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not the human immune system can be activated by a noninfectious stimulus, thereby improving the physiological status of the individual. The effect of a single cold water immersion (14 degrees C for 1 h) on the immune system of athletic young men, monitored immediately after immersion, was minimal. With the continuation of the cold water immersions (three times a week for a duration of 6 weeks) a small, but significant, increase in the proportions of monocytes, lymphocytes with expressed IL2 receptors (CD25) and in plasma tumour necrosis factor alpha content was induced. An increase in the plasma concentrations of some acute phase proteins, such as haptoglobin and haemopexin, was also observed. After 6 weeks of repeated immersions a trend towards an increase in the plasma concentrations of IL6 and the amount of total T lymphocytes (CD3), T helper cells (CD4), T suppressor cells (CD8), activated T and B lymphocytes (HLA-DR) and a decrease in the plasma concentration of alpha 1-antitrypsin was observed. Concentrations of IL1 beta, neopterin, C-reactive protein, orosomucoid, ceruloplasmin, macroglobulin, immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA) and C3, C4 components of the complement, as well as the total number of erythrocytes, leucocytes, granulocytes and neutrophils showed no significant changes after the repeated cold water immersions. It was concluded that the stress-inducing noninfectious stimuli, such as repeated cold water immersions, which increased metabolic rate due to shivering the elevated blood concentrations of catecholamines, activated the immune system to a slight extent. The biological significance of the changes observed remains to be elucidated.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

[The Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome in children].

The Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome is extremely rare disease in children. The first case an 11-year-old boy presenting meningeal signs with liquor pleocytosis, bilateral swelling of optics disc, anterior uveitis and yellow-white multifocal well circumscribed lesions of chorioidea et retina has been documented by means photographs. These spots and anterior uveitis with together cephalea and grand mal paroxismus were symptoms of second case an 9-year-old boy. Disease demonstrated a decreased number of T-lymphocytes in the periferal blood of both patients. Treatment with corticosteroids was successful.

Child↗

PubMed1993

Immunoglobulin levels in children treated for malignant tumors.

IgG, IgA and IgM levels were examined in children treated for different malignant tumors. Chemotherapy decreased IgG and mainly IgM. There was increased incidence of infectious complications in IgG deficiency.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed1993

[New findings in chronic granulomatous disease].

Chronic granulomatous disease is a rare hereditary disease characterized by repeated infections affecting in particular the skin, lymph nodes and internal organs. Histological examination in the affected tissues reveals a granulomatous inflammation. The aetiological agents of infection are most frequently staphylococci, G-bacteria, Candida and Aspergillus. From the immunological aspect it is an inborn immunodeficiency affecting professional phagocytes (monocytes and granulocytes) which are unable to kill some ingested microorganisms. The molecular basis of the defect is affection of the NADPH oxidase enzyme complex at various sites which explains the genetic heterogeneity of the disease. The condition is usually manifested in early childhood, it has a variable course; if untreated, the affected subjects frequently die in child age. By early diagnosis of the disease and suitable therapy the quality of life of the patients can be improved, serious complications can be prevented and the patients may reach adult age. The submitted paper is a review of contemporary knowledge of the disease, in particular its molecular basis and ensuing classification, as well as possible diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Several case-histories are presented.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

[Acute reversible liver necrosis after valproate therapy (immunologic hypersensitivity)].

We describe a case of a 9-year-old boy with the severe acute liver injury caused by idiosyncrasy after the administration of valproate. The liver biopsy performed during the first days after the onset of the disease revealed the necrosis of more than 50% of hepatocytes but the injury was almost fully reversible which was well demonstrated by the second biopsy five months later. After five years an evidence for the immunologic idiosyncrasy caused by valproate was still present, which was demonstrated in vitro by blastic transformation of lymphocytes from the patient. The boy is quite healthy and epilepsy is under control of suximide. The family was informed that the boy could be treated with valproate never more.

Child↗

PubMed1992

[Immunologic reactivity in children on a chronic dialysis program and after kidney transplantation].

Dialysis and transplantation of the kidney have become in Czechoslovakia part of routine therapy of chronic renal failure (ChRF) in children and adolescents. The authors examined 16 children aged 4-17 years (x = 10.5) treated in a chronic dialyzation programme (ChDP) by haemodyalisis and 20 children after transplantation of a cadaverous kidney, age 4.5-16.5 years (x = 11.5), incl. 14 patients with a stable function of the graft and six patients during the period of acute rejection of the graft. The authors tested the basic parameters of humoral and cellular immunity in all three groups of children. In the group of the CRI a significant drop of the level was found only in serum IgA, the other parameters, incl. examination of sub-populations of lymphocytes CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+, did not differ significantly from normal values. In patients with a stabilized function of the graft treated by Cyclosporin A, prednisone, and in some cases also with azothioprim, the authors found a significantly lower absolute number of lymphocytes of the mentioned sub-populations as compared with controls and patients included in a ChDP. During the period of acute rejection the absolute number of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ increased significantly, as compared with the period of stabilized function of the graft. Thus patients in CRI do not manifest despite the serious affection of the organism serious changes of immune reactivity within the scope of examinations made by the authors. Monitoring of immunity parameters in patients with transplants can contribute to evaluation of the effect of immunosuppression (it can draw attention to low dosage of drugs) and in the context with other clinical and laboratory examinations it can contribute to the diagnosis of acute rejection.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

[Manifestations of ocular allergy (atopy) in childhood. Present possibilities of therapy].

Vernal catharr of the conjunctivae is frequently the initial symptom of dermorespiratory syndrome. In all nine children where ophthalmological and other manifestations of varying extent of general atopy were combined, the authors revealed a marked increase of immunoglobulin IgE 220-2230 I.U./ml (normal values up to 150 I.U./ml) and polyvalent allergy. In the treatment of vernal catharr the authors used a combination of antihistaminics and preventive immunopharmaceutical preparations administered locally (Spersallerg and Opticrom) or as general medication (Hismanal and Zaditen), supplemented by aimed hyposensitization. In acute stages of the inflammation of the eye the authors administered Triamcinolon into the upper transient conjunctival fold. In the treatment of secondary infection Garasone was most effective. A finding interesting from the immunological aspect was vernal catharr without general symptoms of atopy in a patient with hypogammaglobulinaemia IgA.

Child↗

PubMed1989

[Gastroesophageal reflux in childhood asthma].

Gastrooesophageal reflux (GER) may participate in the development and persistence of asthmatic complaints. For its detection various examination methods may be used such as oesophagography, oesophageal manometry and pH-metry, ultrasonography, isotope scintigraphy, oesophagoscopy. By means of these methods we detected GER in 27 children, i. e. 41% of a total number of 65 asthmatic children with a medium severe and severe form of the disease. Because of failure of conservative treatment of reflux and hitherto used anti-asthmatic therapy, in 1984 to 1986 in 11 children surgical treatment of reflux by Nissen's fundoplication was indicated. The group comprised 9 boys and 2 girls aged 2 to 14 years. The effect of the operation was evaluated after an interval of 1.5 to 3.5 years following operation. Surgical treatment was successful in four patients (36%) and partly successful in 5 patients (45%). Despite these encouraging results the indication surgery in GER in asthmatic patients still is strictly individual.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

[The further development of bronchial asthma which began in childhood].

The paper evaluates the contemporary health status in 115 former child asthmatics, investigated in the past at the allergological department of the First Paediatric Clinic and Faculty Policlinic in Prague-Motol. The data were obtained by processing of a questionnaire and retrospective analysis of the patients' health records. The mean age of the investigated group is 26 years (21-37) incl. 77 men and 38 women. Of these 85, i.e. 74%, still suffer from asthma in adult age, incl. almost half (55 patients) who suffer from the milder form, only one quarter suffers from the more severe form (30 patients) and in one quarter the quiescent stage has been reached. In those where asthma persists there is concurrent eczema (26%), pollinosis (44%), other forms of allergy (43%). Where asthma is in the quiescent stage, eczema is present in 10%, pollinosis in 33% and other allergies in 27% of the investigated subjects. A greater probability of favourable development is in boys as compared with girls and in those without a family-history of allergy and where the disease developed only during late childhood and the patients themselves do not suffer from any other allergosis. A positive family-history of allergy, early onset of the disease and concurrent eczema signalize a poorer prognosis.

Adult↗

PubMed1988