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Biomedical subjects

S Magrin

Publications and source records attributed to S Magrin.

43 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Polyalbumin receptors, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and HBsAg/IgM complexes in HBsAg positive patients with and without delta superinfection.

Receptors for polymerized human albumin are found at high titres during high-level hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication and in small amounts in chronic low-level infection. Complexes between hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and IgM without specificity for HbsAg are expressed in a pattern similar to that of receptors. Anti-albumin antibodies could be involved in their formation. Delta infection depresses the synthesis of gene products of HBV. To assess whether delta modifies the expression of receptors on HBsAg and the level of HBsAg/IgM complexes, and if anti-albumin antibodies are actually part of the complex, we tested sera from 86 subjects with acute and chronic HBV infection. Our findings show that the amounts of circulating receptors and HBsAg/IgM are proportional to the concentration of HBsAg and thus probably to the degree of viral replication. We did not find any correlation between circulating anti-albumin antibodies of the IgM class and HBsAg/IgM complexes. Delta infection depresses HBsAg synthesis and causes a related decrease in receptors and HBsAg/IgM titres if superimposed on the more active stage of HBV infection. When HBsAg, receptors, and HBsAg/IgM are at low levels, no further depression is caused by delta infection. HBsAg/IgM titre is not enhanced by presence of anti-delta antibodies, thus excluding a role of the latter in forming these complexes.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1983

Percutaneous blind biopsy versus laparoscopy with guided biopsy in diagnosis of cirrhosis. A prospective, randomized trial.

A prospective controlled study of the diagnostic accuracy of blind percutaneous liver biopsy in comparison to laparoscopy plus guided biopsy for the recognition or exclusion of cirrhosis has been performed. One hundred twenty-six patients with a clinical diagnosis of chronic, diffuse, well-compensated liver disease were randomized into two groups and submitted either to percutaneous blind liver biopsy (PB: 64 patients) or to laparoscopy with guided biopsy (LB: 62 patients), in order to assess the accuracy of either procedure in diagnosing cirrhosis. PB correctly recognized or ruled out cirrhosis in 52 patients (82%). Inconclusive results were mostly false negative, as demonstrated by the presence on endoscopy of esophageal varices or by subsequent LB. LB demonstrated presence or absence of cirrhosis in all patients. The difference between the rate of accurate results of the two procedures is statistically significant. It is concluded that in patients without esophageal varices, LB should be the investigation of choice for the assessment of liver structure since the presence of cirrhosis can be missed in up to 20% of cases by PB.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Host and viral features in chronic HCV infection: relevance to interferon responsiveness.

Host and viral variables interact in determining the course and responsiveness to therapy of any viral infection. Presence of cirrhosis, serum levels of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA and the genotype of infecting virus are considered predictive of response to interferon (IFN) in chronic HCV infection. We evaluated these parameters in relation to IFN therapy in a cohort of anti-HCV-positive subjects with chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis. HCV RNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and by the branched DNA assay (bDNA), to quantify viraemia. HCV typing was performed by reverse-hybridization line probe assay. HCV RNA was detected in almost all anti-HCV-positive subjects with liver disease, PCR being more sensitive than bDNA. Hepatitis C viraemia was lowest in cirrhosis. Low pretreatment viraemia selected for those patients with chronic hepatitis obtaining a high rate of sustained response to IFN. The role of HCV type was less clearcut, due to the high prevalence in our population of type 1 (especially subtype 1b, accounting for 80% of cases). A trend towards a better response of non-1b genotypes was confirmed. This may be related to higher HCV RNA levels in type 1b-infected subjects. Cirrhosis remains however, independently from virological features, the strongest predictor of non-response to IFN.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Natural history of chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A comprehensive overview on the course of hepatitis C is not available despite the many studies published. The aim was to review the course and prognostic variables of untreated hepatitis C. METHODS: English-language articles published between January 1989 and December 1997 were identified and data extracted to answer predefined relevant questions. RESULTS: Median chronicization rate, mostly assessed in transfusion-associated hepatitis, was 67%. In retrospective studies, the interval between date of infection and diagnosis of cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma was 20-40 years. Median progression rate from chronic hepatitis to cirrhosis was 27.9% after 8-12 years. Studies obtaining this figure included selected groups of patients and could reflect the worst prognostic segment of the disease. The course of hepatitis C virus infection may be more favourable: cirrhosis rarely or never occurred in young females infected by con-taminated anti-D-immunglobulins; hepatitis was histologically mild in most hepatitis C virus-RNA positive subjects with normal or near normal transminases, predicting non-progressive or very slowly progressive disease; in a population survey from Italy, among 170 infected subjects only 4% had raised transaminases, and none overt liver disease. Increasing age, histological severity, alcohol, possibly male sex and liver iron content were predictors of cirrhosis or increased fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Chronicization rate of hepatitis C virus infection is very high. Hepatitis C virus infection can result in a wide prognostic spectrum of liver disease, ranging from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma to subclinical, nonprogressive disease. Cofactors such as alcohol excess are important in determining the outcome of hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Collection of PBSC with Fenwal CS-3000 for autografting.

The peripheral blood represents an alternative source of haemopoietic progenitors and permits autografting in patients who have contraindications for a bone marrow harvest but who are otherwise candidates for autologous bone marrow transplantation. Circulating stem cells can be harvested performing several leucaphereses during the overshoot after a mobilization chemotherapy. The use of Fenwal CS-3000 cell separator allows reproducibility from donor to donor and makes the procedure very efficient. We collected peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) in four patients, 2 with Hodgkin's lymphoma, 1 with high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and 1 with secondary FAB unclassifiable ANLL: the procedures of collection and cell harvests obtained are reported.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Circulating stem cell autograft in malignant lymphomas.

Autologous peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) collected after an intensive course of chemotherapy were employed for hematological reconstitution in 3 patients (age 24-44 years), 2 with Hodgkin's and 1 with high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, in 2nd complete or partial remission. PBSC collections were performed with a Fenwal CS-3000 cell separator (programs "3" and "1-modified"). After collection and partial RBC removal, cells were cryopreserved and stocked in liquid nitrogen. In all patients the CVB combination was employed as myeloablative transplant regimen. Patients received respectively 28.0, 33.1 and 12.3 x 10(4)/Kg peripheral blood CFU.GM. Hematologic recovery was prompt and complete in 2 patients, while a patient with Hodgkin's lymphoma who had previously been treated with combined modality, is still moderately thrombocytopenic and granulocytopenic 148 days post graft. Patients are currently alive and disease-free 148-301 days post graft.

Adult↗