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Biomedical subjects

W Widder

Publications and source records attributed to W Widder.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Interleukin-6 stimulates thrombopoiesis through thrombopoietin: role in inflammatory thrombocytosis.

Baseline platelet production is dependent on thrombopoietin (TPO). TPO is constitutively produced and primarily regulated by receptor-mediated uptake by platelets. Inflammatory thrombocytosis is thought to be related to increased interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. To address whether IL-6 might act through TPO to increase platelet counts, TPO was neutralized in vivo in C57BL/10 mice treated with IL-6, and hepatic TPO mRNA expression and TPO plasma levels were studied. Transcriptional regulation of TPO mRNA was studied in the hepatoblastoma cell line HepG2. Furthermore, TPO plasma levels were determined in IL-6-treated cancer patients. It is shown that IL-6-induced thrombocytosis in C57BL/10 mice is accompanied by enhanced hepatic TPO mRNA expression and elevated TPO plasma levels. Administration of IL-6 to cancer patients results in a corresponding increase in TPO plasma levels. IL-6 enhances TPO mRNA transcription in HepG2 cells. IL-6-induced thrombocytosis can be abrogated by neutralization of TPO, suggesting that IL-6 induces thrombocytosis through TPO. A novel pathway of TPO regulation by the inflammatory mediator IL-6 is proposed, indicating that the number of platelets by themselves might not be the sole determinant of circulating TPO levels and thus of thrombopoiesis. This regulatory pathway might be of relevance for the understanding of reactive thrombocytosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

[The development of malignant tumors in nevus sebaceus--therapeutic consequences].

OBJECTIVE: Nevus sebaceus has been considered a relatively infrequent and unimportant congenital hamartoma for plastic surgeons, unless the lesions are so big that they require a large closure of the defect. As such tumors are primarily of a benign nature and the malformed sebaceus glands are located abnormally high in the dermis, surgeons are tempted not to excise the tumors but to eradicate them by dermabrasion or laser beam therapy. Yet, a nevus sebaceus does not only affect sebaceus glands but includes various other malformations of the affected skin and its appendages. In addition, different malignant tumors may occur in nevus sebaceus, even in children and young adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We encountered 4 such malignant tumors out of 18 nevus sebaceus operated from 1989 to 1997. All nevi had been clinically inconspicuous. RESULTS: In three patients, one of them being only fifteen years old, an associated basal cell carcinoma was found. The fourth patient had a mixture of three additional tumours, a cystadenoma, a keratoacanthoma and a basal cell carcinoma besides the sebaceous malformations. CONCLUSION: These findings have two consequences. The first is to continue surgical treatment of nevus sebaceus instead of dermabrasion or dermablation and to have the specimen examined histologically. The second consequence is to excise such tumors as early as possible.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Medial necrosis of the pulmonary artery in ruptured aneurysm].

Fifty years ago the first author of this paper described the entity known as idiopathic medial necrosis of the aorta. The present report describes two cases of ruptured aneurysm of the main pulmonary artery. The histologic alterations of the arterial wall were the same as in the much more common aneurysms of the aorta, viz. severe medial necrosis and mucoid degeneration. The findings are discussed and compared with 20 cases documented in the literature. Physical (hypertension) as well as biochemical factors appear to play an essential role in the pathogenesis of medial necrosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

[Acute hypercalcemia syndrome in sarcoidosis].

In a 26-year-old patient admitted to the emergency ward with acute abdomen, all the symptoms--nausea, vomiting, indeterminate abdominal pain, constipation, renal failure, polyuria and polydipsia--could be explained by calcium intoxication syndrome. Investigation revealed generalized sarcoidosis. Under medical treatment with prednisone all the pathologic findings rapidly regressed. The pathogenesis of hypercalcemia in sarcoidosis, and particularly the disorder of vitamin D metabolism with raised levels of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, are discussed.

Abdomen, Acute↗
PubMed1984

[Goodpasture syndrome and (idiopathic) immune complex glomerulonephritis with pulmonary hemorrhage: 2 different syndromes?].

While Goodpasture syndrome was previously defined purely clinically by the combination of pneumorrhagia and glomerulonephritis, today the following immunologic criteria must also be satisfied: evidence, provided by immunofluorescent investigation of the kidneys and lungs, of antibasement membrane antibodies in the serum and linear deposits of immunoglobulins, due to direct apposition of antibasement membrane antibodies. Cases where the lesions are caused by immune complexes should no longer be designated as Goodpasture syndrome. In the light of one of our own cases of immune complex glomerulonephritis with pneumorrhagia, the question is raised whether this subdivision by means of immunologic investigations is meaningful for the clinician.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

[Timolol eyedrops in ophthalmological practice].

Fifty-eight glaucoma patients (105 eyes) of an ophthalmological practice were treated with Timolol eyedrops (0.1%-0.5% once or twice daily) over a long-term period. In group 1 - without pre-treatment (12 patients) pressure was lowered by 34%. In group II, glaucoma patients who were insufficiently stabilized by conservative treatment. Timolol was added to the glaucoma medication and thus a further pressure decrease of 27% was achieved. Group III comprised 24 glaucoma patients who, although their intraocular pressure was satisfactorily controlled, had problems with their medication. After having been switched to Timolol alone they presented a further decrease in IOP of 22%. Group IV comprised those patients resistant to Timolol therapy (six patients; 10%) who showed no further reduction in IOP--neither with Timolol alone nor in combination with other glaucoma medication. Advantages and slight disadvantages of Timolol therapy were discussed. Timolol is the only local glaucoma medication without ascertainable side-effects and thus represents a gain for the therapeutic spectrum of the practitioner.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Malignant tumors associated with nevus sebaceous: therapeutic consequences.

Nevus sebaceous has been considered a relatively infrequent and unimportant congenital hamartoma for plastic surgeons unless the lesions are so big that they require a demanding defect closure. As the dignity of such tumors is primarily benign and the malformed sebaceous glands are localized abnormally high in the dermis, the temptation is appealing not to excise these tumors any more but to eradicate them by laser beam therapy. Yet a nevus sebaceous not only affects sebaceous glands but includes various other malformations of the affected skin and its appendages. In addition, different malignant tumors may occur in nevus sebaceous, even in children and young adults. We encountered 4 such malignant tumors of 18 nevi sebaceous operated on from 1989 to 1997. All nevi had been unsuspicious macroscopically. In three patients, one of them only 15 years old, an associated basal cell carcinoma was found. In the fourth patient there was a mixture of three additional tumors, a cystadenoma, a keratoacanthoma, and a basal cell carcinoma, besides the sebaceous malformations. These findings have two consequences: first, to continue surgical treatment of nevus sebaceous instead of dermabrasion or dermablation and to have the specimen examined histologically and, second, to excise such tumors as early in childhood as possible.

Adolescent↗