Search results for "EPA"
showing 10 items of 8995 documents
Liver Perfusate Natural Killer Cells from Deceased Brain Donors and Association with Acute Cellular Rejection after Liver Transplantation: A Time-to-…
2019
Background The ability to predict which recipients will successfully complete their posttransplant clinical course, which is crucial for liver transplant (LT) programs. The assessment of natural killer (NK) cell subset determined by flow cytometry from a monocentric series of consecutive liver perfusates could help identify risk factors portending adverse LT outcomes. Methods Liver perfusates were collected during the back-table surgical time after the procurement procedures for donors after brain death. Lymphocytic concentrations and phenotypes were matched with donors after brain death characteristics and indications, timing, surgical techniques, outcomes, and biopsy-proven acute cellular…
Development of cytochrome P450 2D6-specific LKM-autoantibodies following liver transplantation for Wilson's disease -- possible association with a st…
1999
Abstract Background/Aims: Antibodies to cytochrome P450 2D6, also knownas LKM1-autoantibodies, are characteristic for a subgroup of patients with autoimmune hepatitis, but can also occasionally be found in hepatitis C. We observed the occurrence of LKM1-autoantibodies 4 months after liver transplantation for Wilson's disease, in close association with a steroid-resistant rejection episode, in the absence of evidence for autoimmune hepatitis or hepatitis C. Methods: Sera from several time points prior to and following transplantation were tested for LKM-reactivity by immunofluorescence, ELISA and Western blotting. Antigen specificity was confirmed by Western blotting analysis on different cy…
Liver transplantation: the Italian experience
2002
Abstract Background. Liver transplantation is the standard treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease no longer responsive to conventional medical treatment Aims . To report the longterm experience of liver transplantation in Italy. Patients and Methods . Data were obtained retrospective by means of a multiple-item form collected from 15 Italian liver transplant centres. The filing centre was centralized. Results . A total of 3323 liver transplants were performed on 3026 patients, with a cumulative proportional survival of 72.4%. Three, 5 and 10 years' patient survival rates were 72.3%, 68.8% and 61.3%, respectively. The most common indication for liver transplantation were hepatit…
Tacrolimus effects and side effects after liver transplantation: is there a difference between immediate and extended release?
2012
Abstract Background Immunosuppressive therapy after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) requires a high degree of patient compliance to guarantee safety and avoid side effects. In 2007, prolonged-release tacrolimus was launched in Europe to improve compliance. In this prospective observational crossover single-center trial, we analyzed effects and side effects of prolonged-release tacrolimus in OLT patients. Methods LT patients at our center were included if they were older than l8 years of age, had had the procedure at least 6 months prior, and were outpatients currently on twice-daily tacrolimus. Patients were observed for 6 months before switching to once-daily tacrolimus. Patient his…
Prevention of ischemic-type biliary lesions by arterial back-table pressure perfusion
2003
Abstract Ischemic-type biliary lesions (ITBLs) lead to considerable morbidity after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). The exact pathogenesis is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that insufficient perfusion of biliary arterial vessels might be responsible for ITBLs. This could be prevented by improved perfusion techniques. Since February 2000, we performed a controlled study using arterial back-table pressure perfusion (AP) to achieve reliable perfusion of the biliary-tract capillary system, which may be impaired by the high viscosity of University of Wisconsin solution. We retrospectively analyzed 190 OLTs performed between September 1997 and July 2002 with regard to ITBLs. One hundre…
Hepatitis B surface antigen presentation and HLA-DRB1*– lessons from twins and peptide binding studies
2005
Summary The aim of this study was to investigate the underlying mechanisms of the genetic association between certain HLA-DRB1* alleles and the immune response to HBsAg vaccination. Therefore, HBsAg peptide binding to HLA-DR molecules was measured in vitro by peptide binding ELISAs. Additionally, HBsAg-specific T cell reaction and cytokine profile of immune response were analysed ex vivo in ELISPOT assays and DR-restriction of T-cell proliferative responses was investigated with HBsAg specific T cell clones. In addition, we compared HBsAg specific T cell responses of 24 monozygotic and 3 dizygotic twin pairs after HBsAg vaccination. Our results showed that the peptide binding assays did not…
The influence of major histocompatibility complex class II genes and T-cell Vbeta repertoire on response to immunization with HBsAg.
1998
Nonresponsiveness to HBsAg vaccination is observed in 5-10% of vaccine recipients and is possibly caused by a defect in the T helper cell compartment. The immune response to HBsAg is influenced by genes of the major histocompatibility complex. We have investigated MHC class I and class II antigens in 53 adult responders and 73 nonresponders. Results obtained in this first study were tested in a second study with 56 responders and 62 nonresponders from an infant vaccination trial. In addition, the peripheral Vbeta-chain T-cell receptor repertoire was investigated using monoclonal antibodies and flow-cytometry in 26 adult responders and 38 nonresponders. As previously reported, nonresponsiven…
Lipid peroxidation products and antioxidants in human disease.
1998
Lipid peroxidation (LPO) is a free radical-related process that in biologic systems may occur under enzymatic control, e.g., for the generation of lipid-derived inflammatory mediators, or nonenzymatically. This latter form is associated mostly with cellular damage as a result of oxidative stress, which also involves cellular antioxidants in this process. This article focuses on the relevance of two LPO products, malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), to the pathophysiology of human disease. The former has been studied in human serum samples of hepatitis C virus-infected adults and human immunodeficiency virus-infected children. In these two cases it is shown that the specific ass…
Low prevalence of upper endoscopic gastrointestinal findings despite high frequency of alarm symptoms at the time of diagnosis in adult coeliac disea…
2020
Objectives Exclusion of organic disorders involving the upper gastrointestinal (UGI) is a mandatory step before considering a biopsy-avoidance diagnostic strategy for adult coeliac disease. We aim to evaluate the prevalence of alarm symptoms and coincidental UGI endoscopic findings at the time of diagnosis of coeliac disease. To develop consensus criteria to identify patients with coeliac disease requiring a gastroscopy and to evaluate whether alarm symptoms prompting gastroscopy were predictive of endoscopic findings. Methods Presenting symptoms and UGI endoscopic findings at diagnosis of coeliac disease were collected retrospectively in 278 adult patients with coeliac disease diagnosed in…
Pregnant women as a sentinel population to target and implement hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine coverage: a three-year survey in Palermo, Sicily.
2004
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine coverage was assessed using serologic patterns of infection (HBsAg, anti HBc) and vaccine-induced immunity (isolated anti HBs) among 3318 pregnant women attending the Obstetrical Unit of the University Hospital in Palermo who were screened over 3 years (2001-2003). Three thousand and eight of them (90.6%) were born in Sicily, whereas 310 (9.4%) were immigrants from non-EU countries. The overall prevalence of HBsAg was 1.1%, and it was significantly higher among immigrant than indigenous women (4.2% versus 0.8%; OR 5.26; p < 0.0001). Serologic evidence of past HBV infection (anti HBc) also was significantly higher in immigrants than in Sicilian women (24.5% ve…