Search results for "mmunopathology"
showing 10 items of 156 documents
Low Trough Plasma Concentrations of Nevirapine Associated with Virologic Rebounds in HIV-Infected Patients Who Switched from Protease Inhibitors
2005
BACKGROUND:The substitution of a nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) for protease inhibitors (PIs) has demonstrated its suitability to maintain virologic response. However, the switch from PIs to an NNRTI could fail for a number of reasons, including NNRTI-associated toxicity and emergence of NNRTI-resistant variants.OBJECTIVE:To describe the virologic failures among 74 HIV-infected patients who switched from PIs to nevirapine.METHODS:Virologic failure was defined as any rebound of the plasma HIV-RNA (pVL) levels >1000 copies/mL on one occasion or 2 consecutive intermittent viremia episodes defined as increases of the pVL >20 copies/mL but <1000 copies/mL. Virolog…
INFLUENCE OF ISLET TRANSPORTATION ON PANCREATIC ISLET ALLOTRANSPLANTATION IN TYPE 1 DIABETIC PATIENTS WITHIN THE SWISS-FRENCH GRAGIL NETWORK
2004
The influence of islet transportation on pancreatic islet allotransplantation in type 1 diabetic patients was evaluated within the GRAGIL network.From December 2001 to April 2003, 16 human pancreatic islet transplants were performed in 9 type 1 diabetic patients with an established kidney graft (functioning for at least 6 months) in four centers of the GRAGIL network. Islet isolation was performed in a core laboratory in Geneva, and the islet preparations were shipped by ambulance to each center for transplantation. One month after transplantation, the efficiency of the graft was assessed according to islet transportation time (ITT): ITT less than 2 hours (group 1, n=5), and ITT greater tha…
Detection of Mycoplasma sp. in bronchoalveolar lavage of AIDS patients with pulmonary infiltrates.
1996
We examined 486 bronchoalveolar lavages (BAL) including 32 from AIDS patients with pulmonary infiltrates and 20 from patients with leukemia or after transplantation. Mycoplasmas were found in 4/32 (12.5%) HIV-positive patients compared to 4/454 (0.9%) HIV-negative patients (p0.001). All of these four HIV-positive patients suffered from advanced infection (CD4 counts100/microL) and developed complications (Pcp, n = 2, recurrent bacterial pneumonia, n = 1, pulmonary Kaposi sarcoma, n = 1). No mycoplasmas were detected in 20 immunosuppressed patients with leukemia or after transplantation. Our data indicate that AIDS patients may be more often colonised or infected by mycoplasmas than HIV-nega…
Effect of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin treatment in therapy-resistant chronic spontaneous urticaria
2010
Background Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) lasting more than 6 weeks is one of the most disabling types of urticaria and often results in severely impaired quality of life. Patients with CSU are often unsatisfied with the standard treatment. Another treatment option recommended for patients with so-called nonresponding CSU according to the newest guidelines is intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of high-dose IVIG as a treatment option in patients with therapy-resistant CSU. Methods Six patients with severe CSU unresponsive to other treatment options according to the newest guidelines for several weeks were treated with high-dose IVIG (2 g/kg ev…
Cigarette Smoking, But Not Sensitization toAlternaria, Is Associated with Severe Asthma in Urban Patients
2001
Hereditary susceptibility and allergen exposure have been identified as general risk factors for asthma. However, risk factors for severe asthma still remain to be identified. To further assess and quantify risk factors associated with severe asthma in adult patients apart from clinical exacerbations, 306 randomly selected subjects (mean age 40+/-17 years, 46% males) presenting to an inner city pulmonary practice between 1995 and 1996 were retrospectively investigated. Of these, 117 patients were atopic, 112 had current asthma, and 22 asthmatics had severe asthma. Risk factors associated with atopy were family history of atopy and any domestic pet ownership (OR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.64-6.1). Asth…
Periodontal disease and sjogren syndrome: a possible correlation?
2009
Sjögren syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune rheumatic disease characterized by a progressive lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine glands, especially salivary and lachrymal ones, leading to xerostomia, parotid gland enlargement, and xerophthalmia. The aim of this study is to describe the capillaroscopic pattern of the interdental papilla in patients with SS and to evaluate a possible correlation with periodontal disease. Methods: A total of 25 patients affected by SS and 25 healthy controls were examined. The patients with conditions that compromise microcirculation, such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or some pharmacological treatments, were not included in the study. All the…
Are laboratory tests useful for monitoring the activity of lupus nephritis? A 6-year prospective study in a cohort of 228 patients with lupus nephrit…
2008
Objectives:To evaluate the role of immunological tests for monitoring lupus nephritis (LN) activity.Methods:C3, C4, anti-dsDNA and anti-C1q antibodies were prospectively performed over 6 years in 228 patients with LN.Results:In membranous LN only anti-C1q antibodies differentiated proteinuric flares from quiescent disease (p = 0.02). However, in this group 46% of flares occurred with a normal value of anti-C1q antibodies versus 20% in proliferative LN (p = 0.02). In patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (APL), 33% of flares occurred with normal levels of anti-C1q antibodies versus 14.5% in patients that were APL-negative (p = 0.02). In proliferative LN, anti-C1q antibodies showed a slig…
Serum thrombomodulin—a reliable marker of disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): advantage over established serological parameters t…
1999
SUMMARYTo date no specific serological parameter is available to assess disease activity in SLE. Soluble serum thrombomodulin is a new marker of endothelial cell injury and vasculitis. The objective of this study was to compare in vivo soluble thrombomodulin as marker of disease activity in SLE with established and recent serological parameters. One hundred and twenty-four sera of 30 patients with proven SLE with different disease activities were tested for serum levels of thrombomodulin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), E-selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), IL-2R, IL-6, IL-10, dsDNA by ELISA and dsDNA additionally by radioimmunoassay (RIA). C-reactive protein (…
Production of Anti-Endomysial Antibodies in Cultured Duodenal Mucosa: Usefulness in Coeliac Disease Diagnosis
2002
Although anti-endomysial antibodies (EmA) have been found in the supernatants of cultured intestinal mucosa from patients with coeliac disease (CD), in no study has the clinical reliability of this new diagnostic tool been investigated. Our aims were to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the in vitro production of EmA in CD diagnosis in consecutive patients with suspected CD, and to evaluate the reliability of the in vitro challenge in CD patients on a gluten-free diet (GFD).For the former aim, consecutive patients who were due to undergo intestinal biopsy for suspected diagnosis of CD were enrolled: according to the final diagnosis, these patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 com…
Food-additive-induced urticaria: a survey of 838 patients with recurrent chronic idiopathic urticaria
2005
<i>Background:</i> Recurrent chronic idiopathic urticaria (RCIU) is a common skin condition that affects 0.1–3% of the population in the USA and Europe and accounts for nearly 75% of all ‘ordinary’ chronic urticaria (CU) cases. <i>Methods:</i> We studied 838 consecutive patients with RCIU referred to hospital between 1998 and 2003. Patients with known causes of CU were excluded. Clinical history, physical examination, and symptom diaries were evaluated during two periods, a diet-free period (1 week) and a food-additive-free diet (FAFD) period (4 weeks), respectively, and two double-blind placebo-controlled (DBPC) challenges of six food additives were administered. Th…