Aetiological factors for oral manifestations of HIV

OBJECTIVES: Describe the oral diseases in HIV-infected individuals in London, UK and identify social and medical factors related to the presence of specific oral diseases.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional analytic study.
SETTING: Dental clinics.
SUBJECTS: Consecutive sample of 456 patients with HIV infection.
METHODS: Social and medical history and clinical examinations. Univariate and logistic regression analysis.
OUTCOMES: Presence of HIV-associated oral disease.
RESULTS: 80% of patients with AIDS and 50% of patients with HIV had a specific oral disease. The most common diseases were hairy leukoplakia (30%), erythematous candidiasis (24%), pseudomembranous candidiasis (14%), angular chielitis (6%), necrotising periodontal disease (8%) and non-recurrent ulceration (6%).
CONCLUSIONS: The presence of erythematous candidiasis was not related to advanced HIV disease. Pseudomembranous candidiasis, hairy leukoplakia and mucosal ulceration were significantly associated with advanced HIV disease. Smoking was also identified as a strong aetiological factor in oral diseases. Longitudinal studies are required to further explore the prognostic significance of oral diseases in HIV infection.     

Paraneoplastic brachial plexopathy in a patient with Hodgkin's disease.

We describe a case of inflammatory brachial plexopathy that occurred in the context of a mild, diffuse sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy associated with Hodgkin's disease. Clinical, electrophysiologic, and pathologic studies helped distinguish this disorder from other causes of brachial plexopathy in patients with cancer. Treatment with corticosteroids seemed beneficial in this patient. We suggest that this may be another type of paraneoplastic condition associated with Hodgkin's disease.     

Returning to work with aphasia: A case study

Background: For some people with aphasia, returning to work will be their eventual goal. While there are reports in the literature of incidence of return to work, and general discussion of success, there are few documented in depth studies of what this might entail for the individual with aphasia.

Aims: This paper explores returning to work with aphasia, and examines the complex relationship between the person, the aphasia and the demands of employment.

Methods & Procedures: This is a detailed case report, describing and reflecting on the experiences of GD, who returned to work following his stroke and aphasia. Therapy focused specifically on work requirements is described and the factors affecting GD's return to work explored. An interview was used to elicit GD's reflections on his experiences.

Outcome & Results: GD's language skills improved over time and with therapy, and he developed several strategies that facilitated his communication. He was able to return to work (part-time) in a modified role and this was successful initially. After an extended period (～19 months) his employment was terminated and GD explored other options. He moved on to a volunteering and charity trustee role.

Conclusions: The success (or not) of returning to work with aphasia is multi-faceted and does not rest solely with the person with aphasia. The nature of the work may have a strong bearing on success, as will the ability and willingness of the employer to engage in the process. Partnership with the person and constant review of goals and management is of overwhelming importance. We need to consider what “success” may mean in this context and the need to consider therapeutic and rehabilitation needs over a longer time frame.     

Kinetics of peripheral blood mononuclear cell mobilization with chemotherapy and/or granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor: implications for yield of hematopoietic progenitor cell collections

BACKGROUND: Peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) are commonly collected and used to reconstitute hematopoiesis after high-dose chemotherapy. However, strategies for optimal collection and assessment of leukapheresis components are not standardized. STUDY DESIGN and METHODS: Hematopoietic progenitor cell assays were performed on 369 leukapheresis components collected from 95 patients who had received doxorubicin-based chemotherapy and/or granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). Precollection patient hematologic values, leukapheresis collection values, component hematopoietic progenitor cell assays, and patient outcome measures were summarized. The kinetics of mononuclear cell (MNC) and PBPC mobilization were assessed among four patient groups. RESULTS: Patient group was a significant predictor of the peripheral blood MNC count on the day of collection (p<0.0001), and that value was a significant predictor of granulocyte-macrophage– colony-forming unit (CFU-GM) yield (p<0.0001). This relationship between the peripheral blood MNC count on the day of collection and CFU- GM yield differed according to patient group (p<0.0001). CFU-GM made up a larger fraction of peripheral blood MNCs collected from patients who received chemotherapy plus G-CSF than collected from those who received G-CSF alone. Moreover, the peripheral blood MNC count and the corresponding CFU-GM yield increased significantly on consecutive days of collection in patient groups receiving chemotherapy and G-CSF but were unchanged or decreased in patients receiving G-CSF alone. CONCLUSION: The relationship between peripheral blood MNC count and leukapheresis component CFU-GM yield differed significantly between patients who received chemotherapy and G-CSF and those who received G- CSF alone for the mobilization of PBPCs. Patient peripheral blood MNC count and component CFU-GM yield are useful for both assessing and suggesting revisions to PBPC mobilization and collection strategies.     

健胃愈疡颗粒干预下大鼠胃溃疡黏膜乳癌相关肽和血小板活化因子的表达及与胃黏膜疏水性的相关性研究

目的:观察对胃溃疡复发有较好疗效的健胃愈疡颗粒对溃疡黏膜乳腺癌相关肽和血小板活化因子表达的影响,分析其可能的作用机制。方法:实验于2005-07/2006-07在湘雅医院中心实验室完成。SD大鼠110只,雌雄各半,随机抽签法分为5组,即正常对照组、假手术组、雷尼替丁组、健胃愈疡组,各20只;模型组30只。以Okabe改良法复制大鼠实验性胃溃疡,假手术组仅以生理盐水代替乙酸注入玻管内。造模后24h,雷尼替丁组、健胃愈疡组大鼠分别灌服盐酸雷尼替丁和健胃愈疡颗粒(药物组成为:柴胡、党参、白芍、延胡索、白芨、珍珠层粉、青黛、甘草,湖南湘雅制药有限公司生产)药液10mL/kg,分别相当于2.70,1.62g/kg,1次/d。假手术组、模型组灌服蒸馏水10mL/kg。10d后各组中随机取出10只大鼠剖腹取胃(处死前大鼠禁食24h),90d时将模型组20只大鼠再分为模型复发组和模型非复发组,各10只;除正常对照组、假手术组、模型非复发组大鼠腹腔内注射生理盐水外,其余各组大鼠腹腔内注射白细胞介素1,1μg/kg;在注射48h,大鼠禁食24h后,剖腹取胃。观察其对胃溃疡大鼠胃黏膜氨基己糖及磷脂含量、溃疡指数和胃黏膜血流的影响,并用RT-PCR观察乳癌相关肽乳癌相关肽和血小板活化因子表达的变化。结果:实验动物110只,全部进入结果分析。①模型组10,92d胃黏膜血流均低于正常对照组(P<0.01);健胃愈疡组同期胃黏膜血流均高于模型组(P<0.01)。②健胃愈疡组和雷尼替丁组10d溃疡指数均低于模型组(P<0.01,P<0.05);模型复发组、健胃愈疡组和雷尼替丁组92d溃疡指数均高于模型组(P<0.01);健胃愈疡组10,92d溃疡指数及复发率均低于雷尼替丁组(P<0.05,P<0.01)。③模型组10,92d氨基己糖和磷脂含量均低于正常对照组(P<0.01)。健胃愈疡组10,92d氨基己糖和磷脂含量均高于模型组和雷尼替丁组(P<0.01)。溃疡指数与氨基已糖、磷脂含量呈负相关(r=-0.957,-0.960,P<0.01)。④健胃愈疡组和雷尼替丁组10d乳癌相关肽mRNA表达较正常组和假手术组提高,血小板活化因子mRNA的表达下调(P<0.01),健胃愈疡组两指标表达变化较雷尼替丁组显著(P<0.01);模型复发组、健胃愈疡组和雷尼替丁组92d乳癌相关肽mRNA、血小板活化因子mRNA的表达同组10d比较差异无显著性意义(P>0.05);模型组乳癌相关肽mRNA、血小板活化因子mRNA的表达同组10d比较差异有显著性意义(P<0.01)。结论:健胃愈疡颗粒可提高乳癌相关肽mRNA及下调血小板活化因子mRNA的表达,影响胃黏膜氨基己糖及磷脂含量,可能是其促进溃疡愈合的机制之一。     

体外膜肺氧合技术支持治疗期间患者血乳酸浓度及其预后

目的:探讨体外膜肺氧合支持治疗患者血乳酸浓度的变化和预后。方法:于2004-12/2006-09在中国医学科学院阜外心血管病医院因脱离体外循环困难的心脏外科术后患者、扩张性心肌病和冠状动脉粥样硬化性心脏病发生心源性休克的患者共40例进行了体外膜肺氧合支持治疗,按年龄和存活预后分为4组:成人存活组、成人死亡组、儿童存活组、儿童死亡组。分析4组的治疗效果,分别抽取各组患者体外膜肺氧合建立时、体外膜肺氧合运转6h、运转中间时点、停机前6h、停机时的血乳酸浓度。结果:①体外膜肺氧合支持治疗患者40例,成人组26例,20例脱机,16例生存,10例死亡,脱机率76.9%,生存率61.5%;儿童组14例,7例脱机,5例生存,9例死亡,脱机率50.0%,生存率35.0%。②成人或儿童存活组的乳酸浓度都与死亡组有明显差别,存活组血乳酸浓度明显低于死亡组,其中建立和运转6h、中间时点的差异有显著性意义(P<0.05),其余2个时点的差异有非常显著性意义(P<0.001)。组内与建立时比较,中间时点、停止前6h、停止时差异均有显著性意义(P<0.001),血乳酸浓度逐渐降低。结论:经体外膜肺氧合支持治疗的患者,血乳酸浓度明显下降,脱机时血乳酸仍高的患者预后不良。     

Transient leukemoid proliferation of the cytogenetically unbalanced +21 cell line of a constitutional mosaic boy

A newborn without any signs of Down's syndrome was found to have an acute proliferation that remitted without drug therapy. Chromosomal analysis of blood, bone marrow, and skin cells revealed that the child was a constitutional mosaic with normal cells and a low number of cells in which one no. 21 chromosome was replaced by a probably isochromosome for the no. 21 long arm: 46,XY/46,XY,i(21q). The abnormal cell line of the mosaic appeared to be selectively involved in this proliferation.