Antibody testing in Indian children with celiac disease.

BACKGROUND: We prospectively evaluated the usefulness of IgA tissue transglutaminase antibodies (IgA tTG) in the initial diagnosis of celiac disease (CD) and compared its diagnostic potential with that of IgA anti-endomysial antibodies (IgA EMA) and anti-IgA and IgG gliadin antibodies (AGA and AGG, respectively). METHODS: Sera of 23 untreated children fulfilling the revised ESPGHAN criteria for diagnosis of CD (Group I; mean age 10.8 y); 19 disease controls (Group II; mean age 8.5 y) presenting with chronic diarrhea, short stature or both; and 22 healthy children (Group III; mean age 8.8 y) were studied. These were tested in a blinded manner for AGA, AGG, IgA tTG (guinea pig as antigen) and IgA EMA. RESULTS: In Group I, IgA EMA was positive in 19, IgA tTG in 17, AGA in 14 and AGG in 17 patients. In Group II, these tests were positive in 1, 0, 2 and 14 patients, respectively and in Group III, in 0, 0, 0 and 1 child, respectively. Analyzing data from Group I and II, IgA EMA, IgA tTG, AGA and AGG had sensitivity rates of 83%, 74%, 61% and 74%, respectively; the specificity rates were 95%, 100%, 89% and 26%; positive predictive values were 95%, 100%, 88% and 55% and negative predictive values were 82%, 74%, 65% and 45%, respectively. CONCLUSION: IgA tTG is useful for the diagnosis of CD, with sensitivity and specificity rates comparable to those of EMA and this test is well suited for use in tropical countries like India.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of prodrugs of zidovudine

A series of prodrugs of zidovudine (AZT) has been synthesized in an effort to enhance the uptake of the prodrugs by the HIV-1 infected cells and to increase the plasma half-life of AZT. The 5'-OH function of AZT was esterified with various acids in the presence of DCC and 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP). The prodrug moieties included (a) morpholine and N-phenylpiperazine-1-acetic acid, (b) 1,4-dihydro-1-methyl-3-nicotinic acid, (c) retinoic acid, and (d) certain amino acids. The anti-HIV-1 activity of the esters was determined in peripheral blood lymphocytes. The IC50 for AZT in this system was 0.12 microM whereas for prodrugs it ranged from 0.05 to 0.2 microM. The prodrugs were generally less cytotoxic than AZT except the retinoic acid ester. In vitro hydrolysis of the various esters in human plasma indicated that these agents were relatively stable toward plasma esterases with t1/2 ranging from 10 to 240 min. Drug uptake studies in H9 cells with radiolabeled analogues demonstrated that the retinoic acid ester achieved approximately 4-fold higher intracellular concentration than [3H]AZT. However, 1,4-dihydro-1-methyl-3-[(pyridylcarbonyl)oxy] ester (5) was the most active agent of this series and had a higher therapeutic index than AZT.     

Pathogenic infection caused by coagulase negative multiple drug resistant Staphylococcus

Staphylococcus epidermidis is becoming increasingly important as a cause of clinical illness. In the past, its presence in the wound, blood and urine culture was generally dismissed as contamination and went undocumented. However, more recently its pathogenic role is being recognized notably in bacterial endocarditis, postcardiotomy endocarditis, bacteraemia secondary to colonised prosthetic heart valves, postsurgical wound infection and urinary tract infection. The ability of the organism to cause local sepsis in superficial tissues is a matter of debate. A case of pyogenic infection due to multidrug resistant coagulase negative staphylococci is reported here.     

Dopa-responsive parkinsonism secondary to right temporal lobe haemorrahage.

A 46-year-old man developed a symmetrical parkinsonian syndrome 7 weeks after large right temporal intracerebral haemorrhage resulting from a ruptured arteriovenous malformation. His signs included bradykinesia, rigidity, start hesitation, and poor postural reflexes, without a resting tremor. He also had signs of a Parinaud's syndrome. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain demonstrated changes in the right temporal lobe associated with the haemorrhage but no abnormality of the basal ganglia or midbrain. Levodopa therapy produced a dramatic improvement within a few days of commencement. We postulate that the parkinsonism resulted from midbrain compression secondary to transtentorial herniation. Although parkinsonism is a rare complication of lobar intracerebral haemorrhage, it is important to recognise as it may be potentially treatable.     

Use of carbidopa levodopa in a patient with hydrocephalus and frozen movement

While movement disorders are frequently encountered after brain injuries, and may create a host of complicated problems for the clinician, only a few cases of Parkinsonism associated with hydrocephalus have ever been described in the literature. Parkinsonism like syndrome complicating hydrocephalus is a rare disorder, especially when associated with nontumoral aqueductal stenosis. Yet as this case report discusses, hdyrocephalus induced Parkinsonism may be responsive to levodopa-carbidopa administra tion. This report describes a perplexing case of persistent akinesis following corrective surgery for aqueductal stenosis and the subsequent response to levodopa carbidopa administration. We present the case of a 28 year old male with a history of non tumoral aqueductal stenosis diagnosed at age 12. As a child, he underwent a ventriculo peritoneal shunt placement for obstructive hydrocephalus followed by multiple shunt revisions over the next several years. Sixteen years after his initial shunt placement, the patient presented with a decline in mental status. A third ventriculocisternostomy was performed rather than another shunt revision. Following surgery, the patient remained obtunded, and displayed profound hypokinesis, best described as freezing in movement. Upon admission to a rehabiliation unit 2 weeks later, he had made only minimal progress. A SPECT single photon emission computed tomography brain scan revealed decreased basal ganglia perfusion. Levodopa carbidopa therapy was initiated and within 2 weeks, the patient showed improvement in speed of movement, facial expres sion and verbal output. Eight weeks later, the patient could independently complete his basic activities of daily living and demonstrated little, if any, disordered movement. This report illustrates how dopaminergic agents may be useful in cases of hypokinesis following corrective surgery for aqueductal stenosis. SPECT may further aid in the diagnosis and management of Parkinsonism like syndromes in brain injuries.