Detection of Mycoplasma and its antibodies in the blood of HIV-positive patients and in healthy persons]

The comparative study of HIV-positive and clinically healthy persons has indicated that the antigens of M. pneumoniae, M. fermentans and U. urealyticum are encountered nearly twice more frequently in the blood of HIV-infected patients than in that of healthy individuals. Mycoplasma antibodies are detected in HIV-positive persons 12 times more frequently than in healthy ones. Among the HIV-infected persons there are those who have simultaneously antigens of some Mycoplasma species.     

A comparison of the effects of renin inhibition and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition upon bradykinin potentiation.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of the present study was to show that, in contrast to an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, Ro 42-5892, a new renin inhibitor, can block the renin-angiotensin system without potentiating skin reactions induced by bradykinin. DESIGN: Potentiation of skin reaction to i.d. injections of bradykinin and histamine was evaluated in guinea pigs in the presence and absence of the drug (placebo, Ro 42-5892 or cilazapril). The elimination rate of radioactive bradykinin in blood was measured in other groups of guinea pigs treated with the same drugs. Maximal effective doses of each drug were used. METHODS: Measurements of erythema area induced by bradykinin and histamine injection were performed using a digital planimeter. Radioactive bradykinin was measured in blood by high-performance liquid chromatography and followed over 40 min. RESULTS: The ACE inhibitor cilazapril increased the area of erythema induced by bradykinin but not that induced by histamine. In contrast, Ro 42-5892 did not potentiate the effect of bradykinin. In addition, cilazapril did not change the elimination rate of i.v. radioactive bradykinin in blood. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that potentiation of bradykinin-induced skin reaction by cilazapril is due to a tissular (and not systemic) inhibition of ACE and does not occur with Ro 42-5892. Thus, side effects such as rash, angioneurotic edema or cough, which have been attributed to bradykinin accumulation by ACE inhibitors, may not occur with the use of specific renin inhibitors such as Ro 42-5892.     

Demonstration of endothelial adhesion of sickle cells in vivo: a distinct role for deformable sickle cell discocytes.

Different morphologic and density classes of sickle cells (SS) may play distinct roles in the generation of vasoocclusion, explaining the complexity of this phenomena. The densest SS red blood cells (RBCs) (SS4) can induce vasoocculsion in ex vivo microcirculatory preparations as well as in an intact animal model. Previous studies of the interaction of SS deformable discocytes with endothelial monolayers or the rat ex vivo mesocecum preparation have shown adhesion that is desmopressin (dDAVP)-stimulated, von Willebrand factor (vWF)-mediated, and limited to the small venules. However, in vivo adhesion of SS RBCs to the endothelium has neither been demonstrated nor characterized; and, in particular, the relation of adhesion to vasoocclusion is unknown. Using an intact animal model that involves injecting saline-washed, density-defined SS RBCs into the femoral artery of a rat, we find that: (1) Quantitative studies of RBCs retained in the rat thigh using 99mTc-labeled RBCs and gamma camera imaging showed that dDAVP induces a threefold increase in retention of normal (AA) cells and deformable SS discocytes (SS2). (2) electron microscopy and Microfil injection show that the retention of SS2 cells is due to adhesion to the vascular endothelium with no evidence of obstruction. (3) H-1 magnetic resonance imaging showed that retention of SS4 cells induced a dose-dependent increase in tissue edema (presumable secondary to tissue hypoxia), while retention of AA or SS2 cells produced no change. We conclude that endothelial adhesion of deformable SS discocytes can be demonstrated in an in vivo animal model, that this adhesion is enhanced by dDAVP (presumably related to, but not necessarily limited to the release of vWF), and that this phenomenon per se does not lead to vasoocclusion. Nevertheless, adhesion of deformable SS discocytes may have consequences. We hypothesize that adhesion of SS discocytes could narrow the lumen of postcapillary venules and facilitate secondary trapping of SS4 cells and lead to subsequent vasoocclusion.     

Surgical tactics in acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage]

The results of treatment of 595 patients with acute gastro-intestinal bleeding are presented. Ulcer disease is the most frequent cause of bleeding. In its diagnosis, the use of gastroduodeno-fibroscopy is effective. In ineffective conservative therapy, the operative intervention is indicated.