Attitude towards pre-implantation genetic diagnosis for hereditary cancer

The use of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for hereditary cancer is subject to on-going debate, particularly among professionals. This study evaluates the attitude towards PGD and attitude-associated characteristics of those concerned: family members with a hereditary cancer predisposition. Forty-eight Von Hippel-Lindau and 18 Li–Fraumeni Syndrome families were identified via the 9 family cancer clinics in the Netherlands. In total, 216 high risk family members and partners were approached, of whom 179 (83%) completed a self-report questionnaire. Of the high risk family members, 35% expressed a positive attitude towards PGD. Those with a current desire to have children were significantly more likely to have a positive attitude: 48% would consider the use of PGD. No other sociodemographic, medical or psychosocial variables were associated significantly with a positive attitude. The most frequently reported advantage of PGD is the avoidance of a possible pregnancy termination. Uncertainty about late effects was the most frequently reported disadvantage. These results indicate that approximately half of those contemplating a future pregnancy would consider the use of PGD. The actual uptake, however, is expected to be lower. There is no indication that psychosocial factors affect interest in PGD.     

Serum interleukin-10 in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a prognostic factor

Serum interleukin-10 (IL-10) was measured retrospectively in 153 patients with a fully documented history of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detecting both human IL-10 and the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) molecule BCRF1/viral IL- 10. IL-10 was detectable in 47 (46%) of the 101 patients with active NHL, 3 of 52 (6%) patients in first partial or complete response, and none of the 60 healthy blood donors. Serum IL-10 was detectable with a similar frequency in all subtypes of NHL and in all clinical stages, as well as in EBV-seropositive and EBV-negative patients. In patients with intermediate or high-grade NHL, the presence of detectable serum IL-10 at diagnosis was correlated to a significantly shorter overall (P = .025) and progression-free (P = .030) survival. Patients with stage IV disease and detectable serum IL-10 had a particularly poor prognosis (4 years of survival: 0%). Multivariate analysis showed that IL-10 was an independent prognosis factor. These results indicate that IL-10 is detectable in a subgroup of patients with active NHL and correlates to a poor survival in patients with intermediate or high-grade NHL.     

Ileocecal Tuberculosis

Three cases of ileocecal tuberculosis are presented with a review of pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy.
Emphasis is placed upon preoperative suspicion and the indications for resectional surgery in combination with antituberculous drugs in the management of the patients.     

The liver in infectious mononucleosis

Summary 1. Twenty-two patients with infectious mononucleosis were studied by liver biopsy and paper electrophoresis of the serum proteins. The findings were compared with a similar group of 30 patients with infectious hepatitis.2. The essential histologic features of infectious mononucleosis were the presence in the hepatic sinusoids and portal tracts of chronic inflammatory cells resembling small lymphocytes, with essentially no parenchymal cell damage. Admixed with this lymphocytic infiltrate, but in relatively minimal numbers, were a few plasma cells and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. In addition, in infectious mononucleosis there were, with rare exceptions, no lipochrome-containing Kupffer cells. Thus, in the majority of cases, the histologic picture was distinct from that seen in infectious hepatitis. Only in comparing a few of the more severe infectious mononucleosis cases with subsiding infectious hepatitis cases was there any tendency for the two pictures to merge, and the distinction on histologic grounds between the two entities could be made in the great majority of cases.3. The most commonly seen abnormalities in the paper electrophoretic patterns of sera obtained from patients with infectious mononucleosis were decreased albumin, increased gamma globulin, not infrequent but variable changes in alpha₂ globulin, and the presence of abnormal proteins migrating with mobilities intermediate to alpha₂ and beta, and beta and gamma globulins. The abnormalities observed in infectious hepatitis were similar to those of infectious mononucleosis, except that in hepatitis alpha₂ globulin was decreased more consistently, gamma globulin increased less frequently, and beta globulin, which was normal in practically all the cases of infectious mononucleosis, was increased in a considerable number of cases.4. Treatment of patients with infectious mononucleosis need not include prolonged bed rest and restriction of activity in an effort to avoid the development of chronic liver disease.     

Metronidazole and amebiasis

Previous reports indicate that metronidazole is highly effective in the therapy of colonic amebiasis and in the treatment of hepatic amebic abscesses when combined with aspiration. A retrospective review of 15 cases of intestinal amebiasis and 12 patients with amebic liver abscesses treated with metronidazole alone is reported. Based on the literature and the clinical response of the patients reported herein, metronidazole is the initial drug of choice in the therapy of amebic colitis because of its ease of administration, efficacy, and low toxicity. In the treatment of hepatic amebic abscesses, metronidazole alone is adequate therapy for most cases, but occasionally there will be progression of the disease despite standard dosages of the drug.     

Blood transfusion and postoperative infection in orthopedic patients

Adverse effects of the transfusion of homologous blood on tumor recurrence and resistance to bacterial infection have been reported previously, but the findings are inconclusive. A retrospective review of patients undergoing orthopedic surgery was conducted, and the rate of the postoperative infectious complications was compared among those receiving homologous blood, autologous blood, both types, or no transfusion support. An overall postoperative infection rate of 6.1 percent was observed: 6.9 percent among persons receiving homologous blood, 5.0 percent among those receiving autologous blood, 11.9 percent among those receiving both homologous and autologous blood, and 4.9 percent among those not receiving transfusions (p = 0.37). Among patients receiving homologous blood, a subset of 15 patients received homologous whole blood and had an infection rate of 20 percent. Significant predictors of postoperative infection included increasing age, spinal surgery, high admission hematocrit, and greater time in surgery. Of factors relating to transfusion, only the use of homologous whole blood was a significant predictor of postoperative infection, which suggests a detrimental effect of homologous plasma. It can be concluded that, in this group of patients undergoing relatively nontraumatic surgery, several variables that are not related to transfusion, as well as the use of homologous whole blood, were significant predictors of postoperative infection.     

Common sense in the treatment of pilonidal disease

Summary The management of pilonidal cyst disease in a large military hospital is described. Of special interest to the military practice is the “buddy” system, in which patients help one another to keep their wounds clean and dry. The specific objectives of our technic are: 1) obtaining excellent hemostasis by the use of zinc peroxide paste; 2) avoiding recurrences by an open-wound method of treatment; 3) preservation of a pad of subcutaneous tissue over the postsacral fascia, thus reducing long-term morbidity by insuring a mobile scar; 4) decreasing the duration of hospitalization, achieved by frequently drying the wounds with warm air. Read at the meeting of the American Proctologic Society, Hollywood, Florida, April 12 to 16, 1970. The opinions or assertions contained herein are those of the authors and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the Navy Department.