Improvement of superoxide production in monocytes from patients with chronic granulomatous disease by recombinant cytokines

Cytokines have been shown to modulate the respiratory burst of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes from normal controls. We have examined whether monocytes from children with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) can be primed by cytokines other than interferon-gamma (IFN gamma), which has been demonstrated to improve the production of reactive oxygen species in vivo and in vitro. Monocytes isolated from peripheral blood were cultured without and with IFN gamma (500 U/mL), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (500 U/mL), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) (100 U/mL), and IL-3 (100 U/mL). After 3 days of culture, the phorbolmyristate acetate (2 ng/mL) and the formyl- methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (0.1 mumol/L)-stimulated superoxide- production was determined in a microtiter system. In nearly all of the 14 patients examined (5 autosomal, 5 X-chromosomal, and 4 of unknown inheritance), an improvement of superoxide production could be demonstrated. The most impressive effect with the cytokines newly tested was seen with monocytes from autosomal CGD patients treated with IL-3 and stimulated by phorbolmyristate acetate. In single patients cultivation of monocytes with IL-6 and granulocyte-macrophage colony- stimulating factor resulted in only slight improvement of superoxide production. Our findings indicate that cytokines other than IFN gamma can positively modulate the defective respiratory burst in CGD and that each patient reacts with an individual pattern to different cytokines.     

动脉血压监测及其影响因素

动脉血压 (ABP)是一项重要的血流动力学指标 ,正确监测很重要。重点介绍ABP的生理及影响 ABP的生理及病理生理学因素 ,ABP的监测原则 ,ABP波形及其临床解释。     

4－甲基－5－取代苯氧基－伯氨喹类似物的合成及抗疟活性的初步评价

以２－硝基－４－甲氧基－５－溴乙酰苯胺为原料，经６步反应，合成了７个４－甲基－５－取代苯氧基伯氨喹类似物（ＩＩ２～８）。抗疟活性的初步评价结果表明，这类化合物对鼠疟Ｐｌａｓｍｏｄｉｕｍｙｏｅｌｉｉ的病因性预防作用明显优于伯氨喹，可达伯氨喹的４～８倍；同时，ＩＩ２～８还有较强的杀血液裂殖体作用，ＩＩ２．５．６．８在０．７８１ｍｇ·ｋｇ－１的剂量对原虫的抑制率为１００％。     

Home-based subcutaneous immunoglobulin G replacement therapy under real-life conditions in children and adults with antibody deficiency

Background

Subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIG) therapy is an alternative to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy.

Methods

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of the SCIG Vivaglobin^® (formerly known as Beriglobin^® SC) under real-life conditions in a post-marketing observational study in 82 patients with primary or secondary antibody deficiencies. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was evaluated in a subset of 30 patients previously treated with IVIG (including 11 children < 14 years) using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) for patients ≥ 14 years of age (adults) and the Child Health Questionnaire - Parental Form 50 (CHQ-PF50) for children < 14 years of age. Treatment preferences were assessed in adults.

Results

The mean serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) trough level during SCIG treatment (7.5 g/L) was higher than during previous IVIG treatment (6.6 g/L; p < 0.01). The investigators assessed the efficacy of SCIG therapy as "excellent" in 89% of patients. No systemic adverse drug reactions were observed. Improvements by ≥ 5 points were observed in 5 of 8 SF36 subscales and in 6 of 12 CHQ-PF50 subscales. Statistically significant improvements (p ≤ 0.05) were observed for the SF-36 subscales of bodily pain, general health perceptions, and vitality (adults), and for the CHQ-PF50 subscales of general health perceptions, parental impact - time, parental impact - emotional, and family activities (children). Patients preferred SCIG over IVIG therapy (92%) and home therapy over therapy at the clinic/physician (83%).

Conclusion

This study confirms that therapy with Vivaglobin^® at home is effective, safe, well tolerated, and improves quality of life in patients with antibody deficiency.     

IMAGING AND STAGING OF SMALL-CELL LUNG CANCER: IS THERE A FUTURE ROLE FOR OCTREOTIDE SCINTIGRAPHY?

SUMMARY In small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), CT scan remains the most accurate imaging modality for evaluating local extension and specific sites of metastatic disease. The role of nuclear medicine in the work-up of SCLC is still limited to the detection of bone metastases. Recently, a new potential diagnostic tool has been introduced based on the presence of somatostatin receptors in SCLC. With the use of radiolabelled somatostatin analogues it is hoped that an equally effective but simpler staging system has been found that gives a better separation of prognostic subgroups. This article reviews the role of nuclear medicine in general and somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in particular in the imaging and staging of SCLC. Clinical value in terms of sensitivity and specificity is discussed in relation with other imaging and staging modalities.     

Sagittal orientation of the anterior minor fissure: radiography and CT

Chest radiographs of 12 patients revealed an oblique, predominantly cephalocaudal linear opacity in the anterior inferomedial aspect of the right lung. Correlation with high-resolution computed tomography in two patients indicated that this opacity represented a sagittal orientation of the anterior minor fissure, with resultant inferomedial curving of the right upper lobe of the lung along the right border of the heart. The sagittal anterior minor fissure may extend inferiorly to the right hemidiaphragm and merge superiorly with the horizontal minor fissure. Autopsy findings in one case showed that this anatomic variant may explain potentially confusing radiographic manifestations of disease in the anterior segment of the right upper lobe of the lung and in the medial segment of the right middle lobe of the lung.