Monitoring Anti-HPA-1a Platelet Antibody Levels during Pregnancy Using the MAIPA Test

Anti-HPA-1a platelet antibody levels in pregnant women with a history of fetomaternal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FMAIT) were monitored longitudinally using the monoclonal antibody immobilisation of platelet antigens (MAIPA) assay, in order to examine any variation in optical density (OD) readings obtained over the course of pregnancy and after delivery. Seven women were selected; 4 were studied retrospectively and 3 prospectively (the latter being treated with intravenous gammaglobulin; IVGG). Levels of anti-HPA-1a were measured at various intervals after delivery of the first affected infant, to post delivery of the following affected infant. A decrease in MAIPA OD was demonstrated in all patients during the course of these pregnancies. This assay is a useful tool for monitoring anti-HPA-1a in women with a history of infants affected with FMAIT. A maternal antibody 'resting' level prior to, or early in the first trimester, must be established for comparison.     

Gasless laparoscopic esophagomyotomy

A case of gasless laparoscopic esophagogastric myotomy for achalasia is presented. The technical aspects of the technique as well as the benefits of this approach are reviewed.     

A multi-perspective survey of mental health consumer needs

Conclusions There is extensive evidence that perspectives on mental health consumer needs vary widely between consumers and other stakeholders-administrators, practitioners, and family members. Traditional methods of determining mental health consumer needs, based on professional input only, have inhibited program development. While progress has been achieved when shared goals have been identified, it has also been inhibited by a lack of known areas of consensus between stakeholder groups.Surveys provide a cost-effective step toward documenting shared views from stakeholders who have the greatest stake in influencing the size and direction of the mental health service system. Identifying shared views is necessary to coordinate stakeholder efforts. The most encouraging result of the surveys is that there are many areas of consensus and thus the potential exists for the stakeholders to coordinate their efforts toward shared goals to better meet important consumer needs by prioritizing services, improving practitioner training, and coordinating advocacy.     

Two Novel Pyrrolopyrimidine Lipid Peroxidation Inhibitors U-101033E and U-104067F Protect Facial Motor Neurons Following Neonatal Axotomy

Recent reports suggest that oxygen radical-induced lipid peroxidation plays a role in the retrograde degeneration of motor neurons following facial nerve axotomy in the neonatal rat. The purpose of the present study was to explore this notion further by testing the neuroprotective properties of two novel brain-penetrating, lipid peroxidation inhibitors, U-101033E and U-104067F, in this model of neuronal degeneration. In Experiment 1, 14-day-old rats were pretreated with 3, 10, or 30 mg/kg U-101033E (po) 10 min before right facial nerve axotomy (Day 0) and then posttreated once a day from Day 1 to Day 6, and once every other day from Day 8 to Day 21. Rats were sacrificed 21 days postaxotomy and surviving cholinergic cell bodies were identified using choline acetyltransferase immunocytochemistry. Both 10 and 30 mg/kg U-101033E significantly enhanced motor neuron survival, with survival rates of 65.9–88.9% being noted in comparison to 51.7–62% survival in vehicle controls (P ≤ 0.05). Experiment 2 demonstrated a significant neuroprotective effect of 10 and 30 mg/kg U-104067F using the same dosing schedule. Experiment 3 was designed to test whether shorter periods of drug exposure (e.g., 5 or 7 days) would be sufficient to preserve motor neurons in rats treated with 10 mg/kg U-101033E. The results suggested that as little as 5 days of drug treatment is sufficient to enhance motor neuron survival. Finally, Experiment 4 demonstrated an 18–19% increase in motor neuron survival in rats treated with 10 and 30 mg/kg U-104067F for 5 consecutive days postaxotomy. Taken together, the attenuation of motor neuron degeneration by the two pyrrolopyrimidine lipid peroxidation inhibitors, U-101033E and U-104067F, lends support to the notion that lipid peroxidation contributes to the pathogenesis of axotomy-induced neurodegeneration.     

Fungal endocarditis — a report on seven cases and a brief review

Summary Candida endocarditis is an unusual but severe complication of systemic infection caused byCandida albicans and occasionally by other fungal species. We describe seven cases that occurred during a period of 20 years in western Sweden. In four cases infections were located on prosthetic valves and in three cases native valves were involved. Three patients died of the disease in the acute phase. A definite diagnosis was established in one of four survivors. This patient had an aortic valve endocarditis and a saddle embolisation and was treated with immediate surgery, followed by intensive treatment with liposomal amphotericin B + flucytosine. Fungal endocarditis is still a serious disease with a high mortality and whenever the diagnosis is suspected, antifungal therapy must be started and transesophageal sonography should be performed to visualize vegetations. Immediate surgery should be considered.

---

Pilzendokarditis — Bericht über sieben Fälle und kurze Literaturübersicht

Zusammenfassung DieCandida-Endokarditis ist eine seltene, aber schwere Komplikation einer systemischen Infektion durchCandida albicans und gelegentlich auch durch andere Pilzspezies. Wir berichten über sieben Fälle, die in einem Zeitraum von 20 Jahren in Westschweden beobachtet wurden. In vier Fällen waren Klappenprothesen und in drei Fällen natürliche Klappen betroffen. Drei Patienten starben in der akuten Phase an der Krankheit. Bei einem der vier überlebenden Patienten konnte die Diagnose eindeutig gesichert werden. Dieser Patient hatte eine Aortenklappenendokarditis und einen reitenden Embolus. Er wurde sofort operiert und hochdosiert mit liposomalem Amphotericin B und mit Flucytosin behandelt. Die Pilzendokarditis ist nach wie vor eine ernste, mit hoher Letalität belastete Krankheit. Die antimykotische Therapie muß bereits beim ersten Verdacht begonnen werden. Um Vegetationen nachzuweisen, sollte die transösophageale Sonographie durchgeführt werden. Ein sofortiges chirurgisches Eingreifen ist zu erwägen.

     

Lipapheresis: an immunoglobulin-sparing treatment for Refsum's disease

Introduction – Toxic phytanic acid concentrations in patients with Refsum's disease can be reduced by plasma separation, performed either as plasmapheresis, or as cascade filtration. The latter procedure is as efficient and safe as plasmapheresis, and eliminates the need for albumin replacement. This study investigates the loss of immunoglobulins associated with the procedure. Material and methods — Immunoglobulin- and phytanic acid serum concentrations before and after cascade filtration (n=16) were measured in a patient with Refsum's disease and their removal determined. Filters with sieving coefficients for immunoglobulin G of 70% and 30% were compared with each other and with historical data on plasmapheresis. Results — While differences in immunoglobulin M loss are negligible, the loss of immunoglobulin G in cascade filtration is significantly less than that reported for plasmapheresis and depends upon the pore size of the employed filters. The loss is least with larger pore size, but this advantage becomes statistically insignificant if immunoglobulin G loss is related to the lesser decrease in phytanic acid concentration that was achieved simultaneously in this study. Conclusion — Unless transplantation of a-hydroxylase containing tissue can be established as treatment for Refsum's disease, cascade filtration appears to be the treatment of choice in order to avoid loss of albumin and to reduce the loss of immunoglobulin G.     

A multicentre assessment of the specificity of ten anti-HBc screening tests

SUMMARY. Samples from 1828 donations were screened for anti-HBc at seven sites in the UK using kits supplied by 10 manufacturers. Only 10 (0.55%) donations were considered to have true anti-HBc reactivity and these were detected by all 10 kits. Additional markers of HBV infection were found in nine of these 10 donations. Additional reactives were found by all kits, the number ranging from 1 to 43.
In the four more specific kits, the 10 true reactives were clearly distinguished from the 'false reactives' by the strength of the reaction. It is concluded that the reliance on a single ELISA test for anti-HBc diagnosis is unwise. The use of a second test known to be more specific than the screening ELISA is recommended.