Free light chains in multiple sclerosis and infections of the CNS

The intrathecal humoral immune response was analyzed in 83 patients with MS and 35 patients with acute CNS infections. CSF free kappa chains and CSF free lambda chains were quantified by radioimmunoassay; CSF IgG and albumin were measured by electroimmunodiffusion. The MS patients were characterized by higher levels of free kappa chains; free kappa:free lambda chain ratio; free kappa chain:albumin ratio; and IgG:albumin ratio. There were no differences in the level of free lambda chains or absolute concentration of IgG. A significant correlation was observed between free kappa chains and total IgG in MS and between free lambda chains and total IgG in infections, suggesting that the immune response was predominantly IgG-kappa in MS and IgG-lambda in infections.     

Plasma beta-endorphin immunoreactivity during graded cycle ergometry

The present study was undertaken to define the response of plasma beta-endorphin immunoreactivity (ir-BE) to exercise of increasing intensity. Nineteen healthy males performed continuous exercise for 32 min on a cycle ergometer, comprised of 8-min bouts at %VO2max approximating 25, 50, and 75% of maximal exercise. Venous blood samples were collected before exercise (T = -20 and 0 min), during exercise (T = 8, 16, 24, and 32 min), and in recovery (T = +15, +30 min). Ir-BE in plasma was measured by radioimmunoassay using Immuno Nuclear assay kits. Plasma ir-BE level (pg X ml-1) was not altered from pre-exercise (18.3 +/- 1.3) after 8 min of exercise at 25 and 50% VO2max intensity; however, ir-BE rose significantly after 8 min of 75% VO2max work intensity (27.1 +/- 2.4) and was further elevated at maximal exercise (74.1 +/- 8.6). Ir-BE level remained elevated 15 min (60.9 +/- 8.1) and 30 min (35.2 +/- 5.2) post-exercise. The response pattern was further characterized by a significant (P less than 0.05) inter-individual variation, both at rest and during exercise; also, regression analysis indicated the ir-Be levels attained at maximal exercise were inversely related to the relative VO2max (ml X kg-1 X min-1) of the subject (predicted ir-BE = 248.2 - 3.39 VO2max; r = -0.397, P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

SPECT gallium scanning for lymphoma and infection

Thirty gallium scans, using currently acceptable dosage levels (5-6 mCi) and a conventional rotating gamma camera, were performed on 20 patients with lymphoma or infection. Compared to planar scans, SPECT increased sensitivity and lesion detection from 48% to 89% in lymphoma, and from 50% to 80% in infection. The predictive value of a negative site was 81% in lymphoma and 67% in infection. Gallium utility is markedly increased by SPECT imaging. A normal gallium SPECT scan is highly accurate in ruling out disease.     

Lecithin: cholesterol-acyltransferase (LCAT) activity in alcoholic liver disease

The activity of LCAT (the controlling enzyme for cholesterol esterification in plasma) is known to be reduced in alcoholic cirrhosis, while little is known about early stage (liver steatosis) alcoholics. In this study, LCAT activity was assayed by Stokke and Norum's method, before and after a 15-day sobriety period, in liver steatosis and in cirrhosis alcoholics. Before alcohol withdrawal, LCAT activity was depressed in both groups. After the sobriety period, LCAT activity was significantly raised in liver steatosis patients, but was still lower than in controls; in cirrhosis patients, it was increased, but not significantly. According to our results, LCAT activity impairment in alcoholic liver disease is sustained by both the hypothesized mechanisms, alcohol-related metabolic disorders and lowered LCAT-enzyme production, but to different degrees, depending on the stage of the disease. In liver steatosis, metabolic disorders play a major role, as a liver-impairment-induced decrease in LCAT production seems rather unlikely, and increased LCAT activity is more likely to be sustained by metabolic normalisation than by any recovery of the damaged liver. However, the lack of improvement in about 20% of patients, and the fairly wide scattering of individual data, suggest a minor LCAT production impairment in liver steatosis too. In cirrhosis, the major role seems to be played by a permanent decrease in LCAT production, as no significant rise in LCAT activity was observed after alcohol withdrawal. However the restored LCAT activity observed in some patients could be related to improvement in the metabolic disorder, thus confirming the effectiveness of this mechnism in cirrhosis too.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Evidence for a defect in urinary concentrating ability in primary aldosteronism and its reversal by adrenal surgery

Of 15 patients with primary aldosteronism, 7 had idiopathic adrenal hyperplasia (IHA) and 8 had aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA). In order to determine any renal problems involved in the treatment, the renal clearance of these patients was analyzed and the results compared with those obtained from 12 patients with essential hypertension. With water diuresis or under antidiuresis status, levels of urine volume, Cosm and CH2O in patients with APA were greater (p less than 0.05-p less than 0.001) than those of patients with essential hypertension, while the fractional tubular sodium delivery of the former patients was lower than that of the latter patients (p less than 0.001 or less than 0.05). A similar tendency was observed in clearance studies in patients with IHA, although to a lesser extent. Adrenal surgery for patients with APA normalized these values, but administration of trilostane (3 beta-hydrosteroid dehydrogenase inhibitor) to patients with IHA failed to improve these values. These results indicate that impaired urinary concentrating ability as well as reduced urinary diluting capability is a common feature of primary aldosteronism. Such impaired renal function was improved only in patients with APA after adrenal surgery.     

Familial occurrence of testicular cancer

A case of testicular cancer in 2 brothers is reported and a review of the literature about testicular malignancies and etiologic factors in closely related family members is given. The familial incidence of testicular tumor is found to be 3% in twins and 0.6-2.1% in less closely related men. Tumors were of the same histology in 70-77% of the twins, whereas in brothers and in other degrees of relationship tumors of different histology mostly occur. Following the diagnosis of the tumor in the first man, the average interval to presentation of the tumor in the relative was 3.7 years in twins, 7.7 years in nontwin brothers and 13.5 years for less closely related men. The need for a thorough checkup of other family members is advised.     

Concomitants of excess coronary deaths--major risk factor and lifestyle findings from 10,359 men and women in the Scottish Heart Health Study

The Scottish Heart Health Study is a study of lifestyle and coronary heart disease risk factors in 10,359 men and women aged 40-59 years, in 22 districts of Scotland. The study was conducted during 1984-86, when Scotland had the highest national coronary heart disease mortality reported by the World Health Organisation. A self-completed questionnaire, complemented by a 40 minute visit to a survey clinic, staffed by nurses, enabled the classical major risk factors and some more newly described ones to be measured. The study emphasised quality control and representativeness, and incorporated a World Health Organisation protocol for measurement of key items to allow comparisons in place and time, and therefore also to provide a definitive baseline against which interventions can be assessed. This paper describes the overall findings. Current cigarette smokers constitute 39% of men and 38% of women, higher levels than those reported in England but lower than previous Scottish reports. Mean blood pressure levels were 134/84 mmHg for men and 131/81 mmHg in women, lower than in British studies of the 1960s and 1970s. Mean body mass index levels, 26.1 Kg/m2 in men and 25.7 Kg/m2 in women, were not high by international standards. However, mean serum cholesterol levels were 6.4 mmol/l in men and 6.6 mmol/l in women--as high as those in previous British studies and high by international standards. Levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, non-fasting triglycerides and fibrinogen are also reported. Physical activity both at work and in leisure time was low.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)