Pulmonary Lophomonas blattarum infection in patients with kidney allograft transplantation

The aim of the study was to analyse the clinical manifestation and management of pulmonary Lophomonas blattarum infection in four allograft transplantation recipients retrospectively. Four patients with pulmonary L. blattarum infection were diagnosed by using Fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) examination. Their clinical manifestation and management are summarized. Four cases of pulmonary L. blattarum were found during the period from the second month to the third month after transplantation. Concurring infection by other pathogens was found in three of them. Common initial symptoms included fever (>38 degrees C) without cough and breathlessness. Lower lobe shadowing could be found on chest X-ray. Body temperature decreased to the normal range in three patients and to 37.5 degrees C in the other one, after intravenous injection of metronidazole and tapering immunosuppressant. Radiological examination confirmed improved health condition of the patients afterwards. Two patients received repeated FOB and only dead L. blattarum was found. Pulmonary L. blattarum infection in allograft transplant recipients carry relatively obscure initial symptoms. Possible L. blattarum infection needs to be screened in post-transplantation pulmonary infection patients with similar symptoms, especially in those who respond poorly to anti-infection treatment. Microscopic examination of BAL fluid can help to identify pulmonary L. blattarum infection and metronidazole is an ideal treatment choice.     

Humoral and Cellular Responses to Influenza Vaccination in Human Recipients Naturally Tolerant to a Kidney Allograft

Rare kidney allograft recipients enjoy unaltered graft function years after interruption of their immunosuppressive treatment. To assess the extent to which this state of 'operational tolerance' (TOL) is specific to the graft and not the result of a global immunodeficiency, we analyzed the response of such patients following influenza vaccination. Hemagglutination inhibition titers and frequency of IFNgamma-secreting T cells were measured before 1 and 3 months after vaccination. The proportion of healthy volunteers (HV) responding to vaccine was significantly higher than that of immunosuppressed (IS) patients. Three 'TOL' patients presented a humoral response similar to that of HV, whereas the two others had a poor response, like the IS recipients. Although the small number of patients does not allow for definitive conclusions to be made, these data suggest that the status of tolerance may be heterogeneous, with some patients with a global immunodeficiency and others with an adapted response to vaccination.     

Vacuum-assisted closure therapy in pyoderma gangrenosum

Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC), although a modern adjunct in wound management, has not been used previously in pyoderma gangrenosum (PG), probably to avoid the potential complications of ‘pathergy’. We would like to report our experience of VAC in three cases of PG with the relevant review of literature.     

塞来昔布对大鼠心脏移植急性排斥反应的抑制作用

目的观察塞来昔布对大鼠心脏移植急性排斥反应的抑制作用。方法以SD大鼠为供者,Wistar大鼠为受者,进行40次腹部异位心脏移植。采用HE染色和原位末端标记(TUN EL)技术检测移植心切片,进行排斥反应的病理分级并计算移植心肌细胞的凋亡指数(AI)。结果移植心的细胞凋亡主要发生于心肌细胞;移植后第3、5d,塞来昔布治疗组心肌细胞凋亡指数分别为:1.03±0.42和3.28±2.42;对照组分别为2.35±1.51和11.35±3.46;两组比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.001)。结论细胞凋亡是心脏移植急性排斥中组织损伤的重要机制;塞来昔布能明显抑制心肌细胞凋亡。     

Coccidioidomycosis After Renal Transplantation in an Endemic Area

Coccidioidomycosis is an endemic fungal infection of the desert southwestern United States of particular concern for immunosuppressed renal transplant recipients. The clinical course of coccidioidomycosis can be severe in immunosuppressed patients, with high rates of dissemination and mortality, and antifungal prophylaxis is routinely administered to high-risk patients. We sought to determine the impact of coccidioidomycosis on patients who received their renal transplant at our hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. A retrospective records review of the first 205 patients who received a renal transplant between June 1999 and December 2003 identified 6 patients (3%) who had contracted coccidioidomycosis after transplantation. All six cases occurred more than 6 months after transplantation. Two of these six patients had disseminated coccidioidomycosis. Two patients, one with pulmonary infection and one with disseminated infection, died. None of the six patients with coccidioidomycosis after transplantation had identified risk factors before transplantation. No high-risk patient who received targeted antifungal prophylaxis had a reactivation of coccidioidomycosis after transplantation. Treatment for acute rejection and induction with antithymocyte globulin did not appear to increase the risk of subsequent coccidioidomycosis.     

肾移植术后并发尿路上皮肿瘤的临床分析

目的 分析肾移植患者并发尿路上皮肿瘤的特点，探讨其诊治方法。方法 自1998～2003年肾移植患者1293例，术后发生尿路上皮恶性肿瘤21例（1．6％）。男4例，女17例。17例原发病为慢性问质性肾炎。发生尿路上皮肿瘤距肾移植6～62个月，平均26个月。其中膀胱癌6例，单侧肾盂或输尿管癌6例，单侧肾盂或输尿管、膀胱癌8例，双侧肾盂输尿管癌1例。10例上尿路肿瘤发生部位与移植肾同侧，4例发生于移植肾对侧。临床症状以无痛性肉服血尿和反复泌尿系感染为主。19例行手术治疗，术后所有患者免疫抑制剂用量减少1／3并辅以局部灌注化疗。结果 2例行姑息性治疗的晚期肿瘤患者分别于发现肿瘤5、8个月死亡。余19例现已随访2～5年。13例肿瘤复发，复发部位为膀胱或对侧原。肾、输尿管。所有患者在免疫抑制剂减量期间均未出现急性排斥。2例因切除移植肾恢复透析，17例肾功能正常。结论 慢性间质性。肾炎导致。肾功能衰竭的。肾移植患者和女性肾移植患者易发生移植后尿路上皮肿瘤；移植肾同侧上尿路较对侧好发肿瘤；对移植肾对侧为首发的上尿路发生肿瘤者可预防性行双侧上尿路根治性切除。     

Antiproliferative, cytotoxic and apoptogenic activity of Indian toad (Bufo melanostictus, Schneider) skin extract on U937 and K562 cells.

The antiproliferative, cytotoxic and apoptogenic activities of Bufo melanostictus (Indian common toad) skin extract (TSE) on U937 and K562 leukemic cell line has been investigated. TSE significantly (P<0.001) reduced the time-dependent cell proliferation and decreased MTT values in U937 and K562 cells. TSE (IC50 doses) suppressed the proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression in both the cells. It was demonstrated that, TSE (IC50 doses) primarily arrested the U937 and K562 cells at G1 phase of the cell cycle. Confocal microscopy showed the altered fragmented nuclei and apoptotic bodies formation in TSE (IC50 doses) treated U937 and K562 cells. Membrane blebbing, cell surface shrinkage and perforation were observed through scanning electron microscope. TSE-induced DNA fragmentation in U937 and K562 cells was reflected in single-cell gel electrophoresis. TSE significantly (P<0.001) increase the length-width ratio of DNA mass as compared to control in comet assay. The flow cytometric analysis of annexin-V binding to the cancer cells further supported the apoptotogenic activity of TSE. The effect of TSE on normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells viability and cytotoxicity was studied in culture and found to be less cytotoxic than on the U937 and K562 cells. The findings from the present study suggested that TSE might possess potent antineoplastic agent having antiproliferative, cytotoxic and apoptogenic activity against U937 and K562 myeloid leukemic cells.     

Preservation of Bile Ductules Mitigates Bile Duct Loss

The finer branches of the biliary tree (FBBT) contain a regenerative compartment. We hypothesized that preservation of the FBBT together with its microvasculature will lead to recovery of biliary damage and prolonged preservation of bile ductules during the development of chronic liver allograft rejection. The interlobular bile ducts, portal bile ductules and extraportal biliary cells with and without microvessels were studied in sequential biopsies in five patients who fulfilled the Banff criteria of early chronic rejection (CR) (imminence group). Biopsies of CR patients (n = 12) served as controls. Biopsies were double immunostained with CD34 (microvessels) and cytokeratin 7 (biliary structures). Proliferation and proangiogenic activity were assessed with Ki67 and VEGF-A immunostaining. Severe damage of bile ducts in the imminence group did not progress to significant bile duct loss. This was associated with a high proliferative activity in all biliary structures and preservation of the microvascular compartment. VEGF-A expression was increased in all but the reperfusion biopsies. In conclusion, both regenerative activity of the FBBT and an intact microvascular compartment are associated with less damage of the biliary tree and could therefore be prerequisites for biliary regeneration.     

树枝状静脉移植在手部创伤中的应用

目的探讨手掌严重碾挫伤应用血管移植手术方法的选择。方法对12例手掌碾挫伤伴血管损伤的患者，采用树枝状浅表静脉倒转后多级移植修复缺损的手掌动脉，同时对缺损皮肤一期行植皮或皮瓣修复。结果术后12例创面全部Ⅰ期愈合，手指血循环好。术后随访3～22个月，手功能评定： 优5例，良4例，可2例，差1例，优良率为75％。手掌恢复了良好的外形和功能，能完成手指的捏、握、对掌和对指功能。结论对严重的手掌毁损伤，利用树枝状静脉移植修复缺损的血管，能获得较好的手功能和外形。