Immune complexes in CSF and serum in various neurological diseases

A technique whereby immune complexes (ICs) are detected in the CSF and serum from their inhibitory effect on the agglutination of IgG-coated latex particles by rheumatoid factor (RF) has been applied to patients with the following neurological diseases: multiple sclerosis (MS), inflammatory diseases, extradural peripheral neuropathies (EPN), CNS tumors, dementia, and a control group of other neurological diseases (OND). The groups did not differ significantly in respect of IC positivity either in CSF or serum. The MS group was tested for correlations between percentage of IC positives and CSF IgG/Albumin ratio on the one hand and presence of oligoclonal bands on isoelectric focusing on the other. The specificity of ICs to the dysimmune condition is discussed.

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Sommario È stata applicata una tecnica di inibizione della reazione di agglutinazione del Fattore Reumatoide (RF) su particelle di latice, ricoperte di immunoglobuline umane, per il dosaggio degli immunocomplessi (ICs) nel liquor e net siero di pazienti affetti da malattie neurologiche. Sono stati considerati 5 gruppi di malattie neurologiche, rappresentate da: sclerosi multipla (MS), malattie infiammatorie, polinevriti, tumori del SNC, demenza ed un gruppo di controllo composto da malattie neurologiche miste (OND).Non sono state riscontrate differenze significative tra le percentuali di positività nei diversi gruppi esaminati, compreso il gruppo di controllo, tanto sul liquor che su siero.Particolare attenzione è stata posta allo studio della MS, ove la percentuale di positività degli ICs è stata raffrontata con il rapporto IgG/Albumina liquorale e con la presenza di bande oligoclonali IgG all'isoelectrofocusing (IEF).La specificità della formazione degli ICs in relazione alla situazione disimmune è stata inoltre discussa.

     

全肺放疗治疗双肺多发转移癌24例分析

目的:探讨全肺放疗治疗肺转移癌的价值.方法:1999年3月～2003年5月我院肿瘤科收治24例双肺多发肺转移癌患者,均给予全肺放疗.现对这些患者的临床资料进行总结分析.结果:本组放疗结束时转移瘤CR率为37.5%(9/24),PR率为50.0%(12/24),有效率(PR+CR)达87.5%.原发肿瘤为鼻咽癌、乳腺癌、肝癌、结直肠癌的中位生存期分别为13.5、22.0、10.5月、8.5月.1～2级放射性肺炎发生率为25.0%(6/24);3级为16.7%(2/24);4～5级为0.结论:恶性肿瘤肺多发转移可以采用全肺放疗+局部小野补量治疗,尤其适用于原发肿瘤对放疗中高度敏感、化疗无效的患者,可获得较好疗效.毒副作用可耐受.     

Predictive value of clinical characteristics for 'benign' multiple sclerosis

We studied a cohort of 496 patients who had multiple sclerosis (MS) for at least 10 years. Ten years after disease onset, 151 had benign MS defined as an Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS) ≤3. Between benign and non-benign patients we compared gender, age at clinical onset, relapsing–remitting or primary progressive, symptoms at onset, recovery from first relapse, time between first and second relapse, number of relapses in the first 5 years, use of immunomodulatory drugs, and EDSS scores at 2, 5 and 10 years. A multivariate regression analysis showed that a relapsing–remitting course, a low EDSS score at 5 years, and a low number of relapses in the first 5 years were predictive for benign MS at 10 years. Other factors had no additional value. Thirty-five of the 51 patients (69%) with benign MS at 10 years were still benign at 20 years. A low 10-year EDSS score was the only clinical variable associated with a benign course at 20 years. Our results suggest that within the first 5 years from onset it is not possible to predict a benign course. Disease course, EDSS score and relapse rate at 5 years are predictors for benign MS at 10 years.     

Prefrontal cortex dysfunction and depression in atypical parkinsonian syndromes.

Depressive symptoms are common in patients with neurodegenerative disorders. Imaging studies suggest that a disruption of frontal-subcortical pathways may underlie depression associated with basal ganglia disease. This pilot study tested the hypothesis that frontal dysfunction contributes to depression associated with multiple system atrophy (MSA) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Depressed patients with MSA (n = 11), PSP (n = 9), and age-matched controls (n = 25) underwent measures of cerebral glucose metabolism applying positron emission tomography with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose. Regional metabolism in the patient groups was compared to the normal subjects using the voxel-based statistical parametric mapping. Depressive symptom severity (Hamilton Depression Rating) and degree of locomotor disability (Hoehn & Yahr) were assessed in the patient groups. The association between prefrontal metabolism and the occurrence of depressive symptoms and the degree of locomotor disability was investigated. When compared to controls, MSA patients revealed significant metabolic decreases in bilateral frontal, parietal, and cerebellar cortex and in the left putamen. In PSP patients, significant hypometabolism was demonstrated in bilateral frontal cortex, right thalamus, and midbrain. Depression severity but not the patients' functional condition was significantly associated with dorsolateral prefrontal glucose metabolism in both patient groups. The findings of this pilot study support the hypothesis that depressive symptoms in MSA and PSP are associated with prefrontal dysfunction.     

65例多发性硬化患者的临床分析

目的总结多发性硬化(MS)患者的临床特点(精神情感障碍)以及脑脊液、诱发电位、影像学改变进行分析。方法回顾分析65例MS患者的有关临床和实验室资料。结果65例中,男17例,女48例;年龄16~68岁,平均(36.5±14.1)岁,男女比为1∶2.8。MS首发及常见症状为感觉异常、肢体无力、视力减退及括约肌功能障碍,病变部位以脊髓受累最多见,部分患者存在精神情感障碍。结论出现感觉异常有助于MS早期诊断,诱发电位及MRI有助于发现亚临床病变;括约肌功能异常多见,可能与脊髓受累较多有关;MS患者的精神情感应受人们关注。     

Posaconazole salvage therapy allows successful allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with refractory invasive mold infections

We describe the clinical courses of 3 patients with hematologic malignancies (2 with acute myelogenous leukemia and 1 with multiple myeloma) who developed invasive fungal infections due to uncommon molds (Alternaria spp., Paecilomyces lilacinus, and Zygomycetes). Breakthrough invasive fungal infections of the sinus (n=1), lung (n=3), and pericardium (n=1) developed despite fluconazole prophylaxis and failed to respond to treatment with other licensed antifungal therapies, including amphotericin B (n=3), caspofungin (n=2), and voriconazole (n=3), and surgical intervention (n=2). Salvage therapy with posaconazole oral suspension resulted in successful outcomes in all 3 patients, who subsequently underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) while on continued posaconazole therapy. The median duration of posaconazole treatment before HSCT was 5 months (range: 1.5-6 months). Posaconazole salvage therapy allowed successful allogeneic HSCT in 3 patients with refractory invasive mold infections.     

多发性骨髓瘤合并肾功能不全38例临床和预后分析

目的研究多发性骨髓瘤合并肾功能不全的临床特点及肾功能可逆性的相关因素和生存相关因素。方法回顾性分析1999-01~2003-12北京协和医院收治的91例初治多发性骨髓瘤及其中38例多发性骨髓瘤合并肾功能不全患者的临床资料。结果91例初治多发性骨髓瘤中有38例(41·8%)合并肾功能不全。合并肾功能不全的患者病程进展更快,贫血更严重,血乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)和β2-微球蛋白(β2-MG)质量浓度更高,以及尿蛋白量更多,同时对化疗的反应更差及生存时间更短。其中34·2%的患者肾功能不全是可逆的,血肌酐和LDH是肾功能可逆的独立预测因素。肾功能可逆患者的生存时间与肾功能正常患者的生存时间比较差异无显著性意义。Cox生存多因素分析发现肾功能可逆性(B=1·294,EXP(B)=3·647,P=0·001)是与生存惟一相关的因素。结论肾功能不全是多发性骨髓瘤常见并发症,相当一部分患者的肾功能可以恢复正常,血肌酐水平和LDH水平是肾功能可逆的重要因素,肾功能可逆性是独立的生存预后因素。     

颈椎后路螺钉-钛棒(板)内固定技术:初步临床报告

目的 报告利用螺钉-钛棒（板）固定技术治疗各种原因引起的颈椎不稳的初步临床结果。方法 作者1年来行颈椎后路螺钉-钛棒（板）技术内固定9例，其中齿突样骨引起的C1～C2不稳2例，手术后进行性颈椎后凸2例，颈椎管狭窄2例，C3-C4滑脱1例，C6～C7外伤滑脱2例。分别采用C1侧块、C2椎弓根螺钉、C3～C5侧块螺钉、C2-T2椎弓根螺钉植入技术，然后连接钛棒或钛板完成固定。9例病人共植入螺钉59枚。结果 所有病人在1周内带外支架进行活动，除1例因拒绝治疗死亡外，其余病人在1个月及1年后复查均未见内固定物移位。结论 颈椎后路螺钉-钛棒（板）固定为安全可靠的技术，可以术后即刻获得牢固内固定，为下一步治疗创造有利条件。     

58例多原发癌临床分析

Objective to Present 56 cases of multiple primary cancers,to make improvement of diagnosis and treatment.methods A total of 58 patients with multiple primary cancers admitted from 2003 to 2007 were analysed retrospectively in Beijing Tongren Hospital.Results Thirty-five cases were males,with sex ratio of male and female 1.5:1.The median age at the onset of the first disease was 61.5 years (ranged from 27 to 86).The onset age of the two primary cancers was mainly centered around 50～75 years,while half of the second cancers occurred within five years.Conclusion the treatment and prognosis of the two primary cancers are different from that of the recurred and metastatic malignancies and shoule be handled with care.     

The importance of self-examination in the earliest diagnosis of multiple primary cutaneous melanomas: a report of 47 cases

BACKGROUND: Development of more than one primary melanoma in a patient is a relatively uncommon but well-recognized phenomenon. Its frequency has ranged from 1.2% to 8.2% in several series. This subgroup of patients with multiple primary lesions has not been characterized sufficiently. We report the experience of the Melanoma Unit of University Hospital Spedali Civili of Brescia, Italy. METHOD: Study subjects were drawn from 1240 patients with histologically confirmed melanoma, including melanoma in situ. From this group, multiple melanomas developed in 47 patients (3.79%). Every one of our patients has been taught to perform self-examination of the skin to detect suspicious pigmented lesions. RESULTS: Of the 47 patients described in this study, 38 had two primary melanomas, 7 had three melanomas and 2 had 5 and 10 melanomas, respectively. Mean age at first diagnosis was 46.2 years. The majority of subsequent melanomas (74.5%) were removed within 5 years of the initial operation. Synchronous lesions were found in 10 patients. In male patients, the lesion appeared most frequently on the trunk; in female patients, melanoma appeared mostly on the lower extremities. The second primary melanomas developed in the same anatomic region from the first in 53.2% of our patients. The proportion of in situ to invasive melanomas was greater for the second melanomas compared with the first melanomas. Regarding invasive melanomas, the mean thickness of the first melanomas was 1.31 mm compared with 0.66 mm for the second ones. Dividing patients into two groups, of more and less than 50, it is highlighted that in older patients synchronous lesions appear more frequently (36.4% vs. 8.0%); the median time interval between sequential melanomas is longer (84 vs. 63.7 months); and the ratio between the primary and secondary melanoma mean thickness is lower (1.21 : 1.08 vs. 1.43 : 0.63 mm). CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms that second primary melanoma is usually thinner than the first lesion, and it is more common in the same region of the body as the initial melanoma. The highest risk for a second melanoma is during the first 5 years, but a much longer time interval of 28 years is possible. Continued medical follow-up with complete skin examinations seems prudent, but it is very important to promote self-skin evaluation in patients to detect not only metastases but also subsequent primary melanomas in their earliest phases.