Characteristics of neurological and cognitive status in patients with multiple sclerosis in relation to the location and volumes of demyelination foci and the severity of brain atrophy

A total of 65 patients with clinically significant diagnoses of remitting multiple sclerosis in the stage of remission were studied. Neurological status was investigated with assessment on the FS and EDSS scales, with neuropsychological testing, and MRI scans (1.5 T). The severity of brain atrophy (in terms of the parenchyma volume) and the total volume of foci on T2 images were assessed as proportions of intracerebral volume. The severity of neurological deficit depended on the volume of intratentorial focal lesions and the level of brain atrophy. Cognitive disorders were identified in 89% of patients, and the severity of these was associated with the level of atrophy and the volume of foci on T2 images in the dominant hemisphere. Translated from Zhurnal Nevrologii i Psikhiatrii imeni S. S. Korsakova, Multiple Sclerosis, Supplement, No. 4, pp. 46–49, 2007.     

Effect of adrenergic and histaminergic disorders on the subclinical course of atopic bronchial asthma

To characterize membrane-receptor peculiarities of the adrenergic and histaminergic systems under the model of peroxide and hyperosmolar effect in atopic bronchial asthma (ABA) and preclinical stage of BA, we have examined 25 patients with ABA, 19 patients with nonpulmonary allergy, 28 healthy men and 21 healthy blood relatives of ABA patients. The phenomenon of inversion of the effect of beta-adrenoblocker (obzidan) and of the combined effect of histamine and H1-antagonist (dimedrol) was revealed in ABA patients. The same phenomenon was registered at the preclinical stage of BA. In ABA and in preclinical BA the shift of H1/H2-histaminergic balance to increased H1-activity exists. Peroxide and hyperosmolar effects modeled on red cell membranes allowed us to characterize reactivity of adrenergic and histaminergic systems not only in ABA but also in preclinical BA.     

Membrane-receptor disorders in adrenergic and histaminergic systems under peroxide exposure in bronchial asthma patients

AIM: To characterize membrane-receptor peculiarities in adrenergic and histaminergic systems under model peroxide effect in bronchial asthma (BA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 172 patients with BA, 17 patients with nonpulmonary allergy, 38 healthy men and 19 healthy blood relatives of BA patients were examined for peroxide resistance of erythrocytic membrane to modulation with adrenergic and histaminergic agonists and antagonists. The modified method by A. A. Abramov and A. A. Pokrovsky was used. RESULTS: In atopic BA the phenomenon of inversion of the effect of beta-adrenoblocker (obzidan) and of combined effect of histamine and H1-antagonist (dimedrol) was revealed. The same phenomenon was registered at the stage of preasthma and at the preclinical stage of BA. In infection-dependent BA this phenomenon occurred less frequently being rare in remission. In both BA variants the shift of H1/H2-histaminergic balance to increased H1-activity exists which is more significant in atopic BA, preasthma and preclinical BA. CONCLUSION: Peroxide effects modelled on red cell membranes enabled to characterize reactivity of adrenergic and histaminergic systems not only in BA but also in preasthma and preclinical BA.     

Spectrin-alpha I/61: a new structural variant of alpha-spectrin in a double-heterozygous form of hereditary pyropoikilocytosis

Recent biochemical studies have led to the identification of abnormal spectrins in the erythrocytes of patients with hereditary pyropoikilocytosis (HPP) and hereditary elliptocytosis (HE). In this report we describe the biochemical characterization of the erythrocytes from a proband with severe HPP who is doubly heterozygous for two mutant spectrins (Sp): Sp alpha I/74 and a new, previously undetected, mutant of alpha-spectrin designated Sp alpha I/61. The proband's erythrocytes are unstable when exposed to 45 degrees C, and her membrane skeletons exhibit instability to shear stress. The content of spectrin in the proband's erythrocyte membranes is decreased to 75% of control values. The amount of spectrin dimers in crude 4 degrees C spectrin extracts is increased (58%) as compared with control values (6% +/- 4%). Limited tryptic digestion reveals a marked decrease in the normal 80,000-dalton alpha I domain, an increase in the 74,000-dalton fragment that is characteristic of Sp alpha I/74, and an increase in a series of new fragments of 61,000, 55,000, 21,000, and 16,000 daltons. Both parents are asymptomatic, but they have increased amounts of spectrin dimers (17% to 25%). Limited tryptic digestion of the father's spectrin demonstrates the presence of a previously identified abnormal spectrin (Sp alpha I/74) that is characterized by a decrease in content of the 80,000-dalton peptide and an increase in concentration of the 74,000-dalton peptide. The mother's spectrin digests show a decrease in the amount of 80,000-dalton peptide and the formation of new peptides of 61,000, 55,000, 21,000, and 16,000 daltons. The data indicate that this severe form of HPP is due to the inheritance of two distinct abnormal spectrins, Sp alpha I/74 and a new spectrin mutant, Sp alpha I/61.     

Serum Ornithine Carbamoyl Transferase as a Surrogate Marker in Malaria

Ornithine carbamoyl transferase (OCT) activity and other liver function tests were studied in a total of 50 patients of clinical malaria and 15 controls. They were grouped as group I (positive for malarial parasite on peripheral blood smear, n=18), group II (negative for malarial parasite on peripheral blood smear (PBS) but responded to antimalarials, n=17) and group III (peripheral blood smear negative and did not respond to antimalarial therapy, n=15). The mean OCT levels were significantly raised in group I (6.79 ± 1.84 IU/L, p value = 0.006) and group II (5.0 ± 1.15 IU/L, p value = 0.014) as compared to controls (2.5 ± 1.13 IU/L) and returned to normal after treatment In contrast, group III had normal levels except in a case of kala azar and septicemia where OCT levels were high and increased further on treatment. Taking PBS positivity as a gold standard of diagnostic criteria, OCT had a sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 86% with a high positive predictive value of 88% as compared to ALT which had a lower sensitivity of 55% and specificity of 80%. The clinical response rate in PBS negative cases of fever having high OCT level was 83% as compared to 35% in cases with normal OCT level, making OCT a good surrogate marker of malaria. OCT levels could also be of prognostic significance as 2 cases of cerebral malaria had high OCT levels of 11.1 UAL and 10.7 IU/L, respectively.Key Words: Malaria, Ornithine carbamoyl transferase