Prostaglandin D2 measurement in nasal secretions is not a reliable marker for mast cell activation in atopic patients

Background Prosia gland in D2 (PGD2) is a very important mast cell product during the early-phase nasal allergic reaction. However, the quantification of PGD2 in nasal secretions has not yet been well established. Objective Quantitative determination of PGD2 in nasal secretions of atopic patients (n=17) after nasal allergen challenge (NAC) and in non-allergic healthy volunteers (n=10). Methods The nasal microsuction sampling technique was used to obtain the nasal secretions with an exactly known and minimally diluted volume. A sensitive and specific enzyme immunoassay was chosen to measure the more stable 11-methoxime derivative of PGD2. which was obtained after extraction in acelone/ethanol and conversion using methoxamine-HCl. The concentrations of PGD2 in nasal secretions obtained from 10 non-allergic healthy volunteers were used as reference values. Results There was no significant difference in the concentrations of PGD2 between men (median: 569pg/mL) and women (median: 407pg/mL), nor between the baseline concentrations from atopic patients (median: 410pg/mL) and non-allergic controls (median: 477 pg/mL). In the atopic patient group, PGD2 did not significantly increase during the entire sampling period after NAC. The absence of PGD2 response contrasted with the nasal symptoms manifested by sneezing, increased nasal airway resistance, and the significant increases of the concentrations of histamine, tryptase, and leukotriene C4 (LTC4) 5min after NAC. Conclusion This observation suggests that the measurement of PGD2 alone in the nasal secretions does not give reliable information on mast cell activation during a nasal allergic reaction.     

Suppression of human lymphocyte responses to specific and non-specific stimuli in human onchocerciasis.

Characterization of in vitro lymphocyte responsiveness was performed on selected groups of onchocerciasis patients from Sudan and Sierra Leone. These patients manifested a very broad range of clinical signs and showed widely divergent parasite infection intensities. Lymphocyte proliferative responses to soluble Onchocerca volvulus antigen (sAg) were poor in infected persons; mitogen and PPD responses were maintained in the normal range in one group of patients from southwestern Sudan, but were profoundly depressed in a group from N.E. Sudan. Proliferative responses and interferon-gamma (INF-gamma) secretion were very significantly depressed in the presence of live microfilariae of O. volvulus or secretions/excretions (S/E) from microfilariae (mf) or from female, but not male, adult parasites. Lymphocyte responses were maintained near normal when exogenous IL-2 was added to these cultures. The results indicate that O. volvulus infection and its clinical consequences are not consistently associated with systemic deficits in immune responsiveness. However, suppression of lymphocyte reactivity by mf and S/E in vitro suggests that direct parasite intervention in host cell responses could be taking place in vivo, perhaps at the local microenvironment level; mediated by effects on cytokine production.     

In vitro diagnosis of chronic nasal inflammation

BACKGROUND: Differential diagnosis of chronic nasal inflammation is insufficient when based solely on clinical examination and radiography of paranasal sinuses. Patients complain about more or less similar symptoms. Activation of mast cells and eosinophils is pivotal in nasal inflammation. OBJECTIVE: To compare tryptase and eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) in nasal secretions in different forms of chronic nasal inflammation and to establish norm values. METHODS: The study included 1710 patients presenting with nasal complaints. Nasal secretions were gained by the cotton wool method and analysed for tryptase, as a marker of mast cell activation, and for ECP, as a marker of tissue eosinophilia and activation. Patients were grouped according to their diagnosis: chronic, non-allergic rhinosinusitis (sinusitis, n=194), non-allergic nasal polyposis (polyposis, n=138), non-allergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome (NARES, n=198), isolated perennial allergic rhinitis (AR) (n=126), isolated seasonal AR (n=132), and patients allergic to both, seasonal and perennial allergens (n=193). Seven hundred and twenty-nine patients with nasal complaints due to a deviated septum and without any nasal inflammation served as controls. RESULTS: Nasal tryptase was highly significantly (P<0.001) elevated in polyposis, NARES, and in AR. ECP was highly significantly (P<0.001) elevated in all groups of patients suffering from chronic nasal inflammation. Based on our data and method we established norm values (95% confidence interval of mean value) for nasal tryptase in healthy adults, ranging from 12.0 to 18.7 ng/mL and for ECP ranging from 84.4 to 102.6 ng/mL. CONCLUSION: Mast cells and eosinophils are involved in non-allergic and allergic forms of chronic nasal inflammation. We established an in vitro assay for tryptase and ECP in nasal secretions and defined norm values based on our data and method. In vitro measurement of biological markers in nasal secretions provides important information for differential diagnosis and therapeutic strategies of chronic nasal inflammation.     

Aromatization of androstenedione to estrogen by benign prostatic hyperplasia,prostate cancer and expressed prostatic secretions

Summary Human prostatic tissue and expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) efrom patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer were incubated with (1 ³H) androstenedione. The extent of aromatization was determined by measuring the transfer of ³H from the 1 position into water. The amount of ³H₂O recovered corresponds to the estrogens formed. Tissue from 5 patients with BPH yielded 2.13 (±1.05) pmol/mg protein/h while the EPS from the same patients yielded 727 fmol/mg protein/h. In patients with prostate cancer the mean formation of estrogens was 388 fmol/mg protein/h (±75). 4-hydroxyandrostenedione, an aromatase inhibitor, successfully inhibited aromatization in BPH and prostate cancer 53–98%.Part of this paper was presented at the 5th Congress of the European Society for Urological Oncology and Endocrinology, 18–20 August 1986, Edinburgh, UK     

宫颈阴道分泌物中IGFBF-1检测在延期妊娠引产中的临床价值

目的探讨检测胰岛素样生长因子结合蛋白-1(IGFBP-1)在延期妊娠引产中的临床价值.方法采用快速免役层析法检测202例延期妊娠孕妇宫颈阴道分泌物中的高磷酸化IGFBP-1, 并予以催产素引产.结果 IGFBP-1阳性组,3d内引产成功率91.20%;IGFBP-1阴性组,3d内引产成功率为41.80%.两结果比较差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论检测宫颈阴道分泌物中胰岛素样生长结合蛋白-1 可作为预测宫颈成熟的一个客观指标.     

胰岛素样生长因子结合蛋白-1预测足月引产分析

目的：探讨定性检测宫颈阴道分泌物胰岛素样生长因子结合蛋白-1(IGFBP-1)预测足月引产成败的价值。方法：64例初产、足月、头位、有引产指征的孕妇在引产前行宫颈分泌物IGFBP—1定性测定，然后行PV检查了解宫颈条件得出Bishop评分。选用口服米索前列醇25μg，3h1次，引产。结果：IGFBP-1预示引产成功的敏感度、特异度、阳性预测值及阴性预测值均优于宫颈Bishop评分。IGFBP-1阳性组引产成功的时间短于阴性组，引产用药次数也较阴性组少。当IGFBP-1阳性且宫颈柔软时96％在3d内引产成功。结论：IGFBP-1是反映宫颈成熟的良好指标，单纯利用IGFBP-1预示引产成败较Bishop评分更有效，两者结合预示引产准确性更高。     

支气管分泌物糖含量诊断误吸的效果评价

目的:探讨支气管分泌物糖含量诊断误吸的临床意义。方法:对27例创伤后昏迷患者鼻饲含放射性同位素锝的混合奶后,同时测定支气管分泌物的放射性计数与糖含量,并对两种方法进行比较。结果:支气管分泌物的糖含量与放射性计数不相关。结论:检测支气管分泌物中的糖含量诊断误吸尚存在一定问题。     

The effect of acellular dermal matrix on drain secretions after immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction

Abstract

In recent years the acellular dermal matrix (ADM) has gained popularity in prosthetic breast reconstruction. These procedures involve placement of a closed suction drain in the reconstructed breast. Although it is now widely accepted that ADM has an overall positive effect on the outcome of breast reconstruction, data regarding its effect on postoperative drain secretions is lacking. This study was designed to quantitatively evaluate the influence of ADM on postoperative drain secretions in the setting of immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction (IPBR). This is a prospective, comparative controlled study. Two groups of 16 patients each underwent skin sparing mastectomies (SSM) and IPBR with or without ADM. Closed suction drains were left in all the reconstructed breasts and daily secretion volumes were recorded and compared. Postoperative complications were also noted. Patients in the ADM group showed higher daily and overall secretion volumes compared with patients in the control group (p = 0.014) and the time for removal of the drains was higher by an average of 5 days (13 compared with 8 days, respectively; p = 0.004). There was no correlation between ADM and infection. This study provides the first objective evidence that ADM contributes to elevated and prolonged drain secretions when used for IPBR. This might affect possible prosthesis-related complications (e.g., rotation and malposition, capsular contraction, seroma formation, and infection). This study also noted erythema of the post-mastectomy skin flaps in selected patients, which may be attributable to a local inflammatory reaction to the ADM rather than infection.