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A Aeschlimann

Publications and source records attributed to A Aeschlimann.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

[Methods for determining antinuclear antibodies and their clinical significance].

Antinuclear antibodies are directed against different nuclear antigens such as deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, nucleoproteins, histones and non-histones-antigens. The importance of ANAs in the characterization of different systemic rheumatic diseases, e.g. autoimmune diseases, has been recognized. The most commonly used assay for ANAs is indirect immunofluorescence. Several methods, such as radioimmunoassays, double immunodiffusion in agarose gel, counterimmunoelectrophoresis or immunoblotting, have been developed and serve to identify antibodies of different specificities. This overview describes the clinical importance of ANAs with reference to the methods of detection. The immunologic diagnosis aspect of different autoimmune and collagen diseases is presented.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1989

Anti-Scl-70 antibodies detected by immunoblotting in progressive systemic sclerosis: specificity and clinical correlations.

One hundred and forty five serum samples from patients with a connective tissue disease and 30 serum samples from healthy blood donors were analysed by immunoblotting. The presence of anti-Scl-70, which seems to discriminate between progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) and the CREST (calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly, telangiectasia) syndrome, was found in 31/64 (48%) patients with PSS, in 6/55 (11%) patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, in 2/26 (8%) patients with mixed connective tissue disease, and in none of 30 healthy blood donors. These data resulted in a specificity of 93% for this antibody in systemic sclerosis. For patients with PSS the duration of disease was significantly shorter in those with anti-Scl-70 antibodies than in those without, whereas the presence of anti-Scl-70 did not correlate with severity of disease. An 82% prevalence of anticentromere antibodies in patients with the CREST variant compared with a 4% prevalence in patients with PSS or with overlap syndrome confirms the high diagnostic value of this autoantibody for the CREST variant of PSS.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Immunoblotting profiles in 55 systemic lupus erythematosus sera lacking precipitating antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens.

Serum samples from 55 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were selected for the absence of anti-extractable nuclear antigen antibodies after routine immunodiffusion tests. These sera were immunoblotted for anti-Sm and anti-RNP antibodies on a HeLa cell nuclear extract. Ten (18%) were negative and 45 (82%) produced complex patterns: 10 (18%) suggestive of anti-Sm, three (5%) anti-RNP, and 32 (58%) a combination of anti-Sm and anti-RNP antibodies. These data were very similar to those obtained from sera from a control group of 28 SLE sera selected for positivity of anti-Sm and anti-RNP precipitins with the immunodiffusion test. IgM isotype antibodies to the D peptide were significantly more prevalent than IgG isotype antibodies, whereas antibodies to the 68 kD polypeptide were of both IgM and IgG isotypes. Sera with an anti-Sm/RNP immunoblotting pattern stemmed from a group of patients with SLE with a higher titre of anti-dsDNA antibodies. Among clinical symptoms, the incidence of haemolytic anaemia was higher in the group of patients with the anti-Sm immunoblotting profile. Patients with an anti-RNP immunoblotting profile showed a higher incidence of cutaneous symptoms. It is concluded that immunoblotting for anti-Sm or anti-RNP antibody determination is a very sensitive diagnostic tool in patients with SLE.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Antinuclear and anticytoplasmic antibodies in 24 cases of dermatomyositis. Value of western blotting].

Antinuclear and anticytoplasmic antibodies were detected, using 4 methods, in 96% of the sera (23/24) from 24 dermato- or polymyositis patients, who were followed in the Rheumatology Department. Immunofluorescent (IF) labeling of Hep-2 cell smears was more sensitive than IF staining of liver sections (72 vs 67%), and the patterns observed were in agreement 20/24 times. Gelose precipitation is even less sensitive (29%), but enables a characterization of the antigens recognized: 3 anti-RNP, 3 anti-J01, 1 anti-PMScl, 1 anti-SSB and 1 anti-Ro; the latter two specificities were associated with a sicca syndrome. Western-blotting was the most informative method because it was highly sensitive (79%) and identified the principle antigen-antibody systems: anti-U1-RNP (33%) and anti-Scl70 (33%), both associated with myositis with an overlap syndrome (p less than 0.02); anti-J01 (25%) associated with various forms of myositis; and, more rarely, anti-SSB and anti-Ro (both 4%) when a sicca syndrome was present. Finally, non-identified specificities were observed in 37% of the cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Mixed connective tissue disease after exposure to polyvinyl chloride.

We present 4 patients fulfilling criteria for mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) with anti-RNP antibodies, who had been previously exposed, in 4 different professions, to polyvinyl chloride. This presentation is clinically and serologically different from the classical polyvinyl chloride disease in which no such antibody can be found. Already observed in patients after cosmetic surgery, MCTD could also be a result of toxic exposure.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

[The epidemiology of Borrelia burgdorferi infections. A pilot study from the Männedorf area].

Only a few investigations have been conducted into the incidence of Lyme borreliosis and the prevalence and clinical value of increased antibody titers against Borrelia burgdorferi. We prospectively examined 241 persons and found increased titers in 23 (9.5%); only two of them had a history of Lyme borreliosis. The concentrations of increased IgG-antibody titers in healthy persons were comparable to those in patients with actual Lyme borreliosis. In the latter, IgM-antibodies were frequently absent. Our results suggest an infection rate of about 10% in this region of Switzerland. They further emphasize that the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis must primarily be established clinically and by exclusion of other etiology.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

[Prevalence of Lyme borreliosis in a Swiss population at risk].

The epidemiology of "Lyme borreliosis" in Europe and the significance of positive antibody titers against Borrelia burgdorferi is not well known. Since "orienteering", a competitive cross country sport with a map and a compass, usually in forests, elevates the risk of being bitten by ticks and infected by B. burgdorferi, nearly 1000 orienteerers were included in a prospective study. - In this population the prevalence of positive IgG-antibodies (immunofluorescence technique) was almost 20% and of IgM-antibodies 4%. However, the frequency of associated symptoms in the clinical history of the probands was very low, even in individuals with highly positive titers. - We conclude that the rate of asymptomatic Borrelia infections is high in this special group, and probably also in the general population, and that one has therefore to be cautious in interpreting an isolated positive "Lyme titer". Further investigations are needed, and, in particular, follow-up of the many "positive" subjects without clinical symptoms may be helpful in understanding this fascinating disease better.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

[5 cases of Mediterranean boutonneuse fever in Switzerland].

The Boutonneuse Fever also called Marseilles or Eruptive Mediterranean Fever is an common disease in mediterranean area, in Africa and Indien. Rickettsia conorii is the microorganism involved and Rhipicephalus sanguineus is the most common vector. In Switzerland, this dog's tick don't exist in the nature, but it may be introduced by a dog contaminated elsewhere outside of the country and remain alive in our houses. It the reason why this disease is very uncommon in Switzerland. However, it may be observed in people coming back from vacation or in patients in contact with imported Rhipicephalus. In this paper, five cases of Boutonneuse Fever diagnosed between 1980 and 1985 are reported. The epidemiological relationships between four of these cases are of special interest. The clinical picture of the disease is presented with the different serological tests useful in confirming the diagnosis. Prevention and treatment are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Importance of ECG and chest x-ray of ambulant patients with chest pain].

107 consecutive outpatients were examined prospectively to evaluate the contribution of clinical history, ECG and chest X-ray to diagnosis of chest pain. Based on patient history, clinical examination, ECG and chest X-ray, 23 (21.5%) of all patients had chest pain related to organic disease, whereas in 84 (78.5%) patients the symptomatology was of a functional/psychosomatic nature. In chest pain of organic origin ECG and chest X-ray contributed to diagnosis in 1/4 of the cases. In patients with so-called functional chest pain, ECG and chest X-ray were of no diagnostic value but had a psychological and therapeutic effect in a way that facilitated patient management.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

[Studies on ticks (Acarina, Ixodidae), parasites of cattle in West Algeria. I. Systematic survey and seasonal activity].

Tick samples (Acarina, Ixodidae) were collected for two years on bovidae from the whole Oran area which were brought weekly at the Oran open market (Algeria). The 5,500 ticks thus obtained could be divided into six genera and twelve species. From the phenological analysis the following were defined: three spring species (Rhipicephalus bursa, Rh. turanicus and Rh. sanguineus), three summer species (Hyalomma detritum, H. impeltatum and Boophilus annulatus), three winter species (Ixodes ricinus, Haemaphysalis punctata and Dermacentor marginatus) and three species called perennial (H. marginatum, H. excavatum and H. lusitanicum). In fact, the latter are present on cattle all year around, but in winter, the collected specimens (mostly male and a few females) remain fixed on their host without feeding. The parasitic intensity for each species and its relative distribution pattern were studied monthly on cattle from november 1981 to september 1983. The distribution on host of different species was analyzed. Short rostrum ticks were found to have a significant preference for specific habitats (depending on the thickness of the teguments) while long rostrum species are fixed on more varied sites. In the case of plurispecific infestations of the same area, phenomena of competition-exclusion were not observed. Most of the animals are simultaneously infected by two or four different species of ticks. Taking into account this first estimation, it was possible to define two types of associations both related to the rearing methods and geographical source of bovines.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Algeria↗
PubMed1986

Benign intra- and extracranial meningioma.

Report of a case with nonmalignant multiple meningiomas at different levels (supratentorial and spinal) of the cerebromedullary axis. Literature is reviewed for epidemiological, clinical and pathophysiological features of such tumors. The possibility of multifocal intra-and extracranial growth of benign meningiomas should be remembered when patients with changing neurological findings are examined postoperatively.

Aged↗