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Biomedical subjects

A Wanchu

Publications and source records attributed to A Wanchu.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Elevated nitric oxide production in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Nitric oxide (NO) production is elevated in patients with inflammatory disorders. We have previously shown increased NO production in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. In this study we used nitrite and citrulline levels as surrogate markers of NO production in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and measured their levels by spectrophotometry. Fifteen patients and 15 age- and sex-matched controls were studied. Mean nitrite levels in patients were 582.3+/-208.3 nmol/ml, but those in controls were significantly lower, at 203.2-106.9 nmol/ml (p<0.001). Citrulline levels were 2820.4+/-933.9 nmol/ml in patients and were significantly higher than 217.4+/-144.8 nmol/ml, the levels in controls (p<0.0001). Mean levels of both nitrite and citrulline were significantly higher in patients with arthritis than in those who had no joint manifestations (p<0.05). There was no correlation between NO production and other variables, such as age, disease duration, drug therapy and antinuclear antibodies or rheumatoid factor positivity. Increased NO production may be partly a reflection of the presence of arthritis in five patients. It is concluded that there is increased NO production in patients with primary SS, especially if they have associated arthritis.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Non-fatal ethylene dibromide ingestion.

Ethylene dibromide (1,2-dibromoethane) is widely used to fumigate grain and fruit in India. However, acute poisoning due to it has rarely been reported in the literature and most of these patients had an fatal outcome. We describe the suicide attempt of a young male who ingested an ampoule (3 ml) of it, developed acute hepatic and renal failure, metabolic acidosis and coagulopathy but survived following supportive measures.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed2000

Acute alcoholic myopathy, rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure: a case report.

A case of middle aged male who developed swelling and weakness of muscles in the lower limbs following a heavy binge of alcohol is being reported. He had myoglobinuria and developed acute renal failure for which he was dialyzed. Acute alcoholic myopathy is not a well recognized condition and should be considered in any intoxicated patient who presents with muscle tenderness and weakness.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1999

Nitric oxide production is increased in patients with inflammatory myositis.

Nitric oxide (NO) production is increased in several inflammatory disorders. We have previously demonstrated higher levels of NO production among patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. In this study we measured serum levels of nitrite and citrulline using calorimetric methods as surrogate markers of NO production among patients with inflammatory myositis (IM). Twenty patients with IM and 19 age- and sex-matched controls were studied. Serum nitrite levels were significantly higher among patients than among controls (986.6 +/- 880 and 204.3 +/- 113.9 nmol/ml, respectively; P = 0.001). Serum citrulline levels, too, were significantly higher among patients than among controls (3755.7 +/- 1905.5 and 189 +/- 177.2 nmol/ml, respectively; P < 0.0001). There was a positive correlation between steroid dosage and serum citrulline levels (r = 0.51, P = 0.036) and a negative correlation between steroid dosage and disease duration (r = -0.54, P = 0.025). It was concluded that NO production is increased in patients with IM and those with more active disease, as indicated by higher steroid dosage, have higher serum citrulline levels.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Epstein-Barr virus induced non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as a presenting manifestation of acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

A 30 year old, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patient presented with fever and intra-abdominal lymphadenopathy. Cytology smears from the nodes showed a high grade Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) which was B cell in origin. NHL was the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) defining disease in this patient. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) studies on tumour tissue showed presence of Epstein Barr Virus.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1998

Nitric oxide synthesis is increased in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Nitric oxide (NO) is believed to have a role in the inflammatory process. NO production was measured in 26 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 20 healthy volunteers, using spectrophotometrically determined serum nitrite and citrulline as surrogate markers. Both nitrite and citrulline levels were significantly higher in patients with SLE than in controls (P < 0.001). Twelve and 10 patients, respectively, with SLE had nitrite and citrulline levels that were two standard deviations higher than the mean level of controls. These patients had a significantly higher measure of disease activity (SLE Disease Activity Index). These data show that there is increased NO production in SLE and that it may serve as a marker for disease activity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Elevated levels of anti-proteus antibodies in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.

We carried out this study to determine if our patient population with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has elevated levels of antibodies to gut bacteria. Seventy patients with RA were categorised as being either active or inactive on clinical grounds. Antibodies to the H and O antigens of Proteus mirabilis and Salmonella typhi were determined by tube agglutination method in these patients, 18 patients with osteoarthritis and 82 healthy controls. There was no significant difference in the anti-proteus antibody titres between both the control groups and patients with inactive disease. However, antibody levels among patients with active disease were significantly higher than controls (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in anti-salmonella antibody titres among the various disease and control groups. Elevated antibody levels could suggest a role for Proteus as an etiological agent in RA.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Pattern of gastric emptying in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Gastric emptying studies, using an indigenously prepared radiolabeled solid food marker in the form of Indian bread called Chapati, were performed on 13 patients with systemic sclerosis. Six patients had limited cutaneous disease and seven had diffuse cutaneous disease. Earlier, the procedure was standardized in 30 healthy volunteers. Seven of the 13 (54%) patients (five with diffuse and two with limited cutaneous disease) had delayed gastric emptying. Most of these patients had gastric symptoms. This pattern of gastric emptying may be clinically significant, particularly in patients with diffuse cutaneous disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Lack of expression of c-myc oncogene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.

We looked for the expression of c-myc oncogene, one of the genes that enhance apoptosis, in 11 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) along with five patients with osteoarthritis (OA) knee as disease controls and six healthy volunteers. A dot-blot assay using a probe specific for c-myc oncogene was performed on total RNA obtained from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. There was no expression in patients with active RA and healthy volunteers. One patient with OA expressed c-myc. Lack of expression of c-myc suggests that in active RA circulating lymphocytes are not in the replicative phase despite ongoing disease activity.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Plasma reactive nitrogen intermediate levels in patients with clinically active rheumatoid arthritis.

We studied reactive nitrogen intermediate levels in 31 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) taking indomethacin and 20 healthy controls using nitrite and citrulline levels, measured by spectrophotometry, as markers. Twenty patients with RA were followed up after 4 and 8 wk of treatment with additional therapy in the form of methotrexate. Mean nitrite levels in 31 patients were 0.94 +/- 0.41 mumol/ml and 20 controls it was 1.18 +/- 0.99. After treatment with methotrexate for 4 and 8 wk the levels were 0.9 +/- 0.45 and 1.25 +/- 1.15 mumol/ml, respectively. Mean citrulline levels in all patients was 1.68 +/- 0.11 and controls was 1.39 +/- 0.6 mumol/ml. Following therapy with methotrexate for 4 and 8 wk the levels were 1.40 +/- 0.49 and 1.40 +/- 0.51 mumol/ml, respectively. It is possible that serum levels of these products may not reflect alterations in the synovial fluid levels. Alternatively, whatever lowering may have been achieved by the anti-inflammatory effect of the therapy may have been countered by drug derived free radicals.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Pregnancy outcome in systemic sclerosis.

The outcome of pregnancy in systemic scleroderma (SSc) has been a subject of much interest. In a retrospective analysis of 59 pregnancies of 17 mothers with SSc, the effect of disease on pregnancy outcome was variable. There was no adverse effect on fertility. While there was an apparent decrease in fertility in the limited cutaneous disease, this was not seen in the diffuse variety. There was an decreased incidence of live birth after the onset of disease as compared prior to the onset of disease. The foetal wastage after the onset of disease was contributed equally by spontaneous abortions as well as induced terminations of pregnancies. The presence of anticardiolipin antibodies was not related with adverse outcome. The effect of pregnancy on disease was variable with the disease being stable in five patients, regressing in five and progressing in three. The increased terminations of pregnancy reflects the uncertainities of positive outcome both by parent and attending physicians.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Lack of natural killer cell augmentation in vitro by human interferon gamma in a subset of patients with systemic sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a generalized connective tissue disorder characterized by fibrosis of skin and various viscera. Natural killer (NK) cells are a subset of lymphocytes that can lyse targets without prior sensitization. Few studies have tried to assess NK cell function in patients with SSc. To evaluate NK cell cytotoxicity in patients with SSc and to see the extent of its augmentation in vitro by human interferon (hIFN) gamma in the clinical subset of limited and diffuse cutaneous diseases, we evaluated 27 patients with SSc and 22 age- and sex-matched controls by 51Cr release assay. Fifteen patients had limited cutaneous disease (mean disease duration 6.2 +/- 2.7 years) and 12 diffuse cutaneous disease (mean disease duration 5.7 +/- 2.4 years). Patients with limited SSc had significantly higher baseline NK cell function than controls (p < 0.05) and the augmentation following in vitro stimulation with hIFN gamma was negligible. Patients with diffuse SSc had lower baseline NK cell cytotoxicity than controls but this was not statistically significant. Augmentation with hIFN gamma in this group was comparable to controls. This study suggests that NK cells may have a role in the pathophysiology of this disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of hepatitis C virus coinfection on liver function of patients infected with HIV.

AIMS: Both the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) share similar routes for their transmission, encouraging the possibility of a coinfection with the two viruses in some individuals. We wanted to find out the prevalence of HCV in patients infected with the HIV virus. METHODS: We tested 57 HIV positive patients for anti-HCV antibodies. Liver functions tests, ultrasound abdomen and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were carried out in the anti-HCV positive patients. RESULTS: Coinfection with HCV was seen in 5.3% of patients. Of these 2 had acquired the infections through blood transfusions and one through heterosexual contact. One patient had cirrhosis with portal hypertension and one had raised alkaline phosphatase as the only abnormality on liver function tests. CONCLUSIONS: Because HCV is more infectious by the parenteral route, the incidence of coinfection is lower in our population possibly due to the fact that majority of our HIV positive patients acquire infection through heterosexual contact.

Adult↗