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Biomedical subjects

C C Huang

Publications and source records attributed to C C Huang.

At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Chronic carbon disulfide encephalopathy.

To understand central nervous damage after long-term exposure to carbon disulfide (CS2), 10 patients who had polyneuropathy with various neuropsychiatric symptoms in a viscose rayon plant were studied. Clinical and laboratory examinations including electroencephalography (EEG), brain computed tomography (CT), brain magnetic resonance images (MRI), and carotid duplex sonography were carried out. Clinically, headache, unpleasant dreams, memory impairment, fatigue, anorexia and emotional lability were common in these patients while 2 patients had stroke episodes. EEGs were all normal. Brain CT scan showed mild cortical atrophy in 3 and low density lesions in the basal ganglia in 3. Brain MRI studies also disclosed mild cortical atrophy in 4 and multiple lesions involving the basal ganglia and corona radiata in 4. Carotid duplex sonography revealed mild atherosclerosis with plaques (< 20% stenosis) of extracranial vessels in 6. However there was no significant difference in flow velocities and flow volumes in the extracranial carotid arteries between patients and the normal controls. Interestingly, 2 patients had multiple brain lesions in the subcortical white matter but without strokes. In conclusion, encephalopathy with possible strokes may occur after chronic exposure to CS2, as well as polyneuropathy. The lesions usually involve the basal ganglia and subcortical white matter. Furthermore, MRI study may detect brain lesions particularly in the subcortical white matter areas before the occurrence of stroke.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed1996

Superinfection with hepatitis C virus in hemodialysis patients with hepatitis B surface antigenemia: its prevalence and clinical significance in Taiwan.

A survey of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBSAG) and antibodies against hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) in 173 patients undergoing hemodialysis in Taiwan revealed that 15 (9%) patients were positive for both HBSAG and anti-HCV, 106 (61%) were positive for anti-HCV alone, and 14 (8%) were positive for HBSAG alone. Most HBSAg positivity was acquired before the onset of hemodialysis. Anti-HCV positivity, however, was mainly acquired via the hemodialysis procedure. Patients with dual markers were younger (43.7 +/- 3.3 years old, p = 0.0274), had the longest period on hemodialysis (6.6 +/- 1.3 years, p < 0.001), and more severe liver dysfunction. When compared with those who were negative for both markers, patients with both HBSAG and anti-HCV had an increased incidence of chronicity (5/15 vs. 2/38; p < 0.05), ultrasonographic cirrhosis (5/15 vs. 1/38; p < 0.05), and clinical decompensation (2/15 vs. 0/38; p < 0.05). Their risk for developing ultrasonographic cirrhosis and clinical decompensation was also greater than that of patients with anti-HCV alone (5/15 vs. 8/106 and 2/15 vs. 2/106; p < 0.05 for both). The presence of HBSAG alone, however, did not increase the incidence of liver dysfunction. The presence of anti-HCV alone was only associated with a greater elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (44.2 +/- 5.5 vs. 19.1 +/- 2.5 U/l; p < 0.05) and an increased incidence of chronicity (30/106 vs. 2/38; p < 0.05). Our results indicate that a high prevalence of HCV superinfection impose a significant risk on a large population of HBSAG-positive hemodialysis patients in Taiwan. As the coexistence of anti-HCV and HBSAG is associated with more severe liver dysfunction, it is urgent to devise effective methods to prevent HCV circulation in a hemodialysis environment-especially in a hepatitis B virus endemic area such as Taiwan.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Recurrent hypokalemic muscle weakness as an initial manifestation of Wilson's disease.

A 24-year-old man had several episodes of hypokalemic muscle weakness of undetermined etiology since the age of 13 years. Wilson's disease (WD) was not diagnosed until the age of 18 when wing-beating tremor in the left upper limb was noted. Renal function study revealed incomplete proximal renal tubular acidosis. The hypokalemic muscle weakness and wing-beating tremor had subsided after long-term penicillamine therapy. The present case indicates that recurrent hypokalemic paralysis due to renal tubular acidosis is a rare initial presentation of WD and may respond to penicillamine therapy.

Acidosis, Renal Tubular↗
PubMed1996

Verruciform xanthoma. Case report and literature review.

Verruciform xanthoma is a relatively uncommon lesion. Half of the reported cases occurred in the gingiva or alveolar ridge. In most cases, the clinical impressions are papilloma or verrucous carcinoma, which demonstrates the importance of the clinical and pathological recognition of this lesion. The cause of pathogenesis is still unknown since the first report in 1971. There are some cases reported in conjunction with leukoplakia, carcinoma in situ, pemphigus, and discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), which merits close evaluation of this disease. This article reports two cases of verruciform xanthoma and reviews the evidence of its pathogenesis from the available literature.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Midodrine hydrochloride in patients on hemodialysis with chronic hypotension.

Chronic hypotension, volume nonresponsive, is not rare in hemodialysis patients and is usually refractory to various therapies. Midodrine hydrochloride is an alpha-mimetic drug acting directly on the peripheral alpha-receptor and increases blood pressure. We studied 10 uremic patients on hemodialysis with chronic hypotension to evaluate efficacy and safety of midodrine. Midodrine hydrochloride was administered at a dose of 2.5 mg twice on the dialytic day, 1.25 mg twice on the nondialytic day. Subjective symptoms and objective parameters were evaluated and compared before and after midodrine treatment. Midodrine significantly increased systolic pressure from 73.0 +/- 10.5 mm Hg to 90.5 +/- 12.3 mm Hg (p < 0.01); and diastolic blood pressure from 44.0 +/- 8.4 mm Hg to 55.4 +/- 7.9 mm Hg (p < 0.01) before dialysis. Orthostasis, dizziness, fatigue, blurred vision, dullness, headache, and depression improved an average of 62%. All patients tolerated midodrine treatment well. Only mild side effects were noted, including flush sensation, neck soreness, and headache. We conclude that midodrine may be another choice for uremic patients on hemodialysis with chronic hypotension which responds poorly to other conventional management.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1996

Dietary frying oil influences immune regulation in autoimmune-prone NZBxNZW F1 mice.

To further elucidate the role of dietary frying oil in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, two groups of NZB/W F1 mice were fed with diets containing 20% fresh oil and frying oil, respectively. All these mice were followed up serum anit-DNA antibody levels, proteinuria and life span regularly. Our data suggested: 1) higher IgG anti-ss, dDNA antibody levels were noted in mice fed with fresh oil compared to those of the frying oil group; 2) lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated spleen cells of mice fed with frying oil produced higher IL-10 compared to that of fresh oil group; 3) IL-6, TNF-alpha and PGE2 produced by macrophages of dietary frying oil group were higher, although not statistically significant, than those of fresh oil group. Different degree of deterioration of dietary oil has been found to affect immune response in autoimmune mice.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Distribution of tacrine and metabolites in rat brain and plasma after single- and multiple-dose regimens. Evidence for accumulation of tacrine in brain tissue.

Tacrine [1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-9-acridinamine monohydrochloride monohydrate (THA), Cognex] is a potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitor recently approved for treatment of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. The potential for THA and/or a metabolite of THA to accumulate in brain tissue was investigated by autoradiographic and metabolic profiling techniques in rats given single and multiple doses of [14C]THA. In addition, the brain-to-plasma distribution time course of orally administered 1-hydroxy-THA (1-OH-THA, 24 mg/kg), a primary rat metabolite with anticholinesterase activity, was also examined. Results from a 16 mg/kg single-dose study showed THA to cross the blood-brain barrier readily and concentrate in brain tissue, approximately 5-fold compared with plasma. The metabolite 1-OH-THA was found in much lower amounts relative to THA and when given separately at a similar dose the levels in brain tissue were comparable with plasma concentrations. After multiple-dose administration, THA concentrations in brain tissue were approximately 3-fold higher than those achieved after a single oral dose. However, concentration of 1-OH-THA metabolite increased only 50%. These data suggest a marked difference between the ability of THA and 1-OH-THA to accumulate in brain tissue and may reflect differences in lipophilicity as estimated by calculated log p values. The relevance of THA accumulation in brain tissue to delays observed in THA clinical management of Alzheimer's disease remains to be established.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

High flux peritoneal membrane is a risk factor in survival of CAPD treatment.

A high dropout rate is a major problem of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) treatment. Serum albumin is both a significant parameter of dropout in CAPD and a predictor of peritoneal transport category based on the peritoneal equilibration test (PET). High flux peritoneal membrane (HFPM) may lose more protein in the dialysate. We examined the effect of HFPM on the survival of treatment of CAPD. The study was composed of 171 adult patients who had standard PET. The peritoneal transport category was based on their first PET after starting CAPD. The HFPM was defined as the dialysate-to-plasma creatinine concentration ratio (D/P) of more than one standard deviation of the mean (0.702 +/- 0.114; D/P > 0.816). Twenty-two patients had HFPM. The other 149 patients were categorized as the non-high flux group. The high flux group had a significantly lower serum albumin at PET (3.07 +/- 0.15 vs 3.68 +/- 0.05 g/dL, respectively p < 0.0001) and lower mean serum albumin during treatment than the non-high flux group (3.40 +/- 0.20 vs 3.70 +/- 0.04 g/dL, respectively, p = 0.020), and lower net drainage volume (p = 0.0007), but age, diabetes, total Kt/V, and total normalized weekly creatinine clearance were not different between groups. The risk of dropout was higher in the high flux group (p = 0.0127, Cox-Mantel log rank test), and the risk increased, especially after 1.5 years of treatment. Corrected for other risk factors, patients who had HFPM have two times the risk of dropout compared to the non-high flux groups (p = 0.0401, Cox proportional hazards model).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Juvenile fibromatosis of the posterior mediastinum with intraspinal extension.

Chest radiography, CT, and MR imaging were performed in a 3-year-old girl who had posterior mediastinal fibromatosis with transforaminal intraspinal and chest wall extension. Chest radiographs and CT scans showed a slow-growing, noncalcified but locally aggressive left paravertebral mass. The mass was slightly hyperintense relative to muscle on both T1-weighted and fast spin-echo T2-weighted MR images.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1996

Post-renal transplant erythrocytosis.

Erythrocytosis is a relatively common phenomenon following renal transplantation. It is not only associated with some special clinical conditions, but also increases the risk of thromboembolism. We therefore studied the clinical manifestations and possible risk factors of erythrocytosis in our renal-transplant patients. Study of 175 patients showed that erythrocytosis, defined as Hct > or = 50%, was found in 17 patients (9.7%), 14 males and 3 females. Among these 17 patients, 13 received cadaveric grafts and the other 4 living-related grafts. True erythrocytosis, defined as erythrocytosis with elevated red blood cell (RBC) mass, was found in 7 patients. Relative erythrocytosis, defined as erythrocytosis with normal RBC mass, was found in the other 10 patients. Six patients developed acquired renal cysts of the native or graft kidneys during the post transplant period. The incidence of acquired renal cysts in the erythrocytosis group was significantly higher than that in the non-erythrocytosis group. The clinical and demographic characteristics were similar in terms of age, gender, serum albumin, and serum creatinine in the erythrocytosis and non-erythrocytosis groups. The incidences of abnormal liver function, and hypertension were similar between the 2 groups. Seventeen of the 161 patients (10.6%) receiving cyclosporine regimen developed erythrocytosis, but none of the 14 patients receiving non-cyclosporine regimen developed erythrocytosis (p > 0.05). Only one patient with true erythrocytosis had an elevated serum erythropoietin (EPO) level and no thromboembolic complications occurred in the erythrocytosis group. We conclude that: (1) the incidence of erythrocytosis in our transplant patients was 9.7%; (2) a higher incidence of acquired renal cysts was found in the erythrocytosis group; (3) most of the patients with erythrocytosis had a normal serum EPO level; (4) no thromboembolic complications occurred in our patients.

Adult↗