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D Dejica

Publications and source records attributed to D Dejica.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Serum soluble IL-2 receptor as a marker of lymphocyte activation in some autoimmune diseases. Effect of immunosuppressive therapy.

Our experience regarding serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) measurement as a marker of lymphocyte activation consists of patients with autoimmune disease: 37 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 23 with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), 74 with inflammatory bowel disease and six with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). The influence of immunosuppressive therapy has also been assessed. Serum sIL-2R in SLE is significantly higher than in healthy controls and good correlation is found between sIL-2R and disease activity. Severity of kidney inflammation in lupus nephritis can be reflected by the increased excretion of sIL-2R. It was found that sIL-2R level significantly falls when the disease becomes clinically inactive after immunosuppressive therapy, but in many cases (up to 50%) it does not reach normal levels. The last finding suggests that lymphocyte activation may still be present even though the disease is considered inactive under clinical criteria and support the need of prolonged immunosuppression after the first signs of remission. In AIH the serum levels of sIL-2R are elevated in all patients with active disease; all cases with "highly active" disease have significantly higher concentrations than patients with "mild activity". A good correlation has been demonstrated between elevated serum sIL-2R values and anti-asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) titer (the specific marker of AIH). The follow-up study showed a significant decrease of both sIL-2R levels and anti-ASGPR titer after 3-9 month immunosuppressive therapy. The findings support that sIL-2R and anti-ASGPR titer could serve as reliable humoral markers for disease-specific activity. Compared with inactive ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), significantly higher levels of sIL-2R were present in the serum of patients with active disease, and in inactive disease than in healthy age-matched controls. Methotrexate (MTX) therapy of patients with refractory UC resulted in sIL-2R decrease at the end of therapeutic period (20 i.m. injections of once a week 25 mg), good responders showing > 50% decrease even at 5-7 weeks of treatment. Serum sIL-2R is elevated in all six patients with WG. Contrary to anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), sIL-2R remains elevated above cut-off for normal range, despite clinical improvement following immunosuppressive treatment. The last observation suggests that serum sIL-2R is not a good measure of the disease activity and argue for the need of longer immunosuppressive therapy just after the first days of clinical remission.

Autoimmune Diseases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of cyclophosphamide in active nonviral cirrhosis.

The immunologic effects of cyclophosphamide were studied in 16 patients with active nonviral liver cirrhosis with a view to improving the pathogenetic treatment of these diseases. After months of cyclophosphamide administration first in doses of 100 mg/day (for 14 days) then in doses of 200 mg per week, the hypergammaglobulinemia present at entry was reduced significantly from 2.55 +/- 0.35 g/dl to 1.71 +/- 0.17 g/dl concomitantly with the proportional increase of the active suppressor T lymphocytes, from 29.3 +/- 3.59% to 38.0 +/- 2.1%. The use of smaller doses of cyclophosphamide, i.e., 200 mg/week, allowed the maintenance of its immunosuppressive properties and prevented its side effects.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The etiopathogenesis of chronic hepatitis in children].

The authors study the etiology of chronic hepatitis, with emphasis on the high frequency of the infection with virus B, with a chronization rate of 15-20%. Taking into account the mother fetus, transmission and the increased number of AgHBs chronic carriers, with serious consequences on hepatic affection, the authors insist on the necessity of antiviral vaccination and of the therapy for virus elimination. At the same time, pathogenetic investigations are made for the presence of nonspecific antibodies and antibodies against hepatocytic membrane, elements which prove the permanent character of the hepatic lesions by immune mechanism, induced by the virus B persistence.

Antibodies↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Immunostimulating effect of an oxygen-free radical scavenger on E-rosette forming cells.

The influence of an oxygen-free radical scavenger, Epurox (containing superoxide dismutase, catalase and mannitol) on E-rosette forming cells (E-RFC) obtained from 40 healthy subjects, was studied using a standard method. The preincubation of lymphocytes with Epurox increased the E-rosette forming in 80% of the subjects. The mean E-rosette count after preincubation with Epurox (64.17 +/- 6.95) was greater (p less than 0.01) as compared with that obtained without scavenger addition. The stimulating effect of Epurox may be due to the inhibition of cAMP synthesis. This assumption is supported by our study regarding the antagonistic effect of Epurox on E-rosette inhibition induced by histamine, a powerful stimulator of adenylate cyclase.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Oxygen free radicals and duodenal ulcer pain. Preliminary data.

Starting from the hypothesis that duodenal ulcer pain is induced by oxygen free radicals, a process demonstrated in other types of bacterial or nonbacterial inflammations, we used a powerful scavenger of human origin in local periulcerous injections performed through endoscope in 12 patients with duodenal ulcer and active lasting pain. Pain subsided in all patients for a variable period of time. The results obtained plead for the involvement of oxygen free radicals in the mechanism of ulcer pain.

Adult↗