MARS: a new treatment for hepatorenal failure. Molecular adsorbent and recirculating system.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D Kapoor.
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BACKGROUND/AIMS: HBV-related chronic liver disease patients often present with hepatic decompensation and are not eligible for interferon therapy. Whether long-term lamivudine is effective in these patients was prospectively evaluated. METHODS: Eighteen patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis, all with quantitative DNA +ve and 10 HBeAg +ve, were given lamivudine 150 mg/d. RESULTS: Each patient received at least 9 months (mean 17.9) of lamivudine. Three HBeAg+ve patients (30%) seroconverted to anti-HBe and one lost HBsAg during the follow-up. An improvement from baseline in the aspartate aminotransferase (130 vs. 72 IU/l, p<0.04); alanine aminotransferase (111 vs. 58 IU/l, p<0.01) and Child-Pugh score (8.3 vs 6.7, p<0.013) was seen. Lamivudine had no significant side-effects. HBV DNA became undetectable in all patients by 8 weeks of therapy. In three (17%) patients, HBV DNA again became positive at 9, 9 and 27 months. YMDD mutant was, however, detected in only one (6%). A significant reduction was noted in the morbidity and hospitalizations for complications of liver disease before and after starting lamivudine (1.5+/-0.7 vs. 0.6+/-0.7, p<0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In decompensated HBV-related cirrhosis, lamivudine: i) is effective in suppressing HBV DNA and seroconversion to anti-HBe (30%), ii) can achieve significant improvement in clinical and biochemical status of liver functions.
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The response to vaccination with recombinant hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine is poor in haemodialysis patients. A defect in the antigen-presenting cells may be responsible for this hyporesponsiveness. To overcome this and to improve the response to HBV vaccine in dialysis patients, we used granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) as a vaccine adjuvant. Fifteen consecutive patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), commenced on dialysis, were stratified to receive either 40microg HBV vaccine (Engerix-B) at 0, 1, 2 and 6 months (group A, n=9) or 3microg kg-1 GM-CSF (Leucomax) on day 1 followed by the vaccination schedule described above (group B, n=6). All patients were negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serology. Titres of antibody to HBsAg (HBsAb) were quantitatively assayed, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), at 1, 2, 6 and 7 months from the first dose of vaccination. Only 44% of the patients in group A developed protective antibody levels (mean HBsAb: 22 IU l-1) Fifty per cent of responders developed protective antibody levels (HBsAb >10 IU l-1) only after the fourth dose of vaccination. In contrast, all six patients (100%) in group B developed protective levels of HBsAb (mean HBsAb: 70 IU l-1) (P<0.02). Sixty-seven per cent of the responders were protected after only the second dose of vaccination (P=0.046). No serious adverse effects of GM-CSF were observed in group B. Hence, haemodialysis patients respond poorly to HBV vaccine. GM-CSF is a safe vaccine adjuvant capable of stimulating an earlier and a stronger antibody response to HBV vaccine in haemodialysis patients.
BACKGROUND: Ethnicity plays a role in the prevalence, isotype distribution, and clinical significance of anticardiolipin (aCL) and anti-beta2-glycoprotein I (anti-beta2-GPI) antibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Few studies have been done in the African American population. METHODS: Serum samples from 100 African American patients with SLE were tested for IgG, IgM, and IgA aCL and anti-beta2-GPI antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Computerized clinical data on these patients were reviewed with a specific focus on clinical manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). RESULTS: Positivity for at least one isotype of aCL antibodies was found in 33% of the patients, whereas 28% were positive for at least one isotype of anti-beta2-GPI antibodies. IgA was the most prevalent isotype for both antibodies; 24% of the patients in the aCL ELISA and 19% in the anti-beta2-GPI ELISA were positive for IgA. Positivity for both aCL and anti-beta2-GPI in the same patient was seen more frequently with the IgA isotype. Fewer than half of the patients positive for aCL antibodies had medium-to-high levels of antibodies. A few patients had presented thrombotic manifestations, and these patients were positive for aCL (P = 0.01) and anti-beta2-GPI antibodies (P = 0.02). No other manifestations of APS could be significantly correlated with the presence of these antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that IgA is the most prevalent isotype among the African American patients with SLE studied. The predominance of the IgA isotype and the low prevalence of medium-to-high levels of aCL antibodies may account for the low frequency of clinical manifestations of APS in these patients.
Antiphospholipid (Hughes') syndrome (APS) has not been reported in African-Americans (A-A) as frequently as in other ethnic groups. We describe eight A-A female patients with APS, including two cases of primary APS (PAPS), four with APS secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), one with Sjögren's syndrome, and one with overlap connective tissue disease (CTD). Their mean age was 34 y (range 24-47 y). Patients were followed for a mean of 6 y (range 0.3-11 y). During follow up, both anticardiolipin (aCL) and anti-beta2glycoprotein-I (abeta2GPI) antibodies were measured in stored sera by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IgA was the most frequent isotype of aCL and abeta2GPI, and co-occurred with the IgM isotype in three of four patients with neurologic manifestations.
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There is no statistically significant difference between the two groups (CRF and control) as regard the serum lipid values regardless of the severity, age and etiology. The dyslipidemia in present study not correlate with the risk of developing cardiovascular disease reinforcing the earlier finding of increased levels of HDL-c at higher altitudes. Still in practice the lipid profile should be estimated in all patients and those found to be inappropriately high with increased cardiovascular risk should be treated as recommended in the general population.
OBJECTIVES: To study the effects of fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) at an altitude of 2250 m on arterial blood gases (ABG) and cardiac rhythm abnormality. METHODS: Fifty consecutive patients undergoing fiberoptic bronchoscopy were evaluated for the arterial blood gases and cardiac rhythm changes at Shimla (a moderate altitude of 2250 m), where there is a state of ambient hypoxia. RESULTS: The changes were noted in five stages ranging from the levels before the procedure till 15 minutes after the completion of the procedure. The mean fall in PaO2 levels in this study was 8 +/- 2.45 mm Hg and the fall was maximum at the end of procedure. Both smokers and nonsmokers showed a significant fall but the fall was more severe in smokers. The mean fall in SaO2 in this study was 3%. The increase in heart rate and blood pressure during FOB was significant as compared to baseline levels. There was no significant change in PH, PaCO2, HCO3. The commonest rhythm abnormality noted was sinus tachycardia which was well tolerated. No major cardiac arrhythmia was noted. It was further seen that the duration of the procedure and type of special procedure undertaken did not effect the levels significantly. Cyanosis was the commonest complication encountered (36%) and was seen more frequently in smokers and those with age more than 40 years. It was observed during the induction of bronchoscope and also during the further negotiation of the bronchoscope into the smaller branches of bronchial tree. CONCLUSION: The changes in ABG and cardiac rhythm are comparable to the studies at sea level except the increased incidence of cyanosis.
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A case of vivax malaria with neurological symptoms is described.
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Seminal fluid contains a number of proteinase activities, many of which are secreted by the prostate gland. Our objective was to determine proteinase activities in human prostatic secretions which can degrade gelatin and/or casein. Prostatic secretions were collected by prostate massage from men with benign prostatic hyperplasia prior to surgery to relieve obstruction. Significant proteinase activities towards gelatin of about 81, 86, 94, 111, 115 and 163 Kd as well as less active forms of 23, 36, 38, 132, 137, and 148 Kd were detected using protein substrate-polyacrylamide gel zymography. In addition, Ca2+ stimulated activities of approximately 64, 66, 71 and 76 Kd; however, EDTA and EGTA inhibited all activities but the 23, 36 and 38 Kd forms (these were inhibited by benzamidine and epsilon-amino caproic acid). This suggests that the gelatinolytic activities of 64 Kd and greater were metalloproteinases and those of 23, 36, and 38 Kd were serine proteinases. Significant caseinolytic activities of 22, 25, 35, 37, 57, 90, 96, 102 and 116 Kd were found as well as several less active forms and a 12 Kd activity stimulated by Ca2+. Caseinolytic activities of 12, 14, 16, 96, 102, 116, and 126 Kd were inhibited by EDTA and EGTA indicating they are metalloproteinases. The 35, 37, 57 and 58 Kd caseinolytic activities were inhibited by benzamidine, and the 57 and 58 Kd forms by epsilon-aminocaproic acid suggesting they were serine proteinases. There was considerable variability among individuals in the molecular forms of proteinase activity expressed as well as the level of their activity. A significant decrease in the frequency of expression of the 132 Kd gelatinolytic activity was found in secretions from men with atypia or adenocarcinoma, as compared with men with benign prostatic hyperplasia alone. Our results show that human prostatic secretion contains a variety of proteinase activities. The expression of the 132 Kd gelatinolytic activity could prove useful in further evaluation of neoplastic prostatic disease.
Early exploration of patients with testicular rupture has become the standard of care in traumatic testicular injuries. We report on a case of traumatic rupture of the testicle diagnosed by ultrasonography, with a large testicular defect that could not be closed primarily. This was managed successfully with a free graft of tunica vaginalis. The affected testicle is palpably normal three months postoperatively. This technique may represent a valuable adjunct in managing major testicular ruptures.