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Biomedical subjects

E Dupont

Publications and source records attributed to E Dupont.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

[Immunological effects of corticosteroids in man (author's transl)].

Corticosteroids are efficient in many kidney diseases but their use is commonly empirical. Their anti-inflammatory effects are often difficult to dissociate from their immunological effects. These consist in inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation without greatly affecting their cytotoxicity and antibody synthesis. Corticosteroids induce lymphopenia and influence the distribution of lymphocytes subpopulations. This leads to prevention of cells homing in target organ and markedly affects immunoregulation. This latter action may explain the beneficial effects of corticosteroids in diseases with profound disturbances in immunity.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1980

Evaluation of whole blood as effector for antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against autologous targets.

An assay for antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity which uses whole blood as effector and autologous lymphocytes sensitized with rabbit anti-human lymphocyte serum as targets is assessed. Comparison with performances of purified lymphocytes shows that whole blood yields approximately the same cytotoxicity levels as the lymphocytes which can be separated from the corresponding volume of blood. This equivalence is not seen at the early stage of cytolysis, whole blood reaching its plateau stage 1 h later. A contribution of phagocytic cells to lysis of the target cells is ruled out. The presence of plasma does not modify the cytolytic capacity of the blood of healthy subjects. The test may be performed with less than 1 ml of blood and is suitable for repeated evaluation of the immunologic status of patients, for evaluation of plasma factors in diseases and of the effects of agents inducing lymphocyte redistribution.

Absorption↗
PubMed1980

Low somatostatin content in cerebrospinal fluid in multiple sclerosis. An indicator of disease activity?

In 27 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and in 10 control subjects of comparable age, percent ideal body weight and sex ratio, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) content of somatostatin was measured by radioimmunoassay. The results showed that the group of patients in relapse (n = 16) had significantly lower somatostatin content in CSF (95 +/- 4.1 (SEM) pg/ml) than both the control group (142 +/- 8.4 pg/ml) and the group of MS patients (n = 11), who had been in a clinical stable phase for more than 6 months (131 +/- 3.2 pg/ml). Duration of the disease and degree of neurological impairment were apparently without relation to the reduction of somatostatin content in the CSF. There was no relationship between CSF content of somatostatin and the content of total protein or IgG, neither of which showed any relationship to the activity of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

[Listeriosis in the kidney transplant recipients. Ten cases (author's transl)].

Three clinical pictures were found in ten cases of listeriosis after renal transplantation: septicemia (six cases), meningo-encephalitis (three cases) and asymtomatic but recurrent bacteriuria (one case). Several features demonstrate profound immunologic disturbances in the recipient: close relationship in 9 cases out of 10 between infection and high doses of immunosuppressive drugs, unfavorable outcome of graft (accelerated rejection in 4 cases out of 10) and association in one case with lethal pulmonary infection due to opportunistic agents (cytomegalovirus and Pneumocystis carinii).

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1979

Liver disease in patients undergoing hemodialysis and kidney transplantation.

Liver dysfunction was observed in 33% of patients treated by hemodialysis and kidney transplantation. Fifty-eight percent of these cases of hepatitis occurred in patients with past or present HBs antigenemia, and 77% of HBsAg-positive patients showed evidence of LD. However, during the course of a program conducted from 1969 to 1976 and involving 267 patients, the decrease in the prevalence of HBs antigenemia observed during the last two years did not lead to any reduction in LD incidence. In a small number of patients, potentially hepatotoxic drugs could be incriminated, but in our experience azathioprine never appeared to be involved. In a few patients, LD was due to granulomatous disease of the liver, such as tuberculosis and schistosomiasis. Twenty-one (7%) of the 267 patients at risk developed chronic hepatitis, which contributed to death in nine patients. In 12 cases (three deaths), this form of hepatitis occurred in HBsAg-positive patients, and in nine cases (six deaths), in HBsAg-negative patients. In three of these latter individuals, cytomegalovirus could be incriminated. Routine monthly screening for CMV in kidney recipients confirmed the high incidence of this viral infection in such patients. Studies on murine CMV infection have demonstrated that this infection can be enhanced by histoincompatible graft or by cyclophosphamide in a model that is very close to the kidney recipient. As in mice, CMV infection in kidney recipients apparently results from reactivation of a latent infection. It seems to play a major role in the LD observed and could apparently lead to chronic hepatitis and even to cirrhosis of the liver. Finally, the occurrence of LD in HBsAg-, anti-HBs- and antiCMV-negative patients would suggest the responsibility of other viruses for the pathogenesis of liver disease in patients treated by hemodialysis and kidney transplantation. Besides Epstein-Barr virus, other viruses, such as hepatitis C virus, should be thoroughly scrutinized.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Somatostatin in the treatment of patients with extra-pyramidal disorders and patients with EEG abnormalities.

The growth hormone release inhibiting hormone acts probably both as a true hypophysiotropic hormone and as a neuroregulatory substance. Neurophysiological studies have shown that somatostatin is a CNS depressant. Somatostatin might therefore be of therapeutic significance in neurological diseases. Sixteen patients with different extrapyramidal disorders and seven patients with various EEG abnormalities were tested with 2-hour somatostatin infusions and control infusions with saline. Somatostatin did not induce any improvement or deterioration of symptoms, signs, or EEG abnormalities in any patient.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Dopaminergic agonist Ro 8-4650 in Parkinson's disease. I. Patients treated with dopa.

An isoquinoline derivative Ro 8-4650 (rac-4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-7-methoxy-2-methylisoquinoline hydrochloride) with dopaminergic properties was studied in a randomized crossover trial. The group studied comprised 37 patients with idiopathic parkinsonism and persistent symptoms, despite levodopa treatment. Median Webster rating before allocation was 11.5. The trial drug did not differ significantly from placebo as regards effect and involuntary movements. It led to more frequent minor side effects.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed1978

Post-hypoxic intention myoclonus treated with 5-hydroxy-tryptophan and an extracerebral decarboxylase inhibitor.

Post-hypoxic intention myoclonus successfully treated by long-term administration of the combination of 5-hydroxytryptophan and carbidopa is described. Persistent euphoria and diarrhoea were essential side effects. Methysergide (12 mg/day) blocked the therapeutic effect, indicating a specific serotoninergic function of precursor loading with 5-hydroxytryptophan. Tryptophan (8 g/day) had no effect on the myoclonus suggesting a reduced tryptophan hydroxylase activity. Plasma concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptophan in the range of 10--30 micromoles per liter were obtained during maintenance therapy with 900 mg 5-hydroxytryptophan per day in combination with 150 mg carbidopa per day.

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗
PubMed1978

Parathyroid hormone and calcium blood levels in acute renal failure. With special reference to one patient developing transient hypercalcemia.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH), creatinine, calcium and phosphate blood levels were repeatedly measured in 5 patients with acute renal failure. 1 patient developed hypercalcemia during the recovery phase of the illness. PTH was elevated in all cases before starting hemodialysis treatment and returned to normal when renal function recovered. Calcium and PTH were inversely correlated in 3 patients including the patient with transient hypercalcemia. These data show that parathyroid function in acute renal failure is closely related to changes in renal function and the hypercalcemia, when occurring, is not necessarily due to parathyroid hyperactivity.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1978

[beta2-Microglobulin in renal transplanted patients (author's transl)].

Plasma beta2m has been measured frequently during long term follow-up of kidney transplanted outpatients. The ratio of beta2m/log creatinine was abnormally high in 15 patients of this series bearing a symptomatic hepatitis independently of any modification of immunodepressive drug administration schedule (azathioprine and corticoids). The true effect of azathioprine could not be isolated whereas corticotherapy modified clearly the beta2m/creatinine ratio : increase of dosage for rejection resulted in a fall of the ratio whereas fast reduction increased the ratio acting essentially on circulating beta2m level (12 cases). The beta2m/creatinine ratio was normal or occasionally diminished in the 22 patients having an uneventful clinical course. Six patients showed mixed effects of hepatitis and variation of corticoid dosage and 7 cases were too much intricated to permit a good analysis of the data.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗