Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

F Lunel

Publications and source records attributed to F Lunel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Liver/kidney microsome antibody type 1 and hepatitis C virus infection.

Recent studies have shown that hepatitis C virus antibodies are present in a large proportion of patients with autoimmune hepatitis type 2. We have studied 83 patients with liver/kidney microsome antibody-positive type 1 hepatitis. Hepatitis C virus antibodies were sought in every case by second-generation tests (hepatitis C virus enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and recombinant immunoblot assay). Hepatitis C virus RNA sequences were sought in 22 patients (12 with recombinant immunoblot assay-positive results and 10 with recombinant immunoblot assay-negative results) by means of polymerase chain reaction and by use of primers located in the 5' noncoding region. Sixty-four patients (77%) had positive results for hepatitis C virus antibodies in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test, and 41 (49.3%) were confirmed by recombinant immunoblot assay. Hepatitis C virus RNA sequences were found in all the recombinant immunoblot assay-positive patients but in none of the 10 who were recombinant immunoblot assay-negative. The recombinant immunoblot assay-negative patients were younger than those who were positive (13 +/- 11 vs. 50 +/- 11 years) and had higher gamma-globulin levels and liver/kidney microsome antibody-positive type 1 titers (61% had a titer of 1:1,000 or more, vs. only 17% of the recombinant immunoblot assay-positive patients).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Chronic administration of cyclosporin A induces a decrease in hepatic excretory function in man.

Chronic administration of cyclosporin A may induce cholestasis in a few patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of chronic administration of cyclosporin A on serum bile acid levels, serum bilirubin concentration, and bromosulfophthalein plasmatic fractional clearance. Twenty heart-transplanted patients with normal serum alanine aminotransferase activity receiving cyclosporine A during a mean duration of 33 months (range 7-54) were compared to 20 matched kidney-transplanted patients with normal serum alanine aminotransferase receiving azathioprine for a mean duration of 34 months (range 6-72). As compared to azathioprine-treated patients, patients treated with cyclosporin A had an increase in serum bile acid levels of 32% (P < 0.01), an increase in serum bilirubin concentration of 100% (P < 0.001), and a decrease in bromosulfophthalein plasmatic fractional clearance of 60% (P < 0.001). These results suggest that cyclosporin A induces a decrease in hepatic excretory function in man.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Spontaneous dialytic ultrafiltration with intraperitoneal reinfusion of the concentrate versus large paracentesis in cirrhotic patients with intractable ascites: a randomized study.

Dialytic ultrafiltration of ascites through a hemofilter associated with peritoneal reinfusion (DUF) of the concentrate has been proposed for the treatment of refractory ascites. In five cirrhotic patients, 18 ascites evacuation procedures were randomized either to DUF (n = 8) or to large paracenteses (LP) (n = 10). The effects of these two methods on hemodynamic and renal function were assessed. After DUF, the protein concentration in ascites increased transiently from 28 +/- 7 g/l to 64.8 +/- 8 g/l (p less than 0.04); urinary output increased from day 1 to day 4 (1000 +/- 100) VS 1430 +/- 140 ml/24h; p less than 0.02). After LP, ascitic protein concentration and urinary output were unchanged. No side effects were observed with the two methods. The mean amount of albumin infused was 20 +/- 15 g after DUF and 15 +/- 5 after LP (ns).

Ascites↗
PubMed1992

Spontaneous dialytic ultrafiltration with intraperitoneal reinfusion of the concentrate in 15 cirrhotic patients with intractable ascites.

The clinical efficacy and tolerance of dialytic ultrafiltration of ascites through a hemofilter (DUF) with peritoneal reinfusion of the concentrate was evaluated in 15 cirrhotic patients with intractable ascites. All together, 51 DUF procedures were carried out. An average of 8.6 was ultrafiltered during 12 h with no significant change in blood pressure, hemoglobin, coagulation parameters or plasma creatinine. A significant increase in ascitic protein concentration was observed immediately after the procedure and a slight but significant increase in 24 h urinary output. A controlled evaluation of DUF compared to large paracenteses seems to be justified by these preliminary results.

Ascites↗
PubMed1991

Chronic liver dysfunction in heart transplant recipients, with special reference to viral B, C, and non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis. A retrospective study in 80 patients with follow-up of 60 months.

In order to assess the prevalence, causes, and severity of chronic liver dysfunction (LD) in heart transplant patients, 80 transplanted patients followed for 60 months (median; range, 1.5-98 months) were reviewed. Sustained liver dysfunction was found in 50 patients, occurring during the first year after heart transplantation in 42 (84%) of them. Most patients were asymptomatic (80%). Causes for the liver dysfunction included non-A, non-B hepatitis in 16 cases (32%), viral B hepatitis in 13 (26%), delta hepatitis in one (2%), drug-induced hepatitis in six (12%), and cardiac failure in seven (14%). Anti-HCV antibodies were found in 56.2% of patients with non-A, non-B hepatitis and in 22% of patients with HBV hepatitis. It was found neither in patients with drug-induced hepatitis cardiac failure nor in patients with normal liver tests. This study outlines a high prevalence of LD (62.5%) in heart transplant patients, the high frequency of viral-related chronic LD (usually of moderate severity), and high incidence of HCV and HBV hepatitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Predictive value of whole blood chemiluminescence in patients with alcoholic hepatitis.

Recent reports suggest that ethanol metabolism leads to reactive oxygen intermediates that may be responsible for the lesions observed in alcoholic hepatitis. This study investigated the production of reactive oxygen intermediates in peripheral blood phagocytes of patients with alcoholic hepatitis and attempts to evaluate its predictive value. Using a luminol-dependent chemiluminescence method, reactive oxygen intermediate production was measured directly within microamounts of whole blood, both in the absence (basal chemiluminescence production) and in the presence of phagocyte-stimulating agents including latex, zymosan, phorbol myristate acetate and N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine. Thirty patients with well-documented and histologically proven alcoholic hepatitis were studied. Pugh's and Child's classification, Orrego's composite clinical and laboratory index and Maddrey's discriminant function were used to assess the prognosis of the liver disease. Patients were followed up monthly for 6 mo. Results were compared with those obtained in 17 patients with nonalcoholic liver disease and in 78 normal control subjects. Basal chemiluminescence production was significantly higher in patients with alcoholic hepatitis than in those with nonalcoholic liver disease and in normal subjects (p less than 0.001). Chemiluminescence responses to latex, zymosan and phorbol myristate acetate were significantly lower in alcoholic hepatitis patients than in normal subjects (p less than 0.001); however, when compared with nonalcoholic liver disease patients, these responses were significantly decreased only in the presence of zymosan (p less than 0.05). Both basal chemiluminescence production (p less than 0.001) and zymosan-induced chemiluminescence responses (p less than 0.02) were closely related to alcoholic hepatitis prognosis indices (i.e., Pugh's and Child's classification, Orrego's composite clinical and laboratory index and Maddrey's discriminant function.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Activation of phagocyte oxidative metabolism by opsonized Plasmodium falciparum merozoites.

A luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (CL) method was used to measure the oxidative burst of phagocytes triggered by antimalarial antibodies and Plasmodium falciparum merozoites. A specific antibody-dependent increase in chemiluminescence response was obtained using both polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes as effector cells. Using various sera from malaria infected subjects it was observed that antibodies involved in the increased chemiluminescence responses were encountered at higher levels in sera from protected subjects than in those susceptible to clinical manifestations. In the conditions used the assay shows substantial intertest variation but appears of interest to assess the protective status of groups of exposed individuals.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Virus C].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Antibodies, Viral↗