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Biomedical subjects

F Morell

Publications and source records attributed to F Morell.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Skin tests in bird breeder's disease.

The diagnostic value of skin tests was assessed in 35 patients affected by bird breeder's disease by comparing the results with those obtained in a group of 27 symptomless breeders and 10 symptomless unexposed individuals. Sterilised and diluted serum and lyophilised extracts of faeces prepared from the breeder's own birds were injected intradermally. Skinprick tests using the same materials were carried out simultaneously. The intradermal test using serum showed a positive reaction in 18 out of 20 patients tested and in three out of 20 symptomless breeders (p less than 0.0005); later reactions occurred in eight of the patients and one of the symptomless breeders (p less than 0.01). A delayed reaction was seen in five of the patients and one of the symptomless breeders (p = 0.09). No positive reactions were recorded in symptomless unexposed individuals. Intradermal skin testing using extracts of faeces yielded an immediate reaction in 19 of 21 patients and in three of 11 symptomless breeders tested (p less than 0.001); a late reaction was seen in 18 of the patients and in five of the symptomless breeders (p less than 0.05). Delayed reactions occurred in 11 of the 21 patients tested, whereas no positive responses were seen in symptomless breeders (p less than 0.025). Skinprick tests gave negative results in all cases. Skin testing constitutes a simple, quick, and safe procedure that can assist the differential diagnosis between individuals with bird breeder's disease and symptomless breeders, the immediate reaction being similar in its sensitivity to testing for serum precipitins but possessing greater specificity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Usefulness of skin test in Farmer's lung.

The skin test with hay extract or with Micropolyspora faeni (MF), is not commonly used in the diagnosis of Farmer's lung (FL), as it is not considered specific. In our study, we have applied the intracutaneous test with these antigens in 26 patients affected with FL; 18 of them were still in contact with the antigen and the remaining eight had not been in contact with the hay during the previous year. Twenty-five asymptomatic farmers (AF) served as a control group. In the first group and with hay extract, the immediate reading (I) was positive in 15 of 18 (83.3 percent), the late reaction (L) in 18 of 18 (100 percent), and the delayed one (D) in eight of 18 (44.4 percent). In the 25 AF, the results were as follows: I, seven of 85 (28 percent); L, 17 of 25 (68 percent); and D, one of 25 (4 percent). Consequently, the differences between both groups were significant: I, p less than 0.01; L, p less than 0.05; and D, p less than 0.01. Using MF as an antigen, the test is somewhat less effective: p less than 0.02, p less than 0.02, and p less than 0.2, respectively. These results suggest that the intradermal injection with hay extract is an easy, effective test in the diagnosis of FL, and at the same time, a better means of distinguishing FL patients from AF than the precipitation test.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1983

Amiodarone and pulmonary fibrosis.

Of 25 cases of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, confirmed by open chest lung biopsy between January 1979 and July 1981, 5 patients had been taking amiodarone in doses less than 600 mg daily for 1 to 6 years. No lung disease had been observed in any patient before the administration of amiodarone, and other drugs, factors and diseases thought to play a role in the causation of pulmonary fibrosis were ruled out. Two patients died of respiratory insufficiency, and only 1 does not now suffer from serious sequelae. Review of a further 5 cases reported in the literature and the present data suggest a causal link between administration of amiodarone and pulmonary fibrosis, and tend to indicate a hypersensitivity mechanism.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

Leukocyte migration inhibition in farmer's lung.

The leukocyte migration inhibition test (LMIT) was studied in 20 patients with farmer's lung (FL) and in 24 asymptomatic farmers. In the first group, the test proved to be 95% positive (19/20), whereas it was positive in only 44% (11/25) of the control group; this difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.005). The LMIT was also studied in eight patients with FL who had not been in contact with the antigen during the year prior to testing and was found to be 87% positive (7/8). The test therefore proved to be more effective in the diagnosis of FL compared with tests for specific antibodies, even when subjects had not been in contact with the antigen for 1 yr.

Antigens↗
PubMed1981

[Delayed skin reaction in a group of 400 hospital patients: control study (author's transl)].

Delayed hypersensitivity skin tests were carried out with 5 antigens - PPD, staphylococcus, streptokinase/streptodornase, candida and trichophytin-in 400 hospital patients without any known causes for diminished delayed hypersensitivity. The degree of reactivity to each antigen was: PPD. 69.50%; candida 49.75%; streptokinase/streptodornase 44.50%; trichophytin 42.00%; staphylococcus 14.25%. Reactivity to either PPD or candida occurred in 86.50% of all cases. Positive response to streptokinase/streptodornase was present in 7%; which brings the total cases with reactions to one or more of the 3 antigens to 93.50%. Those who responded to trichophytin or staphylococcus were 3% only, bringing the total response of all cases to at least one antigen, to 96.5%.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

[Familial incidence of bird-breeder's lung and HLA (author's transl)].

The cases of two siblings affected with bird-breeder's lung are reported. The analysis of their HLA group demonstrated that both belonged to the haplotype HLA Bw15. The finding of a familial incidence of this type of alveolitis favors the presence of a genetic susceptibility for the disease. The same HLA group has been found in the rare families heretofore reported with bird-breeder's lung. Given that the pathogenesis of extrinsic allergic alveolitis has recently been linked to cellular immunity (T cells), and that the presence of a common HLA haplotype in patients suffering from bird-breeder's lung is related to the capacity for an immune response in general, and to the cellular immune response in particular, the presence of a genetic susceptibility in this disease appears as very likely, although the influence of other factors can not be ruled out.

Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic↗