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Biomedical subjects

G Vaiopoulos

Publications and source records attributed to G Vaiopoulos.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Nailfold capillary abnormalities in Behçet's disease.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the degree and the frequency of the nailfold capillary abnormalities and to correlate these with clinicolaboratory variables of Behçets disease. METHODS: A stereomicroscope was applied to study the nutritional skin capillaries of the nailfolds. Stages 0, A, B and C (Fagrell's classification) were distinguished. RESULTS: In 40 healthy subjects capillary abnormalities (stage A) were detected in 7%. In 33 of our patients abnormal nailfold capillary findings (stages A, B, C) were noted in 75%. The stage of capillary abnormalities was significantly correlated with skin manifestations (p = 0.03), arthritis/arthralgia (p = 0.04), and pathergy test (p = 0.04). The correlation between stages 0 and A and eye involvement was not significant (p = 0.08). Disease duration was longer in patients of stage C than in stage 0 but this difference was also not significant (p < 0.10). CONCLUSION: Using a noninvasive method we detected nailfold capillary abnormalities in the majority of our patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Defective mitogen-induced cellular cytotoxicity in untreated patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.

Peripheral blood mitogen-induced cellular cytotoxicity (MICC) was studied in 13 untreated patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA; group A) and in 5 RA patients with inactive disease (group B), using phytohemagglutinin (PHA) as stimulating agent and K562 cells as target cells in the chromium-51 release assay. MICC was found to be significantly reduced in the patients of group A compared with normal subjects (P < 0.01) and the patients of group B (P < 0.05). No differences were noted in MICC between group B patients and normal subjects. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between values of patients' MICC and serum C-reactive protein levels (r = -0.685, P < 0.01). Furthermore, patients' MICC correlated well with patients' peripheral blood natural killer cell activity (P < 0.02), as well as with the absolute number of circulating CD8+ cells. No correlation was found between MICC and duration of disease, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum alpha 2-globulins, or the titre of serum rheumatoid factor in the patients studied. We concluded that defective MICC in untreated patients with active RA is probably due to the diminution of the number of CD8+ cells, although a qualitative defect of these cells cannot be excluded.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

The association of systemic lupus erythematosus and myasthenia gravis.

Two women with the rare association of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and myasthenia gravis (MG) are reported. The first patient developed SLE (arthritis, severe thymectomy for MG. The second patient developed SLE (oral ulcers, arthritis, serositis, leukopenia, high titres of anti-DNA and anti-nuclear antibodies) 4 years prior to the clinical and serological onset of MG. Lymphocyte subsets and in vitro proliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to mitogens were normal in both patients. A review of the literature revealed 26 additional patients with definite SLE coexisting with MG. Besides the theoretical interest of this association, the differential diagnosis of fatigue in patients with SLE should always include the possibility of MG.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Kawasaki's disease in a young adult].

The authors describe a 29-year-old white male who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for Kawasaki disease. Apart from the patient's age, this case is unusual in that there were a large number of manifestations including liver complications, epistaxis, Baker's cyst, and circulating anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Adamantiadis-Behçet's syndrome: central nervous system involvement.

The prevalence of CNS involvement of Adamantiadis-Behçet's syndrome (A-Bs) vary widely. Long-term follow-up studies of CNS involvement have rarely been reported. Five patients with CNS involvement, who were followed up from 2 to 9 years, are presented. Clinicolaboratory investigations (cerebrospinal fluid examination, electroencephalogram, brain CAT scan and MRI) were carried out. One patient had four and two patients had two attacks of CNS involvement with various clinical manifestations. The other two patients had a rather chronic course with a single slight CNS attack. Raised proteins and IgG were found in the CSF. Abnormal electroencephalographic findings were detected in three patients. Communicating hydrocephalus and various other abnormalities on CT scan and MRI were noted. All patients received corticosteroids and immunosuppressants during the attack period.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1993

Patients with chronic LGL-proliferative disease express high mitogen-induced cellular cytotoxicity which may be partially mediated by soluble cytolytic molecules.

Natural killer cell activity (NKa) and mitogen-induced cellular cytotoxicity (MICC) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were studied in five patients with chronic LGL-proliferative disease (LGL-PD) of the CD3+, CD8+, CD57+ phenotype. Both assays were performed under the same experimental conditions except that cultures for MICC contained phytohemagglutinin (PHA) at varying concentrations. Cytotoxicity was assessed against K562 cell targets using the 18 hours 51-chromium release assay. We found that LGL-PD lymphocytes of the aforementioned phenotype express low NKa but high MICC. Furthermore, supernatants derived from patients' PMBC cultures stimulated with PHA, displayed cytolytic properties comparable to those of normal lymphocytes. The findings indicate that MICC may be mediated, at least partially, by humoral cytolytic molecules. We concluded that LGL-PD lymphocytes are unable to express natural cytotoxicity but they have not lost the cytolytic machinery necessary for the destruction of sensitive target cells.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Mechanisms accounting for the impaired natural-killer cell activity in refractory anaemia with excess of blasts.

Natural killer (NK) cells were analyzed in 38 untreated patients with refractory anaemia with excess of blasts (RAEB), using cytotoxicity assays and immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies. We found that patients with RAEB have normal numbers of peripheral blood and bone marrow NK cells. NK cells from RAEB patients express very low natural-killer cell activity (NKa) which may be increased significantly with recombinant alpha-interferon and recombinant interleukin-2, although it remains below the lower limit of the control range. The cells exhibit normal tumour cell binding capacity, but fail to release sufficient amounts of natural-killer cytotoxic factors (NKCFs) upon their interaction with NK-sensitive K562 cell targets or their stimulation with phytohaemagglutinin. Our results suggest that defective NKa in RAEB patients may be due, at least in part, to impaired release of functionally active NKCFs. This disturbance is probably the result of some intrinsic defect of RAEB NK cells in NKCF production, storage, and/or release. The possibility of an impairment in the activation signal provided by the stimulatory K562 cells cannot be excluded, although it seems unlikely. We postulate that this abnormality might represent a manifestation of dysplastic haemopoiesis. Further studies are certainly needed to investigate whether other defective mechanisms are also implicated in the determination of the low NKa in patients with RAEB.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Tuberculosis associated hemophagocytic syndrome complicated with severe bone marrow failure and disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Tuberculosis associated hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) has recently been recognized as a benign reactive histiocytic proliferation with marrow hemophagocytosis. To our knowledge, only five autopsy documented cases have previously been reported. We present here a unique case of the disorder complicated by severe bone marrow failure and disseminated intravascular coagulation. The possible mechanisms of these complications are discussed and it is concluded that the immunological disturbances usually occurring in miliary tuberculosis could play a role in the pathogenesis of HPS.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

The effect of olive oil and fish consumption on rheumatoid arthritis--a case control study.

In an interview based, case control study of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) 168 cases and 137 controls were included. Patients and controls were interviewed with regard to a variety of socioeconomic, medical and dietary factors. During univariate analysis it was found that RA cases consumed significantly less olive oil and fish and adhered more rarely to the dietary restrictions traditional in Orthodox lent than controls. Applying multiple logistic analysis though (by which several variables were controlled for), only the association with olive oil consumption and lent adherence remained significant. More specifically; an increase in olive oil consumption by two times per week, resulted in a Relative Risk (RR) for development of RA of 0.49, whereas adherence to lent during the 27 weeks per year prescribed by the Orthodox Church, resulted in a RR of 0.33. We conclude that olive oil consumption and adherence to Orthodox lent may have a protective effect on the development and/or the severity of RA. This is a hypothesis generated by the present study that needs verification.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1991

Impaired production of GM-CSA in bone marrow and peripheral blood monocytes in two patients with severe congenital neutropenia.

The capacity of bone marrow and peripheral blood cells to stimulate colony formation by normal granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells (CFU-GM) was investigated in two patients with severe congenital neutropenia using soft agar-gel culture techniques. In both patients, monocyte/macrophage-derived colony stimulating activity (GM-CSA) in conditioned medium was found to be significantly decreased compared to the control. Furthermore, the capacity of patients' unfractionated peripheral blood leukocytes to stimulate normal CFU-GM in overlayers, was also found significantly decreased. In contrast, the number of bone marrow and peripheral blood CFU-GM was within the normal range in both patients. Patients' CFU-GM showed a normal pattern of in vitro differentiation when they were stimulated by exogenous GM-CSA. These data indicate that in some cases of severe congenital neutropenia, monocyte/macrophage-derived GM-CSA may be impaired. Whether this abnormality plays some role in the regulation of granulopoiesis in these patients is unclear.

Agranulocytosis↗
PubMed1991

Effect of recombinant alpha-interferon administration on peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations and natural killer cell activity in patients with refractory anemia with excess of blasts.

Peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations and natural killer cell activity (NKa) were determined in 7 patients with refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB) subjected to alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) administration. Patients received subcutaneously 3 MU alpha-IFN three times a week for 3 consecutive months, and studies were done just before and one month after the cessation of alpha-IFN administration. Before starting alpha-IFN, the patients NKa was severely reduced in relation to control (p less than 0.001), natural killer (NK) cells (CD16+ cells) and suppressor/cytolytic T-lymphocytes (CD8+ cells) were within normal range, while helper/inducer T-lymphocytes (CD4+ cells), as well CD4+/CD8+ cell ratio, were significantly reduced (p less than 0.001 and p less than 0.001, respectively). Significant diminution was also noted in B-lymphocyte numbers (CD19+ cells) (p less than 0.05). Following alpha-IFN administration, NKa values increased significantly in comparison to pre-IFN values (p less than 0.05), but failed to reach normal range. CD3+ cells and CD8+ cells decreased (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.02), while CD4+ cells and CD4+/CD8+ cell ratio did not change significantly. A statistically significant rise was observed in CD16+ cells (p less than 0.05). The sensitivity of NK-cells against alpha-IFN and interleukin-2 (IL-2) added in vitro, was also significantly increased (p less than 0.05). The findings indicate that alpha-IFN administration may affect some disturbed immunologic functions in patients with RAEB, but further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism and the extent of this action.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Quantitation of hemoglobin in single erythrocytes with and without fetal hemoglobin.

The hemoglobin content was determined by microspectrophotometry in single erythrocytes with and without fetal hemoglobin (Hb F) from 16 normal subjects, 30 patients with anemia of different etiology and severity and 20 individuals with thalassemic disorders. Hb F-containing cells were identified by an indirect immunofluorescent method. The relative single cell value: total extinction (TE) at 415 nm, cell size (A) and the ratio TE/A, were used to indicate single cell values of MCH, MCV and MCHC respectively. The TE (MCH) and/or TE/A (MCHC) did not differ significantly between Hb F-containing (F-cells) and non-F cells in normal subjects and in cases with various forms of acquired anemia. On the contrary, the TE and/or TE/A of F-cells was found significantly higher in F compared to non-F cells in 11 of 20 (55%) of the cases with thalassemia. The results suggest that, in some cases of thalassemia, hemoglobin F is an important substitute for hemoglobin A and may improve the level of hemoglobinization.

Erythrocytes↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prognostic factors in advanced stage Hodgkin's lymphoma: the significance of the number of involved anatomic sites.

BACKGROUND: Advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) is curable by conventional chemotherapy in 60--70% of patients. The pretreatment identification of a sizeable subgroup of patients with sufficiently low failure-free survival (FFS) to be eligible for investigational treatment is necessary. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prognostic significance of the number of involved sites (NIS) in patients with advanced HL and its relationship to the International Prognostic Score (IPS). METHODS: A retrospective review of patients with advanced HL, defined as Ann Arbor stage (AAS) IB, IIB, III or IV, treated with anthracycline-based regimens. The end-point was FFS. RESULTS: We identified 277 patients with a median age of 32 yr (14--78), 57% of whom were males. AAS was I in 4% of patients, II in 29%, III in 38% and IV in 29%. B-symptoms were recorded in 81%. Most patients had nodular sclerosis (64%) and mixed cellularity (26%) histology. IPS was greater-than-or-equals 3 in 44% of 242 evaluable patients. The NIS was greater-than-or-equals 5 in 32% of the patients and 20% of all patients had both greater-than-or-equals 5 involved sites and IPS greater-than-or-equals 3. The 10-yr FFS was 67%, being 76% vs. 50% for patients with less-than-or-equals 4 vs. greater-than-or-equals 5 involved sites (P < 0.0001). The NIS (greater-than-or-equal 5), AAS IV and anemia were independent predictors of FFS in multivariate analysis. The NIS remained significant along with IPS, when the latter was included in the analysis. Patients with greater-than-or-equals 5 involved sites and IPS greater-than-or-equals 3 had 10-yr FFS overall, and relapse-free survival of 41%, 45% and 49%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The NIS was associated with FFS in advanced HL, was independent of IPS, and led to the identification of a sizeable subgroup of patients with 10-yr FFS of approximately 40%. This factor should be evaluated during the development of prognostic systems.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

p53 protein expression in benign and malignant breast lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate p53 protein expression in imprints from benign and ductal breast carcinoma cases in relation to the histologic grade of malignancy and clinical stage. STUDY DESIGN: The study group consisted of 60 cases of primary ductal breast carcinomas and 20 benign lesions. For the demonstration of p53 protein expression, an immunocytochemical avidin-extravidin complex technique was applied. Monoclonal antibody p53 was used as the primary antibody, diaminobenzidine as the chromogen and hematoxylin as the counterstain. RESULTS: Forty-five percent of breast cancer cases showed positive expression of p53. A statistically significant difference in p53 protein expression was observed between grade 1, 2 and 3 carcinomas and stage I, II and III cases. All benign lesions were negative for p53 protein expression. CONCLUSION: Immunocytochemical p53 protein expression in cytologic material is a simple method that can be applied in routine cytologic laboratories for the identification of genetic alterations in primary ductal breast cancer.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Preliminary evaluation of the potential prognostic value of serum levels of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, IgG, IgE) in patients with gastric cancer.

Sixty patients with advanced gastric carcinoma who refused to receive cytotoxic chemotherapy were examined for serum immunoglobulin levels (IgG, IgM, IgA, IgE). Three samples were obtained every two months thereafter. The group of patients who had above-normal values of one or more of the examined immunoglobulins had a longer survival than the other (p < 0.024). Immunoglobulin values were independent of the Helicobacter pylori antibody titer and of acute phase reactants. It is concluded that survival potentially correlates with serum immunoglobulin levels. Further studies including larger numbers of patients and correlating serum immunoglobulin levels with specific clinical parameters are needed to establish the prognostic role of serum immunoglobulins in patients with gastric carcinoma.

Adult↗