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Biomedical subjects

H Kurabayashi

Publications and source records attributed to H Kurabayashi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Activation of circulating platelets by hyperthermal stress.

To determine the involvement of activated platelets in the frequent thrombosis after hot hot-spring bathing, we examined effects of a hyperthermal stress on platelets in vivo. Plasma levels of beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) began to rise at 5 minutes and elevated significantly 10 minutes after the start of traditional 47 degrees C hot-spring bathing. In contrast, there was no significant factor 4 change in plasma beta-TG level through a control 10-minute bath in the same water at 42 degrees C. A beta-TG to platelet factor 4 ratio, a value suggested to be useful for evaluating clinical studies for in vitro versus in vivo granule release, was sufficiently high in each sampling, indicating that the experiment was performed without being influenced by artificial platelet activation. These data show that only a few minutes' hyperthermal stress can induce granule release from platelets in vivo.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Prediction of prognosis by electron microscopic analysis of myeloma cells.

Myeloma cells were ultrastructurally analyzed in relation to survival in 54 patients with myeloma who were treated with melphalan-prednisolone or cyclophosphamide-prednisolone. Since previous studies by electron microscope had demonstrated that the degree of nuclear-cytoplasmic asynchrony of myeloma cells was associated with poor prognosis, this study focused on three kinds of nuclear abnormalities and eight kinds of cytoplasmic abnormalities. The patients were classified into three groups according to the presence of these abnormalities. The median survival times of the first group with five or fewer of 11 different kinds of abnormalities, the second group with 6-8 abnormalities and the third group with nine or more abnormalities were 2353, 531, and 115 days, respectively. Further more, this classification by ultrastructural abnormalities corresponded to those by the initial hemoglobin concentrations, platelet counts, and percentages of myeloma cells and plasmablasts in the bone marrow. These findings suggest that ultrastructural analysis of nuclear and cytoplasmic abnormalities, in addition to nuclear maturity, of myeloma cells may provide important information for predicting the prognosis in myeloma patients.

Bone Marrow↗
PubMed1996

[Autoimmune hemolytic anemia with eosinophilia in elderly patient].

A 70-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital in November 1992 for evaluation of anemia. Physical examination revealed anemia, jaundice, swelling of axial and inguinal lymph nodes, and splenomegaly. Abnormal hematological findings were as follows: Hb of 3.9 g/dl, reticulocyte count of 58.2% (61.7 x 10(4)/microliters), hyperplasia of normal erythroblasts in bone marrow, and eosinophilia (21.0%, 2352/microliters) in peripheral blood. Routine laboratory examinations revealed polycolonal hypergammaglobulinemia 3.0 g/dl, a high level of serum LDH (797 IU/I) and a total bilirubin of 2.4 mg/dl (indirect, 1.6 mg/dl). The serum haptoglobin level was very low (< 5 mg/dl). Results of serological examinations were as follows: IgG of 3366 mg/dl, CH50 of 16.0 U/ml, positive Coombs test 2+, and positive tests for antinuclear antibody, rheumatoid factor, and cold agglutinin. CRP was negative. PHA-stimulated lymphocyte blast formation, NK activity, and ADCC activity were found to be suppressed, and the percentage of CD4-positive lymphocytes in peripheral blood was also low. An axillary lymph node biopsy revealed reactive lymphadenitis. No signs or history suggested allergy, collagen disease, or parasitic infection. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) complicated by immunologic abnormalities and eosinophilia was diagnosed. Oral prednisolone markedly reduced the hemolytic anemia, eosinophilia, lymph node swelling, and splenomegaly, but NK activity remained low.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Effects of physical therapy on immunological parameters in patients with cerebrovascular diseases.

The effects of physical therapy on immunological parameters were evaluated in 22 patients (14 males, aged 68.1 +/- 9.9 years) with cerebrovascular diseases in a stable situation 3 to 6 months after the onset of stroke who were entered into a rehabilitation program in our hospital between 1990 and 1993. The proportion of CD4+ cells was significantly increased but that of CD8+ cells was decreased throughout the rehabilitation program, resulting in an increase in the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ cells. The lymphocyte response to phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A was increased, while no significant differences were observed in CD3+ cells, natural killer cell activity, and serum levels of immunoglobulins, interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-2 and interleukin-6. These findings suggest that repeated physical exercise may activate the immune system, especially T-cell function, for possible prevention of infectious diseases that are often complicated in patients with cerebrovascular diseases.

CD4-CD8 Ratio↗
PubMed1996

Asymptomatic multiple myeloma with concomitant neoplasms of two different origins.

A 63-year-old Japanese male with a four-year history of asymptomatic hypogamma-globulinemia is presented. On admission, he had a mild bone marrow plasmacytosis at about 10% of the total nucleated cells, but had no anemia, no paraproteins nor bone lesions. Flow cytometric analysis showed a predominant proliferation of kappa chain-positive cells in the bone marrow and peripheral blood, and an increase in the proportion of natural killer cells in the peripheral blood. Furthermore, coexistent meningioma and transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder were subsequently found 9- and 15-months after the admission, respectively. We considered that a myeloma-induced, possible latent immunodeficiency may have allowed the additional tumor growth, and that this process may have been controlled by the cytotoxic subset of immune effector cells.

Carcinoma, Transitional Cell↗
PubMed1995

Acquired total immunoglobulin G deficiency in a patient with primary biliary cirrhosis.

A 38-year-old Japanese woman was hospitalized for susceptibility to respiratory tract infections. Clinical examinations revealed asymptomatic primary cholestasis, abnormally elevated immunoglobulin M (IgM) and antimitochondrial antibody, being consistent with asymptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis. Three years later her serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) decreased remarkably, whereas other immunoglobulins were unchanged. Immunological examinations on the peripheral blood lymphocytes demonstrated spontaneous over-synthesis of serum IgM and decreased synthesis of IgG due to abnormal function of both T and B cells. Our case suggests a new possible association between primary biliary cirrhosis and IgG deficiency.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Elderly onset of adult Still's disease: report of a case.

Adult Still's disease is a variant of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis occurring most frequently in women 16-35 years of age, but rarely in elderly people. We describe a 75-year-old woman who was considered as having adult Still's disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

[Magnetic resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid examinations in a case of central nervous involvement of systemic lupus erythematosus].

A 69-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a 7-month history of sensory disturbance of the bilateral lower extremities. Since she developed paraplegia of the extremities, urinary incontinence and left hemiplegia several days after admission, neurologic involvement both in the lumbar cord, and in the cervical cord or the brain was suspected. While no abnormalities were noted by computerized tomography of the brain. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) clearly demonstrated foci in the periventricular and the basal ganglia regions bilaterally. Furthermore, the levels of immunoglobulin G and interleukin 6 were increased in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). From physical and other laboratory findings in addition to the MRI and CSF findings, she was diagnosed as having systemic lupus erythematosus with central nervous involvement. The administration of prednisolone resulted in marked improvement in her neurologic symptoms in two months. Thus, it is considered that the MRI and CSF examinations are useful for the diagnosis and treatment of central nervous involvement of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Dependence on very hot hot-spring bathing in a refractory case of atopic dermatitis.

A 21-year-old female with atopic dermatitis showed "dependence" on very hot hot-spring bathing. Her skin disease had been refractory to various treatments including steroid therapy for a long time. Without medical supervision she took four 3-minute 47 degrees C hot-spring baths daily for a month for the purpose of improving her skin symptom. Subsequently, she could not stop bathing in very hot hot-spring water of her own will. However, a month's isolation in a hospital relieved her of the situation. The mechanism of the dependence on very hot hot-spring bathing may be explained by a transient rise in the plasma beta-endorphin level due to hyperthermal stress.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Successful treatment with auranofin in a patient with elderly-onset Still's disease.

We report a successful treatment with auranofin in a case of elderly-onset Still's disease. The administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, mizoribine and prednisolone were not only insufficient to suppress the disease activity but were followed by the development of multiple gastric ulcers and severe osteoporosis. On the contrary, treatment with auranofin, 9 mg per day, was effective enough to maintain the disease inactive without any side effects. We also found that plasma levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were significantly elevated in our patient, suggesting a possible involvement of inflammatory cytokines in this disease.

Age of Onset↗
PubMed1993

Ultrastructure of plasma cells in a patient with J chain disease.

Ultrastructural analysis of plasma cells was performed in a 74-year-old female patient with J chain disease. By electron microscopy, various characteristic findings were observed: lobulated nuclei, multinuclei, single sac loop-like structures, flocculent filament-like substances, nuclear inclusion bodies, cytoplasmic inclusion bodies, and multilamellar bodies. Our prior studies pointed out a poor prognosis in myeloma patients with these findings.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Evaluation of increased serum ferritin levels in patients with hyperthyroidism.

To further elucidate the mechanism of increased serum ferritin levels in hyperthyroidism, the changes in erythrocytes and serum iron and total iron-binding capacity levels were examined in addition to serum ferritin levels in 13 hyperthyroid patients. The mean values of hemoglobin, red blood cells, and packed cell volume were increased by antithyroid therapy. While the serum levels of iron did not change, those of total iron-binding capacity increased significantly after achieving a euthyroid state. Increased serum ferritin levels returned to normal through antithyroid therapy. Furthermore, the serum ferritin levels of four anemic patients were significantly higher than those of nine nonanemic patients. Thus it is concluded that the increase in serum ferritin levels in patients with hyperthyroidism may be due to the direct action of thyroid hormones on its synthesis, while in some cases complicated with anemia impaired iron utilization by erythropoietic cells may also be involved.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Effect of G-CSF and M-CSF on busulfan-induced marrow failure in a 91-year old patient with essential thrombocythemia].

A 91-year-old patient with essential thrombocythemia presented with marked bone marrow suppression induced by long-term administration of busulfan. Her pancytopenia extended for over two months even after the cessation of busulfan, suggesting that she had developed a severe decrease in hematopoietic reserve. We administered G-CSF and M-CSF to accelerate recovery from marrow failure and to evaluate the recovery of hematopoiesis. The standard doses of G-CSF and M-CSF increased her neutrophil and platelet counts sufficiently but only transiently. Transient eosinophilia was also noted after cessation of M-CSF. The possibility that the expansion of abnormal clone(s) induced the transient increase in platelet and eosinophil counts could not be completely excluded. We suggest that the administration of hematopoietic growth factors should be limited to patients, irrespective of age, who present marked clinical symptoms attributable to marrow failure when the patient has a chronic myeloproliferative disorder.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

A transient rise in plasma beta-endorphin after a traditional 47 degrees C hot-spring bath in Kusatsu-spa, Japan.

To clarify the mechanism of the intoxicating feeling attained after a traditional 47 degrees C hot-spring bath called 'jikan-yu' in Kusatsu-spa, Japan, we examined the change in plasma levels of beta-endorphin and methionine enkephalin in 7 healthy subjects. The mean sublingual temperature rose from 36.8 degrees C to 38.6 degrees C and the plasma beta-endorphin level from 16.2 pg/ml to 49.5 pg/ml 2 minutes after completing a 3-minute bath in 47 degrees C hot-spring water. However, the plasma methionine enkephalin level was not changed. This feeling of intoxication may be explained by the transient rise in plasma beta-endorphin level.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Complete cure of urinary and faecal incontinence after intravenous vitamin B12 therapy in a patient with post-gastrectomy megaloblastic anaemia.

The case of a 59-year-old Japanese woman with post-gastrectomy megaloblastic anaemia having urinary and faecal incontinence and paraesthesia in four extremities is described. While the haematological abnormalities were improved by administration of a total dose of 17 mg of intramuscular mecobalamin, the neurological abnormalities remained unchanged. Five months later, a total dose of 7.5 mg of mecobalamin was injected intravenously over a period of 5 weeks, although the serum level of vitamin B12 was greater than 1180 pmol l-1. Immediately after initiation of the therapy, the urinary and faecal incontinence were gradually improved, and were completely cured within 2 months. The peripheral neuropathy was also ameliorated. The effectiveness of intravenous vitamin B12 injection for the neurological abnormalities due to vitamin B12 deficiency is emphasized.

Anemia, Megaloblastic↗