Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Nielsen

Publications and source records attributed to H Nielsen.

At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Discrepancy between haemagglutination and radioimmunological techniques for measurement of serum thyroglobulin autoantibodies.

Recently, it has been suggested that in some patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases the tanned red cell (TRC) method for detection of thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb) is negative where TgAb measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) show positive values. To investigate this further, patients with thyroid diseases, pernicious anaemia and a control group were studied for serum concentrations of TgAb by TRC and by quantitative RIA, calibrated against MRC Standard A65/93. Antibodies for microsomes (MAb) were measured immunofluoretically. There was in all patient groups (Hashimoto's thyroiditis (n = 41), Graves' disease (n = 50), idiopathic myxoedema (n = 12), euthyroid Graves' disease (n = 7), pernicious anaemia (n = 81) a discrepancy between TgAb measured by TRC and RIA, respectively, whereas there was a reasonable correlation between the presence of TgAb by RIA and the presence of MAb. A possible interference from antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factors was ruled out. There was no increased frequency of TgAb measured by RIA in the control group. Fractionation of TRC negative sera revealed macromolecular TRC-activity, whereas TgAb positive sera by both methods had almost exclusively RIA and TRC activity corresponding to IgG. Based on these results and others it seems that the TRC method for measurement of serum TgAb is of limited diagnostic value. Furthermore, the TRC method is in many cases not sensitive enough for screening for TgAb prior to measurement of serum Tg, which is of importance as this method shows false values in the presence of TgAb due to methodological interference.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1983

Circulating immune complexes in Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Correlation to HLA and autoantibodies.

Circulating immune complexes (IC) were determined in sera from 41 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis by a polyclonal rheumatoid factor (pRF) assay based on the inhibition of the agglutination of IgG-coated latex particles. Elevated levels of IC were found in 63% (26/41) of the sera. There was a significant correlation (Rho = 0.91, P less than 0.001) between results obtained before and after treatment of sera with dithiothreitol (DTT). By precipitation with 2.5% polyethylene glycol (PEG) before pRF inhibition assay, the activity of IC was found in only 7% (3/41) of the sera. Size chromatography studies of the sera showed the inhibitory activity predominantly in the intermediary region. When found in the IgM-region the activity was not reduced by DTT. By use of a polyethylene glycol complement consumption test (PEG-CC) the occurrence of IC was 10% (4/41). It was not possible to find any correlation between the detectable IC and the presence of microsomal, thyroglobulin, or thyroid-stimulating antibodies. Based on our studies the sizes of IC seemed to be heterogeneously distributed and the majority were not precipitated by PEG (2.5%), final concentration). The antibodies involved in the formation of complexes seemed to be of IgG or IgA classes. HLA-D typing of the patients showed a non-significant association between HLA-Dw5 and low levels of IC while the presence of HLA-Dw4 was significantly associated with a high level of IC (P less than 0.05).

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMed1983

Autoantibodies, immune complexes and HLA-D in thyrogastric autoimmunity.

Forty-one patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and 82 with Pernicious anaemia (PA) were investigated. All 123 patients were HLA-D typed and results correlated to thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAB), microsomal antibodies (MAb), parietal cell antibodies (PCA), circulating immune complexes (IC), and intrinsic factor antibodies (IFA). In PA, TgAb was found less frequently in Dw2 positive patients than in Dw2 negative patients. IFA was rarely found in Dw5 positive PA patients. In HT, patients positive for Dw5 had lower levels of TgAb. IC were present in 67% of patients with HT, but only in 2.5% of patients with PA (p less than 0.01). Dw5 was associated with low levels of IC in HT. In conclusion, HT and PA seem to be related by their association with HLA-D types, but a heterogeneity in the pattern of antibodies and IC could be seen. The organ specific antibodies characteristic for each disease were present in lower levels in patients with Dw5.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Cerebral abscess. A long-term follow-up.

During the period 1935-1976, 200 cases of brain abscess were treated in the University Clinic of Neurosurgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen. 119 patients survived. Out of 40 deaths during the follow-up period, 37 were unrelated to the previous brain abscess. 12 patients emigrated and were lost to follow-up. History and neurologic examination of the remaining 67 surviving patients with follow-up periods of between 3 and 40 years (mean 18 years) showed no sequelae in 23, unrestricted working capacity in 46, epilepsy in 37, neurologic deficit in 18, and intellectual impairment in 13 patients. The most serious sequelae, incapacitating epilepsy and severe mental reduction, were seen in patients with brain abscess during childhood.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection in cystic fibrosis. A longitudinal study of immune complex activity and inflammatory response in sputum sol-phase of cystic fibrosis patients with chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infections: influence of local steroid treatment.

A double blind controlled trial of Becotide (beclomethasone diproprionate) inhalations was carried out for treating cystic fibrosis patients with chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection to determine its efficacy and safety. The aim of the treatment was to diminish the inflammatory response in the lungs of these patients, a response which is initiated by an allergic type III reaction. Pulmonary inflammation was evaluated by measurements of proteolytic activity, albumin concentration and immune complex activity in the sputum sol-phase before, during, and after the 16 weeks the trial lasted. 26 cystic fibrosis patients participated (13 received Becotide and 13 placebo) and the results showed that local steroids have no effect on the inflammatory response in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients with chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection. No adverse effects were demonstrated. There was, however, a significant increase in the inflammatory parameters for all 26 cystic fibrosis patients when the trial period was over, compared to the insidious pulmonary destruction which takes place in the lungs of these patients, and it corresponded to a significant decrease (p less than 0.05) in forced vital capacity which took place at the same time. Therefore, chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection in these patients should be treated as efficiently as possible.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Human monocyte chemotaxis in vitro. Influence of in vitro variables in the filter assay.

Using a modified Boyden chamber technique, variables in the cell environment were investigated and found to have a profound influence on the monocyte chemotactic responsiveness. The concentration of monocytes, pH of cell suspension, the presence of protein, the concentration and pH of cytotaxins, time allowed for migration and the temperature were all found to be critical factors for the migration response. Optimal concentrations of casein, zymosan-activated serum and N-f-methionyl-leucyl phenylalanine had equal cytotactic potency. The addition of gentamycin decreased the monocyte chemotactic responsiveness, while penicillin had no effect. Under standardized conditions the technical variability was moderate and the intra-individual variability in healthy donors was continuously less than twenty per cent.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Granulocyte specific antinuclear antibodies in ulcerative colitis. Aid in differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease.

40 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 35 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) were studied for the occurrence of granulocyte specific (GS-) antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and organ-non-specific (ON-) ANA. The predominant immunoglobulin class of GS-ANA in UC was IgG, present in 25% of the patients, but only in 3% of the patients with CD (p less than 0.02). ON-ANA were are in both groups and did not allow discrimination between these. Both GS-ANA and ON-ANA lacked complement-fixing properties. No relation was found between the types or titres of IgG ANA and sex, age, duration, disease activity or localization in the two groups of patients. The significance of our serologic observations in relation to these disease parameters has to be determined n larger prospective studies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Complement C3c and C3d in plasma and synovial fluid in rheumatoid arthritis.

By means of recently developed immunochemical assays increased levels of the complement C3c and C3d split products were found in synovial fluids of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as compared with synovial fluids of patients with traumatic synovitis (TS). In plasma, only the C3d levels were significantly increased compared with plasma levels of patients with TS. Both split products were higher in RA synovial fluids (SF) than in RA plasma. A positive correlation between the C3d concentrations in plasma and the presence of IC in serum was found, and between the C3c levels and the concentration of polymorphonuclear cells in SF of RA patients. Due to differences in turn-over of C3c and C3d determination of plasma C3d levels may be a useful parameter for the evaluation of immunological activity in RA, while measurement of C3c in the synovial fluid may elucidate the actual inflammatory activity in the synovial membranes.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMed1983

Nutrition in health promotion programs: a Canadian perspective.

Experience has been gained in Canada through 40 years of nutrition intervention programs at national, provincial and community levels. Nutrition has recently been identified as a priority in a strengthened national health promotion program. Four strategies for promoting good nutrition are identified. For two issues, diet and chronic disease and the nutritional needs of children and youth, recent experiences at the national level are described.

Body Weight↗
PubMed1982

Normalization of defective monocyte chemotaxis during chemotherapy in patients with small cell anaplastic carcinoma of the lung.

Monocyte chemotactic responsiveness (MCR) in 14 patients with small cell anaplastic bronchogenic carcinoma was depressed before treatment compared with the MCR in 28 normal controls (P = 0.00004). MCR was subsequently monitored during combination chemotherapy and after 6 months the MCR had become normalized compared with pretreatment values (P = 0.00006). In addition, chemotactic factor inhibitor (CFI) activity in plasma was measured before treatment and after 6 months. When incubated with plasma before treatment casein had 62% of normal activity and when incubated with plasma after chemotherapy, 81% of normal activity (P = 0.0009). CFI activity decreased by greater amounts in patients in complete remission than in patients in partial remission or in non-responders (P = 0.01). This study supports the concept that cancer patients have depressed monocyte function. Chemotherapy seems to enhance monocyte chemotaxis in vitro and to decrease CFI activity in plasma.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

A quantitative and qualitative study of blood monocytes in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma.

Absolute circulating number and functions of blood monocytes (i.e., pinocytosis, phagocytosis, and chemotaxis) were studied in 25 patients with untreated bronchogenic carcinoma and in 28 control subjects. The absolute circulating monocyte count was increased in 20 (80%) of the patients. There was no difference in the pinocytic and phagocytic activity of patient and control monocytes. In contrast, patient monocytes showed depressed chemotactic responsiveness. This defect was more severe in small cell anaplastic carcinoma than in the other histologic types of bronchogenic carcinoma (P = 0.0001), and may explain the difference in macrophage infiltration seen in solid tumours of the lung. There was no correlation between chemotaxis and clinical stage. Depressed chemotaxis may be related to a plasma factor, since patient plasma inhibited the chemotaxis of control monocytes as well as the activity of chemotactic agents. The defective chemotaxis and the presence of plasma inhibitory activity may interfere with the ability of blood monocytes to accumulate as macrophages in tumour sites.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Cerebral abscess. Aetiology and pathogenesis, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. A review of 200 cases from 1935-1976.

From 1935-1976 a total of 200 patients with cerebral abscesses were referred to the University Clinic of Neurosurgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen. The primary source of infection could be established in 169 cases (85%). Bacteria could be cultured in 58% of the cases. From 1935-1957 nearly all patients were subjected to ventriculography (107/129). Cerebral angiography was the dominating diagnostic method from 1958-1974. Since then, 30 patients with a suspected intracranial abscess have been examined by computed tomography. The overall mortality has been 40%, but for the period 1958-1976 17%.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Defective monocyte chemotaxis in pulmonary tuberculosis.

Because mononuclear phagocytes are crucially involved in the host resistance to mycobacterial challenge, various functions of human monocytes (i.e. pinocytosis, phagocytosis and chemotaxis) were studied in 15 patients with active, untreated pulmonary tuberculosis and in 32 controls. There was no difference in the pinocytic and phagocytic activity of tuberculous and control monocytes. In contrast, tuberculosis monocytes showed depressed chemotaxis compared with control monocytes (P = 0.000001). This defect may be related to a plasma factor, since tuberculous plasma inhibited the chemotaxis of control monocytes as well as the activity of chemotactic agents.

Adult↗