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Biomedical subjects

H Riska

Publications and source records attributed to H Riska.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

High concentrations of eosinophil cationic protein and eosinophil protein X in eosinophilic pleural effusions.

To analyze the association of the eosinophil granulocyte with pleural effusions, we measured the concentrations of two eosinophil proteins, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and eosinophil protein X (EPX), in pleural fluid and serum of 92 patients with pleural effusions of various causes. We observed significantly higher ECP and EPX concentrations in eosinophilic than in noneosinophilic pleural effusions (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively) and a positive correlation between the concentrations of both eosinophil proteins in pleural fluid and the total number of eosinophils in pleural fluid (ECP: r = 0.66, p < 0.0001; and EPX: r = 0.62, p < 0.0001). There was a positive correlation between the concentrations of ECP in pleural fluid and serum (r = 0.74, p < 0.0001) and between the concentrations of EPX in pleural fluid and serum (r = 0.41, p < 0.001). High ECP and EPX concentrations in pleural fluid indicated nonspecific etiology and not tuberculosis as the cause of the effusion. Our results suggest that eosinophils in pleural effusions release eosinophil proteins and probably actively participate in the local inflammatory reaction.

Blood Proteins↗
PubMed1992

Preventive effects of inhaled formoterol and salbutamol on histamine-induced bronchoconstriction--a placebo-controlled study.

The preventive effects of inhaled formoterol (a new beta 2-agonist) and salbutamol aerosols on histamine-induced bronchoconstriction were studied in 12 patients with mild or moderate asthma in a placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Three hours after the administration of 12 micrograms formoterol, 200 micrograms salbutamol (doses with equal bronchodilator effects) or placebo via aerosol, histamine challenge was undertaken, using a dosimetric jet nebulizer with controlled tidal breathing. The noncumulative dose of histamine diphosphate aerosol provoking a 15% fall in FEV1 (PD15) was calculated. The PD15 after inhalation of 12 micrograms formoterol was significantly higher than that after 200 micrograms salbutamol (median values 640 and 310 micrograms, respectively; p < 0.01). For both treatments, the PD15 was significantly higher than that after placebo (median 185 micrograms). The results indicate that the preventive effect against histamine-induced bronchoconstriction at 3 h after drug is significantly better with formoterol than with salbutamol when using inhaled doses with an equal acute bronchodilator effect.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1990

Effects of captopril on blood pressure and respiratory function compared to verapamil in patients with hypertension and asthma.

Seventeen adult patients with moderate and stable bronchial asthma and established essential hypertension (WHO I or II) were evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study of the effects of captopril (50-100 mg/day) and verapamil (160-240 mg/day) on blood pressure, orthostatic reactions, respiratory function, and asthmatic symptoms. The effect of both drugs on blood pressure was significant. Blood pressure (mean of 161/98 mm Hg initially) decreased to a mean of 147/90 and 160/91 mm Hg on captopril and verapamil, respectively, with normal orthostatic changes. There were no significant differences in forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), maximal expiratory flow at 50% of FVC (MEF50), or peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements at the end of each treatment period. The subjective severity of asthma did not change significantly during the trial. No significant cough symptoms were reported on captopril.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Concentration of hyaluronic acid in pleural fluid as a diagnostic aid for malignant mesothelioma.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) was determined with a radiometric assay in the serum and pleural fluid of 85 patients with pleural effusions, including 15 with malignant mesothelioma, 32 with other cancer, 31 with nonmalignant inflammatory diseases, and seven with congestive heart failure. With a cutoff level at 100 mg/L, the pleural fluid concentration of HA was raised in 73 percent of patients (11 of 15) with malignant mesothelioma and in 23 percent with nonmalignant inflammatory diseases, but in none with other cancer and in none with congestive heart failure. The median concentration of pleural fluid HA was significantly higher in patients with mesothelioma than in those with other cancer (p less than 0.005). Determination of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in pleural fluid further helped to differentiate between mesothelioma and other types of cancer; concentrations of CEA above 10 micrograms/L were found in four of 15 (27 percent) patients with mesothelioma, but in 38 percent of the patients with other cancer. We concluded that in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusions associated with malignant tumors a high concentration of HA in pleural fluid combined with a low concentration of CEA suggests malignant mesothelioma as opposed to other types of cancer.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMed1987

Comparison of the effects of an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and a calcium channel blocker on blood pressure and respiratory function in patients with hypertension and asthma.

A series of 12 adult patients with stable bronchial asthma and an established diagnosis of essential hypertension (WHO I or II) were studied in a randomized double-blind crossover study to assess the effect of captopril (50-100 mg/day) and verapamil (160-240 mg/day) on blood pressure, lung function, and asthmatic symptoms. The effect of the medication on blood pressure was significant. Blood pressure (mean 164/103 mm Hg initially) decreased to a mean of 145/90 mm Hg and 155/92 mm Hg after 4 weeks on captopril and verapamil, respectively, with fewer orthostatic changes caused by captopril. There were no marked changes of asthmatic symptoms or peak flow (PEF) or forced expiratory volume (FEV1) measurements during the trial.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Comparison of the efficacy of an ACE-inhibitor and a calcium channel blocker in hypertensive asthmatics. A preliminiary report.

A series of 8 adult patients with stable bronchial asthma and an established diagnois of essential hypertension (WHO I and II) was studied in a randomized double-blind cross-over study to assess the effect of captopril (50-100 mg/day) and verapamil (160-240 mg/day) on blood pressure, lung function and asthmatic symptoms. The effect of the medication on blood pressure was significant with a mean of 137/86 mmHg and 148/90 mmHg after 4 weeks on captopril and verapamil, respectively, with fewer orthostatic changes caused by captopril. There were no marked changes of asthmatic symptoms or peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements during the trial.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Transformation of membranous glomerulonephritis into crescentic glomerulonephritis with glomerular basement membrane antibodies. Serial determinations of anti-GBM before the transformation.

This case report describes a patient who initially had a pleuritis and arthalgias. During the follow-up he developed first a membranous glomerulonephritis with nephrotic syndrome and subsequently a crescentic, rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis with glomerular basement membrane antibodies (anti-GBM). An analysis of the serum samples obtained during the follow-up revealed no infections at the onset of renal failure. However, anti-GBM could be demonstrated in the serum samples obtained 2 months before the deterioration of the renal function. The anti-GBM did not react with alveolar BM and the patient had no signs of pulmonary hemorrhage. The etiology and the sequence of the pathological events of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis is discussed in the light of these observations.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1983

Alpha1-antitrypsin: PI type and lung tuberculosis. A negative report.

The protease inhibitor type (PI type) of alpha 1-antitrypsin in serum from 955 patients with lung tuberculosis was determined by isoelectric focusing. No overrepresentation of any PI type was found among the patients with tuberculosis. Furthermore, the tuberculosis did not seem to be worse among the unusual PI type patients as compared with the patients with MM phenotypes.

Female↗
PubMed1982

Fibronectin in exudative pleural effusions.

Fibronectin is a glycoprotein found in body fluids, loose connective tissue matrix and in basement membranes. Fibronectin in pleural effusion was found to be immunologically indistinguishable from the plasma form, as shown by double-diffusion analysis. Fibronectin isolated from pleural fluid by affinity chromatography on gelatin-Sepharose had a polypeptide pattern similar to that of plasma fibronectin in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In 28 patients with infectious or non-specific pleural effusion fibronectin concentrations in pleural fluid were 335 +/- 104 micrograms/ml (mean +/- SD), in 15 patients with malignant disease the concentrations were 369 +/- 173 micrograms/ml and in 26 patients with tuberculosis 441 +/- 103 micrograms/ml. The highest concentrations, 605 +/- 252 micrograms/ml, of fibronectin in pleural fluid were detected in 14 patients with connective tissue diseases. The results suggest that increased fibronectin concentrations reflect the presence of a pleurisy due to connective tissue disease or tuberculosis rather than other infectious or malignant disease.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1982

Beta 2 microglobulin in pleural effusions.

Beta 2 microglobulin (beta 2m) concentrations in serum and pleural fluid from 64 patients with pleural effusion were studied. The level of beta 2m in pleural fluid was generally twice that in serum. The ratio of pleural fluid beta 2m to serum beta 2m in patients groups defined according to the final diagnosis showed an interestingly high value in tuberculous pleuritis and in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with pleural effusion. There was a positive correlation between the beta 2m and lysozyme contents in pleural fluid, suggesting local and simultaneous activation of different cell lines when the pleura is involved. We suggest that pleural fluid and concomitant serum beta 2m measurements should be taken into consideration when pleural effusion of tuberculous origin is suspected. Furthermore, beta 2m determination might help to differentiate between rheumatoid pleural fluid and pleural involvement due to the other systemic diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Cellular immunity during follow-up of patients with sarcoidosis of varying duration.

Cellular immunity was followed up at 3 month intervals for 1 year in 43 patients with sarcoidosis representing three well defined categories of the disease viz acute (12), subacute (20) and chronic (11). Twelve apparently healthy individuals served as controls. Each follow-up included the following tests: total number of blood lymphocytes, T cells, B cells, leucocyte migration tests with PPD, BCG and Kveim test material and stimulation tests of lymphocytes in vitro in the presence of PHA, Con A, PPD and PWM. Statistically, the most abnormal initial findings in all the tests were noted in acute sarcoidosis, followed by the subacute group. The acute group showed the most marked changes also during the follow-up. The smallest changes during the follow-up were seen in the patients with the chronic form of the disease. However, the inter-individual variation was considerable and no definite conclusions could be drawn from findings in a given case. Alterations in cellular immunity occur in sarcoidosis. They differ between different subgroups of patients and vary differently in course of time. Well defined criteria for inclusion of patients in an investigation and repeated studies of included patients will increase the information available from investigations of cellular immunity in sarcoidosis.

Acute Disease↗