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Biomedical subjects

H Thaler

Publications and source records attributed to H Thaler.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

The role of infection in the etiology of preterm birth.

The hypothesis that infection induces or is a precursor to preterm birth or premature rupture of the membranes was examined in a prospective study of 193 randomly selected pregnant women. We investigated the prognostic significance of factors that suggest infection of the uterine cavity before pregnancy, such as a history of pelvic inflammatory disease, a history of intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) use, multiple sex partners, and the presence of antisperm antibodies, in relation to premature rupture of the membranes and preterm birth. Sexual activity, a potential vehicle for bacterial exchange, was also charted throughout pregnancy via monthly interviews. We performed immunologic tests on each patient and obtained cultures of the cervix for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and chlamydia at the first visit, occurring at six to 14 weeks' gestation, and again at 36 weeks. The results suggest that infection may indeed play a causative role in premature rupture of the membranes or preterm birth. A strong correlation was found between preterm birth and both a history of pelvic inflammatory disease (P = .004) and a history of IUD use (P = .0015). Amnionitis was associated with the presence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antisperm antibodies (P = .02), as well as with a history of pelvic inflammatory disease (P = .0006). There was also a correlation between premature rupture of the membranes and a history of multiple sex partners (P = .02). This collective evidence implicates preexisting infection of the uterine cavity as a predisposing factor in premature rupture of the membranes, preterm delivery, and amnionitis.

Chorioamnionitis↗
PubMed1986

[Immunohistochemical studies on the occurrence of HBs antigen in alcoholic fatty liver and alcoholic fatty liver hepatitis].

120 liver biopsies of alcoholic fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis were studied immunohistochemically with regard to the occurrence of HBs-antigen. In no instance HBs-antigen was detected. These findings suggest neither a major influence of hepatitis B-virus on the progression of alcoholic liver cell damage nor a defect in immunologic responsiveness to hepatitis B-virus component in the alcoholic.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Increased chromosomal instability in lymphocytes from elderly humans.

Lymphocytes from young and old donors were incubated with PHA for 96 h and exposed to [3H]Tdr during the last 24 h of culture. Comparable amounts of [3H]Tdr were incorporated into chromosomes of old and young lymphocytes as measured by autoradiography of metaphase chromosomes. However, chromosomal damage and cell-cycle arrest were far greater in lymphocytes from old as compared to young humans. The frequency of chromosome breaks, fragments, exchange figures and dicentric chromosomes induced by [3H]Tdr was greater in cultures from old than in cultures from young humans. Lymphocytes from old donors exposed to 20 microM BrdU during the last 24 h of culture showed significantly more sister-chromatid exchanges than did lymphocytes from young donors. These data suggest that chromosomes in lymphocytes from old donors express more damage after exposure to [3H]Tdr or BrdU than do chromosomes in lymphocytes from young donors.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[The need for hepatitis B immunoprevention in families with vertical hepatitis B infected children].

UNLABELLED: We investigated the scope of hepatitis B infection in 11 families (family contacts: fathers, siblings) in which the mother transmitted (vertical) hepatitis B infection to the child. RESULTS: The initial examination demonstrated an acute hepatitis B infection in one of the 11 fathers and former hepatitis B infection in 8 fathers. In 2 fathers no hepatitis B markers were found (susceptible for hepatitis B). In 3 of the 10 siblings examined an acute hepatitis B infection was demonstrated, one child showed signs of a former hepatitis B infection, and in 6 no hepatitis B markers were demonstrable. Current checks made in 5 families over a period of about 6.2 years showed another hepatitis B infection in one father and one child. These observations stress the importance of immunisation in such families.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Transient hypoplasia of the intrahepatic bile ducts. Clinical and morphologic studies].

Two boys were thriving normally up to the age of three and nine weeks respectively when obstructive cholestasis developed. Liver biopsy revealed paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts. Extrahepatic bile ducts were not occluded. In both cases cholestasis completely disappeared after five and nineteen weeks respectively. Control liver biopsis showed normal numbers of intrahepatic bile ducts. We conclude that paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts may be transient.

Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic↗
PubMed1984

Treatment of diffuse poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma. An analysis of prognostic variables.

Forty patients with diffuse poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma (DPDL) Stages II-IV were treated with three different and successive combination chemotherapy protocols. Seventeen patients were treated with the cyclophosphamide (CTX) L2 protocol which included maintenance chemotherapy for 3 years. Only three patients were treated with the NHL-3 (non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) protocol, and 20 patients received the NHL-5 program. All protocols included radiotherapy (1500-4800 rad) to areas of initial bulky disease or persistent tumor, as well as central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis with intrathecal methotrexate in patients with bone marrow involvement. Seventy-eight percent of local recurrences occurred in previously irradiated areas. Two-year survival rates were 55% and 70% for the CTX-L2 and NHL-5 protocols, respectively. Median disease-free survival for 24 complete response (CR) patients was 16.5 months. Of the 40 patients, 37 were evaluable for response to therapy. The CTX-L2 produced an 80% total response (TR) rate, a 60% CR, and a 20% partial response (PR). The patients on the NHL-5 achieved a TR rate of 95%, 74% CR, and 21% PR. Differences in TR and CR between the two protocols were not significant. Only 1 of 3 patients on the NHL-3 protocol achieved a CR. There was a trend for age greater than 50 years to lessen the chances of CR (P = 0.091); however, sex, symptoms, stage of disease, and LDH level were not significantly related to CR rate. Response to treatment (CR versus PR versus failure) was the most important factor influencing survival (P less than 0.001); age (greater than 50 years) was also significant (P = 0.008). Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was of borderline significance (P = 0.06). Cox regression model showed age (greater than 50 versus less than 50 years, P = 0.001), LDH (greater than 500 versus less than or equal to 500 U/L, P = 0.019) and symptoms (A or B) to be the best predictors of survival.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Constitutional factors in alcoholic cirrhosis.

The different sensitivity of the male and the female liver is well established, but there is an obvious difference in male livers as well. One possible explanation for these differences might be the existence of genetic peculiarities among patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. In the early twentieth, Chvostek in Vienna was the first to draw attention to a constitutional element which he believed to be fundamental: Absent body hair, absent or extremely spare hair on the limbs, and pubic hair of the female type, i.e. with horizontal upper border (1) (Fig. 1). Chvostek laid special stress on the fact that these anomalies were of genetic origin and were not a secondary phenomenon do to alcoholism or cirrhosis. The feminine pattern of hair distribution, the so-called "Chvostek's habitus", is a frequently seen condition but the statistical proof of its association with alcoholic cirrhosis in man is still missing. The purpose of our study was to investigate if the feminine pattern of hair distribution in male patients with alcoholic cirrhosis is a genetic characteristic, this anomaly is more frequently encountered in the alcoholic type than in the post-hepatitis type of cirrhosis, the reported discrepancies of HLA frequencies are due to genetic differences.

Disease Susceptibility↗
PubMed1984

Treatment of chronic active hepatitis--present state. The pros and cons of immunosuppressive therapy.

Chronic aggressive (active) hepatitis (CAH) is an extraordinarily multifaceted disease. If attempts are made to obtain objective evidence concerning the effectivity of therapeutic procedures, the proposed controlled studies are beset by virtually insoluble problems. Because of this it seems, in this particular case, legitimate to take account of retrospective studies based on sufficient numbers of cases. Corticoid monotherapy and combined corticoid and azathioprine therapy have proved effective for immunosuppression in CAH. While the effectivity of immunosuppressive therapy in HBsAg negative CAH is undisputed, it is questionable for HBsAg positive CAH. The fact, which is now indisputable, that the mortality rate of HBsAg positive CAH is increased by steroid treatment, is an unequivocal contraindication for the general application of immunosuppressive therapy in this disease-group. However, the use of such treatment should not be excluded on purely theoretical grounds in cases of HBsAg positive CAH with an unfavourable prognosis. The success, even with such patients, can be astonishing. Under certain circumstances indirect immunostimulation can be attempted for HBeAg positive CAH, which is at least partially successful in a large percentage of cases.

Azathioprine↗
PubMed1983

[Vertical transmission of hepatitis B. Results of a prospective study 1978 to 1981].

From June 1978 until August 1981 4400 pregnant women were consecutively investigated in Vienna for the presence of hepatitis B. 23 women (0.52%) were HBs-antigen positive; 15 of these were foreigners (from Yugoslavia, Turkey, Philippines, Rumania),22 pregnant women were healthy HBs-antigen carriers. One woman had an unspecific reactive hepatitis. Three pregnant women were HBe-antigen positive, 18 anti-HBe positive. Hepatitis B infection was detected in three children of HBs-positive mothers. The highest risk of infection existed in children of HBe-antigen positive mothers. There was no connection between the infection of the children and HBs-antigen in cord blood, delivery and breast-feeding habits. Hepatitis infection took a different course in the three children: one child was an HBs-antigen carrier with a healthy liver, whilst in two children seroconversion took place and anti-HBs was formed without clinical-biochemical signs of hepatitis. Measures for the prevention of vertical hepatitis B transmission are discussed.

Carrier State↗
PubMed1983

[Pharmacotherapy of Amanita phalloides poisoning using silybin].

A total of 18 cases of Amanita phalloides poisoning was treated by combined chemotherapy during 1980 and 1981. After attempted primary elimination of the toxin all patients received silybin as basic therapy mainly by infusion and, in two instances, silymarin orally. In order to investigate the effect of silybin therapy a retrospective study of the followed-up case records was made. The cases were arbitrarily classified into three groups of severity (light, medium and severe) according to clinical and laboratory findings. A close relationship was found between the severity of the intoxication and the time elapsed before commencement of silybin therapy. The time interval between mushroom intake and the commencement of the silybin administration averaged 71.5 hours in the "severe" group compared with 46 and 33.8 hours, respectively, in the "medium" and "light" groups. The mean silybin dosage was 33 mg/kg body weight/day; the mean duration of silybin therapy was 81.6 hours. With the exception of one fatality in a particularly high dosage suicidal intoxication, all patients survived. Administration of silybin within about 48 hours after mushroom intake seems to be an effective measure to prevent severe liver damage in Amanita phalloides poisoning.

Adult↗