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Biomedical subjects

J J Farquet

Publications and source records attributed to J J Farquet.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Complement activation in pneumonia.

Complement analyses performed on serially collected plasma samples from 10 patients during acute infectious pneumonia or bronchopneumonia showed normal or increased values for hemolytic activity and Clq, C4, C3, and factor B levels. However, the levels of C3 breakdown products (C3d) were significantly (greater than 2 SD) increased in six patients during the first three days of observation, suggesting that hypercatabolism of complement components may occur during the acute phase of infectious pneumonia concomitant with a hypersynthesis of some complement components. Evidence of circulating immune complexes was obtained only in two patients with the 125I-Clq Binding Test.

Acute Disease↗

Decreased heat-labile opsonic activity and complement levels associated with evidence of C3 breakdown products in infected pleural effusions.

Heat-labile opsonic activity was measured simultaneously in serum and pleural fluid of patients with transudates, infectious exudates (with positive or negative bacterial culture) and neoplastic exudates, using two different complement-dependent phagocytic tests: the killing of Staphylococcus aureus Wood 46 variant strain (K50 opsonic titers) and the assessment of ingestion rate of endotoxin-coated paraffin particles (Oil Red 0 uptake test). K50 opsonic titers were lower in culture-positive pleural effusions as compared to culture-negative (P < 0.002) or neoplastic effusions (P < 0.002). These results were corroborated by the Oil Red 0 uptake test. The data obtained with the two assays showed a significant correlation (P < 0.001). The hemolytic activity of complement (CH50) as well as the levels of C3 breakdown product, C3d, were measured in the same sera and pleural fluid samples and in an additional group of patients with pleural effusions of the same etiology. Effusions with positive cultures showed lower CH50 values (P < 0.01) and higher C3d values (P < 0.05) when compared to culture-negative pleural fluids. Finally, evidence for immune complexes in pleural effusions and sera was looked for by determination of Clq binding activity. Levels were higher in culture-positive effusions when compared to culture-negative fluids (P = 0.005).K50 opsonic titers showed a positive correlation with CH50 values (P < 0.001) for all fluids tested. Similarly Clq binding activity correlated with C3d levels in effusions of infectious origin (P = 0.05). Recovery experiments using the various bacterial species isolated from culture-positive pleural effusions showed evidence of complement inactivation upon incubation with pooled sera at concentrations of 10(7)-10(8) microorganisms/ml. These results indicate that one important reason for bacterial persistence in empyema may be decreased opsonization secondary to local consumption of complement.

Adult↗

[Autoimmune hemolytic anemia induced by mefenamic acid].

A case of autoimmunohemolytic anemia following mefenamic acid therapy is described. A free anti-erythrocytic antibody of the IgG class was found in the serum of the patient. The same antibody was also found in the eluate of the patient's red cells. No blood group specificity could be demonstrated. Direct participation of the drug in the antibody red cell reaction could be ruled out by "facilitation" and "inhibition" tests.

Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune↗

[Haemoglobinosis C/beta-thalassemia double heterozygosity in an Algerian patient with total suppression of haemoglobin A synthesis (author's transl)].

The authors describe the case of a young Algerian, aged 32, suffering from mild icterus, accompanied by a marked splenomegaly. The blood count revealed a moderate degree of anaemia with reticulocytosis, pronounced anisocytosis, micro-spherocytes, bulls eye cells, folded cells, hypochrome cells, a marked polychromasia and a mild erythroblastosis. Present also were hyperbilirubinaemia, raised plasma haemoglobin, zero haptoglobin, a reduced osmotic fragility and half-life of erythrocytes. Haemoglobin electrophoresis showed 17.25% haemoglobin F, 62.8% haemoglobin C+A2 and no haemoglobin A. The genetic study indicated that the patient was a double heterozygote C/beta thalassaemia, his mother and his son both suffering from this disease. This thalassemic gene of type beta (0) totally inhibited the synthesis of haemoglobin A, the defect found in our patient.

Adult↗

Refractory sideroblastic anemia secondary to autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

A 75-year-old woman was hospitalized with autoimmune hemolytic anemia. During a period of 22 months the patient had six hemolytic crises which responded to treatment with prednisone and azathioprine. During the last admission the patient presented a sideroblastic anemia with 98% of 'ring sideroblasts' in the bone marrow. This association has never, to our knowledge, been reported before. It is possible that the immunosuppression played a definite role in the development of this sideroblastic anemia.

Aged↗

[The immunologic status during pulmonry tubercuolsis].

The cellular and humoral immunity of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis has been evaluated prospectively in 22 PPD-positive and 10 PPD-negative patients by intradermoreaction (IDR), blast transformation (SL) and MIF production in response to PPD, Candida and varidase, peripheral lymphocyte count, and quantitative evaluation of immunoglobulins. There is a very good correlation between the different tests, and anergy is frequently found in elderly patients. Negative results (IDR, SL, MIF) are significantly observed in the presence of a negative PPD-IDR, lymphopenia (less than 1,000/mm3), impaired blast transformation in response to PHA (less than 21,000 cpm), and a cavitary form of tuberculosis. These findings suggest a defect of cellular immunity in these patients.

Aging↗

Cephalothin-induced immune hemolytic anemia.

A patient with renal disease developed Coombs-positive hemolytic anemia while receiving cephalothin therapy. An anti-cephalothin IgG antibody was detected in the patient's serum and in the eluates from her erythrocytes. In addition, nonimmunologic binding of normal and patient's serum proteins to her own and cephalothin-coated normal red cells was demonstrated. Skin tests and in vitro lymphocyte stimulation revealed that the patient was sensitized to cephalothin and also to ampicillin. Careful investigation of drug-induced hemolytic anemias reveals the complexity of the immune mechanisms involved.

Anemia, Hemolytic↗