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Biomedical subjects

K Azuma

Publications and source records attributed to K Azuma.

169 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Autoimmune cholangiopathy associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

We herein describe a patient with autoimmune cholangiopathy complicated with rheumatoid arthritis. A 58-year-old female was admitted to our hospital due to complications of arthralgia in her fingers, shoulders, elbows, knees and ankles. She presented with abnormally elevated levels of transaminases, alkaline phosphatase and was also negative for hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and the serum mitochondrial antibody test, but had high titers of serum antinuclear antibody, rheumatoid factor and rheumatoid arthritis hemagglutination. A liver biopsy specimen showed chronic non-suppurative destructive cholangitis. She was thus diagnosed to have autoimmune cholangiopathy and rheumatoid arthritis. She began treatment with prednisolone 40 mg per day. After 20 days of steroid therapy, her hepatic function tests improved and the arthralgia symptoms disappeared. This is, to our knowledge, the first case of autoimmune cholangiopathy associated with rheumatoid arthritis, in which both symptoms improved with steroid therapy.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Roentgenologic-pathologic correlations of miliary pulmonary metastases.

To determine the accurate localization of nodules of miliary pulmonary metastases within the secondary lobules, a Roentgenologic-pathologic study was made, using an inflated and fixed lung that was excised at autopsy from a patient who died of small cell carcinoma of the left lower lobe. Nodules in the perilobular area and nonperilobular areas were counted using 1-mm-thick specimens and their radiographs. It was found that 78% of the metastatic nodules were located in the perilobular area and 22% in the nonperilobular area. Furthermore, 13% of the metastatic nodules in the perilobular area showed tumor thrombosis in the lymphatic vessels, while none of the metastases in the perilobular area showed any tumor thrombosis. These results suggest that miliary pulmonary metastases are predominantly distributed in the perilobular area and that this finding is helpful in the diagnosis of this disease when high resolution computed tomography is used.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pulmonary lymphangiomyomatosis.

Two cases of pulmonary lymphangiomyomatosis are reported and findings of high resolution computed tomography (CT) are described. CT reveals that most lesions appearing reticular or emphysematous on radiographs are actually cysts, and accurately displays the extent and distribution of cystic change of the lung. On high resolution CT, individual cystic walls are much better displayed than on routine 10 mm section CT. Further, it is possible to detect even trivial pleural effusion and mediastinal lymph node swelling by CT.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Electron-beam CT angiography for thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection: application of continuous volume scan and electrocardiographically triggered scan.

PURPOSE: To assess the diagnostic value of CT angiography of thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection with electron-beam CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electron-beam CT angiography was used for the evaluation of thoracic aortic aneurysm (n = 15), and aortic dissection (n = 15). Continuous volume scan (CVS), permitted by continuous X-ray exposure with table incrementation, was performed in all patients. An additional electrocardiographically triggered scan was obtained in four patients. Three-dimensional surface display and multiplanar reformations were obtained and compared with digital subtraction angiography. RESULTS: Motion artifacts and the resulting degradation of three-dimensional image quality were frequent in the ascending aorta of CVS images. Electrocardiographically triggered sections improved the image quality of the ascending aorta. In the aortic arch and descending aorta, excellent three-dimensional images competitive in quality with digital subtraction angiography were obtained in all patients. For patients with aortic dissection, multiplanar reformation was useful to demonstrate the intimal flap and entry sites. CONCLUSION: The use of electron-beam CT angiography is feasible for the diagnosis of thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Impaired in vivo tumor growth of human pancreatic carcinoma cells retrovirally transduced with GM-CSF gene.

We have examined the antitumor effect of human pancreatic carcinoma cells (AsPC-1) retrovirally transduced with mouse granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) gene in nude mice. Growth retardation of the subcutaneous tumors of GM-CSF-producing AsPC-1 cells was observed, although their in vitro proliferation was not different from that of wild-type cells. Histological examination revealed infiltration of monocytic cells into the tumor of GM-CSF-producing cells, and they were shown to be mainly CD11b positive cells by immunohistochemical staining. The survival of the mice inoculated intraperitoneally with GM-CSF- producing AsPC-1 cells was significantly prolonged compared with that of the mice inoculated with wild-type AsPC-1 cells. Thus, the expression of GM-CSF gene in human pancreatic cells induced an antitumor effect in vivo even in the mature T cell-deficient condition.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Studies of postoperative transarterial infusion chemotherapy for liver metastasis of colorectal carcinoma after hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of postoperative transarterial infusion chemotherapy (PTIC) for the prevention of metastatic liver cancer recurrence after hepatectomy following curative surgery for colorectal carcinoma. METHODOLOGY: Thirty-eight patients who underwent curative hepatectomy for metastatic liver cancer from colorectal carcinoma were studied. Ten out of the 38 patients received PTIC (experimental group) and 28 patients did not receive chemotherapy (control group). PTIC was performed with an intrahepatic indwelling catheter, which was set-up for 3 weeks and repeated 3 times in two monthly intervals. RESULTS: In the control group, no significant differences were observed in the survival between patients with a single hepatic nodule and those with multiple hepatic nodules. Between patients with hepatic tumors of more than 3 cm in diameter and those with tumors less than 3 cm, and between patients with tumors located at H1 and H2, no significant differences were seen, either. However, the 5-year survival rate of the patients with metachronous liver metastases was 90% which was significantly better than for those patients with synchronous liver tumors (p < 0.05). The 100% of 3- and 100% of 4-year survival rates of the experimental group were significantly better than the 60% and 47% respectively of the control group (p < 0.05). The non-recurrence rate in the remnant liver was also significantly better in the experimental group than that in the control group (p < 0.01). The adverse effect of this protocol was negligible. CONCLUSION: We conclude that PTIC improved the survival and non-recurrence rate in the remnant liver of the patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer after hepatectomy, and was considered to be safe and an important protective factor for the prevention of recurrence of liver metastases after hepatectomy.

Adult↗