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Biomedical subjects

K B Elkon

Publications and source records attributed to K B Elkon.

139 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Splenic function in non-renal systemic lupus erythematosus.

The reticuloendothelial clearance of autologous heat-damaged red blood cells was assessed in 10 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) but without clinical nephritis. Although in nine patients the disease was clinically active at the time of the test, only one patient had a prolonged half-clearance time (T 1/2). One patient who had persistently high titers of circulating immune complexes, but whose disease was clinically inactive, had a normal T 1/2. There was no correlation between the patients' age, duration of disease, disease activity, therapy or titer of circulating immune complexes and the T 1/2. It appears that a general defect in splenic function is not a universal feature of SLE and that high titers of circulating immune complexes may be found in the presence of efficient reticuloendothelial phagocytic ability.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Hairy-cell leukaemia with polyarteritis nodosa.

In four patients a systemic vasculitis similar to polyarteritis nodosa developed within 2 years of the onset of hairy-cell leukaemia. Arteriographic studies in two patients revealed microaneurysms, and biopsy specimens in three patients revealed a vasculitis affecting medium-sized vessels. Blood neutrophilia and neutrophilic vascular infiltrate were absent. One patient had circulating immune complexes. Two patients responded to corticosteroids alone, one required cyclophosphamide as well as steroids, and one improved without chemotherapy. The association of vasculitis with hairy-cell leukaemia may provide insight into the pathogenesis of arteritis.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Immunological studies of eosinophilic gastro-enteritis and treatment with disodium cromoglycate and beclomethasone dipropionate.

A 45-year-old woman with intestinal malabsorption due to eosinophilic gastro-enteritis was found to have markedly fluctuating total serum IgE levels with a positive intradermal skin test and a positive radio-allergosorbent test to milk antigen. No organ-specific or non-organ-specific auto-antibodies were detected in the patient's serum, and her complement profile was normal. Low doses of disodium cromoglycate failed to improve intestinal absorption, whereas a 16-day course of a corticosteroid, beclomethasone dipropionate 3 mg daily, improved D-xylose and carotene absorption without suppressing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Beclomethasone↗
PubMed1977

Persistent ventricular ectopic beats: a long-term study.

Electrocardiograms of 8 000 flying personnel, who had been undergoing routine medical examinations from 1963 to 1976, were analysed for the presence of ventricular ectopic beats (VEB). Those in whom VEB persisted, i.e. VEB of the same form recorded in two or more tracings taken at least 1 year apart, were carefully examined for the presence of cardiovascular disease and followed up. VEB were detected in 178 (2,2%) of the 8 000 subjects. Of the 98 subjects followed up after VEB had been detected, 54 (55%) showed persistence of this arrhythmia. Significant cardiovascular disease, i.e. ischaemic heart disease, hypertension or atrial fibrillation, developed in 15 (27%) of these subjects at some time during the study. No instances of sudden death occurred over a mean follow-up period of 8,3 years, even though complex (multiform, repetitive or alternating) VEB were recorded in 20 (37%) of the 54 subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Epitope mapping of autoantigens using recombinant proteins and synthetic peptides.

In order to evaluate mechanisms of autoantibody production, three hypotheses (random polyclonal B cell activation, molecular mimicry and immune response against restricted self antigens) were considered in relation to autoantibody recognition. Polyclonal B cell activation was considered unlikely because lupus sera recognized a relatively small number of eukaryotic protein antigens on immunoblots and failed to show enhanced reactivity against prokaryotic epitopes. Although two interesting examples of molecular mimicry between autoantigens and two different viruses have been suggested, it is yet to be shown that lupus antibodies bind to the shared epitopes on the viruses and that the viruses induce such antibodies. Finally, epitope mapping of several different autoantigens suggest that the antigens are themselves the focus of the immune response and initiate and/or maintain autoantibody production.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Serum C-reactive protein in primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Only 11 out of 50 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome were found to have minimal or moderate increases of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Patients with elevated CRP levels did not differ clinically from those with normal CRP levels. Thus, primary Sjögren's syndrome is one of the inflammatory disorders characterized by a relatively low CRP response.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Apoptosis in SLE--too little or too much?

Cells of the immune system are, most likely, programmed to die unless recruited into an immune response. An active cell death program may also be induced by a variety of soluble and surface signals, many of which have only recently been recognized. The importance of these pathways in maintaining tolerance is highlighted by the development of lupus-like diseases in three different mouse strains that have spontaneous mutations in the Fas/APO-1 receptor or its ligand. The known function of Fas/APO-1 in signalling apoptosis explains the persistence of self reactive cells in lpr mice although it is unclear, at present, whether Fas defects effect both central and peripheral tolerance. Whereas Fas/APO-1 receptor expression appears to be normal in humans with SLE, other defects in the Fas/APO-1 pathway or other key molecules in the cell death survival require further study.

Animals↗