Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

K Takehara

Publications and source records attributed to K Takehara.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

Membranous glomerulonephritis associated with eosinophilic lymphfolliculosis of the skin (Kimura's disease): report of a case and review of the literature.

A 48-year-old male, who had been suffering from eosinophilic lymphfolliculosis of the skin (Kimura's disease) for six years, developed the nephrotic syndrome. Renal biopsy revealed immunopathological and electron microscopic changes characteristic of membranous glomerulonephritis. A review of the literature disclosed a high frequency of renal involvement in Kimura's disease. Out of 175 reported cases of the disease, 21 (12%) were found to have proteinuria including 13 who had the nephrotic syndrome. Some of the patients were noticed to have proteinuria before the onset of the skin lesions, suggesting the existence of common etiological factor(s) capable of inducing both skin and kidney lesions.

Ear Neoplasms↗

Preoperative diagnosis of fallopian tube cancer by imaging.

Primary cancer of the fallopian tube (FTC) is among the most unusual gynecologic malignancies and rarely is diagnosed correctly before surgery. The imaging results of eight patients with FTC and four with benign tubal disease were analyzed. FTCs were small cystic or solid masses that typically were shaped like a sausage, a snail, or a gourd, regardless of clinical stage.

Adolescent↗

Clinical significance of antinuclear matrix antibody in serum from patients with anti-U1RNP antibody.

Serum containing anti-U1RNP antibodies reacts with the nuclear matrix, the relatively insoluble component of the cell nucleus, in addition to U1RNP. In this study, we determine the serum titer and clinical correlations of antinuclear matrix antibodies in samples from patients with anti-U1RNP antibodies. The patients with anti-U1RNP antibodies were classified as having mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD, 15 patients), systemic sclerosis (SSc, 12 patients), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, 7 patients), and undifferentiated CTD (UCTD, 9 patients). Antinuclear matrix antibodies were detected using indirect immunofluorescence staining on HCl-treated HEp-2 cells. The antinuclear matrix antibody titer was significantly higher in serum from patients with MCTD or SSc than in serum from patients with SLE or UCTD. The antinuclear matrix antibody titer was significantly increased in serum from patients with sclerodactyly, pitting scars, contracture of the phalanges, and decreased carbon monoxide diffusion capacity. Thus, a higher titer of antinuclear matrix antibodies in serum from patients with anti-U1RNP antibodies may be associated with a clinical diagnosis of MCTD or SSc rather than a diagnosis of SLE or UCTD.

Adolescent↗

Effective weekly docetaxel for recurrent ovarian cancer: A case report.

We experienced a case of recurrent ovarian cancer that responded to weekly docetaxel. The patient had stage IIIC ovarian cancer (poorly differentiated serous adenocarcinoma). After initial remission was achieved by chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin plus cytoreductive surgery, the disease recurred and irinotecan therapy achieved temporary remission. During maintenance therapy with oral etoposide, the disease recurred again. We then tried five courses of weekly docetaxel therapy and it successfully controlled the disease. The progression-free survival time on weekly docetaxel treatment is now 7 months and the toxicity was extremely low. This patient demonstrates the effectiveness of weekly docetaxel as salvage chemotherapy for recurrent ovarian cancer.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗

Dipyridamole decreases platelet-derived growth factor levels in human serum.

Mitogenic activities on confluent fibroblasts by sera from patients with scleroderma and normal controls were studied. In experiments using eight different fibroblast strains (one human fetal lung fibroblast, one foreskin fibroblast, three adult skin fibroblast, and three scleroderma fibroblast), pooled scleroderma serum showed lower mitogenic activity by 3H-thymidine incorporation assay than pooled normal serum. Individual serum investigations revealed that 11 of 33 patients (33%) showed low mitogenic activities; all 11 patients were receiving dipyridamole. Of 15 patients, 11 (73%) receiving dipyridamole showed low mutagenic activities; none of 18 patients not receiving dipyridamole showed low mitogenic activities. Approximately 70% of this serum activity was inhibited by the addition of anti-platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) antibody indicating that most of this serum activity seemed to be derived from PDGF. Western blot analysis of extracts of normal sera before and after administration of dipyridamole with antihuman PDGF antibody showed a large decrease in the amount of immunoreactive PDGF present. These data indicate that dipyridamole is an effective drug to lower release of PDGF during blood clotting.

Adult↗

A case of malignant hypertension and scleroderma after cosmetic surgery.

A 44-year-old woman with scleroderma-like skin lesions and malignant hypertension following mammoplasty is reported. Sclerotic change is an unusual finding for ordinary finding progressive systemic sclerosis. On admission, she had severe high-renin hypertension and progressive renal failure, suggesting scleroderma renal crisis. With intensive treatment for hypertension including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, the blood pressure was well controlled. It was then suggested that she had malignant hypertension due to scleroderma after silicone injection, or the so-called human adjuvant disease after cosmetic surgery.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Breast cancer metastatic to the kidney.

We report a case of renal tumor secondary to a breast cancer occurring 16 years after radical mastectomy. This is the sixth report case of renal metastasis from breast cancer of a 51-year-old woman. Percutaneous biopsy of the renal tumor confirmed the diagnosis during the follow-up. The patient was treated with chemotherapy and is alive 8 months after diagnosis. Previously, cases like our case showed long interval from mastectomy to diagnosis of metastasis.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Longitudinal analysis of serum KL-6 levels in patients with systemic sclerosis: association with the activity of pulmonary fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether changes in serum KL-6 levels reflect the activity of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: KL-6 levels were determined by ELISA in 39 SSc patients. In a retrospective longitudinal study, 250 serum samples were analyzed during a follow-up period of 0.3-6.1 years. RESULTS: KL-6 levels at the first visit were higher in patients with SSc, especially with PF, compared with healthy controls. In the longitudinal study, KL-6 levels in 4 patients with anti-topo I Abs increased rapidly, parallel to the progression of PF. Four patients with inactive PF exhibited elevated, but stable levels of KL-6 during the follow-up. The 31 patients with almost normal KL-6 levels during the follow-up exhibited no deterioration or new onset of PF. CONCLUSION: Rapidly increased serum KL-6 levels during disease course were associated with new onset or deterioration of PF.

Adult↗

Treatment of early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis patients in Japan by low-dose corticosteroids for skin involvement.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multiorgan systemic disorder characterized by excessive collagen deposition. This disease is usually classified into two clinical subsets - diffuse cutaneous SSc (dSSc) and limited cutaneous SSc (lSSc). We have proposed low-dose oral corticosteroid treatment with indication criteria consisting of the following three conditions: (1) early onset; (2) edematous changes; and (3) rapid progression. Cases satisfying 2 or 3 criteria have a definite indication, while those meeting 0 or 1 criterion have no indication. We treated 23 cases of dSSc by low-dose oral corticosteroid (prednisolone 20 mg/day as the initial dosage) and evaluated the effect using the modified Rodnan total skin thickness score (m Rodnan TSS). The mean initial TSS (20.3+/-9.3) decreased significantly to 12.8+/-7.0 after one year of treatment (p < 0.005) and to 8.7+/-6.1 at final evaluation (p < 0.001). Thus, we confirmed the usefulness of oral corticosteroid treatment for early dSSc in Japanese patients.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Anti-phosphatidylserine-prothrombin complex antibodies in patients with localized scleroderma.

OBJECTIVE: Although some antiphospholipid antibodies (Abs) are found in patients with localized scleroderma (LSc), Ab against phosphatidylserine-prothrombin complex (PS/PT) has not been examined. We investigated anti-PS/PT Ab levels in patients with LSc. METHODS: IgG anti-PS/PT Ab levels in serum samples taken from patients with LSc (n = 42) were measured using ELISA. RESULTS: IgG anti-PS/PT Ab was detected in 17% of the LSc patients, while it was not detected in any normal controls (n = 32) or psoriasis vulgaris (n = 25), and this frequency was similar to that of systemic sclerosis (17%, n = 41). Among 3 LSc subgroups, generalized morphea, the severest form of LSc, had a frequency (27%) comparable with that of systemic lupus erythematosus (32%, n = 25). Among 7 LSc patients with anti-PS/PT Ab, 2 developed symptomatic thromboembolism (A 70-year-old man developed deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary infarction, although he was negative for other antiphospholipid Abs. A 6-year-old boy positive for lupus anticoagulant had cerebral infarction). By contrast, symptomatic thromboembolism was not detected in 35 LSc patients without anti-PS/PT Ab. CONCLUSION: Patients with LSc, especially generalized morphea, exhibit anti-PS/PT Ab at a frequency comparable with collagen diseases such as systemic sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosis. Examination of this Ab may be useful to recognize the risk of thromboembolism in patients with LSc.

Adolescent↗