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Biomedical subjects

M Cuevas

Publications and source records attributed to M Cuevas.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Hypersensitivity to latex, chestnut, and banana.

The incidence of latex-allergic patients is probably higher than suspected. A spectrum of IgE-dependent allergic reactions to latex products including urticaria, rhinitis, asthma, angioedema, and life-threatening anaphylaxis has been increasingly reported in recent years. We describe three patients with rubber hypersensitivity and allergy to fruit (banana and chestnut). Immediate positive responses were obtained in prick tests with latex, banana, and chestnut extracts. Histamine release was positive and specific IgE antibodies to all three extracts were detected by fluorescence radioimmunoassay. In the RAST-inhibition studies, the extract of latex inhibited the binding of chestnut and banana, but chestnut and banana extracts did not inhibit the binding of latex. These results suggest a sensitivity to crossreacting antigens in latex allergy associated with allergy to certain fruits.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Bronchial asthma caused by two unrelated vegetables.

Vegetable-induced asthma is an uncommon hazard. We report an atopic housewife, in whom rhinoconjunctivitis and acute asthma were associated with two vegetables of taxonomically unrelated botanical families (Swiss chard/Chenopodiaceae family and green beans/legume family). Type I hypersensitivity to the antigens in Swiss chard and green beans was demonstrated by means of skin tests, histamine release test, and specific IgE determination by RAST. Bronchial responses after specific bronchial challenges indicated that Swiss chard and green beans might be the causative factor for the acute asthma.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1993

Hypersensitivity reactions to anthranilic acid derivatives.

Anthranilic acid derivatives are a group of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs that include glafenine and fenamates. We report a woman who had immediate adverse reactions to glafenine and meclofenamate sodium. Skin prick and intradermal tests were performed with solutions of glafenine and meclofenamate in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and with the drugs bound to human serum albumin (HSA). Prick and intradermal tests with PBS solutions were negative for both drugs as were prick tests with HSA solutions. Intradermal tests with HSA-glafenine, however, were positive at 20 minutes, and at 6 and 24 hours. Intradermal tests with HSA-meclofenamate elicited a positive response at 6 and 24 hours. These tests were negative when performed in control subjects. A leukocyte histamine release test and a RAST assay were negative for both drugs. The patient was challenged following a double-blind placebo-controlled oral procedure and tolerated therapeutic doses of aspirin, indomethacin, ibuprofen, dipyrone, diclofenac, piroxicam, and acetaminophen. The oral challenge with glafenine and meclofenamate reproduced the reactions (eliciting doses: 50 mg and 15 mg, respectively), and the patient also reacted to 30 mg of mefenamic acid, an anthranilic acid derivative she had never previously received. This is an exceptional case of selective adverse reactions to glafenine and fenamates, anthranilic acid derivatives, in a patient tolerating aspirin and other cyclooxygenase inhibitors. Our study implicates an immunologic mechanism, and the existence of cross-reactivity between the drugs (or some active metabolite generated in vivo).

Drug Hypersensitivity↗
PubMed1992

Respiratory allergy to Aspergillus-derived enzymes in bakers' asthma.

Baking and food industry workers are exposed to several powdered Aspergillus-derived enzymes with carbohydrate-cleaving activity that are commonly used to enhance baked products. We describe a retrospective study of sensitization to fungal alpha-amylase and cellulase on bakers. Five bakers in whom respiratory allergy symptoms developed when they were exposed to bread "improvers" that contained fungal alpha-amylase and cellulase were investigated by in vivo and in vitro tests. Type I hypersensitivity to these enzymes was demonstrated in the five patients by means of skin testing, histamine release test, positive reverse enzyme-immunoassay for specific IgE antibodies, and bronchial provocation test response to alpha-amylase or cellulase or both. Isolated immediate and dual responses to the bronchial challenge tests with these enzymes were observed. Immunoblot analysis with use of a pooled serum identified IgE-binding components in both enzymes. In the reverse-enzyme immunoassay-inhibition assays cross-reactivity between alpha-amylase and cellulase was not found, but some degree of cross-reactivity between alpha-amylase and A. oryzae, and between cellulase and A. niger was demonstrated. Four of the patients were also sensitized to cereal flour. Aspergillus-derived enzymes used as flour additives can elicit IgE-mediated respiratory allergy, and this fact has to be considered in the diagnosis and clinical management of bakers' asthma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Development and validation of prognostic models in metastatic breast cancer: a GOCS study.

The significance of several prognostic factors and the magnitude of their influence on response rate and survival were assessed by means of uni- and multivariate analyses in 362 patients with stage IV (UICC) breast carcinoma receiving combination chemotherapy as first systemic treatment over an 8-year period. Univariate analyses identified performance status and prior adjuvant radiotherapy as predictors of objective regression (OR), whereas the performance status, prior chemotherapy and radiotherapy (adjuvants), white blood cells count, SGOT and SGPT levels, and metastatic pattern were significantly correlated to survival. In multivariate analyses favorable characteristics associated to OR were prior adjuvant radiotherapy, no prior chemotherapy and postmenopausal status. Regarding survival, the performance status and visceral involvement were selected by the Cox model. The predictive accuracy of the logistic and the proportional hazards models was retrospectively tested in the training sample, and prospectively in a new population of 126 patients also receiving combined chemotherapy as first treatment for metastatic breast cancer. A certain overfitting to data in the training sample was observed with the regression model for response. However, the discriminative ability of the Cox model for survival was clearly confirmed.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1992

Allergy to cefazolin: study of in vivo cross reactivity with other betalactams.

We present two cases of hypersensitivity to cefazolin (one anaphylaxis). The skin prick tests with cefazolin at therapeutic concentration were positive. For the in vitro study we used conjugates of cefazolin with human serum albumin, obtaining a positive result in the histamine release test in both patients. In one case, we demonstrated anticefazolin-specific IgE antibodies by RAST. The controls did not react to any of these tests. Finally, we carried out skin tests and challenge tests with other betalactam antibiotics, including benzylpenicillin, amoxicillin, aztreonam, cefuroxime and cefotaxime, showing in both patients good tolerance to all these drugs.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Squid hypersensitivity: a clinical and immunologic study.

Hypersensitivity to mollusk has rarely been described in the literature. Among the mollusks, the cephalopods are a group of great importance as a food source. We report seven patients who had had symptoms highly suggestive of IgE-mediated reactions after ingesting squid or inhaling vapors from cooking squid. All had previously suffered from persistent rhinitis or asthma for years. In addition, six of the seven patients had had symptoms after ingesting shrimp. Skin prick tests were strongly positive for boiled squid extract and for various commercial crustacean extracts. Specific IgE antibodies against boiled extract and several crustacean extracts were demonstrated in all patients by RAST and reverse enzyme immunoassay. Cross reactivity between squid and shrimp and other crustaceans was demonstrated by reverse immunoassay inhibition studies. Cross reactivity could not be demonstrated between squid and octopus, which are both cephalopods, nor between squid and other mollusks.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Effect of cigarette smoking on the humoral immune response in pigeon fanciers.

Tobacco smoking is associated with increased prevalence of various diseases. In this study, we have used an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to investigate the specific IgG response to pigeon serum and its relationship to tobacco smoking. In a large group of pigeon fanciers the development of pigeon breeder's disease and some of the clinical features were also investigated. We found a sensitization rate of 31.9%, a lower degree than that found by other authors, in spite of using a less specific antigen. We also found that fanciers who are current cigarette smokers had significantly lower levels of IgG antibody to pigeon serum (P less than 0.001). Finally, 11.9% of the population had chronic bronchitis as their only manifestation of possible pigeon-related disease. 19.6% of the sensitized fanciers had chronic bronchitis, were non-smokers and had no other risk factor for developing chronic bronchitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Allergy to limpet.

Allergy to mollusk has rarely been described. The limpet, belonging to Phylum mollusca, is one of the most frequent mollusks in the Canary Islands, as in all warm maritime regions. We report two cases of atopic patients who developed anaphylactic reactions after ingestion of this mollusk. Type I hypersensitivity to limpet antigens was demonstrated by means of immediate skin test reactivity, specific IgE determination by RAST, and histamine release test to cooked limpet extract. The controls did not react to any of these tests. Allergic activity was only found with a cooked limpet extract; this suggests that the offending antigen/s may have been released by cooking this food.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Adverse reaction to pomegranate ingestion.

We present a non-atopic 85-year-old woman, with a late-onset recidivant tongue angio-edema due to pomegranate intake, as proven by a double blind oral challenge test. This is the first case ever reported about adverse reaction to pomegranate. We have been unable to demonstrate an IgE-mediated mechanism (prick test, histamine release test and RAST with pomegranate were all negative). We emphasize the importance of clinical history and oral challenge test in the diagnosis of food allergy.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Swiss chard hypersensitivity: clinical and immunologic study.

Allergy to vegetables and fruits seems to be more prevalent in atopics, especially in birch pollen-sensitized individuals. We report a case of a grass pollen-sensitized woman, in whom the inhalation of vapor from boiling Swiss chard precipitated rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma. Type I hypersensitivity to Swiss chard was demonstrated by means of immediate skin test reactivity, specific IgE determination by RAST, basophil degranulation, histamine release test, and an immediate bronchial provocation test response to Swiss chard extract. The controls did not react to any of these tests. RAST inhibition assays suggest the presence of some cross-reactivity among Swiss chard and grass pollen antigens, as well as cross-reactivity between vegetables and weed pollens of the chenopod family.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I and neurologic disease in Panama, 1985 and 1986.

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) causes adult T-cell leukemia and has recently been associated with HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. The HTLV-I is endemic throughout the Caribbean basin and parts of South America, and HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis also seems to be common in this area. This 2-year study, 1985 and 1986, was designed to evaluate the occurrence of HTLV-I infection in all newly diagnosed cases of selected neurologic diseases in Panama City, Panama. Six (8%) of 71 patients had antibody to HTLV-I detected by immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, radioimmunoassay, and Western blot assays; 5 patients' conditions were diagnosed as spastic paraparesis, and all 5 were seropositive and also had HTLV-I antibody in cerebrospinal fluid. The remaining seropositive patient had multiple sclerosis, and no antibody was detected in her cerebrospinal fluid. Clinical and electrophysiologic studies indicated that HTLV-I-associated spastic paraparesis is a multifocal, primarily demyelinating disease that principally involves the spinal cord.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Stinging insect allergy: sensitization to vespids in Madrid and surroundings. Cross-reactivity study.

The study comprised 28 patients from the centre of Spain (Madrid and surroundings) who had suffered systemic reactions when stung by vespids. Specific IgE antibodies to Vespula spp. and Polistes spp. venoms were measured by RAST. All patients had positive RAST to Vespula venom and half of them also had positive RAST to Polistes venom. A patient can be sensitive to both venoms due to either a clinical sensitization to both venoms, or common antigenic determinants. To differentiate these states we used a RAST inhibition assay. We could inhibit Polistes RAST with either Polistes or Vespula venom to a similar degree. Inhibition of Vespula RAST was possible with Vespula venom, but only to a limited degree with Polistes venom. Direct RAST and RAST inhibition studies indicate that in our geographic region sensitization to Vespula venom is more common than to Polistes venom and Polistes might have cross-reactivity in our patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Serum sickness-like syndrome associated with minocycline therapy.

A 19 year-old youth was taking oral minocycline and after 8 days he presented all four cardinal symptoms of serum sickness (urticaria, fever, lymphadenopathy and joint symptoms). C3, C4 and CH50 evolution imitate experimental serum sickness complement evolution. We exclude other causes of this syndrome. Although other hypersensitivity reactions have occurred with minocycline usage, to our knowledge serum sickness-like syndrome has not been previously reported with this drug.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Seroepidemiology of human T cell lymphotropic virus in the Republic of Panama.

The human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) and associated diseases, adult T cell leukemia and spastic paraparesis, appear to be endemic in southwestern Japan and the Caribbean. This cross-sectional population-based study was conducted to describe the seroepidemiology of HTLV in the Republic of Panama. HTLV antibody was measured by first generation and commercial ELISA tests and confirmed by competitive binding ELISA, a radioimmunoassay for anti-p 24, and Western blot. Of 3,231 subjects greater than or equal to 15 years of age, 135 (4.2%) had antibody detected in ELISA screening tests, but because only 20% were confirmed positive, HTLV seroprevalence varied from 0.2-2% throughout the Republic. Infection with HTLV clustered in Guaymi Indians living in Bocas del Toro province (9.9% prevalence rate). With the exception of Guaymi Indians, no major geographic, urban/rural, male/female or racial differences in antibody prevalence were observed; specifically, HTLV infection rates were not elevated in black Panamanians. Clustering of infection in an isolated Amerind population must be further investigated. The small proportion of screen-positive sera which confirmed positive illustrates the importance of strict uniform criteria for seropositivity.

Binding, Competitive↗
PubMed1990

Purification and characterization of an allergen of mustard seed.

A protein allergen has been isolated from mustard seed extracts by gel filtration. In RAST-inhibition experiments the allergen inhibited more than 60% of the binding of mustard-specific IgE from a pool of seven patients' sera. The allergenic activity was also demonstrated by histamine release from whole blood from two sensitive patients. The allergen had an isoelectric point close to 10.5 and an apparent molecular weight of 14,000. It was stable in alkaline and acid solutions and showed resistance to heating and to degradation by proteolytic enzymes.

Allergens↗