Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M R Haeney

Publications and source records attributed to M R Haeney.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

A survey of nonatopic and atopic children and adults for the presence of anti-IgE autoantibodies.

The prevalence of naturally occurring anti-IgE autoantibodies was assessed by surveying 387 sera from atopic, nonatopic, and autoimmune patients. A significant number of children (28.5%) and adults (20%) with no history of allergy had high levels of autoanti-IgE. The level of autoantibodies to IgE in children with clinical asthma or atopic eczema was not significantly elevated over normal. Similarly, adults with atopic asthma, allergic rhinitis, or urticaria or sera from individuals with rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythromatosis showed no significant elevation of auto-anti-IgE. In contrast, 82% of adults with eczema had medium to high levels of auto-anti-IgE and the mean concentration in sera was significantly (P less than 0.01) raised. The relevance of auto-anti-IgE in atopic eczema is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

An open study of interferon in HIV-antibody-positive men.

Alpha-2a-recombinant interferon (Roferon A) was given subcutaneously in a dose of 3 mega units twice weekly for 15-18 months to 14 HIV-antibody-positive, p24-antigen-negative men with minimal HIV-related disease. Interferon was well-tolerated and safe. Although there was either improvement or lack of deterioration initially in 22 out of 26 HIV disease markers, including lymphadenopathy, thrombocytopenic purpura and nail fungal infection, there were 11 instances of HIV disease indicators appearing during the study. At 15 months, six patients were withdrawn from the study because of clinical and immunological deterioration.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Primary hypogammaglobulinaemia and arthritis.

Arthritis may be the first clinical manifestation of primary hypogammaglobulinaemia. In 16 years of 281 patients who had immunodeficiency, 30 had arthritis at presentation. It was more common in Bruton's disease (15 (22%) of 69 patients) than in other forms of immunodeficiency (15 (7%) of 212 patients). Non-septic arthritis was more prevalent than septic arthritis, particularly monoarticular arthritis in Bruton's disease and pauciarticular disease in common variable immunodeficiency. Boys in whom a diagnosis of Bruton's disease was delayed were likely to develop recurrent infections complicated by arthritis. The measurement of serum immunoglobulin concentrations readily differentiates immunodeficiency from conditions such as Still's disease and dictates subsequent management.

Agammaglobulinemia↗
PubMed1987

Reassessment of faecal alpha-1-antitrypsin excretion for use as screening test for intestinal protein loss.

Faecal alpha-1-antitrypsin and 51Cr-albumin losses in 42 patients with either gastrointestinal or hepatic disease were compared. The reference range was derived from measurements in 20 controls without gastrointestinal disease. Alpha-1-antitrypsin excretion was increased in patients with excessive 51Cr-albumin loss, and correlations were found between alpha-1-antitrypsin clearance and 51Cr-albumin excretion. Because of the considerable overlap of faecal alpha-1-antitrypsin excretion between controls and patients, sensitivity and specificity of the test were only 58% and 80%, respectively. This poor reliability could not be explained by sampling error or temporal variations in alpha-1-antitrypsin excretion. These results show that although faecal alpha-1-antitrypsin excretion correlates with 51Cr-albumin excretion when whole groups of patients are studied, its poor sensitivity makes it an unreliable measure of enteric protein loss.

Albumins↗
PubMed1983

Studies of intestinal lymphoid tissue. VI--Proliferative response of small intestinal epithelial lymphocytes distinguishes gluten- from non-gluten-induced enteropathy.

Several diseases of the small intestine, including gluten-sensitivity, present with malabsorption and a "flat" mucosa. Determination of the mitotic index of epithelial lymphocytes provides a simple, objective method of assessing, and thus of predicting, whether a flat mucosa is due to gluten-sensitivity (index greater than 0.2%), or not (index less than 0.2%). The use of this index in circumstances especially likely to cause diagnostic confusion--for example, intestinal lymphoma; Crohn's jejunitis of immunodeficiency--is illustrated in this paper. Of seven cases, five (two primary lymphoma, three immunodeficiency) had been treated with a gluten-free diet without benefit; a mitotic index performed on the initial biopsy in each of these patients could have predicted from the outset that none was gluten-sensitive. Of the remaining two cases, determination of the mitotic index on the biopsy initially obtained from a man with severe hypogammaglobulinaemia would have indicated that he was also gluten-sensitive. Empirical use of a gluten-free diet was avoided in the other patient (with flat small intestinal mucosa and low mitotic index) in whom the diagnosis was ultimately shown to be due to Crohn's disease of jejunum.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Soya protein antibodies in man: their occurrence and possible relevance in coeliac disease.

Circulating antibodies to soya-derived protein antigens have been measured in patients with duodenitis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and coeliac disease. Significantly raised antibody titres were found frequently in the coeliac group, particularly those patients showing a suboptimal response to a gluten-free diet, but rarely in subjects with other gastrointestinal diseases. Antisoya activity was not necessarily accompanied by antibodies to other common dietary antigens. We suggest that some coeliacs may have an associated dietary soya sensitivity which could adversely influence their response to gluten withdrawal.

Adolescent↗