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Biomedical subjects

P Christoffersen

Publications and source records attributed to P Christoffersen.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

The effect of D-penicillamine and methylprednisolone on the morphology of experimental granulation tissue in rats.

The effects of D-penicillamine and methylprednisolone on the formation of granulation tissue was studied in rats with Visella-sponge induced granulation tissue after 42 days of treatment. D-penicillamine in doses of 20 mg-, 100 mg-, 500 mg/kg/day caused no morphological differences compared with the control groups as regards ingrowth of granulation tissue and its content of collagen fibres, inflammatory cells, vessels and glycosaminoglycans. Treatment with methylprednisolone, 0.2 mg-, 2.0 mg-, and 5.0 mg/kg/day caused a dose dependent reduction in the ingrowth of granulation tissue. Methylprednisolone caused a reduction in the number of fibroblasts and collagen fibres, but no differences in the content of glycosaminoglycans could be demonstrated between the treated and the control groups. Granulation tissue produced during combination treatment with D-penicillamine 100 mg and methylprednisolone 2.0 mg/kg/day did not differ from that observed after methylprednisolone treatment alone. Thus, only high doses of methylprednisolone gave rise to an antiinflammatory action in this morphological study on granulation tissue, whereas D-penicillamine had no effect within the present dose interval. The quantitative alterations are in agreement with parallel biochemical analyses. However, the inhibitory effect of D-penicillamine on collagen crosslinking was not associated with light microscopic changes in the ultrastructure of the collagen fibres.

Animals↗

Tissue and plasma lysozyme in Hodgkin's disease.

Lysozyme positivity in lymph nodes from 33 patients with Hodgkin's disease was examined with an immunoperoxidase technique. Positive reactive histiocytes were found in 18 cases; in 7 cases lysozyme was found also in mononuclear Hodgkin cells and in 3 cases in both reactive histiocytes, mononuclear Hodgkin cells and Reed-Sternberg cells. There was no clear-cut correlation between cellular lysozyme positivity and such feature as histological type, clinical stage and plasma lysozyme. The findings support the theory that the malignant cell in Hodgkin's disease is derived from a lysozyme producing macrophage. The finding that lysozyme positivity was an inconstant feature may reflect both varying functional status of the macrophages and varying differentiation of Hodgkin cells. Increased plasma lysozyme in Hodgkin's disease may stem from both reactive histiocytes, mononuclear Hodgkin cells and Reed-Sternberg cells, but the major part is probably contributed by reactive histiocytes.

Adolescent↗

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among alcoholic patients with liver disease.

The aim of this investigation was to elucidate a possible role of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the pathogenesis of liver diseases in alcoholics. Two hundred and fifty-three alcoholics with liver disease were admitted to two medical departments in Copenhagen during a 15 months period. Seventy-nine patients (31%) showed serological signs (HBsAg, anti-HBs) of previous or active HBV infection. This is a significantly higher prevalence than found in an age-matched control population. Among the 79 patients with HBV markers, a total of 11 was found to be HBsAg-positive. From these 11 patients liver specimens were available for re-evaluation in nine cases. In only three of these liver biopsies, morphological changes indicating alcohol as the aetiological cause were found. In conclusion, different or concomitant aetiology must be considered in alcoholics with liver disease.

Adolescent↗

Isolation of Mallory bodies and an attempt to demonstrate cell mediated immunity to Mallory body isolate in patients with alcoholic liver disease.

Mallory bodies were isolated from necropsy livers from patients with alcoholic hepatitis with and without cirrhosis with a Ficoll viscosity barrier. The purity of Mallory bodies in the isolate varied between 70 and 90%, estimated by counting Mallory bodies and non-Mallory body structures in haematoxylin-eosin stained smears. Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of Mallory bodies in the isolates. The Mallory body isolate was used as antigen in the agarose leucocyte migration inhibition test in order to test the cell-mediated immunity. No significant difference in leucocyte migration was found between controls and patients with alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic steatosis, alcoholic cirrhosis and miscellaneous liver diseases.

Adolescent↗

Zinc depletion in alcoholic liver diseases.

Liver and serum zinc concentrations were investigated in 24 patients with alcoholic liver diseases, 22 patients with non-alcoholic liver diseases, and in 36 control subjects. The liver samples were obtained by percutaneous liver biopsies, and the ratio of hepatocytes to fibrous connective tissue was estimated. The liver zinc concentration was expressed in relation to the amount of hepatocytes, and the serum zinc concentration was calculated in relation to total, albumin-, and alpha 2-macroglobulin-bound serum zinc. The results show that the liver zinc concentration was decreased in patients with alcoholic liver diseases (P < 0.01), in contrast to in patients with non-alcoholic liver diseases. Albumin-bound serum zinc was decreased in both groups (P < 0.001). The results indicate that alcoholic liver damage is associated with zinc deficiency.

Adult↗

Acute non-A, non-B hepatitis--clinical, epidemiological and histological characteristics.

Among 73 consecutive patients with biopsy documented acute non-toxic hepatitis, half of the patients (49%) had acute type B hepatitis, while 27 patients (37%) had acute type A infection. One patient had a significant rise in antibodies against cytomegalovirus. The remaining 10 patients (14%) fulfilled the criteria of hepatitis type non-A, non-B. The main type of exposure for hepatitis A was visit to endemic hepatitis areas (41%), and for type B it was drug addiction (46%). Half of the patients with hepatitis non-A, non-B had no known hepatitis exposure while some had visited endemic hepatitis areas or were drug addicts. The patients with non-A, non-B hepatitis had significantly less biochemical changes as compared to the patients with hepatitis B. In contrast, the histological findings showed the greatest activity in the biopsies from patients with hepatitis B and non-A, non-B. Follow-up liver biopsies in half of the patients with non-A, non-B hepatitis showed no signs of chronic active liver disease. It is concluded that hepatitis type non-A, non-B is a significant problem in Denmark.

Acute Disease↗

Ultrastructure of lipogranulomas in human fatty liver.

Lipogranulomas from severe fatty livers due to alcoholism, diabetes or overweight were examined in the electron microscope. When a fat droplet protrudes through the cell membranes of a liver cell histiocytes and lymphyocytes settle around it, and a lipogranuloma is formed. Remnants of the liver cell may be seen between the fat droplet and the histiocytes. It is confirmed that the fat droplets are situated extracellularly in the fully developed lipogranulomas.

Cell Nucleus↗

Improved transvenous liver biopsy needle.

A modified type of the standard transvenous cholangiography biopsy needle is described. The modified tranvenous liver biopsy needle caused only minimal artefactual changes of the liver biopsy specimens. The new type of biopsy needle is a modified Menghini needle. The conventional Menghini needle should be avoided for transvenous catheter biopsies because of risk of leaving catheter fragments in the liver.

Adult↗

Formation of granulation tissue in subcutaneously implanted sponges in rats. A comparison between granulation tissue developed in viscose cellulose sponges (Visella) and in polyvinyl alcohol sponges (Ivalon).

A comparison was made between the granulation tissue formation in two different synthetic sponge types. Visella and Ivalon, of different sizes. The granulation tissue formed in the two sponge types did not differ qualitatively, and had the character of wound tissue and inflammatory tissue in man. The rate of tissue formation in the Visella sponges was faster and the tissue was more homogenous than in the Ivalon sponges. Fourteen-day-old Visella implants of either size contained more granulation tissue than Ivalon sponges, probably owing to the smaller pore size of the former material. This may also account for the more frequent occurrence of giant cells in the Visella implants. In contrast to the Visella sponges, the trabeculae of the Ivalon polymer showed calcification and positive staining properties with histological staining procedures, and deformation was frequent among the Ivalon implants. Thin sponges of either type closed in about 21 days, thick ones after about 42 days of implantation. Calculated per 2 cm3 of implant, thin sponges produced more tissue after 14 days of implantation than thick noes. It is concluded that the Visella sponge type is best suitable for this experimental model of inflammation.

Animals↗

Morphological features in non-cirrhotic livers from patients with chronic alcoholism, diabetes mellitus or adipositas. A comparative study.

Consecutive liver biopsies from alcoholic, diabetic and overweight patients are compared morphologically and in addition a comparison is made between groups with a combination of two or three of the above conditions. Both fatty change and morphological activity are greater in the groups with alcoholism, and this gives good reason to believe that the activity in the form of alcoholic hepatitis is the cause for the more common development of cirrhosis in alcoholic fatty liver than in fatty liver with other aetiology.

Alcoholism↗

Acute hepatitis: a prognostic study with observation time up to 37 years. A follow-up of the Iversen/Roholm liver biopsy material.

Re-evaluation of 890 consecutive liver biopsies from 1939-59 gave the diagnosis of acute hepatitis in 147 patients. A follow-up study of these patients was performed 15-37 years after the diagnostic biopsy, based on repeated liver biopsies, biochemical liver tests, autopsy reports and death certificates. Two patients died from acute liver failure, and development of cirrhosis was documented or strongly suspected in 22 patients (15 percent). A comparison between these 24 patients with a malignant course of hepatitis and 86 patients with a well documented uncomplicated disease, revealed a significantly larger number of women, a higher age, and more cases with piece-meal necrosis, confluent necrosis and marked portal inflammation in the intitial liver biopsy in the group with the poor prognosis.

Acute Disease↗

Correlation between hepatic morphology and immunoglobulins and antibodies to Escherichia coli in cirrhosis.

Increased antibody production and hypergammaglobulinaemia in cirrhosis are probably to a large extent due to decreased hepatic extraction of antigens. The deceased extraction is presumably related to changed microcirculation caused by damaged anatomical structure of the liver. It is therefore to be expected that immunoglobulin and antibody levels in serum in cirrhotic patients are related to the degree of certain morphological changes of the liver. This hypothesis has been tested. In 50 patients with cirrhosis, 28 alcoholics and 22 non-alcoholics, the degree of architectural destruction, the degree of fibrosis, the degree of fatty infiltration, and the degree of "activity" were compared with immunoglobulins G, A, and M and E. coli O antibody levels. The comparison was carried out within each of the aetiological groups. Identical relationships were found in both groups. Patients with completely destroyed lobular architecture had higher levels of E. coli O antibodies than patients with partly destroyed architecture. Patients with severe fibrosis had higher IgA and E. coli O antibody levels than patients with moderate or slight fibrosis. Patients with moderate and severe steatosis and patients with no or slight steatosis had the same immunoglobulin and E. coli O antibody levels. Patients with active cirrhosis had higher IgG levels than patients with inactive cirrhosis. When architectural destruction and fibrosis were combined significantly higher IgG, IgA, IgM, and E. coli antibodies were found in the group with the most severe changes. These findings support the hypothesis that immunoglobulin and antibody levels are related to the degree of morphological changes in the liver--namely, destruction of lobular architecture, fibrosis, and "activity".

Adult↗

The prognosis of chronic aggressive hepatitis. A clinical and morphological follow-up study.

In a follow-up study of 85 patients with chronic aggressive (active) hepatitis (CAH) repeated liver biopsies and/or autopsy liver sections were available in 74 cases. The median time of observation was 45 months. Cirrhosis was demonstrated in 38 patients, and cirrhosis was suspected in a further five cases. Fifteen patients showed convincing histological improvement; and the remaining 16 still had chronic hepatitis. Twenty-six patients died during the observation period, seven of these of liver failure after development of cirrhosis. The clinical follow-up of the 59 survivors (median observation time 69 months) showed biochemically active liver disease in 11 cases, all having cirrhosis or chronic aggressive hepatitis in the last biopsy. The clinical findings were correlated with the morphological follow-up diagnosis and the immunosuppressive treatment. Comparison of the initial histological, clinical, and serological variables was made in two well-defined follow-up groups. There were more females, and marked portal inflammation, abnormal bile duct epithelium, and circulating autoantibodies occurred more frequently in the group with later development of cirrhosis than among the patients with subsequent morphological improvement. The results thus suggest candidates for thorough follow-up and more intensive immunosupressive or other treatment.

Adolescent↗

Liver histology in a 'normal' population--examinations of 503 consecutive fatal traffic casualties.

The liver histology of 503 consecutive victims of fatal (within 24 hours) traffic accidents submitted to medico-legal autopsy are used as a standard of reference. In 370 persons (74%) no pathological changes in the liver biopsies were observed. Fatty liver was found in 120 persons (24%), non-specific portal inflammation in 7 persons, alcoholic hepatitis in 6, and portal fibrosis in 5. No cases of cirrhosis, chronic aggressive hepatitis, changes compatible with chronic persistent hepatitis, viral hepatitis, or other internationally accepted morphological diagnoses were found. A significant positive correlation between the frequency of steatosis and age groups was demonstrable. Fatty liver was found in 1% of persons below 20 years, in 18% between 20--40 years, and in 39% of persons more than 60 years in this normal material. The persons with fatty liver had a higher body weight, but the overweight was not correlated to age. It is concluded that fatty infiltration in the liver is a normal observation in aged persons.

Accidents, Traffic↗