Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) are important mediators of fever and inflammation, and are involved in the pathogenesis of sepsis. There is only limited data on serum concentrations of these proinflammatory cytokines in patients with fever and neutropenia, and their interrelationship and correlation with body temperature and clinical disease early in the febrile response during neutropenia have not been studied. Immunoreactive TNF, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and IL-8 in serum samples serially obtained from 14 adult patients with neutropenia and fever considered or documented to be due to infection were measured. IL-6 and Il-8 were consistently elevated in all patients, and correlated well with each other and with body temperature. Median peak concentration of IL-6 and IL-8 were 400 pg/ml (range: 100 to 41,000 pg/ml), and 1,025 pg/ml (range: 600 to 26,000 pg/ml), respectively, and levels of both cytokines rapidly declined in patients responding to antimicrobial therapy. Despite frequent sampling before and after the temperature peaks TNF and IL-1 beta, conversely, were less frequently detectable, with median peak values of < 10 pg/ml (range: < 10 to 150 pg/ml) for TNF, and 17 pg/ml (range: < 10 to 36 pg/ml) for IL-1 beta, respectively. The role of neutro- and monocytopenia with depletion of important cytokine producing and target cells in this particular cytokine response pattern needs to be further studied.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Short term treatment of visceral leishmaniasis of the Old World with low dose interferon gamma and pentavalent antimony.

Eight adult patients with visceral leishmaniasis acquired in mediterranean countries were treated in a prospective study with a combined immunomodulating and antiparasitic regimen consisting of low-dose interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and pentavalent antimony. The clinical outcome, hematological and parasitological parameters, the duration of treatment and number of treatment cycles as well as the cumulative dose of pentavalent antimony applied, have been evaluated. The combined treatment led to complete resolution of symptoms and parasitological cure in all cases of visceral leishmaniasis without major side effects. Combined treatment resulted in a significant reduction of duration of treatment (19 vs. 31 days, p < 0.02) and cumulative dose of pentavalent antimony (11.67 vs. 19.30 g, p < 0.02) compared to historical controls (n = 6). No relapses occurred after a median follow-up of 9 months (range: 2-28 months). We conclude that combination therapy is tolerated well and is highly effective in patients with visceral leishmaniasis. The addition of IFN-gamma to standard therapy with pentavalent antimony may reduce the cumulative dose of antimonial drugs, shortens the treatment period and probably reduces the number of relapses.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An analysis of interleukin-8, interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein serum concentrations to predict fever, gram-negative bacteremia and complicated infection in neutropenic cancer patients.

A prospective study was performed to assess the potential value of interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6, and C-reactive protein (CRP) serum levels to predict fever, gram-negative bacteremia and complicated infection in neutropenic patients with cancer. Serum samples were obtained three times a week during 208 neutropenic episodes following cytotoxic chemotherapy. Fever of any cause developed during 104 out of 191 evaluable episodes. Serum levels of neither cytokine nor CRP were predictive of fever within more than 24 h before its onset. Unlike CRP, both IL-6 and IL-8 serum levels were significantly different between microbiologically documented infections and unexplained fevers. The highest values of IL-6 and IL-8 were observed in episodes of gram-negative bacteremia. Using receiver-operating-characteristic curves, the analysis of cytokine levels measured around the onset of fever indicated that IL-8 is potentially useful for predicting gram-negative bacteremia, with a high negative predictive value of > 90% and a moderate positive predictive value of 50% (sensitivity, 70%; specificity, 91%). In patients with persistent fever, predictions of further clinical complications, defined as prolonged fever of more than 7 days' duration, pneumonia, shock and/or death due to infection, were best predicted by IL-6. With an IL-6 cutoff value of 250 pg/ml in samples obtained 8 to 32 h after onset of fever, the positive predictive value was 92%, the negative predictive value 91% (sensitivity, 85%; specificity, 95%). The positive predictive value of IL-6 in samples obtained another 24 h later from patients still febrile remained > 90%, but the negative predictive value dropped to 47%. In any of the analyses, the predictive values of CRP levels were poor and inferior to either cytokine. These findings may have clinical value in identifying subgroups of patients requiring different therapeutic approaches.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of contrast-enhanced power Doppler ultrasound (Levovist) and computed tomography in alveolar echinococcosis.

BACKGROUND: To date, no study has compared unenhanced and contrast-enhanced (Levovist) power Doppler ultrasound with three-phase helical computed tomography (CT) for the analysis of the vascularization of hepatic lesions in patients who have alveolar echinococcosis. METHODS: Fifteen patients (11 female and four male; average age, 45.8 years) with confirmed Echinococcus multilocularis infection underwent unenhanced and contrast-enhanced (Levovist) power Doppler ultrasound (2- to 5-MHz transducer head) and three-phase helical CT. The largest identified lesion in each patient was studied. RESULTS: CT visualized vascularization peripheral or central to the largest echinococcal lesions in 11 of 15 patients. Vascularization in the area of the echinococcal lesions was not visualized by unenhanced or contrast-enhanced power Doppler ultrasound in any of the 15 patients studied. CONCLUSION: Three-phase helical CT visualizes the vascularization associated with Echinococcus multilocularis lesions in the liver. Neither unenhanced nor contrast-enhanced ultrasound in power mode is suitable for this application.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Alveolar liver echinococcosis: a comparative study of three imaging techniques.

BACKGROUND: We compared the imaging findings in patients with alveolar liver echinococcosis using ultrasound (US), computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a prospective study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 30 patients with alveolar echinococcosis (AE) were examined with the above imaging techniques. RESULTS: 30 lesions were detected with all three methods and most lesions (n = 55) were detected with CT. Calcifications were seen in 15 lesions with US, in 21 with CT and in 16 with MRI. MRI best detected necrotic areas and multivesicuLar structures. CONCLUSION: US is the screening method of choice and should primarily be complemented by CT due to its ability to detect the greatest number of lesions and clear demarcation of the characteristic calcifications. MRI may facilitate the diagnosis in uncertain cases with noncalcified or partially calcified lesions by showing the characteristic multivesicular structure, necrotic areas and proximity to vascular structures.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Extrahepatic alveolar echinococcosis without liver involvement: a rare manifestation.

BACKGROUND: Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) primarily affects the liver and extrahepatic disease is considered the consequence of a secondary infection via metastatic spread from the hepatic focus. PATIENTS: Two patients with extrahepatic AE without liver involvement are presented. The first case is a patient with AE of the spleen and a small pulmonary calcification. In the second case exclusive affection of the spine was observed. DISCUSSION: Various pathogenetic explanations for hepatic omission appear plausible: a passage of oncospheres through hepatic sinuses without causing disease, a passage via lymphatic vessels or via portocaval anastomoses and the vascular passage in a retrograde fashion. Extrahepatic manifestation of AE without apparent liver involvement is rare. However, AE should be taken into account among other differential diagnoses even in cases of extrahepatic lesions without liver involvement.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Oral candidosis in HIV-infected patients. Prognostic value and correlation with immunological parameters.

In a prospective study, 29 patients were observed over a period of 42 weeks for signs of oral candidosis (OC), immunological parameters and other typical AIDS-related events. Before the study started, no OC was observed in any of the patients. During the observation period, OC was diagnosed in 12 of the 29 patients (41%). 5 of these 12 patients (42%) developed full-blown AIDS during the 42 weeks. In contrast, a progression to AIDS was observed in only 1 of the 17 patients (5.9%) without OC. The laboratory findings for patients with and without OC showed statistically significant differences for neopterin (23.6 against 14.4 nmol l-1), CD4 counts (417 against 763/mm3) and CD4/CD8 ratios (0.45 against 0.85). Based on these results, it seems justifiable to consider prophylactic measures such as pentamidine inhalation and/or treatment with zidovudine in HIV-infected patients with immunodeficiency and occurrence of OC.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Imbalance in the synthesis of collagen type I and collagen type III in smooth muscle cells derived from human varicose veins.

Varicose veins have a thickening wall. Their smooth muscle cells are disorganized as regards proliferation and production of extracellular matrix protein. An imbalance between the synthesis of collagen type I protein (collagen I) and collagen type III protein (collagen III) could explain the lack of elasticity of varicose veins. Therefore, collagen synthesis was compared in the media and in cultured smooth muscle cells derived from human control and varicose saphenous veins. An increase in total collagen synthesis was observed in the media and in smooth muscle cells derived from varicose veins. This augmentation was due to an overproduction of collagen I in cultured cells from varicose veins consistent with an increase in the release of collagen I metabolites in the media. A concomitant decrease in collagen III was observed in cultures of smooth muscle cells from varicose veins. The increase in the synthesis of collagen I in cells from varicose veins was correlated with an overexpression of the gene since mRNAs for collagen I were augmented without change in mRNA-half-life. This augmentation in the synthesis of collagen I was reduced by the addition of exogenous collagen III in cultures from varicose veins. These findings suggest a dysregulation of the synthesis of collagen I and III in smooth muscle cells derived from varicose veins.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Modifications of the biosynthesis of type-I and type-III collagens and fibronectin during diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Results show that diabetes, which is a major risk factor for arterio-atherosclerosis, mimicks an accelerated aging, at least as far as the thickening of basement membranes and fibronectin and collagen biosynthesis are concerned. A similar sequence of events could be demonstrated in human atherosclerotic plaque formation. In conclusion, we could demonstrate a disregulation of extracellular matrix components biosynthesis (type-III collagen and fibronectin) in diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Aged↗