Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P Kumar

Publications and source records attributed to P Kumar.

At least 703 records · Page 39Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Levamisole as an adjunct in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

An immunomodulatory drug levamisole (l-tetramisole) was used in the treatment of 50 patients with newly diagnosed sputum-positive pulmonary tuberculosis in addition to routine chemotherapy. A control group received routine chemotherapy for tuberculosis only. Patients in both groups had been chosen because of mild immunodepression, as shown by their insensitivity to skin tests with dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). The patients were followed for 3 months, and their clinical recovery was assessed and compared by recording the rate of sputum clearance, rate of weight gain, decrease in erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and clearance of radiologic lesions. The results showed that at the end of 3 months, 48% of the patients in the group receiving levamisole reacted to DNCB as against only 18% of the control group. The levamisole-treated group also showed significant radiologic clearing compared with the control group. However, the rate of sputum clearance, decrease in ESR, and weight gain did not show any significant difference.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Instability of immunoglobulins and complement (C3) as predictor of renal allograft rejection.

Ten renal allograft recipients were studied for a period of three months with weekly measurements of serum complement C3 including a baseline value before transplantation. Immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA) were studied in nine of these patients. Fifteen rejection episodes occurred, three patients losing their graft because of irreversible rejections. The patients were followed for 2.5 years. The degree of of change in serial C3 and immunoglobulin levels from baseline was determined by variability index s. Fourteen out of 15 rejections were preceded by si (C3) greater than .1, one to several weeks in advance. The si (Ig) was useful in week 1 and predicted the rejection missed by si (C3). We conclude that instability of immunoglobulins and complement as measured by s is not only associated with rejections but appears to be a precursor to rejection events. We suggest the following prognostic two-step procedure: (1) Week 1: If either si (C3) or si (Ig) greater than .1, predict rejection. (2) Cases that pass step 1 are monitored by C3 at weekly intervals. As soon as si (C3) greater than .1, predict rejection.

Complement C3↗
PubMed1980

Predictive value of serum complement (C3) in renal allograft rejection.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not changes in serum concentrations of complement component C3 are of value in predicting the long term survival of the transplanted kidney. C3 was quantitated by radial immunodiffusion in fresh sera drawn immediately before transplantation and twice weekly thereafter from 10 recipients. Fourteen episodes of acute rejection occurred during the first 3 months postoperatively. These were diagnosed by the demonstration of graft tenderness, fever without evidence of infection and a rise in serum creatinine of 1 mg/dl in the absence of urinary or vascular obstruction. Five rejection episodes in 3 patients were associated with a fall in C3. In one of these patients, C3 returned to normal levels after the episode was reversed, and the kidney is functioning well 2 years after transplantation. In the other 2 patients, C3 remained at low levels regardless of anti-rejection therapy. Transplant nephrectomy was soon required for irreversible rejection. In contrast, only 1 episode unaccompanied by a fall in C3 was irreversible. Evidence is provided concerning the value of serial C3 complement determinations as a predictor of rejection in renal allografts. Using the variability measure Si, the cumulated standard deviation up to week i, Si > 10 not only predicts rejection but does so rather early, providing more than 90 per cent of the ideal lead time. This suggests that loss of a graft may be predicted, but this needs confirmation in additional cases.

Complement C3↗
PubMed1980

Physiology of parasites: transaminases (GOT and GPT) in the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne lucknowica Singh 1969, and effect of sex on its enzyme levels.

The glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) activity was found to be greater than the glutamicoxalacetic transaminase (GOT) activity in the mixed as well as in separate sexes of M. lucknowica. The sexual differences were 44.26% in GOT levels and 41.8% in GPT levels of the two sexes of the parasite, and the females showed higher enzymatic activity than their males.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed1980

A study of childhood renal tumours using xenogeneic antiserum.

Fifty-six primary childhood renal tumours, 14 normal and 12 fetal kidneys were examined for their staining reaction with xenogeneic anti-Wilms' antiserum. The antiserum was raised by injecting Wilms' tumour extracts into 6-month-old rabbits which had been rendered tolerant in utero with pooled normal kidney extracts. Renal carcinomas, mesoblastic nephroma and a large proportion of tubular wilms' tumours were stained by the antiserum. In contrast, 6 of 7 bone-metastasising renal tumours of childhood (BMRTC) failed to fluoresce when treated with the antiserum, suggesting that the BMRTC has a different origin from the other childhood renal tumours studied.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Weibel-Palade bodies in endothelial cells as a marker for angiogenesis in brain tumors.

A transmission electron microscope study was made of eight childhood brain tumors divided up into three zones, center, edge, infiltrating zone, and also of adjacent "normal-looking" brain. In seven of eight tumors, the numbers of Weibel-Palade bodies in endothelial cells were significantly increased in peripheral zones compared with central zones. A similar significant increase was observed after treatment of chick chorioallantoic membranes with tumor angiogenesis factor. It is suggested that large numbers of Weibel-Palade bodies may be a marker for proliferating endothelial cells in vivo.

Astrocytoma↗
PubMed1979

Relevance of the barium follow-through examination in the diagnosis of adult celiac disease.

Significant changes on a standard barium follow-through examination in celiac disease have been determined by comparison with functional changes (irritable bowel syndrome), malabsorption without a villous lesion (chronic pancreatitis), and a villous abnormality without malabsorption (dermatitis herpetiformis). Patients with iron deficiency anemia formed the control group. Slight jejunal dilatation (26-30 mm) was found in 15% of the celiacs and 17% of the irritable bowel patients. Dilatation in excess of 30 mm and/or effacement of jejunal fold pattern occurred only with an abnormal jejunal biopsy, in 54% of the celiacs and 33% of the dermatitis herpetiformis patients. Patients with malabsorption by itself and 46% of the celiacs could not be distinguished from those with irritable bowel syndrome. The concept of a malabsorption pattern is considered invalid, and the diagnosis of celiac disease can be reliably established only by peroral jejunal biopsy.

Anemia, Hypochromic↗