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Biomedical subjects

P Tukiainen

Publications and source records attributed to P Tukiainen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Fibres and asbestos bodies in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids of asbestos sprayers.

The alveolar content of fibres and asbestos bodies was assessed by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in 21 asbestos sprayers. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM) and two light microscopical (LM) methods, cytocentrifugation, and Millipore filtration were used. The subjects had been exposed mainly to crocidolite asbestos for an average of 2.8 (range 0.2-13) years in 1950-75. The mean (median) total fibre count (of asbestos bodies and uncoated fibres) per ml of BAL fluid was 5500 (2800) by TEM and 2900 (1000) by SEM. The mean (median) count of asbestos bodies per ml with LM was 810 (500) with cytocentrifugation and 750 (480) with Millipore filtration, 840 (320) by TEM, and 1750 (420) by SEM. The mean proportion of coated fibres was 35% by TEM and 45% by SEM. The mean length of the coated fibres was 22 (range 4-65) microns by TEM and 34 (range 4.5-170) microns by SEM. The total fibre count exceeded 1000 fibres per ml in 70% of the cases by TEM. Asbestos body counts exceeded 1 per ml in 95% of the cases by LM. The fibre counts by SEM were in good accordance with counts by TEM except in a few cases in which the TEM result was considerably higher. In these cases the proportion of coated fibres was also low. All four counting methods appeared to give consistent results in heavily exposed cases when fibre load in the lungs was high. The counting of asbestos bodies may, however, underestimate the total alveolar fibre load in some cases.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Cytomegalovirus is frequently isolated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of bone marrow transplant recipients without pneumonia.

We prospectively studied the presence of cytomegalovirus in bronchoalveolar lavage through virus isolation in 21 bone marrow transplant recipients before and after transplantation. All 14 lavage specimens collected before bone marrow transplantation were negative for cytomegalovirus. During the period from 20 to 90 days after transplantation, 12 of 24 lavage specimens (50%) from 14 patients without lung problems were positive for cytomegalovirus. Cytomegalovirus was isolated from 4 of 10 lavage specimens (40%) in 7 patients with pneumonia during the same interval. We conclude that culture for cytomegalovirus in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid is not a reliable method for establishing the virus's causative role in pneumonia soon after bone marrow transplantation. Among 14 patients in whom bronchoalveolar lavage was done at an asymptomatic stage, 6 of 9 patients with cytomegalovirus and none of 5 without cytomegalovirus in the lavage fluid later developed pneumonia. All of the patients subsequently developing pneumonia also had acute graft-versus-host disease, suggesting an immunopathologic mechanism, possibly triggered by cytomegalovirus, for cytomegalovirus-associated pneumonia.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Use of bronchoalveolar lavage cytology and determination of protein contents in pulmonary complications of bone marrow transplant recipients.

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cytology and immunoglobulin components of lavage fluid were studied during non-bacterial/non-fungal interstitial pneumonitis, bacterial/fungal pneumonia, and Pneumocystis carinii infection. Lavages done before bone marrow transplantation and in asymptomatic phases were used as controls. The total cell recovery was increased during lung processes of any aetiology. Non-bacterial/non-fungal pneumonitis caused a significant increase in the number of lymphocytes; the number of neutrophils increased particularly during bacterial pneumonia. In Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia the typical cell picture was an increased percentage of lymphocytes together with blasts. During acute graft-versus-host disease without respiratory symptoms the cytology in lavage fluids did not differ from the controls. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) isolation was frequently positive in lavage fluids regardless of the presence or absence of pulmonary symptoms, but most of the symptom-free CMV-positive patients did not have any marked changes in BAL cytology. The albumin content of BAL fluid increased during infectious and immunological processes in lungs.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗
PubMed1989

Detection of cytomegalovirus by the early-antigen immunofluorescence test versus conventional tissue culture.

The two methods commonly used to diagnose cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections, conventional tissue culture and detection of early CMV nuclear antigen by immunofluorescence from cell culture, were performed in parallel on 597 clinical specimens. CMV was detected by the early-antigen test in 108 samples, of which 102 (94%) were detected 1 to 3 days after inoculation. Of these 108 CMV-positive specimens, seven were negative on conventional culture. Two samples negative in the early-antigen test were positive on conventional culture. Thus, CMV was detected in 110 specimens. A cytopathic effect in conventional tissue culture occurred 9 to 42 days after inoculation. The diagnosis of CMV infection was possible by the conventional method 29.6 +/- 12.7 days and by early-antigen immunofluorescence 1.9 +/- 1.5 days after obtaining the specimen. The rapid early-antigen test was slightly more sensitive than culture, and fewer samples were lost due to bacterial or fungal infections during incubation. Detection of CMV by conventional culture usually requires several weeks and provides a diagnosis only retrospectively. The main advantage of the early-antigen test is that a virologically proven diagnosis of CMV infection is available at an early stage.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1989

Psychosocial effects of continuous oxygen therapy in hypoxaemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

Twenty six hypoxaemic patients with severe and stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were treated with continuous domiciliary oxygen for a six month period. The patients were evaluated 1, 3 and 6 months after the start of oxygen therapy. In addition to blood gas analysis, 15 coping skills were evaluated by the patient and by the nurse, who also rated the general activity of the patients. Depression was measured by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) at the start of the trial and after six months' oxygen therapy. The general psychosocial response was meagre; no significant changes were observed in any psychosocial measures. The response was slightly better in younger and less hypoxaemic patients. We conclude that the psychosocial response to oxygen therapy in severely hypoxaemic COPD patients is limited.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1987

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis: a diagnostic and therapeutic problem. Clinical experience with eight haematologic patients.

Eight patients with haematologic malignancies contracted fatal invasive aspergillosis during an outbreak. Five patients were neutropenic. Bronchofiberoscopic examination with microbiology specimen brush and bronchoalveolar lavage yielded Aspergillus fumigatus in only 2/5 patients examined. The specific diagnosis reached during lifetime in 5 patients was based on a combination of invasive procedures (lung biopsy in 2, percutaneous lung puncture in 1), the presence of a lung abscess (3 patients), seroconversion (1 patient), and purulent maxillary sinusitis caused by A. fumigatus together with repeated abundant growth of A. fumigatus in the sputum (1 patient). Six patients received amphotericin B. The infection was temporarily controlled only in 2 bone marrow transplant recipients whose granulocyte counts recovered. In 3/8 patients the pneumonia was of polymicrobial aetiology, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (2 patients), Pneumocystis carinii (1 patient), and Legionella pneumophila (1 patient) being the other microbes involved. 3/4 bone marrow transplant recipients with aspergillosis had been transplanted for chronic myeloid leukaemia, supporting the previously reported association of bone marrow transplantation for chronic myeloid leukaemia and the risk of invasive aspergillosis. Improved diagnostic methods for earlier definitive diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis as well as more efficacious and less toxic antifungal agents are needed to allow early treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Effect of inhaled budesonide on severe steroid-dependent asthma.

Twenty-four patients with severe steroid-dependent asthma participated in a double-blind cross-over study performed in two centers. After a run-in period of 2 weeks when beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) (400 micrograms/day) was used, the patients were treated for 4 weeks with either a high-dose (1600 micrograms/day) or a low-dose (400 micrograms/day) of budesonide (Pulmicort). Thereafter the doses of budesonide were switched and the treatment continued for a further 4-week period. Patients treated with high-dose budesonide displayed significant improvements in airway functions. In addition, subjective scores for cough, sputum production and dyspnoea were more improved in the high-dose group than in the low-dose group. The need for concomitant beta 2-agonist therapy was also significantly reduced during the high-dose treatment. No significant changes in plasma cortisol levels were detected and no adverse effects of importance were registered. The results indicate that high-dose budesonide treatment improves the clinical status of patients with severe steroid-dependent asthma more than a low-dose therapy but without causing systemic side-effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Miliary tuberculosis.

Twenty-six cases of miliary tuberculosis were studied in retrospect. The mean age of the patients was 62 years. Eighteen patients suffered from another underlying chronic disease. Nine had been treated with corticosteroids or cytotoxic agents. A limited manifestation of tuberculosis had been previously verified or suspected in ten cases. Fever was present in 85% of the patients, frequently combined with fatigue or abdominal pain. Serum alkaline phosphatase was elevated in 81% of the cases. Minor haematological abnormalities (anaemia, etc.) were found in 16 cases and pancytopenia, stimulated lymphocytes or chronic myeloid leucaemia in six. Miliary mottling was found in the chest radiographs of 13 patients. Other findings were pleural effusion, mediastinal node enlargement, opacities suggesting pneumonia or old, possibly tuberculous lesions. Antituberculosis therapy was initiated in 12 patients, two of whom died within a few days. There was a high frequency of liver or system involvements. It is concluded that laparoscopy or liver needle biopsy are valuable diagnostic procedures in patients with fever and elevated alkaline phosphatases of unknown aetiology. A therapeutic test with antituberculous drugs should be undertaken in suspected cases.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

TruCutR needle biopsy in asbestosis and silicosis: correlation of histological changes with radiographic changes and pulmonary function in 41 patients.

A percutaneous needle biopsy was performed with a TruCut needle on 41 patients with suspected pneumoconiosis. Patients selected for biopsy tended to have brief or unusual dust exposure, as well as questionable radiographic opacities. Sixteen had been exposed to asbestos, 13 to silica and 12 to mixed dust containing quartz, coal, iron, asbestos and talc. All patients in the asbestos group and most in the other two groups had a reduced transfer factor. Most patients in the asbestos group and about 25% of the other patients had restrictive ventilatory impairment. Chest radiographs were assessed according to standard films of the ILO U/C International Classification (International Labour Office, 1972). In 25 patients radiographic opacities were absent or acanty (categories 0--1/1). The dominant radiographic feature of many patients exposed to asbestos was a ground-glass appearance or a bilateral elevation of the diaphragm, or both, features difficult to assess according to the ILO U/C scheme. Most histological changes were those usually seen in pneumoconiosis. However, in only two patients with silicosis were silicotic nodules detected. The specimens of seven patients showed a granulomatous inflammation. The severity of alveolar wall involvement correlated well with the transfer factor value but poorly with radiographic changes. The profusion of radiographic opacities also correlated poorly with functional impairment. As a diagnostic tool the needle biopsy was valuable in asbestosis and slightly less so in mixed-dust fibrosis. The biopsy specimens showed changes compatible with asbestosis in 75% of the suspected cases and in 86% of those in which asbestosis was the final diagnosis. In the mixed-dust group pneumoconiosis was confirmed in 67% and 80%, respectively. In the diagnosis of silicosis an open biopsy is probably more reliable than a percutaneous one, particularly if radiographic changes are minimal. Histological changes in the needle biopsy specimen were compatible with silicosis in only 36% of the suspected cases and in 63% of those in which the final diagnosis was silicosis.

Adult↗