Biomedical subjects

R Jolicoeur

Publications and source records attributed to R Jolicoeur.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1982

Biologic markers and breast cancer: a multiparametric study--1. Increased serum protein levels.

From early 1972 to the end of 1976, the profiles of several serum protein were used to monitor disease stage and prognosis of 207 patients with breast cancer. Six of these proteins, alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha-AT), alpha 2-ceruloplasmin (Cp), beta 1-transferrin, IgA, C4, and C5, were significantly elevated in these cancer patients and were used as biologic markers in a multiparametric study. Among these breast cancer patients, 72% had at least two of these protein levels elevated, of which alpha-AT (55%), C5 (38%), and IgA (36%) levels were most commonly raised. The number of elevated proteins was parallel to disease progression as 61% (Group 1) and 74% (Group 2) of the patients with operable breast cancer and 90% of patients with metastatic disease showed an elevation of two or more of these nonspecific proteins. There was also a positive correlation between the number of elevated proteins and prognosis; of the 26 patients who died during the five-year follow-up, only four (15%) had no more than one protein level elevated, and 22 (85%) had two or more protein levels elevated. On the other hand, when considered as a group, patients with no or only one protein level elevated had a better prognosis than patients with two or more levels elevated (P less than 0.03). This multiparametric study tends to indicate that the high level of these serum proteins, reflecting an abnormal biochemical profile, provides valuable information that relates to the stage of the disease and patients' prognosis. Results also suggest that these proteins may aid in differentiating the group with high recurrent risks from that with a more favorable prognosis for a given clinical and pathologic stage, illustrating their importance as biologic markers in breast cancer.

Adult↗

PubMed1981

A clinical and immunological study of the effects of transfer factor on multiple sclerosis patients.

A clinical and laboratory trial was designated to test the value of a potentially active pool of transfer factor (TF) given for a period of 3 months, at weekly intervals, in 27 relapsing MS patients and controls. The pool of TF was extracted from peripheral lymphocytes of 36 normal individuals presensitized with DNCB as marker. It was biologically capable of transferring DNCB sensitivity to MS recipients and did not show any toxicity. Clinically, a slight but not significant improvement of the functional and disability indices was observed in the TF group over a period of 1 year, while both indices increased in the control group. The treatment had no influence on the number of relapses and/or on sensory and visually evoked potentials, axial tomography and electronystagmography. In laboratory tests, a significant difference was found in the total CSF protein (P less than 0 . 05) and IgG (P less than 0 . 01) levels in the two groups studied; both values decreased or were stabilized in the group receiving TF, while they increased in the control group. Whether or not these slight clinically and biologically beneficial effects were due to the high dose of TF given or to its biological activity remains to be established. This pilot study suggests that a more appropriate answer regarding TF in MS might be obtained by using biologically active material, given for longer periods of time, at a closer interval and in a larger number of patients.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins↗

PubMed1976

Immunological features in multiple sclerosis.

A clinical and laboratory profile of the immunological system of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) strongly suggested that many specific immune deficiencies exist in MS. The immunological history showed that patients with MS had had more tonsillectomies, appendicectomies, and childhood infections than matched controls, which suggested that there had been problems in controlling various types of childhood infections. The cell-mediated immune response and the circulating antibody titres were specifically impaired against a variety of antigens. Patients with MS had significantly lower serum antibody titres than controls against many naturally occurring antigens-namely, diptheria and tetanus toxoids, adenovirus, and mumps viruses. Raised serum antibody titres were found against measles and varicella zoster viruses while no difference was found towards other antigens. The delayed hypersensitivity reaction and the immunological memory of patients with MS were also greatly reduced against the mumps skin test antigens. There were normal amounts of circulating T and B lymphocytes, and the phytohaemagglutinin, concanavallin A, pokeweed mitogen, and encephalitogens lymphocyte transformation was not different from that in controls. These results indicated that patients with MS have more infectious problems than normal people and that both their T and B cell systems cannot mount a fully normal immunological response to some viral and bacterial antigens, while they give an increased response to others.

Adult↗

PubMed1975

Cerebrospinal fluid proteins in multiple sclerosis.

Various CSF proteins were studied in 255 definite multiple sclerosis patients at various disease stages and compared with corresponding values obtained from 174 controls. The CSF changes in acute multiple sclerosis patients included a significant increase of total proteins and of gamma globulin, IgG, IgA, IgM, alpha-2 ceruloplasmin, 7S-gamma-1, and cytotoxic index for nerve cells in tissue culture, and significant decreases of pre-albumin, alpha-1, and alpha-2 and of the beta/gamma globulin ratio. The CSF levels of IgG, IgA, and IgM remained significantly higher in steroid-treated multiple sclerosis patients than in controls, but the levels often were significantly reduced while patients were on treatment or in remission. During remission or treatment with ACTH and/or steroids, the alpha-2 ceruloplasmin, 7S-gamma-1, and cytotoxic index were significantly reduced and the pre-albumin, alpha-1, and alpha-2 globulin classes and the beta/gamma ratio showed a tendency to return to normal.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Wheelchairmanship.

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Persons with Disabilities↗