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Biomedical subjects

R Tamir

Publications and source records attributed to R Tamir.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

[Prognostic factors in multiple myeloma].

There have been major advances in the treatment of multiple myeloma in the past 20 years, but for the individual patient the prognosis still remains uncertain. As the length of survival varies from several months to over 10 years, definition of prognostic parameters at the time of diagnosis, and early detection of disease activity are most important. In our study, median survival was 42 months with very good quality of life. Factors not helpful in prognosis were sex, WBC and platelet counts, BUN, serum M protein type, extent of osteolytic lesions, percentage of plasma cells in bone marrow and plasma cell asynchrony. However, age, hemoglobin, calcium, uric acid, Bence-Jones proteinuria and polyclonal Ig concentrations had a certain degree of prognostic importance. Due to more sensitive and more specific laboratory methods, peripheral blood findings are lately gaining in importance. With new "salvage" protocols, the detection of additional prognostic parameters and sensitive indicators of disease activity may be most important for further improvement in the survival of patients with multiple myeloma.

Bence Jones Protein↗
PubMed1990

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 potentiates the decreased response of lymphocytes from atopic subjects to agents that increase intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate.

The inhibitory effect of prostaglandin E2, histamine, isobutylmethylxanthine, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-[OH]2D3) on the mitogenic stimulation of peripheral blood lymphocytes from normal and atopic subjects was studied. We found that lymphocytes from atopic patients were less susceptible to inhibition by the three agents that elevate intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) concentrations and by the active metabolite of vitamin D (inhibition of 27%, 14%, 12%, and 36% for the atopic patients as compared with 40%, 20%, 22%, and 46% for the normal donors, by the four agents, respectively; p less than 0.02). The inhibitory effect of the cAMP-elevating agents was potentiated by the addition of 1,25-(OH)2D3 to the lymphocyte cultures. The potentiation was more pronounced on lymphocytes from the atopic donors, increasing their responsiveness to levels comparable to levels of lymphocytes from normal donors. The synthetic corticosteroid, dexamethasone, had a similar potentiating effect on the inhibitory action of prostaglandin E2. In view of the beneficial action of beta-agonists, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, and corticosteroids in the treatment of allergy, the potentiating effect of 1,25-(OH)2D3 on the action of cAMP-elevating agents may be of therapeutic interest.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed1989

Forecasting pollen pollution: correlation with floral development.

Variations in the time course of flowering and in its intensity were recorded for regions in Israel along with variable climatic conditions. Such variations had an effect on pollen release into the air and on pollen counts. Two approaches for forecasting allergenic pollen dispersion were compared: (1) a survey of floral development and flowering intensity and (2) a survey of airborne pollen. There was a positive correlation between the survey of flowering and airborne pollen counts, although pollen was occasionally found after the flowering season. Further, it predicted fairly accurately the beginning of the flowering time of each species in each regio, the expected flowering duration, and intensity. Conducting a survey of flowering is a simple, easy and inexpensive operation. It is highly recommended for regions with variable climates.

Air Pollution↗
PubMed1988

Immunological response to immunotherapy for immediate hypersensitivity: clinical relevance.

Immunotherapy, also called desensitization, is effective in treating allergic rhinitis, insect sting venom hypersensitivity and probably allergic asthma. Administration of gradually increasing doses of the sensitizing antigen induces several immunological changes. The humoral responses include an increase in specific IgG titer, a decrease in specific IgE titer with blunting of its seasonal rise, and an increase in the specific anti-idiotype antibody titer. Cellular changes include diminished responsiveness of the patient's lymphocytes to stimulation by allergen as measured by thymidine incorporation. This is accounted for by the generation of suppressor cells specific for the allergen. These suppressor cells also induce suppression of IgE production by mononuclear cells. An additional effect that is attributed to IT is a decrease in basophil sensitivity to the allergen as measured by histamine release. The clinical correlates of these changes are not clear. Currently, none of the responses can be used as a tool for assessing the response in the treated individual patient. Although the increase in specific IgG was shown to correlate with the clinical response in patient groups, it is not applicable to the individual patient. Currently the best parameter for assessing clinical response is probably the increase in the ratio between the specific IgG and the specific IgE. However further studies are warranted to evaluate the significance of the change in anti-idiotype antibodies, basophil histamine release and perhaps immunological changes yet to be discovered.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Constrictive pericarditis complicating dermatomyositis.

Chronic constrictive pericarditis may complicate both rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. To our knowledge, however, this is the first time it has been described in a patient with dermatomyositis. This association should be kept in mind as constrictive pericarditis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and Budd-Chiari syndrome in rheumatic diseases.

Dermatomyositis↗
PubMed1987

Intravenous desensitization to beta-lactam antibiotics.

Patients allergic to penicillin (PCN) often require treatment with beta-lactam antibiotics for life-threatening bacterial infections. In this article, we review our experience with rapid intravenous desensitization for patients who gave a history of PCN allergy and who had hypersensitivity demonstrated by skin tests. Skin testing was performed with both prick and intradermal techniques and with the recommended antibiotic as well as PCN G, penicilloyl polylysine, and a minor determinant mixture. Patients were transferred to the intensive care unit, and desensitization was performed with a buret technique that required minimal preparation and was easily applied to any antibiotic. Fifteen desensitizations in 12 patients were associated with no immediate reactions. One patient developed a delayed reaction consisting of a pruritic rash and angioedema. A second patient developed a more serious delayed serum sickness-like illness with fever, rash, eosinophilia, abnormal liver function tests, and urinary abnormalities. These reactions did not necessitate stopping the antibiotic, although the latter patient required corticosteroids to suppress his symptoms. Rapid intravenous desensitization is a rapid, safe, and effective technique for patients demonstrating hypersensitivity to beta-lactam antibiotics who require therapy with these medications.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Generation of suppressor cells in atopic patients during immunotherapy that modulate IgE synthesis.

We prospectively studied the effect of ragweed immunotherapy on the generation of suppressor T cells that modulate total and antiragweed IgE production in five patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. Suppressor T cell depletion was accomplished by treating mononuclear cells (MNCs) with the monoclonal antibody Leu 2b followed by the addition of complement. Treated and untreated MNCs were obtained before and during (6 to 24 months) immunotherapy and were cultured at 1 X 10(6) cells per milliliter for 7 days in RPM1-1640 containing 10% fetal calf serum. In order to determine the effect of ragweed antigen on IgE production, untreated or Leu 2b-depleted MNCs were incubated with short ragweed extract (SRW) (1.0 to 10 micrograms/ml) for 20 hours, washed three times, and incubated for a further 6 days. The cell-free supernatants from each were harvested and assayed for total IgE by use of a modified PRIST assay. To determine specific IgE, a modified RAST procedure was used. Total or antiragweed IgE production was calculated by subtracting preformed IgE from the total or specific IgE content in the supernatant. Depletion of Leu 2-positive cells did not affect total IgE production before immunotherapy. In contrast, a statistically significant increase was observed in total IgE 6 months (p less than 0.05) and 13 months (p = 0.005) after immunotherapy. Specific antiragweed IgE production at these times was also enhanced, but this increase did not reach statistical significance. Before immunotherapy was begun, preincubation of MNCs with SRW did not change the amount of total IgE produced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Positive skin tests to pollen extracts of four species of Pistacia in Israel.

Fifty-eight atopic and nine non-atopic volunteers, all residents of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, Israel, were skin tested with extracts made from filtered pollen of Pistacia atlantica, P. lentiscus, P. palaestina and P. vera. Twenty-four out of the fifty-eight patients examined (41.4%) had positive skin reactions to at least one of the four examined species of Pistacia: seven of the patients reacted to all the examined extracts, whereas the other seventeen reacted to only some of them. Fifteen patients reacted to extracts of P. atlantica, sixteen patients reacted to extracts of P. lentiscus, ten patients reacted to extracts of P. palaestina and seven patients reacted to extracts of pollen of P. vera. None of the healthy, non-atopic volunteers reacted to any of the extracts. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of immunological reactions to pollen extracts of the genus Pistacia.

Humans↗
PubMed1985

High-output cardiac failure as a presenting symptom of plasma cell leukemia.

A patient presented with high-output cardiac failure and was found to have plasma-cell leukemia. No cause for the cardiac failure was found, and there was no response to treatment with diuretics and thiamine. Chemotherapy for the leukemia resulted in resolution of the cardiac failure, suggesting that the latter was caused by the leukemia--a hitherto unreported association.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1984

Retinal manifestations of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Report of a case.

The syndrome of acquired immunodeficiency (AIDS) has previously been described. Originally thought to affect homosexuals and drug abusers exclusively, the disorder has also been observed in women associated with drug abuse, hemophiliacs, Haitians and, rarely, in heterosexual men. Several hundred cases have been reported in the United States whereas only a small number have been reported elsewhere. We report the first case of AIDS in Israel in a heterosexual male who developed the opportunistic infections of esophageal candidiasis and pneumocystis caranii pneumonia as well as the ischemic retinopathy which has come to be associated with the syndrome.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗