Thyroiditis and alkaline phosphatase.
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Alkaline Phosphatase↗
Biomedical subjects
R Tur-Kaspa
Publications and source records attributed to R Tur-Kaspa.
Hepatitis C virus infection among elderly patients in a geriatric hospital.
The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies and HCV viremia among elderly patients in a geriatric hospital in Jerusalem, Israel. Serum samples from 273 patients were analyzed for the presence of anti-HCV antibodies. Serum samples of anti-HCV positive patients were analyzed for HCV RNA after amplification with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The samples were also analyzed for the presence of HBsAg and the HBsAg positive samples were analyzed for the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA. Anti-HCV antibodies were found in 5 patients (1.8%). HCV RNA was detected in one of the 5 patients. HbsAg was found in 2 patients (0.7%). None had detectable HBV DNA. The findings of the study indicate that seropositivity for hepatitis C virus is relatively common among the elderly population studied. Most of those patients are probably not HCV carriers.
Journal Article↗
Laboratory stigmata of connective tissue disorders in asymptomatic carriers of hepatitis B virus.
Sixty-nine asymptomatic HBsAg carriers have been studied for the presence of laboratory stigmata of connective tissue disorders. Anti-nuclear antibodies accompanied by a significant binding of anti-DNA were detected on one carrier only. In contrast, rheumatoid activity was detected in 10 out of 63 carriers, and lymphocytotoxins in 8 out of 33. Carriers had a significantly increased level of circulating immune complexes associated with mild hypocomplementemia. Since none of the carriers had any evidence of liver disease, it is probable that the immunologic abberations were induced by the persistent viral infection rather than liver injury. It seems that some asymptomatic carriers have an occult laboratory-wise, connective tissue disorder which, under yet unknown circumstances, gives rise to an overt immune complex disease.
Adult↗
Elevated growth hormone levels in patients with non-alcoholic chronic liver disease.
High serum concentrations of growth hormone (GH) were found in five patients with chronic liver diseases, including auto-immune chronic active hepatitis (two cases), Budd-Chiari syndrome, primary biliary cirrhosis and hepatitis B virus associated cirrhosis. Mean levels of GH were 27.8 units (normal up to 5). In three patients elevated prolactin levels were also found (mean 37.3 units for two females, normal up to 20), and 36 units in one male (normal up to 9). No other endocrine disorders were found. Although the association of raised GH levels in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis is well known, its occurrence in patients with non-alcoholic chronic liver disease is not fully established. We describe the effect of the disease course, and steroid treatment on GH levels in one patient with auto-immune chronic active hepatitis, and propose possible mechanisms for this elevation.
Adolescent↗
Epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection in the elderly.
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Aged↗
N-acetylcysteine in acute hepatic failure (non-paracetamol-induced).
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Acute liver failure is a serious condition associated with poor prognosis. It may be associated with changes in systemic hemodynamics, i.e., tissue hypoxia, which contributes to multiple-organ failure. Recent studies have shown that N-acetylcysteine administered to patients with fulminant hepatic failure (paracetamol-induced) increases oxygen delivery and improves survival. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate N-acetylcysteine administration to patients with non-paracetamol-induced acute liver failure and assess its effect on the clinical course and outcome. METHODOLOGY: N-acetylcysteine was administered at presentation to 7 patients with non-paracetamol-induced acute liver failure. Patients were followed for changes in clinical parameters (grade of encephalopathy), coagulation factors, biochemical parameters and outcome. RESULTS: Clinically, 3 patients who initially had grade O/II encephalopathy, did not progress, and have fully recovered. The mean peak prothrombin time, serum factor V, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels, all significantly improved. Four patients (57%) have recovered fully (1 patient, although fully recovered, died later from an unrelated cause). Two patients required orthotopic liver transplantation and 1 patient died. N-acetylcysteine administration may have prevented progression to grade III/IV encephalopathy and improved serum coagulation factors. This may account for its beneficial effect on survival in patients who had poor prognostic criteria at base-line. No side effects of the drug were noted. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that N-acetylcysteine administration should be considered in all patients with acute liver failure.
Acetylcysteine↗