Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

T Pettersson

Publications and source records attributed to T Pettersson.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Diagnostic value of total and differential leukocyte counts in pleural effusions.

Total and differential leukocyte counts in pleural fluid were determined prospectively in 140 consecutive patients undergoing diagnostic thoracentesis. The total number of leukocytes was higher in exudates than in transudates. Lymphocytes predominated overwhelmingly (more than 80% of all leukocytes) in 29 of the 31 effusions with verified or probable tuberculous etiology and in 18 of the 24 with malignant etiology, as well as in 20 exudative pleural effusions of other causes. The significant differences in the percentage of lymphocyte distinguished tuberculous effusions from parapneumonic (p less than 0.001), nonspecific (p less than 0.001) and rheumatoid effusions (p less than 0.005), as well as from effusions caused by undefined connective tissue disease (p less than 0.001). Eosinophilia (more than 10%) of the pleural fluid was not present in any patient with proven tuberculosis and in only one patient with malignant effusion (malignant mesothelioma) but did occur in 12 of the 26 patients with nonspecific effusion. These results show that a great lymphocytic predominance is characteristic particularly of tuberculous but also of malignant pleural effusions, although this predominance cannot be regarded as disease-specific. Eosinophilia of the pleural fluid--usually a nonspecific sign--indicates nontuberculous, nonmalignant etiology.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

PHA and PPD reactivity of lymphocytes in pleural effusions.

The functional properties of lymphocytes in pleural fluid were studied in 23 patients admitted to the hospital for the diagnostic evaluation of a unilateral or bilateral pleural effusion. The in vitro reactivities of the patients' pleural fluid lymphocytes and peripheral blood lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and to purified protein derivative (PPD) were compared. In most patients with pleural effusion, the function of pleural fluid lymphocytes was intact and comparable to that of lymphocytes from peripheral blood. The PHA- and PPD-stimulated 3H-thymidine incorporation by peripheral blood lymphocytes did not differ significantly from that by pleural fluid lymphocytes in any of the patient groups. Similarly, the comparison of PHA- and PPD-stimulated 3H-thymidine uptake by peripheral blood or pleural fluid lymphocytes from patients with pleural effusions of various causes revealed no significant differences. In vitro reactivity to PPD by peripheral blood and pleural fluid lymphocytes correlated positively with the in vivo intradermal reactivity to PPD.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Treatment of giardiasis: relative efficacy of metronidazole as compared with tinidazole.

50 patients with giardiasis were treated with either metronidazole or tinidazole in random order according to a code. 25 patients received 2.0 g metronidazole on 2 consecutive days; 19 were cured (76%); 7 patients complained of mild side-effects. 25 patients received tinidazole 2.0 g as a single dose, and 22 were cured (88%); 5 patients complained of mild side-effects. The difference between the results of the two regimens was not statistically significant. A 1-week course of metronidazole (200 mg 3 times daily) was successful in 8/9 failures; 1 patient was finally cured with mepacrine.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Carditis and arthritis associated with Campylobacter jejuni infection.

Three patients who developed carditis after enteritis caused by Campylobacter jejuni are reported. Two had perimyocarditis and one endocarditis. The cardiac sequelae persisted in two patients. Concomitant arthritis appeared in two of these patients, monoarthritis in one and polyarthritis in the other.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Pneumonia due to Legionella pneumophila: the first imported case in Finland.

The first imported case of legionnaires' disease in Finland is reported. A 64-year-old woman fell ill 1 day after returning from a holiday in mallorca. Chest film revealed a bronchopneumonic infiltrate; however, the patient had no respiratory symptoms at all during her illness. The course of disease was benign, possibly due to early onset of treatment with erythromycin.

Female↗
PubMed1980

Outcome of patients admitted to the hospital with suspected pneumonia.

In 1976, 220 patients over 15 years of age were admitted to the adult medical services of Aurora Hospital, Helsinki, with a provisional diagnosis of pneumonia. All patients had an infiltrate on the chest X-ray. Acute pneumonia was found in 193 patients (87.7%). Other diseases in this series were pulmonary tuberculosis in 14 cases (6.4%), carcinoma of the lung in 6 cases (2.7%), and carcinoma of the lung with acute pneumonia in 5 cases (2.3%), aspergilloma in one case (0.5%) and an eosinophilic infiltrate in one case (0.5%). Previous or associated illnesses in the pneumonia patients were previous pneumonia (40.4%), chronic alcoholism (26.8%) and congestive heart failure (25.8%). The probable infectious aetiology of pneumonia was found in 45 cases (22.7%). The commonest agents were influenza A, 17 cases (8.6%); Pneumococcus, 9 cases (4.6%); and Mycoplasma pneumoniae 8 cases (4.0%). Bacteria were accepted causal if grown from blood cultures; tests for detecting antibodies against Pneumococcus were not used. Sputum cultures were not helpful in the study of bacterial pneumonia. Alcoholism seemed to predispose to pneumococcal pneumonia, but in the alcoholic patients leukocyte counts on admission were not lower than in the other patients. The overall mortality of pneumonia was 5.5%, only 3.5% of patients died during the first 3 weeks.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Pleural fluid lysozyme in human disease.

Lysozyme content was measured in the plasma and pleural fluid of 110 patients with pleural effusions of various causes. The concentration of pleural fluid lysozyme was significantly higher (P less than .001) in patients with tuberculous pleurisy than in those with primary pulmonary carcinoma, metastatic carcinoma of the lung, connective tissue disease, nonspecific pleurisy, or congestive heart failure. Tuberculous patients also had a significantly higher (P less than .001) pleural fluid-to-plasma lysozyme ratio than did the other patients. Plasma lysozyme activity did not differ significantly among the various patient groups. Lysozyme was identified immunohistochemically in epithelioid cell granulomas in tuberculosis, in activated macrophages in lymph nodes adjacent to tuberculous lesions, and in granulocytes in pleural empyema. No lysozyme was detected in neoplastic cells in pulmonary carcinoma. The results show that the determination of pleural fluid lysozyme is a simple, fast method for obtaining corroborative information in the differential diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

T and B lymphocytes in pleural effusions.

To determine the diagnostic significance of the determination of T and B lymphocytes in pleural fluid, we studied these cells in peripheral blood and in pleural fluid by means of surface markers. Our study comprised 30 patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis, pulmonary malignancy, connective tissue disease, nonspecific pleurisy or congestive cardiac failure. In pulmonary tuberculosis, both the percentage and absolute numbers of T lymphocytes in pleural fluid were significantly higher than in peripheral blood. In patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, pulmonary malignancy or nonspecific pleuritis, the percentages and absolute numbers of B lymphocytes were significantly lower in pleural fluid than in peripheral blood. Considered together with other clinical and laboratory indices, these determinations may aid in the differential diagnosis of pleurisy of various etiology.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Extracorporeal irradiation of thoracic duct lymph as immunosuppressive treatment in rheumatoid arthritis.

Thoracic duct drainage and re-infusion of the irradiated lymph was carried out as immunosuppressive treatment in 2 patients with progressive, therapy-resistant rheumatoid arthritis. In both patients, a marked clinical improvement was achieved even during the first days of treatment. A reduced number of T cells in the blood was seen 3 days after onset of drainage, whereas no significant change in the number of B cells was observed. No recirculation of the infused cells could be detected, nor was the radiation removal of T cells accompanied by rapid proliferation of "new" T cells. As clinical improvement and reduction in T cells occurred simultaneously, there is probably a connection between these two events. The beneficial clinical response and the achievement of T cell suppression by thoracic duct drainage--the result of irradiation and re-infusion of irradiated lymph--encourage further clinical trials with this type of treatment in severe therapy-resistant rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1976

The occurrence of human intestinal parasites in Finland.

A survey of the occurrence of intestinal parasites covered 243 inmates of institution for the mentally retarded, 537 hospital patients from 4 areas, 100 military servicemen, and 65 prisoners. Two faecal samples from each patient were examined by the formalin-ether concentration technique. Among the mentally retarded the prevalence of intestinal parasites was high, 41.3% among children and 51.5% among adults. The commonest parasite was Entamoeba coli. In Helsinki, the prevalence among children in hospital was only 7%, but among adult out patients, 18.9%. Among hospital patients in other areas, military servicemen, and prisoners in Helsinki the prevalence of intestinal parasites was low. The high prevalence of this protozoon, 14.8% among adult out-patients in Helsinki, probably reflects the increase in tourism. Four cases of Trichuris infection were detected among the mentally retarded.

Adolescent↗