An acid glycine extract from a single Campylobacter jejuni strain was used as the antigen in the enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Elevated values indicating the presence of specific IgM and/or IgG antibodies were found in 73% of 52 patients hospitalized for campylobacter infection. A further 6% of the patients who had lower EIA values in paired serum samples showed at least a 20% change in EIA values. The same sera had been studied earlier for agglutinating antibodies using four reference campylobacter strains. 74% of the patients had shown elevated titres and a further 17% four-fold changes of lower titres in paired sera.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Diagnostic significance of pleural fluid lactate concentrations.

Lactate concentrations in the pleural fluid and plasma of 57 patients with pleural effusions were measured by an enzymatic method. The mean pleural fluid lactate concentrations were significantly higher in patients with empyemas and rheumatoid arthritis than in patients with tuberculosis, cancer, non-specific pleural effusions and congestive heart failure. Pleural fluid lactate concentrations correlated significantly with pleural fluid lactate dehydrogenase activities and inversely with pleural fluid glucose concentrations. An elevated pleural fluid lactate concentration is not diagnostic for empyema, as most patients with rheumatoid arthritis and some with tuberculosis and cancer also show high values.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Pancytopenia induced by low-dose methotrexate. A study of the cases reported to the Finnish Adverse Drug Reaction Register From 1991 to 1999.

OBJECTIVE: To study cases of low-dose methotrexate-induced pancytopenia with special reference to clinical outcome and factors predisposing to bone marrow suppression. METHODS: Patient files of 14 cases of methotrexate-induced pancytopenia reported to the National Agency for Medicines in Finland from 1991 to 1999 were reviewed. A review of four additional cases was included. RESULTS: Of the 18 patients (median age 72 years), 12 had rheumatoid arthritis, one psoriatic arthritis, five psoriasis without arthritis, and one pemphigus erythematosus. Major co-morbidity was recorded in 12 patients, and 16 patients used significant concomitant drugs. Eight patients had a mildly or moderately elevated serum creatinine concentration. In every patient the occurrence of cytopenia was abrupt. Eight patients (44%) died, and the most frequent cause of death was infection. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that methotrexate-induced pancytopenia is associated with high mortality especially in cases with significant co-morbidity and concomitant medications.

Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems↗