bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Selectivity of serum immunoreactive prolyl 4‐hydroxylase as a marker for hepatic necrosis
Authors: NAGAI YOSHIKI , KATO MASATOSHI , TODA GOTARO 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTTo investigate the selectivity of serum immunoreactive prolyl 4‐hydroxylase (S‐IRPH) as a marker for hepatic necrosis, sera were taken from patients with hepatic inflammation and hepatic necrosis. The concentration of immunoreactive prolyl 4‐hydroxylase in the sera was determined by radio‐immunoassay, and S‐IRPH and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) data were plotted. Patients with hepatic necrosis showed mainly prolyl 4‐hydroxylase elevation while patients with inflammation had both prolyl 4‐hydroxylase and alanine aminotransferase elevations. The addition of serum immunoreactive prolyl 4‐hydroxylase to current serum markers would be useful in investigating the pathophysiology of hepatocellular damage, particularly in differentiating between hepatic necrosis and inflammation.
FK 506 associated disorders in liver transplantation
Authors: NAZER HISHAM , AL‐SABBAN ESSAM , HARFI HARB , ANTONIUS JOHN , CUNHA ANTONIO MARTINS DA 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTImmunosuppressive regimens are usually required for patients receiving organ transplants. The development of a post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder is an infrequent complication of such therapy. FK 506 is a new immunosuppres‐sant agent that has recently been used in patients receiving organ transplantation. This report describes a 20 month old Saudi child who developed post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder while receiving FK 506 following liver transplantation. Such a complication has been recognized with cyclosporine but has not been well addressed as yet with FK 506. The child also developed progressive renal complications. There was also a difficulty in interpreting the results for IgM antibodies to different viruses. The overall features of progressive renal toxicity and those of lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, fever, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia reversed following discontinuation of FK 506 therapy. It is concluded that all the above complications, though reversible, may well be linked to the new immunosuppressant agent FK 506.
A defective autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction in patients with idiopathic portal hypertension
Authors: TOKUSHIGE KATSUTOSHI , KOMATSU TATSUJI , OHZU KYOKO , YAMAUCHI KATSUMI , OBATA HIROSHI 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTThe aetiology of idiopathic portal hypertension or hepatoportal sclerosis is unknown. In view of the indirect evidence for underlying immunologic abnormalities 14 patients (all middle‐aged females) were studied. Various auto‐antibodies were demonstrated in seven patients and high levels of serum immunoglobulins, either IgG, IgM or IgA were present in ten patients.T cell responsiveness to stimulation with either autologous or allogeneic non‐T cells was examined in nine of 14 idiopathic portal hypertension patients and compared with responsiveness in patients with posthepatitic cirrhosis and splenomegaly, and healthy controls. Patients with cirrhosis had levels of T cell responsiveness which were not significantly different from those in healthy controls in both autologous and allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions. A distinctly reduced autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction was observed in all idiopathic portal hypertension patients.These data indicate that, like many other autoimmune diseases, abnormal serological features and impaired autoreactive T cell responsiveness exist in patients with idiopathic portal hypertension.
Presentation and role of peritoneoscopy in the diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis
Authors: SANDIKÇI M. U. , COLAKOGLU S. , ERGUN Y. , UNAL S. , AKKIZ H. , SANDIKÇI S. , ZORLUDEMIR S. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTThis study represents the clinical and laboratory features of 135 tuberculous peritonitis cases in whom peritoneoscopic investigation was used routinely. Disease was more common in women than men (1.5:1) and was most frequently encountered in the third and fourth decades in life. The most common presenting symptoms were abdominal distension (96%), abdominal pain (82%), weight loss (80%), weakness (76%), loss of appetite (73%) and fever (69%). The most common physical findings were ascites (96%), fever (75%) and abdominal tenderness (43%). One hundred and twenty‐nine cases (95.5%) showed exudative type tuberculous peritonitis with variable amounts of ascites and filmy adhesions. In six patients (4.5%) the disease was of the plastic (dry) type. Peritoneoscopic investigations of 139 patients suggested tuberculous peritonitis but four cases showed histologically proven malignancy (3%). Laparoscopic diagnoses of the remaining cases were confirmed by histology (97%). The laparoscopic appearance of scattered yellowish‐white nodules, approximately 1–5 mm in size, on the peritoneal surfaces, and filmy adhesions were suggestive of tuberculous peritonitis. A non‐fatal colon perforation occurred as a major complication. After antituberculous therapy patients were followed for at least 1 year. Peritoneoscopy with simultaneous biopsy is the ideal and most accurate diagnostic modality in the diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis.
Choledocholithiasis treated by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid infusion through an endoscopic nasobiliary catheter
Authors: LIN XI‐ZHANG , LIN CHING‐YIH , CHANG TING‐TSUNG , SHIN JENG‐SHIANN , LIOU TAI‐CHERNG , CHANG KUO‐KWAN 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTA 64 year old man was admitted to the National Cheng Kung University Hospital for obstructive jaundice. He had received cholecystectomy 5 years previously. Sonography revealed common bile duct stones. He was treated with endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) for 5 days for concomitant cholangitis. The muddy pigment stones disappeared completely after 10 days of infusion of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) via the ENBD tube. There were no adverse effects, and he was stone‐free 4 months later.
Fulminant hepatic failure and acute intravascular haemolysis as presenting manifestations of Wilson's disease in young children
Authors: WALIA B. N. S. , SINGH S. , MARWAHA R. K. , BHUSNURMATH S. R. , DILAWAR J. B. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTThe cases of three young children (mean age 5.8 years) in whom fulminant hepatic failure and acute intravascular haemolysis were the presenting manifestations of Wilson's disease are reported. Although diagnosis was made ante‐mortem and chelation therapy instituted, the course was relentlessly fatal in all three cases. This presentation of Wilson's disease at such a young age is noteworthy.
Duplex‐Doppler assessment of cirrhosis in patients with chronic compensated liver disease
Authors: CIONI GIORGIO , D'ALIMONTE PIERO , CRISTANI ALESSANDRO , VENTURA PAOLO , ABBATI GIANLUCA , TINCANI ENRICO , ROMAGNOLI RENATO , VENTURA EZIO 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTPortal venous flow velocity (PFV) was measured with duplex‐Doppler equipment in 50 normal subjects and in 117 patients with suspected chronic liver disease who showed no evidence of decompensation such as ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, jaundice or oesophageal bleeding. All the patients underwent percutaneous liver biopsy which demonstrated non‐cirrhotic liver disease in 58 cases (CH‐patients: steatosis 8, persistent chronic hepatitis 8, active chronic hepatitis 42) and liver cirrhosis in the other 59 cases (LC‐patients).The normal subjects and the CH‐patients had similar values of max‐PFV and mean‐PFV (max‐PFV 26.7±3.2 and 25.7±3.4 cm/s respectively; mean‐PFV 22.9±2.8 and 22.4±3.8 cm/s respectively). The LC‐patients’ values (max‐PFV 19.3±3.5; mean‐PFV 16.9±2.9) were significantly lower than those of the normal subjects (P<0.001) and of the CH‐patients (P<0.001). Considering the normal max‐PFV to be in the range 20–33.1 cm/s (mean±2 s.d. of the normal subjects, 95% confidence limits), max‐PFV was reduced in 0/50 normal subjects, 1/58 CH‐patients and 39/59 LC‐patients (66.1% sensitivity; 98.2% specificity).In conclusion, the duplex‐Doppler measurement of PFV is of great interest in the diagnostic study of patients with suspected chronic compensated liver disease and in the early diagnosis of cirrhosis. A low max‐PFV is a reliable pointer to liver cirrhosis, whereas a normal max‐PFV indicates a non‐cirrhotic liver disease but is less probative. Each centre should standardize normal PFV values in order to establish their own threshold value for diagnosing liver cirrhosis.
Prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies in chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma patients in India
Authors: RAMESH RAJAGOPAL , MUNSHI ANUPAMA , PANDA SUBRAT K. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTThe prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) was investigated in 129 patients with chronic liver disease (85 with chronic active hepatitis and 44 with cirrhosis) and 53 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The commercially available second generation anti‐HCV enzyme immunoassay kit was used. Antibodies to hepatitis C virus were detected in 16.2% of the patients with chronic liver disease and in 15.1% with hepatocellular carcinoma. Of the HCV positive patients in all groups 51.7% were positive for hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers indicating present or past infection. Prevalence of HBV markers in all the three groups (CAH, cirrhosis and HCC) was higher as compared with anti‐HCV prevalence. These results suggest that HCV infection may not be a major cause of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma in India and indicate the presence of other aetiological agents.
The interferon‐α2b gene in Japanese patients with chronic viral hepatitis who developed antibodies after treatment with recombinant interferon‐α2a
Authors: HOSOI HITOSHI , IMAI MITSUNOBU , YAMANAKA MASAMI 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTDNA was extracted from leucocytes of 23 Japanese patients with chronic viral hepatitis who received treatment with recombinant interferon‐α2a (IFN‐α2a) and nine healthy controls, as well as eight human cell lines of Caucasian or African origin. A part of the gene encoding IFN‐α2 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and the sequence of nucleotides 1–231 was determined. Interferon‐α2a, ‐α2b and ‐α2c genes were tested for in five clones each from a patient or control, or a cell line, based on adenine or guanine at nucleotide positions 68 and 101. The IFN‐α2b gene was detected in all 160 clones from 23 Japanese patients and nine controls, but the IFN‐α2a or ‐α2c gene was not found in any. Of five cell lines derived from Caucasians, four exhibited only the IFN‐α2b gene, while the remaining one exhibited both IFN‐α2a and ‐α2b genes. Of three cell lines derived from Africans, one each showed only the IFN‐α2b or ‐α2c gene, and the remaining one both IFN‐α2b and ‐α2c genes. The 23 patients with the IFN‐α2b gene and chronic viral hepatitis included 10 who developed antibodies against IFN after treatment with recombinant IFN‐α2a. These results indicated a distinct geographical distribution of the three IFN‐α2 genes, and suggested the use of a recombinant IFN‐α2 preparation in agreement with the IFN‐α2 gene possessed by the recipient to avoid antibody responses.
Mono‐arthritis in a chronic hepatitis B patient after α‐interferon treatment
Authors: CHAN G. C. B. , LEE S. S. , YEOH E. K. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTA 28 year old woman with hepatitis B (HB) related chronic active hepatitis was treated with a 12 week course of α‐interferon (α‐IFN). She developed acute mono‐arthritis 1 week after completion of treatment. Her rheumatoid factor (RF) was positive before α‐IFN and fell steadily during therapy. This was followed by a rebound of RF level with the associated arthritis occurring 1 week after completion of the course of α‐IFN. In absence of any medication RF gradually fell and became negative at the end of 1 year. This observation is thought to be related to the immunomodulatory effect of α‐IFN either directly on RF production or indirectly through the control of hepatitis.
Hepatitis C as the cause of chronic non‐A, non‐B hepatitis: High sensitivity of simultaneous measurement of core and non‐structural antibodies
Authors: LIN R. , YATUHASHI H. , YANO M. , FARRELL G. C. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTFirst generation serologic tests (ELISA‐1) for hepatitis C virus infection measure antibodies directed against a short non‐structural segment of the virus (anti‐c100‐3). A major disadvantage of this test is that it lacks sensitivity in the identification of hepatitis C virus among patients at risk of infection. Thus, only 70–90% of chronic non‐A, non‐B cases are ELISA‐1 positive. The present study set out to determine whether antibodies directed against the core region would be a more sensitive indicator of hepatitis C virus infection in patients with chronic non‐A, non‐B hepatitis. Sera were studied from 97 patients with raised serum alanine aminotransferase levels for more than 6 months in whom other causes of abnormal alanine aminotransferase were excluded. Using ELISA‐1, 85 sera (87%) were anti‐c100‐3 positive. Sera were then tested for presence of antibody directed against Po, a core peptide of a Japanese strain of hepatitis C virus, using an ELISA method. Eighty‐eight sera (91%) were anti‐Po positive. Among the 12 anti‐c100‐3 negative patients, six were anti‐Po positive. A second generation ELISA for anti‐HCV (ELISA‐2) incorporates a different antibody to the core region (c22‐3) in addition to an expanded non‐structural region, c200, which consists of c100‐3 plus c33c. With these tests, all sera but one were positive, including 11 of 12 ELISA‐1 negative and eight of nine anti‐Po negative sera. It is concluded that most patients considered to have chronic non‐A, non‐B hepatitis on exclusion and risk factor criteria have one or more markers of hepatitis C virus infection. Individual antibody tests against core or non‐structural regions appear to have similar sensitivities (85–90%), but the results supplement each other. Thus, the sensitivity of a commercially available second generation ELISA test (which combines one core and two non‐structural antibodies) approached 100% in this study and represents a major advance in the diagnosis of hepatitis C.
Analysis of cost‐effectiveness of different strategies for hepatocellular carcinoma screening in hepatitis B virus carriers
Authors: KANG J. Y. , LEE T. P. , YAP I. , LUN K. C. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTA mathematical model was used to calculate the efficacy of screening to detect hepatocellular carcinoma at a resectable stage in hepatitis B virus carriers. Data relating to tumour incidence, efficacy of screening tests and tumour growth times were obtained from a literature review. Various tests were costed according to charges currently prevailing at the authors’ institution. The cost per early tumour detected is inversely proportional to tumour incidence. It is relatively low for populations with high incidences of hepatocellular carcinoma for example, male carriers over the age of 30. Both the costs and the proportions of early tumour detected increase with increasing frequency of screening. However, the use of ultrasonography at 10 monthly intervals or both ultrasonography and α‐fetoprotein estimation at yearly intervals will detect 90% of tumours early at a cost of S$20 000 (US$11 800) per early tumour detected. The results would be significantly altered if tumour growth times were markedly different from those reported in the literature.
Hypoechoic lesions in the ‘bright liver': A reliable indicator of fatty change. A prospective study
Authors: CATURELLI E. , SQUILLANTE M. M. , ANDRIULLI A. , CEDRONE A. , CELLERINO C. , POMPILI M. , MANOJA E. R. , RAPACCINI G. L. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTThe accuracy of ultrasonographic diagnosis of hypoechoic focal fatty change in the ‘bright liver’ was evaluated in 40 lesions found in 35 patients followed up for a mean period of 37.8 months. Patients with ultrasound and laboratory findings suggesting liver cirrhosis were excluded from the study.All patients underwent a blind liver biopsy in order to verify the diagnosis of diffuse disease suggested by the finding of ‘bright liver'. No guided biopsy was performed on the focal lesions in order to establish the accuracy of ultrasound alone in recognizing focal fatty change.Clinical, haematologic and echographic follow‐up confirmed the diagnosis in all cases. All histological specimens revealed liver steatosis, indicating a 100% sensitivity of ultrasonography in identifying non‐cirrhotic fatty liver with an accompanying focal change.Increased echogenicity and hypoechoic focal changes are reliable indicators of fatty infiltration, making ultrasonography an acceptable, non‐invasive method for the diagnosis of liver steatosis.
Effect of naloxone on the haemodynamics and the outcome of experimental acute pancreatitis in dogs
Authors: SHEN J. , HUANG M. K. , WU F. L. , TANG W. H. , ZAO H. Y. , ZHANG H. , LUO M.D. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTEndogenous opioid peptides may play a role in the genesis of pancreatic damage in acute pancreatitis. The effects of naloxone on the haemodynamic changes in acute pancreatitis were investigated by inducing it in dogs with pancreatic ductal injection of fresh trypsin‐bile mixture. In the control group (n= 8), acute pancreatitis was characterized haemodynamically by falls in the maximum positive and negative dP/dt (dP/dt), cardiac output (CO) and cardiac index (CI), and increases in the pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) as well as an early reduction of pancreatic blood flow (PBF). In another set of eight dogs (naloxone group), naloxone was given intravenously 10 min after the induction of acute pancreatitis (80 μg/kg as a bolus + 80 μg/kg/h for 3 h). Compared with untreated dogs, naloxone significantly increased PBF and the dP/dtmax; prevented the significant decreases in CO and CI and increases in PVR and SVR, and reduced significantly the severity of pancreatitis, as assessed by both the histological staging and the mortality rate. These results suggest that naloxone limits the progression of acute pancreatitis from oedematous to haemorrhagic form. It is proposed that endogenous opioid peptides may play a role in the pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis.
Perforated peptic ulcer in Hong Kong and New South Wales
Authors: LAM S. K. , BYTH K. , NG M. M. T. , HUI W. M. , MCINTOSH J. , PIPER D. W. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTDirect comparisons of ulcer perforation rates and trends between countries have not been made in the past. Data on hospital admissions for perforated peptic ulcer during 1 January 1979 to 31 December 1985 were collected in Hong Kong (5868 perforations) and New South Wales, Australia (1669 perforations). Age and sex specific rates per 100 000 population were calculated. In Hong Kong, annual duodenal ulcer and gastric ulcer perforation rates were 13–16 and under two per 100 000 population respectively. In New South Wales, the corresponding rates were between three and four and under two per 100 000 population, respectively. The male : female ratios for duodenal ulcer perforation were consistently about 5 : 1 in Hong Kong and 2 : 1 in New South Wales, and for gastric ulcer perforation about 2 : 1 and 1 : 1, respectively. The incidence of perforation increased with age, and there was a statistically significant rise, over time, in duodenal but not gastric ulcer perforation rates in persons aged over 60 years in New South Wales; similar trends were seen in Hong Kong. Thus duodenal ulcer perforation occurs five times more commonly in Hong Kong than in New South Wales and this is largely accountable for by the higher rates of duodenal ulcer perforation in Chinese than in Australian males. Such geographical differences can best be explained by the occurrence of multiple aetiological mechanisms in ulcer perforation. Furthermore, there appears to be an increased susceptibility and an appreciable rising trend for duodenal ulcer perforation to occur in the elderly.
Plasma disappearance of homologous and heterologous pancreatic enzymes in dogs
Authors: HAYAKAWA T. , KONDO T. , SHIBATA T. , KITAGAWA M. , NARUSE S. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTHomologous and heterologous (human) pure pancreatic juice was infused into dogs to compare the behaviour of pancreatic enzymes in the circulation. This was achieved by estimating the magnitude of elevation and speed of disappearance of pancreatic enzymes in plasma. The half‐lives of the plasma enzymes did not differ significantly between dogs and humans. However the half‐lives of other enzymes (longest for amylase and shortest for trypsinogen) did differ. The magnitude of elevation expressed as a ratio of peak (5 min) to basal level was greatest for trypsinogen (28 times) and least for amylase (1.4 times). However, 289% and 410% of the initial lipase enzyme activity was recovered 5 min after infusion of dog and human pure pancreatic juice, respectively (44% when measured by immunoreactive human lipase activity). The excess recovery requires re‐evaluation of diagnostic value of turbidimetric activity of plasma pancreatic lipase.
Structural abnormalities of the cricopharyngeus muscle in patients with pharyngeal (Zenker's) diverticulum
Authors: COOK I. J. , BLUMBERGS P. , CASH K. , JAMIESON G. G. , SHEARMAN D. J. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractRecent manometric and radiological studies suggest that the upper oesophageal sphincter has poor compliance in patients with a pharyngeal (Zenker's) diverticulum. To test the hypothesis that this phenomenon is related to structural changes within the cricopharyngeus muscle we examined, histologically, muscle strips from 14 patients with a Zenker's diverticulum and compared them with control tissue obtained at autopsy from 10 non‐dysphagic individuals. The cricopharyngeus muscle from patients and controls differed from inferior constrictor muscle by virtue of type 1 fibre predominance and greater fibre size variability. Ragged red fibres and nemaline bodies are a normal finding in the cricopharyngeus. Marked differences were observed in the cricopharyngeus muscle of Zenker's patients which demonstrated fibro‐adipose tissue replacement and fibre degeneration. It is concluded that these structural changes may account for the observed diminished upper oesophageal sphincter opening and dysphagia in patients with Zenker's diverticulum.
Double‐blind comparison of omeprazole 20 mg om and ranitidine 300 mg NOCTE in duodenal ulcer: A Taiwan multi‐centre study
Authors: WANG C‐Y. , WANG T‐H. , LAI K‐H. , SIAUW C‐P. , CHEN P‐C. , YANG K‐C. , TSAI Y‐T. , SUNG J‐L. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractTwo hundred and twenty‐six patients with endoscopically confirmed duodenal ulcers of ? 5 mm in diameter entered a double‐blind randomized trial comparing 20 mg omeprazole administered once daily in the morning with 300 mg ranitidine administered once daily at night. The patients were assessed endoscopically and symptomatically after 2 weeks, and those whose ulcers had healed terminated the study. Patients with unhealed ulcers continued treatment for a total of 4 weeks. Omeprazole produced significantly higher healing rates than ranitidine at both 2 weeks (57 vs 28%, P < 0.0001) and 4 weeks (93 vs 80%, P= 0.006). Similarly, significantly higher ‘effective healing rates’ (defined on the criteria established by the Japanese Society of Digestive Endoscopy) were observed with omeprazole compared with ranitidine at 2 and 4 weeks. After 2 weeks, there were significantly fewer reports of both day‐time and night‐time epigastric pain by omeprazole‐treated patients compared with ranitidine‐treated patients (22 vs 44%, P < 0.0001 for day‐time pain; 24 vs 35%, P= 0.025 for night‐time pain). Both drugs were well‐tolerated and no major adverse effects were recorded during either treatment. In conclusion, 20 mg omeprazole administered once daily was superior to 300 mg ranitidine administered once daily for duodenal ulcer healing and symptom relief.