Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency PI*Z and PI*S Gene Frequency Distribution Using on Maps of the World by an Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) Multivariate Interpolation Method.

Background: Currently, there is a remarkable lack of genetic epidemiological studies on alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency in about half of the 193 countries of the World. This fact impedes the establishment of a true prevalence pattern of this deleterious hereditary disorder in extensive regions of human population. 2.

Didanosine (ddI) associates with increased liver fibrosis in adult HIV-HCV coinfected patients.

The role of exposure to antiretrovirals (ARV) and serum matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) on liver fibrosis (LF) progression in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) mono or HIV- hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection is unclear. Thus, 213 Caucasian adult HIV-infected patients were studied, 111 of whom had HCV-coinfection and 68 were HCV-monoinfected. Patients with ethanol consumption >50 g/day, hepatitis B coinfection, non-infective liver diseases or HAART adherence <75% were excluded.

Abnormal overexpression of mastocytes in skin biopsies of fibromyalgia patients.

Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded skin tissue sections were collected from a matched cohort of 63 fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients and 49 volunteers from the general population with both alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) normal and deficiency variants. These tissues were examined for the expression of the broad-spectrum inhibitor AAT, the serine proteinases elastase and tryptase, the proinflammatory cytokines MCP-1 and TNFα, the endothelium biomarker VEGF, and the inflammation/nociception-related receptor PAR(2). The most relevant finding of the study was a significantly increased number of mast cells (MCs) in the papillary dermis of all FMS patients (greater than or equal to five to 14 per microscopic high power field) compared to zero to one in controls (p < 0.

Low plasma levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency-related fibromyalgia.

Abnormalities in blood inflammatory markers have been associated with clinical manifestations and the pathogenesis of the fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS); a relationship between inherited alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) and FMS has also been recently raised. In this study, plasma levels of inflammatory markers in FMS patients with and without AATD have been investigated. Blood samples from 138 age-matched females (79 FMS) and 59 general population (GP), with normal MM [n = 82 (59.

[Iridoschisis associated to congenital syphilis: serological confirmation at the 80's].

Clinical Case: Female in her eighties is admitted suffering from unilateral ocular pain. On examination we observed, as well as corneal abrasion, a bilateral iridoschisis with a frayed iris, unfolded between its stromal layers.

Discussion: This rare case is related either to senile degenerative change or to angle-closure glaucoma.

Long-term augmentation therapy with alpha-1 antitrypsin in an MZ-AAT severe persistent asthma.

A young Caucasian female with severe bronchial asthma and Alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency, MZ phenotype, experienced a quick and severe limitation of her physical capacity, which negatively affected her psychological state and social life, though she was under a strong antiasthmatic treatment. Given her declining health status and the significant chronic corticoid administration-related side-effects (including high reduction of muscle mass and bone density), a clinical trial with commercial intravenous AAT was proposed by the patient's doctors, and accepted by the Spanish Ministry of Health, although it this therapy was not approved for MZ phenotypes yet. This new therapy quickly stopped lung function decline rate, dramatically reduced the number of hospital admissions of the patient, suppressed the oral administration of prednisone, reversed the corticosteroid-related health adverse effects, significantly improving her quality of life.

[Antiphospholipid antibodies in human immunodeficiency virus infection].

Background: The frequency, clinical significance and prognosis of the lupic anticoagulant and the anticardiolipin antibodies were analyzed in patients with the human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Methods: A group of 34 consecutive patients seropositive to HIV with lupic anticoagulant was studied in relation with 75 seropositive subjects without circulating anticoagulant and a control group of plasma of 23 seronegative individuals. The lengthening of thromboplastin time (relation > 1.

[Replication indexes of the human immunodeficiency virus: predictive value of viral culture and blood antigens].

Background: To investigate the relation between markers of load and replication of the HIV [viral culture in plasma and in mononuclear cells of peripheral blood (MCPB) and antigen p24 (p24Ag) with the number of CD4+ cells and the prognosis of the patients.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed in 188 patients who were analyzed and followed over a mean period of 431 days. The criteria of clinical progression (AIDS related complex, and new opportunistic infections), immunologic progression (CD4+ < 0.

[Generalized lymphadenopathy with morphologic findings of multicentric angiofollicular ganglionic hyperplasia in a patient with AIDS].

We report a case of a 33-year-old man, intravenous drugs abuser, HIV-positive, with peripheral lymphadenopathy, hepato-splenomegaly and fever, in which a ganglionic biopsy showed a histology with morphologic features of multicentric Castleman's-like disease, and minute foci of Kaposi's sarcoma ganglion, without cutaneous lesions. Given the interrelationships between this morphology of angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia, the development of Kaposi's Sarcoma, and the aggressive clinical course seen in our patient and those in the literature, the use of lymph node biopsy may be an important prognostic tool for the patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

[Serology of the human immunodeficiency virus in saliva].

Background: The presence of immunoglobulins in saliva has allowed it to be proven that they are specific against certain antigens. Antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been observed in saliva. The aim of this study was to evaluate the detection of the same by commercial enzymoinmmunoassay (EIA) and standardize the technique.

[Tuberculosis and HIV infection. Evaluation of 132 cases].

Tuberculosis is currently one the more frequent opportunistic infections in patients infected by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in our setting. Its extrapulmonary localization is considered as diagnostic of the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). We have evaluated the epidemiological, clinical, microbiological, histological and immunological characteristics of 120 patients in the Asturias region who had a tuberculosis diagnosed in any localization, during the period between 1984 and 1991, belonging to a series of 570 patients infected by HIV.

Comparative study of community versus hospital-acquired Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia.

Objectives: We prospectively investigated 274 consecutive Staphylococcus aureus septicaemias in adult patients between January 1983 and December 1989 to evaluate outcome in hospital acquired and community acquired episodes.

Methods: Epidemiologic, clinical, laboratory and therapeutic parameters were analyzed with univariate and multivariate statistical tests.

Results And Conclusions: Ninety episodes of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia were acquired in the community and 184 in hospital.

[The prevalence of HCV antibodies in 3 groups with distinct patterns of sexual activity].

We studied the prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) among 164 heterosexual partners of anti-HCV-positive subjects, 131 prostitutes and 52 homosexual men. 6.7% of heterosexual monogamous partners had anti-HCV; the seropositivity rate was associated with a long-term sexual practice and with age.

[Necrotic leukoencephalitis, a new infrequent form of presentation of HIV encephalopathy].

A case of a female infected by HIV whose first manifestation was a focal defect of the motor function caused by a brain lesion shown in the CT scan and NMR as a hemispheric mass with discreet expansive effect and central necrosis. The histologic study showed a necrotic leukoencephalitis related to HIV as etiologic agent. We point out the difficulties in diagnosing and treating this disease.

[Simultaneous acute infection with human immunodeficiency virus and cytomegalovirus].

2 cases of simultaneous acute infection caused by HIV and CV that showed clinical features of infectious mononucleosis with spontaneous resolution and good evolution is presented. After 12 months following them up, both are symptom free carriers of HIV and without clinical features of CV infection. These cases had a good evolution, which is contrary to what is described in other medical literature.