Storage artifact increases helper T lymphocytes and helper-to-suppressor T lymphocyte ratio to normal levels in a patient with acquired immune deficiency related complex.

An increase in both the helper/suppressor T lymphocyte ratio and the absolute number of helper T lymphocytes from subnormal to normal values was observed on overnight storage of a lymphocyte preparation from a patient with acquired immune deficiency related complex. Storage of lymphocyte preparations did not significantly alter the helper/suppressor ratio for four additional patients with acquired immune deficiency related complex but produced increases for one patient with Crohn's disease and two patients with sickle cell disease. Overnight storage of heparinized blood at room temperature did not alter the helper/suppressor ratio for one healthy volunteer and one patient with acquired immune deficiency related complex but produced increases for one patient with Crohn's disease and one patient with acute infectious mononucleosis, resulting in a change from a subnormal to a normal value in the latter patient.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Two patients with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and infectious esophagitis developed squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. The clinical, radiographic, and endoscopic presentations in both cases were atypical. One patient developed a focal flat lesion that imitated segmental esophagitis, and the other patient developed a superficially spreading carcinoma that mimicked diffuse esophagitis.

Problems in the colonoscopic localization of tumors: continued value of the barium enema.

Six patients in whom errors of diagnosis and therapy occurred because of reliance on colonoscopic tumor localization are presented. Three of the patients required a second laparotomy for surgical resection of a tumor that was missed at the first exploration. While endoscopy is regarded as the diagnostic gold standard, there are problems in its use for colonoscopic localization.