Migrating venous thrombosis in acute leukemia.

We present a 55-year-old man with acute migrating thrombophlebitis and deep vein thrombosis of muscle veins in both calves indicating occurrence of acute myelomonocytic leukemia. Thrombosis of superficial and deep veins of the lower limbs arose in spite of the adequate anticoagulation therapy with warfarin.

[Reminiscences on the occasion of the Whipple's disease centenary: a summary paper].

The disease referred to eponymically as Whipple's disease (WD) in medical literature was thoroughly described by the American physician and pathologist George Hoyot Whipple (1878-1976) in 1907 and given a temporary denomination of "intestinal lipodystrophy". According to literature, WD is rare, but its precise incidence has not yet been established. Familial incidence of the disease is acknowledged, and its immunogenetic pathogenesis is assumed.

[Characteristics of still unknown hepatotropic viruses and a clinical picture of the disease].

So far seven hepatotropic viruses were identified. They are described by letters A,B,C,D,E, G and TTV. The virus of hepatitis F is so far speculative.

[Can we foresee the end of the alphabet in viral hepatitis?].

There is a number of viruses which may cause acute or chronic liver damage. Only some of them belong into the group of hepatotropic viruses and only the latter are the cause of acute or chronic viral hepatitis. So far we know seven hepatotropic viruses.

Apoptosis-related proteins, BCL-2, BAX, FAS, FAS-L and PCNA in liver biopsies of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

While the elimination of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a common phenomenon at the end of the acute phase of disease, the persistence of HBV is characteristic for chronic hepatitis (CHB). Recent evidence indicates that the elimination of HBV is achieved by FAS/FAS-L induced apoptosis of infected hepatocytes. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that HBV persistence in the hepatocytes of CHB patients is due to the delayed onset of apoptosis caused by altered FAS/FAS-L interactions between lymphocytes and hepatocytes.

[Hodgkin's disease with epithelioid granulomatous reaction].

Hodgkin's disease with a conspicuous presence of epithelioid-histiocytic elements was described as a particular subvariant of mixed type Hodgkin's disease. The authors presented four new cases. An additional increase of Langerhan's and interdigitating cells was observed in two cases, sarcoidosis-like granulomas with epithelioid and big multinucleated cells in the third.

High dose chlorambucil versus Binet's modified cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone regimen in the treatment of patients with advanced B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Results of an international multicenter randomized trial. International Society for Chemo-Immunotherapy, Vienna.

Background: In recent years, much attention has been paid to the possible efficacy of intensive chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced, progressive B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients. For this reason, the International Society for Chemo-Immunotherapy, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cooperative Group, has begun a randomized multicenter trial comparing Binet's modified cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) regimen with continuous high dose chlorambucil (HD-CLB).

Methods: During the period January 1987 to May 1993, 228 previously untreated CLL patients from 7 cooperative institutions were randomized to this trial.

[Malignant lymphoma with epithelioid cells].

Authors studied a group of 6 cases of malignant lymphomas with epithelioid cells. Their additional common features were a variegated cell population, big admixture of T lymphocytes and rare elements reminding of Reed-Sternberg cells. The seventh case serving as a standard was Hodgkin's disease with a high content of epithelioid cells.

Immunohistochemical study of the expression of BCL-2, PCNA and P53 proteins in the patients with hepatitis B. The pilot study.

In HBV related hepatitis it is generally accepted that the liver injury is mediated by an immune response to the virus, since HBV is not directly cytopathic. The first step in cytotoxic T lymphocyte mediated immune reaction in HBV infected mice is the induction of apoptosis. The role of BCL-2, p53 and PCNA (as the main regulators of cell cycle homeostasis) in this process has not been studied.

Fulminant hepatitis caused by a hepatitis B virus infection in the patients with haematologic malignancies. Report of 5 cases.

We describe 5 cases of fulminant hepatitis caused by the HBV infection in patients with haematological diseases, mostly malignancies (ALL, lymphoma, aplastic anemia, AML) following intensive chemotherapy. Infection was confirmed by serological examination (HBsAg positivity) and by electron microscopy (viral particles). After termination of chemotherapy fulminant hepatitis developed with hepatic failure and very high levels of AST and ALT.

C-ANCA and p-ANCA in patients with Crohn's disease.

In 32 patients suffering from various stages of activity of Crohn's disease, c-ANCA and p-ANCA in serum were examined. Altogether, 54 blood samples were examined. In 21 patients of 32, i.

The level of neopterin in blood serum as one of the possible prognostic markers of Crohn's disease activity.

Neopterine is considered to be one of the markers of immunity system activity. An increased level of this pteridine derivate is determined in blood or urine in infections, transplant rejections, and in other conditions accompanied by changes in the immunity system. Monitoring its level in various body liquids can be important when assessing the immunity system condition, nevertheless, its non-specificity causes difficulties when interpreting the results.

[New findings on the classification, diagnosis and therapy of primary gastrointestinal lymphomas].

Based on available recent data from the literature the authors review recent findings pertaining to the etiopathogenesis, immunology, clinical manifestations and treatment of primary gastrointestinal lymphomas. From the pathogenetic aspect in particular the close association with infections and immune disorders in various portions of the gastrointestinal tract is important. In their review the authors draw attention to new aspects of the histological and immunological classification of these tumors, in particular as far as definition of lymphomas of the MALT-system is concerned.

[Anti-HCV positivity in blood donors].

At the blood transfusion department of the Faculty Hospital in Olomouc in 1992 and 1993 18,293 blood donors were examined and in 70, i.e. 0.

Granulomatous vasculitis of Churg-Strauss type in a patient with diabetes insipidus.

The CHSS was first described as an allergic granulomatosis and angiitis. This syndrome is characterized by pulmonary and systemic vasculitis, extravascular granulomas and eosinophilia which occur in patients with bronchial asthma and allergy. The CHSS in limited form may be present in an isolated organ or tissue.

Axillary venous thrombosis (Paget-Schroetter syndrome): possible therapy by low-molecular weight heparin.

The authors report on a patient with spontaneous thrombosis of the right axillary vein (Paget-Schroetter syndrome). The treatment with low-molecular weight heparin was successful and no complications were observed.

[Asymptomatic HBs antigenemia in pregnant women].

The authors have dispensarized for more than ten years HBsAg carriers at the Second Medical Clinic of the Olomouc Faculty Hospital when antigenaemia was detected during blood donorship. Since 1990 the authors dispensarize also women where HBs antigenaemia was revealed during pregnancy. In the presented paper the authors analyze this group of women.

Secondary Hodgkin's disease in polymyositis and type 1 diabetes mellitus after a long-term immunosuppressive treatment.

Immunological disorders can play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of malignant lymphogranuloma. The authors demonstrate a patient with autoimmune polymorbidity (polymyositis and type 1 diabetes mellitus) which underwent a long-term immunosuppressive and cytostatic therapy. After 7 years of that treatment, Hodgkin's disease of mixed cellularity type developed.

Immunohistochemical determination of some tumour markers (blood group antigens A, B, H, T-antigen, CEA) in colonic and rectal tissue after endoscopic polypectomy.

The expression of blood group antigens A, B, H, T-antigen and CEA was determined in tissue samples of polyps of the rectosigmoideum removed by endoscopic polypectomy. On average 39 months later, during colonoscopic examination bioptic samples were removed at the site of previous polypectomy and the expression of the same tumour markers as previously was determined. In contrast to literary data, the cellular expression of blood group antigens was demonstrated only in one case out of seven adenomas of the rectosigmoideum.

Bleeding to the adrenal gland as a terminal manifestation of acute leukaemia.

The authors refer about an unusual localization of haemorrhage to the adrenal glands, observed in two patients with acute leukaemia similar to the picture of Waterhouse-Friderichsen's syndrome. This complication causing serious and dramatic effects should be taken into differential diagnostic consideration. Literature data and own results are given in order to review the general characteristics of bleeding in acute leukaemia.

The features of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy.

Features of 10 patients with hypertrophic osteoarthropathy are described. Seven patients suffered from lung disease. Joint symptoms preceded the symptoms of primary disease in four cases.

Malignant lymphoma involving the heart.

In a group of 116 patients with different types of malignant lymphoma, the frequency, type and clinical manifestations of heart involvement are evaluated. A case of primary cardiac lymphoma is demonstrated. Along with this, clinical and pathological findings in 15 further subjects with secondary lymphomatous infiltration of the heart are discussed; attention is being paid also to indirect factors causing cardiovascular damage, including radio- and chemotherapy.

L-asparaginase--a reassessment.

The authors review some historical data connected with the discovery of the enzyme l-asparaginase and then summarize the basic informations concerning the mechanism of action, clinical application, toxicity and future prospectives of this substance. From the clinical viewpoint, a broader use of l-asparaginase prepared from Erwinia carotovora instead of Escherichia coli seems to be warranted.

Balloon cell melanoma of the skin. Part II: An electron-microscopic study.

Electron microscopy of an oligomelanotic balloon cell melanoma confirmed the considerable presence of lipid vacuoles in the cytoplasm of the tumours cells. There was also a marked finding of glycogen. The tumour consisted of little cohesive cells only with sporadic specialized intercellular junctions of the desmosome or hemidesmosome type.