Altered skin microcirculation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Although microvasculitis is one of the more common manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus, there is no data on the hemodynamics of the skin microcirculation in such patients. The combination of dynamic capillaroscopy measuring capillary blood cell velocity (CBV) and laser Doppler fluxmetry (LDF) was used to simultaneously evaluate the nutritional and the total skin microcirculation in the fingers of 24 consecutive patients with SLE, using normal matched subjects as controls. The nutritional skin flow, as assessed by the CBV, was significantly impaired in patients, as compared with controls, both at rest (p = 0.

Renal biopsy findings and followup of renal function in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with cyclosporin A. An update from the International Kidney Biopsy Registry.

Objective: To review data from the International Kidney Biopsy Registry, which describes the occurrence of cyclosporin A (CSA)-induced nephropathy, and to discuss the potential risk factors for its development.

Methods: The report examines data on a total of 60 first and 14 second renal biopsies performed in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with CSA for up to 87 months.

Results: Five of the 60 patients with RA included in the Biopsy Registry had findings consistent with CSA-induced nephropathy at first biopsy.

Polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia in a case of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: the result of IL-2 production by the proliferating monoclonal B cells?

SEQ DATA who developed polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia: 38.3 milligrams polyclonal IgG, 0.97 milligram IgA and 0.

Association of anticardiolipin antibodies and abnormal nailfold capillaroscopy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) are found in about 40-50% of patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and their presence carries an increased risk of thromboembolism. Since there is a high prevalence of nailfold capillary abnormalities in patients with SLE, we studied the relationship between aCL and skin microcirculatory changes or vascular symptoms in 51 consecutive patients with SLE (49 women, 2 men, 34.8 +/- 13.

[Cyclosporin in autoimmune diseases].

At a symposium held in Zurich in November 1993, a series of presentations covered the optimal use of cyclosporin A (CsA) in autoimmune diseases. Besides its immunosuppressive effects in organ transplantation, CsA appears to be active in a variety of autoimmune disorders. Its most pronounced and beneficial clinical effects are seen in patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis.

De novo initiation codon mutation (ATG-->ACG) of the beta-globin gene causing beta-thalassemia in a Swiss family.

Investigation of microcytic anemia with normal ferrous status in two members (father and daughter) of a Swiss family originating from Bern revealed high levels of HbA2 (4%, 7.3%) and HbF (3.2%, 3.

Recombinant human erythropoietin as adjuvant treatment for autologous blood donation. A prospective study.

In a prospective randomized study we investigated the potential of subcutaneous recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEpo) as adjuvant treatment for autologous blood transfusions (3 units) in elective surgery. Four and 2 weeks before surgery, 49 patients received 6 x 10,000 U of rhEpo. delta Hb values (days -28 and 0) of the rhEpo group were compared to delta Hb values of 52 controls (no rhEpo).

Trisomy 8 detection in granulomonocytic, erythrocytic and megakaryocytic lineages by chromosomal in situ suppression hybridization in a case of refractory anaemia with ringed sideroblasts complicating the course of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria.

Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) was diagnosed in a 20-year-old male patient who suffered from anaemia since the age of 11. Eighteen years after diagnosis, PNH transformed into refractory anaemia with ringed sideroblasts (RARS). Trisomy 8 was observed in 27%, 45% and 53% of the bone marrow metaphase cells analysed in 1987, 1988 and 1990 respectively.

Frequencies of HIV-reactive B cells in seropositive and seronegative individuals.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from HIV-infected seropositive (HIV+) but not from normal, seronegative (HIV-) individuals are known to produce anti-HIV antibodies in vitro, in the absence or presence of pokeweed mitogen (PWM). Previous studies showed that up to 20-40% of spontaneously immunoglobulin-secreting B cells from HIV+ individuals are HIV-specific. To analyse the frequency of anti-HIV B cells among 'total' peripheral blood B cells in the present study, we used a limiting dilution assay in which EL-4 thymoma cells induce clones of immunoglobulin-secreting cells in activated as well as resting B cells.

Prenatal diagnosis of thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies in Switzerland.

During a 10-month period, 10 couples originating from Africa (3), the tropics (1) and the thalassemia-belt region (6), living in Switzerland, requested prenatal diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies. Hb SS (twice), Hb Bart's (Hydrops fetalis) and beta-thalassemia major were diagnosed either by gene mapping or by direct detection of the mutations in DNA amplified by the PCR procedure. Whenever it was possible to obtain fetal blood or tissue, diagnosis was confirmed.

Cutaneous malignant melanomas occurring under cyclosporin A therapy: a report of two cases.

Two patients are reported with cutaneous malignant melanoma who had been on treatment with cyclosporin A. The first case was a 44-year-old man with systemic sclerosis and the second a 52-year-old woman who had a renal transplant. In both cases cyclosporin A was administered with a low dose of prednisone.

Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis or Kikuchi's disease. Anatomo-clinical study of 4 cases.

Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadentis (HNL) is an uncommon clinical and histologic entity, essentially diagnosed in Japan since 1972. The clinical picture is usually characterized by cervical lymphadenopathy and fever, females being more often affected. Leukopenia and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate are frequent.

[Role of T lymphocytes in systemic lupus erythematosus].

In very active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) are increased, indicating activation of T lymphocytes in the organism. The peripheral blood, however, contains T cells with a strongly reduced functional capacity, which results from a post-activation/refractory state; this hypofunction is reversible. Thus, the activity of the T lymphocytes in the circulating pool is the "mirror image" of the activity of these cells at the level of the whole organism.

[Screening for alpha-thalassemia using DNA analysis].

alpha-thalassemia was sought by gene mapping in 258 subjects selected on the basis of origin (25%), microcytosis (7%), or origin and microcytosis combined (64%). Abnormal fragments (Xba I/probe alpha) were found in 58 cases (22.5%).