Increased whole blood chemiluminescence in patients with Shwachman syndrome: therapy trial with thiamine and alpha-tocopherol.

Neutrophils purified from peripheral blood of patients with the Shwachman syndrome show enhanced chemiluminescence (CL) and depressed chemotaxis. Here we present data showing that the increased CL response can be demonstrated by using a whole blood CL assay. This assay is well-suited for studies in infants, because the blood sample volumes needed are small.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of three-month treatment with lymecycline in reactive arthritis, with special reference to Chlamydia arthritis.

We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study of 3-month treatment with lymecycline, a form of tetracycline, in reactive arthritis (ReA). Lymecycline therapy significantly decreased the duration of the illness in patients with Chlamydia trachomatis-triggered ReA, but not in other ReA patients. In 2 ReA patients, C trachomatis was found in the throat, an uncommon locale for this organism.

Phagocyte function in familial hypercholesterolaemia: peripheral blood monocytes exposed to lipopolysaccharide show increased tumour necrosis factor production.

We studied functions of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) and monocytes from peripheral blood of subjects with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). FH monocytes exposed to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in 10% human AB serum generated tumour necrosis factor (TNF) significantly more than did control monocytes. After lowering of serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels by drug treatment, FH monocytes exposed to LPS in the absence of exogenous lipoproteins generated significantly more TNF than did control monocytes.

Generalized peripheral iris transluminance in the pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

Generalized peripheral iris transluminance was investigated in 212 eyes with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXS) with or without coexisting glaucoma and in 100 control eyes by the use of a diascleral transilluminator tip. All eyes were blue or blue-gray. Abnormal transluminance was found in 45% of the PXS group and in 18% of the control group (P less than 0.

Chemotaxis and chemiluminescence responses of synovial fluid polymorphonuclear leucocytes during acute reactive arthritis.

The chemotaxis and chemiluminescence responses of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) of synovial fluid and peripheral blood from patients with acute reactive arthritis were studied. Rates of chemotactic and chemokinetic migration of synovial fluid PMN were significantly decreased. In addition, chemiluminescence responses tended to be depressed, suggesting that the cells were deactivated for both chemotaxis and production of oxygen derived free radicals.

Whole blood luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence: statistical analysis of the responses of different subjects.

Whole blood luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence (CL) was studied using N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) or opsonized zymosan particles as stimuli. The peak and the integral responses of CL were recorded. In the FMLP-induced CL the initial activation (1-minute values) was also studied, because it coincides with the extracellular production of oxy radicals.

Distribution of trace levels of therapeutic gallium in bone as mapped by synchrotron x-ray microscopy.

Gallium nitrate, a drug that inhibits calcium release from bone, has been proven a safe and effective treatment for the accelerated bone resorption associated with cancer. Though bone is a target organ for gallium, the kinetics, sites, and effects of gallium accumulation in bone are not known. We have used synchrotron x-ray microscopy to map the distribution of trace levels of gallium in bone.

Phagocyte function in juvenile periodontitis.

We studied the chemotaxis of peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and monocytes and the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha by monocytes of patients with juvenile periodontitis (JP). As a group, the patients' PMNs showed significantly increased chemotaxis determined by counting the number of migrating cells within a 3-microns-pore-size filter. Determined as distance of migration within the filter, as chemotactic increment based on checkerboard analysis, as leukotactic index calculated on the basis of distance of migration and cell count at different depths within a 3-microns-pore-size filter, as distance of migration under agarose, and as the number of PMNs migrating across a 5-microns-pore-size filter, the chemotactic migration rates of PMNs of patients were similar to those of controls.

Enhanced inflammatory reactivity in the pathogenesis of spondyloarthropathies.

Pathogenesis of seronegative spondyloarthropathies such as ankylosing spondylitis and reactive arthritis is not known. Growing evidence indicates that microbial structures such as Chlamydia antigen and Yersinia antigen are present in the inflamed joints of patients with reactive arthritis. Microbial antigens can activate the host's inflammatory mechanisms.

Luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence of whole blood. Statistical analysis, and comparison of the responses of different subjects.

We studied the effects of different variables on luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence (CL) of whole blood, induced by N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP), opsonized zymosan particles (OZP), or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Use of correction factor based on blood neutrophil count and hemoglobin concentration decreased interindividual variation and improved normality of the frequency distributions of CL responses. In FMLP- and PBS-induced CL, day-to-day variation was not significant, but it was significant in OZP-induced CL.

Diagnosis of falciparum malaria delayed by long incubation period and misleading presenting symptoms: life-saving role of manual leucocyte differential count.

In countries where malaria is not endemic the diagnosis of the disease is often delayed or overlooked, particularly if the clinical symptoms are atypical and if automated cell analyzers are used instead of blood films for leucocyte differential counts. We report 2 cases of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria with unusual clinical features: a 46-year-old man with an exceptionally long incubation period and a 22-year-old woman with presenting symptoms suggesting viral hepatitis. In both cases the diagnosis of malaria was unexpectedly made by observant laboratory technicians examining stained blood films for differential counts.

Chronic osteomyelitislike disease with negative bacterial cultures.

During a seven-year period we observed 14 children who had chronic osteomyelitislike disease. The bacterial cultures from the bone lesions were negative. In eight patients the findings were compatible with chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO), in four the findings were compatible with chronic sclerosing osteomyelitis of Garré, and two had osteomyelitis of the clavicle.

Effect of gallium on bone mineral properties.

Gallium nitrate is biologically active in blocking bone resorption in vitro as well as in vivo. Administration of gallium nitrate to growing rats results in a dose-dependent accumulation of low levels of gallium in bone that is associated with specific changes in the mineral properties of bone. To elucidate in greater detail the changes induced by gallium, the properties of whole and density-fractionated bone samples from control and gallium-treated rats were examined.

Neutrophil migration in vivo and in vitro in healthy neutropenic subjects.

Migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was studied in six healthy subjects with neutropenia (peripheral blood neutrophil count less than or equal to 1.5 X 10(9)/1). Determined as migration differentials, chemotactic and chemokinetic responsiveness tended to be higher in the neutropenic group.

Elevated levels of circulating cachectin/tumor necrosis factor in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Purpose: In order to evaluate the relationship between cachectin/tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and cachexia in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), we studied the serum levels of endogenous cachectin/TNF in subjects with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

Patients And Methods: Fifty-three serum samples were obtained from 39 HIV-seropositive patients. The condition of each patient was clinically classified as either asymptomatic, lymphadenopathy syndrome (LAS), AIDS-related complex (ARC), or AIDS.

Reactive arthritis associated with Shigella sonnei infection.

Several studies have failed to show an association between Shigella sonnei dysentery and reactive arthritis. We describe 3 patients who had reactive arthritis and a recent or concurrent S sonnei infection. To our knowledge, this is only the second study to suggest this association.

Effects of HLA-B27 positive and negative sera on migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in vitro.

Sera from both HLA-B27 positive patients with previous yersinia arthritis and healthy HLA-B27 positive subjects have been reported to stimulate chemokinetic migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) more than sera from subjects who are HLA-B27 negative. To study this further we tested chemotactic and chemokinetic activities of sera of 213 consecutive blood donors (27 positive for HLA-B27, 12.7%) and those of 55 children (mean age 20 months, range 6-137 months, 8 positive for HLA-B27, 14.

Production of tumour necrosis factor and interleukin 1 by monocytes of patients with previous Yersinia arthritis.

We studied production of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 1 (IL-1) by using purified peripheral blood monocytes of patients with previous yersinia arthritis (YA) and of healthy HLA-B27 positive and negative controls. Lipopolysaccharide-exposed cells of HLA-B27 positive and negative patients, and those of HLA-B27 positive controls, generated significantly more TNF than did HLA-B27 negative control cells. There was a positive correlation between the levels of TNF and IL-1.

Polymorphonuclear leucocyte function and previous yersinia arthritis: correlation of enhanced superoxide production with late manifestations.

Polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMN) functions (migration in vitro, chemiluminescence, O-2 production, and aggregation) were studied in 32 patients with previous yersinia arthritis (YA). PMNs of 11 HLA-B27 positive patients who had chronic or recurrent inflammatory symptoms showed O-2 production significantly higher than that of PMNs of 11 HLA-B27 positive patients without late manifestations. Also, PMNs of both HLA-B27 positive and negative patients tended to show chemotactic and chemokinetic migration rates higher than those of control cells of healthy HLA-B27 negative subjects.