Changes in membrane constituents and chemiluminescence in vitamin E-deficient red blood cells induced by the xanthine oxidase reaction.

The oxidation of vitamin E-deficient rat red blood cells (RBCs) induced by the hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase (HX-XOD) system has been performed in an aqueous suspension. The generation of chemiluminescence and the accumulation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were observed initially and were followed by hemolysis. Interestingly, the total counts of chemiluminescence were closely related to the amount of TBARS.

Development of spontaneous hypothyroidism in patients with Graves' disease treated with antithyroidal drugs: clinical, immunological, and histological findings in 26 patients.

Graves' disease may result eventually in hypothyroidism in approximately 5-20% of patients. In a few such patients hypothyroidism was associated with TSH-blocking antibodies, but whether the frequency of TSH-blocking antibodies in such patients is as high as it is (21%) in patients with primary myxedema is not known. This study was undertaken to determine the presence of various immunoglobulins [TSH binding inhibitor immunoglobulins, thyroid-stimulating antibodies (TSAb), and TSH-blocking antibodies] in 26 patients with Graves' disease who developed hypothyroidism from 0.

Role of thyrotropin receptor antibodies in the development of hyperthyroidism: follow-up studies on nine patients with Graves' disease.

TSH binding inhibitor immunoglobulin (TBII) and thyroid-stimulating antibody (TSAb) activities were measured serially for 4-32 months in nine patients before and during development of hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease. Initially, all were euthyroid, seven had thyroid enlargement, one had proptosis, and seven had high serum titers of antithyroid microsomal antibodies. The occurrence of hyperthyroidism was preceded by detection of both TBII and TSAb in four patients and detection of TSAb alone in four patients.

Malignant lymphoma of the thyroid and Epstein-Barr virus.

We have investigated the specific immune response to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with malignant lymphoma of the thyroid. Coculture of PBMC and EBV resulted in EBV cell transformation and regression which was assayed by an EBV-induced B cell focus-regression assay technique. The EBV had been isolated from mouthwash samples.

The significance of antithyroglobulin and antithyroidal microsomal antibodies in patients with hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease treated with antithyroidal drugs.

The presence of serum antithyroglobulin (TGHA) and antithyroidal microsomal (MCHA) antibodies in Graves' disease patients is associated with lymphocytic infiltration of the thyroid. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical significance of TGHA and MCHA during and after treatment of hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease. One hundred and seventeen such patients were treated for 2 yr with methimazole and then followed for an additional year or more (mean, 30 months).

Impaired glucagon secretion to insulin-induced hypoglycemia in anorexia nervosa.

In order to clarify the role played by pancreatic alpha-cell dysfunction in the impaired glucose recovery from hypoglycemia in patients with anorexia nervosa, the response of pancreatic alpha-cells to insulin-induced hypoglycemia was investigated in 16 patients with anorexia nervosa before and after treatment. The results were compared with those obtained after loading with arginine. Before treatment, despite comparable falls in plasma glucose levels, glucagon secretion was significantly reduced in the anorectic patients compared with control subjects.

Methimazole-induced agranulocytosis in Japanese patients with Graves' disease.

We reviewed the records of approximately 7000 Japanese patients whose hyperthyroidism was treated with methimazole (MMI) alone. Four patients (Group I) developed agranulocytosis during a second course of MMI therapy and eight patients (Group II) during an initial course. Six patients (three in each group) received less than 30 mg MMI daily.

Alpha-tocopherol and fatty acid levels in red blood cells in patients treated with antiepileptic drugs.

Red blood cell (RBC) alpha-tocopherol and fatty acid levels in children undergoing long-term antiepileptic therapy were examined. Antiepileptic drugs included diphenylhydantoin (PHT), valproic acid (VPA), phenobarbital (PB), and carbamazepine (CBZ). RBC alpha-tocopherol levels were low in patients receiving multi-drug combination therapy, as compared with children receiving no treatment (controls), but plasma alpha-tocopherol levels were the same in both groups.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme and anorexia nervosa.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity was measured in 10 patients with anorexia nervosa, 6 with hyperthyroid Graves' disease, and 7 with primary hypothyroidism. Patients with anorexia nervosa had a low serum ACE activity (9.8 +/- 2.

Anorexia nervosa with elevated serum TSH.

Low or normal serum TSH concentration is common during fasting and in patients with anorexia nervosa. We report here four patients with anorexia nervosa who had elevated serum TSH, low T3 and low free T4 levels when the initial diagnosis was made. Also, an appearance of TSH peak in response to TRH was delayed, but T3 responsiveness to TRH was normal.

Pancreatic abnormalities in patients with eating disorders.

In patients with eating disorders, we evaluated pancreatic abnormalities using serum elastase 1 measurement by RIA and the 50 g oral glucose tolerance test (50 g OGTT). Twenty-one patients had anorexia nervosa (AN) with bulimia and vomiting (AN-B group), 30 had AN without bulimia or vomiting (AN-R group), and 25 had bulimia with normal body weight (B group). The serum elastase 1 level was determined on admission and repeated after body weight gain in 43 anorectic patients.

Human atrial natriuretic polypeptide in plasma of patients with anorexia nervosa.

To examine the effects of chronic dehydration and starvation on plasma levels of human atrial natriuretic polypeptide (hANP) in human subjects, the basal level and saline-induced rise of plasma hANP in 7 patients with anorexia nervosa were compared with those in age-matched healthy subjects. The unstimulated level of plasma hANP was markedly high in the patients with anorexia nervosa (patients vs. control; 55.

Theoretical analysis of a site-specific chemiluminescence reaction and its application to quantitation of lipid hydroperoxides.

A system was designed for chemiluminescent measurement of lipid hydroperoxides by their site-specific reaction in sodium dodecylsulfate micelles. Ferrous ion-induced decomposition of lipid hydroperoxides in the sodium dodecylsulfate micelles resulted in strong chemiluminescence of the Cypridina luciferin analog, 2-methyl-6-phenyl-3,7-dihydroimidazo[1,2-alpha]pyrazin-3-one (CLA). After addition of ferrous sulfate to the micelles containing lipid hydroperoxide and luciferin, the chemiluminescence intensity reached a maximum rapidly and then decreased.

Prolactin responses to hypoglycemia and thyrotropin-releasing hormone in anorexia nervosa.

Although prolactin (PRL) responses to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) have been described by many investigators, PRL secretion after insulin stimulation has rarely been documented in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). We investigated PRL responses to TRH (500 micrograms) and insulin (0.1 U/kg) in 19 women with AN and 10 normal women.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroidal axis alterations in bulimic patients.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroidal axis was studied in 17 normal-weight patients with bulimia. Basal levels of serum thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), reverse triiodothyronine (rT3), and thyrotropin (TSH) were determined in all patients; responses of TSH and T3 to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) were investigated in nine patients. Mean basal serum T4, T3, and TSH concentrations were significantly lower in the patients than in the normal control subjects but serum rT3 levels were essentially the same.

Changes in serum angiotensin-converting enzyme in acutely starved non-obese patients. A possible dissociation between angiotensin-converting enzyme and the thyroid state.

We investigated changes in the serum angiotensin-converting enzyme, as an index of thyroid hormone action, before, during and after fasting in 15 non-obese, hospitalized patients. Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme decreased significantly from 14.6 +/- 1.

The dexamethasone suppression test for Japanese with eating disorders.

A one-mg oral overnight dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was conducted on 22 inpatients with eating disorders. To confirm that the dexamethasone tablets had been ingested, we measured the plasma concentrations of dexamethasone the next morning (at 0900 hr after DST). The diagnosis of anorexia nervosa and bulimia was made according to the criteria for DSM-III, respectively.

Thyroidal prelymphoma.

We treated a 32-year-old man with "thyroidal prelymphoma", morphologically resembling Hashimoto's thyroiditis and associated with monoclonal gammopathy (IgG, lambda). Immunohistochemistry revealed intracytoplasmatic monoclonal immunoglobulin (IgG, lambda) containing lymphoid cells in the interstitium of the thyroid tissue. After total thyroidectomy had been performed, the monoclonal immunoglobulin disappeared.

[Venous hemangioma of the urethra: a case report].

A case of urethral hemangioma in a 61-year-old female is reported. She had the complaint of urethral bleeding and difficulty on urination since November 2, 1986. Physical examination revealed a reddish colored, thumb-head sized tumor at the external urethral meatus.

Glucagon secretion in anorexia nervosa.

Patients with anorexia nervosa frequently manifest impaired glucose tolerance. However, alterations in pancreatic glucagon secretion have also been associated with alterations in diabetes mellitus. For this reason, pancreatic alpha- and beta-cell responses to glucose load were measured in 25 anorexic patients both before and after treatment.