1/141. Intensive tandem cryofiltration apheresis and hemodialysis to treat a patient with severe calciphylaxis, cryoglobulinemia, and end-stage renal disease.This is the first report on tandem cryofiltration apheresis (CFA) and hemodialysis (HD). A 44 year old white man with Type II mixed cryoglobulinemia, hepatitis c virus (HCV), severe skin lesions, and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on maintenance hemodialysis was air-transferred for CFA, which is only available at our medical center. The patient failed to respond to high dose steroids, immunosuppression, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and plasma exchange for the treatment of his cryoglobulinemia, and he failed alpha-interferon therapy for his HCV. On arrival, he was also found to have severe calciphylaxis secondary to ESRD with generalized, painful skin ulceration, necrosis, and penile gangrene. To treat both conditions, intensive, tandem CFA/HD was initiated. He received extensive wound care and surgical debridement. To prevent pressure ulcers and worsening of skin lesions, he was placed on the FluidAir (Kinetic Concepts Inc., San Antonio, TX) controlled air bed. The patient received 18 tandem CFA/HD treatments, and four extra HD treatments in one month. sodium citrate was used as an anticoagulant for the CFA procedure. His plasma cryoglobulin (CG) level dropped from 6,157 to 420 microg/ml, and his calciphylaxis also improved. The CFA effectively removed 93% of CG, without significant removal of IgG, IgM, IgA, albumin, and fibrinogen. No albumin or fresh frozen plasma (FFP) was required as replacement fluid for CFA. No citrate toxicity or evidence of complement activation with the cryofilter was observed. The entire CFA procedure time (3(1/2) hours) was considered. Intensive, tandem CFA/HD was performed in a critically ill patient with no apparent adverse consequences.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/141. Polyester fibre prosthetic anterior cruciate ligament implant rupture: necrosis of ingrown connective tissue.AIMS: To describe the histopathological and microanalytical features in seven cases of ruptured Apex(R) polyester (Terylene(R)) fibre anterior cruciate ligament prosthesis. methods AND RESULTS: Transmitted and polarized light microscopy was performed in all cases; one case was investigated by immunohistochemistry, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, with backscatter and X-ray detectors for elemental microanalysis. For comparison we also studied synovial biopsy material and unused polyester fibres. In the excised ligaments there was much ingrowth of fibrous tissue accompanying a florid giant cell reaction to the individual intact polyester fibres throughout the ligaments. phagocytosis of particles of prosthesis-derived material was demonstrated and a striking finding was of necrosis of the ingrown connective tissue in the central portions of the ligaments. Hyalinized areas and 'neoligament growth' were less striking. A consistent finding in the polyester fibres was of small particles containing antimony, used as a catalyst in the manufacturing process. CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of reaction to the prosthetic material and the presence of necrosis differ from previous descriptions in animal and human explants of this and other prosthesis types. The mechanical effect of the necrosis is unlikely to be of significance with this ligament, which is load-bearing ab initio.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.011210773249307keywords = animal (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/141. Case report: lamivudine therapy for submassive hepatic necrosis due to reactivation of hepatitis B following chemotherapy.This report describes the case of a 53-year-old woman who developed severe hepatitis following chemotherapy for breast carcinoma. The patient was hepatitis B surface antigen positive, e antigen negative and e antibody positive and had high levels of hepatitis b virus-dna. liver biopsy revealed submassive hepatic necrosis, consistent with reactivation of hepatitis B. Treatment with lamivudine resulted in rapid loss of hepatitis b virus-dna, resolution of hepatitis and clinical recovery.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 10keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/141. Resolution of chronic delta hepatitis after 12 years of interferon alfa therapy.Chronic delta hepatitis is an uncommon but severe form of chronic viral hepatitis for which there is currently no satisfactory therapy. A patient with chronic delta hepatitis was treated with interferon alfa, 5 million units daily for 12 years. Serial serum samples were tested for routine liver tests and selected samples for quantitative levels of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis delta virus rna. liver biopsies were performed before, during, and after an initial 1-year course of therapy and again after 3 and 10 years of continuous therapy. With initiation of interferon therapy, serum aminotransferase levels decreased to normal range, became abnormal again when the dose was reduced, and increased to pretreatment levels when therapy was stopped. With reinstitution and prolonged therapy, aminotransferase levels became persistently normal; after several years, both hepatitis delta virus rna and serum HBsAg became undetectable. liver biopsy, which initially revealed cirrhosis, showed gradual improvement in inflammatory and fibrosis scores and, after 10 years, no abnormalities or fibrosis. Therapy was stopped, and the patient remained free of evidence of infection. In conclusion, long-term therapy with interferon alfa in high doses led to resolution of chronic delta hepatitis, disappearance of hepatitis delta and B virus markers, and improvement in fibrosis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 12keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/141. Fatal hepatitis and renal failure during treatment with nimesulide.A healthy 70-year-old woman who took nimesulide for 5 days, presented 2 weeks later with jaundice for which no other cause was found. Laboratory evidence of coagulopathy, hypoalbuminaemia and hypoglycaemia were present on admission, and liver biopsy showed massive necrosis of hepatocytes and severe inflammatory infiltrate. Despite supportive and corticosteroid treatment, her jaundice deepened and progressive acute renal failure developed, characterized by a 'prerenal' profile changing into irreversible acute tubular necrosis pattern, coma, occult Gram-negative sepsis and death. Although rare, nimesulide-associated hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity may occur and should be recognized as early as possible, to ensure immediate drug withdrawal and treatment.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/141. Immune-mediated pathology following hepatitis B vaccination. Two cases of polyarteritis nodosa and one case of pityriasis rosea-like drug eruption.The association of hepatitis b virus infection and vasculitis or other immune-mediated manifestations is well documented. Reports on such manifestations in relation to hepatitis B vaccination are scarce, however. We report 2 patients who developed polyarteritis nodosa following vaccination against hepatitis B. In one patient this resulted in an ischemic and necrotic digital ulcus, necessitating surgical amputation. The other patient presented with typical cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa which responded well to corticosteroid treatment. A third patient developed a severe pityrias rosea-like eruption. He was treated with topical steroids with healing of the lesions, leaving only post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The literature on these associations is reviewed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 7keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/141. Necrotizing myopathy in a patient with chronic hepatitis c virus infection: a case report and a review of the literature.We describe a 61-year-old man presenting with necrotizing myopathy associated with chronic active hepatitis due to hepatitis c virus (HCV) infection. Thirteen patients with HCV-associated myopathy have been reported previously. In most of these cases, varying degrees of inflammatory changes were observed in the muscle tissue. In 2 patients, myopathy developed after initiation of interferon therapy for chronic HCV hepatitis. Our case was unusual due to long-standing elevation of creatine kinase values which improved following interferon therapy and the non-inflammatory features of the muscle tissue where the HCV rna minus strand, a marker for replicative intermediates of the virus, was undetectable. The association of myopathy with HCV infection might represent a unique clinical entity, although the underlying pathological mechanisms remain unknown.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 7keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/141. In utero development of hypertensive necrotizing pulmonary arterial lesions: report of a case associated with premature closure of the ductus arteriosus and pulmonary hypoplasia.Premature closure of the ductus arteriosus (PCDA) is an uncommon defect in which pulmonary hypertension (PH) has been documented by echocardiography in patients and by direct measurement after experimental PCDA in animals. The pulmonary vascular histology in human cases has received little attention but in the few recorded observations the vessels were either normal or showed increased muscularity. We report the case of a 31 week hydropic female stillborn monozygotic twin in whom postmortem examination disclosed PCDA and hypoplasia of the lungs. Atypical plexiform lesions with necrotizing pulmonary arteritis were present. These lesions represent vascular consequences of severe pulmonary hypertension produced by greatly enhanced blood flow through a restricted vascular bed resulting from the combined effects of these two abnormalities. The findings in this case of PCDA with presumed severe PH indicate that severe pulmonary vascular changes can develop in utero and that the interval of time needed for development of such chances in secondary PH is relatively short.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.011210773249307keywords = animal (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/141. Necrolytic acral erythema associated with hepatitis c: effective treatment with interferon alfa and zinc.BACKGROUND: Necrolytic acral erythema is a recently described necrolytic erythema that is unique in its exclusive acral location and strong association with hepatitis c. observation: We report the first case of necrolytic acral erythema in the united states. The patient is a 43-year-old black woman who presented with a 4-year history of tender, flaccid blisters localized to the dorsal aspect of her feet. serum zinc and glucagon levels were normal. serum antibodies were positive for hepatitis c, and a liver biopsy specimen showed chronic hepatitis. She was successfully treated with interferon alfa-2b and zinc. We review all previously reported cases. CONCLUSIONS: Necrolytic acral erythema is a distinct entity. In a review of the literature, most patients were between 35 and 55 years of age, although 1 patient was 12 years old. Five of 8 patients were female. Four of 7 patients described previously were treated with variable success using oral zinc sulfate and amino acids, whereas 2 were successfully treated with interferon alfa. All patients were infected with hepatitis c. Necrolytic acral erythema appears to be a skin disorder linked to infection with hepatitis c virus that responds to treatment with interferon alfa and oral zinc.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 9keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/141. spinal cord infarction following vertebral angiography: clinical and pathological findings.spinal cord damage from radiographic contrast material has been known to occur in both spinal and nonspinal angiographic procedures. Reported here is cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) during vertebral angiography. During the procedure, the patient displayed signs of acute cervical spinal cord irritation that should have been taken as a warning of impending injury. autopsy 9 years later showed evidence of central cervical spinal cord necrosis. The pathological findings are similar to those seen in animal models of contrast media-induced SCI; and the pathophysiological mechanisms of such injury are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.011210773249307keywords = animal (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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