摘要:

The analysis of soluble and cellular components of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids might help the diagnosis of a specific tumour. Up to now disease specific humoral constituents have not yet been found. Concerning cellular recovery, BAL can be useful particularly in patients with bronchioloalveolar carcinoma. The overall diagnostic yield in the case series presently available in the literature ranges from 35 to 69%. We evaluated the usefulness of BAL in the diagnosis of diffuse neoplastic lung lesions. The BAL provided a diagnostic yield in 75.9% of patients with biopsy or autopsy proven neoplasm, the sensitivity varying according to the type and growth pattern of the tumour (93% in bronchioloalveolar carcinoma). BAL can prove useful also in the diagnosis of pulmonary involvement in lymphoproliferative disorders, particularly when the immunologic evaluation of surface markers is performed. We conclude that in the appropriate setting BAL represents a useful tool for studying patients with lung cancer.

ISSN:0025-7931    

DOI:10.1159/000196105

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF) is a cytokine produced by mononuclear phagocytes (MP) originally discovered for its cytotoxic activity on tumour cell targets. It was subsequently demonstrated that, in addition to its oncolytic potential, TNF exerts a wide variety of activities on the host defensive system against malignancies. This article briefly reviews the current concepts on the role of TNF in the antitumour activity of MP.

ISSN:0025-7931    

DOI:10.1159/000196106

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Rigid spine syndrome is a rare myopathy characterized by mild axial and proximal muscle weakness, limitation of neck and trunk flexion, scoliosis and mild joint contractures. We describe a 20-year-old woman with this syndrome who developed severe respiratory muscle failure disproportionate to the well-preserved extremity muscles. Nocturnal home care ventilation has completely restored her arterial oxygen desaturation during a 5-year follow-up.

ISSN:0025-7931    

DOI:10.1159/000196024

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The bronchoalveolar compartment can be easily investigated with BAL (bronchoalveolar lavage) before and after antiblastic therapy. We studied 50 patients affected by primary lung cancer, of whom 31 served as a control group and 19 were submitted to BAL after chemo- and/or radiotherapy. Data from BAL performed in an unaffected lung area show that antiblastic therapy can produce alterations in the terminal airways without clinical evidence. Chemotherapy causes a significant impairment of the alveolo-capillary barrier. Radiotherapy is able to affect lymphocytes, with a CD4/CD8 reduction. The concomitance of both therapies produces synergistic effects. Immunomodulant therapy with thy-mostimulin in otherwise untreated lung cancer patients seems able to modify alveolar lymphocyte number and subsets, but these are preliminary data which need further substantiation.

ISSN:0025-7931    

DOI:10.1159/000196107

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Pulmonary arterial hypertension and cor pulmonale were found in a woman with inactive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The patient died of right heart failure 5 years later. Postmortem study showed SLE reparative lesions, plexogenic arteriopathy and vasculitis in the lung vessels. Since no active SLE was found, the pulmonary vasculitis was attributed to plexogenic arteriopathy.

ISSN:0025-7931    

DOI:10.1159/000196025

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

ISSN:0025-7931    

DOI:10.1159/000196108

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

A 30-year-old man and a 39-year-old women, who was 28 weeks pregnant, were simultaneously poisoned by eating chocolate containing arsenic trioxide. They developed a picture of multiple organ failure peaking around the 8th to 10th day after ingestion, with the development of life-threatening adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in both patients. This rarely reported complication of arsenic poisoning was managed successfully by intubation and mechanical ventilation with positive end expiratory pressure in both patients. Hemodynamic and laboratory data are presented supporting the clinical course. Arsenic toxicity further resulted in intrauterine fetal death. The effects of severe arsenic poisoning leading to early multiple organ failure with ARDS as well as to protracted, debilitating polyneuropathy are discussed.

ISSN:0025-7931    

DOI:10.1159/000196026

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

A 6-month-old infant arrived at the emergency room with severe respiratory distress after being spoon-fed chicken soup. Air entry was normal, chest X-rays were normal, and bronchoscopy revealed a hollow chicken bone lining the whole left main bronchus.

ISSN:0025-7931    

DOI:10.1159/000196027

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

ISSN:0025-7931    

DOI:10.1159/000196028

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

ISSN:0025-7931    

DOI:10.1159/000196094

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger