摘要:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of fetal fibronectin membrane immunoassay in the detection of premature rupture of membranes and prediction of preterm labour. Seventy-two women were evaluated using ROM-Check immunoassay, which utilises a monoclonal antibody to the fetal fibronectin in the amniotic fluid drained into the vagina of 13 patients with unequivocal preterm premature rupture of membranes and in 35 patients with a previous history or features of preterm labour. Sensitivity of the fetal fibronectin immunoassay was 90.5% and the specificity was 61.0% in the detection of preterm spontaneous rupture of membranes. The positive and negative predictive values were 54.3 and 92.6%, respectively. In the patients with a previous history of preterm labour, 92% of those with positive fibronectin immunoassay had preterm delivery within 7 days of sampling; this contrasts with 87% of those with negative fibronectin immunoassay who delivered at term, defined as ≧ 37 weeks of gestation, or close to term, with much better perinatal outcome (p < 0.01). In conclusion, fetal fibronectin immunoassay is a good method of detecting ruptured membranes and a strong predictor of spontaneous preterm labou

ISSN:1011-7571    

DOI:10.1159/000157416

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1997

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Highly sensitive nested polymerase chain reaction was used for detecting Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA in the synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other arthropathies. Two out of 26 samples of the total DNA extracted from the synovial fluid of 22 RA patients were found positive. All 30 DNA samples prepared identically from the synovial fluid of the patients with arthropathies other than RA were negative. The difference in the prevalence of EBV DNA positivity between these two groups was statistically not significant. The results obtained did not support the hypothesis of the etiologic association between EBV and RA.

ISSN:1011-7571    

DOI:10.1159/000157417

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1997

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

A series of E-2-benzylidene-1-indanones and E-2-benzylidene-1-benzosuberones were synthesized to investigate their in vitro antifungal activity against 24 strains belonging to important human pathogenic yeasts, such as Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida spp. and Trichosporon cutaneum. 100 µg/ml against the same yeast strains. The in vivo toxicity of the synthesized compounds tested by an acute toxicity procedure in mice (MFI strain) and the in vitro activity in HeLa cells suggests that most of the active compounds were of lower toxicity, while only a few were of a toxicity similar to that of the least toxic commercial antifungal agent investigated in our animal and cell culture models (amphotericin B). The relatively low LD50 and good MIC values of most of our compounds in comparison to the least toxic and most active commercial agents tested (amphotericin B and haloprogin, respectively) justifies the testing of these synthetic agents for further developmen

ISSN:1011-7571    

DOI:10.1159/000157418

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1997

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Reports on juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) from developing countries are scarce due to lack of comprehensive epidemiologic surveys. We report our experience with this disease in Kuwait. This study involves 47 children diagnosed with JRA over a period of 3 years. All 47 children satisfied the American College of Rheumatology criteria for the diagnosis of JRA. The results revealed a prevalence of 0.36 cases per 1,000 children at risk, a rate compatible with international figures. Pauciarticular onset, the predominant subtype, accounted for 49% while polyarticular and systemic onset type accounted for 25.5% each. Iridocyclitis was diagnosed in 3 children (6.4%) with positive antinuclear antibody. Although the prevalence of JRA and its subtypes is not different from figures reported for other regions, iridocyclitis appears to be infrequent in the population of Kuwait.

ISSN:1011-7571    

DOI:10.1159/000157419

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1997

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

This is a case report of a Pakistani male neonate who died at the age of 46 days with pancreatic agenesis showing evidence of endocrine and exocrine insufficiency. The patient presented with persistent insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), prematurity, episodes of steatorrhoea and failure to thrive. Biochemically, he had hyperbilirubinaemia, persistent hyperglycaemia, low C peptide, hypoinsulinaemia, negative insulin/antibodies, and a normal chromosome complement. A postmortem study revealed pancreatic agenesis and extrahepatic biliary hypoplasia, involving all of the extrahepatic biliary system and gall bladder. Bronchopneumonia and haemorrhages of both lungs were seen. The occurrence of 3 prior early neonatal deaths (2 females and 1 male) together with first-cousin parents raises the possibility of an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance.

ISSN:1011-7571    

DOI:10.1159/000157420

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1997

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

A middle-aged man presented with a mass in the cervical region associated with severe constitutional symptoms, generalized lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly. Histopathology showed angiocentric immunoproliferative lesions consisting of a mixture of lymphocytes, plasma cells, immunoblasts and histiocytes on a background of hyperplastic vascular structures. Active vascular necrosis with fibrinoid changes was present with expansion of T-cell areas with reactive changes typical of angiocentric lesions. Detailed clinical and laboratory workup showed features suggestive of systemic lupus- or latent-lupus-like disease. The patient showed an excellent response to prednisolone and chloroquine with complete recovery of all the clinical features. During the 22 months of follow-up the patient remained in complete normal health. Different histopathological varieties of lymph node lesions seen in systemic immunological diseases are discussed with emphasis on features which help in distinguishing them from lymphomas.

ISSN:1011-7571    

DOI:10.1159/000157421

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1997

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is still an important cause of epididymitis that leads to obstructive azoospermia in developing countries. We present a case of obstructive azoospermia due to tuberculous epididymitis treated by the combined microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (MESA-ICSI) procedure. Although the transfer of the embryos did not result in pregnancy, normal fertilization and the development of embryos were achieved by MESA-ICSI.

ISSN:1011-7571    

DOI:10.1159/000157422

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1997

数据来源: Karger

ISSN:1011-7571    

DOI:10.1159/000157423

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1997

数据来源: Karger

ISSN:1011-7571    

DOI:10.1159/000157424

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1997

数据来源: Karger