Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.6.1.2 (alanine aminotransferase)
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Criteria for the classification of polyarteritis nodosa were developed by comparing 118 patients who had this disease with 689 control patients who had other forms of vasculitis. For the traditional format classification, 10 criteria were selected: weight loss greater than or equal to 4 kg, livedo reticularis, testicular pain or tenderness, myalgias, mononeuropathy or polyneuropathy, diastolic blood pressure greater than 90 mm Hg, elevated blood urea nitrogen or serum creatinine levels, presence of hepatitis B reactants in serum, arteriographic abnormality, and presence of granulocyte or mixed leukocyte infiltrate in an arterial wall on biopsy. The presence of 3 or more of these 10 criteria was associated with a sensitivity of 82.2% and specificity of 86.6%. A classification tree was also constructed, with 6 criteria being selected. Three of these, angiographic abnormality, biopsy-proven granulocyte or mixed leukocyte infiltrate in arterial wall, and neuropathy, were criteria used in the traditional format. The other 3 criteria used in the tree format included the patient's sex, weight loss greater than 6.5 kg, and elevated serum aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase levels above the range of normal. The classification tree yielded a sensitivity of 87.3% and a specificity of 89.3%.
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PMID:The American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of polyarteritis nodosa. 197 74

In the majority of patients with intestinal infarction, it is generally agreed that the occlusion of mesenteric arteries or vein is the primary etiologic factor; however, some showed no evidence of thrombosis, embolization or vasculitis as the causative factor. In many patients, this particular type of infarction is the terminal event of the episode. From October 1977 to December 1986, 24 patients with mesenteric infarction were investigated following cardiovascular surgery in our institute. Among them, 15 were diagnosed with organic vascular occlusion; however, the other 9 showed no evidence of thromboembolism or any other organic vascular occlusive lesion of mesenteric vessels and were diagnosed as non-occlusive mesenteric infarctions. All of these patients were in severe cardiac failure (LOS) postoperatively. There was no typical symptom, although abdominal fullness and diarrhea were the major and consistent findings. In blood chemical analysis, the enzymatic levels such as serum GOT, LDH and CPK were significantly elevated and discrepancy between serum GOT and serum GPT was observed. In this clinical situation, it was difficult to establish a correct diagnosis mainly because of the few signs and symptoms present relating to the mesenteric infarction. On the other hand, when the correct diagnosis was made, these patients were too critically ill to be treated conservatively. The outcome of these patients was grave and all of them died which showed 100% of mortality rate. The conservative management did not produce favorable progress, which accelerated LOS and prevented patients from recovering from cardiac failure. The aggressive surgical approach to this particular type of acute mesenteric ischemia might have offered an improved prognosis from these catastrophic events.
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PMID:[Non-occlusive mesenteric infarction following cardiovascular surgery]. 202 11

A 31-year-old women with chronic active hepatitis B (HBs antigen-positive, HBe antigen-negative) developed a painful petechia rash on both lower legs and the inner surface of the thighs. Histology of a skin biopsy revealed leucocytoclastic vasculitis. The affected skin areas contained HBs antigen and immunoglobulins. Immunosuppressive treatment with initially 60mg/d prednisolone improved the skin condition but activated the chronic hepatitis, GPT rising up to 240 U/l. The steroid treatment had to be discontinued. Subsequently the transaminases became normal but the vasculitis foci recurred. The patient was therefore given alpha-interferon, three times 5 mill. IU weekly subcutaneously for 6 months. The skin lesions disappeared and the circulating HBV-DNA decreased. But the HBs antigen could not be eliminated. It is to be noted that 12 months after the end of the alpha-interferon treatment the vasculitis has not recurred. - This case and published reports indicate that interferon treatment is effective against HBV-associated and immunoglobulin-complex mediated disease.
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PMID:[Hepatitis-B-associated vasculitis. Clinical course with glucocorticoid and alpha-interferon therapy]. 792 48

Methylene dianiline (DDM) is a chemical intermediate in the production of isocyanates and other industrial chemicals, and it is hepatotoxic in humans. The acute hepatotoxicity of orally administered DDM was characterized in rats. Rats receiving DDM (25-225 mg/kg, per os) demonstrated a dose-dependent elevation in serum alanine aminotransferase activity, g-glutamyltransferase activity, and serum bilirubin concentration. DDM also caused a decrease in bile flow and an elevation in liver weight. Significant changes in these markers of liver injury occurred between 8 and 12 hr after a single, oral administration of DDM. Histologically, DDM caused multifocal, necrotizing hepatitis with neutrophil infiltration. Changes in the portal regions consisted of bile ductular necrosis, portal edema, neutrophil infiltration, mild fibrin exudation, and segmental necrotizing vasculitis. The role of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (MO)-mediated metabolism in DDM hepatotoxicity was evaluated using the MO inhibitors, aminobenzotriazole and SKF-525A and the MO inducers phenobarbital and beta-naphthoflavone. Aminobenzotriazole provided protection from DDM-induced hepatotoxicity, whereas SKF-525A had no effect. The effect of phenobarbital pretreatment depended on the dose of DDM administered. At a dose of DDM that produced a maximal hepatotoxic response, phenobarbital did not influence hepatotoxicity. However, phenobarbital pretreatment provided protection against the hepatotoxic effects of a lower dose of DDM. beta-naphthoflavone pretreatment had a more modest effect on DDM-induced hepatic insult. These results demonstrate that DDM causes acute hepatotoxicity in the rat that is dose and time dependent. Results using inducers and inhibitors of MO suggest that DDM requires bioactivation to exert toxicity; however, the relationship between metabolism and toxicity may be complex.
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PMID:Characterization of acute 4,4'-methylene dianiline hepatotoxicity in the rat. 835 98

The actiopathogenesis of leucocytoclastic vasculitis is still unknown, but recently hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been suggested as trigger of autoimmunity. We report a case of a 26-yr-old patient with purpura due to leucocytoclastic vasculitis associated with hepatitis C virus infection. Laboratory findings showed AST, ALT, gamma GT within normal limits, positive antibodies to HCV (IIF and Riba II) and polymerase chain reaction for HCV RNA. Anti-nuclear antibodies, IgG and IgM anti-cardiolipin antibodies, anti-platelet antibodies and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies with perinuclear pattern were also present. A skin biopsy specimen of a purpuric lesion showed leucocytoclastic vasculitis with small vessel thrombosis and perivascular deposition of IgM and fibrinogen on immunofluorescence study. This case shows a role of HCV in leucocytoclastic vasculitis; it is possible that this HCV can induce autoimmunity independently of cryoglobulins and liver involvement.
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PMID:Leucocytoclastic vasculitis associated with hepatitis C virus antibodies. 911 52

Cryoglobulinaemia is the most common immunological disorders seen in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We evaluated the incidence and clinical significance of cryoglobulinaemia in 122 Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C. The pathogenic roles of HCV genotypes and viraemia in this phenomenon were also evaluated. Fifty-four (44%) of the 122 patients with chronic hepatitis C had cryoglobulinaemia. Eleven (20%) of the patients with cryoglobulinaemia had symptoms and signs of cutaneous vasculitis, arthralgia, neuropathy and renal involvement. The patients with cryoglobulinaemia were predominantly female and had a significantly higher mean serum level of rheumatoid factor and a lower mean serum C4 level compared with patients without cryoglobulinaemia (50 vs 29%, 23 vs 15 IU/mL, 25 vs 31 mg/dL, respectively, P < 0.05). The mean serum HCV RNA level, HCV genotype, the presence of serum auto-antibodies, and the rate of cirrhosis were not significantly different between the two groups. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed female serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (> 90 U/L), rheumatoid factor (> 15 IU/mL), C3c (< 100 mg/dL) and C4 (< 20 mg/dL) to be significant predictors of cryoglobulinaemia in chronic hepatitis C patients. However, multivariate analysis showed only serum C4 levels (< 20 mg/dL) as a significantly independent predictor. We concluded that 44% of Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C had cryoglobulinaemia. Serum C4 levels were significantly lower in chronic hepatitis C patients with cryoglobulinaemia and the serum C4 level was the only clinical independent predictor associated with this phenomenon. Hepatitis C virus genotype and serum viral load were not clinical independent predictors.
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PMID:Clinical study of cryoglobulinaemia in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C. 925 42

A 66-year-old female was admitted to our hospital in January, 1998, complaining of low grade fever and muscle weakness of her legs. Physical examination revealed muscle weakness of her neck (4/5) and proximal skeletal muscles of her bilateral legs (3/5-4/5). She showed proteinuria and microhematuria. Her serum levels of ureanitrogen, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatinekinase, aldolase and myoglobin were all within the normal ranges. Antinuclear antibodies were negative, but her serum levels of pANCA (743 EU) and C reactive protein (18.0 mg/dl) were elevated. Neuroconduction velocity of her left common peroneal nerve was decreased to 40.8 m/sec and electric myograph showed neurogenic changes. Magnetic resonance images (MRI) of her bilateral thigh depicted high signal intensity in quadriceps by T 2 weighed images, but the signals were not enhanced by gadolinium injection. Muscle and renal biopsies revealed necrotizing vasculitis of the small arteries. Crescentic glomerulonephritis was also observed by renal biopsy. These findings supported the diagnosis of microscopic PN. On 16 th admission day, she developed acute cardiac and respiratory failures due to cardiac and respiratory muscle involvements with PN, and was assisted by mechanical ventilation. She was treated with methylprednisolone pulse therapy (500 mg/day, three consecutive days) on 18 th admission day, followed by 40 mg of oral prednisolone daily. However, her symptoms deteriorated, and herserum creatinine levels increased to 2.4 mg/dl. On 24 th admission day, intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse therapy (500 mg/day) was instituted. Her cardiac wall motion on echocardiography and serum creatinine levels gradually improved, but her skeletal and respiratory muscle weakness did not improve. On 38 th admission day, she was complicated with respiratory infection by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aures. On 62 th admission day, she died of endotoxic shock. This is the first report describing respiratory muscle involvement with PN, and the second report describing MRI findings of muscle involvement by PN. Therefore, our case provides important clinical information for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
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PMID:[A case of microscopic polyangiitis with severe cardiac and respiratory muscle involvement]. 1061 70

We report a case of hepatitis C virus-associated glomerulonephropathy presenting with MPO-ANCA-positive, rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis(RPGN). A 60-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of RPGN. Laboratory evaluation revealed microhematuria, proteinuria(800 mg/day), anemia, renal failure(blood urea nitrogen 27 mg/dl, serum creatinine 2.2 mg/dl), cryoglobulinemia, hypocomplementemia, positive MPO-ANCA(232 EU), and hepatitis C virus infection(GOT 58 IU/l, GPT 38IU/l, HCV-RNA(PCR) 1,200 kcopy/ml, serotype 1). After admission, the patient's renal function and anemia deteriorated rapidly, then prednisolone(30 mg/day) was started. After treatment her renal function gradually improved, then a renal and liver biopsy was performed. The renal biopsy revealed six sclerosing fibrous crescentic glomeruli in twelve glomeruli. Immunofluorescent examination revealed granular deposits of IgG, C3, and fibrinogen along the glomerular basement membrane and mesangial matrix. The pathogenesis of RPGN in this case may relate to the deposition of immune complexes in the glomeruli because immunofluorescent examination was revealed to be the immune-complex type, but not pauci immune type nephritis. Liver histology revealed chronic active hepatitis with mild piecemeal necrosis and did not reveal vasculitis. Although her renal function was improved after treatment with prednisolone, she suffered from pulmonary manifestations(dry cough etc.) on the 120th hospital day. Suddenly she died because of pulmonary hemorrhage on the 180th hospital day. These findings suggest that various HCV-induced immunological abnormalities, such as positive MPO-ANCA, cryoglobulinemia and hypocomplementemia, play an important role in the pathogenesis of this RPGN, although we could not demonstrate deposition within glomeruli of immune complexes containing HCV. The effect of interferon therapy on such immunological abnormalities remains to be documented. Since interferon is known to have immunomodulatory effects, we selected corticosteroid therapy. Future studies need to focus on the optimal treatment strategy for hepatitis C virus-associated glomerulonephritis.
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PMID:[A case of hepatitis C virus-associated glomerulonephropathy presenting with MPO-ANCA-positive rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis]. 1089 95

Numerous extrahepatic manifestations have been reported in patients with both acute and chronic hepatitis B (arthralgias or arthritis, skin rashes, glomerulonephritis and neuritis), all of which are present in polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) which is the most unique and spectacular extrahepatic manifestation. In the 1970s, the frequency of PAN due to the hepatitis B (HBV) reached 30%. Immunization programs explain the decrease and it is now down to 7%. PAN usually occurs within 6 months of infection. Clinical manifestations reflect this most classic form of PAN, Hepatic manifestations including, ALT/AST elevations are mild and usually overlooked. Besides HBV, other viruses may be responsible for cases of vasculitides including PAN, HIV, Parvovirus B19, and EBV. Different pathogenic mechanisms have been identified but immune complexes are mainly thought to be responsible. In glomerulonephritis, detailed immunostaining and ultrastructural findings indicate that HBe antigen (Ag) is more likely to be the responsible antigen. In PAN, fewer reports are available and early studies with poorly defined antibodies need to be revisited. Interestingly almost all cases of HBV/PAN are associated with wild-type HBV infection, characterised by HBe antigenemia and high HBV replication, supporting the concept that lesions could result from the deposit of viral Ag/Ab complexes soluble in Ag excess, possibly involving HBe Ag. The recent observation of PAN cases associated with precore mutation which abrogates the formation of HBe Ag challenges this view. It may suggest that other, still undefined, circulating HBV-related Ag(s) distinct from HBe Ag could be involved. Remarkably, none of the HBV/PAN cases or glomerulonephritis exhibit antineutrophil cycoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) reactivity. Viral PAN can now be completely separated from other form of vasculitis mostly autoimmune in nature. Based on the efficacy of antiviral agents in chronic hepatitis B and of plasma exchanges in PAN we combined both therapies to treat HBV PAN. This was associated with swift recovery, even in the most severe forms. The perfect time correlation between inhibition of virus replication and resolution of all bioclinical signs suggest a direct pathogenic role of the virus possibly via immune complexes. Traditional immunosuppressive and steroid therapy should no longer be used for HBV PAN cases.
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PMID:Polyarteritis nodosa and extrahepatic manifestations of HBV infection: the case against autoimmune intervention in pathogenesis. 1133 92

Various clinical and immunological extrahepatic manifestations were described during infection by hepatitis C virus (HCV). We reported a rare association, within the same patient, made up with a cutaneous leucytoclastic vasculitis, cryoglobulinemia and aplastic anemia. A 70 years old woman with infection by HCV diagnosed four years ago, was hospitalized due to upper members purpura and six cutaneous ulcerations. Complete blood count revealed a pancytopenia. Prothrombin time was at 65%, AST, ALT an d GT were within normal limits. Test for antibodies to HCV en serum was positive. Bone marrow aspiration showed marked hypocellularity. A skin biopsy showed leucocytoclastic vasculitis of small vessels. Interferon a therapy was not indicated because aplastic anemia. Simultaneous occurrence of cutaneous vasculitis, cryoglobulinemia and aplastic anemia during HCV infection lays the question of their mechanism. Purpura and cutaneous ulcerations can be due to cryoglobulinia.
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PMID:[Leukocytoclastic vasculitis, cryoglobulinemia and medullary aplasia associated with hepatitis C]. 1177 39


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