Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0013911 (emaciation)
 1,059 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A 69-year-old-female with a history of rheumatoid arthritis since 1975 had suffered from dysesthesia of extremities since October 1989. Radiating pain and weakness occurred when she tried to stand up on Dec. 25 in 1989. She was admitted to our hospital in October 1990. Physical examination showed emaciation, hypesthesia of extremities, hypesthesia over the right chest and back, impaired vibration and position sense, and hyperreflexia. Laboratory findings revealed that the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was elevated to 46mm/hr, rheumatoid factor (RF) to 83.1IU/ml and CRP to 3.7mg/dl. Her blood sugar was high and she was diagnosed as having diabetes mellitus. Cervical X ray film showed atlanto-axial subluxation. A pseudotumor around the odontoid process bulging into the spinal canal and compression of the upper cervical cord was observed by MRI. In spite of administration of bucillamine (100mg/day), the size of pseudotumor did not change. Methotrexate (MTX) at a dose of 5mg/week was started in February 1991 and the pseudotumor decreased in size with a concurrent reduction of ESR, RF and CRP. However, the high intensity lesion by T2 weighed image did not change and dysesthesia persisted. The pseudotumor was thought to be due to pannus and it was revealed that MTX was effective for reduction. The persistent dysesthesia was probably due to the degeneration of the upper cervical cord, although diabetic neuropathy may also have played a role.
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PMID:[A case of rheumatoid arthritis complicated with pseudotumor around odontoid process successfully treated by methotrexate]. 144 85

Primary extramedullary plasmacytoma (PEMP) of the thyroid is rare. Only nine patients with PEMP of the thyroid have been reported in Japan to date. We describe an additional autopsy case with PEMP of the thyroid and review of the literature in Japan. A 67-year-old women complaining of swelling of the anterior neck exhibited thin scalp hair, edematous face and a giant, hard, nodular goiter. Laboratory examination showed elevated levels of ESR, collagenous reaction, gammaglobulin, and a M-bow of the IgG-k type in immunoelectrophoresis. No Bence-Jones protein was found in the urine. Thyroid function test revealed a subclinically hypothyroid state, showing a T3 of 1.32 ng/ml, a T4 of 10.0 micrograms/dl, a TSH of 23.4 microU/ml and positive thyroid antibodies. The scintigram and the CT scan of the thyroid showed deviation of the trachea by the thyroid tumor and calcification within homogeneous thyroid gland. She underwent total thyroidectomy because of suspected malignancy. The histological examination of the removed thyroid weighing 117gr revealed a proliferation of plasma cells and lymphocytes and small amounts of atrophied thyroid follicles. The immunohistological examination of the removed thyroid showed the monoclonality to IgG-k chain. Plasma cells were stainable with methylgreenpyronine. Twenty-six months after thyroidectomy, she died due to progressive emaciation, anemia, hypoalbuminemia and ascites. Postmortem examination revealed widespread metastasized plasma cell tumors in the liver, intestine, spleen and mesentery with ischemic changes in heart and kidney. Based on our autopsy case and the nine cases reported in Japan, clinical and histological characteristics of PEMP of the thyroid were discussed.
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PMID:[Primary plasmacytoma of the thyroid--report of an autopsy case and review of the literature in Japan]. 251 13

A retrospective was designed to analyse the mode of presentation, clinical signs and haematological and biochemical abnormalities in 225 consecutive Black (Zulu) patients who were admitted to a general medical ward between the years 1970 and 1981 and in whom cirrhosis was later diagnosed. The most common presenting complaint was swelling of the body (60% of the patients), followed by abdominal pain (32%) and episodes of bleeding, mainly from the gastrointestinal tract (19%). On examination, hepatomegaly was encountered in 66% of the patients, with moderate to massive enlargement in 40%. Ascites was detected in 56%, with tense abdominal distension in 34%. Jaundice was present in 38% and emaciation, mental disturbance and splenomegaly in over 25%. Spider naevi (found in 2 patients) and Dupuytren's contracture (found in 1) were very rare. Thrombocytopenia and a high ESR were common. Over 90% of patients had low albumin and high globulin concentrations (albumin less than 20 g/dl and globulin greater than 60 g/dl in 25%). Bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase levels and the prothrombin index were found to be within normal limits in 32%, 24% and 52% of cases respectively. Histologically the lesion was most commonly micronodular (73%) with variable deposits of fat and iron. Peritoneoscopy was the most useful special investigation in the diagnosis of cirrhosis, leading to a correct diagnosis in 77% of cases. In conclusion, the clinical signs, biochemical abnormalities and histological features suggest that the factors causing cirrhosis in the community studied are mixed; it may result from the combined effects of alcohol abuse, malnutrition and chronic viral (e.g. hepatitis B) infections.
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PMID:Clinical presentation and biochemical abnormalities in black (Zulu) patients with cirrhosis in Durban. 707 88