Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0024141 (systemic lupus erythematosus)
 44,322 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A prospective study of pleural fluid eosinophilia (PFE) during initial thoracocentesis in 162 patients of pleural effusion was undertaken to determine its value in establishing an etiological diagnosis. Eighteen of the 162 cases showed pleural fluid eosinophilia (PFE), twelve could not be labelled with any definitive etiology even after extensive investigations, four belonged to the para-pneumonic group and resolved with treatment. Of the 32 patients with malignancy, PFE was seen in a single case of pleural mesothelioma. None of the patients with tuberculosis, empyema, systemic lupus erythematosus or amoebiasis had PFE. These findings suggest that PFE seen at initial thoracocentesis favours a benign diagnosis, with a rare chance of malignancy. Tuberculosis is unlikely in such patients.
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PMID:Diagnostic significance of pleural fluid eosinophilia during initial thoracocentesis. 263 66

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) once a rarity in Africa, is now reported in large numbers from many parts of Africa. Although epidemiological surveys have shown that the prevalence in urban populations is similar to Western communities, it is less common in rural areas. Further epidemiological studies are needed to confirm these findings in other parts of Africa and identify factors contributing to this difference to provide a better understanding for the emergence of RA in Africa. Earlier reports suggested that in African blacks RA was a mild disease, severe radiographic changes were uncommon, deformities were rare and extra-articular features were unusual and only symptomatic therapy was necessary to control symptoms in most patients. Recent experience shows that severe disease with deformities and radiographic changes are seen and a wide spectrum of extra-articular features are noted although they may be less common than in Caucasians. African blacks with RA may have a younger age of onset and the genetic association with HLA DR4 has been confirmed. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is also recognized more often in African blacks who have a younger age of onset. SLE is also recognized less often in males. Features such as photosensitivity and serositis are less common while renal disease is more common. A reported short-term mortality of about 30% emphasizes the need for urgent efforts to improve the prognosis in SLE. The infrequent occurrence of localized systemic sclerosis and the absence of anti-centromere antibodies in blacks was noted in a recent large series of patients with systemic sclerosis. The other connective tissue diseases and systemic vasculitides are reported much less frequently and will probably be detected more often in future. Anti-cardiolipin antibodies are detected frequently in association with infections, including HIV infection. The spectrum of diseases associated with ANCA includes a variety of connective tissue diseases and infections such as HIV infection and invasive amoebiasis must be added.
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PMID:Rheumatoid arthritis and connective tissue disorders: sub-Saharan Africa. 772 86

Colitis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) poses a diagnostic challenge as clinical, radiological and laboratory findings are often non-specific. Fulminant amoebic colitis is a rare cause of death in SLE. Early diagnosis coupled with timely surgery can reduce the mortality. The demonstration of haematophagous trophozoites in the stool is diagnostic but insensitive. Early endoscopy with adequate specimen collection is an important part of the diagnosis. Serology is both sensitive and specific but can take up to 2-4 weeks for seroconversion making it less useful in a disease that takes a rapid downhill course if treated inappropriately. We report a fatal case of colitis in a patient with SLE due to invasive amoebiasis which was complicated by Salmonella bacteraemia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, acute oliguric renal failure and adult respiratory syndrome. We also reviewed the literature on the clinical features and diagnosis of fulminant amoebic colitis. Amoebic colitis, although rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of lupus patients with colitis.
Lupus 1997
PMID:Fatal amoebic colitis in a patient with SLE: a case report and review of the literature. 930 65

This prospective study examined the etiology of eosinophilic pleural effusions investigated at a Thai thoracic center from January 1996 to February 1998. Among the 405 eligible pleural effusions, 31 were eosinophilic (EoPF) and 374 were noneosinophilic (NEoPF). Malignant effusions were established in 159 of the 405 patients, yielding a prevalence of 0.39. Malignant effusions were responsible in 24 of the 31 EoPF (77.4%), and 135 of the 374 NEoPF (36%)(p = 0.01). Bayesian analysis showed the post-test probability of malignancy in eosinophilic pleural effusions among our patient population to be 0.76. Tuberculous pleuritis was the etiology in 155 patients with NEoPF (41.4%) but in none of the patients with EoPF (p <0.001). There was no significant difference between EoPF and NEoPF in miscellaneous causes including paragonimiasis, amebiasis, lupus pleuritis, chylothorax, and yellow nail syndrome. It is concluded that eosinophilic pleural effusions are at least as likely to be malignant as noneosinophilic effusions. The finding of eosinophilic pleural effusions should not be regarded as suggestive of benign conditions.
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PMID:Etiology and clinical implications of eosinophilic pleural effusions. 1043 74

Entamoeba histolytica, the protozoan responsible for human amoebiasis, has a complex genome, whose linear chromosomes and DNA circles have so far eluded detailed analysis. We report the detection by transmission electron microscopy of nuclear vesicles (0.05-0.3 microm in diameter) carrying DNA in E. histolytica trophozoites. In late anaphase many of these nuclear vesicles were found to be organized in structures of approximately 2.5 x 1 microm, in association with chromosomes and microtubules. In glutaraldehyde-fixed and detergent-treated trophozoites, nuclear vesicles displayed a non-membranous envelope. Binding of phosphotungstate stain and recognition by serum from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus indicated that these vesicles contain DNA. Similar DNA carrier vesicles were found in the cytoplasm and in the E. histolytica kinetoplast-like organelle (EhkO). By Feulgen staining, we detected DNA carrier vesicles entering or leaving the nuclei, suggesting a structural relationship between the nuclear vesicles and the vesicles present in the EhkOs.
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PMID:Entamoeba histolytica: DNA carrier vesicles in nuclei and kinetoplast-like organelles (EhkOs). 1217 1