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)

This report documents a case of systemic lupus erythematosus in which the major presenting feature was pericarditis and in which the diagnosis was made after pericardiocentesis by the demonstration of typical LE cells in pericardial fluid stained with Wright's stain. Review of the literature indicates that pericarditis in lupus is more common than is generally suspected, and when it is the initial manifestation it is often misdiagnosed as "benign viral pericarditis".Screening for collagen disease should be a part of the work-up of any patient presenting with pericarditis, especially a woman. Occasionally lupus may be present even when the serologic tests have given negative results. Under such circumstances, or when the patient manifests an atypical or prolonged course, a diagnostic pericardiocentesis is in order, provided an effusion can be confirmed on scan. A search for LE cells should be included in the analysis of the aspirated fluid.
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PMID:Lupus pericarditis. 414 Jul 54

Fifty randomly selected asthmatic patients were studied. In each the sex, age, time of onset of symptomatology, symptomatologic score (from 0 to 3), blood eosinophilia, IgE by the PRIST method and Tart cells in blood (investigated by the same method as is used in the search of LE cells in collagen diseases) were considered. Tart cells were recognized as in Miale Haemotology (9) as monocytes and occasionally polymophonuclar leucocytes with one or two round inclusions in their protoplasm owing to the phagocytosis of leukocyte nuclei. In contrast with LE cells, these inclusions are not homogeneous contain chromatin and nuclear membrane material and often have a dark ring of hyperchromic material. We have found that these cells can not be evoked passively by application of patient serum to normal leukocytes. In no case of positive Tart cells was antinuclear serum factor found by immunofluorescence as seen in lupus erythematous disease. 33 per cent of the 50 asthmatic patients tested had Tart cells in their blood. They were very scarce, only one or two in four Wright stained smears. This fact is probably why these cells were not recognized before. The positive Tart cell group was on the average the same age as the negative group. On the other hand, in the positive Tart cell group the proportion of men with respect to women, the time span from the onset of asthmatic symptoms (p less than 0,05), the symptomatology score (p less than 0,005) and blood eosinophilia (p less than 0,005) were increased. In contrast IgE was decreased on the average (p less than 0,05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:[Finding of Tart cells in asthmatic patients. Relation to IgE and other parameters]. 620 75

The major small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) U1, U2, U4/U6, and U5 share a set of common proteins denoted B/B', D1, D2, D3, E, F, and G which play an important part in the biogenesis of the snRNPs. In addition, there is a link between the common proteins and autoimmunity; the three D proteins, together with B/B', are the major autoantigens for the so-called anti-Sm antibodies often produced by patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus. Here we describe the characterization of the human proteins D2 and D3 by cDNA cloning and immunological methods. D2 and D3 are encoded by distinct genes and are 118 and 126 amino acids in length, respectively. Both proteins prepared by in vitro translation exhibit Sm epitopes and can be precipitated by anti-Sm autoantibodies. They react differently with various patient sera, in a manner consistent with the reaction pattern on immunoblots of the D proteins isolated from HeLa cells. D1 and D2 synthesized in vitro form specific complexes, a result that is significant for the assembly pathway of the various core proteins into an snRNP's core ribonucleoprotein structure. The D3 protein is homologous to the human D1 protein, showing an overall amino acid sequence identity of 29%, including two regions with over 60% identity. D2 has less than 15% sequence identity with D1 and D3. A data bank search revealed a striking similarity (with more than 40% sequence identity) between human D3 and a Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene, previously published as the 5' flanking gene of yeast pep3 [Preston, R.A., Manolson, M., Becherer, K., Weidenhammer, E., Kirkpatrick, D., Wright, R. & Jones, E. (1991) Mol. Cell. Biol. 11, 5801-5812], suggesting that this gene encodes the yeast homologue of the human D3 protein.
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PMID:cDNA cloning of the Sm proteins D2 and D3 from human small nuclear ribonucleoproteins: evidence for a direct D1-D2 interaction. 752 60

The blacklegged tick, Ixodes (Ixodes) scapularis Say, 1821, is redescribed, based on laboratory reared specimens originating in Bulloch County, Georgia. Information on distribution, host associations, morphological variation, and medical/veterinary importance is also presented. A great deal of recent work has focused on this species because it is the principal vector of the agent of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmidt, Hyde, Steigerwaldt & Brenner) in eastern North America. Its distribution appears to be expanding, and includes the state of Florida in the southeastern United States north to the provinces of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, Canada, west to North and South Dakota, United States, and south to the state of Coahuila, Mexico. Although I. scapularis feeds on at least 125 species of North American vertebrates (54 mammalian, 57 avian, and 14 lizard species), analysis of the U.S. National Tick Collection holdings show that white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann), cattle, Bos taurus L., dogs, Canis lupus L., and other medium-to-large sized mammals are important hosts for adults as are native mice and other small mammals, certain ground-frequenting birds, skinks, and glass lizards for nymphs and larvae. This tick is a polytypic species exhibiting north-south and east-west morphological clines. Analysis of variance and Student-Newman-Keuls multiple comparisons revealed significant interpopulational variation that is expressed most significantly in the nymphal stage. Nymphs from northern (Minnesota, Massachusetts, Maryland) populations had relatively larger basis capituli with shorter cornua (except Maryland) than southern (North Carolina, Georgia) populations. Midwestern populations (Minnesota, Missouri) differed from eastern populations (Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, Georgia) in idiosomal characters (broader scuta, larger coxae III, and IV). In addition to Lyme disease, this tick is also a primary vector of the agent of human and rodent babesiosis, Babesia microti Franca. Under laboratory conditions it has transmitted the agents of deer babesiosis, Babesia odocoilei Emerson & Wright, tularemia, Francisella tularensis McCoy & Chapin, and anaplasmosis, Anaplasma marginale Theiler. Moreover, I. scapularis can reach pest proportions on livestock, and females can cause tick paralysis in dogs.
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PMID:Ixodes (Ixodes) scapularis (Acari:Ixodidae): redescription of all active stages, distribution, hosts, geographical variation, and medical and veterinary importance. 866 75

Brucellosis is a systemic infectious disease caused by Gram-negative bacilli, the genus Brucella, and clinical features are diverse. Therefore, several infectious and non-infectious diseases are considered in its differential diagnosis. In this study, we aimed to determine the positivity rate of Brucella agglutination tests in the culture-positive brucellosis and in diseases mimicking brucellosis clinically.Thirty patients with culture-positive brucellosis, and 280 patients with the diseases mimicking brucellosis clinically (20 with miliary tuberculosis, 33 with malaria, 20 with typhoid fever, 20 with adult-onset Still's disease, 47 with systemic lupus erythematosus, 50 with rheumatoid arthritis, 27 with sarcoidosis, and 63 with active lymphoma) were included in the study. Brucella agglutination tests (Rose-Bengal and Wright) were studied in serum samples of these 310 patients. Both Rose-Bengal and Wright tests (the latter in a titer of 1/160 or higher) were positive in all patients with brucellosis. For the other diseases, the test was slightly positive (1/40) in one patient with malaria and another with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and weakly positive (1/20) in a patient with typhoid fever. It remained negative in the remaining. In conclusion, agglutination tests currently used in the diagnosis of brucellosis are very sensitive and specific. Brucellosis can be effectively excluded from the diseases having similar clinical features by the use of agglutination tests.
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PMID:The sensitivity and specificity of Brucella agglutination tests. 1294 13

The diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus-a relatively common disease-is difficult because of the variable nature of the symptoms, which resemble those of many other conditions. The finding of the characteristic cells is pathognomonic, although failure to find them does not rule out the diagnosis. If the diagnosis is suspected the "L.E." cell test should be performed on two samples of blood from the veins and one from the bone marrow. After separation of a haparinized sample by centrifuge, a drop from the buffy coat is Wright-stained on a slide and examined for rouleaux formation and for a hematoxylinstaining material sometimes seen in intercellular bodies (which may be surrounded by a rosette of leukocytes) and sometimes seen as ingested by a leukocyte. Only the last finding is positively diagnostic of lupus erythematosus.A statistical analysis of 62 cases treated at the Los Angeles County General Hospital is given. Because of the frequency of rheumatoidlike arthritic changes in the disease, all patients with this form of arthritis should be given the test. Spontaneous remission and then relapse after a long asymptomatic interval occurred in many cases. With early diagnosis and vigorous treatment with cortisone and corticotropin, many patients can be relieved of symptoms.
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PMID:Systemic lupus erythematosus; early cytologic diagnosis. 1312 16

This study sought to determine whether the plasma levels of Von Willebrand factor (vWf) and the degree of red blood cell (RBC) fragmentation on peripheral smear correlate with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Forty consecutive patients who fulfilled the criteria for SLE were studied prospectively for 1 year. Patients were categorized according to the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) as either active (>2) or inactive disease and followed up monthly (active) or quarterly (inactive). At each visit, patients were examined fully and had complete blood count, tests on antibodies to double-stranded DNA, C3, and C4 levels, and urinalysis. Citrated plasma was analyzed for vWf antigen by standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A Wright's stained blood smear was obtained and schistocytes were quantitated on blood smear. The number of schistocytes per 500 RBCs was determined and a schistocyte index (SI) was calculated. At baseline, vWf correlated with SLEDAI (r = 0.64, p < 0.01), SI correlated with SLEDAI (r = 0.62, p < 0.01), and vWf and SI correlated with each other (r = 0.41, p = 0.01). There was an inverse correlation between baseline C3 levels and vWf (r = 0.49, p = 0.0013) and C3 levels and SI (r = 0.40, p = 0.01). Over time, there was also a correlation of SLEDAI with vWf (r = 0.53, p = 0.002) and SI (r = 0.57;p = 0.002). The relation of vWf with SI approached but did not reach statistical significance (r = 0.37, p = 0.06). We found that the plasma levels of vWf and the degree of RBC fragmentation correlate with lupus disease activity over time. Therefore, inflammation in SLE may be associated with endothelial injury.
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PMID:Von Willebrand factor, red cell fragmentation, and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus. 1881 61

A case of a genetically HLA-B27 patient fully investigated by molecular analyses, following a holistic vision and an anamnestic assessment of multi-site ecosystems is repeated. VDRL, Lupus anti-coagulant (LAC) and Widal-Wright (WWR), resulted positive. The antibodies (IgG/IgA anti-Ct) against chronic Chlamydia trachomatis inflammation were positive. In the context of all the enzymatic activities in reference range, the AMS and the ALP enzymatic activities showed an increasing trend and a time course augment depending respectively. Cultures, parasitological, digestibility tests and molecular analyses were then performed to investigate the different human ecosystems. Parasitological research and digestibility test were performed, resulting a latent chronic bowel inflammation, including certain enteroinvasive pathogens, such as, Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia and Campylobacter (Enteric Pathogens Group, EPG) and Escherichia Coli pathogens (Escherichia Coli Pathogens Group, ECPG). The Salmonella typhi-DNA resulted positive, while 90% of the total microbic charge (TMC) was represented by C. freundi in culture analyses. Interpreting the VDRL positive test as early triggering of autoimmune disease, a few acute phase proteins as a pauci-symptomatic chronic phlogistic process, the amylase and alkaline phosphatase alterations as tissue markers of early intestinal inflammation, the Widal's reaction positivity together with the precocious clinical and faecal manifestations, this study suggests the prime triggering role of these atypical pathogens to cause a chronic low grade autoimmune response against the tissue/organ susceptible target, causing inflammaging phenomenon in young patient with chronic latent infection by Salmonella typhi, leading to Reiter's syndrome, in HLA-B27 positive patient.
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PMID:Can latent synergism of intestinal pathogens be responsible for inflammaging process causing Reiter's syndrome in a young patient HLA-B27 infected by atypical pathogens? A holistic view and clinical biochemical reinterpretation. 2324 Nov 24