Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0036690 (sepsis)
 59,461 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We have studied the activation state of the fibrinolytic system in 39 patients with systemic meningococcal disease (SMD). Patients defined as having fulminant septicemia (n = 13) with high (greater than 700 ng/L) levels of endotoxin (LPS) in plasma and severe coagulopathy, had significantly lower functional levels of plasminogen (P less than 0.05) and alpha-2-antiplasmin (P less than 0.01) and higher antigen levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) (P less than 0.01), and fibrin degradation products (FDP) (P less than 0.01), but not of PAI-2 (P greater than 0.1) as compared with less severely ill patients (meningitis and meningococcemia) (n = 25). A positive correlation existed between the admission (maximum) levels of LPS and PAI-1 (r = 0.86, P less than 0.0001). Decreasing admission levels of platelets were associated with increasing levels of PAI-1 (r = -0.55, P less than 0.001). After initiation of treatment with antibiotics and fresh frozen plasma, the PAI-1 levels declined rapidly. PAI-1 levels greater than 360 micrograms/L on admission predicted the development of a severe septic shock combined with renal impairment correctly in 12 of 13 patients (92%). None of 25 patients without multiple organ failure had PAI-1 levels greater than 260 micrograms/L. PAI-1 levels greater than 1850 micrograms/L were associated with 100% fatality. The results suggest that in the early phase of fulminant meningococcal septicemia an extensive plasmin generation occurs. On admission, however, high levels of PAI-1 seem to inhibit the plasmin generation, and thereby promote DIC.
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PMID:Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 and 2, alpha-2-antiplasmin, plasminogen, and endotoxin levels in systemic meningococcal disease. 231 89

205 patients with germ cell tumors were entered into the GPO Cooperative Study MAKEI 83/86 and classified as follows: 97 teratomas, 66 yolk sac tumors, 22 dysgerminomas, 17 embryonal carcinomas and three choriocarcinomas; 20% of all tumors were classified as mixed histology. Predominant primary sites were the ovaries (91 pts), the saccrococcygeal region (74 pts), the mediastinum (12 pts), the peritoneal cavity (10 pts) and other sites (18 pts). The treatment of teratomas was primarily surgery. Localised dysgerminomas received radiotherapy following surgery, in advanced stages (III, IV) four courses of chemotherapy vinblastine 3 mg/m2/day (days 1 + 2), bleomycin 15 mg/m2/day (days 1-3) and cisplatinum 20 mg/m2/day (days 4-8) (VBC) were applied. The other fully malignant tumors received four courses of VBC chemotherapy, in extragonadal primary tumors and advanced stages of all sites additional four courses of VP16 100 mg/m2/day (days 1-3), ifosfamide 1500 mg/m2/day (days 1-5) and cisplatin 20 mg/m2/day (days 1-5) (VPIC) were administered. To avoid mutilating surgery in advanced disease, four courses of VBC chemotherapy were administered prior to resection. The relapse-free survival according to Kaplan-Meier for protocol patients with teratomas is 0.97 +/- 0.01, for dysgerminomas 0.73 +/- 0.09 and for other fully malignant histologic entities 0.81 +/- 0.02 with a median period of observation of 31 months. The toxicity mainly consisted of myelosuppression during VPIC chemotherapy in 39 of 62 pts resulting in twelve incidents of sepsis with lethal outcome in two pts. Impaired renal function was reported in 14 pts, the incidence of neuropathy, ototoxicity and pulmonary toxicity was negligible. For the follow-up study a reduction in chemotherapy seems justified in patients with favourable prognosis. The substitution of VP16 for vinblastine may result in reduced toxicity.
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PMID:[Non-testicular germ cell tumors: analysis of the therapy study MAKEI 83/86 anc changes in the protocol for the follow-up study]. 247 83

Recent improvements in the results of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) have made this a well-accepted treatment for patients with severe hepatic failure. Current problems encountered following OLT are discussed. Immediate complications comprise surgical bleeding, primary graft non-function, and graft failure due to hepatic artery occlusion. Secondary complications are frequent. Surgical ones include biliary and vascular (hepatic artery thrombosis most often) problems, as well as intra-abdominal abscesses associated with gastrointestinal perforation, biliary leak, graft ischaemia or an infected haematoma. 40% of patients having undergone OLT will be reoperated on, 2/3 of them within 3 months. Non-surgical complications are mostly pulmonary. The risk of pneumonitis is increased by prolonged mechanical ventilation; it is always potentially disastrous in the immunosuppressed, transplanted patient. Hypertension is also often seen in the early postoperative period; it requires prompt treatment. Early renal impairment after OLT is common, and of better prognosis than late onset renal failure, which is generally associated with shock, graft failure, sepsis or use of nephrotoxic agents. Seizures, usually only one, occur in about 10% of patients; recovery is complete. Encephalopathy with intracranial oedema related to fulminant hepatitis has a worse prognosis, but survival figures are quite encouraging. Three type of rejection are described after OLT: 1) severe accelerated rejection (very rare), 2) acute rejection encountered in about 70% of patients over the first 3 months, and 3) late rejection, which can lead to the vanishing bile duct syndrome (VBDS). Diagnosis of rejection is made by liver biopsy. Prophylactic immunosuppression includes cyclosporin, methylprednisolone and azathioprine. Cyclosporin toxicity and drug interactions are reviewed. Treatment of acute rejection episodes comprises an initial bolus of high doses of corticoid drugs; if there is no response, antilymphocyte globulin or monoclonal antibodies may have to be used. Infection is the main cause of death following OLT. Early infections, mostly intra-abdominal and pulmonary, are bacterial or fungal. Vital (especially CMV) and other opportunistic infections occur generally after the second week. Retransplantation, carried out in 10 to 25% of patients, may be urgent in case of primary graft failure, or hepatic artery thrombosis associated with graft failure, or hepatic artery thrombosis associated with graft failure. Other indications are early graft rejection with severe hepatic dysfunction, chronic rejection with severe VBDS, and recurrence of the initial disease.
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PMID:[Liver transplantation in adults: postoperative management and development during the first months]. 262 46

We report data on 43 patients with polyarteritis affecting the kidneys. The majority (41 patients) had renal histological evidence of microscopic polyarteritis. Although most patients (30 of 43) had significant renal impairment at the time of diagnosis (serum creatinine greater than 250 mumol/l) only five had a symptom, macroscopic haematuria, that directed attention to the kidneys. In the majority of patients in whom data was available there was rapid deterioration in renal function between presentation and diagnosis. Renal function at diagnosis was worse in patients aged over 50 of whom 20 out of 29 had a serum creatinine greater than 500 mumol/l compared with only four of 14 patients aged less than 50. The prognosis was worse in patients over 50 (41 per cent died), in patients with a serum creatinine higher than 500 mumol/l (54 per cent died) and in patients treated with intravenous methylprednisolone, (four also had intravenous cyclophosphamide) (38 per cent died). The major cause of death was sepsis and the actuarial one-year survival was 62 per cent. These results suggest that our approach to treatment should be modified towards lessening immunosuppression in older patients and in patients with renal failure at diagnosis.
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PMID:Polyarteritis and the kidney. 288 38

Twenty-seven patients with renal vein thrombosis were retrospectively studied to evaluate their long-term prognosis and relevant prognostic factors. Twenty-four patients presented with a nephrotic syndrome, and 15 had renal impairment (8 acute; 7 moderate). Ten patients had a previous history of proteinuria, and 14 of nephrotic syndrome. Renal biopsy performed in 20 patients, of whom 19 were nephrotic, showed membranous glomerulonephritis in 14, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in three, minimal change glomerulonephritis in two, and periarteritis nodosa in one. Renal vein thrombosis was angiographically proven in all patients and was bilateral in 18, localised to the left renal vein in seven, and to the right in two. Thrombosis of the inferior vena cava was associated in seven patients. Ten patients were treated by anticoagulants alone, nine by surgical thrombectomy, seven by thrombolysis, and two did not receive any specific treatment. One patient underwent successively thrombectomy and then thrombolysis. Eleven patients died within the first 6 months, mainly from haemorrhagic complications (n = 5) or severe sepsis (n = 2). Survivors were followed up from 6 months to 19 years. Nephrotic syndrome improved or even disappeared in 12 patients, and renal function did not worsen throughout the follow-up in any patients. The main prognostic factors were initial renal function and type of nephropathy: patients with membranous glomerulonephritis had a significantly better renal function and a lower mortality rate than patients with other nephropathies. Initial renal insufficiency was significantly associated with a poor prognosis. There was no advantage, in terms of survival, kidney function and nephrotic syndrome, of either thrombectomy or thrombolysis over anticoagulants alone, despite two complete venous recanalisations after thrombolysis. Accordingly, patients with renal vein thrombosis from membranous glomerulonephritis should be treated by anticoagulants alone, since the long-term prognosis of this disease seems unaffected by intercurrent renal vein thrombosis. With respects to the risk-to-benefit ratio, thrombectomy should be avoided and thrombolysis considered only in patients with initial acute renal failure from acute renal vein thrombosis.
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PMID:The prognosis of renal vein thrombosis: a re-evaluation of 27 cases. 314 96

From August 1974 to January 1985, 53 patients (26 men; seven Maoris) mean age 45 (SD 15) years, with diabetes mellitus for a mean of 12 (SD nine) years had a renal biopsy and were followed. Indications for biopsy were nephrotic syndrome, proteinuria, renal impairment (five) and hematuria (one). Mean plasma creatinine concentration was 0.22 (SD 0.18) mmol/L and protein excretion 3.4 (SD 2.5) g/24 h. Diabetic nephropathy was demonstrated in 39 patients and significantly associated with retinopathy and insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Of the 39 patients followed for 25.7 (SD 22.8) months, 18 had died (nine myocardial infarction, six uremia, two sepsis, one stroke) and nine had begun dialysis. The five-year cumulative renal survival was 28%. The presence of the nephrotic syndrome and the plasma creatinine concentration at presentation were the best predictors of survival. Diabetics with IDDM of 20 years duration, retinopathy and heavy proteinuria, who survive the other complications of their disease, are likely to have diabetic nephropathy requiring renal replacement therapy.
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PMID:Renal disease in diabetics--which patients have diabetic nephropathy and what is their outcome? 324 62

A frequent complication (8.5 to 52.8%) of pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for cancer, pancreatic fistula (PF) is difficult to treat, and an analysis of 30 cases of PD (27 for cancer, 3 for chronic pancreatitis) is used to determine risk factors and most effective therapy. Fistula developed in 6 cases (20%) and three risk factors were determined: preoperative renal impairment and hypoalbuminemia and ligature of pancreatic stump. Although not statistically significant, other factors--cancer, emergency surgery, fragile pancreatic tissue, thin Wirsung, pancreatojejunal anastomosis, absence of decompression of the raised jejunal loop--in this small series nevertheless provoked a marked increase in PF. One patient recovered after medical treatment, all five patients operated upon by whatever technique failing to survive. This agrees with literature data indicating heavy mortality (44.4 to 100%) after surgery. This should therefore be reserved for cases of PF failing to respond to adequate medical treatment, or with hemorrhage or intra-abdominal sepsis not controlled medically. The most effective therapy for PF is prophylactic, combining selection of patients as a function of risk factors, and treatment of pancreatic stump adapted to caliber of Wirsung and quality of remaining pancreatic tissue.
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PMID:[Pancreatic fistula following cephalic duodenopancreatectomy. Directed fistulization or total pancreatic exeresis?]. 337 2

The efficacy and safety of aztreonam in the treatment of serious gam-negative infections were investigated in 20 patients, 19 of whom were more than 60 years old. There were 13 cases of upper urinary tract infection, 6 of septicemia and one of peritonitis. Half the patients were in a critical clinical condition with significant severe underlying disease. Aztreonam was given i.v. or i.m. in doses ranging from 1.5 to 4 g/day according to the severity of the infection. The duration of treatment ranged from 7 to 20 days. In 5 patients with mixed infections due to gram-positive and anaerobic organisms in addition to gram-negative pathogens, aztreonam was given in combination with clindamycin and metronidazole as appropriate. Clinical and bacteriological cures were observed in all 20 patients. There were two cases of reinfection and 3 of superinfection--all occurred in patients with severe underlying disease. Untoward effects were few and of minor severity. Creatinine clearance remained stable or improved during aztreonam treatment, even in patients with significant renal impairment. In conclusion, aztreonam was shown to be both effective and safe in the treatment of serious gram-negative infections in elderly patients--even those with impaired renal function. In such indications aztreonam appears to be a good alternative to potentially toxic drugs such as the aminoglycosides.
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PMID:Aztreonam in the treatment of serious gram-negative infections in the elderly. 340 89

Seventy axillary/distal artery shunts were carried out in 67 patients between 1978 and 1985. Mean age of patients was 71.5 years; 34% had coronary disease, 39% respiratory insufficiency, 12% diabetes and 12% severe renal impairment. Indications for the operation were sepsis in Scarpa's triangle (5 cases) and to save a limb with major ischemic lesions (65 cases including 14 stage III, 28 stage IV and 23 acute ischemic lesions). One-stage operation was performed in 37 cases and a two-stage procedure in 33. In 80% of cases the distal artery was the upper popliteal (11 cases) or lower popliteal (45 cases) artery. In 14 cases the distal artery was either the fibular (6 cases) anterior tibial (4 cases) or posterior tibial (4 cases) artery. Allowing for the context, the results justify this "maximalist" attitude (16% operative mortality, 43 limbs saved at 6 months, 31 at 1 year, 19 at 2 years). Three factors are determinant for permeability of shunts: severity of initial clinical stage, level of distal anastomosis and type of material used.
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PMID:[Are axillo-distal bypasses justified? Apropos of 70 cases over an 8-year period]. 358 75

Postoperative mortality has been directly attributed to renal failure in approximately 5 per cent of patients after surgery for obstructive jaundice. An analysis of 334 patients undergoing biliary tract surgery was undertaken to identify the perioperative factors associated with the development of renal impairment, and to estimate the contribution of renal failure to mortality. Thirty-eight patients (11 per cent) developed postoperative renal impairment (a two-fold increase in serum creatinine postoperatively or a rise of greater than 100 mumol/l). Ninety-three factors were examined in these and 196 control patients. Stepwise logistic regression analysis identified only three factors which were significantly associated with renal impairment: postoperative sepsis (P less than 0.0005), pre-operative serum bilirubin (P less than 0.0005), and pre-operative urea (P less than 0.05). Renal impairment developed at a median 4 days after surgery and was associated with a median of two additional major postoperative complications, particularly sepsis and haemorrhage, for which 17 patients underwent reoperation. Twenty-eight (74 per cent) of the patients with renal impairment died in hospital, but in only one case was the cause of death directly related to renal failure. Twenty patients received specific therapy for renal failure, but only one of these survived. Pre-operative obstructive jaundice and postoperative infection are the major factors associated with renal impairment after biliary tract surgery. Renal impairment appears to be related to postoperative complications rather than directly to the surgical procedure itself. The development of postoperative renal impairment predicts a low chance of survival but appears to be an indicator, rather than a direct cause of a poor prognosis.
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PMID:Renal impairment following biliary tract surgery. 366 54


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