Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0476273 (respiratory distress)
 19,632 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A 61-year-old splenectomized male patient affected by hairy cell leukemia (HCL) in relapse was treated with interferon (IFN) at a dosage of 3 x 10(6) U/day. After only 11 days of treatment, IFN was stopped because the patient developed fever, jaundice and respiratory distress. Upon recovery from this infectious episode, the patient was judged to be in complete remission of HCL on the basis of clinical and laboratory findings, and he remained off-therapy for 2 years. When an overt relapse occurred, the patient was again treated with IFN and, after a very short time, he achieved a new, good partial remission that is maintained 28 months later without treatment. This observation remains speculative for understanding the mechanism of action of IFN in other comparable HCL cases.
 ...
PMID:Early response to alpha interferon in a patient affected by hairy cell leukemia. 142 45

This review suggests that infections are potent immunomodulators by causing significant alterations in one or more mediators of homeostasis and that an effective antibiosis may be a potent immunomodulator, albeit indirectly. When large numbers of microorganisms are killed, their enzymes and toxins are rapidly released and activate the immune system. The septic syndrome and the potentially progressive states of septic shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome and multiple organ system failure illustrate the biological response modulating (BRM) activity of both infection and antibiotic. Enhancement of phagocytosis and intracellular killing would be a useful immunomodulatory activity for antibiotics. Equally useful would be the capacity of the antibiotic to bind or inactivate bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to diminish monocyte release of tumour-necrosing factor (TNF) at a rate equal to or faster than the killing effect of the antibiotic on bacteria. For other types of immune deficiencies, such as are observed in HIV-positive patients with secondary bacterial, fungal and viral infections, modulation of viral receptors including HIV-R on CD4 lymphocytes accompanied by their up-regulation, enhancement of interferon (IFN) and natural killer (NK) function and inhibition of CD8 suppressor activity would be important activities. The classic example of polymyxin as an immunomodulating, albeit toxic, antibiotic offers a rational and definitive basis for the concept. In-vitro data on cefodizime, a third generation cephalosporin that achieves good tissue levels, are presented and show the ability of the intact antibiotic, as well as its immunomodulating side-chain, to down-regulate TNF and interleukin 1 (IL-1) released from human monocytes by lectin-activated lymphocytes, LPS and IFN.
 ...
PMID:Antibiotics as biological response modifiers. 207 50

Two patients with non-miliary pulmonary tuberculosis developed a syndrome resembling adult respiratory distress following initiation of drug treatment. They were studied clinically and with a representative range of in vitro and in vivo tests of immune function. Both were alcoholic, malnourished and presented with radiologically widespread, smear-positive disease and lymphocytopenia. One had cutaneous anergy in vivo and profound reduction on mononuclear cell proliferative and interferon responses to tuberculoprotein (PPD) in vitro; the other patient, who died two weeks after starting treatment, had relatively normal values for these measures of cell-mediated immunity. In both cases there was a progressive increase during treatment, in peripheral blood lymphocyte counts, skin reactions and in vitro cellular responses to PPD, and a sudden rise in ESR at the time of their deterioration. We propose that the reactions may represent local manifestations of heightened delayed hypersensitivity, mounted by increasing numbers of 'resuscitated' lymphocytes against immunogenic cell wall substances released from dying tubercle bacilli in patients whose level of cellular immunity is being enhanced as a result of chemotherapy. The likelihood of an acute respiratory reaction during treatment may therefore depend on the bacillary load, the extent of lung disease present, and its severity may be related to the pre-treatment immune status of the patient.
 ...
PMID:Acute respiratory distress related to chemotherapy of advanced pulmonary tuberculosis: a study of two cases and review of the literature. 374 51

A two-year-old, spayed female, miniature schnauzer was evaluated for respiratory distress associated with a compressive cervical mass. Generalized mycobacterial infection was diagnosed from aspirates of several enlarged lymph nodes. Tissue specimens further identified Mycobacterium avium--intracellulare using polymerase chain reaction followed by nucleic acid hybridization. Treatment with enrofloxacin, clofazamine, rifampin, and interferon did not result in long-term success.
 ...
PMID:Disseminated Mycobacterium avium--intracellulare complex infection in a miniature schnauzer. 763 54

Pulmonary hemangiomatosis is a rare, usually fatal disorder characterized by diffuse proliferation of blood vessels within the thorax. We describe a 7-year-old boy with cavernous-type pulmonary hemangiomatosis successfully treated with interferon alfa-2a. He presented with respiratory distress and hemoptysis that were alleviated during a 2-year follow-up period.
 ...
PMID:Pulmonary cavernous hemangiomatosis treated with interferon alfa-2a. 866 Apr 52

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with an inflammatory response, mainly caused by the trauma of surgery, contact of blood with the artificial surface of the circuit, and reperfusion injury, resulting in increased capillary permeability, respiratory distress, low cardiac output, and multiorgan failure. The inflammatory reaction includes an activation of the humoral and cellular immune system with enhanced release of cytokines. The present study focused on the effect of CPB on the time course of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In 20 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, the plasma concentration of interferon (IFN)-gamma, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 was investigated pre-, intra-, and postoperatively by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. With the exception of IFN-gamma, all the other cytokines could be detected in the patients plasma. However, neither TNF-alpha nor IL-1 beta and IL-2 revealed significant changes in concentration during the investigated time period. In contrast, IL-6 and IL-8 levels peaked early postoperatively, reaching median concentrations of 430 pg/ml (221 pg per ml/558 pg per ml; lower/upper quartiles, respectively) and approximately 12 pg/ml (0/17 pg/ml; lower/upper quartiles, respectively). IL-4 and IL-10, respectively, revealed maximal concentrations of approximately 2 pg/ml (0/39 pg/ml; lower/upper quartiles, respectively) and 208 pg/ml (76 pg per ml/380 pg per ml; lower/upper quartiles, respectively) immediately after protamine administration, preceding the maximal concentration of IL-6. The degree of the observed modulation of cytokine patterns during and after CPB seemed to be patient-dependent, since large interindividual variations in cytokine levels were observed, not only preoperatively, but especially during and following CPB. However, IL-6 and IL-10 showed the least interindividual variations, suggesting that these cytokines may give reliable information regarding modulation of the immune response following CPB and its consequences for the patient's outcome.
 ...
PMID:Interindividual variations in cytokine levels following cardiopulmonary bypass. 949 62

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major cause of acute bronchiolitis in infancy, a syndrome characterized by wheezing, respiratory distress, and the pathologic findings of peribronchial mononuclear cell infiltration and release of inflammatory mediators by basophil and eosinophil leukocytes. Composition and activation of this cellular response are thought to rely on the discrete target cell selectivity of C-C chemokines. We demonstrate that infection in vitro of human epithelial cells of the lower respiratory tract by RSV induced dose- and time-dependent increases in mRNA and protein secretion for RANTES (regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and presumably secreted), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), and macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha). Production of MCP-1 and MIP-1alpha was selectively localized only in epithelial cells of the small airways and lung. Exposure of epithelial cells to gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), in combination with RSV infection, induced a significant increase in RANTES production that was synergistic with respect to that obtained by RSV infection or IFN-gamma treatment alone. Epithelial cell-derived chemokines exhibited a strong chemotactic activity for normal human blood eosinophils. Furthermore, eosinophils were susceptible to RSV and released RANTES and MIP-1alpha as a result of infection. Therefore, the inflammatory process in RSV-induced bronchiolitis appears to be triggered by the infection of epithelial cells and further amplified via mechanisms driven by IFN-gamma and by the secretion of eosinophil chemokines.
 ...
PMID:Cell-specific expression of RANTES, MCP-1, and MIP-1alpha by lower airway epithelial cells and eosinophils infected with respiratory syncytial virus. 957 40

This review summarizes current strategies in the treatment of patients with pleural effusion. To determine whether a patient has a transudative or exudative pleural effusion, Light's criteria should be applied to measure the concentrations of protein and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the pleural fluid and serum. If the effusion is transudative, therapy should be directed toward the underlying congestive heart failure, cirrhosis, or nephrosis. Consideration should be given to pleurodesis with a sclerosant if patients with recurrent transudative effusion have severe dyspnea due to their effusion. If the effusion is exudative, attempts should be made to define the etiology. The diagnosis of pleural malignancy is most easily established via pleural fluid cytology. If this is negative and the patient is suspected of having pleural malignancy, thoracoscopy is indicated. The concentrations of adenosine deaminase and gamma-interferon in pleural fluid are useful in the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis. Patients with pneumonia and pleural effusion should undergo therapeutic thoracentesis; the pleural fluid should be Gram-stained and cultured, and the differential cell count, glucose and LDH concentration, and pH should be determined. Indicators of a poor prognosis include the presence of frank pus, a positive Gram-stain, a pleural glucose concentration of less than 2.2 mmol/L, a pH less than 7.00, the presence of pleural loculations, and an LDH concentration greater than three times the upper limit of normal in serum. If the pleural fluid cannot be completely evacuated because of loculations, intrapleural thrombolytic therapy should be considered. If thrombolytics are ineffective, thoracoscopy or thoracotomy with decortication should be performed. Dyspneic patients with malignant pleural effusions whose dyspnea is relieved with therapeutic thoracentesis should be considered for pleurodesis using a tetracycline derivative. Talc is not recommended because it induces acute respiratory distress syndrome in about 5% of patients, with an overall mortality of 1%.
 ...
PMID:Management of pleural effusions. 1092 61

Vascular tumors are common in infancy, affecting as many as 10% of children. These lesions often follow a benign course, with an initial proliferative phase followed by spontaneous involution, and require no therapy. Others manifest explosive early growth and Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon, requiring therapeutic intervention. Occasionally, some bulky tumors threaten life or vision because of mass effect, also mandating intervention. Steroids are the mainstay of therapy, but often are ineffective. Interferon alpha (2a and 2b) has been used as second-line therapy in cases of steroid failure. However, interferon therapy has been associated with a significant incidence of spastic diplegia. The authors present the case of a 3-month-old girl in whom respiratory distress secondary to tracheal compression developed. Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography showed a large cervicothoracic lesion encasing the great vessels and displacing the airway. She did not display associated Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon. The lesion proved refractory to standard steroid therapy, but responded dramatically to 4 cycles of vincristine (0.05 mg/kg). Although this agent has been used in children with life-threatening Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon, this is the first time it has been described in the setting of compromised vital function. Vinca alkaloids recently have been shown to have potent antiangiogenic activities in experimental models. Given the low predicted incidence of side effects at this dose, vincristine used as an antiangiogenic agent may prove an attractive alternative therapy for patients with life-threatening vascular tumors of infancy.
 ...
PMID:Effective therapy of a vascular tumor of infancy with vincristine. 1147 75

Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is associated with the cell envelope of most gram-positive bacteria. Although previously thought to act mainly as a virulence factor by virtue of its adhesive nature, evidence is now provided that LTA can also suppress the function of interleukin-2 (IL-2), an autocrine growth factor for T cells. LTA from four separate bacterial strains lowered the levels of detectable IL-2 during a peripheral blood mononuclear cell response to the antigen tetanus toxoid (TT). T-cell proliferation in response to TT was similarly inhibited by LTA. In contrast, levels of detectable gamma interferon increased. In addition, LTA inhibited IL-2 detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and blocked the proliferative response of an IL-2-dependent T-cell line to soluble IL-2. Further studies using ELISA demonstrated that LTA blocks IL-2 detection and function by binding directly to IL-2. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that IL-2 binding to T cells is inhibited in the presence of purified LTA but not LTA plus anti-LTA monoclonal antibody. In summary, these studies demonstrate a novel effect of LTA on the immune response through direct binding to IL-2 and inhibition of IL-2 function. Importantly, gram-positive organisms from which LTA is obtained not only play an important role in the pathology of diseases such as bacterial endocarditis, septic shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and multiple organ failure but also comprise a significant portion of commensal populations within the human host. Inhibition of IL-2 function by LTA may represent yet another mechanism by which gram-positive bacteria dampen the host immune response and facilitate survival. Thus, LTA provides a potential target for therapeutic intervention when gram-positive organisms are involved.
 ...
PMID:Lipoteichoic acid inhibits interleukin-2 (IL-2) function by direct binding to IL-2. 1152 13


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next >>