No abstract available.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease affecting blood vessels and connective tissue, which are damaged by deposition of pathogenic autoantibodies and immune complexes. Although a complex disease, SLE provides a number of insights into autoimmune pathogenesis. Autoimmune disease, in general, is characterized by B cell hyperactivity which results in hypergammaglobulinemia and production of a variety of autoantibodies reactive to organ-nonspecific antigens such as DNA, RNA, and cell membrane structures. SLE patients usually show a marked increase in the number of activated and immunoglobulin-producing circulating B cells. Recently, cytokines with specific effects on immune regulation have been detected and extensively studied. One of them, Interleukin-6 (IL-6), is an activated monocyte derived factor which stimulates B cell growth and differentiation. We investigated the serum IL-6 levels of SLE patients in an attempt to demonstrate their relationship with the patients' clinical manifestation, and the serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), circulating immune complexes (CICs,) and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R). The study subjects consisted of 22 patients with SLE who had visited Severance Hospital from July 1986 to September 1987 and 10 normal controls. The patients' sera were stored at -70degrees C and later analyzed. The serum levels of IL-6 were measured by ELISA method with Inter Test-6X Human IL-6 ELISA kit; the serum CRP levels by fluorescence polarization immunoassay; the serum CIC levels by solid phase Clp binding assay; and the serum sIL-2R levels ELISA method. The results were as follows: The mean serum IL-6 level of SLE patients (1,366 pg/ml) was higher that of the controls (98pg/ml) (p<0.05). Among the SLE patients studied. the mean serum IL-6 level was higher in those with vasculitis than those without. ln the SLE patients studied. a linear correlation was present between the measured serum IL-6 and CIC levels; however no correlation was present either between IL-6 and CRP levels, or between IL-6 level and platelet count. The mean sIL-2R level of the SLE patients studied (1,864 U/ml) was higher than that of the controls (300 U/ml). However, in the SLE patients studied, no correlation was present between the serum IL-6 and sIL-2R levels measured. The high serum IL-6 level might play an important role in the pathogenesis of SLE.
Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Autoantibodies ; Autoimmune Diseases ; B-Lymphocytes ; Blood Vessels ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cell Membrane Structures ; Connective Tissue ; Cytokines ; DNA ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay ; Humans ; Hypergammaglobulinemia ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-6* ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Monocytes ; Platelet Count ; RNA ; Vasculitis

No abstract available.
Ureter*

Consecutive twelve patients' twelve eyes with complicated pars planitis underwent pars plana vitrectomy at our center in the period from January 1988 to December 1990. Patients' ages ranged from 24 to 60(mean 39.9)years and all were male. Nine patients had histories of topical or systemic steroid therapy and at the time of surgery, all eyes were quiet from active inflammation. With various degrees of vitreal opacities, five eyes had macular pucker or membrane only and in other seven eyes, retinal detachments of either tractional or tractional-rhegmatogenous origin were arisen. In the later group, macular hole was associated in two eyes. Surgical procedures combined were membrane peeling(five eyes), scleral buckling(ten eyes), fluid/air-gas exchange(eight eyes), lensectomy(two eyes) and photocoagulation(two eyes). During the follow-up period ranged from four to twenty-one(mean 7.75)months after first operations, the uveitis recurred or continued to be activated in four eyes and as a complication, retinal detachment occurred in two eyes which had macular pucker only preoperatively. One refused reoperation and the other was reattached successfully by second operation. Final visual acuities were improved in eight eyes, stationary in one and worsen in three. The causes of worsen vision were retinal detachment, macular edema and macular slanting by buckle respectively. Preoperatively, the majority of eyes(10 eyes: 84%) had less than 0.09 vision and postoperative vision turned over better than 0.09 in 7 eyes(59%). Although we did not confirm extinguished therapeutic effects of vitrectomy on the pars planitis perse, our results revealed some positve role of surgical intervention in the complicated pars planitis.

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Colorectal Neoplasms*

No abstract available.

A 48 years old male was visited with complaining of painful swelling of the left knee joint for 2 weeks duration. On radiological finding of the patella, there was found local rarefaction and osteolytic change in the inferior pole. It was diagnosed as Salmonella osteomyelitis of the patella and was confirmed by bacteriological study. Osteomyelitis of the patella caused by Salmonella group C as an etiological factor has not been reported. It was treated by conservative method with satisfactory result.
Humans ; Knee Joint ; Male ; Methods ; Osteomyelitis ; Patella ; Salmonella

Serum creatine phosphokinase(CPK) levels were measured serially in 20 adults with closed tibial shaft fractures, CPK activity increased significantly after fracture(p < 0.01). High energy and delayed healing fractures had significantly higher levels of CPK than low energy and normally healing fractures, respectively. Thus, CPK determinations could be used to assess the severity of trauma and possible prognosis of the healing in tibial shaft fractures.
Adult ; Creatine Kinase ; Creatine ; Humans ; Prognosis

No abstract available.
Veins