Acta haematologica
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Changes in mean cell volume (MCV) following addition of CO2, O2 or both to venous blood treated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid were studied in an attempt to evaluate the effects of saturation with these gases. The MCV before the addition was taken to be 100%. When CO2 was mixed with each of 353 samples, the mean increase (+/- SD) was 6.10 +/- 1.72%. ⋯ When first CO2 and then O2 was added to 266 samples, the mean change (the sum for each sample of the absolute value of the increase plus that of the decrease) was 7.39 +/- 1.90%. Results of samples of venous and arterial blood from 15 subjects were compared to check these observations in vivo. The MCV of venous blood was always larger than that of arterial blood.
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The present report concerns a case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with marked hyperfibrinogenemia. The plasma fibrinogen level reached as high as 1,704 mg/dl. Since treatment against HCC resulted in reduction of plasma fibrinogen and PIVKA-II, an HCC marker, the hyperfibrinogenemia appears to be related to HCC. Immunohistochemically, the HCC specimen from this patient reacted strongly with antiserum to human fibrinogen, suggesting that the elevated fibrinogen was due to synthesis of this protein by the carcinoma cells, not to decreased fibrinolytic activity.
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Interleukin-1, -6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha release is down-regulated in whole blood from septic patients.
Proinflammatory cytokines are important mediators during endotoxemia. In experimental models, injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activates macrophages leading to excessive secretion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1 beta and IL-6; infusion of high dose of these mediators results in organ failure and death. Natural infection may be different, because it persists over days or even weeks, with repeated endotoxin challenge to macrophages. ⋯ These results indicate that different mechanisms down-regulate proinflammatory cytokine release in the whole blood of septic patients. Although excessive secretion is known to be deleterious, low concentrations of these cytokines are involved in regulating essential cellular and humoral immune functions. Thus, the reduced capacity to express and release adequate amounts of proinflammatory cytokines after exposure to endotoxin, as observed in whole-blood PBMCs from septic patients, may contribute to the development of immunodeficiency.
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Review Case Reports
Arsenic intoxication presenting with macrocytosis and peripheral neuropathy, without anemia.
A case of arsenic intoxication associated with macrocytosis and neuropathy, without anemia, is presented. Evaluation of a 68-year-old man with a long history of peripheral neuropathy and persistent macrocytosis revealed exposure to an insecticide. ⋯ Removal of the insecticide resulted in resolution of macrocytosis and slight improvement of neuropathy. This case emphasizes that arsenic intoxication should be considered in patients with macrocytosis with peripheral neuropathy, even in the absence of anemia.
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Review Case Reports
Transverse nail ridgings (Beau's lines) induced by chemotherapy.
Transverse grooves of the nails, designated as Beau's lines, were observed in a patient with malignant lymphoma given chemotherapy. Beau's lines disappeared in the treatment-free intervals. This observation supports the concept that these lines are the result of the suppressed growth of the nail matrix caused by antimitotic drugs.