Mechanisms of action of intravenous immunoglobulins [İntravenöz i·mmünglobulinlerin etki mekanizmalari]

Intravenous immunoglobulin was originally developed for the treatment of primary immunodeficiencies and subsequently it has been used increasingly in the treatment of patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases with beneficial effects. The mode of action of intravenous immunoglobulin is probably multiple distinct mechanisms involving Fc receptor blockade, inhibition of complement binding, modulation of cytokine production, restoration of the idiotypic network and neutralization of pathogenic autoantibodies, modulation of T and B cell activation and differentiation. This article discusses the proposed mechanisms of action of intravenous immunoglobulin in various disorders

A case of maple syrup urine disease misdiagnosed as Tetanus neonatorum on admission

PubMed ID: 8091979A case of Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) is presented with clinical signs and symptoms on admission resembling neonatal tetanus. Diagnosis had to be differentiated between MSUD and other metabolic disorders and neonatal infections (especially neonatal tetanus because of severe opisthotonos) and generalized seizures of the patient. Early diagnosis of the MSUD patient is very important for effective therapy and better long-term prognosis as well as genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis for future pregnancies. 1994 Japan Pediatric Societ

Increased gastric production of platelet-activating factor, leukotriene-b4and tumor necrosis factor-? in children with helicobacter pylori infection

[No abstract available

Dental findings and treatment in consanguinity associated congenital chronic familial neutropenia

PubMed ID: 17315808The purpose of this report is to describe dental findings and treatment of an 11-year old male patient and a 5-year old female patient, children of first cousins, suffering from severe benign congenital chronic familial neutropenia. This case report emphazises the importance of differential diagnosis of immunodeficiencies including congenital chronic familial neutropenia in the background of severe periodontal diseases and/or diffuse carious lesions in children

Evaluation of gingival crevicular fluid adrenomedullin and human neutrophil peptide 1-3 levels of patients with different periodontal diseases

PubMed ID: 20151808Background: Antimicrobial peptides participating in the innate host response are important contributors for maintaining the balance between health and disease. The aim of the present study is to investigate the levels of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) adrenomedullin and human neutrophil peptides 1 through 3 (HNP1-3) in patients with different periodontal diseases. Methods: A total of 77 subjects, including 20 patients with chronic periodontitis, 18 patients with generalized aggressive periodontitis, 20 patients with gingivitis, and 19 healthy subjects, were included in the present study. The probing depth, clinical attachment level, plaque index, and papilla bleeding index were assessed in all study subjects. GCF samples were analyzed for evaluating adrenomedullin and HNP1-3 levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The present study demonstrated that the periodontitis groups had a significantly higher total amount of GCF adrenomedullin compared to the gingivitis and healthy control groups after adjusting for age and gender (P 0.05). Conclusions: Our results suggest a defensive role for adrenomedullin during the host response in periodontal disease. Additionally, the lack of the HNP1-3 antimicrobial peptide might point to the deficiency of one of the protective mechanisms for periodontal tissues

Anticardiolipin antibodies in acute rheumatic fever and chronic rheumatic heart disease: Is their a significant association?

PubMed ID: 8913662Objective. The incidence and significance of IgG and IgM anticardiolipin antibodies (aCLa) in patients with acute rheumatic fever (ARF), chronic rheumatic heart disease (CRHD) and streptococcal pharyngitis have been investigated in order to determine whether these antibodies play an important role in the pathogenesis and if they are markers that can be used to confirm disease activity. Methods. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the IgG and IgM aCLa levels. aCLa levels of patients were considered positive if they were greater than 3.0 standard deviations above the mean for healthy children. Results. No significant difference in aCLa levels was found between patients with rheumatic fever or streptococcal pharyngitis and healthy controls, and aCLa concentrations did not correlate with the acute phase reactant levels. Conclusions. aCLa in patients with ARF and CRHD do not appear to be markers of disease activity, and our data suggest that aCLa do not play an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatic fever

Evaluation of p53, bcl-2, and interleukin- 15 levels in gingival crevicular fluid of cyclosporin A-treated patients

PubMed ID: 12747456Background: Apoptosis plays an important role in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Considering that apoptosis mediators may play a role in the pathogenesis of drug-induced gingival overgrowth, this study was conducted to evaluate p53, bcl-2, and interleukin-15 (IL-15) levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of cyclosporin A (CsA)-treated patients. Methods: Twenty renal transplant patients exhibiting CsA-induced gingival overgrowth and 15 systemically healthy gingivitis patients were included in the study; 15 systemically and periodontally healthy volunteer subjects served as the healthy control group. GCF samples were obtained from one interdental site with gingival overgrowth (GO+) and one site without (GO-) from each CsA-treated patient; hyperplasia index, probing depth, papilla bleeding index, and plaque presence were recorded. One site from each gingivitis patient and healthy control was selected, GCF samples were obtained, and the same clinical parameters were recorded. GCF p53, bcl-2, and IL-15 levels were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results were tested statistically. Results: p53 and bcl-2 levels were below the minimum detectable level in all GCF samples analyzed. CsA GO+ and CsA GO- sites, as well as gingivitis sites, exhibited significantly higher GCF levels of IL-15 compared to healthy controls (P 0.05). The total amount of IL-15 in CsA GO- sites was significantly lower than gingivitis sites (P 0.05). Conclusions: The pathogenesis of CsA-induced gingival overgrowth is multifactorial. The findings of the present study indicate that IL-15 may play a role in the pathogenesis of CsA-induced gingival overgrowth due to its interactions with CsA and its role in apoptosis and inflammation