published_or_final_version / Pathology / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

Thrombotic microangiopathy is featured by microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopenia and the presence of peripheral fragmented red cells. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is the major disease entity of concern, which is caused by a congenital or acquired deficiency of a von Willebrand factor (vWF) cleaving protease known as ADAMTS13 (A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease with Thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13). Deficiency of this protease, leads to accumulation of uncleaved ultra-large hyperactive vWF multimers in peripheral circulation causing the extensive microvascular platelet aggregation in a TTP event. However, the differential diagnosis is sometimes difficult because symptoms and signs can be non-specific and the condition may resemble a number of disorders. Early recognition and definite diagnosis of TTP is critical to enable prompt plasma exchange therapy. Specific and sensitive ADAMTS13 assays will be potentially helpful. In this review, archive frozen plasma samples from six patients presented with prominent thrombotic microangiopathy were retrospectively analysed for ADAMTS13 by immunoassays. The relationship between ADAMTS13 antigen, activity and its autoantibodies and TTP was studied. Local reference ranges of these assays were also determined. The assay results were validated by identifying the clinically-confirmed cases of TTP, with also prospective serial measurements of ADAMTS13 in a few cases. Patients presented with acute TTP were characterized by a severely deficient ADAMTS13 antigen and activity level, as well as a positive autoantibody titre detected for its acquired immune aetiology ; while patients with non-TTP conditions only had mildly reduced ADAMTS13 antigen but variably decreased activity level and a negative autoantibody titre . A pooled analysis of patients and normal subjects also demonstrated a positive correlation between ADAMTS13 antigen and activity. / published_or_final_version / Pathology / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

A Research Report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master of Medicine in the branch of Internal Medicine. / Background. Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a rare disease causing significant morbidity. South Africa has a high prevalence of HIV infection which may be associated with immune thrombocytopenia. There is a paucity of clinical, management and outcome data on immune thrombocytopenia in the local South African setting. Objectives. To compare the demographics, clinical presentation, management and treatment outcomes of immune thrombocytopenia in HIV positive and HIV negative patients and to compare the treatment outcomes with established international guidelines. Methods. This was a retrospective comparative study conducted at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, from January 2003 to December 2014. Adults (≥ 18 years) with confirmed diagnosis of ITP were included. Hospital charts of eligible patients were reviewed to extract data on their clinical presentation, diagnosis, HIV status, treatment and outcomes. A comparison was made between HIV positive and negative patients. Descriptive analysis was performed on the data and results were presented graphically. The P-value of <0.05 was regarded as significant. Results. A total of 250 patients were screened, of which 154 patients met eligibility criteria for the study. 91% of the patients were female, 58% were HIV negative and 42% were HIV positive. The 25-35 year age-group comprised the highest percentage of HIV positive patients (42%). There was no difference in the presentation of symptoms between HIV positive and HIV negative patients. Response to first line therapy was not significantly different between the HIV positive and HIV negative patients (p=0.1370). The patients who went on second line therapy, showed excellent response with approximately 80% reaching complete response. There was no difference in HIV positive and HIV negative groups. Conclusion. In a large central hospital in a high HIV prevalence setting, there is no significant difference between HIV positive and HIV negative patients in terms of clinical presentation, treatment and outcomes in confirmed patients with immune thrombocytopenia. The management of ITP at the CMJAH is comparable to that of published guidelines. / MT2017

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

We report on 2 cases of chronic relapsing thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, in which anti-phospholipid antibodies were also found. The first patient was felt to have the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, while the second patient had anti-phospholipid antibodies without clinical manifestations of the anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome. We discuss chronic relapsing thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and the anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome. Furthermore, we introduce the possibility of an association between chronic relapsing thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and the presence of anti-phospholipid antibodies.

Thesis (doctoral)--Lund University, 1997. / Added t.p. with thesis statement inserted. Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D. in Epidemiology) -- University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-126).

Η σύνθεση της λεπτίνης γίνεται κατά κύριο λόγο από τα αδιποκύτταρα και η δράση της είναι να περιορίζει την πρόσληψη της τροφής και να προάγει τον καταβολισμό του λίπους. Έχει δειχτεί, επίσης, ότι η λεπτίνη προάγει την ενεργοποίηση των μονοκυττάρων και των Τ λεμφοκυττάρων in vitro, και σε πειραματικά μοντέλα (ποντίκια) αυτοάνοσων νοσημάτων συμμετέχει στην επαγωγή της ανοσολογικής απάντησης, πιθανότατα μέσω της κλωνικής έκπτυξης και της διατήρησης παθολογικών Τh1 λεμφοκυττάρων. Για τη διερεύνηση των δράσεων της λεπτίνης στην Αυτοάνοση Ιδιοπαθή Θρομβοπενική Πορφύρα της παιδικής ηλικίας, μετρήσαμε τα επίπεδα της λεπτίνης στο πλάσμα 18 παιδιών με οξεία ΙΘΠ πριν, μετά τη θεραπεία και κατά τη διάρκεια της ύφεσης της νόσου, και τα συγκρίναμε με τα επίπεδα στο πλάσμα 18 υγιών μαρτύρων, ερευνώντας παράλληλα το κατά πόσον τα επίπεδα αυτά σχετίζονται με τη δραστηριότητα της νόσου. Παρατηρήσαμε ότι τα επίπεδα της λεπτίνης του πλάσματος σε ασθενείς με ενεργό νόσο είναι κατά 6 φορές πιο αυξημένα (μέση τιμή 64ng/ml) σε σχέση με την ομάδα ελέγχου (μέση τιμή 11ng/ml). Η χορήγηση ενδοφλέβιας ανοσοσφαιρίνης G προκάλεσε ελάχιστη πτώση των τιμών της λεπτίνης στο πλάσμα (μέση τιμή 57ng/ml) ενώ η θεραπεία με κορτικοστεροειδή προκάλεσε πτώση των τιμών της λεπτίνης σε επίπεδα μικρότερα από την ομάδα ελέγχου (μέση τιμή 6ng/ml). Κατά την ύφεση της νόσου τα επίπεδα της λεπτίνης ήταν ίδια με την ομάδα ελέγχου (μέση τιμή 8ng/ml). Τα επίπεδα της λεπτίνης παρουσίασαν αρνητική συσχέτιση με τον αριθμό των αιμοπεταλίων, τις τιμές του TGF-β και τα επίπεδα γονιδιακής έκφρασης της IL-4. Αντίθετα, τα επίπεδα της λεπτίνης ακολουθούσαν τα μοτίβα της έκφρασης της IL-2, IFN-γ και IL-10. Ανασυνδυασμένη λεπτίνη προστέθηκε σε καλλιέργειες μονοπύρηνων κυττάρων του περιφερικού αίματος, όπου και φάνηκε ότι επάγει την έκφραση IL-10. Σύμφωνα με πειράματα που διενεργήθηκαν με απομονωμένους πληθυσμούς μονοκυττάρων, η IL-10 φαίνεται ότι προέρχεται από τα μονοκύτταρα. Υποστηρίζουμε ότι στην Αυτοάνοση Ιδιοπαθή Θρομβοπενική Πορφύρα της παιδικής ηλικίας, η λεπτίνη,εκτός των άλλων, παρουσιάζει αντιφλεγμονώδη δράση προάγοντας την έκκριση IL-10 από τα μονοκύτταρα. / Leptin is synthesized by adipocytes to limit the intake of food and promote the breakdown of fat. Leptin was also shown to promote monocyte and T-cell activation in vitro, and contribute to the induction and propagation of inflammation in murine models for autoimmune diseases, probably through the expansion and maintenance of pathogenic Th1-cell populations. To assess the role of leptin in the human autoimmune disease childhood Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), we measured leptin levels in the plasma of 18 children suffering from acute ITP before, after therapy and in remission, and 18 healthy age- and Body Mass Index-matched controls, and investigated if and how these correlate with disease activity. We observed a 6-fold increase in plasma leptin (mean 64ng/ml) in the patients with active disease compared to the controls (mean 11ng/ml). Intravenous Immunoglobulin G treatment resulted in a slight decrease in plasma leptin (mean 57ng/ml) while steroid treatment brought down leptin to below control levels (6ng/ml). In remission, leptin levels were within control range (mean 8ng/ml). Leptin levels negatively correlated with platelet numbers, plasma TGF-β and IL-4 gene expression levels. In contrast, leptin levels followed the patterns of IL-2, IFN-γ and IL-10 expression. Recombinant leptin added alone to the patients’ peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures, induced IL-10 only. Experiments with purified cells identified the monocytes as the exclusive source of leptin-induced IL-10. We propose that in the human autoimmune setting of childhood ITP, leptin plays an active anti-inflammatory role by promoting IL-10 secretion by monocytes.

Objetivo: Avaliar a freqüência das células T reguladoras (Tregs) em crianças com diagnóstico novo de Púrpura Trombocitopênica Imune (PTI) e a sua associação com a contagem de plaquetas na ocasião, comparando os achados com os de controles saudáveis. Pacientes e Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo caso-controle, no qual foram incluídos 19 pacientes com diagnóstico novo de PTI e 19 controles. Para cada um dos casos, foram coletadas quatro amostras de sangue em períodos distintos, sendo eles ao diagnóstico – antes da instituição de qualquer terapêutica – e após um, três e seis meses do mesmo. Para os controles, utilizou-se amostra de sangue de 19 pacientes saudáveis, coletadas eletivamente. Em todas as amostras de sangue foi realizada contagem de plaquetas através de hemograma e avaliação dos linfócitos Tregs (CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3) por citometria de fluxo. Resultados: A idade média ao diagnóstico de PTI foi de 6,53 ± 4,14 anos. Dos 17 pacientes tratados, 13 receberam apenas corticosteróide oral e quatro pacientes receberam corticosteróide e imunoglobulina endovenosa associada em algum momento do tratamento. Em relação à evolução da doença, 14 crianças apresentaram remissão completa, duas remissão e três PTI crônica. Houve diferença estatisticamente significativa no número de plaquetas entre os grupos caso e controle nas amostras 1 e 4. Não houve diferença significativa na contagem de Tregs entre os casos e os controles em nenhum momento de coleta. Não foi encontrada correlação estatisticamente significativa entre Tregs e o número de plaquetas entre os casos e os controles, nem nos pacientes do grupo caso ou do grupo controle analisados separadamente. Não houve diferença na contagem de células Tregs entre os grupos de pacientes crônicos e não crônicos. Conclusão: Os achados deste estudo não nos permitiu evidenciar correlação estatisticamente significativa entre Tregs e o número de plaquetas nos grupos caso e controle. As células T CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3 (Tregs) parecem não desempenhar um papel crucial na regulação da auto-imunidade em pacientes pediátricos com diagnóstico de PTI, provavelmente, devido à existência de outros mecanismos responsáveis pela auto-imunidade em crianças, ainda não identificados. / Objective: To assess the frequency of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in children with a new diagnosis of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), and its association with the counts of platelets on the occasion, and compare with healthy controls. Patients and Methods: A case-control study was conducted, in which 19 patients with new diagnosis of ITP and 19 controls were included. For each case, four blood samples were collected at different point times, that is, at the diagnosis – before the establishment of any treatment – and after one, three and six months. For the controls, electively collected blood samples from 19 healthy patients were used. For all blood samples, platelets were counted through a CBC and assessment of Treg lymphocytes (CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3) by flow cytometry. Results: The mean age at the ITP diagnosis was 6.53 ± 4.14 years. Of 17 treated patients, 13 received oral corticosteroid only, and four patients received corticosteroid and associated intravenous human immunoglobulin at some point in the treatment. Regarding the disease course, 14 children showed full remission, two partial remission, and three chronic ITP. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of platelets between the case and control groups in the samples 1 and 4. There was no significant difference in the counts of Tregs between cases and controls at any collection time. No statistically significant correlation was found between Tregs and number of platelets between cases and controls, neither in patients in the case group nor in the control group who were analyzed separately. There was no difference in the counts of Treg cells between the groups of chronic and non-chronic patients. Conclusion: The findings of this study did not show any statistically significant correlation between Tregs and number of platelets in the case and control groups. The T cells CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3 (Tregs) seems did not play a key role in the regulation of self-immunity in pediatric patients diagnosed with ITP. Other mechanisms, which aren’t still identified, are likely to account for self-immunity in children.