[Effect of age, nutritional status and tumor extension on various immunologic parameters in cancer patients]. / Influencia de la edad, el estado nutricional y la extensión tumoral sobre diversos parámetros inmunitarios en pacientes neoplásicos.

We studied cellular immune (total lymphocytes, lymphocytary populations and delay hypersensitivity skin tests) and humoral (immunoglobulins and complement) response, as well as nutritional status (anthropometric and biochemical para meters), antitumoral treatment. The effect of tumoral extension, nutritional status and age on immunity was assessed. We have demonstrated a poor relationship between the cellular immunological response and the extension of neoplasia, a moderate effect of age and a significant impact of nutritional status.

[Study of helper T lymphocytes and suppressor T lymphocytes in respiratory allergy and their modifications in relation to symptomatology]. / Estudio de linfocitos T facilitadores y T supresores en alergia respiratoria y sus modificaciones en relación a la sintomatología.

In has been assumed that in allergic disease there is a primary disorder in the lymphocyte subpopulation with decrease suppressor activity responsible for the pathological increase in IgE. Other authors have found secondary disorder in T lymphocyte subpopulations in relation to the clinical manifestations of the type I hypersensitivity reaction. We have studied the T lymphocyte subpopulations in 152 patients affected with bronchial asthma and/or extrinsic allergic rhinitis (without immunotherapy) in which 72 were male and 80 female with an average age of 26.49 +/- 12.05 years. Monoclonal antibody techniques were used (OKT4 for helpers and OKT8 for suppressors). The results were compared with 30 healthy controls; 60 males and 14 females with an average age of 32.52 +/- 14.23 years. We also studied the T lymphocyte subpopulations in relation to the symptomatology presented by the patients. The results were as follows: Significant decrease in helper and suppressor lymphocytes in allergic patients as compared to controls (p less than 0.001). No significant differences were found between the groups in relation to symptomatology (p greater than 0.05). In our study we found an important and significant decrease in helper T lymphocytes in peripheral blood in patients with respiratory allergy as compared to the control group, such as that found by Hsieh who also observed a deficient OKT4 function. Other authors have also observed a significant decrease in helper T lymphocytes parallel to the symptomatology of the type I hypersensitivity reaction, a finding that we have been unable to confirm in our study since no significant changes were observed between the symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[IgG subclasses: placental transfer in the full-term neonate and their evolution during the first 3 months of life]. / Subclases de IgG: paso trasplacentario en el recién nacido término y su evolución en los tres primeros meses de vida.

The authors studied the placental transfer of IgG subclasses in 43 newborns (NB) and their mothers. All the observations included low-risk pregnancies and full-term deliveries. The values expressed in arithmetric mean +/- standard deviation (means +/- SD), and referred in mg %, showed the following results: maternal Ig Gtotal 1,183 +/- 237 versus (vs.) NBG 1,179 +/- 187; maternal Ig G1 792 +/- 230 vs. NB 822 +/- 124; maternal Ig G2 138 +/- 77 vs. NB 209 +/- 70; maternal Ig G3 48 +/- 33 vs. NB 95 +/- 30, and maternal Ig G4 10 +/- 8 vs. NB 4.9 +/- 2. The relation between the average levels of maternal and cord serum was 1, 1.5, 1.9 and 0.48 for Ig G1, Ig G2, Ig G3 and Ig G4, respectively. It was also proved a maximum decrease in the levels of the subclasses in the first three months for the Ig G3, a percentage being noticed in the third month, in relation to the NB level, of 18, 29, 1.9 and 19% for Ig G1, Ig G2, Ig G3 and Ig G4, respectively. After primovaccination, a response was produced and it affected the 4 subclasses: Ig G1 845 mg %, Ig G2 229 mg %, Ig G3 38 mg % and Ig G4 7.44 mg %, with an increment in relation to prevaccination values of 5.5, 3.7, 20.7 and 12.4, respectively. The authors concluded by showing reference patterns in the active placental transfer of Ig G subclasses in normal full-term newborns.

[Usefulness of total and specific IgE in the diagnosis of respiratory allergy]. / Utilidad de la IgE total y específica en el diagnóstico de la alergia respiratoria.

We studied 500 patients with an average age of 36.25 +/- 14.27 years and did the following tests: Intradermoreaction and prick tests, total IgE by PRIST and specific IgE by RAST. The antigens used for the study were the following: Lolium Perenne, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, and house dust. Of de 500 patients studied, 104 had a negative skin test and RAST. They also had a negative history of allergy. The other 396 patients presented a clinical history compatible with the diagnosis of allergy and were positive to skin test and/or RAST. A correlative study between the different techniques utilized in the diagnosis of these patients was undertaken. We observed significant higher levels of total IgE in the allergic than in the non-allergic group (p less than 0.001). The normal levels of total IgE in our environment were equal or inferior to 263.33 UI/ml. In the group of allergic patients, levels higher than 263.33 UI/ml were found in 49.27% of RAST positive patients and 46.35% in skin test positive patients. In the 295 patients studied with intradermoreaction, the correlation coefficients (r) were as follows: Lolium perenne r: 0.90; Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus r: 0.54; house dust r: 0.14. The correlation coefficients (r) in the 101 patients studied with prick tests were the following; Lolium perenne r: 0.86; Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus r: 0.82; house dust r: 0.48. As can be observed the prick tests gave overall better results than the intradermoreaction. On comparing the skin and RAST tests qualitatively we observed that in those patients studied by prick tests, 86.79% were pollen-positive in both trials.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Immunity to measles, mumps and rubella in children vaccinated with triple viral vaccine]. / Inmunidad frente a sarampión, rubéola y parotiditis en niños vacunados con la triple vírica.

OBJECTIVE: To check up on measles-mumps-rubella immunity in children vaccinated with MMR vaccine. DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional study trough seroepidemiological survey. SETTING: Oliver-Miralbueno Health Centre, Zaragoza. PATIENTS: 92 healthy children of 5, 7 and 9 years of age who went for clinical preventive services. All of them vaccinated with MMR at the age of 15 to 18 months. None of them had suffered from measles, mumps or rubella. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: 1) The percentage of seronegative children (title less than 1:8) was: 9.8% for measles, 8.7% for rubella, and 27.2% for mumps. 2) As to the time differences among seropositive and seronegative children. CONCLUSIONS: The study reveals that there is a high percentage of MMR vaccinated children showing minimal or undetectable levels of antibodies.