Monoarthritis with heterophil-negative infectious mononucleosis. Case of an older patient.

A patient aged 57 years with infectious mononucleosis and monoarthritis of the knee joint is described. To our knowledge, this association in elderly patients has not been reported heretofore, nor has the pathogenesis of arthritis in infectious mononucleosis been established. Because of the clinical picture and the synovial fluid findings, we suggest that the main mechanism of this arthritis is viral replication in the synovia.

Decreased serum growth hormone-binding protein in patients with liver cirrhosis.

The recently characterized GH-binding protein (GH-BP) has an amino acid sequence identical to the extracellular domain of the GH receptor. Serum GH-BP reflects the amount of GH receptors, and the liver seems to be their main source. To evaluate the effect of liver disease on GH-BP, 52 patients with liver cirrhosis were studied. Serum GH-BP was measured by a binding assay with dextran-coated charcoal separation. Levels of GH-BP were correlated against the clinical state, assessed by Pugh's score. The GH-BP of 31 Pugh's class A patients was 9.7 +/- 0.5%/50 microL serum, and that of 21 Pugh's class B and C patients was 7.2 +/- 0.5%/50 microL serum compared to 11.3 +/- 0.5%/50 microL serum in age-matched controls. GH-BP correlated negatively with Pugh's score and serum bilirubin, and positively with serum albumin. It did not correlate with serum liver enzymes or serum insulin-like growth factor-I. Scatchard analysis of GH binding to the GH-BP revealed similar binding affinities in Pugh's A, B, and C patients and controls. The binding capacity in cirrhosis was significantly lower than that in controls. We conclude that serum GH-BP is controlled mainly by the liver and can provide an additional measure of disease severity in liver cirrhosis.

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of liver hemangiomas.

Nine patients with cavernous hemangioma of the liver were examined by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a 0.5 T superconductive magnet. Spin-echo technique was used with varying time to echo (TE) and repetition times (TR). Results were compared with 99mTc red blood cell (RBC) scintigraphy, computed tomography (CT), echography, and arteriography. Four illustrated cases are reported. It was possible to establish a pattern for MRI characteristics of cavernous hemangiomas; rounded or smooth lobulated shape, marked increase in T1 and T2 values as compared with normal liver values. It is concluded that, although more experience is necessary to compare the specificity with that of ultrasound and CT, MRI proved to be very sensitive for the diagnosis of liver hemangioma, especially in the case of small ones which may be missed by 99mTc-labeled RBC scintigraphy.

Marfan syndrome associated with bicuspid aortic valve, premature aging, and primary hypogonadism.

We report and discuss a patient with characteristics of Marfan syndrome associated with a bicuspid aortic valve, premature aging, and primary hypogonadism.

Correlation of HBV DNA and monoclonal reactivity to HBsAg in serum of patients with HBV infection.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA hybridization assay, a monoclonal radioimmunoassay (M-RIA) for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and conventional polyclonal immunoassays for HBV associated antigens were used to study sera from patients on dialysis and with acute hepatitis B. HBV DNA was detectable in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative patients with acute hepatitis but not in HBsAg+ HBeAg- dialysis patients. In acute hepatitis, HBsAg immunoreactivity by M-RIA could still be detected even though a commercial immunoassay for HBsAg, the AUSRIA II, and the HBV DNA assay were no longer positive. Unlike in acute HBV infection, serum HBV DNA was detectable in dialysis patients who were AUSTRIA II negative but M-RIA positive. Serial determination of HBsAg by M-RIA and HBV DNA revealed episodes of HBV DNA positivity months after both the HBsAg was no longer positive by polyclonal immunoassay. Thus, the M-RIA for HBsAg and the molecular hybridization technique for HBV DNA are sensitive and specific assays for the identification of potentially infectious individuals who would not have been characterized as such based on the results of conventional polyclonal immunoassays.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues for dysfunctional bleeding in women after liver transplantation: a new application.

A new clinical indication for GnRH agonists treatment seems to exist in addition to the many indications known so far (4, 5). These previously mentioned indications include: uterine fibroids, precocious puberty, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian disease, ovulation induction for assisted fertilization (in vitro or in vivo), treatment of various tumors such as prostatic, breast, pancreatic, ovarian, and pituitary tumors, and various catamenial disorders such as premenstrual syndrome and porphyria. Women after liver transplantation, who are in the reproductive age and who experience menometrorrhagia or dysfunctional bleeding, seem to be a new indication for application of these useful GnRH analogues. This application may prevent the potential hepatotoxicity or cholestasis of E-P combinations usually used for treatment of dysfunctional bleeding. The recommended treatment is of relatively short duration (3 to 6 months), within the first 2 years of the transplantation, after which a more prolonged treatment should be considered. This treatment may also spare the need for contraception during its administration because both oral contraceptives and intrauterine device are relatively contraindicated in these patients (the latter because of the immunocompromised state). We believe this application to become more common because of increasing numbers of liver transplantations and improved survival rate. It may be looked at as a "new application of a relatively new drug for a new and enlarging situation."

Pregnancy after liver transplantation.

Two patients who became pregnant after liver transplantation for end-stage liver disease were carefully monitored using pulsed Doppler waveform measurements. One patient with Wilson's disease, on triple immunosuppressive therapy including prednisone, azathioprine and low-dose cyclosporin A, delivered a healthy girl weighing 2650 g after 38 weeks' gestation. The other patient, with HBV-related postnecrotic cirrhosis, became pregnant less than 3 months postoperatively, under triple therapy, after being amenorrheic for 6 years. Episodes of elevation in liver enzymes were noted, and severe osteoporosis with low back pain developed. A healthy boy weighing 2975 g was born at 35 weeks' gestation. Our cases add to previous reports of successful pregnancies under cyclosporin A immunosuppression.

[Superficial skin necrosis--an uncommon manifestation of short bowel syndrome].

Short bowel syndrome causes a complex of symptoms due to compromise of small intestinal nutrient absorption. A 60-year-old woman underwent major resection of the small intestine due to a road accident 3 years ago. The sole manifestation of short-bowel-syndrome was superficial skin necrosis due to vitamin K deficiency. She was asymptomatic for a long time, until treatment with antibiotics further intensified initially subclinical malabsorption. It is not clear why there had been no other symptoms and why the main impact was on the fibrinolytic system rather than the coagulation system, as is usually the case. It is recommended that patients after major resection of the small intestine be closely monitored for coagulation function if an oral antibiotic is prescribed.

[Transjugular liver biopsy in patients with bleeding tendency].

Transjugular liver biopsy (TJB) was successful in 14 of 23 patients with chronic liver disease and abnormal coagulation profiles. There were 7 men and 7 women between the ages of 20 and 65. No bleeding followed the procedure, nor were there any other significant complications. The size of the specimens and the number of portal spaces included were compared with those obtained by percutaneous liver biopsy from 12 patients with advanced liver cirrhosis. TJB samples were smaller than those obtained by percutaneous biopsy (0.56 +/- 1.6 cm vs 1.0 +/- 0.05) and contained fewer portal spaces (2.2 +/- 1.6 vs 3.4 +/- 2.3). Despite the smaller size, the contribution of TJB to diagnosis and prognosis was defined as good in 78% of the patients. We conclude that TJB is safe and is an important tool for liver tissue diagnosis in patients with bleeding tendency.