[Endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent vasodilation in patients with chronic prostatitis].

Using laser Doppler flowmetry, basal blood flow in patients with chronic prostatitis was evaluated. 90 men with chronic prostatitis and 30 healthy men of reproductive age underwent examination. For the assessment of endothelial vasomotor function, ionophoretic tests with 5% acetylcholine and 5% sodium nitroprusside were performed. Results of the study suggested a violations of the skin vasomotor activity in patients studied, which indicated a decrease in reserve capacity of the microvasculature both in bacterial and abacterial genesis of chronic prostatitis.

[Lactoferrin assay in urethritis and urethral prostatitis]. / Opredelenie laktoferrina pri uretritakh i uretroprostatitakh.

An immunochemical study of prostatic secretions in 97 patients with urethritis and urethroprostatitis has detected a significant rise of lactoferrin level in mixed infections (trichomonads + chlamydia and trichomonads + uroplasma--17 patients) versus control (14 healthy males) and group as a whole. In the control group a mean lactoferrin level was 51.2 +/- 8.4 mg/l (12 mg/l-67.3 mg/l), in the group as a whole 106 +/- 41.5 mg/l (19.5 mg/l to 334.8 mg/l) in patients with mixed infection 221.25 (102.9 mg/l to 334.8 mg/l). The assessment of diagnostic significance of the immunochemical test for lactoferrin in detection of mixed infections in urethritis and urethroprostatitis has shown that in threshold level of 150 mg/l the test's specificity was 87.5%, sensitivity 94.1%, effectiveness 88.65%, prognostic value of positive result 61.5%, of negative result 98.59%; in threshold level 200 mg/l the respective values were 100, 52.9, 91.75, 100 and 90.9%. Practical application of the proposed immunochemical test in detection of mono- and mixed infection is discussed.

[The surgical risk factors in patients with nonmalignant space-occupying lesions of the liver and the importance of immunological studies in assessing their extent]. / Faktory khirurgicheskogo riska u bol'nykh s nezlokachestvennymi ob''emnymi obrazovaniiami pecheni i znachenie immunologicheskikh issledovanii v otsenke ego stepeni.

Results of surgical treatment of benign new growths of the liver (BVML) depend not only on timely diagnosis of local growth but on precise analysis of surgical risk factors (SR) as well as accurate definition of its significance. The proposed classification helps to evaluate factors of SR in these patients. Results of the investigation showed that in majority of patients (94.7%) with BVML without complications immune system was were not suppressed. The fact may be considered as a favourable sign, demonstrating potential immunologic safety of patients in definite period of BVML development. Patients with lowered parameters of immunologic status made up a group of a high risk to develop inflammatory and septic complications in postoperative period. Definite correlation between the extent of immunodeficiency and frequency of postoperative complications has established the necessity of action to prevent the provocation of immunological status disturbances.

Vaccinia virus persistence in a child against the background of immune deficiency.

A young girl, vaccinated against smallpox 6 years before suffered from a persistent vaccinia virus infection and a congenital skin disease, i.e. epidermolysis bullosa. The virus was isolated from skin lesions at the vaccination site and remote sites and repeatedly from the blood; it was not isolated from bone-marrow specimen, saliva, pharynx or urine. The titre of virus-neutralizing antibodies was low (1:10), immunoglobulins A, M and G were within age-related limits; antibodies against measles and tetanus were at protective levels, skin tests were positive. Staphylococcal antitoxin titre was extremely high. The child's mother, not vaccinated against smallpox, possessed vaccinia--virus-neutralizing antibodies at high titre (over 1:320). Examination of the child did not show any quantitative immune deficiency. Immune deviations were found in the lymphocyte blast-transformation reaction on stimulation with PHA and specific antigen, as well as in the nonspecific-suppression test. The possible genesis of the virus persistence and the role of the virus in the clinical course of the disease are discussed.