Peripheral levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and S100B in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematous.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate serum S100B and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) patients, with and without neuropsychiatric (NP) manifestation activity. METHODS: We assessed 47 SLE patients and 20 selected healthy individuals. Disease activity was assessed according to the SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI). Serum BDNF and S100B were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Serum S100B protein was significantly higher in SLE patients. BDNF levels were significantly decreased in active SLE, when compared with inactive SLE, but not when compared with controls. S100B was clearly higher in the NPSLE group, when compared with the non-NPSLE or control groups. Receiver operating characteristic analysis of S100B revealed an area under the curve of 0.706 that discriminated NPSLE patients with peripheral polyneuropathy. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reinforce the use of serum S100B as a biomarker in SLE, particularly for NPSLE. Moreover, we found a strong association between serum S100B and peripheral neuropathy, indicating a specific utility for this biomarker in SLE that warrants clinical investigation.

[Clinical relevance of haptoglobin/IgG index and Boyer's score to the differential diagnosis of bacterial and viral meningitis]. / Relevancia clínica del índice haptoglobina/IgG y la escala de Boyer en el diagnóstico diferencial de las meningoencefalitis bacterianas y víricas.

INTRODUCTION: The meningitis is one of the most severe diseases in children due to its mortality or sequels. However, timely knowledge of whether the infection is bacterial or viral in origin and applied a specific therapeutic would be beneficial for the patients and clinician. The haptoglobin/IgG index and Boyer's score have been use in this purpose. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 39 pediatric patients, 14 suffering from viral meningoencephalitis and 25 from bacterial meningoencephalitis were study. Boyer's score and Hp/IgG index were applied in order to evaluate its diagnostic accuracy. The clinical relevance of haptoglobin/IgG index and Boyer's score were compared by the analysis of the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: There were no association between Boyer's score and the cause of the meningitis. The sensitivity and specificity of haptoglobin/IgG index were de 71.4 and 64%, respectively. The same parametric to Boyer's score were de 28 and 100%. Increased haptoglobin/IgG index presents bigger precision for the differential diagnostic of the bacterial and viral meningitis than the scale of Boyer according to the curves ROC. CONCLUSION: The index haptoglobin/IgG showed its diagnostic superiority with relationship to the scale of Boyer to establish the origin of the meningoencephalitis.

Relevancia clínica del índice haptoglobina/IgG y la escala de Boyer en el diagnóstico diferencialde las meningoencefalitis bacterianas y víricas / Clinical relevance of haptoglobin/IgG index and Boyer's score to the differential diagnosis of bacterial and viral meningitis

ntroducción. Las meningoencefalitis son una de las enfermedades más temidas en la infancia, tanto por su mortalidadcomo por sus posibles secuelas. Sin embargo, conocer tempranamente si su origen es bacteriano o vírico e instauraruna terapéutica adecuada resulta muy beneficioso para el paciente y el médico de asistencia. El índice haptoglobina/IgG y la escala de Boyer se han utilizado con estos fines. Pacientes y métodos. Se estudiaron 39 pacientes en edad pediátrica con eldiagnóstico de meningoencefalitis: 14 que sufrían meningoencefalitis bacterianas y 25 meningoencefalitis víricas. Se calculó el índice haptoglobina/IgG y se le aplicó la escala de Boyer para conocer su utilidad en el diagnóstico diferencial de las meningoencefalitis. La relevancia clínica del índice haptoglobina/IgG y la escala de Boyer se compararon a través de las curvas ROC. Resultados. La escala de Boyer no presentó asociación estadísticamente significativa con el origen de las meningoencefalitis.La sensibilidad y especificidad del índice haptoglobina/IgG fueron del 71,4 y el 64 por ciento, respectivamente, para iguales parámetros en la escala de Boyer del 28 y el 100 por ciento. El índice haptoglobina/IgG presentó mayor precisión para el diagnósticodiferencial de las meningitis bacterianas y víricas que la escala de Boyer a través del área bajo la curvas ROC. Conclusiones. El índice haptoglobina/IgG mostró su superioridad diagnóstica con relación a la escala de Boyer para establecer el origen de las meningoencefalitis(AU)

INTRODUCTION: The meningitis is one of the most severe diseases in children due to its mortality or sequels. However, timely knowledge of whether the infection is bacterial or viral in origin and applied a specific therapeutic would be beneficial for the patients and clinician. The haptoglobin/IgG index and Boyer's score have been use in this purpose. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 39 pediatric patients, 14 suffering from viral meningoencephalitis and 25 from bacterial meningoencephalitis were study. Boyer's score and Hp/IgG index were applied in order to evaluate its diagnostic accuracy. The clinical relevance of haptoglobin/IgG index and Boyer's score were compared by the analysis of the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: There were no association between Boyer's score and the cause of the meningitis. The sensitivity and specificity of haptoglobin/IgG index were de 71.4 and 64 percent, respectively. The same parametric to Boyer's score were de 28 and 100 percent. Increased haptoglobin/IgG index presents bigger precision for the differential diagnostic of the bacterial and viral meningitis than the scale of Boyer according to the curves ROC. CONCLUSION: The index haptoglobin/IgG showed its diagnostic superiority with relationship to the scale of Boyer to establish the origin of the meningoencephalitis(AU)

Relevancia clínica del índice haptoglobina/IgG y la escala de Boyer en el diagnóstico diferencial de las meningoencefalitis bacterianas y víricas / Clinical relevance of haptoglobin/IgG Index and boyer's score to the differential diagnosis of baterial and viral meningitis

Introducción. Las meningoencefalitis son una de las enfermedades más temidas en la infancia, tanto por su mortalidad como por sus posibles secuelas. Sin embargo, conocer tempranamente si su origen es bacteriano o vírico e instaurar una terapéutica adecuada resulta muy beneficioso para el paciente y el médico de asistencia. El índice haptoglobina/IgG y la escala de Boyer se han utilizado con estos fines. Pacientes y métodos. Se estudiaron 39 pacientes en edad pediátrica con el diagnóstico de meningoencefalitis: 14 que sufrían meningoencefalitis bacterianas y 25 meningoencefalitis víricas. Se calculó el índice haptoglobina/IgG y se le aplicó la escala de Boyer para conocer su utilidad en el diagnóstico diferencial de las meningoencefalitis. La relevancia clínica del índice haptoglobina/IgG y la escala de Boyer se compararon a través de las curvas ROC. Resultados. La escala de Boyer no presentó asociación estadísticamente significativa con el origen de las meningoencefalitis. La sensibilidad y especificidad del índice haptoglobina/IgG fueron del 71,4 y el 64%, respectivamente, para iguales parámetros en la escala de Boyer del 28 y el 100%. El índice haptoglobina/IgG presentó mayor precisión para el diagnósticodiferencial de las meningitis bacterianas y víricas que la escala de Boyer a través del área bajo la curvas ROC. Conclusiones. El índice haptoglobina/IgG mostró su superioridad diagnóstica con relación a la escala de Boyer para establecer el origen de las meningoencefalitis

Introduction. The meningitis is one of the most severe diseases in children due to its mortality or sequels. However, timely knowledge of whether the infection is bacterial or viral in origin and applied a specific therapeutic would be beneficial for the patients and clinician. The haptoglobin/IgG index and Boyer’s score have been use in this purpose. Patients and methods. 39 pediatric patients, 14 suffering from viral meningoencephalitis and 25 from bacterial meningoencephalitis were study. Boyer’s score and Hp/IgG index were applied in order to evaluate its diagnostic accuracy. The clinical relevance ofhaptoglobin/IgG index and Boyer’s score were compared by the analysis of the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves.Results. There were no association between Boyer’s score and the cause of the meningitis. The sensitivity and specificity of haptoglobin/IgG index were de 71.4 and 64%, respectively. The same parametric to Boyer’s score were de 28 and 100%. Increased haptoglobin/IgG index presents bigger precision for the differential diagnostic of the bacterial and viral meningitisthan the scale of Boyer according to the curves ROC. Conclusion. The index haptoglobin/IgG showed its diagnostic superiority with relationship to the scale of Boyer to establish the origin of the meningoencephalitis

[Peculiarities of meningoencephalitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis in America]. / Peculiaridades de la meningoencefalitis por Angiostrongylus cantonensis en América.

INTRODUCTION: 25 years ago was first reported in Cuba and in the western hemisphere an emergent disease: eosinophilic meningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae. AIM: To collect in a summary form the accumulated experience and the findings of the study of this parasitosis during the period in the Western hemisphere. DEVELOPMENT AND CONCLUSIONS: There have been collected the first evidences, the parasitological and malacological findings, the experimental and molecular studies on immunology and neuroimmunology, the clinic-pathological findings in children and adults with the particularities of this diseases in our environment with special emphasis in the never-before scientific findings reported. It has been documented the testimony, the main findings among the malacological studies, the role of the immunoglobulin E and the mechanism involved in the central nervous system, the intrathecal synthesis patterns of immunoglobulins and the clinical elements in children and adults.

Peculiaridades de la meningoencefalitis por Angiostrongylus cantonensis en América / Peculiarities of meningoencephalitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis in America

Introducción. Hace 25 años se informó por primera vez en Cuba y en el hemisferio occidental de la aparición deuna enfermedad emergente: la meningoencefalitis eosinofílica producida por larvas del helminto Angiostrongylus cantonensis.Objetivo. Recopilar de forma resumida la experiencia acumulada y los aportes al estudio de esta zoonosis realizados a lo largo de estos años en el hemisferio occidental. Desarrollo y conclusiones. Se recogen las evidencias iniciales, los aportes a la parasitología y la malacología, los estudios experimentales y moleculares en la esfera de la inmunología y la neuroinmunología, los hallazgos clinicopatológicos en niños y adultos enfermos con las particularidades de la enfermedad en nuestro medio, con especial acento en los aportes científicos nunca antes comunicados. Se documentan el testimonio, los principalesaportes y hallazgos, entre los cuales se encuentran los estudios malacológicos, el papel de la inmunoglobulina E y los mecanismos involucrados en el sistema nervioso central, los patrones de síntesis intratecal de inmnoglobulinas y los elementos clínicos que brinda en niños y adultos(AU)

Introduction. 25 years ago was first reported in Cuba and in the western hemisphere an emergent disease: eosinophilic meningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae. Aim. To collect in a summary form the accumulated experience and the findings of the study of this parasitosis during the period in the Western hemisphere. Development and conclusions. There have been collected the first evidences, the parasitological and malacological findings, the experimental and molecular studies on immunology and neuroimmunology, the clinic pathological findings in children and adults with theparticularities of this diseases in our environment with special emphasis in the never-before scientific findings reported. It has been documented the testimony, the main findings among the malacological studies, the role of the immunoglobulin E and the mechanism involved in the central nervous system, the intrathecal synthesis patterns of immunoglobulins and the clinicalelements in children and adults(AU)

Peculiaridades de la meningoencefalitis por Angiostrongylus cantonensis en América / Peculiarities of meningoencephalitis caused by I Angiostrongylus cantonensis I in America

25 years ago was first reported in Cuba and in the western hemisphere an emergent disease: eosinophilic meningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae, Aim, To collect in a summary form the accumulated experience and the findings of the study of this parasitosis during the period in the Western hemisphere, Development and conclusions, There have been collected the first evidences, the parasitological and malacological findings, the experimental and molecular studies on immunology and neuroimmunology, the clinic-pathological findings in children and adults with the particularities of this diseases in our environment with special emphasis in the never-before scientific findings reported; It has been documented the testimony, the main findings among the malacological studies, the role of the immunoglobulin E and the mechanism involved in the central nervous system, the intrathecal synthesis patterns of immunoglobulins and the clinical elements in children and adults(AU)

Peculiaridades de la meningoencefalitis por Angiostrongylus cantonensis en América / Peculiarities of meningoencephalitis caused by angiostrongylus cantonensis in America

Hace 25 años se informó por primera vez en Cuba y en el hemisferio occidental de la aparición de una enfermedad emergente: la meningoencefalitis eosinofílica producida por larvas del helminto Angiostrongylus cantonensis.Objetivo. Recopilar de forma resumida la experiencia acumulada y los aportes al estudio de esta zoonosis realizados a lo largo de estos años en el hemisferio occidental. Desarrollo y conclusiones. Se recogen las evidencias iniciales, los aportes a la parasitología y la malacología, los estudios experimentales y moleculares en la esfera de la inmunología y la neuroinmunología, los hallazgos clinicopatológicos en niños y adultos enfermos con las particularidades de la enfermedad en nuestro medio, con especial acento en los aportes científicos nunca antes comunicados. Se documentan el testimonio, los principalesaportes y hallazgos, entre los cuales se encuentran los estudios malacológicos, el papel de la inmunoglobulina E y los mecanismos involucrados en el sistema nervioso central, los patrones de síntesis intratecal de inmnoglobulinas y los elementos clínicosque brinda en niños y adultos

25 years ago was first reported in Cuba and in the western hemisphere an emergent disease: eosinophilicmeningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae. Aim. To collect in a summary form the accumulatedexperience and the findings of the study of this parasitosis during the period in the Western hemisphere. Development and conclusions. There have been collected the first evidences, the parasitological and malacological findings, the experimentaland molecular studies on immunology and neuroimmunology, the clinic-pathological findings in children and adults with the particularities of this diseases in our environment with special emphasis in the never-before scientific findings reported. It hasbeen documented the testimony, the main findings among the malacological studies, the role of the immunoglobulin E and the mechanism involved in the central nervous system, the intrathecal synthesis patterns of immunoglobulins and the clinicalelements in children and adults

Esclerosis múltiple y neurocisticercosis / Multiple sclerosis and neurocysticercosis

No disponible

No disponible

Reibergrama para la evaluación de la síntesis intratecal de inmunoglobulina E / Reibergram for immunoglobulin E intrathecal synthesis evaluation

No disponible

No disponible

Neurocriptococosis en Cuba / Neurocryptococcosis in Cuba

No disponible

No disponible

Vacunas en melanoma / Melanoma vaccines

Las vacunas terapéuticas han demostrado ser una de las mejores estrategias de intervención en el sistema inmune para proteger al organismo en contra de la progresión de una amplia variedad de enfermedades, incluyendo el cáncer. En este trabajo ofrecemos una revisión de las principales modalidades de vacunas terapéuticas que se han ensayado clínicamente y han demostrado algún efecto antitumoral. Aunque en la actualidad se están desarrollando varios ensayos clínicos fase III con resultados alentadores, la terapia con vacunas de melanoma es todavía experimental y su efectividad no esta demostrada (AU)

Inmunoterapia en melanoma / Melanoma immunotherapy

La cirugía temprana es el único método con efectividad clínica demostrada en el tratamiento del melanoma maligno. La capacidad del melanoma para generar una respuesta inmunitaria efectora, junto a su frecuente resistencia a la quimioterapia y radioterapia, conduce a la búsqueda de soluciones terapéuticas en la manipulación del sistema inmunitario. En la actualidad se ha producido un incremento logarítmico de ensayos clínicos de inmunoterapia en melanoma en sus diferentes variantes.Aunque muchos de estos agentes inmunoterapéuticos han mostrado su eficacia, todavía existen muchos aspectos por definir para lograr una estrategia terapéutica verdaderamente efectiva e inocua (AU)

[Brain metastasis and the carcinoembryonic antigen]. / Metástasis cerebrales y antígeno carcinoembrionario.

INTRODUCTION: Neurological complications have a notable repercussion on the quality of life of patients with systemic cancer, and can even become the direct cause of death. The complication that causes most concern is undoubtedly brain metastasis, because of its difficult management and because there has been an upward tendency in its incidence in the last few years. AIMS: The aim of this study is to provide a review of the literature about brain metastases and, more particularly, about the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a marker of these pathologies. DEVELOPMENT: In general it is reckoned that 60% of all brain metastases start from the lung and most of them are multiple when they are diagnosed, which suggests a possibly mistaken staging of these patients. The carcinoembryonic antigen is the prototypical tumour marker, and it is usually found in higher concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with metastatic tumours in the central nervous system. As the CEA goes through the blood brain barrier, it behaves in a similar way to IgA due to their having homologous molecular weights. This allows us to employ the same hyperbolic distribution curve that is used as a reference for lgA to distinguish between intrathecally synthesized CEA and that which diffuses from the systemic circulation. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of the progress that has been obtained with the new therapies, brain metastases continue to have a poor prognosis. Hence, there is a need to identify new tumour markers that allow a diagnosis to be established before the clinical methods and presentations.

Metástasis cerebrales y antígeno carcinoembrionario / Brain metastasis and the carcinoembryonic antigen

Introducción. Las complicaciones neurológicas repercuten notablemente en la calidad de vida de los pacientes con cáncer sistémico, y llega a ser incluso la causa directa de muerte. Entre estas complicaciones, la más preocupante es la metástasis cerebral, por su difícil tratamiento y porque su incidencia tiende a aumentar en los últimos años. Objetivos. Aportar una revisión bibliográfica acerca de las metástasis cerebrales y en particular del antígeno carcinoembrionario (CEA) como marcador de estas patologías. Desarrollo. En general, se plantea que el 60 por ciento de las metástasis cerebrales provienen del pulmón, y la mayoría son múltiples en el momento del diagnóstico, lo que nos sugiere una posible estadificación incorrecta de estos pacientes. El antígeno carcinoembrionario constituye el prototipo de marcador tumoral, y sus concentraciones suelen elevarse en el líquido cefalorraquídeo de los pacientes con tumores metastáticos en el sistema nervioso central. El CEA se comporta en su paso por la barrera hematoencefálica de forma similar a la IgA, pues tienen pesos moleculares homólogos, lo que permite que lamisma curva de distribución hiperbólica de referencia que se usa para la IgA pueda emplearse para discernir entre el CEA sintetizado intratecalmente del que se difunde de la circulación sistémica. Conclusiones. A pesar de los progresos que se han obtenido con las nuevas terapias, las metástasis cerebrales continúan teniendo un mal pronóstico, por lo que es necesario identificar nuevos marcadores tumorales que permitan establecer el diagnóstico antes que los métodos establecidos y las manifestaciones clínica (AU)

Introduction. Neurological complications have a notable repercussion on the quality of life of patients with systemic cancer, and can even become the direct cause of death. The complication that causes most concern is undoubtedly brain metastasis, because of its difficult management and because there has been an upward tendency in its incidence in the last few years. Aims. The aim of this study is to provide a review of the literature about brain metastases and, more particularly, about the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a marker of these pathologies. Development. In general it is reckoned that 60% of all brain metastases start from the lung and most of them are multiple when they are diagnosed, which suggests a possibly mistaken staging of these patients. The carcinoembryonic antigen is the prototypical tumour marker, and it is usually found in higher concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with metastatic tumours in the central nervous system. As the CEA goes through the blood-brain barrier, it behaves in a similar way to IgA due to their having homologous molecular weights. This allows us to employ the same hyperbolic distribution curve that is used as a reference for lgA to distinguish between intrathecally synthesized CEA and that which diffuses from the systemic circulation. Conclusions. In spite of the progress that has been obtained with the new therapies, brain metastases continue to have a poor prognosis. Hence, there is a need to identify new tumour markers that allow a diagnosis to be established before the clinical methods and presentations (AU)

[IgG subclasses intrathecal synthesis patterns in eosinophilic meningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis]. / Patrones de síntesis intratecal de subclases de IgG en meningoencefalitis eosinofílica por Angiostrongylus cantonensis.

INTRODUCTION: There is a growing interest to know the characteristics of meningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis because of it is an emergent disease. OBJECTIVE: To describe the intrathecal synthesis pattern of IgG subclasses in pediatric patients suffering from eosinophilic meningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten pediatric patients with the disease were studied. During the firs diagnostic lumbar puncture an eosinophilic pleocitosis was found. Simultaneously a serum sample was taken. Eight days later, a second lumbar and venous puncture was performed. To every serum and cerebrospinal fluid sample IgA, IgM, IgG, albumin and the four subclasses of IgG were quantified by immunodiffusion and a differential cell count. RESULTS: During the first diagnostic lumbar puncture, all the cases had blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier dysfunction with absence of immunoglobulins intrathecal synthesis with a mean of 450 106cells/L and 48% of eosinophils average. In the second lumbar punction there was a 40% patients with dysfunction of the blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier and with a synthesis pattern IgA+IgM+IgG in the 50% o patients and with IgA+IgG in four patients. The synthesis pattern of IgG subclasses was IgG1+IgG2 in six patients, IgG1+IgG2+IgG3 in one patient, IgG1+IgG2+IgG4 in one more patient and two patients without intrathecal synthesis. CONCLUSION: The intrathecal synthesis pattern of IgG subclasses can contribute to eosinophilic meningoencephalitis diagnosis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis.