Pregnancy outcome in Thai patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

The outcome of 48 pregnancies from 42 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus was studied. Their mean age and the duration of the disease were 28.47 and 4.42 years, respectively. The conception occurred when the disease was inactive or quiescent in 45 and active in 3. Four pregnancies were terminated by criminal abortion. Flares occurred in 16 pregnancies. The kidney and mucocutaneous system were the 2 organs that flared most commonly. The fetal outcomes were term delivery in 18 (40.90%), prematurity in 17 (38.64%), spontaneous abortion in 6 (13.64%) and still birth in 3 (6.82%). There was no statistical difference in pregnancy loss and successful delivery between pregnant patients with and without flares. Concerning 35 successful live births, those pregnancies without flares had significantly more full term deliveries (p < 0.02), higher gestational age (p < 0.002) and more birth weight (p < 0.001) than those with flares. Small for gestational age was seen in 20%. Pregnancy with active renal disease had a poor fetal outcome. There were no cases of congenital anomalies or neonatal lupus. Maternal complications were more common in patients with flares.

AIDS--associated Kaposi's sarcoma: a rare entity at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital.

Kaposi's sarcoma [KS] is rare in Asian countries. Since the AIDS epidemic, KS has become the most common AIDS-related cancer reported in the international literature. Up to March 1996, 4 cases of AIDS-associated KS were histologically documented at the registry at the Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai University Hospital, comprising 2 adult and 2 pediatric male patients. Routes of HIV exposure included intravenous injection and heterosexual contact in adult cases, and perinatal transmission and blood transfusion in the pediatric ones. KS was present as an AIDS diagnostic condition in one of the adults and in both children. In our institution, KS was second in frequency to malignant lymphoma among AIDS patients. Predomination of non-homosexual transmission of HIV infection in this region was probably a factor associated with the rarity of AIDS-associated KS.

Histopathologic spectrum of AIDS-associated lesions in Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital.

The histopathological alterations in various organs and the presence of AIDS-associated lesions were studied in 86 biopsy and 29 necropsy specimens of AIDS patients. The most common cancer seen in this study were malignant lymphomas (4% of cases) with development of extensive extranodal lymphomatous involvement from the outset. Although a preponderance of high grade B-cell pathologic subtypes is found in AIDS-associated lymphoma, we also report the first case of T-lymphoblastic lymphoma with a picture of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Tuberculosis (34% of cases) was the most common opportunistic infection presented in tissue sections, and the majority of tissue biopsies revealed poorly organized granulomas and extensive necrosis with numerous bacilli. Penicilliosis (20% of cases) appeared to be the most common cutaneous lesion with multiple organ involvement. The involved organs showed a partially anergic tissue reaction characterized by poorly formed granulomas with diffuse infiltrate of fungi-laden macrophages and lymphoid cell depletion. This organism has to be distinguished from Histoplasma capsulatum and other yeast-form fungi. Co-existing cytomegalovirus and P. carinii infections were the predominant findings in lung necropsy specimens from pediatric patients who died from AIDS. A major pathologic feature in this group was diffuse alveolar damage stage II to III with heavy loads of organism and extensive lymphoplasmacytic infiltration.

First report case of cryoglobulinemia and cryofibrinogenemia in Thailand.

A 43-year-old monk had generalized purpura, arthritis of both shoulders, erythrocyanosis of lip and oral mucous membrane, Raynaud's phenomenon and uveitis. Platelets were normal. Cryoglobulin and cryofibrinogen were positive. Biopsy revealed vasculitis. No underlying infection, collagen vascular disease, lymphoproliferative, myeloproliferative and malignancy were found. He was diagnosed as having essential cryoglobulinemia and cryofibrinogenemia.

Adrenergic urticaria: a first report from Thailand.

A 22-year-old, female patient came to see the allergists because of a 10-year history of chronic urticaria. Widespread pruritic, urticarial papules developed at times of stress and exercise, each papule being surrounded by a striking blanched vasoconstricted halo. The halo hives could be replicated with an intradermal injection of adrenaline. This is the first report of adrenergic urticaria from Thailand.

A case of hypomagnesemia hypocalcemia as a complication of aminoglycoside and review of the literature.

A 28-year-old woman was admitted to the ENT Department of the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University because of left otitis externa, chronic mastoiditis and facial nerve palsy (lower motor neurone). Left radical mastoidectomy with wide debridement of granulation and necrotic tissue at ear canal, dura, sigmoid sinus, ossicle and facial nerve were done two weeks after admission. Multiple pus culture from the lesion revealed different types of organisms e.g. proteus mirabilis, beta strep non group A, and enterococci beta type. Several aminoglycosides were alternately given for two months without improvement of ear infection. She developed carpopedal spasm with hypocalcemia after three weeks of such treatment. Hypomagnesemia was recognized. Calcium and milk supplement gave temporary relief, but permanent relief was obtained after aminoglycoside was discontinued. Serum electrolyte had reversed to normal on follow-up.