Screening for total and partial eosinoperoxidase deficiency by flow cytometry: prevalence in a general population, pathology and genetic implications.

The ADVIA (Bayer) haematological system differentiates leukocytes by their volume and their peroxidase (MPO and EPO) activity. It thus allows specific counting of the eosinophils and detection of totally EPO and MPO deficient individuals. EPO activity is determined by the coordinates of the eosinophil cluster on the outprint. A reliable method of quantitation by simple angle measure is suggested. It allows recognition of partial deficiencies. Among approximately 100,000 persons, 29 cases of total EPO deficiency were detected. No typical or specific pathology of the defect was noted. Family studies showed heterozygous parents and offspring to be partially deficient. The frequency of these partial deficiencies in the general population is studied. The results exclude a simple autosomal recessive monogenic transmission of the defect. A model for bigenic transmission is suggested.

[Application of automated perimetry in diagnosis of macular diseases]. / Przydatnosc kliniczna perymetrii statycznej w diagnostyce chorób plamki.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of automated perimetry application in diagnosis of macular diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Examinations were performed in 27 patients with central chorioretinopathy (CSCR), 29 patients with diabetic maculopathy, 12 patients with drusen, 13 patients with macular hole, 55 patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and 23 healthy volunteers. Central visual fields were tested with automated threshold-measuring perimetry using the LED-PERS perimeter. Localisation, depth and spread of defect in central visual field were estimated. All threshold values, mean sensitivity, fixation, fluctuation and visual acuity were calculated. Statistical comparison of examined parameters and multidimensional analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed using software. RESULTS: Significant differences were found when comparing all threshold values, mean sensitivity, fixation and fluctuation between the control and the other groups, and between patients with CSCR, with drusen and with AMD. Good results of MANOVA were obtained in 3 distinguishable classes between patients with CSCR, diabetic maculopathy and AMD. Positive correlation between threshold values of fields and visual acuity was noticed. CONCLUSIONS: Automated perimetry has been confirmed to be very useful in differential diagnosis of patients with macular diseases.

[Computer-assisted analysis of cardiotocographic recordings in the course of fetal hemolytic disease]. / Komputerowa analiza zapisów kardiotokograficznych w ciazy powiklanej choroba hemolityczna plodu.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of computerized cardiotocography in the diagnostics of fetal hemolytic disease. STUDY DESIGN: 50 invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures proceeded by computer assisted CTG recording were analysed. The values of particular parameters of CTG were compared with adequate values obtained in uncomplicated pregnancy. The correlation between both cardiotocographic and hematological parameters was estimated. The common relationship between all analyzed features was examined using multidimensional analysis of variancy. RESULTS: The most significant correlation was determined in case of short-term variation and hematocrite of fetal blood. The five-feature algorhythm, containing short- and long-term variation, number of accelerations, fetal movements and gestational age, was established for the prognosing of the most probable level of fetal hematocrite. CONCLUSION: Computerized cardiotocography seems to be the useful diagnostic method which enable to decrease the number of invasive intrauterine procedures in case of fetal hemolytic disease.

Lipids in serum of patients with malignant ovarian neoplasms.

OBJECTIVE: In numerous papers, different associations of serum lipids and lipoproteins with neoplastic diseases were found. The aim of our work was to find out associations between levels of 11 serum lipids, lipoproteins and ovarian cancer. METHODS: 25 healthy women and 25 patients with ovarian cancer underwent examinations. Uni- and multivariate analysis of variance and discrimination analysis were used to analyze our results. RESULTS: The analysis demonstrates that ovarian carcinoma is associated with a significant reduction of total cholesterol and its esters in serum and in high density lipoprotein fractions compared to controls. CONCLUSION: It could be shown that using multivariate analysis of variance it is possible to find the optimal set of serum lipid parameters, containing serum esterified cholesterol, serum total cholesterol and high density lipoproteins esterified cholesterol, to differentiate healthy persons from patients affected by ovarian cancer.

Prediction of lethal or life-threatening cardio-circulatory events in patients who apparently are not at risk : a preliminary retrospective echocardiographic study.

Major cardio-circulatory events, defined as circulatory death, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, or stroke, sometimes occur unexpectedly in patients who apparently have no evident increase in risk (absence of overt heart failure, hypertrophy, uncontrolled or severe hypertension, previous or present myocardial infarction, angina, myocarditis, infectious or any other pericardial, valvular or great vessel disease, heart malformation, significant arrhythmia or conduction disturbances). To investigate whether 2D-guided M-mode echocardiographic variables have predictive value in such patients, a retrospective analysis of 1,965 cases was performed. Twenty-one patients were found who on the day of echocardiographic examination fulfilled the above criteria, but suffered major cardio-circulatory events during the first following year (1 yr group), 12 during the second year (2 yr group), and 16 during the third year (3 yr group). Twenty-eight patients who fulfilled the same criteria, but were followed-up free of major cardio-circulatory events for 935 +/- 144 days constituted the control group. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) of echocardiographic data was used to select the final set of 11 variables from 30 measurements and calculations which enabled satisfactory discrimination between the four groups (Hotelling T2 = 3.979, Fisher F = 7.596 > Ftab = 1.585). Extension of MANOVA with the leave-one-out method revealed that none of 28 control patients was predicted to be at risk of major cardio-circulatory events in the next year, and only one of 21 patients from the 1 yr group was misdiagnosed as not being at risk. Patients at risk were older, had slightly greater body size (particularly weight), and slightly increased diastolic diameter and volume of the left ventricle. The left ventricular mass, mean wall thickness, and estimated cross-sectional area indexes were also slightly increased. The peak systolic stress was slightly increased and contractility index (BPS/ESVI) was slightly decreased. Our preliminary results suggest that easily obtained echocardiographic measurements and calculations contain clinically useful predictive information.

[Use of pattern and flash visual evoked potentials in differential diagnosis of optic neuropathy]. / Zastosowanie wzrokowych potencjalów wywolanych typu "pattern" i typu "flash" w diagnostyce róznicowej neuropatii nerwu II.

PURPOSE: To assess the value of pattern and flash stimulus of visual evoked potentials (VEP) in patients with optic neuropathy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 11 patients with compressive optic neuropathy, 19 with acute optic neuritis and 22 with demyelinating optic neuropathy. The control group included 20 persons without history of ocular and neuroophthalmologic diseases. In all patients VEP were performed using pattern and flash stimulus. Multidimensional analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used which allowed to evaluate the differentiation efficacy in respective parameters as well as the whole distinguishable classes. RESULTS: The efficacy of differential diagnosis of examined optic neuropathy with pattern or flash VEP was not sufficient. Better results were achieved when both types of stimulus were applied in the same patient.

[Contemporary methods for functional analysis of the optic nerve]. / Nowoczesne metody analizy czynnosci nerwu wzrokowego.

Complex methods of statistic analysis for parameters of automated perimetry and visual evoked potentials were presented. The examinations were performed in 14 patients with compressive visual neuropathy, in 14 patients with optic neuritis, in 20 patients with demyelinative visual neuropathy and in 20 patients with optic nerve atrophy. Multidimensional analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed. The methods proved useful for differential diagnosis of optic neuropathy.

[Computer-assisted laboratory diagnosis with graphic demonstration of results (system "DIAGEMES")]. / Komputerowa diagnostyka laboratoryjna z graficzna demonstracja wyników (system "DIAGENES").

A DIAGENES computer system was developed which enables an doctor without experience in informatics to organise a database, to fill it with own diagnostic data, to verify this data from various standpoints, to assess the discriminative value of each of the used studies and the whole database with its eventual modification, as well as to develop an own clinically useful discriminating system. The result of the discriminative analysis has the form of a likelihood list or a computer figure, easy to evaluate.

[The main objectives in using informatics in medicine]. / Glówne cele zastosowania informatyki w medycynie.

The costly application of informatics in practical medicine should be associated with unequivocal clear motivation. Three important problems are presented whose solution is possible only by computer use: integration of health information on each citizen in the country with recording of this information in a modern carried which is possessed by each patient, wide availability of modern medical computerized medical documentation for research and statistical analysis, and computer-assisted rational economics of health care services.

A simple method of quantitative estimation of the subfractions of human serum small molecular diameter lipoproteins.

The method presented allows the separation and fractionation of up to 12 subfractions of human serum small molecular diameter lipoproteins (SMDL) by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The method was checked and confirmed by more than 2000 separations. The frequency of the appearance of the particular subfractions was investigated in 300 persons--children and adults. The method of quantitative estimation of each subfraction was evaluated. The precision of this method was 3% to 11% (mean 6%). A good reproducibility of separations was found within 2 to 4 days after blood collection (with refrigeration). The stability of the separation patterns was satisfactory for up to 9 days in five healthy persons. Examples of differences in the SMDL-subfraction patterns, depending on sex, age and pathology, are given.