[The synovial membrane in chronic juvenile arthritis. Electron microscopy study and case report]. / Synoviálna blana pri juvenilnej chronickej artritíde. Elektrónovomikroskopická kazuistická stúdia.

A case report of a patient with juvenile chronic arthritis who underwent early synovectomy of the knee joint is presented. The synovial membrane was examined by light and electron microscopy. The following signs of nonspecific inflammation were observed; lympho-plasmocytic infiltrate in the ground substance of the interstitial connective tissue, increased phagocytic activity of synovial lining cells and macrophages, and neutrophilic granulocytes. The inflammatory infiltrate is presumed to have damaged the finest part of the microcirculation--the ultracirculatory system of tissue channels. Complete remission was achieved and the function of the patient's knee joint is fully preserved.

[Determination of glomerular filtration in children using 99mTc-DTPA and the sequential gammagraphy method]. / Urcovanie glomerulárnej filtrácie u detí 99mTc-DTPA metódou sekvencnej gamagrafie.

The method of sequence scintigraphy of the kidney with 99mTc-DTPA (diethylene triamine pentacetic acid) and subsequent determination of glomerular filtration rate by means of a gamma camera and computer were applied in examining 160 children with different diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract. By modifying the commercial computer program a study with quantitative evaluation of some functional parameters was designed, involving also the determination of the overall and of separate values of GF 99mTc-DTPA according to G. Gates. The main advantages of the applied method are its noninvasiveness, speed, safety, low radiation load, and its relatively broad use in diagnostic nephrological practice particularly in children.

Dynamic 99mTc-DTPA renal gammagraphy with glomerular filtration rate determination.

Using the method of 99mTc-DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid), sequential renal gammagraphy with subsequent glomerular filtration rate determination by means of a gamma-camera and computer, a total of 285 patients with suspected renal and urinary tract diseases, subjects after surgery on these organs or those serving as controls after drug therapy were examined. With the help of a modified computer user's program, a study was designed to perform quantitative evaluation of some functional parameters as well as determination of total and separate glomerular filtration rate values by 99mTc-DTPA according to Gates. The benefits of the method employed in our study are that it is non-invasive, rapid, atraumatic, with low exposure to radiation while offering a broad range of applications in routine diagnostic practice of nephrology, and especially so in paediatric patients.

Value correlation of alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin with the results of lymphadenectomy in non-seminomatous testicular tumours.

In a group of 131 patients with nonseminomatous testicular tumours, the authors correlated the postorchiectomic levels of alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin with the results of lymphadenectomy. They found 90.5% correlation of negative and 74% of positive levels of tumour markers with results of lymphadenectomy. In spite of 9.5% false positive and 25.7% false negative results the authors concluded that determination of alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin is an important contribution to the detection of residual nonseminomatous tumour tissues after orchiectomy.

Lymphocytes in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) studied by means of electron and scanning microscope.

When searching for timely diagnostic criteria of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis we also paid attention to lymphocytes. We found the elimination of hyaloplasma of lymphocytes is one of the criteria of approaching outbreak of the disease.

Short-term effect of acetylsalicylic acid analogue on pituitary-thyroid axis and plasma cortisol level in healthy human volunteers.

The effect of acetylsalicylic acid analogue (aloxiprinum; Superpyrin Spofa) administered perorally in a daily dose of 1 g per 10 kg body weight on serum levels of free thyroxine (FT4), total thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), cortisol (F) and thyrotrophin (TSH) was studied in healthy human volunteers. In a first experiment the drug was administered for 3 days to 7 subjects, the total daily dose being divided into 4-5 aliquots, while the same total dose was administered within 4 h to another 8 subjects in a second experiment. In both experiments a highly significant increase of FT4 was found during the period of treatment, while the levels of other hormones i.e. (T3, T4, F and TSH) were decreased, in most cases significantly. After the withdrawal of the drug there was not only a return of all levels to the initial value, but in most cases an "overshoot" above this value was detected.