ABSTRACT
The serum levels of antigen CA 125 expressed by epithelial ovarian carcinoma were measured in 27 postmenopausal women with ovarian tumours and in 16 controls. Increased serum levels of CA 125 were found in nine (75%) out of 12 patients with ovarian cancer; in three with stage I disease levels were not elevated. No significant difference was found in the concentration of CA 125 detected in peripheral or ovarian venous blood. Decreased antigen levels were found 6-30 weeks after radical operation and cytostatic chemotherapy in the ovarian cancer group. The results indicate the value of measuring CA 125 as a tumour marker in the follow-up of ovarian cancer.
Subject(s)
Antigens, Neoplasm/analysis , Antigens, Surface/analysis , Ovarian Neoplasms/immunology , Adenocarcinoma/immunology , Aged , Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate , Cystadenocarcinoma/immunology , Cystadenoma/immunology , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Ovarian Cysts/immunology , Ovarian Neoplasms/therapy , RadioimmunoassayABSTRACT
The effect of acute moderate ethanol intoxication on renin-aldosterone axis was studied in four healthy humans in normal sodium and water balance. The subjects drank ethanol 1.2 g/kg body weight during 90 minutes. A dissociation between plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone took place; PRA increased (p less than 0.001) and aldosterone showed a decreasing trend, which was not significant. Serum Na+/K+-ratio increased (p less than 0.001). We observed no significant change in serum osmolality, blood pressure nor heart rate. The increase (p less than 0.001). We observed no significant change in serum osmolality, blood pressure nor heart rate. The increase in PRA was probably caused primarily by dehydration due to ethanol diuresis. The dissociation between plasma aldosterone and PRA may be associated with increasing serum Na+/K+-ratio or an inhibitory action of ethanol on aldosterone secretion.
Subject(s)
Alcoholic Intoxication/blood , Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects , Adult , Aldosterone/blood , Humans , Potassium/blood , Renin/blood , Sodium/blood , Water-Electrolyte Balance/drug effectsABSTRACT
PIP: With the help of a 2 hour specific radioimmunological hCG determination (hCG-RIA), it is possible to demonstrate early pregnancy in cases where the normal pregnancy tests are still negative. The article reports on the use of this new rapid hCG determination in 500 gynecological cases which sought help for pain in the lower abdomen or vaginal bleeding. In connection with extrauterine pregnancy (51 cases) the serum hCG-RIA test gave positive results in 90% of cases, while a conventional pregnancy test via urine was positive in 13% of cases. Equivalent figures for patients with intrauterine pregnancy were 99% and 40% respectively. (author's)^ieng
Subject(s)
Chorionic Gonadotropin/blood , Pregnancy Tests, Immunologic/methods , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , RadioimmunoassayABSTRACT
A pregnancy-related disorder was identified by a rapid radioimmunoassay of serum chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG-RIA) in 122 out of 470 women (26 per cent) with lower abdominal pain or bleeding, while a routine pregnancy test in urine was positive in only 7 per cent of these cases. In 49 patients with ectopic pregnancy the rapid hCG-RIA was positive in 90 per cent as compared with 13 per cent for the routine pregnancy test. In patients with evidence of intrauterine pregnancy (66 cases) the rapid hCG-RIA was positive in 98 per cent and the routine pregnancy test in 38 per cent. The clinical sensitivity of the hCG-RIA was 95 per cent, specificity 96 per cent and predictive value 89 per cent. The test can improve the efficiency of the routine diagnosis of early intra- and extrauterine pregnancy-related disorders.
Subject(s)
Chorionic Gonadotropin/blood , Genital Diseases, Female/diagnosis , Pregnancy Complications/diagnosis , Chorionic Gonadotropin/urine , Emergencies , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Tests, Immunologic , Radioimmunoassay , Uterine Hemorrhage/diagnosisABSTRACT
A hybrid cell line secreting monoclonal antibodies to human alpha- fetoprotein (AFP) was produced by fusion of a mouse myeloma cell line with spleen cells from a BALB/c mouse immunized with human AFP. The affinity constant of the antibody was about 1.7 X 10(9) l/mol. When clones were grown in vitro, the highest concentration of specific antibody in the culture medium was 25 microgram/ml. A clone was transplanted intraperitoneally into pristine-primed BALB/c recipients. Ascites developed within 3-4 weeks of transplantation, and the maximal antibody concentration in the ascitic fluid was 2.5 mg/ml. The immunoglobulin fraction of ascitic fluid was coupled to cyanogen bromide-activated Sepharose and used for affinity chromatography of AFP. AFP containing less than 1% contaminating proteins was obtained by passing amniotic fluid through the column and eluting the adsorbed AFP with 4 mol/l urea. The monoclonal antibody was used for radioimmunoassay (RIA). The sensitivity obtained was 50 microgram/l, which is adequate for certain clinical applications.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Monoclonal , alpha-Fetoproteins/immunology , Animals , Antibodies, Monoclonal/biosynthesis , Chromatography, Affinity , Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel , Humans , Hybridization, Genetic , Immunodiffusion , Immunoglobulin G , Mice , Rabbits , RadioimmunoassayABSTRACT
Chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) was measured by a rapid and sensitive radioimmunoassay in 100 female patients with lower abdominal pain attending an emergency department. Of the 24 subjects with a positive result, 22 had evidence of pregnancy (ectopic or uterine). Of the 76 patients with negative results, 3 had some evidence of pregnancy. This test may be of considerable practical value in the differential diagnosis of acute abdominal emergencies in women of reproductive age.
Subject(s)
Chorionic Gonadotropin/blood , Emergencies , Genital Diseases, Female/diagnosis , Pregnancy Tests, Immunologic/methods , Radioimmunoassay/methods , Abortion, Spontaneous/diagnosis , Acute Disease , Adult , Diagnosis, Differential , Endometriosis/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Ovarian Cysts/diagnosis , Pelvic Inflammatory Disease/diagnosis , Pregnancy , Pregnancy, Ectopic/diagnosis , Rupture, Spontaneous , Uterine Hemorrhage/diagnosis , Uterine Neoplasms/diagnosisABSTRACT
Patients treated when phenytoin for periods of several months or years have slightly, but significantly lower whole blood and red cell folate values than comparable controls. This holds true irrespective of whether folate is determined microbiologically with Lactobacillus casei or by a radioligand method using the bovine milk binder. Haematological parameters including Hb, MCH, MCV and red blood cell counts did not show any alterations and no patient developed any signs of anaemia. This indicates that long-term use of phenytoin does not cause a clinically significant state of folate deficiency, unless some other contributing factors are present.
Subject(s)
Epilepsy/drug therapy , Erythrocytes/drug effects , Folic Acid/blood , Phenytoin/adverse effects , Adolescent , Adult , Anemia, Megaloblastic/etiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Erythrocyte Count , Female , Folic Acid Deficiency/chemically induced , Hemoglobins/analysis , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Phenytoin/therapeutic use , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The renin-aldosterone system was studied in human volunteers during ethanol intoxication and hangover. Plasma renin activity increased more than 100%, when 1.5 - 2.3 g ethanol per kg body weight was ingested over a three hour period. During hangover the increase even exceeded 200%. Plasma aldosterone concentration decreased during ethanol intoxication, but increased greatly during hangover. It is suggested that the stimulation of the renin-aldosterone axis during ethanol intoxication and hangover is due to dehydration and increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system.
