ABSTRACT
The serum levels of cortisol and glycosaminoglycans (GAG) were studied in patients with uveitis in rheumatic diseases (RD). Among the patients with this pathology, there was a more preponderance of persons with low cortisol levels. In acute uvitis in the presence of RD, the mean serum content of this hormone was significantly lower than that in infectious and idiopathic uveitis. In RD, uveitis ran well with positive changes in the serum levels of cortisol, which increased during treatment. Its poor course was observed when the low content of cortisol remained or decreased still further. GAG exchange in uveitis patients with RD changed: there was an inverse correlation between the level of hyaluronic acid and that of cortisol (r = -0.7994; p = 0.031); the same correlation was found in males between the concentration of summary GAG and that of cortisol (r = -9832; p = 0.003) and chondroitin sulfate (r = -9965; p = 0.001).
Subject(s)
Glycosaminoglycans/blood , Hydrocortisone/blood , Rheumatic Diseases/complications , Uveitis/blood , Adult , Biomarkers/blood , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Radioimmunoassay , Rheumatic Diseases/blood , Severity of Illness Index , Uveitis/etiologyABSTRACT
Data are reported on the efficiency of using the testosterone preparations in male patients with severe herpetic keratitis concomitant with a reduced concentration of the hormone in blood serum; simultaneously, zovirax (an antiviral drug) and immunocorrector tymalin were administered. The above drugs normalized the testosterone content in blood serum in 46.9% of patients; they stabilize the count of CD95+ lymphocytes in peripheral blood, which is manifested clinically by an improved visual acuity and a shorter treatment of the above patients in hospital.
Subject(s)
Acyclovir/therapeutic use , Adjuvants, Immunologic/therapeutic use , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Keratitis, Herpetic/drug therapy , Testosterone/therapeutic use , Thymus Hormones/therapeutic use , Acyclovir/administration & dosage , Adjuvants, Immunologic/administration & dosage , Adult , Aged , Antiviral Agents/administration & dosage , Drug Therapy, Combination , Humans , Keratitis, Herpetic/blood , Keratitis, Herpetic/diagnosis , Keratitis, Herpetic/immunology , Lymphocyte Count , Male , Middle Aged , Testosterone/blood , Thymus Hormones/administration & dosage , Time Factors , Treatment Outcome , Visual AcuityABSTRACT
Data are described in the paper on the significance of hormonal and immunological impairments and on their interrelation within the pathogenesis of herpetic keratitis in males. An evaluation of contents of testosterone, cortisol, CD8+, CD95+ lymphocytes, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) as well as definition of interrelations between them has a prognostic value for males with herpetic keratitis. A dropping concentration of testosterone as observed in males with severe herpetic keratitis is indicative of the feasibility to add some hormone-correcting drugs to the combined therapy.
