Renal granuloma and mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis in leprosy.

A 17-year-old, Yemeni male patient with borderline lepromatous leprosy and erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) developed a nephritic range proteinuria. A renal biopsy revealed mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis and epithelioid granulomas in the interstitium. The presence of granular immunofluorescence for C3 and electron-dense deposits in the glomeruli indicated an immune complex glomerulonephritis. Clinical signs of ENL subsided rapidly under steroid treatment. The unusual combination of proliferative glomerulonephritis and epithelioid granulomas in leprosy is presented and discussed.

Inherited bleeding disorders in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Thirty-four cases of inherited bleeding disorders are reported. All are Saudi patients from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. There were 15 haemophiliacs, 1 factor VII deficiency, 1 factor X deficiency, 12 Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, and 5 unidentified platelet function disorders. Consanguinity was common among the families of these patients. Different age groups were affected and the severity of bleeding varied in the different conditions reported.

The pattern of colonic diseases in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the incidence and scope of lower gastrointestinal tract (GIT) diseases in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Between August 1981 and April 1984, 288 patients with significant complaints and physical signs attributable to the lower GIT were prospectively evaluated. A complete patient history was taken in each case followed by physical examination, routine laboratory studies and a sigmoidoscopic examination. In 128 patients (44.5%), sigmoidoscopy and rectal and/or colonic biopsies did not reveal any pathological abnormalities. These patients were considered to have various disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome or parasitic infestation. Eighty-one patients (28%) were found to have mild to moderate non-specific colitis or proctitis. In another 49 patients (17%) the diagnosis of schistosomiasis mansoni was made. Ulcerative colitis and colorectal carcinoma were detected in only 11 (4%) and 4 (1.5%) patients respectively. In the remaining 15 patients (5%), other lower GIT diseases were found. Comparative analysis of the disease pattern in our series has demonstrated some differences from other series from within the Kingdom and also from other countries.

Combination chemotherapy only for stage II non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Twenty-six previously untreated patients with clinical stage (CS) II B non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) were treated with systemic chemotherapy only. Patients received bleomycin, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone (BACOP). All patients had intermediate- or high-grade lymphoma. Objective response was demonstrated in 25 patients (96%), with 21 patients (81%) achieving complete remission (CR). Two of CR patients developed unsalvageable relapse, the remaining 19 patients are still alive and disease-free. The median duration of CR has not been reached. Of four patients (15%) with documented partial remission (PR), three were salvaged using second-line therapy. Over a median follow-up of 12 months (range, 3-30), 22 patients (85%) are alive and disease-free, of whom 16 (62%) have survived more than 1 yr. Bulky disease or gastrointestinal tract (GIT) involvement did not influence the CR rate. Our results compared favorably with radiation therapy for stage II NHL; however, a larger controlled and randomized study is warranted.