Decrease of circulating dendritic cells in burn patients.

Burn injury is associated with immune suppression and the subsequent development of sepsis. Severe burn injury is associated with depressed immune response, including a functional impairment of Th1 lymphocytes and natural killer cells and a decrease in interferon-a production. Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent antigen-presenting cells and play a key role in T cell activation; they are essential in coordinating the host response to pathogens. Using three-colour flow cytometry, we determined the percentage of lineage-negative LIN-DR+ DCs in burn patients and healthy subjects. The percentages of DCs were lower in the circulation of septic than in nonseptic patients and healthy subjects at all times examined (14 days) after burn injury. In contrast, the DC percentage in nonseptic patients was low at day 1, increased from day 3 to day 10, and reverted to normal levels at day 14. The data from the present study suggest that the DC percentage decreased early after burn injury. In addition, in the presence of severe sepsis, the DC percentage remained lower until day 14. This DC reduction may contribute to the immunosuppression observed after burn injury.

Prevalence of lumbosacral radiculopathy in two Sicilian municipalities. Sicilian Neuro-Epidemiologic Study (SNES) Group.

OBJECTIVES: As part of a door-to-door survey of neurologic diseases, we investigated the prevalence of lumbosacral radiculopathy (LR) in two Sicilian municipalities (N = 14,540, as of November 1, 1987). MATERIAL & METHODS: During phase 1, we administered a brief screening instrument to subjects in the study population. In phase 2, study neurologists using specified diagnostic criteria investigated those subjects who screened positive. Our case finding was restricted to subjects who manifested symptoms of LR in the six months preceding the prevalence day. RESULTS: We found 143 subjects affected by LR (112 definite, 31 possible) yielding a crude prevalence of 9.8 cases per 1,000 population. Age-specific prevalence was generally higher in men; it increased to a peak at age 50-59 years and decreased steadily thereafter. At the peak, prevalence was higher in factory workers, housewives, and clerks compared to workers in other occupations. CONCLUSIONS: LR is a common neurologic disease in the general population.

Are multiple domicile changes a risk factor for multiple sclerosis? A case-control study.

A retrospective case-control study was conducted to estimate the possible association between risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) and the number of changes in residence before the age 20 years. Forty-one patients and 82 controls were interviewed. Using the Mantel-Haenszel estimate of the odds ratio, no association was found between the number of moves and MS.

The application of F wave measurements in hepatic patients.

The ulnar and tibial nerve F response latencies were analyzed to study the proximal motor conduction velocity in 15 patients with liver disease. The results were compared with those obtained from 15 normal subjects. The tibial MNCV (P less than 0.01) and FWCV from spinal cord to elbow and knee for ulnar and tibial nerves (P less than 0.001) were significantly reduced in patients compared to the controls. Minimum, mean and maximum F latencies showed significant differences for ulnar (P less than 0.001) and tibial (P less than 0.01) nerves in patients with respect to the controls. The mean F determination compared to the minimum F and delta F did not improve disease identification. The conduction abnormality in hepatic patients appeared to be present only in the proximal segment of the ulnar nerve, whereas it was more uniformly distributed along the entire length of the tibial nerve. This demonstrates that the peripheral nerve involvement in hepatic disease is more diffusely present than can be determined by conventional conduction study only.

[Clinical application of the F-wave in various pathological conditions of the peripheral nervous system]. / Applicazione clinica dell'onda F in varie condizioni di patologia del sistema nervoso periferico.

Using the latencies of M response and F-wave, motor nerve conduction was assessed along the entire course of the nerves in various diseases occurring at different levels of the peripheral nervous system. Idiopathic polyneuritis, motor neuron disease, radiculopathies and carpal tunnel syndrome were studied.

Analysis of F-wave in metabolic neuropathies: a comparative study in uremic and diabetic patients.

Motor nerve conduction study along the entire length of the ulnar and tibialis posterior nerves was carried out in 30 diabetics compared with 30 uremic patients and 30 control subjects. The conduction in the proximal and the distal nerve segments was evaluated by the determination of the M and F latencies, MNCV (between the stimulus sites), FWCV (between the spinal cord and the stimulus sites), and F-ratio (conduction time ratio of proximal to distal segment). In both groups of patients the lower limbs appear much more involved than the upper, where the ulnar nerve is more commonly affected in uremic than in diabetic patients. In diabetic neuropathy the motor conduction abnormalities are diffuse over the total length of the nerve, but more marked distally in the ulnar nerve.

F-wave study in patients with chronic renal failure on regular haemodialysis.

Motor nerve conduction along the entire length of ulnar and tibialis posterior nerves was studied in 30 uraemic patients and in 20 control subjects. The M and F latencies, MNCV (between the stimulus sites), FWCV (between the spinal cord and the stimulus sites) and F-ratio (conduction time ratio of proximal to distal segment) were assessed to evaluate the conduction in the proximal versus the distal nerve segment. In the uraemic patients, the slowing of nerve conduction involved both segments of the tested nerves to the same extent. In fact, the F-ratio did not show any significant difference between the two groups; in only one patient was its value lower than the normal limit in the tibialis posterior nerve.