[A variant of xeroderma pigmentosum: two cases of pigmented xerodermoid]. / Xeroderma pigmentosum variáns: pigmentált xerodermoid két kóresete.

Two patients (sister and brother) of pigmented xerodermoid are presented: the character of clinical signs (phothosensitivity, poikilodermia, keratoses and keratomas, furthermore in the brother the squamous cell epithelioma of left thigh), according to them the case history (appearance of precancerous conditions and carcinoma in early adult life) made the disease suspicious to a variant of xeroderma pigmentosum. A DNA reparation test was also carried out, which confirmed the above clinical diagnosis in both patients.

[Serum and secretory immunoglobulins in atopic dermatitis]. / A szérum és a szekrétumok immunglobulinjainak vizsgálata atopiás dermatitisben.

In 58 atopic dermatitis patients from 93 was determined the total and specific IgE. Majority of the cases (84.5%) were extrinsic in type and it is an evidence for the local (through the body surfaces) crossing route of allergens. Thus the body surfaces are the most important factors in case of host defense in the first line. To investigate the local defending factors, the body fluids (whole saliva and tear taken from patients, n = 11) were examined too (preliminary study). According to amount of IgA and IgA/IgG ratio, the tear proved to be pure glandular secretum. In the further sistemically arranged study the sera and tear samples were simultaneously examined (n = 35). In follows is scheduled the measurement of total and specific IgE not only in sera, but the tear sample of patients.

Alopecia areata and bisalbuminaemia (a casual coincidence).

Bisalbuminaemia, the heterozygote manifestation of an autosomal dominant condition, is detected by electrophoresis, when two distinct albumin bands are separated. Approximately 50 cases with bisalbuminaemia have been published worldwide. This phenomenon is very rare in Central Europe. A 17-year-old Hungarian girl, admitted for an alopecia areata of bacterial origin (tonsillitis), was found after routine electrophoresis to have bisalmbuminaemia. The albumin variant was of the "slow type". The ratio of the two components was 1:1. Immunoelectrophoresis with anti-albumin serum showed only one precipitation band in the albumin region. The rarity of bisalbuminaemia appeared to justify publication.

Study of granulocyte function of peripheral blood in recurrent erysipelas.

The Boyden chamber technique, the NBT reduction and Candida killing test were carried out on 51 patients with recurrent erysipelas to investigate the non-specific immune response. A statistically significant difference was not observed between the patients and the controls. It is suggested, that the infected individual is not able to increase his resistance via the more effective functioning of the non-specific line, which in effect promotes the possibly multiple occurrence of the disease.

Demonstration of the efficiency of specific mucous membrane defense by factor analysis.

Gastric juice and bile fractions A, B, C of 143 patients, vaginal secretion and cervical mucus of further 257 patients, and the sera of all patients, were studied for IgG, IgA, IgM, complement C3, albumin and transferrin, together with acidity tests and microbiological study. The data thus obtained, nearly 10 000 in number, were subjected to automated (factor) analysis. This revealed certain concealed relationships which has been superimposed by the manifestations: the specific defense of the mucous membranes resulting from the activity of the secretory immune system takes effect only under special conditions. The local secretory immune factors, together with the effects connected with acidity and proteolytic activity, are deployed only in the stomach and duodenum at the first level of mucous membrane defense. For the defense of the genital mucous membranes--in the period of sexual activity and reproduction--the transudative factors of the serum resulting from hormonal activity are responsible, and only if these factors are affected does the specific defense mechanism of the mucous membranes take action.

Microbiological findings and protein concentration in gastric juice.

From 17 patients subjected to pentagastrin test, 136 samples of gastric juice (fasting sample, basal secretion, fractions after stimulation) were collected. The concentration of the protein components (IgG, IgA, IgM, C3 and albumin) in the fasting samples were in excess of those found in the basal secretion, but protein output (volume X concentration) was nearly identical in the two samples. The protein concentration of the fractions obtained in response to pentagastrin stimulation were too low to be measurable. According to correlation analysis, protein concentration in the gastric juice is primarily the function of the microbiological finding. The allergic effect of microorganisms in the gastric juice may give rise to an increase in its immunoglobulin and albumin concentrations.

Protein content of gastroduodenal juice: concentration and significance.

IgG, IgA, IgM, C3 and albumin were measured in 572 samples of gastric juice and the bile fractions A, B and C obtained by a duodenal tube from 143 dermatological patients. The results were correlated to gastric acidity. The findings are consistent with the barrier function of gastric acid secretion, it having been found that, unless hypacidity or anacidity is present, the proteins in the gastric and duodenal fluid show neither high concentrations nor a wide variety. The finding that the fairly high IgA was nearly equal to the amount of IgG in the samples and that the concentration of albumin was much lower (IgG: albumin approximately equal to 2 : 1), seems to indicate that the immunoglobulins were produced by the local immune system.