Liver lipid profiles of adults taking therapeutic doses of aspirin.

The distributions of lipids of hepatic specimens obtained at autopsy from 7 adult patients who had been taking large amounts of aspirin for arthritis were compared to 7 control samples obtained from livers of autopsied adults without prior liver disease. The total neutral lipid levels of control livers were approximately one-third lower than those observed for livers of patients on aspirin. In addition, the phospholipid content of control specimens was significantly greater than that of livers from adult patients that had been on a high dose of aspirin for a long time. Examination of individual lipid classes showed that the concentrations of free fatty acids, triacylglycerols, and mono- and diacylglycerols were highest in livers of patients with aspirin exposure, and that all phospholipids were diminished. Phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines showed the greatest decrease. These results suggest that the livers of patients taking large amounts of aspirin may accumulate fatty acids and neutral lipids due to an impairment in the oxidation of fatty acids by hepatocytes. The data obtained also suggest that needle biopsy of the liver with measurement of distribution of hepatic lipids, perhaps together with histopathologic examination, may provide useful diagnostic information.

Cytologic examination of synovial fluid.

Cytologic study of synovial fluid has been relatively neglected both by cytologists and rheumatologists. Currently identified implications of cytologic findings include definitive diagnoses of a variety of joint diseases such as those due to malignancies, infections, or pathogenic crystals. Diagnoses can also be strongly suggested, for example, by visualization of lupus erythematosus cells formed in vivo. Immunocytochemistry is being explored for diagnostic and pathogenetic implications. We propose that complementary techniques used in our cytology and rheumatology laboratories may provide new insights into the clinical significance of cellular changes in joint fluids.

Respiratory cryptosporidiosis in the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Use of modified cold Kinyoun and Hemacolor stains for rapid diagnoses.

We report three cases of primary intestinal cryptosporidiosis with bilateral interstitial pneumonia. The diagnoses were made using two rapid (one-minute) staining procedures, modified cold Kinyoun's solution and a Hemacolor set, on touch preparations of lung biopsy material, sputum, and stool. Intracellular cryptosporidia oocysts in alveolar macrophages suggest possible hematogenous spread of this agent. Opportunistic cryptosporidiosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of pneumonia in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

New rabbit atherosclerosis model for the investigation of transluminal angioplasty.

In order to investigate the long-term and short-term effects of transluminal angioplasty, an animal model was developed that closely simulates human disease. Using the Flemish Giant rabbit, lesions were created by air-drying an isolated segment of femoral artery and feeding the rabbits a diet of 2% cholesterol, 6% peanut oil for one month. The lesions were studied with serial angiography for up to three months and with correlative histology. The results showed focal, stenotic lesions that appeared stable over time and had histologic similarity to human lesions. the artery adjacent to the lesions appeared normal. Since the femoral arteries in this rabbit strain are sufficiently large to undergo angioplasty, and it is possible to perform serial angiograms, it is believed that this model is suitable for use in the investigation of angioplasty, and the preliminary work confirms its feasibility.