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Late-onset Krabbe disease may have variable misleading clinical manifestations and be a puzzling problem for physicians. We report clinical and peripheral nerve studies of three patients with adult-onset Krabbe disease. Two cases had a predominantly spastic paraparesis; in one case, the symptoms mimicked a cerebrovascular disorder. Predominantly, demyelinating neuropathy was observed in one case and axonal neuropathy in two cases. In all cases, no typical intracytoplasmic inclusions were found. These observations suggest that peripheral neuropathy in adult-onset Krabbe disease has variable clinical and pathological characteristics, different from those described in the classic form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The presence of antibodies to CTLA-4, a negative regulator of T-cell activation, was investigated in multiply transfused patients with malignant and non- malignant hematologic diseases. A previous study showed that, in multiply transfused patients, an immune response against nuclear matrix proteins can be induced by WBCs undergoing apoptosis during RBC unit storage. This study evaluated whether the same phenomenon could be involved in the induction of CTLA-4 antibodies in the patients analyzed.Study Design and Methods: Patient sera were tested for binding to the recombinant full-length CTLA-4 beta-galactosidase fusion protein by an ELISA. Immuno-fluorescence stainings were performed to analyze the CTLA-4 epitopes recognized by the antibodies and to detect such epitopes in the apoptotic cells present in the RBC units.Results: CTLA-4 antibodies were found in multiply transfused patients with beta-thalassemia (40%) and with other hemolytic diseases (33%) including leukemias (42%). A higher incidence of CTLA-4 antibodies was found in patients receiving non-WBC-reduced blood (88%) than in those receiving WBC-reduced blood (26%). Immunofluorescence staining showed that WBCs undergoing apoptosis in the RBC unit expressed CTLA-4 epitopes.Conclusions: The apoptotic WBCs present in the RBC units, after cold storage, express CTLA-4 epitopes. These epitopes can be released and induce formation of CTLA-4 antibodies with profound implications in the development of autoimmune disorders and in facilitating tumor dissemination and metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary benign paraurethral tumors in females are observed only rarely. They may occasionally be detected at physical examination or present with symptoms of bladder outlet obstruction. A leiomyoma originating from the smooth muscle fibers of the urethra in a 43-year-old woman is reported. The benign nature of the lesion was suspected on the basis of transvaginal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging. Surgical enucleation was performed and light microscopy showed a well-differentiated smooth muscle tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor about a case of inherited myotonic muscular dystrophy is presented.