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Two patients are described with a previously unreported hypertrophic radiculopathy of the cauda equina with preservation of peripheral nerve function. In one removal of an associated bronchial carcinoid tumour led to marked improvement in the neurological condition suggesting a paraneoplastic cause. The second patient later developed an external ophthalmoplegia but the underlying aetiology remains obscure.

Study objectives: Pleural fluid cytology and non–image-guided Abrams or Cope biopsies have sensitivities of approximately 30% for detecting malignant mesothelioma, and thoracoscopic biopsy has a sensitivity of approximately 90%. The difference between these two probably relates to obtaining adequate tissue. The use of immunohistochemical stains allows a firm diagnosis to be made from relatively small samples. This study explores whether percutaneous image-guided cutting needle biopsy (CNB) combined with immunohistochemistry is accurate in diagnosing pleural thickening due to mesothelioma. Design: Retrospective review of image-guided CNB of pleural thickening performed on consecutive patients over 7 years by a single radiologist. Setting: Teaching hospital chest radiology department. Patients: Twenty-one adult patients with a final diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma were identified from 53 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous image-guided CNB. All 21 patients had pleural thickening identified on contrast-enhanced CT, and all had a final histologic diagnosis of mesothelioma confirmed by postmortem examination or thoracoscopy. Interventions: Fourteen-gauge and 18-gauge cutting needles were used. Biopsy guidance was by ultrasound in 6 patients and by CT in 15 patients. Measurements and results: A correct histologic diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma was made by CNB in 18 patients (86% sensitivity and 100% specificity). Complications included one chest wall hematoma and a small hemoptysis. Four patients with a pleural thickness of < 5 mm underwent biopsy, and all specimens were diagnostic for mesothelioma. Conclusions: Image-guided percutaneous CNB of pleural thickening is a safe procedure, with 86% sensitivity for detecting malignant mesothelioma. Pleural thickening of < 5 mm may be successfully sampled. (CHEST 2001; 120:1798 –1802)

Purpose To construct an efficient pilot study design to determine whether interferon alfa-2b modifies the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of continuous-infusion etoposide. Patients and methods A two-stage randomized 2 × 2 factorial design was used to evaluate interferon alfa-2b at two doses (2 or 10 MU/m2/day SQ for 3 days) and two schedules (interferon alfa-2b administered before or concurrent with 72-hour continuous-infusion etoposide). Etoposide was administered at 75, 100, or 125 mg/m2/day. In lieu of comparing the experimental arms to an etoposide-alone control arm to determine effect of interferon alfa-2b dose and schedule, a novel analytic approach was used. The effect of interferon alfa-2b on etoposide-induced leukopenia was assessed indirectly by comparison of the observed white blood cell (WBC) nadir to the nadir predicted from an established pharmacodynamic model for single agent etoposide. Results Based on 29 patients, dose-normalized 24-hour total and estimated free etoposide concentrations did not differ with interferon alfa-2b dose or schedule. Patients treated with interferon alfa-2b before etoposide had, on average a WBC nadir 545 ± 225 cells/μl lower than that predicted by a pharmacodynamic model for etoposide alone. An optimal nonlinear model for leukopenia was defined by interferon alfa-2b schedule in addition to 24-hour etoposide concentration. Conclusion A novel study design and statistical analysis provided an efficient preliminary evaluation of the combination of interferon alfa-2b with etoposide in a modest number of patients. Exploitation of a previously validated pharmacodynamic model allowed evaluation of interferon alfa-2b effect and eliminated the need for an etoposide-alone control arm. The pharmacokinetics of continuous-infusion etoposide at doses from 75 to 125 mg/m2/day appear to be unchanged by interferon alfa-2b at the doses and schedules tested and the combination appears to be feasible. We hypothesize that leukopenia may be enhanced when interferon alfa-2b is administered before etoposide, especially at a higher dose of interferon alfa-2b. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (1996) 59, 349–359; doi

Human papillomavirus (HPV) analysis of cytological material has been advocated for determining those patients with low-grade cervical cytological abnormalities who have current high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs). In this study, we analyzed concurrent cervical smears and biopsies from 167 patients with Papanicolaou (Pap) smears showing persistent atypical squamous cells of uncertain significance (ASCUS) or low grade SILs (1) to compare the detection of HPV by nonisotopic in situ hybridization (NISH) on matched smears and biopsies; (2) to analyze the type and distribution of NISH signal within lesions; and (3) to define further the ability of NISH techniques to distinguish between patients with low- and high-grade SIL. Whether present in cervical smears or biopsies, high-risk HPV types (16, 18, 31, 33, and related types) were significantly associated with high-grade SILs (P < .001) but were found in 15% of low-grade SILs. Ninety percent of high grade lesions were directly infected by these HPV types, and good concordance (92.2%) was found between NISH analysis of matched cervical smears and biopsies, indicating accurate colposcopic targetting of biopsies and excision specimens. Punctate signal morphology, which correlates with viral integration, was associated with high-grade SILs but was also observed in two low-grade SILs. Although the presence of high-risk HPV types in low-grade SILs limits the predictive ability of HPV testing by this means in this group of patients, those patients with high-risk HPV infection of low-grade SILs may be at greater risk of progression to high-grade SIL or invasive carcinoma. If this were the case, HPV testing would be of potential value in the management of patients with low-grade cytological abnormalities.

The role of human papillomavirus (HPV) detection in the management of patients with persistent low-grade (mild dyskaryosis or less) cervical cytological abnormalities is unclear. We have analysed cytological material from 167 such patients both cytologically and by non-isotopic in situ hybridisation (NISH) for HPV 16, 18, 31 and 33 and consensus primer polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification followed by both generic and specific typing for these HPV types. Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 or 3 was present in 40 of 167 patients (23.9%), and the positive predictive values (PPVs) for the presence of CIN 2 or 3, of moderate or severe dyskaryosis at repeat cytology and an HPV-positive NISH and generic PCR signal were 100%, 66% and 42% respectively. The corresponding sensitivities were 48%, 68% and 87%. Addition of cytology to molecular analysis improved both PPV and sensitivity, the best combination being NISH and cytopathology (PPV 71%, sensitivity 87%). These data demonstrate that the presence of CIN 2 or 3 in patients with mild cytological abnormalities can be predicted by molecular detection of HPV in some cases, particularly when combined with cytological analysis. However, the magnitude of this prediction is dependent on the population of patients studied, and the clinical role of this approach therefore remains to be defined. Images Figure 1 Figure 3

SummaryThe predictive accuracies for cervical glandular intraepithelial neoplasia and adenocarcinoma from a cyto-logical finding of endocervical dyskaryosis were examined for 82 patients with endocervical dyskaryosis on a referral cervical smear and for 54 patients with histologically identified adenocarcinoma or cervical glandular intra-epithelial neoplasia.Glandular dyskaryosis on a smear had a positive predictive value for cervical glandular intra-epithelial neoplasia or adenocarcinoma of 60 per cent. If those cases in which the histology showed only cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia grades 2 and 3 were included, the positive predictive value rose to 91 per cent.The finding of glandular abnormality in a cervical smear is therefore highly predictive of significant underlying pathology.

Xanthoma disseminatum (XD) is a rare mucocutaneous xanthomatosis classified as a benign form of non-Langerhans' cell histiocytosis. The case history is presented of a 61 year old woman with XD who developed dyspnoea and spirometric features of airflow obstruction. Bronchoscopy and computed tomography confirmed involvement of the large and medium sized bronchi and she subsequently died from acute respiratory failure. The post-mortem findings and the importance of respiratory tract disease in this unusual condition are discussed.

Lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis (LIP) is a rare clinicopathological entity that may be associated with common variable immune deficiency (CVID) and may lead to respiratory failure and death. Some patients may respond to prolonged corticosteroid treatment. We hypothesised that, in view of the predominant T cell nature of LIP, cyclosporin A would be a more appropriate choice of immunosuppressive agent and report the first case of its successful use in a woman with LIP associated with CVID.

One thousand patients, referred to the Oxford Colposcopy Clinic, were treated with either large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ, 891 cases) or LLETZ cone (109 cases). Forty-five LLETZ cones were performed empirically, 64 under microcolposcopic guidance. Over 98% of patients were managed as outpatients under local anaesthesia, and 87% of new patients treated with LLETZ had treatment at their first visit. Ninety percent of patients had at least cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade one (CIN I) and 73% had CIN II or worse. Seventeen cases of invasive or possibly invasive disease were detected, 6 of them unsuspected. The overall rate of complete excision of CIN or worse was 72%. Follow-up was cytologic with or without colposcopy depending on lesion severity. Ninety-one percent of 967 treated patients were free of dyskaryosis at a mean follow-up of 23 months, with complete excision of CIN or worse at LLETZ a significant predictive factor. No cases of invasive carcinoma have developed following treatment. Major morbidity was uncommon, with 3.8% severe hemorrhage. Stenosis was noted in 3.8% cases, mostly after LLETZ cone. One patient (0.1%) has reduced fertility possibly attributable to LLETZ. Questionnaire assessment revealed a very high degree of acceptability of the treatment to patients. LLETZ and LLETZ cone have proved highly acceptable and effective outpatient diagnostic and treatment alternatives to both local ablation and cone biopsy in the Oxford Colposcopy Clinic.

AIM: To assess the diagnostic performance of human papillomavirus (HPV) analysis in predicting cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grades 2 and 3 in patients with persistent low grade cervical cytological abnormalities. METHODS: Cervical smears from 167 women referred for colposcopy with persistent borderline, wart virus or mildly dyskaryotic changes on cervical screening were analysed by Papanicolaou staining, non-isotopic in situ hybridisation and generic and type specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of HPV sequences. Follow up was by cytological and, where appropriate, histological analysis. RESULTS: CIN grade 2 or 3 was identified in 46 patients after a median follow up of 27 months. HPV positivity by both techniques was associated with high grade CIN and with age less than 30 years (median age 33 years). Non-isotopic in situ hybridisation was more predictive but less sensitive than either generic or type specific PCR, but prediction was greater using either molecular technique in women over 30 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: Although the degree of prediction found is of only limited clinical value, the strong association of HPV positivity with both high grade CIN and patient age suggests that further studies of HPV testing in this patient group are warranted.