Showing 5 results for Aghamohammadi
Najafi F, Ghaffarpour M, Najafi M R, Aghamohammadi A, Saadatnia M H,
Volume 66, Issue 1 (30 2008)
Abstract
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system with multifocal areas of demyelination. Despite an increased understanding of the mechanisms causing MS, immunological factors that indicate disease activity are only starting to be discovered. Chronic brain inflammation is often associated with an increase in production of IgG in the CSF as determined by the IgG index (normal ≤0.77) and oligoclonal bands (OCBs). Different studies have found variable correlations between these two factors and disease progression. We herein evaluate the correlation of IgG index and OCB with disease progression in Iranian MS patients.
Methods: The IgG index was measured in 54 patients with multiple sclerosis. The progression index (PI), type of disease course and the presence of OCBs were compared in patients with normal, high and very high IgG index.
Results: PI was higher in patients with very high IgG indexes (0.10±0.13) vs. patients with high (0.06±0.05) and normal IgG indexes (0.05±0.07 p>0.05). Secondary progressive (SP) patients had higher IgG indexes than those with relapsing-remitting (RR) courses (2.04±1.24 for SP vs. 1.78±1.45 for RR p>0.05). The PI was higher in OCB-positive MS patients (0.08±0.10) vs. OCB-negative patients (0.05±0.04) (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Although the findings of this study need to be treated with some caution since this is not a prospective evaluation, the results indicate a trend toward better prognosis of the disease in patients with lower IgG index values. We think that the IgG index is a useful marker of disease activity in MS. Patients with IgG indexes above 1.1 could have an increased risk of progression and they would benefit from early treatment with immunomodulator agents. Our results did not reveal statistically significant prognostic value for IgG index in patients with multiple sclerosis. Thus the results warrant prospective studies to verify the prognostic value of intrathecal IgG synthesis in multiple sclerosis.
Abdollahzade S, Aghamohammadi A, Soheili H, Salehi Sadaghiani M, Abolhassani H, Rezaei N,
Volume 68, Issue 10 (5 2011)
Abstract
Background: Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID)
is a primary immunodeficiency disease, characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia
and heterogeneous clinical manifestations. This study was performed to evaluate
the clinical and immunological features of pediatric patients with CVID.
Methods: We reviewed the records of 69 children diagnosed
under age of 16 years with CVID
(35 males and 34
females).
Results: By the year 2008, 15 patients (21%)
had died. The total follow-up period was 333
patient-years. The mean diagnostic time between onset and diagnosis in our
patient group was 4.40 years. The overall
rate of consanguineous marriages was 58%.
10 patients had a positive family history of
immunodeficiency. At the time of diagnosis, the mean levels of serum
immunoglobulin G (IgG),
IgM,
and IgA levels
were 286.86, 39.92, and 18.39
mg/dl, respectively which were below the normal levels for age. All of the
patients presented with infectious diseases at the time of onset, the most
common of which were pneumonia, diarrhea and sinusitis. Acute and recurrent
infections were also found in almost all of the patients, particularly
involving respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. The most common infections
during follow-up period were pneumonia (31.9%),
acute diarrhea (18.8%), acute sinusitis (18.8%),
and otitis media (14.5%). Post-diagnosis
survival was estimated to be 79% during the first
five years. The survival rate was not shown to be influenced by delayed
diagnosis, serum levels of IgG
and B-lymphocyte count at the time of diagnosis.
Conclusions: Any child with a history of recurrent infections, decreased levels of serum
immunoglobulin isotypes and consanguineous parents should be considered as a CVID
patient.
Aghamohammadi A, Mahmoodi M, Rezaei N, Safari Z, Heidarnasab D, Divsalar K, Mohagheghi Ma,
Volume 69, Issue 2 (5 2011)
Abstract
Background: An increased risk for invasive infections with encapsulated bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae has been described in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or in those on dialysis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibody response to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide vaccine in CKD patients.
Methods: Sixty-six patients with CKD and 40 healthy individuals were vaccinated with pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine. The serum antibody response (IgG and IgG2) to the Pneumovax antigens was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) prior to and four weeks after vaccination.
Results: Out of 66 vaccinated patients with CKD, 14 were found to be hyporesponsive to the vaccine (Group 1). Patients with normal specific antibody response were regarded as respondents and were assigned to Group 2 (n=52). The mean post-vaccination IgG titer
to the pneumococcal antigens in Group 1 was significantly lower than those in Group 2
(P=0.012 for IgG and P=0.02 for IgG2). The increased anti-pneumococcal IgG titer was significantly lower in patients in Group 1 versus Group 2 (P=0.001) or the healthy control group (P=0.005). During the follow-up period of patients, patients in Group 1 developed higher episodes of pneumococcal infections than those in Group 2 (P=0.007). Conclusion: A substantial proportion of patients with chronic kidney disease fail to mount an adequate antibody response to pneumococcal antigens and remain at significant risk for such infections. These patients should be offered other prophylactic measures to protect them against invasive pneumococcal diseases.
Azimi C, Aghamohammadi A, Ramyar A, Safari Z, Divsalar K, Mahmoodi M,
Volume 70, Issue 9 (5 2012)
Abstract
Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common malignancy in childhood, characterized by excess lymphoblasts, and immature white blood cells that are continuously multiplying and overproducing in the bone marrow. The aim of this investigation was to measure the sensitivity of lymphocytes against gamma irradiation in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and also find out the effect of such irradiations in causing chromosomal abnormalities.
Methods: In this investigation performed between April 2010 and July 2011, at the Department of Genetics, Cancer Institute of Iran, we studied the effects of gamma irradiation on the lymphocytes of 20 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The lymphocytes of 30 healthy donors were used to establish as a normal response to gamma irradiation and seven age-matched ataxia telangiectasia patients were recruited as positive control. The chromosomal radiosensitivity was assessed with the G2- and the G0-assay. We compared the mean number of chromosomal abnormalities such as chromosome and chromatid breakages, chromosome and chromatid gaps, and chromatid exchanges in one-hundred metaphases of patients and control groups.
Results: The frequency of chromosomal aberrations was statistically higher among patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia than the normal controls (P<0.01). In total, 65% of the patients were sensitive to gamma irradiation, but the remaining 35% were similar to the normal controls. Patients with ataxia telangiectasia showed the highest sensitivity to gamma irradiation (P=0.001).
Conclusion: Our results showed that a high percentage of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia were sensitive to irradiation, meaning that maximum care should be taken during their treatment to avoid unnecessary X-rays or radiotherapies.
Asghar Aghamohammadi , Mohammadreza Shaghaghi , Hassan Abolhassani , Reza Yazdani , Seyed Mohsen Zahraie , Mohammad Mehdi Goya , Susan Mahmoudi , Nima Rezaei , Shohreh Shahmahmoodi ,
Volume 78, Issue 1 (April 2020)
Abstract
Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs) is a diverse group of diseases, characterized by a defect in the immune system. These patients are susceptible to recurrent respiratory infections, gastrointestinal problems, autoimmune diseases, and malignancies. In most cases, patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders have genetic defects and are monogenic disorders that follow a simple Mendelian inheritance, however, some PIDs recognize a more complex polygenic origin. Overall, almost 70 to 90 percent of patients with primary immunodeficiency are undiagnosed. Given that these patients are exposing to respiratory infectious agents and some live-attenuated vaccines, thus they have a high risk to some clinical complications. The administration of oral polio vaccine in patients with PIDs especially can increase the possibility of acute flaccid paralysis. These patients will excrete the poliovirus for a long time through their feces, even though they are not paralyzed. Long-term virus proliferation in the vaccinated individuals causes a mutation in the poliovirus and creates a vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPVs), which is a major challenge to the final stages of the worldwide eradication of polio.
To increase the diagnosis and identification of patients with immunodeficiency and carrying out a national plan for screening patients with immunodeficiency from the fecal excretion of the poliovirus, a possible polio epidemic can be prevented during post-eradication. Development of laboratory facilities in provincial and city centers, improvement of communications among physicians regarding medical consultation and establishment of referring systems for patients by national network lead to improve status of diagnosis and treatment of patients with primary immunodefiicencies. In this context, launching and activating the national network of immunodeficiency diseases is essential for improving the health of children and reducing the cost of the health system of the country. A national network of immunodeficiency can lead to increase awareness of physicians regarding primary immunodeficiency disorders, improve collaboration among physicians about genetic consultation and establish a practical referral system in Iran that results in increased diagnosis and improve treatment of patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders.
