格氏眼病发现新疗法
文章来源:未知 文章作者:meng 发布时间:2009-11-09 01:44 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
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A small group of patients with severe Graves' eye disease experienced rapid improvement of their symptoms — and improved vision — following treatment with the drug rituximab(利妥昔). Inflammation(发炎,红肿) around their eyes and damage to the optic nerve(视神经) were significantly reduced. The same patients had not previously1 responded to steroids(甾体), a common treatment for Graves' eye disease. Raymond S. Douglas, M.D., Ph.D., an oculoplastics specialist who recently joined the faculty2 of the U-M Kellogg Eye Center, reports on the potential of the drug in the online October issue of Ophthalmology. Douglas reviewed the progress of six patients he treated while on the faculty of the University of California at Los Angeles.

Graves' eye disease is an autoimmune disease(自身免疫病) that causes inflammation and fatty deposits in the eye muscles and connective tissue surrounding the eye. Among the symptoms are pronounced(显著的,明白的) bulging3 eyes(突眼), retracted4 eyelids5(眼睑), dry eyes, and, in severe cases, loss of vision. Women are more likely than men to develop the disease.

The study suggests that rituximab is a potentially effective new treatment for the most severe forms of Graves' eye disease. "These patients had already received the maximum level of steroid(类固醇) treatment," says Douglas. "Treatment with rituximab calmed inflammation, stopped progression of the disease, and saved the patients from having to undergo surgery."

Rituximab has been used to treat patients with other autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid(患风湿病的) arthritis6(关节炎) and in non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma. The drug works by depleting7(耗尽,空竭) B cells—the body's normal antibody-producing cells—that appear to go awry8(扭曲的,走样的) in autoimmune diseases.

Collaborating9 with Terry J. Smith, M.D., the Frederick G.L. Huetwell Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Douglas has helped to explain the process by which the immune system attacks the orbital tissue in Graves' eye disease. In an earlier study, the researchers reported that B cells play a pivotal role in the inflammatory process in Graves' eye disease.

In the current study, Douglas observed improvement among the patients, four of whom were women, as early as four weeks following the first infusion10(输液,灌输) of rituximab. Researchers also observed that the positive results were sustained 4 to 6 months after treatment.

"Treatment of the inflammatory component11 of Graves' eye disease has not advanced appreciably12(相当大地) over several decades," says Douglas. High-dose steroids, sometimes in combination with orbital radiation, are still the first line treatment. But, says Douglas, "These are imperfect options because inflammation often recurs13 when the treatment ends." He is hopeful that rituximab can offer sustained improvement. Douglas observes that the results from a small case series must be viewed with some caution. But given the substantial benefits for patients treated with rituximab, he sees good reason to proceed with a large-scale clinical trial to test this promising14 new drug.



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1 previously bkzzzC     
adv.以前,先前(地)
参考例句:
  • The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
  • Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿,解释原先发生了什么。
2 faculty HhkzK     
n.才能;学院,系;(学院或系的)全体教学人员
参考例句:
  • He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。
  • He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。
3 bulging daa6dc27701a595ab18024cbb7b30c25     
膨胀; 凸出(部); 打气; 折皱
参考例句:
  • Her pockets were bulging with presents. 她的口袋里装满了礼物。
  • Conscious of the bulging red folder, Nim told her,"Ask if it's important." 尼姆想到那个鼓鼓囊囊的红色文件夹便告诉她:“问问是不是重要的事。”
4 retracted Xjdzyr     
v.撤回或撤消( retract的过去式和过去分词 );拒绝执行或遵守;缩回;拉回
参考例句:
  • He made a false confession which he later retracted. 他作了假供词,后来又翻供。
  • A caddy retracted his statement. 一个球童收回了他的话。 来自辞典例句
5 eyelids 86ece0ca18a95664f58bda5de252f4e7     
n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 );眼睛也不眨一下;不露声色;面不改色
参考例句:
  • She was so tired, her eyelids were beginning to droop. 她太疲倦了,眼睑开始往下垂。
  • Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 arthritis XeyyE     
n.关节炎
参考例句:
  • Rheumatoid arthritis has also been linked with the virus.风湿性关节炎也与这种病毒有关。
  • He spent three months in the hospital with acute rheumatic arthritis.他患急性风湿性关节炎,在医院住了三个月。
7 depleting ae23633b1a5c6c21ae0d93b205d84331     
使大大的减少,使空虚( deplete的现在分词 ); 耗尽,使枯竭
参考例句:
  • Regulations are outlawing certain refrigerants, such as chlorofluorocarbons, which contain ozone-depleting chemicals. 随后出台的政策禁用了部分制冷剂,如破坏臭氧层的氟氯碳化合物。
  • Aging, being a series of continual losses, can be keenly depleting. 老龄化,作为一个系列的连续亏损,可以清楚地消耗。
8 awry Mu0ze     
adj.扭曲的,错的
参考例句:
  • She was in a fury over a plan that had gone awry. 计划出了问题,她很愤怒。
  • Something has gone awry in our plans.我们的计划出差错了。
9 collaborating bd93aed5558c4b146fa553d822f7c432     
合作( collaborate的现在分词 ); 勾结叛国
参考例句:
  • Joe is collaborating on the work with a friend. 乔正与一位朋友合作做那件工作。
  • He was not only learning from but also collaborating with Joseph Thomson. 他不仅是在跟约瑟福?汤姆逊学习,而且也是在和他合作。
10 infusion CbAz1     
n.灌输
参考例句:
  • Old families need an infusion of new blood from time to time.古老的家族需要不时地注入新鲜血液。
  • Careful observation of the infusion site is necessary.必须仔细观察输液部位。
11 component epSzv     
n.组成部分,成分,元件;adj.组成的,合成的
参考例句:
  • Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
  • Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。
12 appreciably hNKyx     
adv.相当大地
参考例句:
  • The index adds appreciably to the usefulness of the book. 索引明显地增加了这本书的实用价值。
  • Otherwise the daily mean is perturbed appreciably by the lunar constituents. 否则,日平均值就会明显地受到太阳分潮的干扰。
13 recurs 8a9b4a15329392095d048817995bf909     
再发生,复发( recur的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • This theme recurs several times throughout the book. 这一主题在整部书里出现了好几次。
  • Leap year recurs every four years. 每四年闰年一次。
14 promising BkQzsk     
adj.有希望的,有前途的
参考例句:
  • The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
  • We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。
TAG标签: eye inflammation rituximab
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