McAdam K P, Anders R F, Aiken G, Takitaki F F
Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis. 1977 Apr-Jun;45(2):150-7.
The prevalence of the amyloid-related serum component, protein SAA, was investigated in two groups of leprosy patients from different areas of Papua New Guinea. Protein SAA was more prevalent in coastal leprosy patients (49% positive) than in highland patients (21% positive). Paradoxically, many more cases of amyloidosis were diagnosed in the highland group (17 of 199) than in the coastal group (3 of 112). In the highland patient group, SAA was found to correlate with the leprosy disease spectrum, being more prevalent in patients toward the lepromatous pole. Borderline and tuberculoid patients who had detectable SAA usually had neurotrophic ulcers. No such relationships were observed in the coastal patient group, probably because other infections, more common on the coast, were also responsible for causing increased concentrations of SAA which is known to behave as an acute phase reactant. A correlation was observed between SAA positivity and neutrophil leukocytosis. This suggests that various inflammatory stimuli such as erythema nodosum leprosum reactions, neurotrophic ulcers and intercurrent infections, all contribute to the prevalence of SAA in leprosy patients.
在来自巴布亚新几内亚不同地区的两组麻风病患者中，对淀粉样蛋白相关血清成分——血清淀粉样蛋白A（SAA）的患病率进行了调查。SAA在沿海麻风病患者中更为普遍（阳性率49%），高于高地患者（阳性率21%）。矛盾的是，高地组（199例中有17例）诊断出的淀粉样变性病例比沿海组（112例中有3例）多得多。在高地患者组中，发现SAA与麻风病疾病谱相关，在偏向瘤型一端的患者中更为普遍。检测到SAA的界线类和结核样型患者通常有营养性溃疡。在沿海患者组中未观察到此类关系，可能是因为海岸地区更常见的其他感染也导致SAA浓度升高，而SAA已知是一种急性期反应物。观察到SAA阳性与中性粒细胞增多之间存在相关性。这表明各种炎症刺激，如麻风结节性红斑反应、营养性溃疡和并发感染，都导致了麻风病患者中SAA的普遍存在。
