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Biomedical subjects

A Allegra

Publications and source records attributed to A Allegra.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Reduced plasma concentrations of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) in obese women.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate Transforming Growth Factor beta1, (TGF-beta1) plasma concentrations and the possible relationship between this growth factor and various hormones in obese women. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Outpatient's Service for the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity at the University Hospital. SUBJECTS: Twenty-five women with mild to moderate obesity, and 15 non-obese healthy women were used as controls. MEASUREMENTS: Evaluation of TGF-beta1, insulin, prolactin, sex-hormone binding globulin, androstenedione, free triiodothyronine, free tetraiodothyronine, thyroid-stimulating hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, testosterone, insulin-like growth factor 1, cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone plasma concentrations in obese women. Blood samples were taken from fasting subjects for the determination of the above parameters. RESULTS: In obese women plasma TGF-beta1 concentrations were lower than in controls. The obese subjects also had lower GH, IGF-1 and SHBG plasma concentrations and increased insulinaemia. A positive correlation was found between TGF-beta1 and both IGF-1 (r = 0.52; P < 0.01) and DHEA-S (r = 0.43; P < 0.05), while a negative correlation was found between TGF-beta1 and SHBG (r = -0.49; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in TGF-beta1, an antilipogenic factor, may play a role in the pathogenesis of obesity and could be involved in the development of some obesity-related endocrine alterations.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Renal failure from mitochondrial cytopathies.

Mitochondrial cytopathies are metabolic diseases, expressing mutations in nuclear DNA, punctiform mutations or depletions in mitochondrial DNA. These genetic lesions alter mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, with a reduction in energy produced for cell activity. Renal disease may be the first sign of mitochondrial cytopathy, or it may appear together with neurological and neuromuscular signs. Fanconi's syndrome, a benign sign of renal tubulopathy, is particularly frequent in newborns with mitochondrial cytopathy, whereas tubulointerstitial nephropathy, which affects infants and adults, is more serious because it develops into terminal uremia. Findings of hyperlactatemia and reduced enzymatic activity on the respiratory chain in tissue biopsies are of diagnostic significance in mitochondrial cytopathy. A breakthrough is being made in our understanding of genetic alterations in mitochondrial DNA, and with future therapy, the kidney, a target organ, may be safeguarded.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Cold pressor test raises serum concentrations of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and E-selectin in normotensive and hypertensive patients.

In patients with essential hypertension, elevated soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) levels may indicate endothelial cell injury or activation. We therefore sought to ascertain whether arterial blood pressure increased by the cold pressor test can modify serum concentrations of sE-selectin and other soluble forms of adhesion molecules, such as soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), or the expression of any adhesion molecules in circulating monocytes and lymphocytes. Our findings show that levels of sE-selectin, sVCAM-1, and sICAM-1 are higher in patients with essential hypertension than in normotensive subjects (sICAM-1, 380 +/- 52 versus 262 +/- 96 ng/mL, P<.05; sVCAM-1, 720 +/- 52 versus 625 +/- 38 ng/mL, P<.05; and sE-selectin, 75 +/- 21 versus 61 +/- 22 ng/mL, P<.05). Furthermore, in normotensive and hypertensive patients, the cold pressor test caused an increase in serum concentrations of sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and sE-selectin, but it did not cause changes in the expression of adhesion molecules in circulating monocytes and lymphocytes. High arterial blood pressure may therefore increase the production of serum adhesion molecules, probably through endothelial activation.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1996

Magnesium levels in plasma, erythrocyte, and platelet in hypertensive and normotensive patients with type II diabetes mellitus.

The authors, by means of a recently introduced method, evaluated the intraplatelet concentrations of magnesium in 45 normotensive patients with type II diabetes mellitus, in 45 hypertensive diabetics and in 15 healthy controls. They also evaluated plasma and erythrocyte concentrations of the cation through direct current plasma spectrometer. Both normotensive and hypertensive diabetics showed a reduction in plasma, erythrocyte, and platelet concentrations of magnesium compared to controls. On the contrary, no significant difference was found between hypertensive and normotensive diabetics with regard to plasma and erythrocyte magnesium, whereas intraplatelet assay of the ion pointed out significantly lower concentrations of magnesium in hypertensive compared to normotensive patients (56.4 +/- 9.0 vs 60.7 +/- 10.2 micrograms/10(8) cells--p < 0.05). The authors believe that intraplatelet assay of magnesium may be the most reliable method for the evaluation of the cation in hypertensive diabetics, probably because platelets share common features with smooth muscle cells, including the alpha-2-adrenoceptor cyclase system and a coupling mechanism concerning the calcium-dependent contraction.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

[Adhesion molecules. Current aspects and clinical and therapeutic perspectives].

The study about the adhesion molecules pointed out their pathogenetic role in a lot of diseases within cardiological, nephrological, oncological precincts and in a lot of infectious diseases. Their role was in fact pointed out in the ischemic heart disease and in the reperfusion damage, in the glomerulonephritis, in the tumoural metastatic processes, in the infectious and inflammatory chronic processes. The Authors considered the recent literature and emphasized the therapeutic possibilities that such an experimental approach seems to suggest.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed1996

Altered platelet magnesium and plasma and urinary soluble form of intercellular adhesion molecule I (sICAM-1) concentrations in insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients with microalbuminuria.

Magnesium concentrations in plasma, erythrocyte and platelet, and plasma and urine levels of the soluble form of Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (sICAM-1) were evaluated in subjects with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) with or without microalbuminuria, and in a control group of healthy subjects. Using a recently introduced technique, we found that magnesium concentrations in platelets in diabetic subjects with microalbuminuria were lower than in diabetics with normal albuminuria (1.859 +/- 0.47 vs 2.065 +/- 0.62 mumol/10(8) cells; P < 0.05). Moreover, IDDM subjects had higher plasma sICAM-1 levels than control subjects; no difference, however, was found between sICAM-1 concentrations in the two groups of diabetics. An inverse correlation was found between intraplatelet magnesium and plasma sICAM-1 levels (r = - 0.64; P < 0.05) in the diabetics with microalbuminuria. It is concluded that the reduced intraplatelet magnesium content may contribute to the progression of the vascular complications in IDDM subjects with microalbuminuria.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Noise pollution in an intensive care unit for nephrology and dialysis.

By means of high sensitivity phonometers, noise levels in different sites of an intensive care unit (ICU) for nephrology and dialysis were evaluated before and after acoustical renovation of the rooms. The noise levels registered in the diurnal hours of the working day were always higher than those recommended for sites devoted to patient care. The authors analysed the negative effects of noise pollution on nephrology patients and the medical personnel of the unit.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Fibromyalgia and trigger points].

Trigger points in chronic pain and myofascial syndromes are often localized at a distance from the painful area. Infiltration of trigger points with Bupivacaine 0.5% greatly reduces pain and can eliminate it with no need of any other analgesic therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Effects of oral magnesium supplementation on plasma lipid concentrations in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

We evaluated the effects of oral magnesium supplementation on plasma lipid concentrations in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Twenty-six persons with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus received 4.5 g magnesium pidolate/d for one month, and 17 persons received placebo. Before and at the end of the treatment period cholesterol concentration, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and plasma and erythrocyte magnesium were evaluated. Chronic magnesium supplementation produced a significant reduction of plasma cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, and an increase of HDL cholesterol. These results suggest that oral supplementation of magnesium may be useful in the treatment of hyperlipidaemia in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1994

Is erythropoietin-induced hypertension a phenomenon due to the intracellular Ca++ mobilisation?

UNLABELLED: The authors evaluated the ability of rHuEPO (recombinant human erythropoietin) in performing a vasoactive calcium-mediated action. Forty healthy volunteers were evaluated for the muscle blood flow at rest (RBF) and after reactive hyperemia by Xenon 133 clearance. Pre-treatments with several calcium antagonists were used. RESULTS: The i.v. infusion of rHuEPO brought about a reduction of the RBF and MBF (maximal blood flow). This reduction was maintained with nifedipine or verapamil. Gallopamil and ketanserine prevented the reduction of blood flow induced by rHuEPO. CONCLUSIONS. The rHuEPO has a vasoconstrictive action in vivo since gallopamil and ketanserine, drugs able to prevent intracellular mobilisation of the Ca++, can block the rHuEPO induced vasoconstriction. The action exerted by rHuEPO could be due not an increased flow of the Ca++ from the extracellular department but to a mobilisation from Ca++ deposits.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Serum levels of 2',5 oligoadenylate synthetase during interferon therapy in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

We assayed 2',5 oligoadenylate synthetase (2'5-AS) activity in the serum of eight patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) who were undergoing therapy with alpha interferon (IFN). Mean pretreatment levels of 2'5-AS were normal, but upon treatment the levels rose to higher than normal values. Moreover, the degree of enzyme induction in serum was significantly higher in CLL responders (P < 0.003) whereas no difference was found in non-responders. The lack of serum 2'5-AS induction in non-responder patients might be related to unresponsiveness to treatment with IFN. These results seem to show that the measurement of serum levels of 2'5-AS activity may be a useful tool in monitoring IFN treatment.

2',5'-Oligoadenylate Synthetase↗