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Biomedical subjects

A Balsamo

Publications and source records attributed to A Balsamo.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

[Results of screening of congenital hypothyroidism and iodine excess in neonatal age].

We evaluated the distribution of TSH levels on dried blood spots (Delfia system-threshold value for recall 20 microU/ml) in 27,282 consecutive samples examined during 1993, in the Emilia-Romagna region. We also evaluated, by questionnaire, the frequency of iodine disinfection in the perinatal period in all centers that do blood spots. We also evaluated the distribution of TSH spot values according to the localization of the center in endemic or not endemic area of the region. Among the parameters we considered, only the sampling day (p < 0.02) and the maternity center (p < 0.0001) showed a significant influence on TSH spot values. With regard to the questionnaire, the centers which habitually used iodine disinfection in obstetrics (20/28) showed significantly higher percentages of TSH values over 10 microU/ml than the centers which did not use (3/28) or rarely used (4/28) this type of disinfection (p < 0.0001). The only center which used regular iodine disinfection of umbilical cord in all newborns, showed a percentage of TSH values over 10 microU/ml (25.8%) and a recall rate (2.5%) significantly higher than all other centers (p < 0.0001).

Anti-Infective Agents, Local↗
PubMed1998

[Prevalence of goiter and urine iodine in a school population in an area of the Bolognese Apennines].

We evaluated goiter prevalence and urinary iodine excretion (UIE) in schoolchildren living in three villages of the Appennines in the Bologna district-Castel d'Aiano (CA), Gaggio Montano (GM) and Pietracolora (PC). 175 age-matched schoolchildren living in the urban area of Bologna were considered as control group. In the control area the presence of goiter was documented in 11 out of 175 subjects (6.3%). In the mountain area the presence of goiter was documented in 42 out of 233 subjects (18%) (p < 0.0001 vs control area). In the urban control area the UIE was 159 micrograms/l (median; range 19-298). In the mountain area the UIE was 119 micrograms/l (median; range 10-286) (p < 0.001 vs control area). We observed the highest prevalence of goiter and UIE levels < 100 micrograms/l only in the village of PC, which is still characterized by geographical isolation and rural economy.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed1998

[Rare complications of biliary sepsis].

The surgical approach to the acute biliary pathologies also today is often controversial. The choice of the right time to operate an acute patient is based either on personal clinical experiences, either under the statement that waiting for the resolution of the acute process could be preferable in the aim of reduce the surgical risk. This is the almost general tendency. Recently, some interesting articles issued by Swedish and German schools conducted as controlled trials on a great base of cases, try to emphasize the advantages of an early surgical therapy, particularly in the elderly patients. In these ones, in fact, the concomitance of cardiovascular, metabolic and immunodepressive pathologies makes more serious the complications too. In this article, the Authors refer on three clinical cases, all of which were quite different, and in which it was possible to identify a former septic hepato-biliary pathology. All the patients, upon hospital admission showed an acute pattern. In two cases it was an hepatic abscess, accompanied in one case by a "satellite" pulmonary abscess on the right lung. These two were treated conservatively, although by a TC-guided drainage of the liver abscesses. The third case, a localized choleperitoneum (biloma saccatus), underwent an operation. The accurate investigation on the clinical records of Authors' Department since 1980 to 1995 and in particular on the three referred cases seems to confirm that the importance of some complications after acute biliary pathology and their great morbidity must stimulate the surgeons to investigate always on the real causes of all clinical patterns, even if uncommon.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Thyroid cancer histotype changes as observed in a major general hospital in a 21-year period.

The existing registries of thyroid carcinoma are seldom comparable as far as epidemiological data, diagnostic criteria and histopatological description are concerned. Epidemiological studies report a progressive increase in the incidence of thyroid carcinoma in the last twenty years and in both sexes this increase of incidence has been referred to papillary histotype. Data collected from surgical series show a rate of thyroid carcinomas from 7 to 20% of total thyroid surgeries. The present study was designed in order to obtain a retrospective review of the distribution of thyroid carcinoma's different histotypes in the last 21 years in a major General Hospital. Detailed analysis of patients with histologically confirmed thyroid carcinoma admitted between 1974 and 1994 to the Surgery Department of Mauriziano Hospital of Torino, Italy showed an overall 11.8% prevalence of thyroid cancer out of the total thyroid surgeries. The rate of papillary carcinoma was the highest (54.3%) followed by follicular carcinoma (27.6%), anaplastic carcinoma (11.1%), medullary carcinoma (4.6%) and others (2.4%). The papillary-to-follicular ratio varied from 0.60 in 1974-76 to 6.88 in 1992-94. Female to male ratio of all thyroid carcinoma histotypes was 2.0 or more; papillary and follicular histotypes had the highest ratio. The variations of the histotype rate observed may be consequence of the silent increase of daily iodine intake throughout the subsequent years, while improved diagnostic tools available and increased experience of the medical staff have probably increased the number on thyroid ablations performed. Our data confirm the changing epidemiology of thyroid carcinoma, reported by international literature.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Final height of patients treated for isolated GH deficiency: examination of 83 patients.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate retrospectively the influence of various auxological and laboratory parameters on final height in a group of GH-deficient children after replacement therapy and to compare their final height with that of a group of short children with normal GH secretion and hence not treated. The final height was evaluated of 83 patients (51 males and 32 females) affected by idiopathic isolated GH deficiency and treated with recombinant human GH (hGH) for 2-7 years. Inclusion criteria at the start of treatment were short stature (mean height for chronological age in standard deviation score (SDS) -2.21) due to idiopathic isolated GH deficiency (GH peak < 8 micrograms/l after two pharmacological tests and/or mean GH concentration < 3.3 micrograms/l during the night) and treatment with recombinant hGH for at least 2 years at a dose of 15-20 U/m2 per week by s.c. injection for 6 or 7 days/ week. Mean chronological age at diagnosis was 12.2 +/- 1.7 years; 35 were prepubertal and 48 pubertal. The final height of 51 untreated short stature (mean height for chronological age in SDS -2.13 at diagnosis) subjects (42 males and 9 females: 29 prepubertal and 22 pubertal at diagnosis with mean chronological age 11.6 +/- 2.4 years) with normal GH secretion was also evaluated. In the treated subjects final height SDS was higher than that of the untreated group (-1.3 vs -1.7 SDS; P = 0.01). Both treated and untreated subjects showed a final height lower than target height, but 39% of the treated subjects vs only 20% of the untreated group (P = 0.035) had a final height greater than target height. In the treated subjects this percentage was higher in the patients improving their height for bone age in the first years of therapy. While treated females showed a positive correlation only between target and final height (P = 0.0001), in treated males final height correlated with the Bayley-Pinneau prediction at diagnosis, height for chronological age and bone age at diagnosis and target height. Patients who started therapy before puberty also showed these correlations with data calculated at the onset of puberty, together with a correlation with chronological age at the onset of puberty. When considering the influence of GH response at tests on final height, the percentage of subjects exceeding target height increased progressively according to the severity of the GH deficiency. There was no difference in height gain between the patients starting therapy before or during puberty. The height gain, however modest, obtained by our treated patients, the number of patients with final height greater than target height and the favourable comparison with the untreated short-stature subjects represent a promising result, which could be improved by personalizing treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Decoding difficulties of facial expression of emotions in mothers of children suffering from developmental obesity.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between developmental obesity and emotional problems has been particularly studied by Bruch. According to this author, the main reason for early-onset obesity has to be found in the difficulty of some mothers to adequately distinguish between emotional manifestations and the child's real need for food. In this paper an experiment was carried out in order to test the relationship between developmental obesity and poor ability to recognize facial expressions of some basic emotions. METHODS: A group of 20 mothers whose children suffered from serious early-onset obesity (experimental group) and another group of 20 mothers, whose children had slight overweight problems arising long after the first year of life (control group), were tested. Both mothers and their children were asked to recognize a set of facial expressions of emotions. 42 slides of facial expressions of emotions (anger, sadness, disgust, surprise, fear, happiness and neutral faces) were presented to subjects who were asked to mark on an answer sheet the name of the emotion expressed by the actor's face. RESULTS: A significant difference between the groups was found: a larger number of errors in the recognition of facial expression of emotions was made by mothers and their children in the experimental group. Furthermore a positive linear correlation between the number of errors made by the mothers and that made by their children was present. CONCLUSIONS: The findings do support Bruch's clinical observations. Further studies concerning other emotional signs (either nonverbal or verbal) are needed in order to assess the importance of emotional decoding difficulties in developmental obesity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia: neonatal mass screening compared with clinical diagnosis only in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, 1980-1995.

OBJECTIVE: Comparative study of the incidence of classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency congenital adrenal hyperplasia (21ase-def CAH) and clinical findings of affected infants diagnosed via newborn screening versus case survey only in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. METHODS: Neonatal mass screening (from March 1980 to September 1983-Period A, and from March 1991 to August 1995-Period C) and case survey study (from 1980 to June 1995; case survey alone from October 1983 to February 1991--Period B) were performed by the Regional Referral Center for Neonatal Screening for Endocrine-Metabolic Disease with a laboratory (Central Laboratory, S. Orsola Hospital, Bologna) and clinical (First Pediatric Clinic, University of Bologna, S. Orsola Hospital, Bologna) component. A population-based sample of 420 960 newborns consecutively born in the Emilia-Romagna region from March 1980 to August 1995 were studied. Spot 17-OH-progesterone (nmol/L blood) was tested by the radioimmunoassay method after sample extraction during Period A and by fluoroimmunometric time resolved method without sample extraction during Period C. Serum 17-OH-progesterone (ng/dL or nmol/L) was tested by the radioimmunoassay method (Diagnostic Product Corporation Kit, Los Angeles, CA). The case survey was performed by means of a questionnaire sent to all regional centers dealing with pediatrics, neonatology, endocrinology, and pediatric surgery. RESULTS: Thirteen classic 21ase-def CAH were diagnosed by means of neonatal screening (combined A and C periods). One true and one questionable false-negative cases were identified. The incidence of classical 21-hydroxylase deficiency for the white population was 1:15 518 (95% confidence limits 1:9249-1:28 400) by neonatal screening plus case survey, 1:18 105 (95% confidence limits 1:10 365-1:35 041) by neonatal screening alone and 1:25 462 (95% confidence limits 1:12 925-1:59 043) by case survey alone. The sensitivity and specificity of screening for classic CAH were 83% and 99.8% for Period A and 90% and 99.2% for Period C, respectively. The percentage of salt-wasting forms and the male/female ratio were higher during the neonatal screening period than during the case survey only. Sixty-one percent of classic CAH patients benefited from a prompt diagnosis. Nonclassical 21ase-def CAH cases detected via screening and case survey were also reported. CONCLUSIONS: Even in a region with adequate neonatal services, clinical diagnosis alone of classic CAH might be delayed or misinterpreted and salt-wasting crises could cause neonatal deaths. CAH screening is thus an effective tool for diagnosing affected male infants without a family history of CAH and for preventing salt loss. However, to achieve maximal benefit from screening, quick procedures are necessary for notification of positive results and beginning prompt treatment. The possibility of false-negative cases indicates that clinical observation should never be abandoned, even with ongoing screening programs.

17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone↗
PubMed1995

Response to growth hormone therapy in patients with growth hormone deficiency who at birth were small or appropriate in size for gestational age.

OBJECTIVE: To determine long-term growth response to growth hormone (GH) therapy in patients with isolated GH deficiency who had been small for gestational age and in those who had been appropriate in size for gestational age. DESIGN: Longitudinal, case-control study. SETTING: Pediatric clinic, endocrinology center, University of Bologna, Italy. PATIENTS: Sixteen GH-deficient children, small for gestational age with unknown cause, and 16 GH-deficient children, appropriate in size for gestational age, who were matched for chronologic age, bone age, pubertal stage, and target height at the beginning of treatment and were treated for 36 months. INTERVENTION: Recombinant human GH given subcutaneously at a dose of 20 IU/m2 per week in six doses per week for 36 months. MEASUREMENTS: Growth hormone levels (fluoroimmunoenzymatic method), levels of insulin-like growth factor I (radioimmunoassay), and complete 36-months auxologic follow-up. RESULTS: Patients who were small for gestational age had a modest improvement in height for chronologic age but no increase in predicted final height. Patients who were appropriate in size for gestational age had significantly better improvement in both measurements (multivariate analysis of variance: F = 6.3 (p < 0.001) and F = 3.8 (p < 0.05), respectively). Catch-up growth was similar during the first year of therapy for the two groups, after which the linear growth velocity decreased more rapidly in the small-for-gestational-age patients (multivariate analysis of variance: F = 4.9 (p < 0.05)). CONCLUSIONS: The constitutional component of the statural deficiency of small-for-gestational-age children seemed to prevail over hormonal deficiency during treatment with GH. Further follow-up to final height is necessary to evaluate these different responses.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1995

Synthesis and adrenergic beta-blocking activity of ortho-, meta- and para-oxypropanolamino-substituted [(benzylideneamino)oxy]propanolamines.

The N-isopropyl- and N-t-butyl-substituted 1-[o-(3-amino-2-hydroxypropoxy)benzylideneaminoxy]-3-amino-2-propa nols (7a,b) and their meta (8a,b) and para (9a,b) isomers, in which a single aromatic ring is substituted both by the oxypropanolaminic chain of (aryloxy)propanolaminic beta-adrenergic antagonists (AOPAs) and the [(methyleneamino)oxy]propanolaminic chain of [(methyleneamino)oxy]-propanolaminic beta-blocking drugs (MAOPAs), were synthesized and assayed for their beta-adrenergic activity by functional tests on isolated preparations. Compounds 7-9 represent a new type of molecular duplication of beta-adrenergic drugs, formally deriving from the sharing of the aromatic portions of two different pharmacophoric subunits, namely the (aryloxy)propanolaminic portion of AOPAs and the [(benzylideneamino)oxy]propanolaminic portion of aryl-substituted MAOPAs. The pharmacological results showed that the beta-blocking activity of compounds 7-9 is closely related to the way in which the two subunits are linked by the aromatic nucleus: the activity decreases on passing from the ortho-compounds (7a,b) to the meta (8a,b) and then to the para (9a,b) isomers. A comparison of this activity trend with those found for series of both beta-blocking AOPAs and aryl-substituted MAOPAs seems to indicate that compounds 7-9 can be considered more as AOPAs substituted on the phenyl ring by a [(methyleneamino)oxy]propanolaminic chain rather than as aromatic MAOPAs substituted on the same phenyl moiety by an oxypropanolaminic portion.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1994

The [(methyloxy)imino]methyl moiety as a bioisoster of aryl. A novel class of completely aliphatic beta-adrenergic receptor antagonists.

Previous studies in the field of beta-adrenergic drugs had supported the hypothesis of the existence of a bioisosterism between the [(methyleneamino)oxy]methyl moiety (C = NOCH2, MAOMM) of type B beta-blocking drugs and the aryl (Ar) of type A beta-blocking agents. In the MAOMM, however, the carbon of the CH2 linked to the oximic oxygen possesses a hybridization (sp3) and a geometry different from those of the corresponding carbon of Ar which possesses an sp2 hybridization. Furthermore, in the MAOMM, in its preferred conformation, the unsaturated portion (C = N) is situated in a spatial area which does not correspond exactly to the area occupied by Ar. The formal inversion of the atomic sequence C = NOCH2 of the MAOMM leads to a different type of group, the [(methyloxy)imino]methyl moiety (CH2ON = C, MOIMM), which, in the E configuration, appears to present greater steric and electronic analogies with an Ar, with respect to the MAOMM. On the basis of these observations, some completely aliphatic (E)-N-(3-amino-2- hydroxypropylidene)(alkyloxy)amino derivatives of type C (11a,b and 12a, b) were synthesized, the their beta-adrenergic properties were compared with those of the corresponding [(methyleneamino)oxy]-methyl isomers of type B (19a, b and 20a, b). The similar beta-adrenergic properties of 11, 12 and 19, 20 evaluated in vitro both by radioligand binding assays and by functional tests on isolated preparations, are discussed on the basis of considerations regarding the spatial correspondences and electronic analogies between the MOIMM and the MAOMM.

Adrenergic beta-1 Receptor Antagonists↗
PubMed1994

Long-term follow-up and final height in girls with central precocious puberty treated with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue nasal spray.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical, hormonal, and auxologic features in a group of girls with central precocious puberty during and after long-term treatment with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue nasal spray. DESIGN: Clinical survey, before-after trial. SETTING: Pediatric Clinic, Endocrinological Center, University of Bologna (Italy). PATIENTS: Forty-one girls with central precocious puberty were treated for 28 months (range, 12 to 60 months); 25 of them discontinued therapy at a mean chronological age of 10.0 +/- 0.9 years and were followed up for 25 months (range, 6 to 50 months). Twelve patients achieved adult height. INTERVENTION: Buserelin acetate (D-Ser [TBU] LHRH A1-9EA) nasal spray; 1800 micrograms/d subdivided into six intranasal administrations of 300 micrograms each. MEASUREMENTS/MAIN RESULTS: Basal follicle-stimulating hormone, peak gonadotropin values (fluoro-immunoenzymatic method, Eurogenetics, Tessenderlo, Belgium; sensitivity was 0.5 IU/L for luteinizing hormone and 1 IU/L for follicle-stimulating hormone), and estradiol (radioimmunoassay method, DPC Kit, Los Angeles, Calif; sensitivity was 11.01 pmol/L) were significantly suppressed (P < .0001) as of the third month of treatment and increased significantly (P < .01) to pretreatment levels 6 months after discontinuation of therapy. Uterine and mean ovarian volumes, which were stable throughout treatment, appeared significantly higher (P < .05) than before treatment at only 6 months after stopping therapy. In patients with more advanced bone age (according to Greulich and Pyle) at onset of treatment, we observed a more significant improvement of SD score for height (Tanner). Mean adult height in our patients was 159.5 +/- 6.1 cm, and the variables that were significantly associated with final height were height age/bone age ratio at onset and target height (according to Tanner). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term buserelin treatment administered nasally is effective because of completeness of inhibition, quick reversibility after treatment is stopped, and lack of side effects. Its auxologic results are different depending on bone age advancement at onset, which represents a predictor of "therapeutic success." Further follow-up would be useful.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMed1994

Molecular study of human growth hormone gene cluster in three families with isolated growth hormone deficiency and similar phenotype.

The growth hormone (GH) gene (hGH-N) cluster was analysed using polymerase chain reaction, Southern and polymorphism analysis in five patients (including two pairs of siblings) with extreme short stature and absence of GH secretion. Patients 1 and 2 (siblings) were homozygous for a large deletion removing four genes of the cluster: hGH-N, hCS-L, hCS-A and hGH-V. Both siblings produced high anti-GH antibody levels in response to exogenous GH therapy, followed by growth arrest a few months after starting replacement therapy. In patient 3 we detected a heterozygous deletion which involved three genes of the cluster (hCS-A, hGH-V, hCS-B) and left an intact hGH-N gene. Direct sequencing of hGH-N specific amplified fragments excluded the presence of any point mutations in exons and splicing regions. In patients 4 and 5 (sisters) our study did not demonstrate any gene deletions. Analysis of polymorphic restriction patterns in this family demonstrated that both sisters inherited the same alleles from the father but different alleles from the mother, suggesting that the defect was not linked to the hGH-N gene. These results confirm the difficulty of clinical identification of subjects with hGH-N deletion and underline the importance of DNA analysis in patients with absence of GH secretion and extreme growth retardation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Empty sella in children and adolescents with possible hypothalamic-pituitary disorders.

Several computed tomographic scan studies have described empty sellae in children with hypothalamic-pituitary disorders. Magnetic resonance imaging, however, is a more precise technique for visualizing the intrasellar content, such as the stalk and pituitary lobes. Using magnetic resonance imaging, we studied 339 children and adolescents (mean age +/- SD, 12.7 +/- 4.5 yr) with possible hypothalamic-pituitary disorders to ascertain the frequency of primary empty sella and examine its relationships with other intrasellar abnormalities, pituitary function, and adverse perinatal events. One hundred and ninety-three patients had isolated GH deficiency, 43 had multiple pituitary hormone deficiency, 10 had diabetes insipidus, 17 had hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, 5 had idiopathic delayed puberty, 47 had precocious puberty, and 24 had other hypothalamic pituitary disorders of hyperfunction. One tenth (10.9%) of the patients (37 cases) had empty sella, with a marked variation of incidences among the disorders listed above. A statistically higher frequency of subjects with empty sellae was found only in patients with multiple pituitary hormone deficiency. Patients with and without empty sellae were not different in regard to age or sex. The incidence of empty sella in the various groups of patients was as follows: isolated GH deficiency, 8.8% (17 cases); multiple pituitary hormone deficiency, 34.9% (15 cases); hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, 5.9% (1 case); idiopathic delayed puberty, 40% (2 cases); and precocious puberty, 4.2% (2 cases). No patients with isolated diabetes insipidus or other hypothalamic-pituitary disorders had empty sellae. In the patients with empty sellae, abnormalities of the stalk or posterior lobe were found in 1 patient with isolated GH deficiency (5.9%), 13 patients with multiple pituitary hormone deficiency (86.7%), and no patients with puberty disorders. Likewise, adverse perinatal events were found only in 1 patient with isolated GH deficiency and 9 patients with multiple pituitary hormone deficiency. These findings suggest that empty sella is not rare in children and adolescents evaluated for hypothalamic-pituitary disorders, particularly if there is multiple pituitary hormone deficiency. Empty sella can be found regardless of abnormalities of the stalk and posterior lobe, and adverse perinatal events do not seem to be the primary etiological factor. Empty sella is usually associated with pituitary hypofunction, but it can be found in patients with hyperfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Value and limits of pharmacological and physiological tests to diagnose growth hormone (GH) deficiency and predict therapy response: first and second retesting during replacement therapy of patients defined as GH deficient.

There is currently a debate about the use of pharmacological and physiological tests to define GH deficiency and predict response to GH therapy. In addition, a good response to therapy has also been described in subjects without GH deficiency. For further information, we reevaluated GH secretion during replacement therapy in a group of children defined as GH deficient and examined response to therapy in the subjects subdivided according to secretion. One hundred eighty four children (113 boys and 71 girls) initially diagnosed with GH deficiency by means of pharmacological (peak < 8 micrograms/L after arginine and L-dopa tests) and physiological tests (mean nocturnal concentration < or = 3.3 micrograms/L during sleep test) underwent the same tests 2.8 +/- 1.1 yr after start of GH therapy. Sixty eight patients were retested 1.5 +/- 0.4 yr after first retesting. At diagnosis 122 subjects had pathological pharmacological and physiological tests (group A), 30 subjects normal sleep test with pathological pharmacological tests (group B), and 32 subjects pathological sleep test with normal pharmacological tests (group C). At diagnosis 140 subjects were prepubertal and 44 pubertal. To evaluate response to therapy in relation to GH secretion at diagnosis and at both retestings, a number of auxological parameters were calculated during treatment. At first retesting, 107 subjects (58.1%) changed initial group of diagnosis, 34 of whom (18.5%) presented normal secretion in both pharmacological and physiological tests (group D). At second retesting, 31 of the 68 subjects reexamined (45.6%) changed first test results, and 33 (48.5%) reverted to the initial group of diagnosis; none of the 6 subjects of group D maintained normal secretion. Although the percentage of normalized subjects was higher in pubertal subjects (36.4%; P = 0.0003) than prepubertal subjects (8.9%), puberty did not prevent a reduction of secretion in some subjects. Response treatment during the first year of therapy was similar in the various groups. GH secretion seems to change in both prepubertal and pubertal children diagnosed with GH deficiency when pharmacological and physiological tests are repeated over time. Moreover, such tests may not represent a reliable tool for predicting response to treatment. GH secretion normalization at retesting may not necessarily represent the end of a transient secretory defect.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Models of the organization of neonatal screening].

The authors evaluate the different organizational strategies of a congenital hypothyroidism screening program. Positive and negative aspects of laboratory screening tests (TSH only, T4-supplemental TSH, TSH and T4), organization strategies (centralization or decentralization), recall and first follow-up criteria are examined. The authors consider that the necessity for an early diagnostic confirmation can be associated with a precise etiologic diagnosis and an evaluation of the prenatal severity of congenital hypothyroidism factors. Some European and North-American experiences are compared with the activity of a regional Italian screening center.

Congenital Hypothyroidism↗
PubMed1994

Synthesis and beta-adrenergic activity of new completely aliphatic 3-(methyleneaminoxy)propanolamine derivatives.

In a previous paper, it had been found that completely aliphatic 3-(methylene aminoxy)propanolamine derivatives showed a good beta-blocking adrenergic activity directed prevalently towards beta 2-tracheal receptors. In an attempt to change the beta-adrenergic properties of these compounds from antagonist to agonist, while still retaining the beta 2-selectivity, a series of new completely aliphatic 3-(methyleneaminoxy)propanolamine derivatives were designed in which either a hydroxylic or a methoxylic group was present on the aliphatic portion linked to the oximic carbon. The synthesis of the new compounds and their beta-adrenergic activity, evaluated by means of functional tests on isolated preparations, are described and discussed; the results obtained are then rationalised on the basis of their conformational and reactivity characteristics, determined by means of theoretical methods.

Adrenergic Agents↗
PubMed1994

2-(Methyleneaminoxy)methylmorpholine derivatives. Synthesis and antidepressant activity.

The 3-(methyleneaminoxy)methylmorpholines 2 were synthesized as analogues of viloxazine 1, an antidepressant drug, in which the aryloxymethyl group is substituted by a (methyleneaminoxy)methyl moiety (MAOMM). Compounds 2 were tested as potential antidepressant agents by using the test of antagonism to reserpine-induced hypothermy in mice. In addition, their anticholinergic and antihistaminic activity on isolated preparations and their ability to antagonize the toxicity induced by adrenaline in mice were evaluated. "In vivo" and "in vitro" tests showed that some compounds of type 2 possess a pharmacological profile similar to that of viloxazine 1.

Animals↗