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Biomedical subjects

A Blasi

Publications and source records attributed to A Blasi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Tuberculosis of the breast. Report of a clinical case and review of the literature].

Tuberculosis of the breast is an uncommon disease and the correct diagnosis may be established only by histologic demonstration of granulomatous inflammatory infiltrates with central caseation. In fact, preoperative examination and mammography suggest carcinoma or sometimes bacterial abscess in most instances. Tuberculous mastitis was diagnosed in a 74-year-old woman. The case history and a review of the literature are presented. The Authors emphasize the role of excision of necrotic tissue and drainage, in combination with antimicrobial therapy, in the treatment of this pathology.

Aged↗

Omeprazole vs. ranitidine in the short-term treatment of duodenal ulcer: an Italian multicenter study.

A double-blind, double-dummy, randomized Italian multicenter trial was carried out to compare the efficacy and safety of omeprazole 20 mg in the morning and ranitidine 150 mg b.i.d. in short-term treatment of acute duodenal ulcer. One hundred and twenty-one patients (61 in the omeprazole and 60 in the ranitidine group) with endoscopically proven active duodenal ulcer, completed the study. The healing rates after 2, 4 and 6 weeks were 66, 97 and 100%, respectively, with omeprazole and 53, 85 and 92%, respectively, with ranitidine. The difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.05) at weeks 4 and 6. Night and day pain were markedly reduced during both treatments, as also antacid consumption. Both drugs were well tolerated, and the adverse events were infrequent and moderate. In our experience, omeprazole 20 mg once daily seems to be superior to ranitidine 150 mg b.i.d. in the short-term treatment of duodenal ulcer.

Adult↗

A European survey on the usefulness of 67Ga lung scans in assessing sarcoidosis. Experience in 14 research centers in seven different countries.

Fifty-eight contributors from 12 European and 2 American sarcoidosis centers have collaborated in a survey to define many questions concerning the use of 67Ga lung scan in sarcoidosis. The new quantitative scoring methods based on digital evaluation seem better in detecting lung activity. In 20.1% of untreated patients, the 67Ga lung scan appeared to be the only noninvasive method with which clinical activity could be detected. 67Ga scans may be useful in guiding lung biopsy and in choosing pulmonary segments for BAL. Of 382 patients studied during follow-up (154 patients with three to nine scans at intervals of 2 to 12 months), the 67Ga scan was far more sensitive than chest radiography, both in detecting improvement and in foreseeing relapses. Steroid therapy appears to suppress ACE levels more than 67Ga uptake, and 67Ga uptake more than the alveolitis detectable by BAL. Gallium-67 uptake rebounds to positivity occur in about 40% of patients after steroid discontinuation and in about 20% of patients after steroid reduction to daily doses of 10 mg or less of prednisone. The 67Ga dose of 1.5 mCi seems appropriate for clinical purposes and is recommended for the subjective scoring method in order to reduce the cost and the radiation burden.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

A review of clinical studies carried out in Italy with almitrine bismesylate.

The authors refer to a double-blind versus placebo multicentric study, carried out in Italy on 128 hypoxaemic patients suffering from COLD, with Almitrine bismesylate, a new chemoreceptor stimulant drug, given by mouth for a period of two months. Almitrine induced significant changes (p less than 0.001) of PaO2, with a mean increase of 7.6 mmHg, and of PaCO2, with a mean decrease of 4.1 mmHg, without variations of lung volumes and caliber of large and/or small airways. Almitrine, well tolerated within the time limits of this trial, seems an effective oral respiratory drug, acting through a favourable effect on V/Q mismatching due mainly to a reduction of the shunt effect, but also to an improvement of the ventilatory pattern.

Almitrine↗

Famotidine in the management of duodenal ulcer: experience in Italy.

A multicenter study that involved 15 Italian institutions was carried out to compare the efficacy and safety of famotidine 40 mg at bedtime, famotidine 20 mg b.i.d., famotidine 40 mg b.i.d., and ranitidine 150 mg b.i.d. in promoting the healing of acute duodenal ulcer. Two hundred and twenty-four patients with endoscopically proven duodenal ulcer were randomly allocated into four treatment groups. Efficacy results for the four groups were similar at weeks 2, 4, and 8 of therapy. At week 8, the percentage of patients healed in each group was as follows: 92% in the famotidine 40-mg bedtime group, 97% with 20 mg b.i.d., 93% with 40 mg b.i.d., and 90% with ranitidine 150 mg b.i.d. Day pain and night pain were markedly reduced in all four groups, antacid consumption fell considerably, and therapy was generally well tolerated. The adverse experiences evaluated by the investigator as possibly, probably, or definitely related to test medication were rare and moderate.

Adult↗

Famotidine (MK-208) in the treatment of gastric ulcer. Results of a multicenter double-blind controlled study.

The aim of the present investigation was to study the efficacy and safety of famotidine (MK-208), a new, potent, histamine H2 receptor antagonist, in promoting the healing of active gastric ulcer when compared to placebo. Of the 71 patients who took part in this multicenter double-blind study in Italy, 37 were administered famotidine 40 mg once daily and 34 placebo. Treatment duration was for up to 8 weeks, and endoscopic and clinical studies were performed at onset and week 4 and, if necessary, at weeks 6 and 8. All patients were carefully evaluated at regular intervals for adverse drug reactions by clinical and laboratory examinations. By the end of the study, 97% of the ulcers were healed in the famotidine group compared to 66% in the placebo group (p less than 0.01). Day and night pain decreased significantly more in the famotidine group than in the placebo group. Both treatments were well tolerated, and no alterations in laboratory tests were observed. Famotidine, therefore, proved effective in the treatment of gastric ulcer and was well tolerated on a short-term basis.

Adolescent↗

[Famotidine versus placebo in prevention of the recurrence of duodenal ulcer disease. A multicenter study in Germany, Austria and Italy].

The aim of this study was to gain experience concerning efficacy and safety of famotidine, the new H2-receptor antagonist, for the maintenance of duodenal ulcer disease. 344 patients whose acute duodenal ulceration had recently been healed under famotidine or ranitidine were recruited for a year maintenance treatment with 20 mg bedtime dose of famotidine or placebo. 167 patients were treated with famotidine over 6 and 52 over 12 months. The corresponding numbers in the placebo control were 177 and 21. A life table method of analyses showed that the ulcer relapse rate was consistently and significantly (p less than 0.01) lower on famotidine than on placebo after 6 months (26% [43/167] versus 55% [98/177]). Of the 52 patients treated with 20 mg famotidine at night for further 6 months 7 (14%) developed an ulcer relapse. Of the 21 patients treated for further 6 months with placebo 5 (24%) showed an acute ulcer crater at endoscopy. Famotidine was well tolerated in the longterm therapy. The results confirm the efficacy and safety of famotidine in the prevention of duodenal ulcer relapse for at least 6 months.

Adult↗

[The first Italian clinical experience with almitrine bismesylate].

A double blind randomised multicentre clinical trial against placebo was performed in Italy on 128 patients with chronic airflow obstruction and hypoxaemia. On entry to the study all the patients were hypoxaemic (PaO2 less than or equal to 70 mmHg), 22 were normocapnic (PaCO2 less than or equal to 41 mmHg), 106 hypercapnic (PaCO2 greater than or equal to 43 mmHg). The patients (107 males and 21 females) with a mean age of 64 received oral Almitrine bismesylate for two months in a dose of 100 mg per day or placebo taken in two doses with the main meals. After inclusion in the study (TO), patients were reviewed after 30 and 60 days of treatment to evaluate pulmonary function and blood gases. The results were as follows: Almitrine bismesylate did not produce any significant variations in lung volumes, tests of airflow obstruction (for large or small airways) or the distribution of intra-pulmonary inspired air. The blood gas values at the end of treatment showed statistically significant changes (p less than 0.001: PaCO2 + 7.6 mmHg in patients overall and PaCO2 - 4.1 mmHg in those patients with hypercapnia.) The changes in arterial blood, already apparent after 30 days, were even more marked at the end of the study. These favourable blood gas changes might be the result (for the greater part) of the intra-pulmonary haemodynamic effect induced by Almitrine bismesylate (improved VA/QC ratios described in the literature) and (for a smaller part) a better ventilatory pattern with a reduction in the (A-a) DO2 and the functional dead space.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Almitrine↗

Immunology of pulmonary disease--profile of the granuloma.

Granuloma formation in the lung is initiated by a diversity of antigens and other agents including infection, chemicals, organic dusts and metabolic disturbances, all of which lead to chronic parenchymal inflammation and a varying expression of cellular infiltration, necrosis, vasculitis and fibrosis.

Granuloma↗

[Koch's basic experiment and its present experimental variants].

The author reports, how the reactions of tuberculous primary and challenge infections can be varied by means of the modern possibilities when using antituberculotics or corticosteroids influencing more or less the growth of germs. In that way hypersensitivity and acquired immunity induced by the tuberculous infection can be governed, suppressed or increased.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗