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Biomedical subjects

A Brocchi

Publications and source records attributed to A Brocchi.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Calcitonin increases peripheral plasma somatostatin-like immunoreactivity levels in humans.

Even though the inhibitory effects of CT on both hormone secretion and gastrointestinal functions have been well established, the exact mechanism of action still remains unclear. Since the effects of CT can be reproduced by somatostatin, we studied in man the effect of SCT on peripheral plasma SLI levels. Immediately after the onset of CT infusion SLI rose from its mean basal value of 45 +/- 5.5 pg/ml to a peak value of 91 +/- 11 pg/ml (p less than 0.005). SLI levels were still significantly elevated at 30 (p less than 0.05), 45 (p less than 0.05), 90 (p less than 0.005) and 120 min (p less than 0.02). Our results, in good agreement with the previous report by Chiba et al. on isolated perfused rat stomach, suggest that CT effects may, at least in part, be mediated by endogenous somatostatin release.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Thyroid function in patients chronically treated with amiodarone].

The effects of Amiodarone (1000-1400 mg/week, for a period ranging from 3 to 24 months) on thyroid gland function were studied in 45 patients with heart disease, using a new method of free thyroid hormone assay. Forty-four untreated patients and 11 normal subjects were used as controls. In treated patients the prevalence of dysthyroidism was 22,2% (15,6% hypothyroidism and 6,6% hyperthyroidism); the onset of dysthyroidism ranged from 20 days to 2 years after the beginning of treatment. In control patients the prevalence of dysthyroidism was 4,4% (2,2% hypothyroidism and 2,2% hyperthyroidism). In patients with hypothyroidism (TSH greater than 7 microunits/ml) T4 levels were generally low, while T3, fT4 and fT3 levels were normal. In treated patients with hyperthyroidism (fT3 greater than 5,3 pg/ml and fT4 greater than 16 pg/ml) T4 values were high, while T3 concentrations were in the normal range. In Amiodarone-treated euthyroid patients, mean T4, fT4 and rT3 values were significantly (p less than 0,01) higher than those of control subjects; TSH levels were normal in all the groups studied. These data suggest that Amiodarone can exert both a direct effect on the thyroid gland and the peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormones. The action on the thyroid gland is suggested by the high prevalence of dysthyroidism in Amiodarone-treated patients and by the high levels of T4 and fT4 observed in patients who did not show dysthyroidism. The action on the peripheral hormonal metabolism seems to be proved by the high levels of rT3 and by the prolongation of QTc interval.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

Intermittent hypoendorphinaemia in migraine attack.

Beta-endorphin (RIA method, previous chromatographic extraction) was evaluated in plasma of migraine sufferers in free periods and during attacks. Decreased levels of the endogenous opioid peptide were found in plasma sampled during the attacks but not in free periods. Even chronic headache sufferers exhibited significantly lowered levels of beta-endorphin, when compared with control subjects with a negative personal and family history of head pains. The mechanism of the hypoendorphinaemia is unknown: lowered levels of the neuropeptide, which controls nociception, vegetative functions and hedonia, could be important in a syndrome such as migraine, characterized by pain, dysautonomia and anhedonia. The impairment of monoaminergic synapses ("empty neuron" condition) constantly present in sufferers from serious headaches, could be due to the fact that opioid neuropeptides, because of a receptoral or metabolic impairment, poorly modulate the respective monoaminergic neurons, resulting in imbalance of synaptic neurotransmission.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Chronobiological study on serum innumoreactive gastrin RIA levels in patients with liver cirrhosis.

After days of standardized conditions of life and standardized diets, serum gastrin levels were measured in 6 patients with liver cirrhosis on 3 consecutive days and in 14 normal controls on 1 day. Blood samples were drawn every 4 h. In patients as well as in controls, a significant serum gastrin circadian rhythm was noted. The daily mean serum gastrin levels of patients were not significantly different from those of controls. These results suggest a secondary role of the liver in gastrin metabolism.

Aged↗
PubMed1975

[Coronary risk factors in 287 cases of myocardial infarct treated in a coronary unit].

The main coronary risk factors were estimated in a series of 287 myocardial infarct patients admitted to a coronary unit. Particular attention is drawn to smoking, arterial hypertesion, diabetes and hypercholesterolaemia in this respect. 24 cases in patients under 40 yr where cigarette smoking was by far the most important factor are examined more closely.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Serum and urine somatomedin B in pediatrics.

Somatomedin B was determined by the radioimmunological method in the serum and urine of 104 normal subjects divided into seven age groups. The serum and urine of each patient were divided into two fractions of which one was heated at 60 degrees C for 30 min. SmB serum levels were significantly higher in heated than in unheated samples in all age groups. Moreover, SmB levels in unheated samples increased slowly, but significantly, up to the age of four years, then decreased until nine years of age, when they started increasing again. In heated serum, however, a rapid and significant increase occurred from the age of six months; later SmB levels showed slight, not significant variations. In urine no significant difference was shown in SmB levels either between unheated and heated samples or between age groups. The difference in the behavior of SmB in serum and urine may be explained by assuming the presence of carrier proteins in the blood.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Intraoperative fall in plasma levels of intact parathyroid hormone in patients undergoing parathyroid adenomectomy.

Intraoperative measurement of intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) can be used to evaluate the success of parathyroid surgery in primary hyperparathyroidism associated with parathyroid adenoma. To evaluate this approach we used a modified immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) to study the kinetic patterns of circulating PTH disappearance in 13 patients undergoing adenomectomy for single adenoma. The rapid and the standard assay for PTH measurement in plasma were used and compared. The two methods showed a highly significant correlation (r = 0.995; p < 0.0001). We reported a decrease in PTH to 18.2 +/- 2.30 (mean +/- SEM) from baseline values at 15 minutes after successful parathyroid adenomectomy in the 13 patients. The biphasic pattern of serum PTH clearance was calculated in 8 of the studied patients with a fast phase showing a half-life (T1/2) of 3.99 (SEM 0.464) minutes and a slow phase with a T1/2 of 91.0 (SEM 33.6) minutes. Half the amount of the basal values was reached between 4 and 9 minutes. Our study concludes that the modified IRMA for intraoperative measurement is feasible, reliable and sufficiently precise for low hormone values. Since it may yield information on the half-life of PTH in the circulation, it may play a role in the surgical guidance for total exeresis of hyperfunctioning tissue.

Adenoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Serum biochemical markers of bone turnover in healthy infants and children.

Serum osteocalcin (OC), bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] were measured in 241 normal infants and children (134 males and 107 females aged 1.9 months-14 years, 1.8 months-12 years, respectively). Regarding the analysis of data for children above 2 yrs, we chose data with the following normalization: data/body surface x standard body surface, to eliminate biological variations not exclusively related to chronological age. The increase in serum OC occurred at the expected age of growth spurts in both sexes: in the first year of life OC values (mean +/- SD) were 82.6 +/- 34.3 and 60.2 +/- 32.9 OC ng/ml in males and females, respectively; during puberty, peak values occurred at the age of 10-12 yrs in girls (76.6 +/- 25.8) and at the age of 12-14 yrs in boys (113 +/- 48.3). Furthermore, significant positive correlations with age were found for males from 2 to 14 yrs (p < 0.00001) and for females from 2 to 12 yrs (p < 0.001). Elevated levels of BAP occurred in the first year, 70.4 +/- 28.2 and 71.8 +/- 28.5, and in the second year, 69.4 +/- 26.7 and 67.4 +/- 33.8 ng/ml, for males and females, respectively. For children older than 2 yrs, a positive correlation with age (p < 0.01) was found for females only, with a peak value of 67.2 +/- 13.9 at the age of 10-12 yrs. For ages 2-14 yrs the reference values (mean +/- 2SD) were 15.5 - 90.3 and 17.2 - 95.2 ng/ml for males and females, respectively. The highest PICP levels (1354 +/- 680 ng/ml in males and 1041 +/- 766 in females) were observed in infants less than 1 year of age, decreasing by about 60% at the age of 2. There was no significant change in serum PICP for children older than 2 yrs with values covering a range (mean +/- 2SD) of 52 - 544 and 18 - 546 ng/ml in males and females, respectively. Similarly, the highest ICTP values were seen in infants younger than 1 year (29.7 +/- 11.7 and 29.5 +/- 20.1 ng/ml in males and females, respectively). In the ages from 2 to 14 yrs there did not seem to be any systematic age-correlated changes, with values covering a range (mean +/- 2SD) of 6.06 - 24.5 in boys and 6.84 - 22.9 ng/ml in girls. Serum PTH concentrations (mean +/- SD) in infancy were 27.2 +/- 19.3 pg/ml for males and 25.8 +/- 10.8 for females. Normal ranges (mean +/- 2SD) in the older group were 5.77 - 53.1 and 6.71 - 57.3 pg/ml for males and females, respectively. Serum 1,25(OH)2D presented values of 47.3 +/- 28.1 and 38.7 +/- 18.2 pg/ml under 2 yrs for males and females, respectively. The ranges (mean +/- 2SD) in children above 2 yrs were 9.5 - 101 pg/ml in boys and 10.9 - 88.4 in girls. The results of this study contribute to the establishment of reference values in normal children for these biochemical assays; these reference values are needed when the above biological markers will be applied in the monitoring of metabolic bone diseases.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Circadian variations of plasma somatostatin levels in healthy subjects.

The plasma levels of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity, growth hormone and insulin were measured using a RIA method in healthy volunteers every 4h during the day and every 2h at night, without waking the subjects. In the waking state the fluctuation of plasma somatostatin-like immunoreactivity level only occurred near to meal time. A marked episodic surge of plasma SLI (peak value, 127.25 +/- 4.40 pg/ml (mean +/- ES)) was noted at 0200 in the initial period of slow wave sleep (SWS) 2h after the peak of GH. Insulin showed no sharp peak and its pattern was unrelated to other two hormones studied. A positive correlation was observed between SLI and GH in plasma using the mean cosinor method: the acrophase of SLI was at 0018 about 1h later than GH (at 2315). The acrophase of insulin occurred at 1525, significantly different as compared with the previous two. From these findings, it is concluded that SLI in peripheral plasma fluctuates with a significant circadian rhythm and a nychthemeral maxima as GH and that, whatever its source, that it is related to plasma GH and not to plasma insulin.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Circadian study on serum gastrin in patients with duodenal ulcers and in a control group.

Two groups of subjects (one consisting of fourteen apparently healthy subjects, the other of fourteen patients with peptic ulcers) were kept for a least 7 days on the same living schedule (nocturnal sleep for 22(00) to 05(00) and meals standardized at 08(00)-08(30), 12(00)-12(30), 17(30)-18(00)). During 24 hors, samples of venous blood were obtained from each subject every 4 hours for the serum gastrin radioimmunoassay. The results were analyzed by mean cosinor method. The control group has a statistically significant circadian rhythm, while we were not able to detect a circadian rhythm in the patients with duodenal ulcers. The daily mean of serum gastrin levels appears to be significantly reduced in the ulcer group.

Adolescent↗