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Biomedical subjects

A Girolami

Publications and source records attributed to A Girolami.

At least 649 records · Page 36Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Viper venoms and coumarin-induced prothrombin. A comparison of several one-stage methods employing three different venoms as thromboplastins.

Three venoms obtained from three vipers, namely Echis carinatus, Notechis scutatus scutatus and Oxyuranus scutellatus, have been used as thromboplastin in a one-stage assay of coumarin-induced prothrombin. Regardless of the venom used, prothrombin resulted to be low in coumarin-treated patients. The mean values obtained were 27.2, 33.6, and 24.2%, respectively. These values were comparable to those obtained by means of the classical one-stage method (24.8%). A good correlation was observed among the different methods. However, the levels observed using the Notechis scutatus scutatus venom method were slightly higher as compared to those obtained by means of the other viper venoms and by means of the classical one-stage method. The three viper venoms used seem unable to activate coumarin-induced prothrombin. The levels obtained were in fact, in each instance, definitely lower than those observed immunologically. Methods which employ these viper venoms may be used in the evaluation of prothrombin in coumarin-treated patients.

Animals↗
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Are platelet factor 4 and beta-thromboglobulin markers of cardiovascular disorders?

Beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 are the two best characterized platelet-specific proteins. They are stored in the platelet alpha-granules and released during platelet activation. Their physiological function is unknown. PF4 has high anti-heparin activity, whilst beta-TG does not. Certain factors can affect the plasma level of one or both of these two proteins and these must be borne in mind whenever the evaluation of beta-TG and PF4 are thought to represent true in vivo platelet activation: their artificial release due to sample collection and processing, the in vivo release of PF4 induced by heparin, and the elevation of beta-TG due to renal failure. What really represents an abnormal level of beta-TG and PF4 is unknown, since we do not know their pathophysiology. At present, however, the platelet-specific proteins, even if they are considered as 'markers' of platelet activation, do not necessarily reflect the severity of the cardiovascular disorders nor do they signal thrombus formation, as thrombosis is a consequence of several interacting factors.

Beta-Globulins↗
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Platelet-specific proteins in patients with transient ischemic attacks. (Effects of anti-platelet drugs).

Levels of beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 in 46 patients with transient ischemic attacks and the influence of treatment with dipyridamole or aspirin plus dipyridamole were evaluated. Patients not receiving therapy showed levels of beta-thromboglobulin significantly higher than controls. However, patients taking only dipyridamole showed values of beta-thromboglobulin significantly lower than untreated patients or those taking aspirin plus dipyridamole. No significant difference was observed with regard to platelet factor 4 between the patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Childhood stroke associated with familial protein S deficiency.

Cerebral infarction is a rare pathology among children and its etiology can be identified in almost two-thirds of cases. The remaining one-third are considered idiopathic. Recently, inherited disorders of blood coagulation predisposing to thrombosis have been taken into account as a possible cause of childhood stroke. We describe here a case of a 6-year-old child presenting with ischemic stroke and protein S (PS) defect. The family study suggested inheritance of the defect. The immunological characterization of PS in the affected family members was consistent with a defect mainly in the free form of PS. In the case here reported no associated predisposing condition to stroke could be identified but familial PS defect was found. No therapy was administered. Nevertheless symptoms disappeared spontaneously and there were no recurrences at the 1 year follow-up. Diagnostic imaging techniques demonstrated that a reduction in the cerebral ischemic area had occurred 2 months after the stroke.

Brain Ischemia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Splenomegaly as the first manifestation of thyroid cancer metastases.

We report the case of a 65-year-old man who developed a symptomatic splenomegaly due to spleen metastasis from thyroid follicular carcinoma. In 1982, at the age of 53, the patient had undergone a thyroid lobectomy for a cold node, followed one year later by a second intervention for a microfollicular adenoma. He was subsequently administered thyroid suppressive therapy with no further follow-up. The diagnosis of spleen metastases from thyroid cancer was first suspected on the basis of history, high serum thyroglobulin (Tg) levels, and the presence of pulmonary 99Tc uptake. The patient underwent a splenectomy, during which vast infiltration involving the diaphragm, spleen, stomach, colon and pancreas, was found. Histological and immunohistochemical results showed that the spleen and diaphragm metastases derived from thyroid follicular carcinoma. Radioiodine uptake by the pulmonary metastases confirmed the thyroid source. Retrospective re-evaluation of the thyroid tissue removed in 1983 revealed a histological pattern consistent with follicular carcinoma, which could not be unequivocally attributed to the widely or minimally invasive form. To our knowledge this is the first report of splenomegaly as the first manifestation of thyroid cancer metastases. In this paper cases of splenomegaly due to metastatic spread are reviewed and the management of the present case is discussed.

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular↗
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Acute pancreatitis and deep vein thrombosis associated with HELLP syndrome.

The HELLP syndrome (HS) belongs to the list of obstetric complications believed to be associated with coagulation disorders. It was formerly thought that chronic intravascular clotting (DIC) in the placental vessels was the main cause. A hypercoagulable state has been reported in cases of severe HS associated with microvascular abnormalities that may involve cerebral, placental, hepatic and renal vessels. A case of acute pancreatitis and DVT of inferior cava in a pregnant woman, presenting with HS at 29 weeks, who was found to have a R506Q mutation, is reported. Preeclampsia-associated pancreatitis and DVT have rarely been reported. It is hypothesized that APC-R and Factor V Leiden mutation may prove to be new and more important markers capable of predicting a more significant maternal morbidity associated with HS. Thrombosis prophylaxis may be considered during pregnancy in order to reduce hazardous multiorgan failure (MOF) in women who are heterozygous for Factor V Leiden mutation.

Acute Disease↗
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Identification of anti-platelet autoantibodies by western blot in 45 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

BACKGROUND: In sera and platelet eluates of ITP patients, antigen specificity was widely studied by means of sensitive methods including immunoprecipitation, monoclonal antibody immobilization, and immunoblot. These studies indicated that GPIIb-IIIa were the main epitopes of ITP autoantibodies. METHODS: We studied the specificity of antiplatelet autoantibodies in 45 patients with acute and chronic ITP. Patient sera were tested by Western blot on separated platelet proteins in non-reducing conditions; antibody binding was identified using biotinconjugated anti-human IgG and avidin-peroxidase. RESULTS: Two main nonspecific bands of 200 and 125 kD were visible using normal serum; the first referred to platelet IgG, and the second was due to a naturally occurring antibody towards an internal protein. Twenty-five sera (55%) stained one (n = 11), two (n = 7), three (n = 3) or four (n = 4) specific bands. In patients with chronic ITP there was a prevalence of multiple bands. The relative molecular weights of the recognized antigens were in the range of 140-160, 80-100, 50-70 and 40 kd. The 80-100 epitope was recognized as a membrane protein in only 40% of sera, and it was partially characterized as GPIIIa in 4 patients. The other stained epitopes were absorbed by platelet lysate and then identified as internal proteins. CONCLUSIONS: This finding might be related to sensitization to antigens exposed by platelets during immune damage, and may pose an important problem in the identification with the immunoblot technique of target antigens responsible for immune sequestration.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Long-term treatment of refractory HIV-related immune thrombocytopenia in a patient with haemophilia A.

Haemophilia A patient developed symptomatic immune thrombocytopenia 5 years after HIV seroconversion without any progression of the viral disease. He displayed major bleeding with less than 30 x 10(9) platelets/l. No increase in platelet count was obtained using steroids, azidothymidine and alpha-interferon, while the patient was responsive only to high-dose intravenous immunoglobulins (IVGG). The patient remained responsive to IVGG for 1 year, and the repeated infusions of immunoglobulins were effective in safely maintaining the platelet count, with peak counts above 100 x 10(9)/l. On the contrary, after a single course of six plasma exchanges the patient became symptomatic and completely refractory to IVGG during the next month. In conclusion, IVGG could be effectively used in a long-term regimen in haemophiliacs with refractory HIV-ITP to avoid the risk of haemorrhages and to delay splenectomy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sex and age as prognostic factors in essential thrombocythemia.

BACKGROUND: The major causes of morbidity and mortality in essential thrombocythemia (ET) are bleeding and thrombotic accidents, but a prognostic pattern for these complications has not yet been discovered. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study we report data from a large cohort of patients with thrombocytosis, distinguished for sex and age, in order to define their thrombotic risk. The prevalence of vascular complications recognized in 86 patients with essential thrombocythemia was studied. In addition, 91 patients with polycythemia vera (PV), 20 with myelofibrosis (MF) and 63 with secondary thrombocytosis (ST) were evaluated. RESULTS: 6.3% of ET subjects younger than 40 (4.6% of males and 7.0% of females), 11.8% of patients between 40 and 65 years old (14.9% of males and 9% of females), and 16.8% of subjects over 65 (14.6% of males and 17.8% of females) showed thrombotic accidents. In the PV and MF groups thromboses occurred more frequently than in the ET groups for all ages and for both sexes. On the contrary, ST subjects showed fewer thromboses than ET patients, but their incidence rose with patient age; moreover the prevalence of males in this group was limited. In ET patients, particularly in females, the incidence of thrombosis was low under 40 years of age, but rapidly increased later. CONCLUSIONS: ET females over 40 must be followed with particular attention in order to prevent thrombotic complications.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chronic B-cell lymphoproliferative disease: relationship between immunophenotype and clinical stage.

We analyzed the immunophenotype in 34 cases of B-CLD referred to our observation over a 13-month period. In 25 patients the classical phenotypic pattern of B-CLL was observed; in 9 cases clinical, morphocytochemical, and histologic findings were consistent with CLL but differed in phenotype. The results indicate that four immunophenotypic subgroups related to CD5 and FMC7 expression may be identified within B-CLL. Clinical correlations in these cases suggest that B-CLL with anomalous phenotypes are more frequently diagnosed at a later stage than classical B-CLL. Furthermore, while the percentage of CD3+ cells did not vary among the subgroups, a comparison of the CD4/CD8 ratio disclosed marked differences.

B-Lymphocytes↗