Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Pesci

Publications and source records attributed to A Pesci.

72 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Encephalopathy in the course of Wegener vasculitis.

A 44-year-old woman presenting first ear disease and then cranial nerve, lung and kidney lesions and ultimately central nervous system involvement was found on kidney biopsy to have Wegener granulomatosis (WG). It is unlikely that the vasculitic component of the illness was directly responsible for most of the neurological symptoms.

Adult↗

[Smoking and the cardiovascular system].

In this brief review the results of the most important studies about smoking and cardiovascular diseases are referred. Epidemiological, pathological, and clinical data show an higher mortality from coronary heart diseases in smokers, and an higher frequency of atherosclerothic lesions, affecting all types of sistemic vessels. By an analysis of the tobacco smoke composition, some of the effects and acting mechanism of nicotine and Carbone Monoxideon the cardiocirculatory system are treated. It is remarkable that cigarette smoke is only a "risk factor" and overall together other conditions as hypertension or dyslipidamia.

Aged↗

[Morphofunctional aspects of the pulmonary circulation in kyphoscoliosis; angiocardiopneumographic, scintigraphic and hemodynamic characteristics].

In a group of 30 patients suffering from kypphoscoliosis of different degrew was effected a series of researchs (investigations to value the morphological functional behaviour of the pulmonary circle. The used ways were: angiopneumography, pulmonary perfusional scintigraphy, cardiac catheterisation and radiocardiography. The achieved results allowed to single out interesting aspects both of pulmonary vascular bed compromission and of some haemodynamic parameters. These alterations show different degrees according to seriousness of the deformation and the presence or not of broncopneumonia complications in these patients.

Adolescent↗

[Lung blood perfusion changes following tubercular processes cured by antibiotic drug therapy].

This is a studym ade by pulmonary perfusional scintigraphy and angiopneumography on 60 patients suffering from tuberculosis of the lung; they were cured by chemoantibiotic treatment. They were recent tubercular diseases with limited extension (nodular infiltrations, former phthisiogenic lobitises, nodular and miliarich disseminations), so their outcomes were extremely modest or not worthy on radiologic plane. The results acquired with these methods firmly showed a larger ematoperfusive injury as to the affected area.

Adult↗

Bronchoalveolar lavage in intensive care units.

Pneumonia is common in those patients placed in intensive care units, especially in mechanically ventilated patients. The high mortality rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia requires a rapid initiation of the appropriate antibiotic treatment. Patients who do not respond to initial antibiotic regimens could have the additional benefit of the use of invasive techniques such as bronchoalveolar lavage. Moreover, BAL is of clinical use to identify several non-infectious pulmonary conditions that may mimic pneumonia in these patients. Such conditions include pulmonary haemorrhages, acute eosinophilic pneumonia, malignancy, drug-induced toxicity, adult respiratory distress syndrome and cardiogenic pulmonary oedema. It is important to distinguish these conditions from pneumonia because the management and prognosis of these entities is quite different.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage↗

Respiratory system involvement in systemic vasculitides.

The respiratory system may be involved in all systemic vasculitides (SV), although with a variable frequency. Lung disease is a very common and important feature of the antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated SV (AASV), such as Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS), and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). In WG, almost all patients have either upper airway or lower respiratory tract disease. Solitary or multiple nodules and masses are the most common findings on chest radiograph. Asthma is a cardinal symptom of CSS, often preceded by allergic rhinitis, frequently complicated by nasal polyposis and sinusitis. Pulmonary transient and patchy alveolar infiltrates are the most common radiographic findings. In MPA, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) due to alveolar capillaritis is the most frequent manifestation of the respiratory involvement, clinically expressing with hemoptysis, respiratory distress and anemia. However, DAH may be subclinical and has to be suspected when chest radiograph demonstrates new unexplained bilateral alveolar infiltrates, in the face of falling hemoglobin levels. In giant cell arteritis, the most frequent respiratory symptom is cough, usually non-productive, persistent, and responsive to corticosteroids. In Takayasu arteritis, pulmonary involvement is frequently subclinical and detectable by non-invasive techniques. Pulmonary involvement is rare in polyarteritis nodosa, Kawasaki disease, Henoch-Schönlein purpura and cryoglobulinemic vasculitis. In conclusion, the involvement of the respiratory system is a very common and important feature of AASV, whereas is less frequent in other SV. It comprises a wide spectrum of clinical features and radiological findings, and may have a prognostic significance. The assessment of the respiratory system should be included in the work-up of all patients with SV, especially of those with AASV.

Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic↗

Bronchoalveolar lavage analysis of interstitial lung disease in CREST syndrome.

The bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) technique was used to characterize inflammatory cells in the lower respiratory tract of seven nonsmoking patients with CREST syndrome and interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. Differential cell counts in the BAL fluid showed a significant increase of neutrophils (p less than 0.05) and eosinophils (p less than 0.01) in comparison to normal subjects. In three patients there was also an increase of lymphocytes. No correlation was found between BAL and duration of scleroderma and/or lung function tests. The BAL findings in these scleroderma patients resemble those of idiopathic interstitial fibrosis suggesting that a similar inflammatory process occurs within the lower respiratory tract.

Aged↗