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Biomedical subjects

A Zagami

Publications and source records attributed to A Zagami.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Impression cytology in Down's syndrome.

AIM: To evaluate both the number and the average distribution of goblet cells, which are responsible for the production of the mucin layer of the tear film, in the bulbar conjunctiva of patients with Down's syndrome. Previous research had used the ferning test to indicate an alteration in Down's syndrome, but had not determined which film layer was involved. METHODS: The presence of goblet cells in the bulbar conjunctiva of 30 subjects (15 with Down's syndrome, and 15 normal control subjects) was evaluated using impression cytology. RESULTS: A marked reduction of goblet cells was found in the Down's syndrome group (81.4 per mm2) when compared with the control group, where (209.8 per mm2) was found. CONCLUSION: The deficit observed appears to be the cause of the tear film alterations observed in Down's syndrome. In turn, this may often lead to the formation of dry spots, and to consequent frequent infections of the anterior segment of the eye. While it is further hypothesised that the alteration of the conjunctival epithelium in Down's syndrome may be due to an altered metabolism of some element or elements, such as vitamin A, further research will be necessary to corroborate this.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1995

24 hour ambulatory blood pressure profiles in the acute phase of stroke.

1. Twenty-four hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was used to evaluate the blood pressure (BP) changes in acute stroke. 2. Stroke was categorized according to the probable underlying vascular mechanism into lacunar infarction (L), thrombotic infarction (T) and intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). A total of 37 stroke patients were studied (T = 21, L = 9, ICH = 7). Control patients (n = 15) were acute medical admissions not severely ill or in significant pain. ABPM was performed on day 1 and day 7 following admission. 3. Day 1 mean +/- s.d. 24 h systolic BP (SBP) were L (159 +/- 15.8), ICH (151 +/- 33.4), T (147 +/- 15.2) and controls (134 +/- 17.8). Day 7 mean 24 h SBP were L (138 +/- 9.8), ICH (143 +/- 26.9), T (138 +/- 19) and controls (134 +/- 14.8). In each stroke group BP fell to levels similar to control on day 7, while control mean SBP remained unchanged between days 1 and 7. The highest day 1 BP and the greatest subsequent fall on day 7 occurred for lacunar infarction. Diastolic BP showed similar changes to SBP. 4. The acute stress of hospitalization does not appear to explain elevated BP in acute stroke. Lacunar infarction appears to be particularly associated with temporary BP elevation.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

[Not Available].

We report a case of oro-pharyngeal and oesophageal ulcerative disease in a AIDS patient. The patient complained of severe oral pain and dysphagia. Systemic manifestations as fever and fatigue were also present. Repeated microbiological exams were negative and therapy with either antibiotics or antiviral agents or corticosteroids or colchicine was unsuccessful. Thus, we started thalidomide: 200 mg/day X 21 days, followed by 100 mg/day X 25 days. A dramatic reduction of symptoms was observed within 15 days from the onset of treatment. The healing of ulcers was evident already one month after the start of therapy. No relevant side effects were reported. Among those patients with AIDS at low risk of side effects, thalidomide may represent a successful therapeutic presidium for severe ulcerative disease of the gastrointestinal tract.

English Abstract↗
PubMed1994

B-scan echographic measurement of endobulbar foreign bodies.

Echography plays an important role in symptomatology investigations of ocular traumatology. Trauma causes the opacification of eye fluids, and so echography is particularly suitable for studying the endobulbar situation. We wished to enrich ocular investigations with another methodology: ultrasonic evaluation of the dimensions of intraocular foreign bodies, and report here the results obtained with experimental studies introducing foreign bodies into enucleated bovine eyes.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

[Concentrations of propofol in maternal and fetal blood during anesthesia for cesarean section].

The authors studied, until the delivery, the pharmacokinetics of propofol during cesarean section. Ten patients were studied. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol (2 mg/kg in 15 seconds; 3 mg/kg/h until the end of the operation). All the patients have been intubated after the administration of atracurium 0.4 mg/kg and artificially ventilated with O2/N2O (FiO2 0.4). A series of maternal blood samples was obtained. Umbilical artery and venous blood samples have been obtained at delivery. Propofol levels in whole blood samples have been measured by a HPLC method (High pressure liquid chromatography). The results were: at delivery the mean ratio of the drug concentration in the umbilical vein to that in maternal vein was 0.53 +/- 0.16 micrograms/ml; the mean concentration in the umbilical vein was 0.96 +/- 0.31 micrograms/ml. The anaesthesiological protocol was clinically satisfactory and had no adverse effects on mother and foetus.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Ferning test in Down's syndrome.

The tear film was evaluated by the ferning test. We tested tear film in right and left eye on 28 subjects (total 56 eyes), of whom 14 were affected by Down's syndrome, age range 18 to 35 years. The results obtained show that there exists an alteration of the tear ferning in subjects affected by Down's syndrome. We did not find any difference between the right or left eye in each individual. This anomaly could be responsible for frequent infectious pathologies found in the anterior eye segment in these subjects.

Adolescent↗