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Biomedical subjects

B Cola

Publications and source records attributed to B Cola.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

Review article: the pharmacological treatment of acute colonic pseudo-obstruction.

Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction (Ogilvie's syndrome) can be defined as a clinical condition with symptoms, signs and radiological appearance of acute large bowel obstruction unrelated to any mechanical cause. Recent reports of the efficacy of cholinesterase inhibitors in relieving acute colonic pseudo-obstruction have fuelled interest in the pharmacological treatment of this condition. The aim of the present review is to outline current perspectives in the pharmacological treatment of patients with acute colonic pseudo-obstruction. The best documented pharmacological treatment of Ogilvie's syndrome is intravenous neostigmine (2-2.5 mg), which leads to quick decompression in a significant proportion of patients after a single infusion. However, the search for new colokinetic agents for the treatment of lower gut motor disorders has made available a number of drugs that may also be therapeutic options for Ogilvie's syndrome. Among these agents, the potential of 5-hydroxytryptamine-4 receptor agonists and motilin receptor agonists is discussed.

Acute Disease↗

Imbalance of IL-1 beta and IL-1 receptor antagonist mRNA in liver tissue from hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related chronic hepatitis.

Increased levels of IL-1 beta and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) have been found in serum of patients with chronic liver diseases, although their expression in liver tissue has not been extensively investigated. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the relationship between IL-1 beta and IL-1Ra at tissue level in patients with HCV-related chronic active hepatitis (CAH) of varying degrees of severity. IL-1 beta and IL-1Ra mRNA expression was investigated by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 31 patients with CAH of varying severity (classified as minimal/mild in 13 cases and moderate/severe activity in 18 cases) and in 12 control subjects. Quantitative evaluation of IL-1 beta and IL-1Ra corresponding bands was performed by densitometric image analysis, and expressed in arbitrary units. The 12 controls expressed a similar pattern with a mean IL-1 beta/IL-1Ra ratio of 1.03 (1.03 +/- 0.15 (mean +/- s.e.m.), median 0.92, range 0.71-1.45). Minimal/mild activity CAH showed a prevalence of IL-1Ra mRNA expression (1.14 +/- 0.64, median 0.43, range 0-8.75) when compared with controls (0.27 +/- 0.04, median 0.23, range 0.11-0.45) and with moderate/severe activity CAH (0.20 +/- 0.04, median 0.12, range 0-0.67; P = 0.01). Since IL-1 beta expression was similar in the three groups, a significantly different IL-1 beta/IL-1Ra ratio emerged between controls, patients with moderate/severe CAH (2.22 +/- 0.48, median 2.76, range 0-6.12) and those with minimal/mild activity CAH (0.62 +/- 0.15, median 0.5, range 0-1.58, P = 0.005). Patients with higher grades of fibrosis showed a higher IL-1 beta/IL-1Ra ratio (2.49 +/- 0.56, median 2.15, range 0.35-6.12) in comparison with lower grade fibrosis (1.06 +/- 0.30, median 0.59, range 0.03-4.50) and control patients (P = 0.01). These results suggest that an imbalance between IL-1 beta and IL-1Ra, at the tissue level, may contribute to the pathogenesis and the activity of chronic active hepatitis C.

Adult↗

[Slowly reabsorbable suture threads in arterial microsurgery].

Authors present the results of an experimental research to evaluate the effectiveness of a slow resorbable suture (Polyglactyn 910) in arterial microsurgery. Healing of vascular wall, histologically evaluated, showed good reliability, compared to other suture materials.

Animals↗

[Cancer of the anus. Current role of surgery].

70 cases of carcinoma of the anus are described in a retrospective study. All patients had been operated, since surgical treatment was regarded as the method of choice at that time. Our work therefore consists in assessing the role of surgery in the treatment of such carcinomas. In the initial forms, extended sphincter saving exeresis allowed excellent results (100% survival over a 1- to 10-year follow-up). In more advanced lesions, treated with abdominoperineal resection, the survival rate was 50% after 5 years. The same figure was obtained in case of extension to the female genital organs (the invasion of which is not a pejorative sign), while the prognosis was considerably worsened for the patients who had had lymph node resection due to invasion of inguinal nodes (20% survived after 5 years). Local surgical exeresis currently is as valuable as radiation therapy, but the latter is clearly indicated for advanced carcinomas, for which mutilating surgery has not demonstrated its superiority.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Epirubicin pharmacokinetics after intrahepatic arterial and intraperitoneal administration.

The high hepatic clearance of the new doxorubicin analogue epirubicin (4'-epidoxorubicin, epiDX) suggests a possible use of this drug in local and regional therapy where a first pass through the liver is required before the drug can reach systemic circulation. EpiDX pharmacokinetics was followed in advanced cancer patients with liver metastases or a primary tumour after single bolus administration in the hepatic artery, through a surgically implanted catheter and subcutaneous access port. The first-pass effect through the liver was appreciable and only a relatively low fraction of the drug reached systemic circulation. Mild leucopenia and alopecia were observed only in a patient with a hepatopulmonary shunt; this subject was actually exposed to higher epiDX plasma levels. Low intraperitoneal doses of epiDX were administered in a weekly schedule to advanced cancer patients with peritoneal metastases and ascites. Drug concentrations were monitored in the ascitic effusion and in plasma. A high concentration gradient was present between the peritoneal cavity and peripheral circulation. No relevant local or systemic toxicity was observed.

Adult↗

Surgical treatment of chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura: results in 107 cases.

Between 1972 and 1985, 107 patients with chronic Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura underwent splenectomy. Platelet life span and sites of sequestration were studied with labelled platelets and external scanning. Medical treatment was always of scarce and transient effectiveness and had considerable side effects. Splenectomy had minimal complications and mortality and caused no hazard of overwhelming sepsis in adults. The results of splenectomy were very satisfying, especially when platelet sequestration was mainly splenic (remission in about 90% of patients). Surgical treatment is at present the most effective in patients with chronic ITP.

Adolescent↗

[Diverticular disease of the colon: its epidemiology and etiology].

Epidemiology for diverticular disease of the colon is rather difficult to assess because of the almost regularly selection of the patients submitted to analysis and described in literature. Therefore data extracted from different experiences are useful only for orientative epidemiologic implications. In the meanwhile these studies have been very useful to understand the possible reasons of its insurgence and evolution. Actually for etiopathogenesis the more diffuse opinion is to give importance to low fibre diet and to intrinsic motor derangement of the colon.

Diverticulum, Colon↗