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Biomedical subjects

B M Errichi

Publications and source records attributed to B M Errichi.

45 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Prevention of edema and flight microangiopathy with Venoruton (HR), (0-[beta-hydroxyethyl]-rutosides) in patients with varicose veins.

The aim of this open study was the evaluation of the effects of HR (Venoruton) at a dose of 1 g/day on the prevention and control of flight microangiopathy and edema in subjects with varicose veins and moderate chronic venous insufficiency flying for more than 11 hours. Patients with varicose veins, edema, but without initial skin alterations or complications, were included. Measurements of skin laser Doppler (LDF) resting flux (RF) venoarteriolar response (VAR), ankle swelling (RAS), and edema were made within 12 hours before and within 3 hours after the flights. The resulting edema after the flights was evaluated with a composite edema score (analogue scale line). A group of 20 subjects was treated with HR (1 g/day, starting 2 days before the flight and 1 g for every 12 hours on day of travel). Another group of 18 subjects formed the control group. The length of the flights was between 11 and 13 hours; all seats were in coach class. Fifty patients were enrolled and 38 patients were evaluable at the end of the trial. The 2 groups (treatment and control) were comparable for age and sex distribution. The decrease in RF was significant in both groups with a higher flux at the end of the flight in the HR group (p < 0.05). The venoarteriolar response was decreased at the end of the flights; the decrease was lower in the HR group (p < 0.05). The increase in RAS and the edema score were significantly lower in the HR group. In conclusion HR is useful for reducing the level of microangiopathy and the increased capillary filtration and in controlling edema in patients with venous disease in long flights. The higher level of flux and VAR and the reduction in edema indicate a positive effect of HR on the microcirculation. This study confirms that HR prophylaxis is effective to control flight microangiopathy associated with edema.

Aerospace Medicine↗

Effects of shock waves on microcirculation, perfusion, and pain management in critical limb ischemia.

Shock waves (SW) are used to control pain in different clinical conditions (eg, painful knee, elbow, and shoulder, etc). The effects of SWs may be due to cellular ;;stunning'' (particularly nervous components). It may also be the consequence of unknown metabolic actions on tissues, which may include changes in cellular permeability, the liberation of proteins and mediators locally acting on pain and nerve endings. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reduction in pain and the improvement in microcirculation induced by SW treatment in a 2-week study in patients with chronic limb ischemia (CLI). Of the 32 patients with CLI, 30 (20 with rest pain only, 10 with necrosis) completed the study. The treatment was well tolerated. Foot radiographs performed before and after treatment indicate no bone damage after treatment. Foot (tibial arteries) blood pressure was unchanged after 2 weeks. The increase in laser Doppler flux was significant (p <0.05) after treatment. The ORACLE score at 2 weeks was decreased (p <0.05). The same trend was observed with the analogue scale line for pain (p <0.05). Partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) increased (p <0.05) and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) decreased (p <0.05). In all patients an increase in pain-free walking distance was observed (the distance increased on average 2.4 times). Flux improvement was still present after 1 month. The outcome at 3 months in these patients indicates that the improvement (concerning the survival of the limbs) was persistent. In conclusion SWs treatment in CLI produced changes both on the microcirculation and pain. These results are very interesting, confirming previous observations, and opening new treatment options in CLI. The skin flow improvement did not relate to an increase in pressure.

Aged↗

Venous ulcers: microcirculatory improvement and faster healing with local use of Pycnogenol.

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) causes a well-defined microangiopathy described as venous hypertensive microangiopathy (VHM) leading to venous ulcerations. VHM is mainly observed in the distal part of the leg, in the perimalleolar region. In VHM edema is the consequence of increased capillary pressure and reduced local clearance, and this affects local perfusion. The healing of venous ulcers is usually very slow. Many treatments are available, but there is still no standard. Oral Pycnogenol is effective in venous disease and particularly in controlling edema. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the local effects of Pycnogenol on ulcers healing associated with venous hypertension. The study lasted 6 weeks including 18 patients (16 completed the study) with venous ulcerations. The oral treatment with Pycnogenol was compared with a combination treatment including oral and local treatment. In subjects treated with the combination treatment (oral and local), venous ulcers healed better (there was a faster reduction in ulcerated area) in comparison with oral treatment only. According to this pilot study Pycnogenol appears to have an important role in local treatment of venous ulcers improving healing and signs/symptoms.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

[Spontaneous perforations of the large intestine].

Spontaneous perforation of colon is a rare disease and physiopathologic basis are actually unknown. Surgical treatment is standardized and post-operative survival is over 60%, morbidity and mortality rate depends on peritoneal contamination. In 1984 J.A. Berry classified spontaneous perforations into "stercoral" and "idiopathic" perforations on the basis of etiopathogenetical causes of lesions. Anatomopathologically stercoral and idiopathic perforations present different characteristics. Macroscopically stercoral perforation origines from an ulcerative lesion often situated on the sigmoid colon or rectum. Microscopical characteristic is represented by a superficial ischemic necrosis of mucosa (caused by fecalomas) followed by an extension to sub-mucosa and muscular tissues of the colonic wall. On the contrary, "idiopathic perforation", frequently situated on the sigma, is a linear laceration of anti-mesenteric side of the colon without pathologic modifications of the colon. Physiopathologic basis of spontaneous perforations of the colon were also discussed. Stercoral perforation is often a consequence of chronic constipation. Instead, two hypoteses are advanced as regards idiopathic perforations. S.V. Kessing e coll. (1962) hypotized a parietal suffering caused by ischemia of anti-mesenteric side of the colon, depending on ipoperfusion of colonic tissues; they also hypotized a constitutional weakness of colonic wall as a cause of idiopathic perforation. Others hypotized an intraluminal hypertension caused by intestinal hernias (J.W. Eadie, 1955; K. Cronin, 1959), rectal prolapse or abnormal depth of Douglas cavity (D.C. Lyon, 1969). In these cases, lesion is caused by contraction of abdominal muscles during defecation, which presses colonic wall during distension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

Colour duplex scanning and phlebography in deep vein thrombosis.

Clinical evaluation of deep venous thrombosis is often unreliable. Recently it has been shown that deep venous thrombosis may be detected with colour duplex scanning which is safer than phlebography. However it is not clear how colour duplex correlates with phlebography. One hundred and twenty consecutive patients with suspected deep vein thrombosis were studied by colour duplex scanning and phlebography to compare the two methods. Both tests were positive in 102 limbs and negative in 16 limbs. In two cases of below-knee thrombosis colour duplex was negative while phlebography showed small localised thrombosis. The sensitivity of colour duplex was 98%, its specificity and positive predictive value 100% and its negative predictive value 88.8%. In conclusion colour duplex appears to be as effective as phlebography in detecting deep venous thrombosis above knee.

Adult↗

Clinical evaluation of defibrotide in the treatment of arterial and venous vascular disease. A preliminary report.

Defibrotide is a new compound with antithrombotic and profibrinolytic activity. It increases the endogenous fibrinolytic activity by promoting the cellular activator of plasminogen from endothelial cells and by decreasing the concentration of its inhibitors. In this study we evaluated a total of 223 patients for a mean period of 43 days for the following vascular conditions: (a) superficial venous thrombosis; (b) prophylaxis against deep venous thrombosis; (c) peripheral vascular disease (ischaemic foot and intermittent claudication; (d) prophylaxis against TIAs in patients with carotid plaques determining embolization; (e) treatment of venous ulcerations determined by chronic venous incompetence; (f) patients with Raynaud's phenomenon and disease. The tolerability observed was good. No side effects were observed even in more prolonged treatments. The overall efficacy was good for all groups especially in comparison with other treatment already in use for these vascular conditions. In conclusion defibrotide is a particularly useful drug in these vascular diseases and can be used both for acute and chronic treatments.

Adult↗