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Biomedical subjects

C Brambilla

Publications and source records attributed to C Brambilla.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

[Indications and decision criteria for supplemental oxygen therapy in chronic hypoxemia].

Oxygen therapy is justified both on theoretical grounds and by clinical studies. Chronic hypoxia bodes ill for the system and is a prognostic factor in pulmonary disease. Low flow oxygen therapy has not shown any risk of pulmonary toxicity from anatomical or physiological studies. Clinical studies have shown that the correction of hypoxaemia by long term oxygen therapy improves exercise tolerance, mental state, the general sense of well being, polycythaemia, pulmonary hypertension, the quality of sleep, and finally the prognosis. But long term oxygen therapy is costly and requires patient co-operation and close supervision. It should be reserved for hypoxic patients in a stable state: the exact degree of hypoxaemia at which oxygen therapy is permissible cannot be defined precisely and depends on other criteria (such as polycythaemia, pulmonary arterial hypertension, nocturnal desaturation). Account should be taken of the PaCO2 level and the cause of the disease in deciding the oxygen flow. Polycythaemia, pulmonary arterial hypertension, nocturnal desaturation despite a normal waking PaO2, may represent some indications for oxygen therapy but further studies are necessary.

Blood Gas Analysis↗

[A clinical study of tiapride in ten patients with chronic respiratory failure and in ten patients before fiberoptic bronchoscopy (author's transl)].

Ten patients with chronic respiratory failure (PaO2 = 56,19 +/- 10,54; PaCO2 = 49,17 +/- 7,31 torr) were given intramuscular injections of tiapride, Changes in alveolar ventilation were assessed clinically and by monitoring blood gases. No adverse effects were recorded. PaO2 was similar before and one hour after tiapride. There was no hypoventilation but, on the contrary, a slight decrease in PaCO2 (49,17 +/- 7,3 and 47,10 +/- 7,3 torr) and a significant increase in pH (7,358 +/- 0,023 and 7,378 +/- 0,028; p less than 0,05). Tiapride was also given to ten patients before fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Endoscopy was well tolerated in eight patients, in six there was no anxiety, and in all normal vigilance was retained.

Adult↗

Adjuvant combination chemotherapy for operable breast cancer. Trials in progress at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan.

Adjuvant trials ongoing at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan for operable breast cancer with nodal involvement are reviewed in this paper. In the first trial (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil [CMF] versus control), the early 5-year results confirm the usefulness of combination chemotherapy in significantly affecting the relapse-free survival (RFS) and total survival rates. The degree of axillary node involvement remains the most important prognostic indicator also in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. The contention concerning the therapeutic effect of CMF in pre- versus postmenopausal women is overcome by the observation that about 80% of patients receiving greater than 85% of the planned dose are surviving relapse free at 5 years regardless of their menopausal status. The 3-year results of the second CMF trial indicate that both RFS and total survival are comparable between the groups receiving 12 or 6 cycles of adjuvant CMF. The results were not affected by drug-induced amenorrhea nor by estrogen receptor status. Provided the percent of dose administered is high, there is probably no real advantage in prolonging CMF chemotherapy beyond the sixth month. However, the results are still preliminary.

Aged↗

Mitomycin C in metastatic breast cancer resistant to hormone therapy and conventional chemotherapy.

Mitomycin C was administered to 22 patients with metastatic breast cancer, refractory to hormonal therapy and conventional chemotherapy. Treatment was given by intravenous bolus injection at 20 mg/m2 of the drug and repeated at 6-week intervals. The overall response rate was 23%. Two complete remissions were seen in soft tissue lesions. Leukopenia occurred in 68% of the patients, thrombocytopenia in 36%, and anemia in 14%. One case of cardiotoxicity after previous treatment with adriamycin was observed. We conclude that mitomycin C is an active agent in disseminated breast cancer resistant to hormone therapy and chemotherapy. Combination of mitomycin C with other chemotherapeutic drugs will be tested.

Adult↗

Tamoxifen efficacy in advanced breast cancer previously treated with endocrine and cytotoxic therapy.

Sixty-nine postmenopausal women with disseminated breast cancer previously treated with endocrine and cytotoxic therapy were treated with tamoxifen (20 mg/day). Complete plus partial response (CR+PR) was observed in 29 % (CR 16 %) and stable disease in 28 %. The objective response was higher in soft tissue sites (52 %) compared to osseous (12 %) and visceral (13 %) disease. No regression or disease stabilization was observed in the presence of liver involvement. Free-interval, length and type of menopause, and estrogen receptor status (carried out only 26 patients) did not statistically influence the percent of objective response. Only 1 of 16 patients (6 %) who did not respond to previous endocrine therapy responded to tamoxifen, while 3 of 9 previous hormonal responders (33 %) achieved objective regression with antiestrogen therapy. On the contrary, the response to previous chemotherapy failed to influence the subsequent response to tamoxifen. The median duration of the response was more than 12 months and the median survival more than 18 months. Treatment was generally very well tolerated and in only one patient was temporarily discontinued because of thrombocytopenia.

Adult↗

[Pneumoconiosis due to amorphous silica smoke. Mineralogical and ultrastructural study of 6 cases (author's transl)].

Pneumoconiosis was diagnosed in 10 patients working in a silicon factory. The exposure time varied between seven and thirty-five years. All patients had only slight or no symptoms, except one presenting an important dyspnea. The radiologic study showed an interstitial syndrome. The functional lung test revealed a restrictive syndrome. Seven patients underwent fibroscopy with alveolar washing and transbronchial biopsy. A surgical biopsy was performed in two patients. The histological lesions showed an accumulation of alveolar and interstitial macrophages and the existence of fibrous interstitial micronodules. The ultrastructural study revealed an interstitial fibrosis. The macrophages contained numerous dense, homogenous small spheres of amorphous structure, composed of silicon and oxygen. These spheres represent amorphous silica smoke particles. Less than 1% of the particles are crystalline silica. Thus, the amorphous silica particles seem to be responsible for the histological and radiological lesions observed.

Humans↗

[Lymphomatoid granulomatosis: anatomo-clinical and ultrastructural study of two observations (author's transl)].

Two anatomoclinical observations of lymphomatoid granulomatosis are reported. The first case concerns a patient presenting a cutaneous localisation and a severe pulmonary infection with acute febrile dyspnea and macronodular opacities seen in pulmonary radiographs. The treatment associating cortisone and chlorambucil led to a complete remission. Five years later a pulmonary recurrence was treated successfully with the same association. The second patient presents dyspnea upon progressive effort, a radiologic and functional syndrome of interstitial involvement. In the absence of precise diagnosis after pulmonary biopsy, the patient was treated with corticosteroids. Four months later, encephalitic damage led to death. In the 2 observations, the biopsies or autopsic samples from the lungs or brain showed necrotic nodular lesions. Bordering on the necrosis, the small arteries and veins are strictured or obstructured by an infiltrate of lymphocytes, plasmocytes, histiocytes, and large cells with atypical nucleus. The ultrastructural examination of the 2 pulmonary biopsies shows the reactional polymorphic nature of the lymphoid infiltrate, the generally imprecise nature of atypical large cells and the modifications of vascular elastic limitations. The blades of elastine are surrounded by microfibrillar material. These different data are compared with those in the literature.

Adult↗

[Partial blockage of the inferior vena cava. Results apropos of 110 cases].

Rheoplethysmography with occlusion (RPO) is useful in the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis. Bilateral phlebography with cavography performed afterwards as an emergency gives information as to the embolic potential of the thrombosis and orientates treatment towards surgical interruption of the inferior vena cava. In the C.H.U. at Grenoble 83 clips, 25 umbrella filters and 2 ligatures were placed on the inferior vena cava from 1974 to 1977. Prevention of pulmonary emboli was achieved in 99% cases with lower limb embolic foci. Follow-up by RPO and isotopic phlebography showed that the course of venous thrombosis of the lower limbs seemed to be unchanged by partial interruption of the inferior vena cava, provided that elastic stockings and adequate anticoagulant therapy adapted to venous haemodynamics are used.

Adult↗