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Biomedical subjects

C Danese

Publications and source records attributed to C Danese.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Haemorrheological improvement by pentoxifylline in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

A group of 25 patients with Stage II peripheral arterial occlusive disease was treated with pentoxifylline ('Trental' 400) for 90 days. Significant changes were observed during treatment in the haemorrheological parameters studied. At the end of treatment, reductions were found compared to basal values in blood viscosity (-10.1%), plasma viscosity (-9.5%), blood fibrinogen (-18.5%), and erythrocyte aggregation (-31.8%); blood filtrability was significantly increased (+41.0%). These positive changes in blood fluidity may be suggestive of beneficial influence of this drug on the clinical condition of claudicants.

Aged↗
PubMed1978

Reconstruction of a large chest wall defect using greater omentum.

A 56-year-old woman was admitted for treatment of a large carcinoma that involved the chest wall. Fourteen years earlier, she had undergone a radical mastectomy, which was followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The carcinoma was excised and the large anterior chest wall defect reconstructed using Marlex mesh, an omental pedicle flap, and a split-thickness skin graft.

Female↗
PubMed1975

Studies of the effects of blockage of intestinal lymphatics. III. Temporary isolation of lymphedematous bowel from intestinal continuity.

Eight dogs underwent intestinal lymphatic block. Once intestinal lymphedema was established, a segment was excluded from continuity for four months and then restored to continuity. The lymphedema decreased during exclusion and reappeared after restoration to continuity. The relationship of the changes seen in the intestine following lymphatic block and to the changes observed in the bowel in regional enteritis suggests a pathogenetic role for lymphatic blockage and explains the pseudobeneficial effects of by-pass as well as the prompt recrudescence of pathology which follows reconstruction procedures.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The chaotic component of human heart rate variability shows a circadian periodicity as documented by the correlation dimension of the time-qualified sinusal R-R intervals.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the hypothesis that the nonlinear component of human heart rate (HR) variability might show a periodic structure over the 24-h span. Such a postulate could explain how the chaotic component might coexist with the deterministic periodic variability of instantaneous HR in beat per minute. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sinusal R-R intervals (sRRi) of the Holter EKG of 10 clinically healthy subjects (5 M, 5 F, 23-30 years) were analyzed per each hour of the day-night span according to two methods for the nonlinear chaotic variability, i.e., the correlation dimension method, and the linear periodic variability, i.e., periodic regression analysis. RESULTS: The hourly-qualified correlation integrals were found to show a significant circadian rhythm, with an acrophase located during the night in coincidence with the longest duration of the sRRi and the lowest rate of cardiac pulse. CONCLUSIONS: The rhythmic structure of the chaotic component of the human HR variability let us to think that a deterministic periodic chaos of fractal type regulates the nonlinear cardiac dynamics. Such a periodic structure allows the chaos to be compatible with the deterministic linear periodicity of circadian type which characterizes the within-day variability of human HR.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Circadian rhythm of serum levo-carnitine: parameters].

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigates the circadian rhythm (CR) of levo-carnitine (L-c) in systemic venous blood, in order to detect rhythmometric parameters that can be used for programming an eventual chronoterapy with such a molecule. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The L-c CR was investigated in 10 clinically healthy subjects (5 M; 5 F; mean age: 26.02 +/- 1.11 yrs), who were diurnally active and nocturnally resting. Blood samples were taken at 06:00; 08:00; 12:00; 18:00; 20:00; 24:00, not juxtaposed to breakfast, lunch and dinner. The serum concentrations of L-c were assayed via a spectrophotometric method. RESULTS: A nychtohemeral variability in circulating levels of L-c was observed, with a peak in the afternoon. Such a intradiem variability was validated to have the properties of a significant CR (MESOR = 33.37 mumol/l with a SEM of 1.19 mumol/l; amplitude = 6.31 mumol/l with 95%CL ranging from 3.58 mumol/l to 9.69 mumol/l; acrophase at 15:52 h:min with 95%CL ranging from 13:28 h:min to 17:00 h:min). CONCLUSIONS: It is important to remark that the validation of a CR for the systemic serum levels of L-c was obtained in diurnally-active/nocturnally resting subjects. Such validated rhythmometric properties are parameters that can be used for programming an eventual chronotherapy, considering that the molecule L-c is used for treating its various types of primary and secondary deficiency.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[A five year follow-up of an HHV-8 related lymphoma in an HIV-negative elderly patient].

Primary Effusion Lymphoma (PEL) associated with the Human Herpes Virus 8 (HHV-8), is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It mainly strikes HIV-positive men. Five-year follow-up of a case of PEL HHV-8 related in HIV negative elderly man, is described. The patient was admitted to our Department for dyspnea, thoracic pain and persistent slight temperature. Chest radiography showed a left pleural effusion. Cytomorphological, immunohistochemical and molecular assays performed on pleural fluid, demonstrated the presence of a PEL HHV-8 related, in absence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in the tumour cells. Serologic test for HIV (ELISA) resulted negative. Chest TC, taken after thoracentesis, showed marked thickening of diaphragmatic pleura. Because patient's age and general conditions, no chemotherapy was performed. Five years after diagnosis, clinical examination and chest tomographyshowed resolution of the described syndrome; particularly chest TC showed complete disappearance of diaphragmatic pleura thickening. This biological behaviour is unusually for PEL: medical literature shows that this lymphoma has a very poor prognosis; this case-report suggests, as already proposed from some authors, that PEL, in HIV-negative EBV-negative patients, is a distinct clinical entity, with a different clinical behaviour.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Do hypertension and diabetes mellitus influence the site of atherosclerotic plaques?

BACKGROUND: The concomitant occurrence of atherosclerotic plaques in carotid, coronary and peripheral vessels has been described in a number of studies. A few studies were, on the contrary, done for determining the role of hypertension and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus for the occurrence of the atherosclerotic plaques in different anatomical sites. Moreover these studies deal with atherosclerotic lesions that are generally considered, without differentiating their morphology as a function of the underlying disease, territory, and risk factors. Primary aim of this study is, thus, to verify whether the two most common causes for atherosclerotic disease, i.e., hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus, may influence the site of appearance of the atherosclerotic plaque. A second aim is to verify if the anatomical site of the plaque influences plaque morphology and vulnerability. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 244 patients affected with type 2 diabetes mellitus or hypertension was performed; 114 subjects were affected by moderate-severe and drugs-treated hypertension (Group A); 55 were affected by type 2 diabetes mellitus in treatment with oral antidiabetic drugs (Group B); 75 were diagnosed as affected by the association hypertension and diabetes (Group C). The inclusion criteria were: exhaustive images of the cardiovascular system (coronary angiography, colour Doppler ultrasound of lower limb arteries and carotid arteries, transthoracic Doppler echocardiography ) and a serum lipid profile (total serum cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides). Three different anatomical sites: carotid axis, ilio-femoral arteries and coronary district, were considered. In each site a plaque lesion-classification was performed to describe the morphology of the plaque. RESULTS: In patients with hypertension, carotid district seems to be the preferential site of onset of atherosclerotic plaques even if a statistical significant association between the two conditions was not found. Statistical evaluation didn't show significant association between different risk factors and coronary district too. On the opposite, a significant association (p < 0.001) between diabetes and the presence of atherosclerotic plaques into lower limb district was found. A very significant association (p < 0.001) between type 2-diabetes and the presence of non-ulcerative plaques was found too. CONCLUSIONS: Our study underlines the relationship between vessel plaques localization and concomitant risk factors for atherosclerosis and suggests a possible difference in plaque morphology and biological behaviour related to different anatomical site.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Plasma glucose level decreases as collateral effect of fermented papaya preparation use.

AIM: Fermented Papaya Preparation (FPP) is a natural healthy drug that has been commercially sold in Japan and Philippines. This nutricetive, bio-normalizer product has antioxidant action, inhibitory effect on oxidative DNA damage and tissue injury, being a potent OH scavanger. The wide use of FPP, expecially by elderly people, made us note an unknown collateral effect, i.e., blood sugar level dropping signs especially in the afternoon. The aim of the present work was to scientifically verify the possibility that individuals, who are taking the nutriceutical FPP, might have a decrease of plasma sugar levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For this purpose, 50 subjects, divided in two groups, were enrolled. The first group was made of 25 patients: 13 females and 12 males affected by type-2 diabetes mellitus under treatment with the oral antidiabetic drug, glybenclamide. The control group included 25 clinically-healthy subjects: 16 females and 9 males, matching in age. All subjects were given 3 grams of FPP daily, during lunch, for two months. RESULTS: The results of this study confirmed the empirical experience that FPP use can induce a significant decrease in plasma sugar levels in both healthy subjects and type 2 diabetic patients. This hypoglycaemic effect, associated with clinical signs, induced the diabetic patients to reduce the dosage of their antidiabetic oral therapy (in one patient the therapy was really suspended). CONCLUSIONS: In accordance with these results, the FPP administration is suggested as an adjuvant drug to join the oral antidiabetic therapy in type 2 diabetes meltus.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Vulvar lymphatics as demonstrated by vital dyes and lymphangiography.

Human and animal studies have demonstrated that vital dye technics can delineate vulvar lymphatic patterns, which vary from those occurring clinically because dye particles may traverse unblocked channels. Lymph blockage can change these patterns to those seen clinically. Deep pelvic nodes are seldom seen on foot lymphangiography, and the vulvar technic does not appear clinically feasible. Normal unblocked spread is over or under the mons, bilaterally into the pelvis through the obturator foramen, or the Space of Retzius. Blockage by pressure, disease or deformity changes this to a clinical pattern where the lymphatic pathways approach the perianal or the deep external pudendal basins, going laterally to the thigh and then to the deep femoral nodes, here to take the "usual" pathway. Spread is invariably bilateral, with the greatest dispersion not necessarily on the homologous side.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Systemic sclerosis after a long-term follow-up].

The authors suggest some remarks on the aetiopathogenesis of systemic sclerosis through a critical review of a group of 51 patients affected by this disease for many years. In this paper the authors report their previous studies regarding the correlation of immunological response, both cell-mediated and humoral, hemocoagulative aspects and haemorheological changes. From the results of immunological studies, the authors report a long-term treatment with an immunomodulating drug: thymopentin. Moreover they report a recent work about the connection among stressor event, production of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and serum levels of some stress hormones such as possible pathogenetic factors of Raynaud's phenomenon and of scleroderma. This work ends with a proposal of a pathogenetic scheme that, even if it doesn't exclude an infective pathogenesis, considers stress as a factor able to switch on a series of psycho-neuro-immunoendocrinological reactions that can support, through the activation of lymphocytes, fibroblastic proliferation and finally fibrosis.

Adult↗