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C Dumitrescu

Publications and source records attributed to C Dumitrescu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

The role of free radicals in normal and pathologic cell proliferation.

Oxygen, while essential for life, is at the same time involved in the toxic effects of exposure to ionizing radiations, U.V. and a variety of chemical substances. All these cause an increased production of oxygen-derived free radicals (ODFR) and a modified pro-oxidant state. Many studies point to the involvement of the mechanisms controlled by ODFR in regulating the normal cell proliferation. In recent years, much evidence has been gathered implying the ODFR in the mechanisms of initiating and promoting the neoplastic transformations in vivo and in vitro, and in the activation of specific oncogenes.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed1992

A retrospective study on the treatment and evolution of Graves' ophthalmopathy.

Although Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) seems to be unanimously considered as an autoimmune disease, its pathogenesis is still unknown. That is why the different therapeutical formulas led to ambiguous results. We think that a critical retrospective analysis on our therapeutical possibilities in GO will help us to become aware of our limits in treating this pathology. Our study performed on 123 patients with GO-stage III-IV who were admitted several times in the Thyroid Department of our Institute between 1975-1991; mean age 42 yrs (42 in men and 43 in women. One hundred and twelve patients presented GO associated with thyroid hyperfunction and 11 patients--with hypo- and euthyroidism. Thyroid status was evaluated through clinical examination and laboratory investigations (radioiodine uptake--RIU, 2h, 24 hrs, Achillean reflexogram--AR, T4, T3--radioimmunoassay-RIA). Three therapeutical formulas which were available to us were used in our subjects with GO: 1) general corticotherapy (C) was given in 77.6% of the cases; initial doses: 60-40 mg prednisone for 3 weeks followed by decreasing doses for 2 months (number of cures according to GO severity); 2) orbital radiotherapy (RT) alone was administered from the very beginning to the subjects in whom general C was not possible (7.4% of the cases); 3) general C associated with orbital RT were applied in the very severe cases of GO stage IV-VI (15% of the cases). The two available formulas acted particularly on oedematous symptoms (53% with C and 55.55% with RT alone). Muscular changes were improved by C in 30.83% and by RT only in 11.11% of the cases. It was noticed a mild positive effect on protrusion under C in only 11.66%, and under RT in 33% of the cases. The less favourable results in the cases under both C and RT can be explained by the fact that these groups included cases with stages IV-VI of GO with severe evolution. In 24% of the patients we noted an aggravation of the GO evolution regardless the therapy administered. The possible pathological relationship between the exophthalmic syndrome (ES) and hyperthyroidism (HT) is also supported by our data. The onset of ES together with HT occurred in 63% of the cases. On the other hand, we can notice that it was a more severe disease evolution when both ES and HT were associated. The treatment of hyperthyroidism led to GO aggravation (following 131I, thyroidectomy and antithyroid agents (ATD) in 43%, 52% and 29% of the cases, respectively).

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Results obtained with the weight reducing regimens by varying the dietary caloric values.

Eleven grossely obese females were placed successively on a 4 day total fasting diet, a 4-5 day hypocaloric diet of 220 calories consisting exclusively of proteins and finally a 450 mixed calorie diet consisting of 15 g carbohydrates, 30 g proteins and 30 g lipids. At the beginning of the study and at the end of every dietary period, the weight free fatty acids, plasma glycerol, insulinemia, and growth hormone were measured and estimated. The nonsignificant changes of the biologic parameters investigated have led the authors to the conclusion that the 450 mixed calorie diet suggested by them is more favourable being better accepted by the patients and therefore more easy to maintain for a longer period of time even by out patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Association of hyperthyroidism and ulcerative colitis. Report of two cases.

The association of hyperthyroidism and ulcerative colitis (UC) is presented in two cases: a 61-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman. In the first case the onset of hyperthyroidism was detected at the age of 25, and the onset of ulcerative colitis at the age of 36. The second case presented severe hyperthyroidism started at the age of 51. In the latter case ulcerative colitis had been detected ten year earlier. To our knowledge this report seems to be the first one considering this association from the endocrinological standpoint. The association of these two diseases might suggest that the disturbance of even one organ specific immune lesion implies a wider disorder. Thus one might assume that the association of multiple organ-specific immune diseases represents an unsuccessful attempt to equilibrate the repertoire of idiotypes and anti-idiotypes belonging to the immune network.

Autoimmune Diseases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A study on the types of diabetes mellitus in first degree relatives of diabetic patients.

The genetic characteristics of the diabetic types have been assessed by following up their frequency in first degree relatives of some non-selected diabetic patients, registered at eight different centers of the country. Out of 1,003 non-diabetic controls only 46 (4.6%) had 52 diabetic relatives, 65.4% of type 2 (non-insulin-dependent). Comparatively, out of the 704 patients, 172 (24.4%) had 229 diabetic first degree relatives, 72.5 of type 2. Out of 231 type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients, 29 (12.6%) had 34 diabetic relatives, 55.9% of type 1. Out of 300 type 2 patients, 99 (33.0%) had 121 diabetic relatives, 84.0% of type 2. The other 173 diabetic patients presented an "intermediary" type of the disease (needing insulin many years after onset). Forty-four (25.4%) of them had 64 diabetic relatives, 67.2% of type 2, 20.3% of type 1 and 12.5% with "intermediary" diabetes. The five times higher frequency of diabetes in patients' relatives versus controls is pointed out. Type 2 diabetic relatives predominated. The proportion of probands with diabetic relatives increased from 4.6% in non-diabetics to 12.6% in type 1, to 25.4% in "intermediary" diabetes and to 33.0% in type 2. The heredity of type 1 prevailed in type 1 and that of type 2 in type 2 and in "intermediary" diabetes. The fact that "intermediary" diabetes tends towards type 1 (insulin-dependent) as therapy and towards type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) as heredity might be an argument supporting the controversy on the diabetic syndrome classification.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Decrease of serum immunoglobulin M levels in some diabetic patients.

Contradictory results have been published on serum immunoglobulin levels in diabetes. Our study population consisted of 26 "juvenile" IDDM patients (males/females 14/12, mean age 15.8 +/- 2.4 yrs), 42 "adult-onset" IDDM patients (25/17, 45.1 +/- 15.2 yrs), 62 NIDDM patients (27/35, 59.8 +/- 7.7 yrs), 128 controls. IgM has been measured by a highly standardized endpoint radial immunodiffusion. Since age and sex significantly influence serum IgM levels, we calculated Z values using the formula: log (Xobs:Xexp): SDexp, where Xobs is the measured IgM in any individual and Xexp and SDexp are the expected (geometric) mean and standard deviation of the log IgM values for each year of age in both sexes, as previously calculated by orthogonal polynomials from a large population of "laboratory controls" (n = 755; 10-70 yrs). These Z values (+/- SD) in juvenile IDDM (-0.442 +/- 0.988) and NIDDM (-0.559 +/- 1.215) were significantly lower (P = 0.035 and P less than 10(-3)) than in "laboratory controls" (0 +/- 1). Values in adult IDDM (-0.0225 +/- 1.213; P = 0.24) and in controls (-0.018 +/- 1.04) did not differ significantly from the "laboratory controls". The prevalence of diabetes within the four quartiles of the IgM distribution differed significantly from the one expected according to the null hypothesis (chi-square = 42.2; 3df; P less than 10(-4]. This is also applied to juvenile IDDM (P less than 0.05) and NIDDM (P less than 10(-4], but not to adult-onset IDDM. These results suggest that the low IgM levels may partly contribute to the poorly explained increase in susceptibility to infections in some diabetics.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Is microalbuminuria a different problem for type I and type II diabetes mellitus?

As in previous studies an improved single radial immunodiffusion technique was used for albumin, calculating the albumin/creatinine ratio in spot urine (mg/g/1.73 m2). This ratio was 4.7 +/- 0.0174 (geometric mean +/- SEM as logarithm) in 130 healthy controls, the highest value being 10.8. The 182 non-selected ambulatory diabetic patients presented three subgroups, each showing a non-gaussian frequency distribution: 47% with normal values (5.0 +/- 0.0224); 42% with ratio values from 11.0 to 88.8 (22.7 +/- 0.0269, significantly differing from the controls); 11% with clinical proteinuria (subsequently excluded from the study). Type I (9.6 +/- 0.0452; n = 76) and type II diabetic patients (10.7 +/- 0.0430; n = 86) significantly differed (p less than 0.001) from the controls but not from one another. Irrespective of the diabetes type, ratio values were significantly correlated with the duration of diabetes, age of patients, age of diagnosis (for instance 16.2 +/- 0.0974 in 15 patients aged greater than 65 years versus 9.1 +/- 0.0792 in 23 patients aged less than 20 years), glycemia level and chronic complications (especially retinopathy). Therefore, more than half the diabetic patients, non-selected, presented an increased albumin excretion as compared to the controls. On the other hand, microalbuminuria appears to be linked to age, duration of the disease and quality of the metabolic control rather than to the diabetes type.

Adolescent↗