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Biomedical subjects

C Ferri

Publications and source records attributed to C Ferri.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Acute effect of plasma exchange on arterial blood pressure and plasma renin activity.

Blood pressure (BP) decreases significantly in patients with immune complex nephritis and hypertension in the course of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE). To investigate possible underlying mechanisms of this effect, the variations of supine and upright BP and plasma renin activity (PRA) acutely induced by PE (performed by isovolumetric replacement of plasma with 4% albumin in saline solution) were analyzed in six patients. On the average, both supine and upright BP decreased after TPE; however, statistical significance was obtained only for upright systolic BP. Supine and upright PRA did not change significantly, although a clearly blunted response to posture was observed in three patients. The changes of BP induced by TPE were apparently not due to a functional depression of the renin-angiotensin system, since the more marked decrements in BP were observed in the patients with lower basal PRA.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Relationship between vasopressin and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in essential hypertension: effect of converting enzyme inhibitor on plasma vasopressin.

The effect of the chronic administration of captopril on plasma levels of vasopressin (PVP) were studied in 14 patients with moderate essential hypertension and 10 normal volunteers. All patients were studied after 10 days without drugs and under a constant diet (120 mmol sodium and 80 mmol potassium/day). Plasma levels of renin activity (PRA), aldosterone (PA) and PVP were assayed before and after captopril treatment (50-100 mg/day for 1 month). In addition to the well-known effect of captopril treatment on PRA and PA, a statistically significant reduction of PVP was observed. This finding suggests that the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system influences vasopressin release, and its inhibitors may contribute to the absence of water retention during captopril treatment compared with the effect of other vasodilatory drugs.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Association of anti-centromere and anti-Scl 70 antibodies in scleroderma. Report of two cases.

In testing for antinuclear antibodies the sera of 121 patients affected with scleroderma, we found in 2 of them the concurrent presence of anti-centromere and anti-Scl 70 antibodies. Since the association of these antibodies has never been reported, to the best of our knowledge, we report the clinical and serological features of the 2 patients. Both subjects were women with an incomplete CREST syndrome (RST), a relatively limited involvement of the skin, a mild pulmonary fibrosis without apparent signs of other visceral involvement. On the other hand, the clinical course of the disease was different in the 2 cases. One patient had a longer disease duration and up to date the clinical features appear to be unchanged; the other had a shorter disease duration, when suddenly she died of cardiac arrest.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1985

Immune complex behaviour during prolonged plasma exchange in essential mixed cryoglobulinemia and systemic lupus erythematosus.

A number of immunological parameters were measured in 9 patients with essential mixed cryoglobulinemia and 12 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus undergoing plasma exchange alone or without cytotoxic drugs. Only cryocrit significantly decreased in the majority of patients with essential mixed cryoglobulinemia. In contrast, immune complex levels, measured in two different ways, did not change on the whole, although variable and unpredictable changes were often present in individual patients. Thus, these data do not support the view that the mechanism(s) of action of plasma exchange in these diseases is only due to the quantitative removal of circulating immune complexes, and qualitative changes in the immune complex moiety may also occur.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Inhibitory effect of IgM rheumatoid factor on immune complex solubilization capacity and inhibition of immune precipitation.

Purified IgM rheumatoid factors (RF; 3 monoclonal and 2 polyclonal) were shown to inhibit, in a dose-dependent manner, 2 complement-mediated functions, i.e., the immune complex solubilization capacity and the inhibition of immune precipitation. Inhibition of immune complex solubilization capacity occurred only if RF was added at the same time as, but not after, addition of the complement source. Experimental evidence suggests that the effects of RFs were not related to their anticomplementary activity, but rather required the attachment of RF to the Fc region of the IgG molecule. Although no clinical data are available so far, it might be plausible that these newly described properties of RF have biologic relevance.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMed1983

[Plasma concentrations of thyroid hormones in the domestic goat. Seasonal variations in relation to age].

Plasma thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) were investigated by immunoenzymatic methods in an Umbrian indigenous goat population. Seventy females and 10 males, aging 1 to 14 years, were tested in different periods of the year. Mean values (m +/- SD) of 320 determinations were 2,4 +/- 1,5 ng/ml (ranging from 0,5 to 7,0) for T3 and 6,5 +/- 2,5 micrograms/dl (range 2,2 - 14,2) for T4. The highest values for both hormones were recorded in spring, the lowest at the end of the summer (mean decrease: T3 = 57%; T4 equal 35%). Thyroid hormone levels decreased with age, young animals under 3 years showing higher values and lower summer decreases (particularly of the T3 levels), than mature animals (4 - 8 years old). Old goats, (aging 9 - 14 years) showed the lowest values for both hormones.

Aging↗
PubMed1983

Plasma exchange in the treatment of lupus nephritis.

Seven women with severe Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Nephritis were treated with Plasma Exchange, without any additional therapy with cytotoxic agents. All patients had failed to respond to high doses of corticosteroids and, in 3 cases, to 6-methylprednisolone pulses. In 4 patients the indication for plasma exchange treatment was a rapid deterioration of renal function, and in the others a need to better control symptoms without using toxic corticosteroid dosages. The total number of plasma exchange sessions ranged from 14 to 57 depending on the patient. After PE treatment, serum creatinine values significantly decreased in all 4 patients with rapidly developing, nephritis while in the others it remained unchanged. No major side effects were recorded and no relapse of renal disease occurred whenever Plasma Exchange treatment was gradually tapered or discontinued. These data suggest that prolonged Plasma Exchange treatment without the concomitant administration of cytotoxic agents may be effective in the treatment of steroid resistant severe lupus nephritis.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Prolonged plasma exchange in the treatment of renal involvement in essential mixed cryoglobulinemia.

Four men and 2 women with Essential Mixed Cryoglobulinemia and a membrano-proliferative glomerulonephritis were treated with prolonged Plasma Exchange without the addition of cytotoxic agents. All patients had Nephrotic Syndrome and Renal Insufficiency. Three of them presented a rapid deterioration of renal function just prior to Plasma Exchange treatment. Total number of procedures varied for each patients from 24 to 105. Serum creatinine decreased significantly in those patients with rapid deterioration of renal function, while it was not modified in the 3 with stable chronic renal failure. In no instance major side effects were recorded, and relapses of the disease did not occur, after gradually tapering of Plasma Exchange sessions. These data suggest that Plasma Exchange alone, if early instituted, may be an effective and safe treatment of Essential Mixed Cryoglobulinemia Glomerulonephritis.

Complement System Proteins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of alpha-interferon on hepatitis C virus chronic infection in mixed cryoglobulinemia patients.

Since a striking association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and mixed cryoglobulinemia has been demonstrated, the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) on HCV viraemia and clinico-serological manifestations of 15 patients (ten female and five male, mean [+/- SD] age 53 +/- 7 years). In 14/15 patients pre-study steroid dosage remained unchanged during treatment. alpha-IFN was administered at a dose of 2 x 10(6) IU daily for a month, then every other day for five months. On the whole, a statistically significant improvement of purpura (p < 0.001), serum transaminases (p < 0.001), and cryocrit (p < 0.01) was observed after alpha-IFN treatment. HCV viraemia was detected by polymerase chain reaction technique in 13/15 patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia and anti-GOR antibodies, expression of HCV-related autoimmunity, were present in 8/15. After alpha-IFN treatment, HCV RNA levels showed a clear-cut reduction in five persons and disappeared in another, while anti-HCV antibodies (Chiron ELISA and RIBA II) did not change after the six-month period of therapy. These data further support the possible etiopathogenetic role of HCV in patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia and suggest that alpha-IFN may be regarded as the elective treatment in this disease.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antibodies against hepatitis C virus in mixed cryoglobulinemia patients.

The prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) in an unselected series of 45 mixed cryoglobulinemia patients was assessed by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (Chiron ELISA HCV, Second Generation). The anti-HCV specificity was evaluated by a recombinant based immunoblot assay (Chiron RIBA HCV, Second Generation Assay). HBV-related markers and HIVAb were detected in the same samples. The prevalence of anti-HCV observed in mixed cryoglobulinemia was compared with 80 patients with other immunological systemic diseases. Anti-HCV were found in 91% of mixed cryoglobulinemia patients, and confirmed by RIBA in all cases; on the other hand, anti-HCV were practically absent in other control diseases. HBV markers were recorded in 49% of mixed cryoglobulinemia subjects; while HIVAb were constantly absent. These data give us new insights into the etiopathogenesis of mixed cryoglobulinemia.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Liver involvement in essential mixed cryoglobulinemia.

Twenty-one of 30 patients with essential mixed cryoglobulinemia (EMC) had evidence of liver involvement. The liver disease was characterized by the absence of clinical symptoms, hepatosplenomegaly, mild elevation of enzymes, abnormal BSP retention and low albumin levels. Histology, available in 12 patients, showed either chronic persistent or chronic active hepatitis or liver cirrhosis; 44% of the patients had HBsAg or HBsAb in sera and/or cryoglobulins, confirming the high frequency of exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in EMC. However, liver lesions were similar in all patients, regardless of HBV exposure. Since other factors usually associated with chronic liver diseases were absent or apparently irrelevant, it is temptative to speculate that a 'cryoglobulinemic hepatitis' may exist as a distinct syndrome. The characteristic complement profile of the patients with EMC (low CH50 and C4, normal C3PA), not related to albumin levels, can help to differentiate this disease from chronic liver disease without cryoglobulins.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cryoglobulins and immune complexes in essential mixed cryoglobulinemia.

The authors review the role, clinico-serological correlations and the putative pathogenetic relevance of a number of immunological parameters in essential mixed cryoglobulinemia. On the whole, in spite of the fact that levels of cryoglobulins, immune complexes, complement as well as reticuloendothelial splenic function are frequently abnormal in this condition, they are generally poorly correlated with clinical features. Therefore, it is postulated that this apparent discrepancy may either be due to the contemporary presence in the same serum of many types of immune complexes with different toxicity, or to the influence of rheumatoid factor on the nature of circulating immune complexes.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Plasma-exchange in mixed cryoglobulinemia. Effects on renal, liver and neurologic involvement.

Prolonged plasma-exchange without addition of cytotoxic agents was employed in 16 patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia and kidney, liver or neurologic involvement. Patients with rapidly progressive renal failure or active and reversible lesions generally improved after plasma-exchange, as well as those with a recently occurring sensory-motor peripheral neuropathy. In 4 out of 6 patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia and chronic active hepatitis, plasma-exchange was followed by either normalization or significant reduction of liver enzymes and bromosulfophthalein retention. In all cases responding to plasma-exchange the beneficial effects were evident after the first 2-3 weeks of treatment, while symptoms did not generally recur when the procedures were either slowly tapered or discontinued. Although the pathogenetic mechanism(s) of action of plasma-exchange remains largely unknown, preliminary data indicate that these procedures induce quantitative as well as qualitative changes in the immune system.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Audiovestibular involvement in systemic sclerosis.

In order to evaluate the nature and association of audiovestibular disturbances and systemic sclerosis (SSC), 37 unselected SSC patients were studied with a detailed audiological and vestibular examination since November, 1987. Pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, impedance audiometry, brainstem response audiometry and vestibular function using electronystagmographic recording were performed. We found a rather frequent audiovestibular involvement (41%). A hearing loss was found in 14 SSC patients; hearing loss was sensorineural in 10 cases and mixed in 4 cases. The latter revealed a finding similar to tympanosclerosis. Four patients showed altered vestibular test values and only one of these had normal hearing. Sensorineural deafness was the more frequent pathological finding and in all cases the site of lesion was cochlear. SSC appears to be directly responsible for audiovestibular damage, since in 12 out of 15 patients with such involvement, no other apparent cause could be revealed. SSC may be included among the autoimmune diseases which may cause audiovestibular disturbances.

Acoustic Impedance Tests↗