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Biomedical subjects

C Lunardi

Publications and source records attributed to C Lunardi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

[The efficacy of nedocromil sodium in light or moderate allergic bronchial asthma].

Inhaled nedocromil sodium was administered 4 times a day for 8 weeks to 34 patients (20 males and 14 females) with mild to moderate allergic asthma to grass pollen. The study was conducted during the pollen season and patients were allowed extra medication only with beta 2 adrenergic drugs. On a diary card patients had to report daily variation of peak expiratory flow rate, severity and number of asthma attacks, severity of cough and use of bronchodilators. At the end of the study we observed a statistically significant improvement of all the parameters considered. No side effects were reported. Nedocromil sodium is therefore a useful and safe drug for the treatment of mild and moderate allergic asthma.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1994

[Efficacy of salmeterol in patients with allergic bronchial asthma].

Inhaled beta 2-agonists play a central role in the treatment of acute bronchial asthma. A new long-acting beta 2-receptor agonist has recently become available: salmeterol. It improves FEV 1, has an antiinflammatory effect on bronchial airways, provides a strong protection against histamine-and allergen-triggered bronchoconstriction, thus leading to better control of asthmatic symptoms during day and night. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of salmeterol in 22 patients with allergic bronchial asthma. Our results show that inhaled salmeterol (50 micrograms twice daily) can successfully control diurnal and nocturnal asthmatic attacks and can induce an important increase of PEFR. During the study no further treatment with bronchodilator drugs was necessary.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1994

[Safety of azithromycin in patients allergic to penicillin and cephalosporin].

We have evaluated the safety of a new antibiotic, azithromicin, in 48 patients with allergy to penicillin and/or to cephalosporin. Diagnosis of allergy was based on clinical history, skin test and detection of serum specific IgE. The most common symptoms were urticaria, oedema, pruritus, oral aphthosis. Azithromicin was administered at the increasing dosage of 100-200-300 and 400 mg every 2 days. Our patients did not show any reaction to azithromicin. This antibiotic is therefore a valid alternative to penicillin and/or cephalosporin in patients allergic to these two drugs.

Azithromycin↗
PubMed1994

[The efficacy of cyclosporin for topical use in oral lichen planus].

Oral lichen planus is a disease characterized by long symptomatic phases unresponsive to the usual therapy. Many groups have used different drugs in the treatment of lichen planus: topically applied retinoic acid, temarotene, antimycotic agents corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents, with unsatisfactory results. Recently it has been suggested that topical cyclosporine might improve the lesions of oral lichen planus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of this therapy in our patients. Fourteen patients, 6 males and 8 females, mean age 47 years, with oral lichen planus were enrolled in the study. All the patients were instructed to swish 5 ml of solution (500 mg) of cyclosporine in the mouth three times a day for three months. Clinical evaluation was performed before therapy and every two weeks afterwards. At each visit serum levels of cyclosporine, creatinine, total and direct bilirubin and complete blood count were performed. No side effects or blood test alterations were detected in any patient and cyclosporine serum level was always undetectable. Symptoms and oral lesions had a beneficial effect already after one month of therapy. Our results confirm that cyclosporine is useful in the treatment of oral lichen planus.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1992

Identification of novel human T-cell receptor V beta gene segments by the anchored-polymerase chain reaction.

We have studied the diversity of the expressed human T-cell receptor (TCR) beta-chain repertoire by analysis of mRNA from unstimulated peripheral blood T-cells. The anchored-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to isolate TCRB transcripts. Of 20 full or near full-length functional transcripts sequenced, two were novel TCRVB gene segments. They have strong sequence similarities to the known TCRBV5, and 8 subfamilies. Southern blot analysis and sequence-specific oligonucleotide hybridization confirmed: a) that these sequences are present in genomic DNA; b) their relationship to the known TCRBV families. A TCRBV sequence similar to a recently identified novel TCRBV24 subfamily was also found. We show by southern blotting that this sequence forms a single member subfamily, and by deletion analysis of T-cell lines, we have mapped this sequence to lie between the genes which encode the TCRBV8.1 and TCRBV5.3 gene segments. The results show that the anchored PCR is a powerful tool in the analysis of the TCR repertoire, which may contain more V gene segments than previously defined.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

PCR-based analysis of the TCR repertoire in human autoimmune diseases.

Characterization of T cells at sites of autoimmune damage has been difficult. Now, however, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods are being used to analyse T-cell receptor (TCR) gene expression in such lesions. Here, Christopher Marguerie, Claudio Lunardi and Alex So summarize and interpret the most recent findings and describe the current understanding of TCR usage in autoimmune diseases.

Autoantigens↗
PubMed1992

T gamma delta cells and their subsets in blood and synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

We have determined the distribution of T gamma delta cells in the peripheral blood of 44 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and in 36 healthy controls. In addition, paired blood and synovial fluid samples were obtained from seven patients with RA. The monoclonal antibodies A13, BB3 and Ti gamma A, which are specific for the V delta 1, V delta 2 and V gamma 9 gene products respectively, were used to define T gamma delta subsets. T gamma delta + cells expressed as a percentage of CD3+ lymphocytes were reduced in RA peripheral blood compared with the control group (3.9% +/- 0.5 versus 5.7% +/- 0.7; P less than 0.0001). There was a reduction in the V gamma 9/V delta 2+ subset (from 5.6% +/- 1.2 to 1.7% +/- 0.4) leading to a change in the mean ratio of V delta 2/V delta 1+ cells from 4.3 in normal subjects to 1.1 (P less than 0.002). No statistical difference was observed in T gamma delta cell numbers in synovial fluid compared with the paired blood samples (4.0% +/- 1.1 in blood and 4.4% +/- 1.4 in synovial fluid). Also the distribution of V delta 2+ and V delta 1+ cells was similar in the two compartments and a similar alteration in subset distribution was found in blood and synovial fluid. These findings do not indicate a selective accumulation of a specific T gamma delta subset in RA synovial effusions.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1992

An altered repertoire of T cell receptor V gene expression by rheumatoid synovial fluid T lymphocytes.

The pattern of T cell receptor V gene expression by lymphocytes from rheumatoid synovial fluid and paired peripheral blood samples was compared using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assay. Eight rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who had varying durations of disease (from 2 to 20 years) were studied. In all patients there was evidence of a different pattern of V gene expression between the two compartments. Significantly increased expression of at least one V alpha or V beta gene family by synovial fluid T cells was observed in all the patients studied. Three different V alpha (V alpha 10, 15 and 18) and three V beta (V beta 4, 5 and 13) families were commonly elevated. Sequencing of synovial V beta transcripts demonstrated that the basis of increased expression of selected V gene families in the synovial fluid was due to the presence of dominant clonotypes within those families, which constituted up to 53% of the sequences isolated from one particular synovial V gene family. There were considerable differences in the NDJ sequences found in synovial and peripheral blood T cell receptor (TCR) transcripts of the same V beta gene family. These data suggest that the TCR repertoire in the two compartments differs, and that antigen-driven expansion of particular synovial T cell populations is a component of rheumatoid synovitis, and is present in all stages of the disease.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1992

Controlled study of oxatomide vs disodium chromoglycate for treating adverse reactions to food.

A controlled, cross-over trial was carried out to compare the efficacy and safety of oxatomide vs disodium chromoglycate (DSCG) for treating food allergy and intolerance. Twenty patients (15F, 5M; mean age 36.6 years), with chronic urticaria (twelve patients) or eczema (eight patients) caused by food allergy (ten cases) or food intolerance (ten cases), were treated with oxatomide (60 mg/day in a single evening administration) and with DSCG (2000 mg/day) for six weeks. The two treatments were separated by a 3-week wash-out period. All the patients completed the trial. During the treatment, both drugs succeeded in controlling the symptoms. With oxatomide, the wheals totally disappeared from 75% of the patients (p = 0.00135), the eczematous lesions disappeared from 64% (p = 0.056), and the itching from 70% (p = 0.00012); the figures for DSCG were 33%, 50% (p = 0.038) and 50%, respectively. Both drugs were well tolerated and there was no need to discontinue the treatment of any of the patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Food allergy and asthma].

The prevalence of asthma in patients suffering from food allergy or food intolerance had been studied in 1339 subjects. Of them, 165 patients (12.8%) were affected by asthma. However only 77 (5.7%) had positive prick tests for food antigens and 52 of these have a significant benefit when a suitable oligoallergenic diet was introduced. 35 out of patients were positively tested with a double-blind food challenge. The most frequent food antigen involved were milk and its derivatives and cereals, but some importance have also the additives to the food. In conclusion, in our patients suffering from food allergy or food intolerance asthma was present in 12.8% of the cases, but in only 77 (5.7%) the symptoms might be due to diet. When tested with oligoallergenic diet or with food challenge the percentage of positivity fall to 3.9% and 2.6% respectively.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Comparison of RAST with an immunoenzyme method in simultaneous determination of IgE specific for numerous air allergens].

Recently, a new immunoenzymatic test (Allergy Screen Profile, ASP) has been proposed for the simultaneous determination of IgE specific for five inhaled allergens (Dermatophagoides, animal dander, trees, grass pollen and Parietaria). For evaluation of this test we compared the results obtained in twenty-seven patients suffering from respiratory allergy with RAST with those obtained using the new test. In 84.3% of cases there was positive concordance between the two tests. The specificity of ASP ranged from 71.4% to 100% and the sensitivity from 76.9% to 95.2% for the different allergens examined. A good correlation between ASP and RAST was particularly evident for Dermatophagoides, animal dander and trees. Therefore, ASP appears to be a suitable test for the simultaneous determination of IgE specific for different allergens.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Double-blind cross-over trial of oral sodium cromoglycate in patients with irritable bowel syndrome due to food intolerance.

Twenty patients with irritable bowel syndrome due to food intolerance were randomized to either oral sodium cromoglycate or placebo in a double-blind cross-over trial. The study consisted of treatment with either sodium cromoglycate or placebo for 8 weeks, followed by the cross-over treatment for 8 further weeks. Patients were allowed to eat the offending foods during the study. Eighteen patients completed the study. Analysis of patients' diary card scores showed a statistically significant difference in favour of sodium cromoglycate. There was a long carry-over effect in the active-placebo order group. Therefore oral sodium cromoglycate seems to be a useful treatment in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and proven food intolerance.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1991

Reduction in T gamma delta cell numbers and alteration in subset distribution in systemic lupus erythematosus.

We have studied the distribution of T gamma delta cells in the peripheral blood of 35 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 36 age-matched controls. The monoclonal antibodies A13, BB3 and Ti gamma A, which are specific for the V delta 1, V delta 2 and V delta 9 gene products respectively, were used to define T gamma delta cell subsets. A significantly lower frequency of T gamma delta cells was found in peripheral blood lymphocytes of SLE patients compared with normal subjects (3.2% versus 5.9%). There was a marked reduction in the V delta 2+ subset of T gamma delta cells, which resulted in a reversal of the ratio of V delta 2+/V delta 1+ cells from 4.34 to 0.56. No correlation was found with either clinical or laboratory measures of disease activity. These results suggest that the observed changed in T gamma delta subset distribution are related to the SLE itself, and not secondary to changes in disease activity.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte↗
PubMed1990

[The assessment of the incidence of food allergy or intolerance in patients with respiratory allergy].

In this study we have evaluated the possible relationship between food allergens and hypersensitivity to grass pollens. One hundred-thirty patients with grass pollen pollinosis and symptoms probably related to adverse reaction to foods were selected. Skin prick test for food allergens was positive in 79 patients (60.7%) Statistical analysis using chi-square test showed a high significant relationship between grass pollen and nuts, peanuts, beans and peas (p less than 0.0001). Elimination diet and challenge test allowed us to identify the responsible foods in 61 out 79 patients (77.2%). Twelve patients were affected by food allergy (challenge test, skin prick test and RAST positive and concordant); 49 patients suffered from intolerance. Possible causes of this high relationship are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Prevalence of food allergy in patients with urticaria-angioedema syndrome].

We have studied 239 patients, 53 males and 186 females, mean age 31.9, affected by urticaria-angioedema syndrome. Fifty-three patients didn't complete the study. One-hundred-three of the other 186 patients went on elimination diet: 111 patients suffered from chronic urticaria-angioedema syndrome and 21 subjects suffered from acute syndrome. Eighty-one out of the 132 patients obtained good results from dietetic management (p less than 0.001). Double blind challenge test was positive in 42 subjects: 29 patients suffered from Food Allergy and 13 patients from Food Intolerance. Thus, the prevalence of Food Allergy in patients who completed dietetic management was 21.9% (29 patients out of 132). If we evaluate all the 186 patients affected by urticaria-angioedema syndrome, the prevalence of Food Allergy is 15.5%.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Eczema and food allergy in the adult].

We have evaluated the relationship between eczema and food by using elimination diet and subsequently open and double blind challenge test in 15 patients. The clinical manifestations of 14 subjects were improved by elimination diet. Challenge test was positive in 10 patients. Nuts, tomatoes, milk, eggs and cereals were most frequently involved. Six patients suffered from food allergy (F.A.), 4 patients from food intolerance (F.I.) and 4 patients from suspected F.I. With the use of dietary elimination procedure the symptoms completely disappeared. The results obtained for the treatment of eczema with this procedure may be very encouraging.

Adolescent↗