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Biomedical subjects

C Lunardi

Publications and source records attributed to C Lunardi.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Is the Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome related to the exposure to food additives? A case report.

We present a case of Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome that occurred in an adult patient who experienced intolerance to the food additives sodium benzoate and tartrazine. The main symptoms were the facial swelling, hypertrophy of the gums, and a typical infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells around the small vessels observed in the biopsy of the gums. No involvement of facial nerves was present, and other disorders of granulomatosis have been excluded. All clinical manifestations went into remission once the food additives were excluded from the usual diet.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Treatment of Behçet's syndrome with colchicine].

The aim of the present study was to investigate the usefulness of colchicine in the treatment of Behçet's syndrome. Ten patients suffering from Behçet's syndrome were selected for this purpose. The patients were treated with 1 mg/day of colchicine associated with 1 mg of betametasone during the initial florid phase of the disease. After the acute phase, betametasone was withdrawn. The patients were observed for a period ranging from 5 to 23 months. Biochemical and immunological parameters were measured at time 0 and every month in order to monitor the disease and the possible side effects of colchicine. All patients had a satisfactory control of the disease without showing any toxic effect.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Migraine and food].

The frequency of migraine has been studied in adult patients with suspected adverse reaction to foods. Migraine was present in 41 out of 300 patients (13.6%). 38 of these 41 subjects have been treated with elimination diet; 25 (65.7%) obtained a significant improvement of migraine and subsequently, performed challenge test. 24 patients were affected by food intolerance and only one by food allergy. The remaining 13 non-responder subjects suffering from migraine have been subsequently submitted to pharmacological treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

IgG subclasses to food antigens.

Involvement of sub-classes of IgG that are specific for food allergens in anaphylactoid reactions and some manifestations of atopy no longer needs to be shown. Accordingly, sub-classes of IgG specific for ovalbumin (OVA) and beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) were compared in healthy subjects and those who presented with an intolerance or food allergy to OVA and BLG to decide whether a restrictive diet was necessary. The four sub-classes of IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 were isolated in all the groups. IgG4 was highest in the allergic subjects and the IgG sub-class values were modified by the diet differently in each group. Unfortunately, the small number of subjects does not allow the formation of a definite conclusion to this study.

Antigens↗
PubMed1982

[Behçet's syndrome. Description of a clinical case].

We present a case of a young man hospitalized for a fever and bipolar aphtous. The absence of typical ocular lesions, the delayed occurrence of thromboflebitis, arthritis, abnormal skin reactivity, as well as the presence of splenomegaly and limphoadenopathy, induced us to consider a large variety of infection disease before the diagnosis of Behçet's Syndrome. The complete remission has been achieved with corticosteroids and Laevamisole (150 mg/weekly). No therapy has been necessary in the last twelve months.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Endothelin-1 serum levels correlate with MCP-1 but not with homocysteine plasma concentration in patients with systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether homocysteine (Hcy) plasma levels are correlated with molecules indicative of endothelial cell and fibroblast activation, including endothelin-1 (ET-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and -3 (MCP-1, MCP-3), in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: Eighty-two patients were enrolled in this study; the control group included 75 age- and sex-matched subjects. Plasma Hcy was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography; folic acid, and vitamin B(12) plasma levels were determined by a chemiluminescence method. ET-1, MCP-1, and MCP-3 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Analysis of the 677C-->T mutation in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and digestion with the enzyme HinfI. RESULTS: Hcy levels were lower in patients whereas ET-1 was significantly higher in patients and correlated with MCP-1. Stratification of the patients on the basis of Hcy levels was not associated with any statistical difference in the concentration of ET-1, MCP-1, and MCP-3. Patients with diffuse disease presented the highest levels of ET-1 and MCP-1. The distribution of the MTHFR genotypes was not different in patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS: In SSc, Hcy plasma concentration does not influence ET-1, MCP-1, or MCP-3 levels. On the contrary, ET-1, a marker of vascular activation, correlates with MCP-1, a chemokine involved in the fibrotic process of SSc.

Biomarkers↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Schnitzler's syndrome treated successfully with intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide.

Schnitzler's syndrome is a rare clinical condition characterized by chronic urticaria, intermittent fever, bone pain, arthralgia or arthritis, and monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM) gammopathy. Here we describe the case of a 48-year-old Italian female with a long history of arthralgia, leucocytosis, spiking fever, and chronic urticaria with severe pruritus. The IgM-kappa monoclonal component in the serum and bone densification on conventional X-ray with hyperfixation on bone technetium scanning at the distal part of the femurs and at the proximal part of the tibias were detected 4 years after the onset of the symptoms. After many ineffective treatments, the use of pulse cyclophosphamide (CPX) resulted in complete remission of the disease that is still lasting after a 2-year follow-up.

Cyclophosphamide↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Elimination diet in the treatment of selected patients with hypersensitivity vasculitis.

We have evaluated the effects of an elimination diet in 5 patients with hypersensitivity vasculitis and a personal or family history of allergy. The presence of autoimmune disorders, infections and neoplastic diseases was excluded on the basis of physical examination, clinical history and laboratory data. Three patients had elevated serum immune complexes and evidence of complement consumption before the oligoantigenic diet. In one patient food allergy was diagnosed on the basis of a positive and concordant challenge test, skin prick test and RAST. The study consisted of a 3 week elimination diet, followed by open and double blind challenge tests with specific foods and additives. Four patients achieved a complete remission and one patient experienced great improvement on the elimination diet. In three cases the vasculitis relapsed following the introduction of food additives; in one case with the addition of potatoes and green vegetables (i.e., beans and green peas) and in the last case with the addition of eggs to the diet. The offending foods and additives were subsequently eliminated from the usual diet and no relapses were observed in 2 years of follow-up. These results show that in selected patients with a history of allergy, hypersensitivity vasculitis can be triggered and sustained by food antigens or additives.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Positron emission tomography with fluorodeoxyglucose in gastro-entero-pancreatic tumors: diagnostic role and prognostic implications].

From November 1994 to November 2004, seventy-seven patients with neuroendocrine gastro-entero-pancreatic tumor (71% pancreatic) were investigated with 18-fluorine-deoxi-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). PET results were compared with CT-scan, MRI and octreoscan scintigraphy and clinico-pathologic features of patients and survival. Overall PET sensitivity was 57%; 78% of malignant tumors, 67% of borderline and 17% of benign tumors were detected by FDG-PET. No duodenal tumor was detected by PET scan. Only 16% of primary less than 2 cm in size was localized. In 16% of cases PET scan provided new information able to change therapeutic management. In PET positive patients the addictive information obtained by PET scan when compared with octreoscan, MRI and CT scan were respectively 50% more, 26% more and 30% more. In malignant neuroendocrine tumors PET positivity was related to short survival. No patient with malignant tumor died for disease progression in the follow-up when PET was negative, while 13/35 PET positive patients died (p <0.003). FDG-PET proved to be a second line technique in neuroendocrine digestive tumors. PET results improve clinical staging of disease and is related to survival in malignant cases; in 16% of cases may change the therapeutic option.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Juvenile psoriatic arthritis and acquired sensorineural hearing loss in a teenager: is there an association?

Autoimmune inner ear disease is a cause of sensorineural hearing loss, first described in 1979 by McCabe. The occurrence during rheumatic diseases is already documented in adults, but to our knowledge, this evidence is still lacking in children. A 13-yr-old girl affected by juvenile psoriatic arthritis, treated with etanercept, developed a bilateral and asymmetric sensorineural deafness. The patient significantly improved after steroid administration. Once ruled out the principal causes of sensorineural hearing loss, we also considered the hypothesis of an anti-TNF side effect. However, the clinical presentation, the efficacy on steroid treatment and the presence of inner ear auto-antibodies prompt us to consider autoimmune-SNHL as the most plausible diagnosis. The young age of our patient seems to suggest a genetic susceptibility to autoimmunity and supports the concept of associated autoimmune diseases.

Antirheumatic Agents↗