Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D Dioguardi

Publications and source records attributed to D Dioguardi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Self-detected cutaneous melanomas in Italian patients.

Self-detection of suspicious pigmented skin lesion combined with rapid referral to dermatologic centres is the key strategy in the fight against melanoma. The investigation of factors associated with pattern of detection of melanoma (self- vs. nonself-detection) may be useful to refine educational strategies for the future. We investigated the frequency of melanoma self-detection in a Mediterranean population at intermediate melanoma risk. A multicentric survey identified 816 consecutive cases of cutaneous melanoma in the period January to December 2001 in 11 Italian clinical centres belonging to the Italian Multidisciplinary Group on Melanoma. All patients filled a standardized questionnaire and were clinically examined by expert dermatologists. Self-detected melanomas were 40.6%, while the remaining lesions were detected by a dermatologist (18.5%), the family physician (15.2%), other specialists (5%), the spouse (12.5%), a friend or someone else (8.2%). Variables associated with self-detected melanomas were female sex, young age, absence of atypical nevi, knowledge of the ABCD rule, habit of performing skin self-examination. Self-detected melanomas did not differ from nonself-detected tumours in term of lesion thickness; however, patients with self-detected melanomas waited a longer period before having a diagnostic confirmation (patient's delay) (> 3 months: odds ratio, 3.89; 95% confidence interval, 2.74-5.53). In order to reduce the patients' delays, educational messages should adequately stress the need for a prompt referral to a physician once a suspicious pigmented lesion is self-detected.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

A trial to assess the efficacy and tolerability of Hyalofill-F in non-healing venous leg ulcers.

OBJECTIVE: This single-centre, open, uncontrolled pilot clinical trial set out to assess the efficacy and tolerability of Hyalofill-F (a partial benzyl ester derivative of hyaluronan), used in combination with compression bandaging, in the treatment of venous leg ulcers. METHOD: The 20 patients enrolled into the study had venous insufficiency and a leg ulcer that had been refractory to treatment for one month. Treatment was continued for eight weeks, with weekly assessments. RESULTS: During the study period four of the patients' ulcers healed completely. An average wound area reduction of 53.5% was seen in the ulcers that did not heal. Differences in ulcer area and ulcer depth between the initial and final visit were significant (p < 0.01, p = 0.03). The average healing rate (cm2/week reduction) was 1.26 +/- 1.7 (standard deviation). A calculated prognostic index was used to identify patients at high risk of a poor response to compression therapy (10% probability of wound closure at 120 weeks). These patients demonstrated a mean 63% decrease in wound area after eight weeks of treatment with Hyalofill-F plus compression bandaging. All wounds showed a positive response in terms of granulation-tissue formation. The comfort of the dressing was described as excellent. CONCLUSION: The hyaluronan derivative showed promising results in initiating the healing process in chronic venous ulcers. It was found to be well tolerated and safe to use. However, further clinical trials should be performed involving a control group to verify these data. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: This study was sponsored by Fidia Advanced Biopolymers, Italy.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1998

Increased burn patient survival with once-a-day high dose teicoplanin and netilmicin. An Italian multicenter study.

This is the final report of a large, controlled, multicenter Italian study on immuno- and chemotherapy in adult patients with burns affecting 20 to 95% of total body surface area (mean 35%). The antibiotic treatment of burn patients consisted of topical silver sulfadiazine, short-term antimicrobial chemoprophylaxis with pefloxacin (800 mg i.v. qd) for the first 4 days and polychemotherapy with teicoplanin (800 mg i.v. qd) together with netilmicin (300 mg i.m. qd) in one or more cycles of 5-12 days. At random, half of the patients received thymostimulin, 70 mg i.m. qd for the first month and every other day thereafter. The analysis at completion of 634 valid cases showed that when the results are stratified by means of the Roi risk index, 396 of the 530 patients who contracted wound infection (84%) after chemoprophylaxis were in the first three categories and a mean of 95% survived. Of the remaining 134 patients (Roi index 4-5) only 50% survived. There was no difference in survival of the immunotherapy group in comparison with the parallel group without thymostimulin. The short-term antimicrobial prophylaxis prevented wound infection in only 104 of 634 patients (16%) and they were at low risk (84% Roi index 1). Of the bacterial pathogens involved in septic complications Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were prevalent (86%): eradication was achieved in 43% of patients and clinical cure or improvement were seen with combination chemotherapy in 64% of all patients, mainly with only one treatment cycle. This value increased to 79% for the 395 protocol-complying patients and went down to 20% in the 135 non-compliers. The total survival of complier and non-complier patients was 447 of the 530 valid patients (84%). The overall mortality of the 634 evaluable patients was 13.1%, ranging from less than 2% to 68%. Burn mortality was directly proportional to the percentage of burned body surface area, to increasing age and other variables of the Roi index, a 50% mortality being associated with a 72.5% total body surface area burned. Normoergic burn patients had a mortality rate of 9.1% versus 35.7% in anergic patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Respiratory activity and growth of human skin derma fibroblasts.

A study has been made on the speed of growth and respiratory activity of fibroblast cultures from control derma, cheloid (hypertrophic) scar and stabilized scar taken from human skin. The speed of growth and the efficiency of plaque formation of fibroblasts from cheloid scar were greater in comparison with those of fibroblasts from stabilized scar and were stimulated by the addition to the culture medium of the exudate from post-traumatic ulcer. Measurement of the contents of cytochromes showed a decrease in the content of cytochromes b562 and c + c1 in the fibroblast culture from both cheloid and stabilized scar as compared to the fibroblast culture from control derma. Cytochrome aa3 content did not show significant difference among the three types of fibroblast cultures. The respiratory activities supported by pyruvate plus malate, succinate or ascorbate plus N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine did not show, however, significant difference among the three fibroblast cultures. These observations show that the speed of growth of skin fibroblasts does not depend on the overall respiratory capacity. The exudate stimulated the activity of cytochrome c oxidase in fibroblasts from control derma, and cheloid scar. This effect and the accompanying stimulation of fibroblast growth might be correlated with the balance of oxygen free radicals.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Aprotinin and induction of sarcoma with methylcholanthrene in rats].

Considering the immunodepressive properties of aprotinine, the influence of this protease inhibitor on the induction of methylcholanthrene sarcoma in rats has been investigated. The results of the investigation showed that aprotinine failed to modify the experimental tumour induction process. This observation provides further confirmation that immunodepression is not a position to favour the growth of a tumour as a result of chemically induced oncogenesis.

Animals↗