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Biomedical subjects

D Ferro

Publications and source records attributed to D Ferro.

65 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Prekallikrein and factor VII as prognostic indexes of liver failure.

Normotest, serum albumin, prekallikrein (Prekk), and Factor VII plasma activity were investigated in 64 patients with chronic liver disease--13 with type I chronic active hepatitis (CAH), 10 with type II CAH, 16 with compensated liver cirrhosis (LC), and 25 with decompensated LC--and in 20 matched-for-age healthy individuals. All of these blood parameters were reduced significantly as a result of liver damage. Patients with type II CAH and compensated LC had similar blood coagulation values. Eight decompensated LC patients, who died 30 to 45 days after the last blood coagulation parameter measurements, showed significantly low Prekk and Factor VII values compared with eight matched for sex and age survivors of decompensated LC. Prekk and Factor VII values of nonsurvivors did not overlap those of the survivors. This striking difference was not detected if Prekk and Factor VII were studied 2 to 4 months before death. These data suggest that Prekk and Factor VII are very sensitive to liver damage and could be useful prognostic indexes of liver insufficiency.

Adult↗

Hageman factor, high molecular weight kininogen, and prekallikrein in chronic liver disease.

The activities of Hageman factor, high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK), and prekallikrein were studied in patients who had chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis. Serum HMWK and prekallikrein activities were decreased in chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis, but Hageman factor activity was low in cirrhosis only. The reduction of prekallikrein, HMWK, and Hageman factor was dependent on the degree of liver failure. Similar prekallikrein values were found in serum samples, activated or not, with an excess of Hageman factor and HMWK, which suggests that the decrease of prekallikrein in liver disease is not influenced by the simultaneous decrease of Hageman factor and HMWK.

Adult↗

Prekallikrein behaviour in chronic active hepatitis and in cirrhotic patients.

Prekallikrein (Prekk), antithrombin III (ATIII), plasminogen and alpha 2-antiplasmin were evaluated in chronic active hepatitis and in liver cirrhotic patients and correlated with Normotest. Prekk, ATII and plasminogen were significantly decreased in chronic active hepatitis as well as in liver cirrhosis. Alpha 2-antiplasmin levels in chronic active hepatitis patients did not differ from controls; liver cirrhotic patients, on the contrary, showed significantly low values of alpha 2-antiplasmin, Prekk, ATIII and plasminogen were significantly correlated with Normotest in both groups, but when cirrhotic patients were divided into the compensated and decompensated state only Prekk was correlated with Normotest in the decompensated state. The investigation seems to suggest that Prekk could be a reliable index for protein liver failure.

Adult↗

Association between prolonged bleeding time and gastrointestinal hemorrhage in 102 patients with liver cirrhosis: results of a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal bleeding is a frequent complication of liver cirrhosis (LC) and represents an important warning sign of imminent death. Platelet dysfunction is an abnormality occurring prevalently in severe liver failure, and could well predispose to bleeding. METHODS: One hundred and two patients with liver cirrhosis diagnosed by needle liver biopsy were studied. According to the Child-Pugh classification, 23 were A class, 42 B class and 37 C class cases. Prothrombin activity, aPTT, fibrinogen, FDPs, XDP and platelet count were measured in each patient; bleeding time was measured in all but 17 of them. Forty (39%) had experienced gastrointestinal bleeding during the last 3 years (2 A class, 12 B class, 26 C class). RESULTS: Patients with a history of previous gastrointestinal bleeding showed lower values for prothrombin activity and fibrinogen, and higher percentage of elevated FDP and XDP levels; moreover, they presented lower platelet counts and more prolonged bleeding times than patients without gastrointestinal blood loss. CONCLUSIONS: While our findings confirm the relationship between hyperfibrinolysis and bleeding, the association between bleeding time prolongation and gastrointestinal blood loss suggests studying platelet function prospectively in LC in order to analyze its role, if any, in favoring hemorrhage activity.

Adult↗

Are low levels of HDL2-cholesterol a risk factor for atherosclerosis of cerebral vascular disease? Case report.

A case of a 45 years old man with an atherosclerotic stenosis of right internal carotid and TIA event is reported. The patient showed an increase of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol serum levels and, in particular, a very low familiar HDL2-cholesterol serum value. The possibility that this last condition could represent an important co-factor of the extracranial cerebrovascular disease is discussed. The usefulness of a long-term follow-up of all family members, showing the same lipids pattern, is also suggested.

Carotid Artery Diseases↗

Anticardiolipin antibodies possess anticoagulant activity which is blocked by a monoclonal antibody against a cross reacting idiotype of antiphospholipid antibodies.

Anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies were isolated from systemic lupus erythematosus serum using cardiolipin liposomes. In a sensitized activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) system, low concentrations of aCL were found to significantly prolong aPTT in a dose-dependent fashion. This effect was abolished by adding phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylcholine liposomes to the aPTT system, and could be significantly reduced by a monoclonal antibody against a cross-reacting idiotype of antiphospholipid antibodies (MoAb 5.2) previously incubated with aCL. These results suggest that the anticoagulant properties of aCL are mediated by an interaction with phospholipid components of the coagulation system. The functional block of this activity using monoclonal MoAb 5.2 antibody could be useful for investigating the mechanisms by which aCL is associated with clinical thrombosis.

Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic↗