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Biomedical subjects

E Ferrario

Publications and source records attributed to E Ferrario.

42 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1976

[Gasometric changes and acid-base equilibrium of venous blood oxygenated in vitro and incubated with or without a phosphodiesterase inhibitor].

Changes in partial tension of the respiratory gases and in acid-base balance were studied in venous blood subjected to oxygenation, with or without incubation with theophylline. The following modifications were noted: 1) increased pO2; 2) decreased CO2 due to true wash-out caused by tonometry in oxygen; 3)decreased hydrogen ion concentration and bicarbonates following CO2 washing in both experimental models. A smaller reduction in pH and HCO3 was statistically significant in specimens treated with theophylline. This is seen as proof of the view that theophylline inhibits red cell membrane ion exchanges, such as to oppose or at any rate limit metabolic changes in acid-base balance induced by oxygenation.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The Italian version of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS): psychometric and normative characteristics from a normal aged population.

The Alzheimer's Disease Assesment Scale (ADAS) was specifically proposed for the clinical assessment of patients suffering from dementia and is used in different countries. The Italian version of ADAS is presented in this paper together with the description of criteria used in transforming the American edition in the Italian edition. Psychometric and normative data are illustrated and discussed. A sample of 95 healthy volunteers of both sexes ranging in age from 50 to 79 years were recruited from the general population in different parts of Italy and from different social and educational levels. Their performance on the ADAS was analysed by sex, age, and educational level. Results indicated a specific influence of subjects' educational level on the Cognitive Subscale Total Score of ADAS and the need for an adequate correction was evidenced. The two objective measures of memory which constitute, together with the Cognitive Subscale Total Score, the cognitive subscale of ADAS were sensitive to both age and educational level, requiring corrections. The factor structure of the cognitive subscale of ADAS confirms the validity of distinguishing between the clinical-functional scores, which are summarized by the Cognitive Subscale Total Score (CSTS), from those of the objective memory tasks, which are kept separate and used to quantify specific memory characteristics. The main components of the CSTS were 3 factors. The first factor was

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Health and functional status in elderly patients living in nursing homes.

Socio-economic background, functional status, multiple pathology and medical conditions requiring care have been evaluated in 506 elderly subjects living in nursing homes in Turin (Italy). In the sample 78.8% are women, mean age 84.2 years, only 21.2% are men, mean age 76.3 years. Particularly in the oldest age classes women are more represented than men. Most subjects (94.3%) require help in at least one Activity of Daily Living (ADL). Part of the sample (21.2%) comes from home, 13.2% from acute wards, 9.1% from long term care wards, 6.3% from mental hospitals, 26.3% from residential homes. Education level is rather low. Before retirement, many men were workmen (38.3%), while many women were housewives (46.6%). Multiple pathology is very common: 23.7% of patients suffer from 4 pathologies, more than 5 diseases are present in 18.8%, while only 4.7% of subjects have less than two pathologies. Half of the sample (52.6%) is affected by dementia, 37.6% by cardiovascular diseases, 29.1% by chronic obstructive lung disease and 25.5% by stroke. Bone fractures are present in 22.1% of the subjects. Severe impairments in strength and/or motility in at least two limbs affect 43.7% of patients, double incontinence 49.2%, severe disturbances in speech and communication 35.4%. The prevalence of care needs is higher in women compared with men. More females than males need aid in walking, help in eating, diapers, pressure sores prevention and bedposts.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Capecitabine: indications and future perspectives in the treatment of metastatic colorectal and breast cancer.

Fluoropyrimidines remain the most important drugs in the treatment of breast and colorectal carcinoma, but response rates and survival time have been disappointing. Optimal administration is by continuous intravenous infusion, which makes it cumbersome to use and compromises patient independence. Recently, a number of new agents, including fluorouracil prodrugs and selective dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase inhibitors, have been studied, with promising results. Capecitabine is the first in a new class of fluoropyrimidines. It is an oral, tumor-activated anticancer drug whose activity mimics that of continuously infused 5-fluorouracil. Capecitabine circumvents dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase catabolism and appears to be at least as active against metastatic colorectal and breast cancer as conventionally administered intravenous 5-fluorouracil, with significantly less toxicity, an improved quality of life, and lesser cost. Capecitabine may ultimately provide enhanced antitumor activity to fluorouracil-containing regimes for advanced colorectal and breast cancer.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Determinants of depression in 111 Italian patients with systemic sclerosis].

BACKGROUND: A high prevalence of depressive symptoms has been described in systemic sclerosis (SSc), but no clear association with organ involvement or objective indices of disease severity has been depicted. To date, no effort has been made to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms in Italian patients with SSc or to clarify their cause. METHODS: One-hundred-eleven SSc patients were asked to fill in the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire, the scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire (sHAQ) and two additional questions assessing the patient's familiar support and the social consequences of the patient's change in physical appearnace. RESULTS: Thirty-seven subjects (33.4%) presented mild to severe depressive symptoms (BDI >/=17). On univariate analysis the diffuse cutaneous form of the disease (p=0.019), higher pulmonary systolic pressures on echocardiogram (p=0.016), lower FVC percentage of predicted values (p=0.022), higher sHAQ values (p<0.001) or higher VAS values for pain (p=0.007), lung involvement (p=0.02), Raynaud's phenomenon severity (p=0.002), ulcers severity (p=0.006) or disease severity (p<0.001), were associated with the presence of pathologic depressive symptoms. On multivariate analysis only the VAS for disease severity relevant to BDI scores (p=0.016). Social behaviour changes due to SSc-related physical involvement were reported in 14 patients (38%) with depressive symptoms (p=0,006) and were more likely to be observed in younger patients (p=0.001) with a more severe Raynauds's phenomenon (p=0.013). CONCLUSIONS: Mild to severe depressive symptoms are common in SSc patients especially in those with a worse perception of disease severity, these patients should be carefully monitored and a psychological assistance counselled whenever necessary.

Adult↗