Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to E Magni.
326 healthy couples were selected to enter the trial of a new intravaginal contraceptive called the TA-RO CAP. The trial lasted three years. Clinical and laboratory examinations were performed periodically to determine the long-term effectiveness, tolerability and acceptance. Statistical evaluation of results was performed by life-table analysis.
Acute pain from biliary colic is a model of pathological pain suitable for pharmacological investigations. It has been found useful for assaying analgesic effect of a narcotic-type agent (pentazocine) and a non-narcotic drug (indoprofen), both given intravenously in a single dose. Differences in pain intensity scores assessed on a five-point scale were taken as measurement of the pain-relieving effect. Distribution-free methods were used to estimate the potency ratio of the tested drugs. The analgesic potency of indoprofen based both on total and peak effect was roughly one-tenth that of pentazocine on a weight-for-weight basis. No adverse reactions were associated with indoprofen and a few were found after pentazocine.
A case of a man aged 39 who died one year after aortic valve replacement by a Braunwald-Cutter prosthesis is reported. A massive aortic incompetence due to falling out of the plastic ball owing to the rupture of an arm of the cage, induced an intractable cardiac future. On necroscopy the ball was found in the aorta at the level of the renal arteries.
Chemotaxis of human leukocytes was inhibited in vitro by four non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, namely, lysine acetylsalicylate, phenylbutazone, indomethacin, and indoprofen. Dose-dependent effects were always found and significant regression was proved for all drugs except phenylbutazone.
A controlled study of the clinical pharmacology of the biliary tract has been made. The rate of gallbladder emptying induced by a fatty meal was taken as a parameter for assessment of the inhibitory effect of indoprofen, a new analgesic-anti-inflammatory drug, pentazocine and morphine. The compounds were administered as single doses by iv (indoprofen and pentazocine) or im (morphine) injection. Indoprofen up to 400 mg had no effect, whereas morphine and pentazocine exerted a significant inhibitory effect on emptying of the gallbladder. Adverse reactions of clinical significance were associated with morphine and pentazocine, but were negligible with indoprofen.
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Several factors have been reported to predict death and institutionalization in demented patients, even if the results of the studies are often conflicting. We conducted a study on a group of 86 consecutive noninstitutionalized probable Alzheimer disease (AD) patients, to evaluate clinical and social factors predicting mortality and institutionalization 1 year after discharge from the Alzheimer Dementia Unit at 'Sacro Cuore Fatebenefratelli' Hospital, Brescia, Italy. The 1-year mortality rate was 13.9% and the 1-year rate of admission to a nursing home was 34%. Our data indicate that the number of lost functions on the Activity of Daily Living scale is the most important predictor of short-term mortality, independently of the degree of cognitive impairment, the duration of the dementia, the age of the patients and the number of chronic diseases. Our data also demonstrate that, in a short period of observation, behavioral disturbances (and in particular insomnia) and availability of social services play a major role in the decision to institutionalize AD patients.
In order to investigate neuropsychological differences in patients with mild AD, we carried out a pilot study on 28 patients with a clinical diagnosis of mild dementia (CDR: 0.5-1) using an extensive neuropsychological battery, in comparison with 28 normal controls. The results of a cluster analysis, applied on the neuropsychological variables, showed the existence of at least two main subgroups of patients. Cluster 1 patients had a mean age of 61.1 years and showed a greater impairment on measures of language, abstract reasoning and verbal fluency; cluster 2 patients, with a mean age of 72.0, had more severe impairment in memory function. These preliminary results may suggest the existence of different subtypes of AD characterized by selective neuropsychological deterioration in the early stages of the disease.
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Hip conditions in 49 patients affected with spinal muscular atrophy were studied: 35 of these were affected with the intermediate form of the disease (patients were able to sit but not walk), and 14 with the mild form (patients were able to walk). The Perkins method was used to measure the migration percentage of the femoral head. Thirty-one percent of the patients affected by the intermediate form of the disease had normal hips, 38% had unilateral or bilateral subluxation, 11% had hip dislocation. In the mild form of the disease, 50% of the patients had normal hips, 28% had unilateral or bilateral subluxation, and 22% had a hip dislocation. In the intermediate form of the disease there was a linear correlation between migration percentage and age, and between migration percentage and scoliosis. In the patients affected with the mild form of the disease who were able to walk, and in the patients affected with the intermediate form and fitted with orthoses who were able to stand, or to walk, there was no hip dislocation. Hence, walking with or without orthoses seems to be an important factor in preventing hip dislocation.
A case of retroperitoneal lymphangiomyomatosis occurring in a 34-year-old woman is reported. Alpha-smooth muscle actin and desmin were localized in the proliferating cells. Electron microscopy showed the presence of many thin perinuclear myofilaments with dense bodies. The differential diagnosis with leiomyosarcoma has been taken into consideration.
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