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Biomedical subjects

E Moro

Publications and source records attributed to E Moro.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Plasma level determination of 1,4-butanedisulphonate by ion chromatography and conductimetric detection.

A rapid, specific and reproducible liquid chromatographic method was developed for the determination of 1,4-butanedisulphonate in plasma. The method involves protein precipitation with perchloric acid, precipitation of perchlorate ions by addition of potassium carbonate followed by ion chromatography on an ion-exchange column connected with a conductimetric detector. Calibration graphs were linear over the concentration range 2.5-25 micrograms/ml; the intra-assay precision was < or equal to 3.6% and the inter-assay precision was < or equal to 5.8%. The analyte was stable in plasma and in perchloric acid at 37 degrees C for 24 h. The assay procedure was applied to monitoring plasma levels in animals receiving chronic intravenous and oral administration of the analyte.

Alkanesulfonates↗
PubMed1995

Long-term evaluation of patients with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Correlation between quantitative echocardiographic assessment of apical hypertrophy and clinical-electrocardiographic findings.

Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (AHCM) is characterized by primary hypertrophy localized exclusively in the apex of the left ventricle. Previous studies have indicated that AHCM results in a unique combination of cross-sectional echocardiographic (CSE) and ECG findings ('giant' T wave inversion and high R wave voltage in the precordial leads). The aims of this study were: (1) to assess the degree of AHCM in a quantitative fashion (2) to evaluate the possible relationship between apical hypertrophy, quantitatively determined, and ECG findings in patients with AHCM (3) to verify the changes in echocardiographic and ECG parameters over time (4) to define the relationship between the severity of AHCM and the clinical course of such patients. Eleven selected patients with AHCM were studied for an average 6 year follow-up period; there were seven men and four women (age from 18 to 62 years, mean 49). Apical hypertrophy was assessed quantitatively by determining the muscle cross-sectional area in the apical region, which was considered an index of myocardial mass. From the end-diastolic apical four chamber view, endocardial and epicardial contours were digitized in order to obtain the total muscle cross-sectional area of the left ventricle. The walls of the left ventricle were then divided into three regions (basal, intermediate, apical). The final value of each cross-sectional muscle area was obtained from the mean measurements of four independent and blinded observers. In AHCM the apical muscle cross-sectional area (AMA) ranged from 10.3 to 17.9 cm2, mean 13.2 +/- 2.6 cm2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Decrease of insulin resistance after splenectomy in a diabetic patient with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Physiopathologic evaluation].

Liver cirrhosis is characterized by an increased incidence of glucose intolerance, diabetes and insulin resistance. We report a cirrhotic man (41 years old) who developed glucose intolerance and diabetes with insulin resistance over a period of six years. This patient suffered from severe portal hypertension with oesophageal varices and a enormously increased spleen volume. The subject underwent prophylactic endoscopic sclerotherapy of oesophageal varices. Splenectomy was performed because of severe piastrinopenia with recurrent nose bleeding. During laparotomy, multiple liver biopsies confirmed diagnosis of liver cirrhosis. Intra-operatory exploration revealed a splenic vein thrombosis. For this reason the planned spleno-renal shunting was not performed and the patient was only submitted to splenectomy. Liver function improved in the month following splenectomy and concomitant decrease of insulin resistance was observed (with a reduction in daily insulin dosage from 126 to 10 I.U.). We propose the following explanations of this event: 1) A decrease of portal and pancreatic vein pressure may have induced a proportional decrease (as already reported) of glucagon secretion. 2) The ameliorated liver function may have induced an improvement of liver glucose, insulin and glucagon metabolism. 3) A reduction of insulin circulating level (proved by a decrease of C Peptide value) may have lessened the insulin receptor down-regulation.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Dynamic liver radionuclide scanning in the evaluation of liver failure and portal hypertension in cirrhotic patients.

Dynamic liver radionuclide scanning was performed in cirrhotic patients to correlate three parameters derived by this technique to the severity of liver function impairment and clinical-endoscopic signs of portal hypertension. We found a close association between the severity of liver failure (Child-Pugh criteria) and both the relative blood flow (p < 0.05) and the shape (shifting to the left) of the early flow curve (p < 0.01). A significant association between the presence of portal hypertension and shifting to the left of the flow curve was demonstrated in all cases in which tense ascites was associated with varices (p < 0.05). Finally, a statistically significant association (p < 0.05) was found between the degree of esophageal varices (Beppu's criteria) and the liver-to-spleen uptake ratio. These data suggest that dynamic isotope liver scanning could be an important tool in the diagnostic evaluation of liver function impairment and portal hypertension.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

[Hepatic angiosarcoma with splenic metastasis].

Angiosarcoma of the liver is an extremely rare tumor with a rapidly fatal course. This report describes the case of a 52-year-old male with an hepatic angiosarcoma not related to any known carcinogen. The hepatosplenic metastases and the brief clinical course, did not let us to complete diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Hemangiosarcoma↗
PubMed1992

[Subacute paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration in microcytic carcinoma of the lung. Presentation of 2 cases].

Subacute paraneoplastic cerebellous degeneration is a rare syndrome which is found in less than 1% of patients with cancer. Small cell cancer of the lung and of the ovary are the two neoplasms most frequently associated to this entity. Two patients with small cell lung cancer who initially had a cerebellous syndrome in which no sign of macroscopic cerebellous lesion could be demonstrated by either computerized tomography or nuclear magnetic resonance of the head are presented. One of the patients was evaluated at autopsy. Both patients were treated with polychemotherapy with which partial response was obtained. Neurologic symptomatology was not alleviated in the first patient with death due to bronchopneumonia at 5.5 months of initiation of the disease, while improvement of the cerebellous paraneoplastic syndrome was achieved in the second patient. The different evolution of subacute paraneoplastic cerebellous degeneration in two patients in whom antibodies were not demonstrated and in whom initial response of the tumor to chemotherapy was achieved may be explained by the second patient having undergone prolonged treatment of 6 cycles suggesting a strict relation ship between the tumor and subacute cerebellous degeneration which, to date, remains unknown.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

[Heart valve involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus: an echocardiographic study].

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the spectrum of morphologic and functional cardiac involvement in a selected population of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by means of echocardiography. Thirteen patients (2 male and 11 female) affected by SLE, mean age 41.9 years (range, 21-64), underwent M-Mode, two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography. Eleven patients had renal disease and 3 of them were undergoing dialysis. One patient had findings of active disease. Six patients had systemic hypertension. None had a history suggestive of rheumatic fever or infective endocarditis. At echocardiographic study nine patients demonstrated findings of valvular involvement. These alterations were defined, according to the echocardiographic features, in two types: vegetation (verrucous Libman-Sacks endocarditis) and thickening. Vegetations were present in 6 patients, involving the mitral valve in all six and the aortic valve in three. The mitral valve vegetations were more frequent on the subannular portion of the posterior leaflet. Seven patients had valvular thickening: involvement of both mitral and aortic valve was present in five, and isolated mitral or aortic valve lesions in the remaining two patients. Combined valvular vegetation and thickening were observed in 4 patients. Eight patients had mild valvular dysfunction on Doppler examination: five isolated mitral regurgitation, two combined mitral and aortic regurgitation and one combined mitral stenosis and regurgitation. In agreement with previous reports, our study shows that valvular involvement in SLE is relatively frequent. Echocardiography can identify additional patterns of valvular lesions different from the known "verrucous Libman-Sacks endocarditis". The degree of valvular dysfunction is not important.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[An aneurysm of the interatrial septum associated with Ebstein's anomaly: a case report].

Atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) is a known morphologic abnormality and has been largely investigated with two-dimensional echocardiography. Its association with other congenital or acquired diseases has also been described. However, the presence of ASA and concomitant Ebstein's anomaly in the same patient is a very unexpected finding in an adult subject. We therefore present the case of a young asymptomatic woman with this association.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The dispositional enantioselectivity of indobufen in rat and mouse.

The plasma pharmacokinetics and urinary elimination of the enantiomers of indobufen, a novel platelet aggregation inhibitor, have been studied in rats and mice given either the racemic compound or the individual enantiomers (rat 8 mg/kg racemate, 4 mg/kg enantiomers; mouse 25 mg/kg racemate, 12.5 mg/kg enantiomers). Enantiospecific analysis of indobufen in plasma and urine was achieved by HPLC of its L-leucinamide diastereoisomers. In rat, the two enantiomers have very different plasma elimination half lives (S, 3.9 hr; R, 12.2 hr), irrespective of the optical form administered. The plasma concentration-time curves of S-indobufen were identical after racemic or S-indobufen, but the plasma levels of R-indobufen were lower after the R-enantiomer than after the racemate. Urinary recovery of free and conjugated indobufen was less than 3% of the dose, independent of the optical form administered. In the mouse, R-indobufen was cleared from plasma more rapidly than its S-antipode (elimination T1/2 R, 2.5 hr; S, 3.8 hr) but differences were smaller than those seen in the rat. The plasma concentration-time curves of the S-enantiomer were the same after racemic or S-indobufen, but levels of its R-antipode were much lower when it was given alone than after administration of the racemate. The urinary recovery of free and conjugated indobufen also exhibited enantioselectivity, with preferential elimination of the S-enantiomer.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Autoinduction of rifabutin metabolism in man.

1. The pharmacokinetics of the antimycobacterial agent rifabutin were studied in healthy volunteers, following single (450 mg) and repeated (450 mg once daily for 10 days) oral administration. 2. After repeated administration, induction of metabolism was indicated by lower AUC and Cmin values, compared to the corresponding theoretical values. The elimination half-life was unchanged after repeated administration. 3. Induction of presystemic extrahepatic metabolism, which seems to be important in the availability of rifabutin, should be mainly responsible for the decrease in the AUC observed, while induced systemic clearance (if any) should be of minor importance. 4. Induction of presystemic extrahepatic metabolism after repeated administration has also been reported for rifampicin, an antibiotic agent with hepatic enzyme-inducing properties, which has a structure similar to rifabutin but a different pharmacokinetic profile.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Demonstration of right intracavitary thrombosis in cerebral thromboembolism].

We report the case of a 75 year-old woman affected by cerebral thromboembolism associated with echocardiographic detection of sessile mass in the right atrium, which presented atrial septal discontinuity. The polypous and frayed aspect of the mass and its echogenic features were consistent with floating thromboembolus and enabled it to be distinguished from other masses. Moreover, the pattern of dynamical connection with atrial septal drop-out supported the diagnosis of paradoxical embolism.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

[Aneurysm of the thoracic aorta as a cause of heart failure. Description of a case].

The Authors describe the case of a 81 year old patient admitted to their department for cardiac failure. The patient was submitted to chest x-ray, bidimensional and Doppler echocardiography and computerized tomography. These exams identified the presence of an enormous aneurysm of thoracic and abdominal aorta. Intraluminal thrombus was present. The aneurysm compressed the left atrium and obstructed diastolic filling of left ventricle. Because of the poor conditions of the patient, surgery was not taken in account.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

[Micro-Ebstein. Presentation of 3 cases and analysis of the literature].

The authors describe three cases of micro-Ebstein diagnosed using 2D-echocardiography in patients affected by extrasystolic cardiopalm. The most important echocardiographic criterion for diagnosis was an apical displacement of the septal cusp of the tricuspid valve of at least 8 mm/m2 BA. It is generally reported that the severity of arrhythmias is independent of the degree of tricuspid malformation. The anatomical substrates of arrhythmias are persistent anomalous muscular by-passes between the atrium and the ventricles, and intrinsic anomaly of the right ventricular myocardium. For these reasons, it is necessary to follow-up patients and monitor arrhythmias using Holter-ECG. Echocardiography is now recognised as being the most important tool for the identification of this anomaly.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Color Doppler identification of early diastolic turbulence in the left atrium in patients with mitral valve insufficiency: persistence of regurgitation or inertia phenomenon?].

Color Doppler flow mapping represents the most recent non invasive diagnostic tool for the visualization of intracardiac blood flow. By using the color Doppler flow mapping technique, two independent observers identified the persistence of turbulence in early diastole inside the left atrium in a selected group of 8 patients (3 F and 5 M) with mitral insufficiency. All the patients had moderate or severe mitral insufficiency, due to dilated cardiomyopathy and/or ischemic cardiomyopathy and/or valvular disease. The persistence of early diastolic turbulence inside the left atrium was documented and confirmed by using 30 degrees color sector images, which show the highest possible frame rate. The frame by frame analysis facilitated the identification of two simultaneous flow velocities during early diastole, after the mitral valve was open. The first flow was anterograde and was coded as a red signal; it flowed from the mitral valve into the left ventricle and represented early diastolic left ventricular filling. The second flow was retrograde, and was coded as a blue mosaic signal, due to turbulent aliased jet, extending from the mitral valve into the left atrium, away from the transducer. The interpretation of these two dimensional color Doppler findings is uncertain. We believe, however, that these turbulent velocity signals which persist in early diastole and flow from the mitral valve into the left atrium are probably caused by inertial blood flow due to the impact of regurgitant mitral jets during the previous systole.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Bacterial endocarditis in pregnancy. Description of 2 cases and review of the literature].

Bacterial endocarditis in pregnancy is uncommon. We described two cases: the first case of endocarditis, caused by staphylococcus epidermidis (at the 35th week of pregnancy) was complicated by severe aortic valvular insufficiency; the second case, endocarditis caused by streptococcus alpha hemolytic (at the 32nd week of pregnancy) was complicated by severe mitral valvular insufficiency associated with multiple systemic emboli. Therapy consisted, in the first case of partum-induction followed by antibiotic therapy; in the second case it consisted of specific antibiotic therapy followed by gestation. There was no maternal or fetal mortality in the two cases.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Determination of the enantiomeric composition of salsolinol in biological samples by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

The enantiomers of salsolinol were completely separated as diastereoisomeric derivatives, after reaction with S-1-(1-naphthyl)ethyl isothiocyanate, by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and quantified by electrochemical detection. Good calibration curves were obtained for the quantification and determination of the enantiomeric composition of salsolinol in human urine. The sensitivity and specificity to the assay also permit the determination of the enantiomeric composition of salsolinol in food such as dried bananas and chocolate.

Cacao↗