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Biomedical subjects

F De Gennaro

Publications and source records attributed to F De Gennaro.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

[Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP): prevalence and characteristics in a population of 314 cirrhotic patients evaluated at hospital admission].

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and the characteristics of the infections of ascitic fluid in cirrhotic patients at the moment of hospital admission. METHODS: A total of 314 patients consecutively submitted to ascitic fluid tap within 3 days of hospital admission were studied. Each patient was classified according to Child-Plugh classes. Neoplastic ascites were excluded. The ascitic fluid was analyzed for PMN count, protein and albumin content, cultural and cytological examinations. The patients with ascitic fluid PMN > 250/ml were immediately treated with antibiotics. RESULTS: Out of 314 patients 11% had SBP (94% in class C patients according to Child-Plugh classification), 17% CNNA and 3% MNNB. 15% of SBP patients were asymptomatic. Total protein content in ascitic fluid was significantly lower in SBP and MNNB compared to CNNA and sterile ascites. 56% of the isolated bacteria was Gram-negative, and the most frequently found were Streptococcus, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus. 80% of the patients with ascites infection underwent third generation cephalosporin treatment. SBP mortality (29%) was significantly higher than CNNA (9%), MNNB (10%) and sterile ascites (11%), also taking into account the subgroup without ascites infection and class C group (14%). CONCLUSIONS: In view of the high incidence (even in the absence of invasive procedures), of the possibility of symptom free patients and of the high mortality of SBP, it is advisable to carry out routine tap in all cirrhotics with ascites at hospital admission.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies in juvenile chronic arthritis.

The prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies was evaluated in 70 children with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA), in 25 adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis, in 42 healthy children and in 40 adult controls. Thirty seven (53%) patients with JCA were positive for IgG or IgM anticardiolipin antibodies, or both, and 30 (43%) for IgG anticardiolipin antibodies. In contrast, only seven (28%) adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis presented anticardiolipin antibodies, which were of IgG class in four (16%) cases. IgG anticardiolipin antibodies were negative in all control subjects while IgM anticardiolipin antibodies were detected in two (5%) children and in four (10%) adult controls. No correlations were found in patients with JCA between the presence or titres of anticardiolipin antibodies and various clinical or laboratory variables. No patient with anticardiolipin antibodies showed any feature of the anticardiolipin syndrome.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Therapy of chronic hepatitis C with alpha-interferon in 182 patients. Evaluation of results, response predictive factors and side effects].

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the results, predictors of response and side effects of therapy with alpha-interferon (IFN) in chronic C virus (HCV) infection. METHODS: A group of 182 patients (150 chronic hepatitis and 32 cirrhosis) was treated with alpha-interferon--recombinant IFN in 120 cases (66%), and lymphoblastoid IFN in 62 cases (34%)--at a dosage of 3 MU three times weekly for 12 months. All our patients were prospectively followed for at least 6 months, and 133 patients for more than 2 years. RESULTS: A short-term positive response was achieved in 65% of our patients, a sustained response in 34%, and a long-term response in 35%, the responses being similar both for hepatitis and cirrhosis. Liver histology, after 2 years, improved in 73% of long-term responders, whereas it improved only in 34% of relapsers. The predictors of response were: age, duration of disease, baseline levels of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) and serum ferritin. Both types of IFN proved to have the same efficacy. Side effects were observed in 52% of our patients, which were correlated with age and female sex. CONCLUSIONS: Interferon therapy yields good results, if administered for 12 months, in young patients with disease of short duration and low baseline levels of GGT and serum ferritin, even in the presence of cirrhosis, if at early-stage. Patients with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels after 3 years may be considered fully recovered. The dosage employed was well tolerated.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Autoantibodies in juvenile dermatomyositis.

Fourteen patients with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) have been investigated for the presence of several serum autoantibodies: antinuclear (ANA), anti-single-stranded and double-stranded DNA, anti-histones, anti-Sm, anti-ribonucleoprotein, anti-SSA/SSB, anti-PM-1, anti-Jo-1, anti-mitochondrial, anti-smooth muscle, anti-gastric parietal cells, anti-cardiolipin (ACA) antibodies and rheumatoid factor. Patients were negative for all autoantibodies except for ANA and ACA. ANA were detected in 50% of the patients when tested on rat liver, but the percentage of positivity rose to 86% when HEp-2 cells were used as substrate. This finding suggests that HEp-2 cells represent a more sensitive substrate than rat liver for the detection of ANA in JDM. Three patients were positive for ACA; two of these presented vascular complications, thus suggesting a possible relationship between ACA and vascular involvement in JDM.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hematological abnormalities associated with anticardiolipin antibodies.

Information about anticardiolipin antibodies in different autoimmune diseases has increased rapidly in the last few years. Clinical and laboratory associations with hematologic disturbances such as recurrent thromboses, lupus anticoagulant, autoimmune thrombocytopenia and positive Coombs' test have been reported in many studies. The present paper deals with a short review on the actual clinical significance of detection and measurement of anticardiolipin antibodies, as well as their putative role in different blood disorders.

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Anti-phospholipid antibodies and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Anti-phospholipid antibodies were measured in 9 patients with active thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). 8 patients had primary TTP and one had TTP secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). No patient showed circulating 'lupus' anticoagulants or false positive tests for syphilis. A solid phase immuno-assay for anti-cardiolipin antibodies (ACA) gave negative results in the patient with secondary TTP as well as in all but one case with primary TTP. ACA of IgG class were not found in any TTP patient while they were present in 10 out of 18 patients suffering from thrombocytopenia with active SLE. These data indicate that anti-phospholipid antibodies do not have a role in the development of thrombosis and thrombocytopenia with TTP.

Adolescent↗