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Biomedical subjects

F De Luca

Publications and source records attributed to F De Luca.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Use of electrical conductivity of amniotic fluid in the evaluation of fetal lung maturation.

The aim of this work is to evaluate, by means of an alternative method, the fetal lung maturation by means of measurement of the electrical conductivity of the amniotic fluid correlated with the phospholipid content. In vitro measurements were made in some 100 amniotic fluid samples at different gestational stages. A considerable change was observed in the electrical conductivity of the amniotic fluid in the last period of pregnancy, which reflects the increase in phospholipid concentration, when lung maturation is reached. We hope that further investigations, on wider case histories, will enable the application in vivo of the above-mentioned methodology.

Amniocentesis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

First-phase insulin response to intravenous glucose in cystic fibrosis patients with different degrees of glucose tolerance.

The aim of our study was to determine whether first-phase insulin response to intravenous (i.v.) glucose could be used as a simple and rapid test to identify cystic fibrosis (CF) patients at risk to develop diabetes mellitus. Forty consecutive CF patients with normal fasting blood glucose values but with different degrees of glucose tolerance on the standard oral glucose tolerance test (22 with normal glucose tolerance, 16 with impaired glucose tolerance, 2 with diabetes mellitus) and 12 normal subjects, matched for age and body mass index, underwent an i.v. glucose bolus to evaluate early phase insulin release. When compared to the normal subjects, CF patients had significantly reduced basal (76 +/- 50 vs 108 +/- 30 pM/l, 2 p < 0.02) and glucose stimulated insulin levels (1 + 3 min insulin = 456 +/- 275 vs 951 +/- 170 pM/l, 2 p < 0.01). Early phase insulin release, however, did not differentiate between CF patients with normal and impaired glucose tolerance; also in the two diabetic patients insulin levels did not clearly differ from those observed in the other groups of CF subjects. In conclusion, first-phase insulin response may identify an impairment of B-cell function in CF subjects; however, it does not discriminate between different degrees of glucose tolerance, as determined by the oral glucose tolerance test and, therefore, it does not reliably identify those patients who will eventually develop overt diabetes mellitus.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Adult height exceeding target height in a patient with congenital panhypopituitarism diagnosed after the age of 25 years.

This case report concerns a prepubertal patient (height 148.7 cm) with congenital anterior panhypopituitarism diagnosed at the chronological age of 25.2 years (bone age 12.5). In spite of his advanced age on initiation of hormonal replacement therapy this patient achieved an adult height (172.8 cm), exceeding those of his father and brothers, because of his markedly delayed bone age. This satisfactory height outcome confirms that final height in hypopituitarism depends on both height at onset of puberty and height with respect to bone age but not chronological age at initiation of growth hormone treatment.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Growth hormone deficient children treated from before two years old fail to catch-up completely within five years of therapy.

We retrospectively investigated growth response to therapy of 12 patients with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency (GHD), who received GH (0.6-0.7 IU/kg/week) in daily subcutaneous injections from before 2 years of age and for a period of 60 months, in order to ascertain whether very early treatment can enable GHD children to catch-up quickly and completely their initial height deficiency. The onset of therapy was followed in all patients during the 1st year by a significant growth spurt, which persisted, even though attenuated, during the following 4 years. Height deficiency for chronological age (CA) significantly and progressively decreased during the entire study period (from -3.7 +/- 1.9 to -1.0 +/- 1.0 SDS, p < 0.0025), with a cumulative height gain of 2.7 +/- 1.6 SDS. In spite of this catch-up growth no patient attained the target percentile by the 5th year of therapy and their average height (CA) was still lower with respect to the average target height (TH) at the last check-up. Because of the significant bone age (BA) delay still persisting in most patients, a further and complete catch-up growth is likely to occur during the next years of treatment, as suggested by the finding that average height (BA) at the last examination was higher than average TH. It is concluded that: a) in spite of modern therapeutical schedules with daily GH injections and frequent adjustments of doses, GHD children, even though treated from before two years of age, fail to catch-up completely their initial height deficiency, at least by the 5th year of therapy; b) a more prolonged treatment is probably needed to allow them to attain their target percentile. This emphasizes the importance of both early diagnosis and long-lasting treatment.

Body Height↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Characterization of early presentation idiopathic ovarian failure in girls and adolescents.

This study focused retrospectively on a selected cohort of 20 adolescents with early onset premature ovarian failure (POF) and no apparent underlying cause, in order to characterize the idiopathic ovarian failure at pediatric age. This characterization was based on medical history, pedigree analysis, phenotypical and audiological evaluation, final and target heights, pelvic ultrasonography, endocrine assessment, routine hematochemical analyses and complete autoimmune screening. We found that: a) idiopathic POF presented either before or after puberty onset and also with secondary amenorrhea; b) final height prognosis was impaired only in patients with prepubertal presentation of POF; c) ovarian pattern at ultrasonography and endocrine picture were similar those previously reported in patients with adult onset POF; d) clinical history and pedigree analysis, phenotypical and audiological examination and complete autoimmune screening failed to highlight the existence of any possible cause for POF in 15/20 patients; e) no alterations of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol serum levels were detected in any patient. On the basis of these results we concluded that: a) final height of the adolescents with POF may be impaired only in patients in whom POF presents as a pubertal delay; b) other parameters do not generally differ from those described by previous reports on young adults with POF, except for serum lipid levels which were normal in the present cohort.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Structural alteration of erythrocyte membrane during storage: a combined electrical conductometric and flow-cytometric study.

Alterations in the electrical passive parameters of red blood cell membranes occurring during storage have been investigated by means of two different experimental approaches, i.e., radiowave dielectric spectroscopy measurements and flow-cytometric measurements. We observed a correlation between the appearance of phosphatidylserine molecules in the outer leaflet of the cell membrane and the occurrence of a change in the electrical passive membrane parameters. The electrical re-organization of the membrane, resulting in an increase of its conductivity and permittivity after 5-7 days from blood storage, can be considered as a precursory event for the loss of asymmetry in the lipid distribution across red blood cell membrane.

Blood Specimen Collection↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Computerized prototype of a screening test for the assessment of psychomotor development in childhood].

The aim of Denver's screening test is to study the psychomotor development of normal or supposed normal children aged from 0 to 6 years and to suggest further investigation when an abnormal development is noticed. The test is divided into 4 sections: social behavior, fine motility, language, gross motility. The results are valid only if the test is done in a standardized manner. The aim of this paper is to describe the computerized prototype of the Denver test in use at the Divisional Pediatric Ambulatory of "A. Gemelli" University Policlinic in Rome. This test is used in the context of an automatized ambulatory management system called ARPIA, capable of interacting and guiding "non expert" user. The program performs the following functions: 1) General instructions for the execution and interpretation of the test. The original instructions of the test (1975 version) have been used. 2) Input, modification, exclusion of questions. The archive is organized in the following manner: questions are divided in the above four sections, according to the child, undergoing the test, age limit; the questions regarding information that can be asked directly to the parents or the display of a picture that better explains the test are marked. During the test the questions may be modified using a menu with a certain number of options to facilitate the use of the system. The questions to eliminate from the test may be appropriately marked and removed. The text is not physically deleted from the archive. The inverse operation of inclusion of a formerly removed question may be performed too.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Implementation of a computerized pharmacological database for pediatric use].

The authors present a pharmacological database to support teaching and care activity carried out in the Divisional Paediatric Ambulatory of the Catholic University of Rome. This database is included in a integrated system, ARPIA (Ambulatory and Research in Pediatric by Information Assistance), devoted to manage ambulatory paediatric data. ARPIA has been implemented by using a relational DBMS, very cheap and highly diffused on personal computers. The database specifies: active ingredient and code number related to it, clinical uses, doses, contra-indications and precautions, adverse effects, besides the possible wrapping available on the market. All this is showed on a single for that appears on the screen and allows a fast reading of the most important elements characterizing every drug. The search of the included drugs can be made on the basis of three different detailed lists: active ingredient, proprietary preparation and clinical use. It is, besides, possible to have a complete report about the drugs requested by the user. This system allows the user, without modifying the program, to interact with the included data modifying each element of the form. In the system there is also a fast consultation handbook containing for every active ingredient, the complete list of italian proprietary medicines. This system aims to give a better knowledge of the most commonly used drugs, not only limited to the paediatrician but also to the ambulatory health staff; an improvement of the therapy furthering, a more effective use of several pharmacological agents and first of all a training device not only to specialists but also to students.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Evaluation of the locomotor system during pediatric health examinations and elements of kinesitherapy].

The pediatrician, being a primary health care physician, has the task of bringing the small patient and his parents to the resolution of all those problems which are erroneously referred to a subspecialist. With this in mind, the authors believe that even common orthopedic problems must be evaluated by the pediatrician. He would decide if and when to refer the child to an orthopedic specialist. Certain problems such as congenital hip dysplasia or scoliosis require specific treatment, whereas others (tibial bowing, genu varum-valgum, flatfoot, metatarsus varus) resolve themselves over time. The authors therefore emphasize the role of the pediatrician in preventing any iatrogenic pathology due to inappropriate treatment.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Cholestatic hepatopathy in a child with congenital hypopituitarism].

The present case report concerns a male infant affected by congenital hypopituitarism presenting with neonatal hypoglycaemic attacks, microphallus and bilateral cryptorchidism. A transient cholestasis observed during the 2nd month of life and reversed by hydrocortisone treatment, is to be considered, in Authors' opinion, in the context of the endocrine syndrome, probably as consequence of the adrenal failure.

Cholestasis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Correlations between blood pressure values, familial hypertension and anthropometric parameters in a sample of 3-year-old children].

Nowadays evaluation of blood pressure in children is almost routine. In fact hypertension in adults may be preceded by high blood pressure values in childhood. In this study the authors examined systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), height, weight, ponderosity index and family history of hypertension, in 261 3-year-old children, 139 boys and 122 girls. Average values of SBP were slightly but not significantly higher in males. Coefficients of linear regression and correlation for any pair of the different parameters (SBP-DBP and weight, SBP-DBP and height, SBP-DPB and ponderosity index) were all significantly positive for males, but not for females. The most significant value (r = 0.43) was in the correlation DBP-weight. In studying the family history of hypertension all children were divided into three groups: negative (F.I.-), positive with brothers and/or parents affected (F.I. I+) and positive with other relatives affected (F.I. II+). Average SBP and DPB in the second group were higher than in the third, and much higher than in the first group. These results suggest the importance of prevention in early childhood with alimentary education and serial blood pressure measurements. The individuation of borderline values is also very important.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Persistent supraventricular tachycardia in childhood].

Persistent or chronic supraventricular tachycardia is defined as the one occurring in more than 10% of cardiac rhythm during 24 hours. It may begin at any age, persisting months or years, and frequently it is discovered occasionally because it can be asymptomatic. The persistent supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) represents 20-30% of all supraventricular tachycardias in pediatric age. The two main forms of PSVT are: atrial ectopic tachycardia, and persistent junctional reciprocating tachycardia (PJRT). The authors present 9 cases of children affected by PJRT seen from 1972 to 1985. They discuss the clinical course (mean follow up = 9.5 years), the pharmacologic treatment, the results obtained. They underline the particular resistance to conventional antiarrhythmic therapy of this form. On the other hand an antiarrhythmic treatment is recommended to avoid the risk of congestive heart failure. Nevertheless the prognosis is considered benign because in the majority of cases this type of arrhythmia disappears later on.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Congenital dysplasia of the hip. Preliminary results of a longitudinal study in the first 6 months of life].

The authors report their experience of a serial follow-up for congenital dysplasia of the hip (CDH). 699 babies born during a three-months period were examined on their first day of life, on the forth and at the age of 1 and 6 months. 2 dislocated hips, 222 clicking hips were discovered in the neonatal period. At the first month 1 dislocated hip and only 6 clicking hips were detected. At the sixth month all babies were normal with the exception of two clicking hips. X-ray examination confirmed clinical dislocation diagnosis and showed pathological signs (subluxation and acetabular dysplasia) also in normal and clicking hips. According to their results the authors suggest that clinical examination during the first 6 months of life and X-ray can decrease the incidence of late diagnosis of CDH.

Female↗