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Biomedical subjects

F De Luca

Publications and source records attributed to F De Luca.

243 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Hyperthyroidism in childhood].

Pathogenesis of Graves' disease, the most frequent cause of infantile hyperthyroidism, is not definitely clarified. The role of thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins as the cause of hyperthyroidism, goiter and exophthalmos in Graves' disease is analytically considered. Genetic factors are also discussed. The Authors report some personal clinical observations emphasizing the polymorphic clinical course of the infantile Graves' disease. The diagnostic procedures and the therapeutical management are successively analyzed. Pathogenesis and clinical picture of neonatal thyrotoxicosis and Plummer's disease, two not frequent conditions, are finally examined.

Adenoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Celiac disease and short stature].

The Authors analyze the prevalence (30,8%) of short stature in 39 coeliac patients at variable age. Height defect was especially remarkable in the subjects diagnosed after the fourth year of life. In 8 out of the studied coeliac patients, short stature was the only clinical sign at the time of diagnosis. Nevertheless, remote anamnesis revealed the existence of classical gastroenteric symptoms during the first 2 years of life. The Authors extensively report the clinical history of a coeliac girl who had been initially considered and treated as hypothyroid.

Body Height↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Patency of ductus arteriosus in the premature newborn infant: diagnosis, complications, treatment].

The authors consider the problem of patency of ductus arteriosus (P.D.A.) in pre-term infants. On the basis of their own experience and reviewing international literature they discuss about mechanisms maintaining open ductus, incidence, methods of diagnosis, clinical findings and indomethacin therapy. Finally current indications for indomethacin use are discussed.

Contrast Media↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Anti-gastric antibodies and gastritis in insulin-dependent diabetes in children].

BACKGROUND: Adult patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus frequently also show gastric disturbances. Knowledge of the prevalence of such abnormalities in children with insulin-dependent diabetes and the predictive value of anti-gastric parietal cell antibodies in blood may be of practical importance. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 68 patients (29 boys and 39 girls), aged from 5 yr 2 mo to 19 yr 10 mo, and treated for insulin-dependent diabetes from 1 mo to 14 yr 6 mo, were included in the study. Fasting blood concentrations of gastrin (G), pepsinogen (PG1), anti-gastric parietal cell antibodies (PCA) were measured. Fiberoptic endoscopy and biopsy of the gastroduodenal mucosa were performed in PCA+ patients and biopsy samples were examined for Helicobacter pylori (HP). RESULTS: 12 patients were PCA+; 3 of them had blood gastrin levels above 104 pg/ml and 4 had blood pepsinogen levels 24 ng/ml. Histologically, 3 patients had chronic diffuse gastritis (2 were HP+); 2 had chronic gastritis restricted to the antro-pyloric area (both were HP+); 3 had follicular lymphoid hyperplasia (without HP) and 4 had normal mucosa (without HP). CONCLUSION: The presence of PCA can predict the risk of chronic gastritis, possibly auto-immune in origin, in children with insulin-dependent diabetes.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The role of ultrasonography in the diagnosis and staging of gastroenteric lymphoma].

Ultrasonography (US) plays an important role in the diagnosis, staging and follow-up of gastrointestinal lymphomas particularly when associated with complementary techniques such as echo-guided biopsy and endoscopic ultrasonography. Besides the well-known ultrasonographic "pseudo-kidney" image as sign of gastrointestinal pathology, the "spoke wheel" image is suggestive of gastroenteric lymphoma. This lesion is due to the lymphomatous infiltration of intestinal wall that looks ipoechoic compared to the iperechoic lumen. An early abdominal US study performed after clinical suspicion, should allow a presumptive identification of the enteric tract involved on the basis of the relationship between the "pseudokidney" image and the other abdominal organs. US study of the abdomen may be useful also to demonstrate enlarged retroperitoneal or visceral lymph nodes both in primary gastroenteric or systemic lymphomas. Fine needle biopsy (FNB) of deep lymph nodes is mandatory when superficial enlarged lymph nodes are not found showing a specificity and sensitivity of 100% and 66% respectively. The typical image of gastric wall on endoscopic US is constituted of five layers; the second one represents the lamina propria with the lymphatic tissue. The thickness increase of this layer suggest the diagnosis of gastric lymphoma. Therefore the endoscopic US examination is particularly important when the endoscopic features and the endoscopic biopsies are negative. Finally endoscopic US may be used to guide FNB of gastrointestinal tract lesions.

Gastrointestinal Neoplasms↗