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Biomedical subjects

F Grimaldi

Publications and source records attributed to F Grimaldi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

One course versus two courses of recombinant alpha interferon in chronic C hepatitis.

Fifty-five patients with antibodies to HCV and chronic liver disease have been enrolled in the study. Thirty-four patients were treated with recombinant alpha interferon (IFN, 3 MU daily for 10 days followed by 3 MU twice/week for 3 months), and were compared to 21 untreated controls. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization was observed in a significant proportion of treated patients (52.9%), but 66.6% of them experienced a relapse after discontinuation of the therapy. The evaluation of the early ALT behavior after the 10 days priming with daily IFN administration was useful in predicting the response. The administration of a second IFN course with the same schedule and duration as the first course did not increase the efficacy of the treatment. Increased dosage and/or prolonged administration are probably required.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Idiopathic anterior hypopituitarism: magnetic resonance imaging and clinical correlation.

We describe the anatomical abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary region revealed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 10 patients, 8 men and 2 women, affected by idiopathic anterior hypopituitarism (IAH). In all cases contiguous sagittal and coronal T-1 weighted images were obtained. In 9 patients the high-intensity posterior lobe was missing, in almost all patients the pituitary stalk was thin and/or transected, and in 8 a bright T-1 nodule was detected at the infundibular apex, near the tuber cinereum, in the median eminence. None had diabetes insipidus. MRI proves to be very useful in understanding the etiopathogenesis of IAH.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Pancreatic necrosis. Correlations of traditional radiology of the colon and CT].

Pancreatic necrosis is a possible complication of acute pancreatitis. It is characterized by diffuse inflammation associated with exudation or leakage of pancreatic juice with its proteolytic enzymes into the peripancreatic tissues. Colonic complications of acute pancreatitis are uncommon events. The main purpose of our study was to correlate radiological findings of pancreatic necrosis as observed during barium enema to CT patterns. A retrospective study was therefore carried out on 40 patients affected with acute pancreatitis with local and systemic complications. The analysis of the results allowed different patterns to be observed, with the two techniques, in the acute and in the chronic phases. In the acute phase, barium enema of the colon showed inflammatory extrinsic processes involving the wall, with a typical localization related to the spread of pancreatic enzymes along mesenteric pathways, as described by Meyers. CT allowed a thorough evaluation of both the pathologic process and its spatial balance. In the chronic phase, barium enema showed fibrotic strictures and fistulas. CT demonstrated pseudocystic masses and irregular focal areas of decreased attenuation or irregular pancreatic margins. This correlation shows how an extrinsic inflammatory involvement of the colon with a characteristic topography may help make a diagnosis and plan therapy.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1991

[Peritoneal carcinosis].

Abdominal CT yields several pieces of information for the diagnosis of secondary neoplastic involvement of the peritoneum (peritoneal carcinosis). Peritoneal carcinosis may be the first clinical sign of an occult primary tumor. CT scans of 120 patients with peritoneal carcinosis confirmed by pre/peri-operative biopsy or at autopsy, were retrospectively reviewed. The CT patterns of peritoneal carcinosis were detected in 20 of 44 patients with an occult malignancy. In 16 of 76 cases with a known malignancy there was no evidence of secondary peritoneal involvement. The incidence of CT findings and their correlation with the primary tumor are critically discussed. The authors have assessed the utility of CT in detecting peritoneal carcinosis, even though in their experience CT findings of secondary neoplastic peritoneal involvement could not be correlated with primary tumor.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Computed tomography in ascites].

Ascites can be found in a variety of diseases and may represent either a late complication or the clinical sign of a pathologic condition. The presence of even small fluid collections in peritoneal recess can be easily detected by CT. A number of reports confirm CT prediction of the benign/malignant nature of ascites. The CT scans of 100 patients affected with histologically confirmed ascites were reviewed to evaluate CT contribution to the assessment of the benign/malignant nature of ascites. On the basis of our results, it can be concluded that the only highly predictive CT finding of malignant ascites is the presence of a coexisting mass. Other findings do not allow the two types of collections to be discriminated.

Ascites↗
PubMed1986

[Low T4 syndrome in alcoholism: role of the decrease in TBG].

Controversial data concerning thyroid function in chronic alcoholics prompted us to evaluate some aspects of thyroxine transport and metabolism in these patients. We studied 45 patients with a history of alcohol consumption of at least 160 g a day for 10 years or more. Only patients without clinical and histopathological evidence of chronic liver disease have been included in the study. All patients were clinically euthyroid and there was no history of thyroid disease. Serum thyroxine (T4), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) were measured by radioimmunoassay methods within 48 hours of admission and after 30 day of alcohol abstinence. At admission the mean values of T4 and TBG in alcoholics were significantly reduced when compared to those of healthy controls (6.8 +/- 1.4 vs 8.4 +/- 1.2 micrograms/dl; p less than 0.01 and 17.5 +/- 3.2 vs 20.5 +/- 1.2 micrograms/ml; p less than 0.01). Contrarily FT4 levels did not differ significantly between the groups (9.8 +/- 1.6 vs 10.8 +/- pg/ml). A close relationship between T4 and TBG (r = 0.684; p less than 0.0001) demonstrated that the decrease of T4 in alcoholics depended on a decrease in circulating TBG. We could not find any correlation between TBG and serum albumin, gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and mean corpuscular volume. Indeed there was a strong relationship between TBG and mean daily alcoholic intake (r = 0.712; p less than 0.0001). T4 and TBG increase rapidly during withdrawal and after 30 days of abstinence their values did not differ significantly from those of healthy controls. In conclusion these data provide evidence that alcohol abuse causes a decrease in T4 which depends on a decrease in circulation TBG and is not associated with a reduction of FT4. Such "low TBG syndrome" seems to be due more probably to a primary effect of alcoholic on TBG synthesis that to the liver injury secondary to the alcohol abuse.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Determination of metapramine, imipramine, trimipramine and their major metabolites in plasma by reversed-phase column liquid chromatography.

The determination of metapramine, imipramine, trimipramine and their desmethyl metabolites after alkaline diethyl ether extraction from plasma is achieved by column liquid chromatography using two internal standards and mu Bondapak C18 column. Elution is carried out isocratically at 1 or 0.6 ml min-1 with two mixtures of acetonitrile-potassium dihydrogen phosphate-distilled water (45:55:10 for metapramine and its metabolites; 45:50:5 for imipramine, trimipramine and their metabolites). Detection is monitored by absorption at 254 nm. The detection limit is less than 5 ng ml-1 for each compound. The coefficients of variation (within-day and day-to-day) for the eight compounds are less than 11.3%. Interference from several possible co-medications is discussed. The technique can be used for routine therapeutic monitoring of the antidepressants as well as analytical toxicology. However, the three antidepressants cannot be analysed simultaneously by this method because metapramine requires a different elution system and imipramine interferes with monodesmethyltrimipramine (retention times 8.90 and 8.60 min, respectively).

Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic↗
PubMed1985

Reversible tubular dysfunction in alcohol abuse.

The discovery of an unexplained alkaline urine pH in a significant percentage of chronic alcoholic patients prompted us to evaluate some aspects of their tubular function. We studied 60 patients with a history of alcohol consumption of at least 160g daily for 10 years or more. Only patients without clinical and histopathological evidence of chronic liver disease were included in the study. The endogenous creatinine clearance was in the normal range in all patients. On the first day of hospitalisation 22 patients (36.6%) had a urine pH greater than 6.4 and a daily bicarbonate excretion ranging from 5.8 to 25.9mmol. The fractional urinary excretion of beta 2-microglobulin, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphorus and uric acid were significantly increased compared with those of 38 alcoholic patients with urine pH less than 6.4 and those of 50 healthy controls. All these indices of tubular function improved during withdrawal, and after 30 days of abstinence their values did not differ from those of controls. This data provides evidence that in one-third of heavy drinkers alcohol abuse causes a complex tubular dysfunction which, at least in this stage of alcoholic disease, recovers with abstinence.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

[Air pollution by cadmium in Marseille (author's transl)].

The control of the air pollution by cadmium in Marseille was realized between July 1st 1977 and June 30 1979 by determining the metal in the air dust by atomic absorption spectrophotometry without flame. The samples were taken on eight different stations located in the urban-center and in the suburbs. The atmospheric levels of cadmium in Marseille are low but a note-worthy increase was noticed from september 1978. A principal components analysis of the data compared with these obtained with other atmospheric pollutants, revealed the particular characteristic of cadmium in Marseille, which seems to be bound neither with the pollutants issued from motor vehicles, nor with zinc of which it is yet an impurity. However vigilance is indispensable against the environmental contamination by cadmium in consideration of its potential risks for the health.

Air Pollution↗