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Biomedical subjects

F Lombardo

Publications and source records attributed to F Lombardo.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Effects of prolonged autovehicle driving on male reproduction function: a study among taxi drivers.

This study had the purpose of exploring the possible association between the work exposures of professional drivers and their reproductive health, by studying a group of 201 taxi drivers in the city of Rome. Data on work and reproductive history were collected by interviews. Biological markers examined in 72 subjects included salivary testosterone levels, sperm quality (i.e., sperm concentration, sperm morphology, and motility), and fertility experience, including time to pregnancy. Their spermatologic profile was compared with that of a control group of 50 healthy subjects of similar age and smoking habits. The results showed that taxi drivers, compared to the controls, had a significantly lower prevalence of normal sperm forms (45.8% vs. 64.0%); this was particularly true for those with a longer time on this job. This result was confirmed by a multivariate analysis in which confounders such as age, smoking, and alcohol consumption were controlled. The other sperm parameters did not differ in the study and the control groups. Among the life-style factors, we found smoking to be associated with poorer sperm morphology. Moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a better seminologic profile, while the pattern in respect to coffee intake was inconclusive. Subjects with poor semen quality also more frequently exhibited longer time to pregnancy of their partner. The results suggest that prolonged urban automobile driving might be a risk factors for sperm quality, and particularly for sperm morphology, but the finding needs further confirmation.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

T-lymphocyte immunointerferon receptors in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), associated with an altered immunoregulation. Interferon (IFN)-gamma, also known as immune IFN, is a cytokine with several effects on the immune system. Specific IFN-gamma receptors have been found on human lymphocytes, as well as on other cell types (e.g. gliocytes), even in the CNS. The aim of the present study was to evaluate IFN-gamma binding on peripheral blood T-lymphocytes from MS patients, compared with those from healthy subjects. Thirty-two patients were selected according to the classical criteria for definite MS; as controls, 21 healthy subjects were studied. We have found that T-lymphocytes from MS patients bear a significantly smaller amount of IFN-gamma receptors than those from controls [Bmax: 568, 18 vs 708, 14 (mean, SE) receptors/ cell]. Such IFN-gamma binding sites are of the same type in patients and healthy subjects [Kd: 1.0, 0.05 vs 0.9, 0.02 (mean, SE) nM]. These findings are discussed in terms of immunopathogenesis of MS, since it has been reported that activated T-lymphocytes have decreased amounts of IFN-gamma receptors.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Bilateral hairy polyp of the oropharynx.

Hairy polyp of the nasopharynx is an unusual but well-recognized entity, generally presenting as a single mass at birth or in the first year of life. We describe the clinico-pathological features of a previously unreported bilateral hairy polyp in an adult and briefly discuss the pathogenesis of this condition.

Female↗
PubMed1996

Metabolic and clinical events preceding diabetes mellitus onset in cystic fibrosis.

Serial assessments of glucose tolerance, of glucose and insulin areas during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and of clinical parameters as well were evaluated retrospectively in seven diabetic cystic fibrosis patients (study group) during the 4-6.3 years that preceded diabetes mellitus diagnosis. The same metabolic and clinical parameters were also evaluated in seven age-matched patients who did not develop diabetes during a similar observation period (control group). In the study group, glucose tolerance was impaired in all patients but one since the first OGTT and glucose areas progressively increased over time, whereas in the control group glucose tolerance remained stable during the whole observation period. A significant and progressive blunting of insulin secretion occurred over time in both groups. Insulin secretion, however, was reduced but not exhausted at diabetes diagnosis. Neither modification of glycosylated haemoglobin levels over time nor serum islet cell antibodies at diabetes onset were observed in the study group. The overall clinical course of the disease was not different in either group and remained stable during the observation period. These results indicate that in cystic fibrosis diabetes mellitus onset is preceded by a long-standing deterioration of glucose tolerance, whilst insulin secretion progressively declines over time, irrespectively of glucose tolerance status. The prediabetic worsening of glucose tolerance is not necessarily linked to a worsening of overall clinical status.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Recurrent acute pancreatitis: an additional manifestation of the "wandering spleen" syndrome".

A case of "wandering spleen" associated with recurrent pancreatitis and diagnosed with computed tomography (CT), is reported. The entity was also associated with a rotated, distended stomach, gastric outlet obstruction secondary to extrinsic compression of the duodenum, and partial small bowel obstruction secondary to extrinsic compression of a mobile, distended cecum that lay under the right diaphragm.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1996

Lymphocyte subsets in multiple sclerosis. A study with two-colour fluorescence analysis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is postulated to be an immunopathologically mediated disease. This concept is supported by the finding of abnormally distributed peripheral blood T-cell subsets and a decreased T-suppressor function. Thirty-seven MS patients have been selected according to the criteria for definite MS. Fluorescein- or phycoerythrin-conjugated monoclonal antibodies have been used to define different lymphocyte subsets: CD4+, CD5+, CD8+, CD19+, CD38+, CD45RA+, CD4+CD45RA+, CD19+CD5+, CD8+CD38+. In relapsing-remitting (RR)-MS patients a significantly decreased percentage of CD19+ cells and in progressive MS patients a significantly increased percentage of CD19+CD5+ cells have been found. During a relapse in RR-MS, a significantly decreased percentage of CD4+CD45RA+ cells and a significantly increased percentage of CD8+CD38+ cells have been observed. Moreover, in RR-MS patients a significantly increased percentage of CD38+ cells and significantly high IgM amounts have been found. The increased percentage of CD19+CD5+ and CD38+ cells (together with high IgM levels) and the reduced percentage of CD4+CD45RA+ lymphocytes could be related to an activation of both cellular and humoral immune response in acute MS.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Final height outcome of growth hormone-deficient patients treated since less than five years of age.

Thirteen growth hormone deficient infants underwent substitutive treatment for a least 9 years, since less than 5 years of age until adulthood. They presented with average growth failure reaching 4.1 SDS and attained an adult mean height close to target height. In eight subjects final height exceeded the respective target height and only three patients failed to achieve an end height within the target range. The analysis of the factors conditioning ultimate stature pointed out that height outcome correlated negatively with chronological age at therapy initiation and positively with height at puberty onset. It is concluded that full catch-up growth to target percentile is possible in growth hormone-deficient children, provided that substitutive treatment is begun within the 5 years of life. This conclusion is substantiated for the first time by data on end stature.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Black pigment gallstones with cholesterol gallstones in the same gallbladder. 13 cases in a surgical series of 1226 patients with gallbladder stones.

We studied 1312 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for gallstones in the biliary tract at one university hospital in Siena, Italy, with a systematic classification of gallstones found within the gallbladder. Of these patients, 1226 were found to have gallbladder stones; 94 of these had black pigment gallstones. Of these, 13 patients were found to have black pigment gallstones and cholesterol gallstones within their gallbladder. They all had multiple black pigment gallstones, usually very small (all < 6 mm diameter), in association with larger cholesterol stones in the gallbladder lumen. The cholesterol gallstones were single in seven cases, double in two cases, and multiple in four cases. All 13 of these patients with black pigment stones in association with cholesterol stones had histologic evidence of either adenomyomatosis or Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses in the gallbladder wall. In nine of the 13 patients, the black pigment stones were located both in the gallbladder lumen and in close association with the gallbladder wall (in areas of adenomyomatosis or in Rokitanski-Aschoff sinuses). In the other four patients, the stones were found in close association with the gallbladder wall alone and not freely mobile within the gallbladder lumen. It is concluded that cholesterol stones and black pigment stones may be found in the same gallbladder. This association is infrequent with an incidence of 13 of 1226 (1.06%) in our series. There appears to be some relationship between the formation of the black pigment stones and the presence of adenomyomatosis or Rokitanski-Aschoff sinuses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenomyoma↗
PubMed1995

Study of antisperm antibodies bound to the sperm cell surface and their relationship to circulating ASA.

PROBLEM: Direct and indirect tests for antisperm antibody (ASA) detection are commonly used in laboratories for the diagnosis of male immunological infertility. Even though the two kinds of tests study the same immunological phenomena, frequently no perfect correlation is found even on large series of patients and with precise statistical models. The aim of the present investigation was to try to establish whether biological models can explain the antibody test results and if a predictive threshold can be established for expected positivity/negativity. METHOD: The data relate to 667 patients, who were screened using the Direct Immunobead test (d-IBT) for ASA bound to the sperm surface and with the gelatin and tray agglutination test (GAT and TAT) in sera for circulating ASA. Correlation were studied and cases of no correlation were further analyzed. RESULTS: The number of patients with a clinically significant positivity to d-IBT (binding percentage > or = 20%) was 134 (20.1% of total patients). The analysis of the results of direct and indirect tests shows that the discordances are due to differences in the Ig class of immunization or to the site of epitopes involved. In fact, as far the Ig class is concerned, if d-IBT shows a prevalent or exclusive IgG or IgA positivity, this results in a poor correlation between binding percentage to d-IBT and GAT-TAT titers. If both the Ig classes are involved, the level of positivity of the two kinds of test are strictly related. As far as the site of Ag-Ab reaction on the sperm surface is concerned, the wide immunization involving all the surface sperm antigens (mixed), shown by d-IBT, is related to higher indirect test titers. CONCLUSION: Local and systemic antisperm immunizations are strictly related and a predictive threshold of expectation can be established to explain even apparently discordant direct and indirect results.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1994

Glutathione treatment of dyspermia: effect on the lipoperoxidation process.

We recently introduced reduced glutathione into the therapeutic protocols in some selected cases of dyspermia. This therapy improved semen quality both in a pilot follow-up study and in a double-blind cross-over trial. This improvement was seen in patients with varicocele and germ-free genital tract inflammation, two pathologies in which production of reactive oxygen species or other toxic compounds could have a pathogenic role. Polyunsaturated fatty acids of phospholipids play a major role in membrane constitution and function and are one of the main targets of the lipoperoxidative process. Therefore, to understand the therapeutic action of reduced glutathione, we selected infertile patients and studied the modifications produced by the therapy in seminal parameters, biochemical sperm membrane parameters, and the pattern of fatty acids of phospholipids from blood serum and red blood cell membranes (a model widely accepted as representative of general cell membrane status). The results showed an improvement in both sperm parameters and cell membrane characteristics. This study suggests that biochemical modifications in membrane constitution could explain the seminal results of glutathione therapy. On the other hand, it seems likely that only subjects with systemic membrane disturbances associated with andrological pathologies express this membrane damage in spermatozoa, resulting in dyspermia. This sperm alteration can be partially reversed by glutathione therapy if the structural cell membrane damage is not too severe.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

No changes of insulin sensitivity in cystic fibrosis patients with different degrees of glucose tolerance: an epidemiological and longitudinal study.

Plasma glucose and insulin responses to oral glucose and insulin sensitivity by the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp technique were investigated in 30 cystic fibrosis patients with normal fasting blood glucose levels and normal (N = 12), impaired (N = 12) or diabetic (N = 6) glucose tolerance, and in 12 control subjects. In a subgroup of 10 cystic fibrosis patients with non-diabetic glucose tolerance both oral glucose tolerance test and clamp were performed again 48-52 months later. Following oral glucose, glycemic responses were higher in cystic fibrosis patients than in controls, whereas insulin responses were reduced significantly only in the patients with diabetic glucose tolerance. Insulin sensitivity did not differ significantly in the patient subgroups with different degrees of glucose tolerance and in controls. In the 10 patients who underwent a 4-year follow-up, insulin responses to oral glucose decreased significantly, whilst insulin sensitivity did not change substantially. Insulin sensitivity persisted unmodified even in the patients with deteriorating glucose tolerance. No correlation were observed between metabolic data and clinical status of patients. In conclusion, in cystic fibrosis subjects with fasting euglycemia and different degrees of glucose tolerance: (i) insulin sensitivity is not impaired; (ii) eventually changes of glucose tolerance over time are not associated with modifications of insulin sensitivity; (iii) insulin secretion deteriorates over time even in the patients with stable glucose tolerance; (iv) eventual deterioration of both glucose tolerance and insulin secretion is not linked to a worsening of either nutritional or clinical parameters.

Administration, Oral↗