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Biomedical subjects

F Orlandi

Publications and source records attributed to F Orlandi.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Adenohypophyseal hormone levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with pituitary disease.

Measurement of adenohypophyseal hormones in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was recently proposed as an useful procedure to differentiate pituitary intra and extrasellar tumors. So far, data reported are conflicting. We measured the concentrations of GH, TSH, LH and PRL in CSF and plasma in 30 controls and in 37 patients with various pituitary diseases (18 intrasellar adenomas, 14 extrasellar adenomas and 5 empty sella syndromes). The concentrations of examined hormones in CSF were very low or undetectable in all control subjects. In most patients with pituitary tumors, adenohypophyseal hormones were found to be present in CSF, in great amounts. No significant differences were found between intra and extrasellar tumors. In agreement with recently reported data, no significant correlation was found between GH, TSH, FSH and LH levels in CSF and plasma, while a significant correlation (p less than 0.01) was obtained between CSF and plasma levels of PRL, either in all patients or in those with extrasellar tumors only. All patients bearing an empty sella had PRL detectable in CSF: in 2 cases PRL levels were very high. In conclusion our data do not confirm that measurement of adenohypophyseal hormones in CSF represents an useful screening to differentiate tumors with extrasellar extension. PRL data deserve interest in order to gain understanding of the hormone dynamics between CSF and vascular compartments.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1983

Study on the lipid composition of rat bile during choleresis induced by diethyl maleate.

Diethyl maleate (DEM) is known to produce a rapid depletion of hepatic glutathione (GSH) and to induce an immediate short-term choleresis in experimental animals. The aim of our investigation was to ascertain in rats the effect of DEM on biliary lipid composition during the increment in bile flow. Biochemical and morphological studies of liver tissue were conducted in parallel. In bile fistula rats, a doubling of bile flow occurred immediately after intraperitoneal injection of DEM (0.7 ml/kg body weight) returning to the basal level at 45 min. Choleresis diluted the total bile acid concentration, without modifying the secretion. The phospholipid concentration was not affected by DEM, resulting in increased output (p less than 0.02 vs. controls). Both cholesterol concentration and output were significantly decreased during DEM-induced choleresis. These changes were promptly reversible together with the return of bile flow to control values. Biochemical determinations failed to show a DEM-induced modification of enzymatic activities of the microsomal drug biotransformation pathway. Instead, morphological studies revealed alterations of the Golgi apparatus in hepatocytes with marked distension of the cisternae in coincidence with choleresis. The results demonstrate that the bile acid-independent choleresis induced by DEM is accompanied by an alternation in biliary lipid secretion possibly related to an interaction of the drug with the cellular or subcellular membranes of hepatocytes.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

[Methodology in gastrointestinal radiology. Suggestion for standards and preliminary results].

The Marche SIRMN group tried to set up standard of some common radiological examinations (cholecystography, single and double contrast examination of the upper gastro-intestinal tract, and single and double contrast enema). Scientific and professional reasons led to this work. Twenty-five radiologists from thirteen centers in the Marche region cooperated on it. Some differences between the plan and the real performance of the standard radiological examinations as well as between technical and methodological performance came out. Eventually preliminary and partial data about the cost of the procedures and the final diagnostic result were obtained.

Barium Sulfate↗
PubMed1981

Comparison between neomycin and lactulose in 173 patients with hepatic encephalopathy: a randomized clinical study.

A randomized study was performed in order to compare the course of hepatic encephalopathy in patients treated with neomycin plus magnesium sulfate or with lactulose. Admission criteria were: morphological diagnosis of cirrhosis and absence of comorbidity, of contraindications to drugs, or of previous treatments which could influence the outcome. The treatment groups were similar in terms of clinical characteristics, fatalities, recovery rate from grade 1 encephalopathy, and disappearance rate of neuropsychiatric signs. Transitions from severe to grade 1 or 0 encephalopathy showed a 0.17 (NS) difference in favor of neomycin. Early therapy and evidence of precipitating factors showed a favorable prognostic significance. Ascites, hyperbilirubinemia, poor nutritional state, and hypoprothrombinemia showed bad prognostic significance. This is the first large-scale investigation on hepatic encephalopathy. It demonstrated a similar effectiveness of the two drugs in grade 1 encephalopathy and provides a basis for drug selection in the current management of the syndrome.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed1981

Pituitary - adrenocortical function in patients during treatment with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril.

To study effects on pituitary-adrenocortical activity of a sustained block of angiotensin II formation, six 'drug-resistant' patients with essential hypertension were studied before and during treatment with an inhibitor of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (Captopril, SQ 14,225). The drug was given in increasing doses (100-400 mg/day) for 2 weeks whilst patients received a moderately restricted sodium intake (60-80 mmol/day). Immunoreactive ACTH, cortisol, aldosterone, plasma renin activity (PRA) and the activity of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) were measured in blood samples drawn at 0800-0900 h. Urinary excretion of cortisol and aldosterone were measured in 24-h urine collections. Further information on pituitary-adreno-cortical function was obtained by measuring serial plasma corticosteroid levels after submaximal stimulation with a synthetic ACTH preparation. ACTH and cortisol did not change an observation which does not support the hypothesis that glucocorticoid activity is influenced by a decrease in plasma angiotensin II concentrations.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1981

The lipocytes in normal human liver. A quantitative study.

A quantitative analysis of lipocytes (fat-storing cells, Ito cells) has been conducted on needle liver biopsies of 8 subjects without hepatic impairment. The mean volume density of lipocytes was 1.88 +/- 0.25% of parenchymal volume, and the number of lipocytes per 1,000 hepatocytes (Ito cell index) was 63.45 +/- 19.18. A study of the zonal distribution showed that the values were significantly higher in the centrolobular than in the periportal areas. No correlation was evident between the volume density or the number of lipocytes and the volume density of parenchymal steatosis. The high coefficients of variation resulting from the present study are evidence that quantitative data are necessary to evaluate volumetrical or numerical variations of lipocytes.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

[Effects of sulpiride isomers in the control of blood pressure in man].

The effects of d-Sulpiride (25 mg i.v.) and 1-Sulpiride (25 mg i.v.) administration in the control of arterial blood pressure (ABP) and PRL-GH secretion have been analyzed in five normal male volunteers. It was observed a quite different action on ABP, 1-Sulpiride causing a long lasting hypotension and d-Sulpiride a short-lived hypertension. The correlation between ABP, heart rate and PRL-GH levels suggests a probable central cation for 1-Sulpiride and a possible peripheral action for d-Sulpiride effects on ABP.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1980

[Stereospecificity of hypothalamo-hypophysial dopamine receptors involved in the control of prolactin secretion in normal man: effects of sulpiride stereoisomers].

The sterical requirements of dopamine (DA) receptors involved in the control of prolactin (PL) secretion have been analyzed by studying the effects of the administration of d- and l-sulpiride (25 mg i.v.) on PL serum levels in five normal male volunteers. Both d- and l-sulpiride cause a remarkable rise in PL serum levels, the only difference between the two drugs being the lower decay rate of hormone levels after the l-isomer. The results obtained are discussed in the frame of a possible low steric selectivity of DA receptors controlling PL secretion in the hyposthalamo-pituitary axis.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Rifampicin-induced elevation of serum bile acids in man.

Fasting and postprandial serum bile acid concentrations were determined by gas-liquid chromatography in 20 consecutive individuals (14 normal subjects, 6 cirrhotics) before and after administration of rifampicin in a single dose of 900 mg, using each individual as his own control. In the normal subjects the 2-hr postprandial level was 2.9 +/- 0.2 microM (mean +/- 1 SEM) prior to drug administration. Following rifampicin, it was 7.7 +/- 0.5 microM (P less than 0.0005). In the patients with liver cirrhosis the 2-hr postprandial level increased from 30.2 +/- 3.5 before, to 105.0 +/- 27.7 microM after rifampicin (P less than 0.025). Twelve hours after drug administration the levels of serum bile acids were not significantly different with respect to the control values. Total serum bilirubin also showed a transient and parallel increase. These findings are compatible with the hypothesis that rifampicin inhibits the hepatic transport of bile acids.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Effect of chenodeoxycholic acid on liver structure and function in man: a stereological and biochemical study.

Chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) is an effective treatment for dissolving gallstones but experimental studies have suggested that it might be hepatotoxic. The present study is concerned with a group of patients undergoing medical therapy for gallstones for periods of 30 days up to 14 months with CDCA (15 mg/kg/day). Routine functional tests, determination of some liver microsomal enzymes and stereological studies of the liver tissue have been performed and the data have been compared with those obtained before treatment. No significant changes were observed in the functional tests throughout the study. Also the microsomal mixed function oxidase system seemed unaffected by CDCA therapy. The histological features of the liver biopsies were not appreciably different from those observed prior to treatment. Although there were large interindividual variations, the volume density of parenchymal steatosis and of the lipocytes remained comparable in the ssme individual. The ultrastructural features noted in untreated subjects such as curled mitochondrial cristae, slight intracellular bile retention, increased surface density of the rough endoplasmic reticulum were still evident after 14 months of treatment. No additional changes were noted. These results show that no evidence of hepatotoxicity seems to develop in man under therapy with CDCA at the dose considered. But the structural abnormalities observed before treatment appear to persist even in subjects under long-term therapy.

Adolescent↗