Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

F Poli

Publications and source records attributed to F Poli.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Multicenter study on hepatitis C virus infection in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. North Italy Transplant Program (NITP).

Preliminary epidemiological and histological studies from Japan suggested that hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has a role in the development of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). This multicenter study was conducted to verify this hypothesis on a large cohort of Italian patients with end-stage heart failure. Antibodies to HCV were determined in the 752 consecutive patients (608 males and 144 females; age, 53 +/- 13 years) who entered the waiting list for cardiac transplantation from 1995 to 1997 at the six cardiac surgery centers participating in the North Italy Transplant program. Three hundred and nine patients (41%) had dilated, 9 (1%) restrictive, and 4 (0.5%) hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; 284 patients (38%) had ischemic, 65 (9%) valvular, and 22 (3%) congenital heart disease; 5 patients (0.5%) had primary pulmonary hypertension; 54 patients (7%) had other or nonspecified heart disease. Overall, 41 of 752 patients (5.4%) resulted anti-HCV-reactive. Serological evidence of HCV infection was found in 12 of 309 patients with DCM (3.9%; 95% CI, 1.7-6.0), and in 29 of 443 without DCM (6.5%; 95% CI, 4.2-8.8), without statistical difference (difference of prevalence rate: 2.6%; 95% CI, -4.9 to 5.8). In conclusion, HCV does not seem to have a primary role in the pathogenesis of DCM. However, since our findings are in disagreement with those obtained in smaller series of patients of other ethnicity, large studies from different countries should be conducted.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

A nucleotide deletion in exon 4 is responsible for an HLA-A null allele (A*0105N).

We report herein the identification of a new HLA-A null allele. This allele, A*0105N, was detected during histocompatibility testing of a cord blood donor and the respective mother. Serologic typing results contrasted those obtained with DNA typing that alone showed the presence of HLA-A*01. ThisA*0105N was due to a nucleotide deletion in exon 4 that altered the reading frame, causing a premature termination.

Alleles↗
PubMed1999

[ECLA grading: a system of acne classification for every day dermatological practice].

BACKGROUND: Different acne gradings have been proposed: global grading, semi-global grading, quantitative grading and photographic grading. They are mainly used in clinical studies for the evaluation of acne treatment. However, it would be important for physicians to have an acne grade which would be useful for assessing acne lesions prior to treatment and following treatment efficacy. METHODS: Six French dermatologists developed an acne grading scaled called "ECLA" which only takes 2 minutes to fill out and specifically designed for use by dermatologist practitioners. In addition, the intra- and inter-observer reliability of the grading scale was assessed. RESULTS: This analysis demonstrated the excellent reliability of the ECLA grading scale both in terms of intra- and inter-observer variability except for the retentional factor. The cross physician reliability decreased with time specificity for the retention factor, indicating that previous training prior to a multicentric clinical study would be necessary. CONCLUSION: ECLA grading appears to be an interesting and useful tool in dermatology for the follow-up of acne patients.

Acne Vulgaris↗
PubMed1998

A retrospective evaluation of HLA-A, B and -DRB1 matching in liver transplantation.

Studies on the influence of histocompatibility in liver transplantation have not produced clearcut results. We retrospectively studied the influence of HLA-A, B and -DRB1 matching on the survival of 517 liver-transplanted patients using univariate analysis. The following parameters were also considered in relation to transplant outcome: donor and recipient age, original disease, transplant center, and pretransplant blood transfusions. Twenty-four-month graft survival according to the number of HLA-A, B, DRB1 mismatches (MM) was 70.9% (n = 28) for zero to two MM, 76.6% (n = 248) for three to four MM, and 73.1% (n = 241) for five to six MM (P = 0.7). We obtained similar results when considering HLA-A, B MM alone. Survival rates according to HLA-DRB1 MM were 71.7% (n = 36) for zero MM, 73.7% (n = 236) for one MM, and 76.4% (n = 245) for two MM (P = 0.6). The same analyses, performed on cirrhotic patients alone, gave identical results. In conclusion, this study suggests, on a large series of patients, that HLA compatibility has no influence on liver transplant survival. On the contrary, an influence on transplant outcome was found for donor age, transplant center, and original disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Comparison of serological and molecular typing for HLA-A and -B on cord blood lymphocytes.

HLA class I typing by standard microcytotoxicity testing has been unsatisfactory for 14.5% of 1644 cord blood samples. In this study, we evaluated the capacity of PCR-SSP in solving problems in HLA-A,B typing with serological methods. With this aim we have compared serology with PCR-SSP in 100 cord blood samples with doubtful or unreliable HLA-A,B typing. PCR-SSP was successful in amplifying HLA-A,B alleles in all 100 cord blood samples. Forty-six typings gave discrepant results with the 2 methods (serology and PCR-SSP). Typings were considered discrepant also in the case of inability to define a split. For 19 specimens, no serological conclusion was drawn due to high mortality of the cell suspension, while PCR-SSP allowed the definition of a clear typing. In 6 cases it was necessary to infer information from serology to define the current typing. Finally, in 3 other cases it was impossible to exclude or attribute the antigen/allele B67 or B4802. PCR-SSP for HLA-A,B can improve the overall reliability of HLA-A,B typing requiring a small amount of blood although, with the set of sequence specific primers adopted, a number of alleles are still poorly defined.

Alleles↗
PubMed1998

Cadaver kidney allocation in the north Italy transplant program on the eve of the new millennium.

The identification of parameters impacting on cadaver kidney graft outcome is of paramount importance to ensure proper organ allocation, a process that must take into account ethical, biological, social and administrative factors. This is particularly critical in countries where organ procurement is largely insufficient. In the present chapter we report the results of studies carried out to determine the impact of 17 factors on graft survival and function at 4 years posttransplant in 2,917 recipients transplanted from January 1990-September 1997 in the North Italy Transplant program (NITp). Patient and graft survival rates at 4 years (+/- SEM) were 93.5 +/- 0.5% and 81.4 +/- 0.8%, respectively. Excellent graft function at 4 years was shown by 69.8% of recipients. Younger donor age, absence of pretransplant transfusions, patient dialysis center in the NITp area and level of HLA match showed a statistically significant positive association with graft survival. Younger donor age and male donor gender showed a statistically significant association with excellent graft function at 4 years. These global outcomes were confirmed when the analysis was limited to the subset of the 2,617 adult recipients and to the subset of 1,211 cases for whom both donor and recipient HLA-DRB1 types were available before transplant. The results were used to develop a computer-assisted, refined version of the NITp adult kidney allocation algorithm that was named NITK3. A preliminary evaluation of 472 transplants allocated in 12 months with NITK3 compared with 459 transplants allocated in the preceding 12 months according to the previous algorithm (NITK2) showed a significantly higher proportion of recipients who had been on the waiting list for more than 3 years (33.1% vs 21.1%). The use of NITK3 was also associated with a significantly increased ability to transplant alloimmunized patients (17.7% vs 9.5% with NITK2) and recipients with 0-1 HLA mismatches (21.2% vs 13.5% with NITK2). Differences in 6-month graft survival rates and in the percentage of patients with excellent function at 6 months were not statistically significant in recipients transplanted with NITK3 versus NITK2. Survival rates were 96.9% and 92.4%, respectively. Percentages of patients with excellent renal function were 68.3% and 70.5%, respectively. These preliminary data suggest that NITK3 improves HLA match and reduces the number of patients on the waiting list for 3 or more years without determining significant modifications of 6-month graft survival and function. Moreover, it facilitates the achievement of a fair local balance between organs retrieved and transplanted, the compliance of operators with objective allocation rules and the documentation of the whole allocation process.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Risk of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus transmission from donor allografts among Italian posttransplant Kaposi's sarcoma patients.

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a newly discovered herpes virus found in all forms of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) including KS among immunosuppressed transplant patients. It is unknown whether this virus is transmitted by organ transplantation or is reactivated during immunosuppression among those patients infected before transplantation. To investigate the risk of KSHV transmission during organ transplantation, we conducted a case-control study of transplant recipients with and without KS matched to their respective donors. Sera were collected at time of transplantation and tested in a randomized and blinded fashion using four KSHV serologic assays testing for antibodies to both latent and lytic phase antigens. Ten (91%) of 11 organ recipients who developed KS were seropositive prior to transplantation by one or more of the assays compared with two (12%) of 17 control organ recipients (OR = 75, 95% CI = 4.7, 3500). KS cases were more likely to have been born in southern Italy where KS is endemic than the recipient controls or either donor group. Only four (36%) of 11 donors to case patients and three (18%) of 17 donors to control patients were seropositive (P = .38, two-tailed Fisher's exact test). KSHV transmission could not be ruled out for the single KS patient seronegative at transplantation and clear evidence for organ-related transmission was found for another KS patient outside of the case-control study. Antibodies to KSHV are detectable in the sera from most transplant recipients before initiation of immunosuppressive treatment suggesting that KS among immunosuppressed transplant patients is primarily due to virus reactivation. KSHV transmission, however, from an infected allograft can occur, and our study reports the first documented case of person-to-person transmission of KSHV.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Quantitative ethnopharmacological study of the Campidano Valley and Urzulei district, Sardinia, Italy.

A new method has been developed for quantitative, phytotherapeutical analysis with a goal to create a general tool suitable for a wide range of research situations. This tool would allow one to gather data in such a format as to facilitate comparison with studies from other areas. The method was applied to data gathered from two sites in Sardinia, Italy (Campidano and Urzulei). Analysis was performed on 2635 responses (a) by plant, (b) by plant part, (c) by medicinal preparation and (d) by therapeutic use. This yielded specificity indexes which proved useful in comparing phytotherapeutic applications in the two geographic areas under study. In Urzulei the original phytotherapeutic heritage is deeply rooted in the local socio-economic history and clearly reflects the area's geographic isolation. Indeed, in this area, there is little reliance on modern health care. On the other hand, in Campidano, the body of phytotherapeutic application is more extensive. Indeed, due to migration-and to a lesser extent isolation- the latter area has been more affected by technological interference and cultural overlapping. In this area attention is widely focused on such modern ailments as glycemia, hypertension and constipation.

Italy↗
PubMed1997

Comparison between the essential oils of Santolina insularis (Genn. ex Fiori) Arrigoni and Santolina corsica Jord. et Fourr. from the island of Sardinia (Italy).

A comparative study of the essential oils of Santolina insularis and Santolina corsica has been carried out. The two specimens are found in Sardinia and were indiscriminately used in traditional medicine on the island. The essential oil was extracted by steam distillation of fresh aerial parts and analysed by GC, GC-MS and GC-FTIR. The analysis of the essential oils shows substantial qualitative and quantitative differences. Some of the components identified were present in both investigated species, others were characteristic of one species only.

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry↗