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Biomedical subjects

F Salaffi

Publications and source records attributed to F Salaffi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Capillary permeability in fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVE: To examine capillary permeability in fibromyalgia (FMS) we studied the nailfold capillaries of 13 unselected patients with FMS and 9 healthy controls using dynamic fluorescence videomicroscopy. METHODS: The transcapillary permeability of a 20% solution of sodium fluorescein injected into an antecubital vein was assessed by videodensitometric analysis. The pericapillary and interstitial fluorescent light intensities (FLI) were calculated at different sites on a transverse axis crossing the selected capillary. RESULTS: Fluorescence videomicroscopy revealed no abnormalities in the pattern of dye distribution around the nailfold capillaries in the patient group. Videodensitometric analysis showed a trend to an increased early transcapillary diffusion in patients with FMS, but the difference was only significant at 3 s from the first appearance of the dye (p < 0.05). From 10 s to 1 min after the dye's appearance, the mean FLI in the patients equalled that of the controls. The patients with FMS showed an earlier but lower FLI peak. Moreover, the FLI were significantly lower in the patients than in the controls from 5 to 30 min after the dye appearance in all of the sites of the densitometric analysis (p < 0.05). Thirty min after the first appearance of the dye, the FLI was reduced by more than 50% in the patient group compared to the controls. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that transcapillary permeability and the interstitial persistence of the tracer in FMS are significantly reduced compared to controls. This difference may be caused by the abnormal microvascular dynamics induced by low capillary flow and/or capillary bed hypotension.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Somatomedin C (insulin-like growth factor 1) levels decrease during acute changes of stress related hormones. Relevance for fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of stress hormones on insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). METHODS: Insulin induced hypoglycemia (< 3 mmol/l) and clonidine induced depression of noradrenergic tone were used to assess the acute effects of cortisol, human growth hormone (hGH), and norepinephrine (NE). RESULTS: Despite the increase of hGH during hypoglycemia, a statistically significant decrease of IGF-1 was observed along with the expected rise of cortisol and NE. To eliminate the role played by NE, NE tone was depressed by administering clonidine. A statistically significant decrease of IGF-1 was also observed. CONCLUSION: Acute cortisol release or a NE decrease induce low IGF-1 levels.

Clonidine↗
PubMed1993

Influence of dichloromethylene diphosphonate on reactive oxygen species production by human neutrophils.

Biphosphonates suppress bone destruction in various diseases. Several studies have demonstrated the potential use of biphosphonate in arthritis. The results of these studies indicate that the effectiveness of the biphosphonates, for inhibiting the arthritic process, is related to their antiresorptive properties. It has been shown that the generation of reactive oxygen species is associated with the formation of new osteoclasts and enhanced bone resorption. We studied the effects of the dichloromethylene diphosphonate on the reactive oxygen species production by activated polymorphonuclear leucocytes, measured by chemiluminescence. Our results indicate a dose-dependent inhibitory effect of dichloromethylene diphosphonate on reactive oxygen species production by polymorphonuclear leucocytes stimulated with N-formil-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, the calcium ionophore A23187 and phorbol myristate acetate. The mechanisms by which this biphosphonate inhibits the reactive oxygen species production by activated polymorphonuclear leucocytes are discussed.

Bone Resorption↗
PubMed1993

[The role of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis].

The destructive process seen on the cartilage and on the sub-chondral bone of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, which is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology, is in part unavoidable. The aim of the treatment is not only to reduce articular inflammation and/or to relieve pain, but also to prevent or delay articular damage and to improve quality of life of rheumatoid patients. The use of new available drugs, with a modern therapeutic approach, seems to be apt to improve considerably the outcome in rheumatoid patients.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1992

[Disability in rheumatoid arthritis: the predictive value of age and depression].

Fifty rheumatoid patients were given the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales (AIMS) in order to determine the contribution of clinical and demographic variables to the overall disability. Among the clinical variables, pain intensity and depression were carefully assessed along with the classic morning stiffness and the joint count and tenderness/Ritchie's index. Two main findings arose: age contributed on its own to the overall disability, while disease duration had no significant effects; joint count and tenderness (Ritchie's index) correlated in a highly significant manner with depression as derived from the AIMS subscale and the Zung Depression Inventory (ZDI). ZDI items were separated into a "somatic factor" and a "dysphoric factor", showing a clear-cut influence of the somatic factor on the disability score. Our results suggest that age of the patient, pain intensity and a depressive mood related to physical impairment are chief predictive factor of the overall disability in rheumatoid arthritis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[The validity and reliability of the Italian version of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

The validity and the reliability of the Italian version of AIMS (Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales) was tested in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The factorial analysis performed on tests obtained from 274 patients showed a strict similarity with the original version. The five extracted factors (upper-limb function, lower-limb function, psycho-affective dimension, social dimension and pain) explain 80% of the common variance. The internal consistency (Cronbach's alfa coefficient = 0.78) and the test-retest performance (r = 0.86) support the reliability of the Italian AIMS. The analysis of the correlations with clinical parameters (the Ritchie's and Thompson's articular indexes, the systemic Lansbury's index, the joint count, the grip strength and morning stiffness), with pain measures (VAS, MPQ, PPI) and psychometric measures (ZDI, ZAI) assessed in 143 out of 274 patients, demonstrates the concurrent validity. The results show that the Italian version of AIMS is a practical value in the management of RA patients. The construct certainly allows its application even in other common chronic diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Analysis of disability in knee osteoarthritis. Relationship with age and psychological variables but not with radiographic score.

Sixty-one women with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis were given the Italian version of Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale which showed a good construct through the factorial analysis. The disability index was then related to the body mass index, the anatomical/radiographic damage, to the severity of pain assessed either through the McGill Pain Questionnaire or a visual analog scale, and finally to the degree of anxiety and depression as obtained from the Zung depression and anxiety inventory scores. A statistically significant relationship was found between radiographic damage and body weight, while disability correlated with the degree of psychological involvement and with the age of the patients. Through the stepwise multiple regression analysis we demonstrated that the pain experience and disability scores are strongly influenced by psychological impact. Our data may have important therapeutic implications.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

[Clinico-biological aspects of myositis due to Trichinella T3 with special regard to a rheumatologic study].

One hundred and fifty patients living in Salsomaggiore Terme developed signs and symptoms of trichinellosis after eating infected horse meat. The etiological agent was identified as Trichinella T3. This large outbreak gave us the opportunity of studying the rheumatic manifestations during this kind of parasitic disease. Myositis was observed in 62% of the entire series whereas arthralgias were recorded in only 20% of the patients. The muscle pain was described in several ways, but in the majority it appeared during isokinetic movements. The scapular girdle was involved much more than the pelvic girdle. Arthralgias correlated with the degree of myositis, thus allowing us to conclude that the involvement of the muscle groups proximal to the joint clearly determined a painful sensation in the joint itself. Our histopathologic data suggest that the eosinophils may play an important role in the myositis process.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Prospective rheumatological study of muscle and joint symptoms during Trichinella nelsoni infection.

One hundred and fifty patients were assessed during an outbreak of Trichinella infection in Northern Italy. The aetiological agent was proved to be T. nelsoni. A detailed prospective rheumatological study was carried out. Myalgia was observed in 88 per cent, muscle weakness in 60 per cent, myositis in 62 per cent and arthralgia in 20 per cent of the patients. The arthralgia score was strictly related to myalgias-myositis. The degree of myositis correlated with the degree of hypereosinophilia. Muscle damage in tissue samples was often observed in areas where eosinophils were the major cell population infiltrating the tissue. No relationship was seen between IgG antibody titers against Trichinella or IgE levels and clinical manifestations. Steroids, thiabendazole or mebendazole were not administered. We observed no CNS or heart involvement nor did we see vasculitis. After six months 18 patients, with the highest degree of myositis and hypereosinophilia had all improved. None showed abnormalities in laboratory tests and only four were still complaining of muscle aches. T. nelsoni-related infection appears to induce musculoskeletal symptoms in the majority of patients, but the long term course and prognosis is favourable.

Adolescent↗