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Biomedical subjects

F Salaffi

Publications and source records attributed to F Salaffi.

84 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship between physical impairment, psychological variables and pain in rheumatoid disability. An analysis of their relative impact.

Forty-two consecutive female rheumatoid patients were given the AIMS questionnaire in order to determine their disability. Twenty-one had a second assessment one year later. Factorial analysis showed that the Italian version fully respects the construct of the original test. In fact four main factors (the physical, psychological, social and pain dimensions) arose, explaining 44.8%, 13.6%, 11.4% and 9% of the total variance, respectively. A close relationship was demonstrated between psychological variables, namely depression, and physical impairment, as shown by the correlation coefficient matrix. In order to determine whether depression might influence the ultimate outcome twenty-one patients were separated into two subsets according to their initial depression (greater than 5, less than 5). After one year, dexterity and pain were significantly worse in those with the highest depression score. This study shows that the psychological variables, in addition to physical impairment and pain, are of utmost importance in the outcome of rheumatoid patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Long-term outcome with gold thiosulphate and tiopronin in 200 rheumatoid patients.

Two hundred rheumatoid patients were prospectively studied over a five-year period. One hundred and three received tiopronin (T) and 97 were treated with gold thiosulphate (GTS). At the end of the five-year period, similar percentages of patients dropped out because of lack of efficacy or because of major toxicities. Likewise, the percentages of patients still receiving the original drug in the two drug regimens at the 5th year of follow-up were 27.8% (GTS) vs. 25.2% (T), respectively.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Morphometric study of salivary glands in primary Sjögren's syndrome.

The relationship between structural changes of the minor salivary glands with age was evaluated by morphometric analysis in twenty patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (prim. SS) (Group I) and in twenty sex and age-matched normal subjects (Group II). No statistically significant differences were found in the acinar tissue, intralobular ducts (ILD) and fibrous tissue between the two Groups. In contrast, there was a 5-fold increase in the volume fraction of inflammatory cells in Group 1. In both Groups the percentage of fibrous tissue and ILD increases and the percentage of acinar tissue decreases linearly with age. In Group I the increase in the volume percentage of fibrous tissue and the decrease in the volume fraction of the acinar tissue were not related to the volume percentage of inflammatory cells. These results demonstrate that in prim. SS the acinar atrophy is not related to the inflammatory process but is an age-dependent phenomenon.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome in Graves' disease.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) may be associated with endocrinopathies, such as hypothyroidism and acromegaly. A direct relationship between CTS and hyperthyroidism has recently been suggested. We now report a case in which bilateral CTS developed after treatment of Graves' disease, thus, questioning the possibility of a relationship between these two disease processes.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship between areas of popliteal cysts and radiological damage in rheumatoid arthritis and in osteoarthritis.

Fifty-five patients, (30 Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and 25 Osteoarthritis (OA], with knee synovial effusion and popliteal cysts, visualized through arthrograms, were studied. A relationship was sought between radiological findings and area of the cysts, measured through a millimeter grid. Ten radiological parameters were graded and summed up to obtain a "total knee score". A "total geode score" was also obtained by scoring, separately, the geodes. In addition two specific indexes were used--for comparison--the erosive index, modified after Berens and Lin, in RA and the Kelligren's index in OA. In RA a statistically significant, inverse correlation was found between the x-ray scores and the area of the cysts, while such a relationship was not observed in OA. However, only a third of the cysts accounted for the inverse relationship in RA. Furthermore, two control groups of RA and OA patients revealed a striking association between degree of radiological damage and frequency of popliteal cysts. Therefore, the hypothesis that popliteal cysts might have a protective effect against the articular-bone damage in RA, can be held only in few cases.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Association between DR3 and thrombocytopenia due to gold or tiopronin. Case reports and review of the literature.

Two patients who developed thrombocytopenia while on Tiopronin and gold salts respectively were HLA typed. Their common haplotype was A25(10), B8, DR3. A survey of the literature showed that the association between DR3 and the sudden onset form of thrombocytopenia is striking. A genetic predisposition, besides other unknown factors, seems to play a crucial role.

Amino Acids, Sulfur↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A prospective study of the long-term efficacy and toxicity of low-dose methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the long-term efficacy and safety of weekly low-dose methotrexate (MTX) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Fifty-one patients receiving MTX for RA were prospectively studied over a mean treatment period of 36 months. Standard clinical and laboratory measures of disease activity were assessed by the same investigator at baseline, and at 3, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months. RESULTS: The overall probability of continuing to take MTX was 80.3% at 12 months, 74.5% at 24 months, and 70.5% at 36 months. Of the 36 patients who completed 36 months of therapy, a significant improvement was noted compared to baseline in all of the clinical disease variables and acute phase reactants, with a steroid-sparing effect. There were no significant differences in these parameters between the 36-month visit and the 24- or 12-month visit. Adverse events occurred frequently (80.3%), but only 15.6% of the patients discontinued MTX permanently. Four patients (7.9%) withdrew due to a lack of efficacy. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that MTX remains effective over 36 months of therapy, with an acceptable toxicity profile.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The Chronic Arthritis Systemic Index (CASI).

Ninety-four rheumatoid patients were studied through laboratory, clinical, algometric, functional and psychological parameters (29 variables in all). Using factorial analysis, four factors emerged which explained 74% of the common variance. The four factors were: the disability factor (explaining 39% of the variance); the biology factor (explaining 21%); the algology factor (explaining 8%); and the clinical factor represented by the Ritchie Articular Index (RAI) (explaining 6%). The four items were used to construct a Chronic Arthritis Systemic Index (CASI) which correlated significantly with other indices, such as the Mallya-Mace, the Thompson and the limited Lansbury indices. CASI provided to be very useful in monitoring the disease course in a short term study of 22 patients undergoing DMARD treatment. Taking into account the parameters proposed as outcome measures by several workshops, CASI can monitor both the activity and severity of chronic arthritides through simple measures.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Interferon alpha-2 (IFN alpha 2) increases lacrimal and salivary function in Sjögren's syndrome patients. Preliminary results of an open pilot trial versus OH-chloroquine.

OBJECTIVE: The effect of recombinant interferon alpha-2 (IFN alpha 2) therapy in Sjögren's syndrome (SS) was studied. METHODS: An open study was performed in which 20 SS patients were given IFN alpha 2 3.10(6) MU/3 times/week or OH-chloroquine (OH-C) 6 mg/kg/daily, for a mean period of 11 months. RESULTS: Gland assessment showed that lacrimal and salivary function improved by 67% and 61% versus 15% and 18% respectively (p < 0.01) in the patients treated with IFN alpha 2 compared to those treated with OH-C. Immunological parameters did not change over time in either group. In 3 patients a decrease in the tissue score was observed in the IFN alpha 2 group, while no changes were seen in the control group. Tolerability was acceptable. CONCLUSION: This study shows that IFN can improve tear function and dry mouth in SS, without causing significant side effects.

Antirheumatic Agents↗