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Biomedical subjects

G Bernini

Publications and source records attributed to G Bernini.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Menopause is associated with endothelial dysfunction in women.

To evaluate the effect of endogenous estrogens on endothelial function in humans, we examined whether menopause is associated with impairment in endothelium-dependent vasodilation in normotensive and essential hypertensive women. In 73 normotensive subjects (37 women, 36 men) and 73 hypertensive patients (36 women, 37 men), we studied endothelial function by measuring forearm blood flow modifications (strain-gauge plethysmography) induced by intrabrachial acetylcholine (0.15, 0.45, 1.5, 4.5, and 15 micrograms/100 mL per minute), an endothelium-dependent vasodilator, and sodium nitroprusside (1,2, and 4 micrograms/100 mL per minute), an endothelium-independent vasodilator. Women younger than 45 years had normal menstrual cycles. In essential hypertensive patients, responses to acetylcholine but not to sodium nitroprusside were significantly (P < .001) reduced compared with responses in normotensive subjects. Moreover, in both groups, vasodilation to acetylcholine showed a marked negative correlation with advancing age (normotensive subjects: r = -.88, P < .001; hypertensive patients: r = -.87, P < .001). In contrast, vasodilation to sodium nitroprusside showed a less evident negative correlation with advancing age (normotensive subjects: r = -46, P < .01; hypertensive patients: r = -.48, P < .01). However, in normally menstruating normotensive women, no endothelial dysfunction was observed, and age-related impairment in endothelium-dependent vasodilation was evident only after menopause. In normally menstruating hypertensive women, aging was associated with endothelial dysfunction although the deterioration of endothelium-dependent vasodilation was less marked than that in men. In contrast, after menopause, the age-related endothelial dysfunction in hypertensive women was similar to that observed in men. Finally, no sex-related difference in the response to sodium nitroprusside was observed in either normotensive subjects or essential hypertensive patients. Age-related endothelial dysfunction is attenuated in premenopausal normotensive and hypertensive women compared with men, whereas no sex-induced difference is observed after menopause, suggesting a protective effect of endogenous estrogens on endothelial function.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1995

Severity grading of childhood poisoning: the Multicentre Study of Poisoning in Children (MSPC) score.

Scores for severity grading of childhood poisoning may be useful in comparing different causes of poisoning, in order to identify the main risks and their changes over time. The Multicentre Study of Poisoning in Children score is based on four levels of severity (1-mild, 2-moderate, 3-severe, 4-very severe) involving nine target groups: seven relating to organ systems (gastrointestinal, nervous, respiratory, circulatory, renal, hepatic, skin), one to metabolic abnormalities and one to injuries from corrosive substances. Each patient is classified by the highest level attributed to any one of the nine groups. The score has been prospectively tested in 644 symptomatic children, aged 0-13 years, admitted to six pediatric hospitals of Northern Italy from January 1, 1991 to December 31, 1993. Poisoning was categorized as mild (1) in 357 children (53.8%), moderate (2) in 285 (42.9%), severe (3) in 18 (2.7%) and very severe (4) in 4 (0.6%). No deaths occurred. Severity grading according to The Multicentre Study of Poisoning in Children score confirms the prevalence of mild and moderate poisonings in children; the score seems to be an objective method suitable for epidemiological studies in different countries. Its clinical usefulness deserves more investigation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Arterial hypertension in relation to life style and other cardiovascular risk factors. Epidemiologic study of a population of blood donors. Project AVIS].

The objectives of this research were to determine the prevalence of essential and borderline hypertension in a population of blood donors and their families and to determine if there is a correlation between blood pressure and lifestyle and/or other cardiovascular risk factors. The study was comprised of 1976 individuals, of whom 1290 were men and 686 were women, aged 18-65 years. The prevalence of essential hypertension was 15.1% for males and 12.5% for females: the prevalence of borderline hypertension was 22.3% for males and 15.7% for females. The population was divided into two groups: the first group included only subjects (1170 men, 543 women) who did not regularly use drugs that could modify the blood pressure and the heart rate, the second group included the entire population. In the first group, the multiple regression analysis indicated, in order of importance: age, BMI (body mass index), and heart rate. These variables were important in determining the systolic blood pressure in both sexes, uricemia for males and glycemia for females. The diastolic blood pressure was dependent on BMI, heart rate, and alcohol in both sexes, and glycemia, LDL cholesterol, and uricemia in the men. In the second group, primary and borderline hypertension are significantly correlated with age, BMI, and uricemia in both sexes and glycemia in females. A program of health and nutritional education could modify some factors related to blood pressure, such as obesity and alcohol consumption. The result would be a reduction of the prevalence not only of essential and borderline hypertension, but also of metabolic diseases such as dyslipidaemias, diabetes and hyperuricemia, with a global reduction of the cardiovascular risk.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Retroperitoneal seminoma secondary to 'burned out' testicular tumor in an acromegalic patient.

We report a case of an acromegalic patient with a retroperitoneal seminoma secondary to a testicular tumor which had completely disappeared. Testicular ultrasonography did not show any pathological mass and histological examination indicated that the normal testis had been totally replaced by fibrous tissue, without neoplastic cells. Our patient had high levels of growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL), both hormones with high immunostimulating effect, and an increase of interleukin-2 receptor-positive lymphocytes, a finding supporting enhanced immunological activity. Thus, we cannot exclude that the immunological pattern of this acromegalic patient may have played some role in the tumoral destruction.

Acromegaly↗
PubMed1990

Effect of fenfluramine on prolactin and thyroid-stimulating-hormone response to thyrotropin-releasing-hormone in obese and normal women.

In order to demonstrate the suggested failure of the serotoninergic system in human obesity and to evaluate the role of central serotoninergic activity in prolactin (PRL) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) release in this condition, 13 euthyroid obese and 9 healthy women of normal weight were studied. A TRH test (200 micrograms i.v.) was performed before and after administration of fenfluramine (FF) 60 mg b.d. for 14 days. In the controls, FF did not modify the expected significant increase in PRL induced by TRH. In obese patients, however, the PRL levels was significantly increased after TRH, but the increase was less than in the controls. After FF, the PRL response to TRH was larger than in the pretreatment phase, with values similar to those observed in normal subjects. In neither group FF did change the TSH-stimulating effect of TRH, but the hormonal response in obese patients was greater than in the controls. The restoration of the responsiveness of PRL to TRH after central serotoninergic stimulation confirms the hypothesis that a failure of the serotoninergic system may occur in human obesity. Since FF does not interfere with the secretory pattern of basal and stimulated TSH in normal or obese subjects, the serotoninergic system does not seem to play a major role in the control of TSH secretion.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Hyperglycemia and prognosis of acute myocardial infarction in patients without diabetes mellitus.

The present study assessed the prognostic value of hyperglycemia--a common feature in the early phase of acute myocardial infarction (AMI)--in 330 nondiabetic patients. Seventy-nine known diabetics and 10 (3%) unknown diabetics--diagnosed before discharge by stable glycosylated hemoglobin greater than 6.9% and by oral glucose tolerance testing--were excluded. Thirty-three (10%) patients died. The mortality rate was higher in women, in patients with anterior AMI, in older patients (greater than 65 years) and in the presence of heart failure. It was highest in patients with cardiogenic shock (24/36 vs 9/294; p less than 0.0001). Admission plasma glucose was significantly higher in nonsurvivors than in survivors (163 +/- 60 vs 114 +/- 36 mg/dl; p less than 0.0001). Mortality rate increased with increasing admission plasma glucose: 3% in normoglycemic patients (less than or equal to 120 mg/dl) versus 15% in patients with borderline plasma glucose (121 to 180 mg/dl) versus 43% in hyperglycemic patients (greater than 180 mg/dl) (p less than 0.0001). Multiple regression (stepwise) analysis identified cardiogenic shock, infarct site and age as the major determinants of mortality, while admission plasma glucose failed to reach full statistical significance (p = 0.067). Hyperglycemia was related to all 3 of these independent prognostic factors; when age and infarct site were accounted for, hyperglycemia was significantly associated with heart failure only and this association was characterized by a remarkable mortality rate. In nondiabetic patients with AMI, hyperglycemia is a correlate of heart failure and, therefore, an important factor of prognosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Naloxone does not modify the antihypertensive effect of captopril in essential hypertensive patients.

It has been reported that endogenous opioid antagonism through naloxone (NAL) blunts the hypotensive effect of captopril (CAP) in normal man. For this reason a study was carried out to determine whether NAL interacts with the antihypertensive effect of CAP in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension (n = 6; age 22-43 years). Patients received, according to a randomized code, placebo (PL) during saline infusion, CAP (25 mg orally) during saline infusion, PL + NAL (0.4 mg as a bolus followed by a continuous infusion of 4.0 mg/h for 2 h) and CAP + NAL at the same doses. Three-day intervals elapsed between each phase of the study. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded before (-20 to 0 min) and every 15 min for the next 2 h after drug administration. Blood samples for plasma renin activity (PRA), noradrenaline (NA) and aldosterone (ALD) were collected before (time 0) and 120 min after drug administration. Neither PL nor NAL changed any of the parameters examined, while CAP alone reduced mean BP to a highly significant extent. Naloxone did not change the hypotensive effect of CAP to any significant extent. Captropril, either alone or associated with NAL, tended to reduce plasma ALD and increase PRA (P less than 0.05) without changing HR or plasma NA. These data indicate that, at least under the experimental conditions used, endogenous opioid antagonism does not interfere with the haemodynamic and humoral effect of CAP in essential hypertensive man. This suggests that endogenous opioids do not mediate the pharmacological actions of CAP.

Adult↗