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Biomedical subjects

G Caramia

Publications and source records attributed to G Caramia.

90 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
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[The personal and familial alcohol habits in groups of young men at their first military draft exam].

In order to evaluate alcoholic consumption in a group of young men from an area in northern Italy, 834 subjects (18 years old) were examined at their first military check up. They compiled a questionnaire dealing with their own and their fathers' alcoholic consumption, social status, cultural habits, tobacco and drug abuse. 14.3% of the group examined were teetotalers. The alcoholic consumption of the youths was 31.44 +/- 48.8 DS alcohol g/a day versus their fathers' consumption of 44.52 +/- 42.12 DS alcohol g/a day. This difference is statistically significant (t = -8.1 p less than 0.001). No difference in alcoholic consumption was found between employed and unemployed subjects. Artisans and traders evidenced the highest levels of alcohol consumption (F = 2.58, p less than 0.009). The youths changed their alcoholic habits with respect to their own parents, preferring beer to wine consumption, although no change was observed in their approach to the alcoholic problems. The beer, like alcohol, remains a sociable and reassuring drink with positive connotations, even tough it is not considered a traditional Italian drink.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Head trauma: clinical and diagnostic factors in pediatric emergency].

The Authors describe the clinical spectrum of head trauma. The importance of history (the way the trauma occurred) and of the intrinsic dynamics of the lesions are emphasized, as is their role for the outcome. They delineate the major intervention the pediatrician should perform in emergency, and the diagnostic and therapeutical approach. In particular, recommendations are made about the best neuroradiological test which should be done.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Probiotics: from Metchnikoff to the current preventive and therapeutic possibilities].

About a century ago, Metchnikoff first hypothesised that some intestinal bacteria "produce compounds useful against a premature ageing". Since then, studies progressed over last century, leading to a remarkable improvement of the knowledge about the role of intestinal micro-organisms. Nowadays a number of different micro-organisms satisfying certain requisites are named probiotics and are produced on a large scale. At present, a rational use of probiotics with preventive and therapeutic purposes has been proposed not only for some gastrointestinal pathologies, such as the infective diarrhea (as recommended by the Italian Society of Pediatric, the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the Italian Society of Pediatric Infectious Disease, and by International Societies), but also for other pathologic conditions, such as the atopic dermatitis and related affections (as suggested by the American Academy of Dermatology Association guide lines). Moreover, the use of probiotics is going to be extended to other pathologies, such as the inflammatory intestinal and respiratory diseases, and even to the prevention of tooth decay, although the actual preventive and therapeutic effects of probiotics onto these pathologies have to be carefully investigated. It is unknown if the genius Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519), stating that "man's life is built up by food" imagined how nutrients can influence human health, besides being essential for life, as it is today increasingly evident. Avoiding an excessive optimism and the thought that an efficacious panacea for all troubles has been found, there are sound reasons to believe that probiotics, and prebiotics as well, can influence human health, through the prevention and therapy of many diseases, although further studies are still requested to fully clarify the mechanisms of action of these micro-organisms on each pathology.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

News on vaccinations.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Rhinosinusitis in childhood].

Rhinosinusitis is a pathology having a multifactorial genesis, in which predisposing factors can help the transition from simple rhinitis, that is a very frequent disease in pediatric patient, to a more severe acute bacterial infection of nasal and paranasal cavities. Usually rhinosinusitis, at least at the beginning, has viral origin. Symptomatology of rhinosinusitis is aspecific and clinical data are modest. The course can be acute, subacute or chronic and sometimes recourrent. Diagnosis is given by clinical data, and nasal endoscopy with optics fibers, if necessary. Radiological examination, computed axial tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance, are required in complex and recourrent forms. In 70-80% of cases it recuperates spontaneously, without followings, otherwise it needs a support therapy to relieve symptoms, and to prevent complications. This can be made using hypertonic solutions (Iperclean), in order to remove nasal secretion, to decongest mucosa and improve ciliary clearance. Some researcers demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach, also preventig otitis. Nasal decongestants and antinflammatories are useful, too. Antihistaminic, overall those of 2nd generation, like levocetirizina, are used in allergic forms. Antibiotic therapy is required when rhinosinusitis lasts over 15-20 days, to prevent complications and to avoid the illness to become chronic. Endoscopic nasal surgery allows to reopen natural ways of drainage of paranasal cavities, and it is anyway suggested in more complicated cases.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Chronic pediatric pathology and sports].

The authors review several chronic diseases in the pediatric age often improperly considered by parents, but sometimes also by the family physician, as inadvisable physical activity for the affected children. They then outline the latest pediatric knowledge and that of sport medicine indicating for each pathology the sport most indicated, those to avoid and the various ways to approach physical activity.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Treatment using immucytal in children with recurrent respiratory infections: an Italian multicenter experience].

120 children, 71 male and 49 female, aged between 2 years and 15 years (mean 6.15 +/- 3.52 years) with recurrent respiratory infections, were treated with Immucytal, an immunomodulator of bacterial origin, based on membrane proteoglycan fractions plus bacterial ribosomes. The children, selected on the basis of the previous year's clinical score, were treated according to a random design with either Immucytal or placebo, using the same dosage of one puff per nostril plus one puff in the oropharyngeal cavity three times a day, as follows: 1st month: two weeks' treatment, one week wash out, one week's treatment. 2nd, 3rd, 4th months: two weeks' treatment, two week's wash out. Monthly throughout the treatment period the frequency and severity of airway infections episodes were assessed using the same score as for admission. Blood chemistry test, immunological assays (circulating Ig, lymphocyte subpopulations, Merieux Multitest in vivo blastization test) and respiratory tests (spirometry using a pneumotachigraph) were done before and after the treatment. 118/120 children completed treatment; the two dropouts were in the placebo group, one for compliance and the other because of headaches. Respiratory symptoms improved significantly in the actively treated children already from the first month, but not in the placebo group. This improvement consisted of reduction of the respiratory infectious episodes in both the upper and lower airways. No changes were noted in respiratory function parameters. From the immunological viewpoint, there were significant rises in serum IgA and IgM and enhanced skin response tot he Multitest; there was no change in the percentages of different circulating lymphocyte subpopulations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chickenpox complications among immunocompetent hospitalized children in Italy. Acyclovir-Chickenpox Italian Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency and clinical spectrum of chickenpox complications among immunocompetent hospitalized children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Multicentre retrospective study of clinical records of all patients consecutively hospitalized for varicella during the last decade, in ten tertiary care clinical centres of Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases, throughout Italy. RESULTS: Two hundred and nineteen out of 991 patients (22.1%) hospitalized for varicella suffered from a complicated disease (247 complicating events on the whole). Central nervous system (CNS) involvement was prevalent (104 episodes), followed by skin/soft tissue infections, lower respiratory tract involvement, and thrombocytopenia. A complicated disease was significantly associated with the male gender and an elevated incidence of varicella-zoster (VZ) virus infection acquired by household contacts. The involvement of lower respiratory airways and skin/soft tissues seemed to occur at an earlier age, compared with CNS and thrombocytopenia. Moreover, lower respiratory tract and skin/soft tissue infections occurred earlier during disease course than complications interesting the CNS and coagulation system. All subjects with complicated chickenpox showed a favourable outcome within 5-40 days, except two patients developing a lethal cardiomyopathy and Reye syndrome, respectively. Anyway, chickenpox complications led to a prolonged hospitalization, and needed further pharmacologic treatment in all evaluated cases. The administration of anti-VZ virus treatments (i.v. acyclovir or VZ immunoglobulins) did not modify significantly the course of disease in treated patients, when compared with untreated ones. CONCLUSIONS: Although chickenpox is considered a self-limiting, uncomplicated disease in immunocompetent children, when assessing hospitalized patients a considerable incidence and a broad spectrum of complications are observed, requiring prolonged admission and pharmacologic and supportive care. Even though a lethal outcome remains a rare occurrence, it may be of relevant concern when considering the overall incidence of chickenpox in the general population. The role of an early antiviral treatment in reducing the incidence and severity of varicella complications deserves further evaluation.

Acyclovir↗