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Biomedical subjects

G D'Errico

Publications and source records attributed to G D'Errico.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Short-course therapy with cefaclor for treatment of streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis.

Short-course treatments for streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis with oral cephalosporins or macrolides have resulted in a similar bacteriological and clinical cure rate and better compliance compared with the conventional 10-day course. One hundred and thirty eight of 420 recruited patients had a positive culture for Streptococcus pyogenes and were randomly assigned to receive cefaclor (25 mg/kg/bid) for a 5-day (70 patients) or 10-day (68 patients) course. Patients were assessed clinically and bacteriologically 2-3 days after completing the course and followed up after 20-30 days. All 420 recruited patients belonged to a population of 2800 children who had been previously screened for a streptococcal carrier state to exclude carriers from final evaluation. Clinical cure and bacterial eradication was recorded in 92.8 and 92.6% of patients in groups A and B, respectively. Therefore, short-course therapy with cefaclor may offer an effective alternative treatment to conventional regimens, with potential for better compliance.

Cefaclor↗
PubMed2001

Management of chronic otitis media with effusion: the role of glutathione.

BACKGROUND: The inflammatory cells documented in chronic otitis media with effusion (OME) spontaneously release oxidants which can induce middle ear (ME) epithelial cell damage. Glutathione (GSH), a major extracellular antioxidant in humans, plays a central role in antioxidant defense. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of GSH treatment on chronic otitis media with effusion (OME). SUBJECTS AND INTERVENTION: Sixty children with chronic OME were enrolled, 30 of whom were randomly assigned to the treatment group and 30 to the placebo group. Patients in the treatment group received 600 mg glutathione in 4 mL saline per day subdivided into five 2-minute administrations given by nasal aerosol every 3 or 4 waking hours for 2 weeks. Patients in the control group received 4 mL saline per day following the same procedure as for GSH treatment. RESULTS: Three months after therapy improvement had occurred in 66.6% of patients in the GSH-treated group and in 8% of the control subjects (P <.01). CONCLUSION: On the basis of these results, GSH treatment could be considered for the nonsurgical management of chronic OME.

Child↗
PubMed2000

Ceftazidime for outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) of chronic suppurative otitis media due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The number of patients receiving parenteral antibiotic therapy outside the hospital (OPAT) is growing rapidly, not only because of financial considerations, but also to limit the risk of nosocomial infections, hospitalization trauma, and to improve the quality of life. The same benefits of OPAT have recently been extended to pediatric patients. In the present study, the efficacy and safety of OPAT was evaluated in 52 children (age range 6-12 years) affected by chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) whose parents were deemed compliant. Otorhinolaryngologists and infectious disease specialists (IDS) cooperated in diagnosing, managing patients and being available 24 hours a day for family consultation. Bacteriological examination of ear exudate was carried out before antibiotic treatment. For all 52 children the infection was caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro sensitive to ceftazidime. Ceftazidime was administered at the dosage of 500 mg b.i.d. i.m. at the patient's home according to a self administration model for 7-10 days. All patients returned every other day during the treatment course for clinical observation and cleansing of the ear, and 30 days after the end of the treatment (follow-up). Complete clinical cure and bacteriological eradication were observed in 35 patients (67%), clinical improvement in 12 (23%). No side-effects or hearing impairment were reported at clinical and audiometric check-ups; compliance was absolute. Our data suggest that children affected by CSOM can be managed as outpatients by a cooperative team of otorhinolaryngologists and IDS.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1999

Transport Properties for Aqueous Solution of Sodium Sulfonate Surfactants.

Isothermal mutual diffusion coefficients (D) have been measured for binary aqueous solutions of sodium alkylsulfonates at 25 degrees C. The diffusion coefficient values drop as the concentration of micelles in the system increases. As the length of the hydrocarbon chain increases, the observed drop in D becomes increasingly sharp and shifts to lower concentrations. When the micellization process is treated as a chemical equilibrium, diffusion coefficients lead to the calculation of the thermodynamic parameters association number, n, and the equilibrium constant, K. These parameters are briefly discussed in connection with the alkyl chain length of the surfactants. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Transport Properties for Aqueous Sodium Sulfonate Surfactants.

Intradiffusion coefficients of sodium alkylsulfonates [CH3-(CH2)n-1SO-3 Na+, CnSNa] (n = 5-9, 11) in mixtures with heavy water were measured by the PGSE-NMR technique at 25 degrees C. A slope change in the experimental trends permits the determination of the critical micelle concentration (CMC). In the micellar composition range, solubilized TMS molecules were used to determine the micelle intradiffusion coefficient, from which the micelle radii were obtained. Both the monomer surfactant and the micelle intradiffusion coefficients show a sharp decrease above the CMC. These results can be interpreted in terms of the obstruction effect due to the micelles. The electrostatic repulsion among charged particles strongly enhances this effect. A simple approach that permits the computation of the Gouy-Chapman layer thickness from the experimental coefficients has been proposed and the results are briefly discussed. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Italian population data on thirteen short tandem repeat loci: HUMTH01, D21S11, D18S51, HUMVWFA31, HUMFIBRA, D8S1179, HUMTPOX, HUMCSF1PO, D16S539, D7S820, D13S317, D5S818, D3S1358.

A population study on thirteen short tandem repeat (STR) loci was performed on 223 unrelated Italian Caucasians. The DNA was amplified by PCR. Separation and detection of the amplified STR fragments was carried out by use of 377 automated system (Applied Biosystems Division/Perkin Elmer). All loci meet Hardy-Weinberg expectations, and the data show only five departures out of seventy-eight pairwise locus tests which is close to expectations of 5% (5/78 = 6.4%). When correcting for multiple tests, there is little evidence for departures from expectations between loci. The combined Power of Exclusion for the thirteen STR loci is 0.99999270. The results demonstrate that these loci will be very useful for human identification in forensic cases in Italy.

Alleles↗
PubMed1998

[Renal transplant from living donor. Experience of the Parma Center].

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The scarce availability of organs and the excellent results obtained using living donors, due to the improved degree of compatibility between donor and recipient, the short period of organ storage and the possibility of choosing the ideal surgical "timing", in the authors' opinion justify the use of living donors from a clinical and ethical-moral point of view. METHODS: Between April 1986 and December 1996 a 406 renal transplants were performed; of these, 10 patients received grafts from living donors. Preliminary screening consisted in a careful clinical and immunological evaluation to evaluate the operating risk, good compatibility with the recipient and the perfect bilateral function of the kidney. RESULTS: The 10 donors had no postoperative mortality or morbidity, no alterations of renal function, and no onset of hypertension and/or proteinuria in the immediate post-operative period or at a distance. The organ and patient survival rate (including a follow-up of between 2 and 54 months, mean 25 months) was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: The authors suggest that living donors represent a valid alternative in uremic patients. This therapeutic act must be carried out in complete respect for ethical, moral and legislative principles and must be based on a careful clinical selection to minimise the risks of donation and to guarantee the maximum benefit for the recipient. It is to be hoped that further improvements are made in immunodepressive treatment, and above all an appropriate increase in transplants from cadaveric donors, making the use of living donors superfluous since this practice maims a perfectly healthy individual.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[Neoplasms and kidney transplantation. Case contribution].

BACKGROUND: The incidence of malignancies after transplantation is higher when compared with expected cancer in control patients, particularly skin and female genital cancer, non-Hodgkin's disease and Kaposi's sarcoma. The aim of this study is to evaluate the frequency and the efficacy of the treatment of cancer following renal transplantation. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 404 recipients was performed and it showed the onset of 15 cancers (8 skin cancers, 3 Kaposi's sarcomas, 2 renal carcinomas, 1 urotelioma and 1 colon cancer) in 11 patients (3.7%). At the time of diagnosis, the mean period of immunosuppressive therapy (7 cases of double therapy, 4 cases of triple therapy) was 44.8 months. Skin cancer (53.3%) and Kaposi's sarcoma (20%) were the most frequent in personal experience as reported in literature. Neither lymphomas, nor female genital cancers were detected. RESULTS: All the cases were surgically treated, except patients with Kaposi's sarcoma, whose immunosuppressive therapy was reduced without alteration of renal function. Death-rate was 0.25% (1 case), the remaining patients show no signs of local recurrence or metastasis with preserved renal function except for the patient with renal carcinoma of the transplanted kidney, who underwent nephrectomy and returned in replacement therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The conclusion is drawn that the research of relationship between type of immunosuppressive therapy and cancer incidence and careful clinical and instrumental examination of transplant patients may contribute to reduce the onset of neoplastic degenerations and lead to an early diagnosis.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1998

Hyperfiltration in patients with type I diabetes mellitus: a prevalence study.

AIM: An increase in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow (EFPR) may be considered as prognostic factors for the progression of diabetic nephropathy; however the real predicting value of hyperfiltration in the development of incipient and overt nephropathy is as yet unknown. We have examined the prevalence of hyperfiltration in a population of normotensive adult IDDM patients and the possible effect of long-term metabolic control on glomerular hemodynamics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We measured GFR and ERPF values in 177 normotensive, normoalbuminuric insulin-dependent diabetic patients and in 30 healthy subjects by single bolus intravenous injection of 1 miroCu/kg [51Cr]-EDTA and 0.2 microCu/kg [125I]-Hippuran intravenously. We have correlated the GFR values with parameters of metabolic control over the last 3 years and with age, sex, and duration of diabetes. RESULTS: Patients with a GFR greater than the 95 degrees percentile value of controls (135 ml/min/1,73 m2) were defined as hyperfiltering. They represented the 55.9% (99/177) of our population. We found a strong correlation between GFR and ERPF (p <0.001), and between GFR and average HbA1c levels (p = 0.016) in multiple regression analysis, with age, sex, ERPF, and average HbA1c levels entered as variables (r2 = 0.45). There appeared to be no correlation with the duration of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term hyperglycemia provides a significant contribution in GFR and a poor metabolic control is predictive of overt nephropathy. In this study hyperfiltration does not appear to be the major factor of diabetic nephropathy. A follow-up of these patients is necessary to clarify the role of hyperfiltration in the development of overt nephropathy in diabetes.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Contraceptive choice in Vigevano, Italy, 1983-1993.

The authors, after general consideration of family planning programs, present a study of 22714 women, who, in the decade 1983-1993, required contraceptive protection from the Family Planning Centers in the region of Vigevano (Italy). The authors underline the importance of a protocol used before beginning treatment to help prevent women receiving methods carrying too great a health risk. The results show a very high prevalence of oral contraception, increasing in recent years with the introduction of triphasic pills, while use of intrauterine contraception seems to be declining. Other conventional methods, such as barrier (diaphragm and condom) and 'natural' methods, had a low incidence in the sample studied. The reasons for these behaviors are analyzed and the relative trends discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Antimicrobial prophylaxis with ceftriaxone in renal transplantation. Prospective study of 170 patients.

Due to their uremic state and altered host response induced by immunodepressive therapy, renal transplant recipients are particularly susceptible to infectious complications with high morbidity and mortality. We here report the results of a prospective study with 170 renal transplant patients, undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of ceftriaxone in the prevention of wound and early urinary tract infection. No wound infection was observed, however, 12 patients (7.1%) developed urinary tract infections. On the basis of these data, we recommend ceftriaxone prophylaxis as a safe and effective measure to prevent transplant wound infection and to reduce the incidence of postoperative urinary tract infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Urinary kallikrein excretion in type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus.

Kidney haemodynamics appear to change after the early phases of diabetic nephropathy: increases in glomerular filtration rate and in renal plasma flow have been widely reported, while kidney size is increased. As the renal kallikrein-kinin system has been demonstrated to regulate kidney blood circulation, we have evaluated the excretion of urinary kallikrein in 87 Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients with and without hyperfiltration. Urinary kallikrein excretion was measured in 24-h urine collections. The esterolytic activity was determined by fluorimetric assay. The excretion of urinary kallikreins was significantly higher in hyperfiltering patients (472 +/- 125 esterase units/24 h) than in normofiltering (168 +/- 77 esterase units/24 h) and control subjects (151 +/- 39 esterase units/24 h), p < 0.001. Furthermore, we observed a positive correlation between urinary kallikrein excretion and glomerular filtration rate (r = 0.785). These data suggest that variations of kallikrein and kinin concentrations may play a role in the alteration of renal haemodynamics in Type 1 diabetes. It is possible that the kinin-kallikrein system, the renin-angiotensin system and the prostaglandins may interact to determine the haemodynamic alterations which are present in the diabetic disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Topical ciprofloxacin vs intramuscular gentamicin for chronic otitis media.

Clinical and bacteriological efficacy of topical ciprofloxacin hydrochloride was compared with that of intramuscular gentamicin sulfate in two groups composed of 30 patients each, all of whom were affected by chronic otitis media in the acute stage. Antibiotics were randomly given for 5 to 10 days according to the following schedules: ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, four drops (250 mg/mL in saline solution) administered locally twice a day, or gentamicin sulfate, 80 mg administered intramuscularly twice a day. We admitted to the study only adult patients affected by chronic otitis media in the acute stage with perforation of the tympanic membrane, without cholesteatoma, whose bacteriological culture was positive for Pseudomonas susceptible in vitro to ciprofloxacin and gentamicin. The clinical and bacteriological response was stated 12 hours after the interruption of the treatment, and 2 and 3 weeks later (follow-up). A favorable clinical result was observed in 26 (87%) of 30 patients under ciprofloxacin treatment; in 30 patients receiving gentamicin, a favorable clinical response was observed in 20 (66%) and bacteriological eradication in 13 (43%). No relapse at the follow-up was observed. Topical ciprofloxacin seems to be more effective than intramuscular gentamicin in curing Pseudomonas-caused chronic otitis media in the acute stage.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1992

Early prenatal diagnosis and therapy of fetal hypothyroid goiter.

We report a case of early diagnosis of iodide-induced fetal hypothyroidism at 22 weeks of gestation, confirmed at 29 weeks by cordocentesis and successfully treated intra-amniotically. The ultrasonographic feature was the presence of two echogenic masses in the fetal neck; polyhydramnios was absent. Mild hypothyroidism was diagnosed based on fetal serum obtained by percutaneous umbilical blood sampling at 29 weeks of gestation. The persistence of fetal hypothyroidism in spite of maternal thyroid improvement was confirmed by a second cordocentesis at 35 weeks of gestation, and a single injection of intra-amniotic levothyroxine (250 micrograms) was performed. The serial ultrasonographic examinations showed disappearance of the fetal goiter. A healthy female baby (3,630 g) was delivered at term. At birth, the thyroid gland was not enlarged, and neonatal thyroid hormones were within the normal range. This case suggests that cordocentesis is a reliable method to assess the fetal thyroid status; moreover a single injection of intra-amniotic thyroxine was effective in treating fetal hypothyroid goiter.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Topical and oral treatment of chronic otitis media with ciprofloxacin. A preliminary study.

The clinical and bacteriological efficacy of ciprofloxacin was studied in three groups composed of 20 patients each, all of whom were affected by chronic otitis media in the acute stage. Ciprofloxacin was randomly administered according to the following schedules for 5 to 10 days: 250 mg orally twice a day (group A); 3 drops (250 micrograms/mL in saline solution) locally twice a day (group B); and both of the previous treatments twice a day (group C). A high percentage of favorable clinical response (100% and 95%) and bacteriological eradication (95% and 85%) was observed in groups B and C. A low percentage of patients (65% and 40%) were clinically and bacteriologically cured by the oral therapy (group A). No worsening of the audiometric and vestibular function was observed after local therapy. The results of this preliminary study suggest that the use of topical ciprofloxacin is effective in curing chronic otitis media, even when it is caused by Pseudomonas (47% of the total bacterial detections).

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1990

Oral ciprofloxacin for treatment of acute bacterial pharyngotonsillitis.

The clinical efficacy and tolerability of ciprofloxacin orally administered at the dosage of 250 mg twice a day was evaluated in 25 patients affected by acute bacterial pharyngotonsillitis. All patients were non-responders to previous conventional antibiotic therapies due to in vitro resistance of the responsible bacteria, or possibly the low antibiotic concentration at the infection site. None of the patients had infections caused by group A beta-haemolyticus streptococcus. Treatment with ciprofloxacin lasted for 5-10 days (mean 6.7). A favorable clinical response was observed in 92% of patients (15 resolutions and 7 improvements) at the end of the therapy and two weeks later (follow-up). One patient was not evaluable because of the unfortunate onset of glossitis that caused the interruption of the treatment. No other side-effects were recorded in the other 24 patients. The bacteriological response was excellent: 83% bacteriological eradication, 13% persistence and super-infection in only one patient (4%). Ciprofloxacin administered orally at low dosages is highly effective in the treatment of bacterial pharyngotonsillitis and is also well tolerated.

Administration, Oral↗