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Biomedical subjects

G Federico

Publications and source records attributed to G Federico.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

[Hepatitis and drug addiction: clinical and immunological studies].

The association drug addiction-hepatitis has so increased in recent years to represent a social epidemiological and clinical problem all over the world. Although the clinical picture of hepatitis is already well defined in drug-abusers, it remains to be completely understood the mechanism responsible for the significant incidence of progression from acute to chronic hepatitis in this population. The viral infection, the drug itself, the drug contaminants, the immunological defects (cellular and/or humoral) may be considered as possible contributing factors to this event. For this reason the Authors have performed an immunological study either in a group of drug-abusers with acute and chronic hepatitis, or in a group of 82 "asymptomatic" drug addicts without a history of liver diseases. The results of this study are the following: - In all the drug-addicts considered there is a common contact with virus B. - There are significant alternations of the cellular and humoral immunity in drug-addicts with acute and chronic hepatitis. - In the "asymptomatic" group the humoral immunity is slightly altered (hyper IgM, circulating immunocomplexes), while normal the cellular response. All these findings are critically evaluated also in respect with the new immunopathological mechanisms of hepatitis B.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1977

[Hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Clinical, epidemiological and differential immunological elements].

The Authors have already related in various papers the results of their research on humoral and cellular immunity in the course of viral hepatitis in relation to the behaviour of HBsAg determined with various methods and recently with the radio-immune assay. Since the high sensitivity of this latter technique consents a sufficiently precise differentiation of hepatitis into HBAg-positive (hepatitis B) and HBAg-negative (hepatitis A), the Authors have intended studying in this work the eventual clinical epidemiological and immunological differences between the two types of hepatitis, analyzing the results of their previous studies, extending the case data and gathering numerous other personal observations, clinical and laboratory, not yet published. The study was limited to 136 patients with viral hepatitis in wwhich the test for HBsAg was effected with RIA: of these 58 were HBAg+ and 78 HBAg-. Initially is discussed the incidence of two types of hepatitis in relation to age and sex and then the comparative incidence between them of the various routes of contagion. Particularly emphasized is the possibility of direct transmission of HBAg+ hepatitis, often responsible for infection within the family. The comparative determination of transaminases, bilirubin, immunoglobulins and complement has revealed some interesting variations in the behaviour of the two types of hepatitis. Instead, cellular immunity, studied by the rosette E technique, appeared depressed in the initial phase of sickness in both types of hepatitis. Space is dedicated to the behaviour of HBsAg in acute HBAg+ hepatitis in relation to the immunoglobulins and complement and in relation to the normalization of the transaminases and bilirubinemia. After a few brief observations on the frequent appearance of a joint symptomatology in the course of viral hepatitis, particularly in the HBAg+ form, the Authors report the data relative the evolution of the hepatitis cases examined. The percentage of a complete cure are about equal between hepatitis A and hepatitis B even recovery is significantly faster in the first type of hepatitis (HBAg-).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

[Detection of Australia antigen by radioimmunoassay during a course of viral hepatitis].

The AA. carried out the research of Australia Antigen by radioimmunoassay (RIA) as well as with counter-electrophoresis technique (CE) on 142 patients with acute viral hepatitis. For comparison the RIA determination of the Australia Antigen was also performed on 26 blood donors, already established Au positive by a preliminary screening with CE method. On the 142 patients examined, the RIA permitted the detection of 19 as Au positive above the number evidenced by the less-sensitive CE technique. The Au antigen levels, determined quantitatively in conventional units (c.u./0,1 ml of serum), continually decreased with the progress of the disease toward recovery. Yet, in 23 cases (44,3%), the antigen was still present in the serum after normalization of transaminases. The AA. call attention to the importance the Au positive hepatitis convalescents and Au positive blood donors could have in the transmission of the disease. The antigen levels of blood donors, when determined with RIA, were found comparable to those observed in the acute phase of viral hepatitis.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sonographic patterns of the gallbladder in acute viral hepatitis.

Ultrasound was used for a serial evaluation of gallbladder modifications in 61 patients with acute viral hepatitis during both the acute phase of the illness and recovery. Most of the patients studied within 7 days from the onset of symptoms and/or jaundice showed sonographic abnormalities of the gallbladder (increased wall thickness, reduced volume, abnormal bile content). A normal ultrasound pattern of the gallbladder was progressively restored during the clinical recovery in most of the patients. A statistical correlation was found between the gallbladder wall thickness and the alanine transferase index.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Assessment of thyroidal "C" cell secretion in osteoporotic girls with Turner's syndrome. Basal and calcium-stimulated levels of total calcitonin, extractable calcitonin and katakalcin.

Osteoporosis is a common finding in Turner's syndrome. To test the hypothesis that calcitonin deficiency may contribute to bone mineral loss in Turner's syndrome, we studied basal and calcium-stimulated (2 mg/kg body weight in 5 min) levels of total calcitonin, extractable calcitonin and katacalcin in 15 girls with Turner's syndrome and osteoporosis. Fifteen age-matched healthy girls were studied as controls. Both basal calcitonin (total and extractable) and katacalcin values were not significantly different in patients with Turner's syndrome in comparison with those of the controls. The calcium stimulation test showed a similar "C" cell secretory reserve in both groups. The calculation of delta CT/delta iCa of total and extractable calcitonin and delta KC/delta iCa, which accounts for individual variations in serum ionized calcium increases, did not show any significant difference between girls with Turner's syndrome and controls. We conclude that calcitonin deficiency is not a causative factor of osteoporosis in girls with Turner's syndrome and that in this syndrome long-life estrogen deficiency does not impair "C" cell secretory activity.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[In vivo and in vitro production of interleukin-1 after febrile convulsions].

Pathogenesis of febrile convulsions (FC) is still unknown, suggested causes include the role of antidiuretic hormone (ADH). ADH is an endogenous antypyretic and his excessive production of the consequent hyponatraemia may be the cause of FC in children with susceptibility to this type of seizure. Whereas, interleukin-1 (IL1) is a pyrogenic substances and is involved in the release of AVP. Helminen et al. have reported a significantly higher production of IL1 in culture of peripheral blood monocytes stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of children with FC than in the others with fever but without convulsions. More recently Lahat et al. have compared plasma and cerebrospinal fluid ILI levels of children with FC with those of children with fever but without convulsions, but they did not find significant differences. The aims of this study were to determine the IL1 levels in vivo and in the supernatants of cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated or not with LPS in children with FC and in children with fever without FC and to evaluate the influence of ADH and diazepam (DZ) on IL1 production. Blood samples for PBMC cultures were obtained from 11 children with FC on the hospital admission, (group 1) and after 48 hours from treatment with DZ (group 2). The production of IL1 was measured by RIA in the supernatants of the PBMC stimulated with LPS, LPS + DDAVP (synthetic vasopressin), LPS + DZ and in vivo in plasma samples. The control groups were constituted by 9 children with fever and without convulsions (group 3), 4 of them were studied at the end of fever too (group 4), and finally by 9 children in good health (group 5). No significant differences were observed. These results do not support the hypothesis that increased production of IL1 is involved in the pathogenesis of FC in children.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Psycho-emotional distress and gastroesophageal reflux syndrome].

61 patients with symptoms suggestive for gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) disease, with or without endoscopic evidence of esophagitis, were studied in order to recognize any neurotic traits connected to GERD and its esophageal motility disorders. The results were compared with those from a group of patients without digestive diseases as well as those from a control group of the same age and status. Psychological assessment was made by using the Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire and esophageal motility pattern was analyzed with a low-compliance manometric system. Patients with gastro-esophageal reflux (GER), irrespectively or not from esophagitis, showed, after such a psychological assessment, neurotic traits more pronounced than control subjects and patients without digestive disease. In GER patients, it was observed a close relationship between some psychological traits and a few esophageal manometric variable. In the two groups of GER patients, with and without esophagitis, it was not found any significant difference in scores referring to the evaluated psychological traits apart from symptoms somatization, prevailing in GER patients without esophagitis. These results support the pathogenetic role of psychological distresses in the genesis of GER, even if other factors may be necessary to the development of organic inflammatory lesions such as esophagitis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Visceral leishmaniasis in patients with AIDS. Description of 2 cases].

Cell-mediated immunity plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and in the recovery mechanisms of visceral leishmaniasis (V.L.). This disease, observed in two patients with AIDS, has peculiar anatomical and clinical characteristics and it is usually characterized by a severe clinical course. In addition, V.L. has been proposed to be included among the relevant infections for the case definition of AIDS. We describe two cases of V.L. occurred in association with AIDS. The most relevant characteristics of our cases are the followings: Diagnosis has been achieved by the identification of Leishmania donovani in the macrophages of the bone marrow in both the patients, and of the lymph node in one patient. The detection of anti-Leishmania antibodies was positive in one patients only. A significant defect of CD4+ cells was documented in both the patients. V.L. was associated in one patient with esophageal candidiasis, disseminated tuberculosis, P. carinii pneumonia; and in the other one with cerebral toxoplasmosis, pulmonary tuberculosis, esophageal candidiasis, Kaposi's sarcoma, CMV hepatitis. Specific chemotherapy has been partially or totally ineffective in both the patients. In fact, chemotherapy led to an apparent transient recovery in one patient, followed by a symptom-free period of more than one year. We think that V.L. has been the first infection occurred in this patients, beside of HIV infection. At the time of the first observation, the clinical conditions of this patient were satisfactory and there was only a slight alteration in cellular immunity. The detection of leishmania in bone marrow was coincident with the onset of fever, the development of a wasting syndrome and a dramatic decrease in cell-mediated immunity. A second cycle of specific treatment has been ineffective and the patient died. On the contrary, the second patient did not respond to the specific treatment and died. Two important anatomo-pathological characteristics were present in our cases: a) the presence of the parasite in several organs, namely bone marrow, spleen, liver. b) the absence of granulomatous lesions which indirectly indicates the defect in cell mediated immunity.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Study on the immunoglobulin class of the antibody anti-e in acute HBsAg+ hepatitis and in asymptomatic carriers of HBsAg (author's transl)].

The AA. have determined the immunoglobulinic appartenence class of HBeAb in patients with acute hepatitis HBsAg+ and in asymptomatic carriers of HBsAg. In these the HBeAb belongs constantly to the IgG class, while in acute hepatitis patients this antibody results present in the IgM and IgG fractions of the sera. Especially, in patients with acute hepatitis the presence of HBeAb was observed only in some sera obtained during the tardive phase of disease.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Detection of HBsAg and the related antibody (HBsAb) with the radioimmunological method. Behavior of the HBeAg-HBcAb system in HBsAg-positive patients].

A radioimmunological assay was made of HBsAg and HBsAb in 183 patients during the course of acute viral hepatitis, 23 with prior HBsAg-positive hepatitis, 72 with chronic liver disease, 822 blood donors, 44 patients and 28 staff members from two dialysis centres, and the medical and paramedical staff of several high-risk departments. Microimmunodiffusion on agar was also used to determine HBeAg and HBeAb in the same 183 acute hepatitis patients, 37 HBsAg+ blood donors, 20 asymptomatic HBsAg carriers, the patients of two haemodialysis centres and the staff of departments at high risk for hepatitis B. Attention is drawn to the marked incidence (5.5%) of chronic HBsAg carriers in the blood donors, and the considerable circulation of virus B in the population examined, HBsAb-positivity (27.6%) being also an expression of this. Stress is also laid on the diagnostic and prognostic significance of the study of the HBsAg-HBsAb system during acute and chronic hepatitis. The importance of serum hepatitis B markers in the transmission of this disease in dialysis centres and other high-risk departments and in its prevention is underscored. Lastly, emphasis is laid on the appreciable progress that analysis of the e-anti-e system offers in the prognostic assessment of type B hepatitis, attention being also drawn to the fact that the dynamics of this system is even more complex and interesting than had first been thought. An assessment of this kind is useful in the differentiation of "contagious" and "non-contagious" HBsAg carriers.

Antibodies, Viral↗