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Biomedical subjects

G Germano

Publications and source records attributed to G Germano.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Quantitative stress-redistribution thallium-201 SPECT using prone imaging: methodologic development and validation.

Prone 201Tl myocardial perfusion SPECT has been shown to improve left ventricular inferior wall counts compared to supine imaging, thus minimizing diaphragmatic attenuation. Prone SPECT quantitative normal limits were developed and prospectively applied to 36 patients who had coronary angiography. The prone imaging table used had a cut-out under cardiac area which increased the average myocardial counts by 10.7% compared to prone SPECT through the standard table. Overall specificity and sensitivity were 80% and 93%, respectively. For the right, left circumflex and left anterior descending coronary arteries, the specificities were 94%, 71%, and 94%; and sensitivities were 88%, 89% and 78%, respectively. The normalcy rate in 55 normal patients was 89%. Incidence and the severity of patients motion in 200 prone SPECT studies were compared to 200 supine SPECT studies. Mild and severe motion occurred in 12% and 4% of the supine studies and in only 3.5% and none of the prone studies, respectively. When compared to supine SPECT, prone SPECT had higher (p less than 0.01) regional counts/pixel in the inferior wall and septum, but required an average increase of 2.9 +/- 1.0 cm in camera to chest wall distance and resulted in a reduction of total myocardial counts. Prone SPECT provides an alternative approach for patients who cannot tolerate supine imaging. It should be considered when inferior wall defects on supine imaging pose a diagnostic dilemma and when motion on supine imaging necessitates repeat acquisition.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Noninvasive quantification of hepatic arterial blood flow with nitrogen-13-ammonia and dynamic positron emission tomography.

To determine if dynamic PET and 13N-ammonia can be utilized to quantitate regional hepatic arterial blood flow (rHABF) noninvasively, eight anesthetized dogs and eight human volunteers were examined with PET following intravenous bolus administration of 13N-ammonia. Hepatic time-activity curves and the arterial input function were derived from ROIs drawn over the right lateral superior segment of the liver and the left ventricle of the heart, respectively. rHABF was quantitated using a two-compartment model, with comparison with simultaneously acquired microsphere blood flow measurement (MS) in the canine studies. rHABF derived from canine dynamic PET with 13N-ammonia were linearly related to microsphere values (rHABF = 0.92 x MS + 0.04, r = 0.98), with a mean of 0.40 ml/min/g. The results in eight normal volunteers gave a rHABF value of 0.26 +/- 0.07 ml/min/g. Dynamic 13N-ammonia hepatic PET allows noninvasive quantification of rHABF.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Cefetamet pivoxil in acute pyelonephritis: an open study.

Fifty-five adult patients with acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis were investigated in an open, prospective, randomized comparative study in which 31 patients were allocated to receive 1000 mg cefetamet pivoxil twice daily (or 2000 mg once daily) and 24 to receive 1000 mg cefadroxil twice daily, given orally for 10 to 15 days. Both groups were comparable for age, sex and body weight. Clinical signs and symptoms, i.e. flank tenderness, dysuria, urgency and pyuria, subsided somewhat more rapidly with cefetamet pivoxil, while defervescence was obtained by Day 3 +/- 1 in both groups. Twenty-nine of the cefetamet pivoxil patients were assessed bacteriologically. The pathogens isolated prior to treatment were E. coli (22), Proteus mirabilis (5), P. vulgaris (1) and P. stuartii (1). All 29 patients had sterile urine at treatment end. In the 22 assessable patients in the cefadroxil group, the pathogens isolated before treatment were E. coli (17), P. mirabilis (3), and K. pneumoniae (2). Six patients had relapsed at treatment end (5 E. coli and 1 P. mirabilis). Patients were re-assessed at follow-up, usually 2 to 4 weeks after the end of treatment. Four of the 29 patients in the cefetamet pivoxil group showed relapse (3 E. coli and 1 P. mirabilis) as did a further 3 in the cefadroxil group (2 E. coli and 1 P. mirabilis). The overall therapeutic outcome was considered as successful, i.e. cure or improvement, in 89.7% of the cefetamet pivoxil patients and 72.7% of those who had received cefadroxil. Tolerability was satisfactory for both trial drugs and there were only a few mild to moderately severe adverse events reported.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1989

Cefetamet pivoxil in paediatric patients suffering from lower respiratory tract infections.

A prospective, randomized comparative trial was carried out in 31 children suffering from lower respiratory tract infections, mainly bronchopneumonia or pneumonia. Twenty-one children received oral cefetamet pivoxil in a dose of 20 mg/kg/day (10 children) or 40 mg/kg/day (11 children), and 10 children 30 mg cefaclor/kg/day for 7 days. Clinical signs and symptoms, i.e. fever, dyspnoea, altered breath sounds and cough, subsided during treatment with both cefetamet pivoxil treatment doses in all patients. All X-ray findings and blood leucocytosis normalized, while 1 out of the 10 children to whom 30 mg cefaclor/kg/day was administered deteriorated from bronchopneumonia to pneumonitis during treatment. Treatment was stopped due to vomiting in 1 patient receiving the 40 mg cefetamet pivoxil/kg/day dose.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

A randomized comparison of doxifluridine and fluorouracil in colorectal carcinoma.

In a randomized study 52 patients with advanced colorectal cancer and measurable lesions were treated with doxifluridine 4000 mg/m2 or fluorouracil 450 mg/m2 i.v. on 5 consecutive days over 3 weeks. None had prior fluoropyrimidines except two who received adjuvant fluorouracil. Partial responses with a duration ranging from 259 to 406 days were observed in five patients treated with doxifluridine and two patients treated with fluorouracil. Toxic reactions were evaluated in 88 doxifluridine courses and 105 fluorouracil courses. The most frequent adverse effects were neurotoxicity (48% of patients) and mucositis (43%) for doxifluridine, leukopenia (48%) and nausea/emesis (37%) for fluorouracil. Mucositis, diarrhea, nausea, emesis and skin reactions were observed in both treatment groups. Fluorouracil produced neurotoxic effects in 26% of patients. Reversible cardiac dysfunctions were observed in four patients treated with doxifluridine, expressed by ectopic ventricular beats (2) precordial pains (1) and ventricular fibrillation (1). This latter toxicity justified the premature interruption of the study. Doxifluridine is an active agent in colorectal cancer. Compared to fluorouracil it produces, when used i.v., a lower myelosuppression and a greater incidence of neurological and cardiac toxicity.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1988

Cefetamet pivoxil a new oral cephalosporin: clinical evaluation.

Cefetamet pivoxil, an oral cephalosporin, was given to 683 patients; 414 received standard antibiotics. 1.5 and 1.2 g of cefetamet pivoxil were fully effective in gonorrhea. In two trials in uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) 2 g cefetamet as a single dose was significantly superior (93.3% cure) to 2 g cefadroxil (74.4% cure) and 90.8% vs. 74.7% cure. Results in complicated UTI with 2 g cefetamet for 10 days were 87.9% cure and 71.4% cure with cefadroxil. In acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis 88% were cured with cefetamet (101 patients) and 80% with cefaclor (n = 94). In acute ear-nose-throat infections, the response rate was 89% and 93% with 1 or 2 g cefetamet per day, respectively. Adverse events were noticed in 6% of the 683 cefetamet-treated patients; they were rapidly reversible.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1983

[Etretinate (Ro 10-9359, Tigason) and CCNU (1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-l-nitrosourea) and bleomycin versus CCNU and bleomycin in the treatment of advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the bronchus (Working group on Internal Medicine Oncology Study BS1/78)].

Forty-six evaluable patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the lung were treated in a randomized fashion with either etretinate, CCNU and bleomycin in combination (ECB) or with CCNU and bleomycin (CB). There were no complete and no partial responses. Minor responses occurred in 5 patients (24%) with ECB and in 3 patients (12%) with CB independently of histological grade. No change was observed in 9 patients (43%) with ECB and in 13 patients (52%) with CB. There was no survival difference between the two groups. Reversible side-effects of skin and mucous membranes were more frequent under ECB. The antitumor efficacy of CB is marginal and could not be improved by the addition of the vitamin-A-derivative etretinate.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Phase I clinical study with 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine, a new fluoropyrimidine derivative.

5'-Deoxy-5-fluorouridine (DFUR) is a new fluoropyrimidine derivative with significant antineoplastic activity in animal systems. Compared to 5-FU or other fluoropyrimidines, DFUR has a more favorable therapeutic ratio in Sarcoma 180-bearing mice. DFUR was studied in this phase I trial with a daily x 5 bolus iv injection. A second course was given greater than or equal to 3 weeks after the first day of treatment. Doses were escalated from 300 to 5000 mg/m2/day in 30 patients. Dose-limiting factors were myelosuppression and stomatitis. Hematologic toxic effects were particularly marked on granulocytes. Thrombocytopenia was less frequently encountered. Stomatitis was severe at high doses of DFUR. Eleven patients had nausea or moderate vomiting. Drug-induced myocardial injury may exist, since electrocardiogram changes were recorded in two patients. After rapid iv injection, four patients felt hot in the face and pelvis. Other side effects were minimal. With this daily x 5 schedule of administration, the maximum tolerated dose of DFUR appeared to be 5000 mg/m2/day. The dose recommended for further clinical use is 4000 mg/m2/day x 5 for patients previously untreated with chemotherapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

[Simultaneous combination of adriamycin, bleomycin, cyclohexyl-chloroethyl nitrosourea with dimethyl-triazeno imidazole carboxamide in the treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma].

Sixteen patients with Hodgkin's (10) and non-Hodgkin's (6) lymphoma were treated by the "ABCD scheme", which is a combination of adriamycin (25-30 mg/m2 day 1), bleomycin (15 mg day 1-5), CCNU (60 mg/m2 day 1) and DIC (90-100 mg/m2 day 1-5). 15 results are evaluable and included 5 complete remissions, 5 partial remissions, 2 stabilizations, 2 progressions and 1 early death (remission rate: 66%). 45 ABCD courses were given. 8 patients received more than one course (maximum 7 courses). Toxicity was tolerable and consisted mainly of myelodepression, nausea, vomiting and muco-cutaneous alterations. Two patients died following toxicity, one from myelosuppression and the other from interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. The results suggest that this combination can be useful where the usual chemotherapy combination fails.

Adult↗