Biomedical subjects

G Massa

Publications and source records attributed to G Massa.

147 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

[Epidemiological study on tuberculin skin positivity in the La Spezia province. II. Evaluation of the data in the January-December, 1993 period].

In the past year (January-December 1993), the Authors has tested for positivity of childhood type tuberculosis (with "Tine-Test") 3079 children, belonging to three age groups: 6, 9 and 13 years. The results of positivity to the cuti-reaction were augmented, in comparison to the first report; for this reason, and because these data are very recent, the Authors thinks them are of interest.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Recombinant human erythropoietin for long-term treatment of anemia in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

The long-term effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) administration in two consecutive cases of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) with severe anemia are reported. In both patients, a 68-year-old woman and a 66-year-old man, a diagnosis of PNH was made on the basis of severe macrocytic anemia associated with hemoglobinuria, hemosiderinuria and positivity for the sucrose and Ham tests. Subcutaneous treatment with rhEPO, 150 U/Kg body weight daily, was followed in both cases by a progressive increase in hemoglobin concentrations, which thereafter were maintained above 10 g/dL with lower doses of rhEPO and without any relevant side effects for 32 and 29 months of continuous treatment, respectively. A clinical response was observed in spite of elevated baseline serum erythropoietin concentrations, appropriate to the degree of anemia in both patients. These results suggest that rhEPO may be appropriately and safely used in the long-term correction of anemia associated with PNH, and that the response to the pharmacologic doses of rHEPO administered was not dependent on the level of endogenous erythropoietin.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effectiveness and safety of combined epidural and general anesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of two anesthesia techniques, combined epidural/general anesthesia (CEGA) versus total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA), for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: Forty patients were randomly assigned to one of two different groups: group A received TIVA and group B received CEGA. At preset times during the operation, systolic and diastolic arterial pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation (SaO2) and end-tidal carbon dioxide (Etco2) were monitored. Postoperatively, recovery (Steward's test) and analgesia (visual analog scale [VAS] pain scores) were assessed, as well as the incidence of adverse effects. RESULTS: The groups were comparable as to demographic data and duration of surgery and of anesthesia. Intraoperative parameters also showed no statistical differences. Both groups had a rapid recovery (Steward score of 6 within 12 minutes), but group B showed better recovery scores at 4 minutes. Postoperative pain was well controlled in both groups, but group B exhibited better scores at postoperative hour 2. The incidence of postoperative side effects was low in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The use of CEGA for laparoscopic cholecystectomy seems to be effective and safe and to offer some advantages as compared to TIVA alone. CEGA can control pain due to CO2-induced peritoneal irritation, providing excellent intra- and postoperative analgesia. CEGA does not require the use of intraoperative intravenous opioids and shortens recovery time, without increasing the incidence of side effects.

Adult↗