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Biomedical subjects

G Morgese

Publications and source records attributed to G Morgese.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

IgG subclass deficiency and recurrent respiratory infections in children.

The aim of this study was to investigate the humoral immunity of children with recurrent respiratory tract infections. Fifty-seven (17 female, 40 male) children, aged from 1.1 to 12.0 years were evaluated, after 1 month from the last infectious disease. The total number of children with IgG subclasses deficiency was 29/57 with the following IgG deficiency distribution: IgG1 = 2 children, IgG2 = 13 children, IgG3 = 4 children, IgG4 = 25 children. Moreover, 13 children with IgG4 deficiency showed low levels of other (one or more) IgG subclasses. It is probable that these low IgG subclasses levels are an important immunological abnormality of these children.

Child↗
PubMed1989

[Home self-control of child and adolescent diabetics].

The authors report their experience on evaluating metabolic control at home in 63 (36 female, 27 male) diabetic children and adolescents (age: 13.6 +/- 4.6 years; duration of disease: 2 months to 14.8 years). The diabetic children who regularly measured capillary blood glucose 2 or more times for day had a better metabolic control if compared with diabetics who measured glycemia less than 2 times for day and did not measure glycosuria (HbA1c: 8.5 +/- 1.9% vs 9.8 +/- 2.0; p less than 0.01). Our results confirm that home blood glucose monitoring is necessary to improve long-term metabolic control in diabetic children. In 28 of the diabetic who did not practice home diabetes monitoring, a significant improvement of metabolic control was observed after 12 months of home blood urine glucose monitoring (9.9 +/- 8.0 +/- 1.2; p less than 0.001). During pubertal development metabolic control is worse. In fifteen diabetic children followed longitudinally from prepubertal to pubertal period a significant increase of HbA1c values was observed (7.9 +/- 2.0% vs 9.0 +/- 1.8; p less than 0.01).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Methodologic approach to the therapeutic problem of infant and childhood obesity. Review of the literature and personal experience].

Notwithstanding the high prevalence and morbidity, current knowledge of obesity is rather rudimentary. Nevertheless recent findings have enabled us to surmount anachronistic nosographic generalizations whereby excess weight was attributed only to inappropriate and excessive food intake and the lack of physical exercise. Various studies indicate that there are complex interactions in determining weight excess: genetic, psychosocial, cultural but also biochemical factors are incriminated and it is now recognised that the aetiology of obesity is multifactorial and that, consequently, there are different types of obesity. However, in most studies concerning the therapeutic approach, it is noted that the same type of treatment is applied to groups of subjects that are probably highly heterogeneous for type of obesity. No easy or final solution to the problem is proposed as for the moment no ideal treatment exists. What is suggested is the need to attempt to identify possible factors linked to weight excess before commencing the therapeutic approach. For each single case, this could permit the use of the most appropriate treatment and make therapeutic results less frustrating.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Low serum C4 concentrations in type-1 diabetes mellitus.

Serum levels of complement factors C3 and C4 were investigated in 64 insulin-dependent diabetic children and 52 healthy controls. The mean value of C4 was significantly lower in diabetic than in control subjects (27.99 +/- 8.01 vs 32.03 +/- 8.91 mg/dl; P less than 0.01). Sixteen out of 64 children had serum C4 levels below the normal range; 6 out of these 11 patients had microalbuminuria. This study demonstrates low serum levels of C4 in insulin-dependent diabetes; this reduction is not related to the duration nor to the degree of metabolic control. There is a high prevalence of microalbuminuria in patients with a low C4 concentration.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Long-term study on T lymphocyte subsets in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus.

T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood from 16 newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic children were studied prospectively at four time intervals: as soon as possible after diagnosis and 1, 4 and 12 months later. T lymphocyte subsets were analysed using monoclonal antibodies and counted by cytofluorimetry. The percentage of T lymphocytes (OKT3+ cells) did not change at the four study times. The percentage of helper/inducer T cells (OKT4+ cells) was high at the diagnosis (43.1 +/- 2.1%), but decreased after 1 and 4 months with no difference in the control values. The percentage of suppressor/cytotoxic T lymphocytes (OKT8+ cells) was low at the diagnosis, but increased after 1 and 4 months. The OKT4/OKT8 ratio was 2.31 +/- 0.22 at the diagnosis study, decreasing to 1.83 after 1 month, compared with 16 sex- and age-matched control children. The high percentage of helper/inducer T lymphocytes and low number of suppressor/cytotoxic T cells at onset of diabetes favour immune reactions that lead to beta-cell damage.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Natural killer cell function in atopic dermatitis.

The natural killer cell activity was studied in 41 children with mild, moderate and severe atopic dermatitis (AD) and in 37 controls. The natural killer cell function of lymphocytes was reduced in atopic children (mean +/- SD 21.92 +/- 6.18% vs. 43.87 +/- 5.80%; p less than 0.0001). This decrease was not related to the IgE serum level. A negative correlation was found between natural killer cell activity and the clinical severity of AD (r = 0.73; p less than 0.001). Natural killer cell function was re-evaluated after 9 months in 27 children during a quiescent phase of AD; it was still low, but to a lesser degree (27.66 +/- 5.42%, in the quiescent phase, vs. 43.87 +/- 5.80, controls; p less than 0.0001). The reduced natural killer cell activity seems related to the disease activity.

Child↗
PubMed1987

Humoral and cellular immunity in children with active and quiescent atopic dermatitis.

Serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA and IgE), C3, and C4, T lymphocyte subsets, neutrophil chemotaxis and natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxic activity were measured in 34 children with atopic dermatitis and 31 healthy controls. Twenty-four patients were re-evaluated when their dermatitis was quiescent. Serum levels of IgG, IgM and IgE were significantly higher in the patients with atopic dermatitis than in the controls, while levels of serum IgA did not differ significantly between the two groups. C3 levels were lower in the patients than in the controls and correlated inversely with clinical disease severity. C4 levels were not significantly altered. Numbers of suppressor/cytotoxic T lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemotaxis were significantly reduced in the atopic patients. There was a significant inverse correlation between the natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxic activity and the severity and extent of the dermatitis. These results support the hypothesis that atopic dermatitis is connected with a defect in cellular immunity.

Antibody Formation↗
PubMed1986

Ring chromosome 11. A case report and review of the literature.

A female infant with severe growth-weight retardation and with a ring chromosome 11, associated with trisomy X in 15% of metaphases, has been reported. A literature review of cases of r(11) shows that the clinical features of these patients, although showing different frequencies, are similar to those of the del(11q) syndrome. It has been suggested that the variability of the mental retardation in r(11) patients is attributable to the unstability of the ring and to the different break points in these two chromosomal rearrangements. The origin of the r(11) was also addressed by studying fragile sites of the parents at 11p15 and 11q25.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1985

Triosephosphate isomerase deficiency: 2 new cases.

2 new cases of triosephosphate isomerase (TPI) deficiency associated with severe haemolytic anaemia in 2 unrelated Italian families are described. Only 1 case was extensively investigated. TPI deficiency was detectable in erythrocytes, leucocytes, platelets and plasma. The mutant enzyme showed normal Km for GAP and increased Km for DHAP, with an higher than normal equilibrium constant, decreased thermostability, and abnormal electrophoretic pattern due to the lack of the fastest moving component. The immunological characterization revealed a lower than normal inactivation by specific antiserum, while the double immunodiffusion pattern and the precipitin curve were normal. Lymphocyte, granulocyte and platelet functions were impaired.

Blood Platelets↗
PubMed1985

Evaluation of reproterol's effectiveness in preventing exercise-induced bronchospasm in children.

The authors have evaluated the effectiveness of the protection of a new beta 2-adrenergic compound, reproterol, against broncho-constriction induced by physical exercise in a group of individuals of paediatric age sensitive to broncho-stimulation. This study has been carried out comparing reproterol with salbutamol, using placebo as a control, following a randomized single-blind crossover trial. The provocation test has been performed following the instructions of the Italian Society of Paediatrics. The drugs have been administered in the oral liquid form at the dose of 0.28 mg/kg and 0.1 mg/kg of reproterol and salbutamol, respectively. The two substances have shown a similar preventive effectiveness in controlling exercise-induced asthma up to 2 hours from administration with reproterol having a stronger action at the beginning of the observation.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗