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Biomedical subjects

G Pagano

Publications and source records attributed to G Pagano.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of the effects of bezafibrate and acipimox on the lipid pattern and plasma fibrinogen in hyperlipidaemic type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients.

Correction of cardiovascular risk factors is of particular significance in a high-risk population, such as that of diabetic patients. This paper reports the effects of one-month administration of 400 mg/day Bezafibrate (BZF), followed by a two-month wash-out and one-month administration of 500 mg/day Acipimox (APX) or vice versa in a random order in 16 Type 2 diabetic patients with diet-resistant hyperlipidaemia and in good metabolic control (HbA1c less than 8%), on plasma fibrinogen and on their lipid pattern. Metabolic control displayed a nonsignificant improvement (HbA1c) during both treatments (stable body weight). Both BZF and APX produced a 14% decrease in total CHOL (p less than 0.01), whereas BZF was more effective in reducing triglycerides (tg) (-37% vs -15%). The marked BZF-induced Tg reduction was associated with a proportional decrease in Apo B, while an increase in total HDL-, HDL2 and HDL3-CHOL, together with a significant increase in Apo AI, was observed. APX treatment resulted in a HDL2-CHOL increase only (+29%). Both drugs reduced VLDL-CHOL (BZF -37%; APX -15%) and VLDL-Tg (-56% and -34%). In BZF treated patients Apo CIII fell indicating a possible reduction of specific inhibition of lipoprotein lipase activity, while APX affected both Apo CII (+23%) and Apo CIII (-26%) and led to a 62% Apo CII/CIII ratio increase. BZF alone led to a significant 25% decrease in plasma fibrinogen (from 415 +/- 14.3 to 312.1 +/- 18.1 SEM mg/dl, p less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The follow-up of malformation uropathies diagnosed "in utero"].

Prenatal diagnosis and postnatal follow-up of urinary tract congenital malformations are discussed. Among 9501 overall births, 25 newborns with urinary tract congenital malformations were born (2.6 x 1,000). Twenty cases had been diagnosed "in utero" by ultrasound scan (4 cases of Potter sequence, 2 cases of prune-belly anomaly, 3 cases of polymalformed infants with urinary involvement, 10 cases of hydronephrosis, 1 case of ectopic kidney). In 8 newborns a surgical treatment was successfully performed. Eight newborns died and in other 4 cases clinical and ultrasonographic are not yet fulfilled. In 2 cases the prenatal diagnosis of urinary tract malformations was not confirmed by the postnatal evaluation. Our experience shows that the prenatal diagnosis of congenital malformations of urinary tract is particularly useful, even considering the opportunities of perinatal management and postnatal surgical treatment in several cases.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gastric emptying of liquids and solids evaluated by acetaminophen test in diabetic patients with and without autonomic neuropathy.

A delayed gastric emptying of solids but not of liquids has been recorded in diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy by radionuclide labelled test meals. Acetaminophen test (rate of acetaminophen absorption after ingestion of 1500 mg of the drug) has been previously validated for quantitative indirect measurement of gastric emptying. In the present study we measured gastric emptying of liquid and solid meals by acetaminophen test in 14 insulin-requiring diabetic patients (7 with and 7 without autonomic neuropathy) and 14 healthy subjects, matched for age, sex, BMI and blood pressure. All values recorded after liquid meal were not significantly different in the three groups of subjects. After solid meal, the mean area under the plasma acetaminophen concentration-time curve was significantly lower in neuropathic diabetic patients vs control subjects (p less than 0.05), and the emptying index (peak time/peak plasma concentration ratio) was significantly higher in neuropathic diabetic patients vs non-neuropathic diabetic patients (p less than 0.01) and vs control subjects (p less than 0.05). These results confirm a delayed gastric emptying of solids but not of liquids in diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy, and indicate that acetaminophen test may be proposed as simple, safe and noninvasive test for quantitative assessment of gastric emptying in diabetic patients.

Acetaminophen↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Albumin excretion rate is not increased in atherosclerotic patients with peripheral vascular disease.

In type I diabetic patients, microalbuminuria is considered predictive of nephropathy and has been found associated with an increased mobility and mortality for atherosclerosis. An association between microalbuminuria and atherosclerosis has been reported in non diabetic atherosclerotic patients with hypertension. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether albumin excretion rate (AER) is increased in a selected group of normotensive patients with documented peripheral atherosclerotic disease. We measured the AER on overnight urine collections in: 20 normotensive, non diabetic, atherosclerotic patients and in 14 healthy volunteers, matched for sex, age, body mass index. All subjects had normal renal function and negative family history of hypertension and diabetes. The AER values were 2.46 +/- 0.52 micrograms/min in controls, 3.25 +/- 0.69 micrograms/min in atherosclerotic patients, and the difference was not statistically significant. No subject (patient or control) was microalbuminuric. These results suggest that AER is not a marker of widespread vascular damage in normotensive atherosclerotic patients with normal glucose tolerance.

Albuminuria↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Lymphocyte (Na,K) ATPase-dependent 86Rb+ uptake in human obesity.

Sodium and potassium ion-activated adenosinetriphosphatase (EC number 3.6.1.3) activity, measured as the uptake of 86 rubidium (an analogue of potassium) was determined on peripheral lymphocytes isolated from 20 normotensive obese subjects and 20 normal weight subjects. No difference in the total uptake of 86Rb or in the Na, K-ATPase-dependent uptake was observed in either group. Furthermore, no correlation between the body mass index (BMI) and the Na,K-ATPase-dependent 86Rb uptake was observed. However the Na,K-ATPase mediated 86Rb uptake was always positively correlated with basal blood insulin levels and the insulin sensitivity index. It may be concluded that no lymphocyte dysfunction of Na,K-ATPase was present in our obese patients and that its activity is controlled by insulin in both normal-weight and obese subjects.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prediction and detection of ovulation relationship between woman's observations of cervical mucus changes, thermic and echographic parameters of ovulation.

Every woman can perceive and interpret her fertility signs such as cyclic changes of cervical mucus, sensation of wetness and lubrification of the vulva and thermal shift. 18 cycles were studied in 6 volunteers but one cycle was eliminated because ovulation did not occur. Each of the 6 women perceived the day in which cervical mucus was more abundant, clear, lubrificative and elastic and noted the "Peak" mucus day. These two data were correlated with the thermic nadir day and the day or the period of echographic ovulation showing an accurate relationship with ovulation.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Insulin binding to target cells (general survey, problems and results in spontaneous obesity).

Following Yalow and Berson's basic research on the binding of polypeptide hormones to plasma proteins, an integrated picture of hormone-receptor interaction and biological activity has been proposed for insulin in experimental models and in man. The extracellular interaction of the insulin molecule with the cell membrane structure modifies the intracellular metabolism, and it has been suggested that this occurs through the activation of a second messenger or the transduction of an insulin fragment into the cell. The use of monoiodoinsulin has made it possible to perform a series of experiments on cells isolated from the blood (monocytes) or from the tissues (adipocytes) and on plasma membranes prepared by ultracentrifugation. The existence of specific receptor sites for insulin in all cases, both in animals and in man, has been confirmed by mathematical analysis of the binding curves; their non-linear course, as plotted by Scatchard's method, may depend on negative cooperation or on different classes of receptor. From an evaluation of recent studies on human obesity, particularly on adipocytes and circulating monocytes, a new approach to the problem of 'insulin resistance' in obesity has been proposed, and this has shown that a reduction in the number of receptors on the target cells may contribute to peripheral insulin insensitivity. This phenomenon, which seems to be characteristic of the static phase of obesity, is reversible during fasting or weight reduction and may be a compensatory mechanism for hyperinsulinaemia. These results are an example of the significance and applicability of the experimental method of detecting insulin binding to target cells, and suggest a wide application in different endocrinological fields.

Animals↗