Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G Pastore

Publications and source records attributed to G Pastore.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

[Comparative evaluation of 5 third-generation methods for the detection of HBsAg].

Five third generation methods for detection of HBsAg in serum were evaluation: AUSRIA II, Micro-RIA, Hepanosticon, Enzygnost, Antigen-TG. Sera of 340 patients with acute and chronic hepatitis and 160 controls were examined with these techniques. The haemoagglutination and latex tests were less sensitive than the RIA, Micro-RIA and ELISA methods. The RIA procedure remains the more sensitive, as demonstrated with sera diluted. False positive results, frequently depending on the excess of antibodies, were observed in ELISA, haemoagglutination and latex tests. The results confirm that the RIA procedure is still highly specific and sensitive, but ELISA is also a very alternative method for HBsAg detection.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1981

Ataxia telangiectasia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia: report of a case.

We report a new case of ataxia-telangiectasia (AT) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and review all 21 known cases of AT and ALL. Leukemia in these patients is associated with a male predominance, age older than 10 years at diagnosis, a white blood cell count higher than 50,000 mm3, and a fatal course. Four patients have been reported who developed T-cell leukemia, 3 null-cell leukemia and 1 B-cell leukemia. The AT-ALL patients appear to be at risk for infections related to their immunodeficient status and ALL chemotherapy. In addition, neurologic deterioration has been noted during the early phase of therapy.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1981

[Curie therapy with 192 iridium on a moulded apparatus in the treatment of tumors of the hard palate].

Complete regression of the primary tumour was observed when a shaped apparatus loaded with 192Ir wires was used in the treatment of 6 patients with neoplasia of the hard palate, whereas very slight changes were noted in another subject. Fatal locoregional adenopathy appeared after 6 months in one of these 6 patients without prejudice to the cure obtained in the primary site.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1981

Hepatitis B virus markers, alpha-fetoprotein and survival in fulminant viral hepatitis.

The serological markers of hepatitis B virus and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels have been studied in 28 consecutive cases of fulminant hepatitis, correlating the data with survival. On admission, 20 patients were found to be positive for HBsAg and eight for anti-HBs. All anti-HBs-positive cases showed high titers of anti-HBc, and six patients were positive for specific anti-HBc-IgM. DNA polymerase activity was detected in serum of 11 HBsAg-positive (55%) and four anti-HBs-positive (50%) patients. HBeAg was detected in six (21.4%) subjects (five HBsAg-positive and one anti-HBs-positive), whereas anti-HBe was present in nine (32.1%) subjects (six HBsAg-positive and three anti-HBs-positive). AFP levels greater than 60 ng/ml were found in sera of 14 patients (50%). No significant difference was evidenced in the survival rate between HBsAg-positive and anti-HBs-positive and between HBeAg-positive and HBe Ag-negative patients. However, a statistically significant difference (P less than 0.05) in the survival rate was found in patients positive and negative for DNA polymerase activity and in those with AFP levels higher and lower than 60 ng/ml (P less than 0.005). Pathogenetic and prognostic significance of these findings are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Infectivity markers in HBsAg chronic carriers and intrafamilial spread of hepatitis B virus infection.

Sera from 28 HBsAg chronic carriers were tested for the presence of HBeAg, anti-HBe and Dane particle-associated DNA-polymerase activity, in order to evaluate the relationship between the presence of these markers and the spread of HBV infection in their family contacts. A highly significant prevalence of HBV infection was observed in the relatives of HBsAg carriers who were positive for either HBeAg or DNA-polymerase activity or both. These observations support the inference of a striking correlation between the presence of these markers and the infectivity of HBsAg carriers. Therefore, serological determination of HBeAg and DNA-polymerase activity may be considered in the epidemiological control of HBV infection

Adult↗
PubMed1981

[Sensitivity and specificity of 2 methods of determining surface antigen (HBsAg) in various forms of hepatitis B pathology].

A passive haemoagglutination method (rHA) was compared to a solid-phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) in detecting hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in order to evaluate their sensitivity and specificity. The test was performed on sera from 297 subjects with acute and chronic hepatitis, 23 asymptomatic HBsAg-RIA positive carriers, 20 patients with infectious mononucleosis, 110 HBsAg RIA negative healthy persons; 30 sera positive for rheumatoid factor and/or autoantibody were also tested. Our data confirm that RIA is highly specific and rarely shows false negative results, depending on antibody excess, rHA shows less sensitivity than RIA in detecting HBsAg especially in sera of patients with acute hepatitis.

Carrier State↗
PubMed1980

[Markers of viral replication (HBeAg and DNA polymerase activity) in chronic uremia, HBsAg positive, hemodialysis patients].

The contagiousness of hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers with end-stage renal disease undergoing chronic hemodialysis has been ascribed to an immunologic tolerance for HBV antigens, especially hepatitis B core antigen, supporting persistently high levels of virus replication. In this context hepatitis B e antigen and core-associated DNA polymerase (DNA P) activity have proved to be distinct markers of HBV replication. In order to evaluate the potential infectivity of these subjects, thirty-five HBsAg positive hemodialysis patients were studied for the presence of HBeAg/anti-HBe system correlating the results with serum DNA P activity. Twenty out of 35 patients were HBeAg positive (57%) and 21 DNA P positive (60%). A highly significant correlation (P less than 0,001) was recorded between detection of HBeAg and presence of serum DNA P activity. These findings confirm that the majority of hemodialysis patients carrying HBsAg show high levels of virus replication so that the determination of HBeAg and DNA P activity other than HBsAg is required for the identification of patients highly infectious.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1980

[Surface antigen (HBsAg) and core antibody (anti-HBc) in chronic uremia during periodic hemodialysis treatment of hepatitis B patients. Correlation with viral replication markers (HBeAg and DNA polymerase activity)].

Sera of thirty-five hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive hemodialysis patients and fifty-three asymptomatic HBsAg chronic carrier were studied to assess the relationship between markers of virus activity (hepatitis B e antigen and core-associated DNA polymerase activity) and titers of HBsAg and of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc). All sera were tested by solid-phase radioimmunoassay methods. HBeAg was detected in 20 (51%) hemodialysis patients and in 14 (26%) asymptomatic carriers, whereas DNA P activity was present in sera of 21 (60%) and 17 (32%) respectively. The highest titers of HBsAg and anti-HBc expressed as P/N ratio between positive and negative controls, were detected in the majority of hemodialysis patients, whereas asymptomatic carriers showed low titers of these markers. These data suggest that in HBsAg positive hemodialysis patients a more active viral replication occurs and further underline the difference between these patients and other categories of HBsAg carriers in terms of infectivity.

Carrier State↗
PubMed1980

[Serologic diagnosis of acute hepatitis A. Refinement and evaluation of 3 methods of determining specific anti-HAV IgM].

A solid phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) procedure was developed and three methods for detection of IgM specific antibody to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV IgM) were compared: triple antibody method, 2-MercaptoEthanol (2-ME) for IgM cleavage and Staphylococcal A Protein (StAP) for IgG absorption. Specificity and sensitivity of the tests were checked for evaluating acute and convalescent sera from 40 patients with serologically (seroconversion) diagnosed hepatitis A and 64 sera from patients with various acute viral diseases or with high titre of rheumatoid factor (RF). Specimens to be assayed for anti-HAV IgM were pretreated with 2-ME or StAP and tested by RIa using 125I labelled anti-HAV IgG. Triple antibody method showed to be more sensitive than other two methods giving false positive result in only one serum containing high levels of monoclonal RF. No significant difference in sensitivity and specificity was found between 2-ME and StAP procedure, but these methods were able to detect anti-HAV IgM for only two weeks after the onset of the disease, whereas triple antibody method gave positive results for at last seven weeks.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1980

[Non-A, non-B post-transfusion hepatitis. Serological survey of 85 patients with acute hepatitis following blood transfusion].

In a serological survey of 85 adult patients hospitalized for an episode of transfusion-associated hepatitis, 45 were reactive for hepatitis B surface antigen and therefore diagnosed as having hepatitis B. Forty HBsAg non reactive patients were examined for development of antibody to hepatitis A and B antigens, cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus. Three patients showed serologic evidence of hepatitis B and one for hepatitis A. None of the remaining 36 subjects developed serologic evidence of acute infection with the viruses tested during the study period, so that they were classified as having so-called NANB hepatitis. As reported in other studies, analysis of the incubation period showed that two subgroups of NANB hepatitis may be identified with short and long incubation period, so that it appears likely that at least two agents are implicated in NANB hepatitis. Our data confirm that also in our area a large proportion of transfusion-associated hepatitis is related to NANB agent(s) requiring additional measures for its prevention.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1980

Discontinuing therapy in childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia. A multicentric survey in Italy.

The results of discontinuing therapy in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia observed at four associated institutions are presented. Of the 247 patients who achieved complete remission, 122 (49.3%) reached the point of discontinuing therapy after 2-4 years of continuous remission. The median period off therapy was 13 months with a range of 1-69 months. Of the 122 children removed from therapy, 27 (22.1%) relapsed, mainly in the bone marrow; relapses occurred 1-32 months after cessation of therapy (median ten months) with only two relapses occurring later than two years. By actuarial analysis, 57% of the patients are projected in continuous remission after five years from cessation of therapy. Neither selected features at diagnosis nor single modalities of treatment were found to predict whether relapse would occur after discontinuing therapy. Long-term remission and possibly cure can be expected in over one-third of newly diagnosed children with ALL after 2-4 years of antileukemic treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

[Radiotherapy of anal carcinomas. Case reviews].

Radiotherapy is commonly assigned an important role in the treatment of anal neoplasia. Interstitial treatment with 192Ir and high-energy transcutaneous therapy will lead to survival and cure percentages comparable with those obtainable surgically, if correctly employed in accordance with precise indications, in stage T1 and T2 tumours. External high-energy management, with or without surgery, may also be effective in stage T3 cases. The seriousness and frequency of radionecrosis have hitherto helped to create a lack of trust in radiation management. Modern irradiation techniques, however, have reduced these complications to low percentages, and their resolution by destructive surgery is rarely required.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1980

HBeAg/anti-HBe system and cell-mediated immunity in patients with HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis.

Determinations of HBeAg, anti-HBe and cell-mediated immune response were carried out in 29 patients with HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis. Out of 29 patients with chronic active hepatitis B, 18 were found to be HBeAg positive, 7 anti-HBe positive, and 4 without detectable HBeAg/anti-HBe by radioimmunoassay. The presence of HBeAg in serum (n = 18) was associated with impaired lymphocyte response in 15 patients (83.3%, p less than 0.05). Out of these 15 patients 6 developed cirrhosis within a period of 6 months to 2 years. By contrast, this occurred in only 1 out of 8 HBeAg-negative patients (6 were anti-HBe positive) with normal lymphocyte function. Although HBeAg and depressed cellular immune response in chronic active hepatitis is not necessarily associated with a bad clinical and histological outcome of the disease, these data suggest that, in a number of cases, host cell-mediated immune response seems to be correlated with the presence of HBeAg and the outcome of chronic active hepatitis and, in this respect, HBeAg could assume the significance of a prognostic marker in hepatitis B virus infection.

Adolescent↗