Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G Rota

Publications and source records attributed to G Rota.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

The kidney transplant program at the Bergamo Center.

The kidney transplant program at the Ospedali Riuniti of Bergamo, Italy was established in 1989. Since its inception, 367 patients have been transplanted, including 357 kidney transplants from cadaveric donors and 10 from living-related donors. Overall 8-year patient and graft survival rates were 94% and 77%, respectively. By 1995 our unit co-ordinated the activity of the Department of Immunology and Clinics of Organ Transplantation, Ospedali Riuniti--Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Bergamo. The dual "marginal" kidney transplant program in the same recipient was launched in August 1997, as a part of an international cooperative network which established the "Double Kidney Transplant Group" (DKG). To date, 19 dual kidney transplants have been successfully performed in our center. Four combined heart-kidney transplants and 2 combined liver-kidney transplants have also been performed. During the past 4 years several studies involving conventional antirejection drugs were carried out, particularly focussing our attention on cyclosporine (CsA) through pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic approaches: 1) a simplified method to evaluate daily exposure to CsA has been set up; 2) the monitoring of calcineurin activity in whole blood samples was evaluated as a way to optimize CsA dosing. As for the new immunosuppressants, studies are ongoing with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). We are co-ordinating a prospective multicenter randomized trial of steroid sparing in kidney transplant recipients given MMF or azathioprine as a part of their immunosuppression therapy (MY.S.S. study). This involves 9 Italian transplant centers and 2 European centers. Up to now 325 patients have been randomized. Moreover we have set up an HPLC method for measuring plasma mycophenolic acid (MPA), and examined the possibility of optimizing MMF dosing by drug pharmacokinetic monitoring. Further studies have been addressed to chronic allograft nephropathy. The nature and mediators of renal lesions in kidney transplant patients given CsA have been explored taking into account the gene expression of endothelin-1, RANTES and MCP-1 in graft specimens from patients who had evidence of CsA nephrotoxicity, chronic rejection, or no lesions at histological examination. The impact of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting of posttransplant renal artery stenosis on renal function recovery was also recently examined. From this study we conclude that the procedure is safe and effective to normalize the functional changes sustained by hemodynamically significant artery stenosis. Moreover, Doppler ultrasound scanning is an useful, reliable, non-invasive tool to monitor the renal function response to artery revascularization. Thanks to the long-lasting co-operation with the Negri Bergamo Laboratories, we had in the past and still have an active program in experimental animals to investigate strategies for transplant tolerance and transplant gene therapy, besides addressing some issues related to the immunological barrier of xenotransplantation.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed1996

Functional meaning of scintigraphic and echographic patterns, and of circulating anti-peroxidase antibodies in asymptomatic chronic thyroiditis.

Asymptomatic chronic thyroiditis (ACT) is a variant of the autoimmune thyroiditis characterized by the presence of circulating anti-thyroid antibodies and the absence of palpable goiter. Thyroid function can be normal but a considerable percentage of ACT patients tend to develop subclinical hypothyroidism over time and thus periodical controls of thyroid hormones and TSH levels are needed. At present, useful parameters for predicting the functional outcome of ACT patients are lacking. To investigate this aspect, we evaluated 57 consecutive ACT patients (51 females, 6 males, aged 22-56 years) by means of thyroid 99mTc-pertechnetate scintigraphy and echography, and by measuring the serum level of anti-peroxidase antibodies (TPOAbs), FT4, T3 and TSH. At first observation, 30 patients were euthyroid whereas 27 had subclinical hypothyroidism. No patient had been previously treated with thyroid hormones. Thyroid scan showed a normal pattern or a diffuse and mild irregular uptake, without differences between euthyroid and subclinical hypothyroid patients. TPOAb levels tend to be higher in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism in comparison to the euthyroid patients (5893 +/- 1423 and 3943 +/- 912 UI/mL, respectively) but the difference was not statistically significant by using Student's "t"-test. Echography showed a normal pattern in 14 patients, while a diffuse hypoechoic pattern in the other cases, mild in 12, moderate in 19 and marked in 12, was found. A significantly higher prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism was observed in the group of patients with a moderate or marked hypoechoic pattern in comparison to the group with a normo-echoic or mild hypoechoic pattern (70.4% versus 23.0%, Fisher's exact test p = 0.00003). Furthermore, the 3 patients who developed thyroid failure during a one-year follow-up also presented a moderate or marked hypoechoic pattern. Our data suggest that the echo-pattern can be a useful predictor of thyroid failure in ACT patients and thus the echographic evaluation should be included in the diagnostic protocol of these patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Endodermal sinus (yolk sac) tumor of the urachus.

A rare case of endodermal sinus (yolk sac) tumor of urachal remnants in a two-year-old infant is described. The tumor was located in the upper part of the bladder and appeared to arise from urachal remnants. The tumor could be entirely removed. The patient is free of tumor after three years and eight months follow-up.

Chemotherapy, Adjuvant↗
PubMed1984

[Plasma cell acid phosphatase in the differential diagnosis of monoclonal gammopathies].

Acid phosphatase activity was studied cytochemically in bone marrow plasma cells of 32 multiple myelomas, 45 non-myelomatous monoclonal gammopathies and 20 normal subjects. We have found significant differences among these three groups (P less than 0.001). The usefulness of this cytochemical reaction for the study of monoclonal gammopathies is discussed.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1982

[Radioimmunologic determination of circulating parathyroid hormone in patients with primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism].

A radioimmunological evaluation was made of plasma parathormone (PTH), using an antibody against the C-terminal fraction, in 14 subjects with primary parahyperthyroidism, and in 19 anuric subjects with secondary forms on three-weekly dialysis. In all cases, values were significantly higher (p less than 0.01) than in a group of normal controls. In secondary forms, the same significance was also apparent on comparison with primary forms, probably due to an absence of renal clearance of the hormone.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Parenteral hyperalimentation in patients with advanced neoplastic disease (author's transl)].

Two groups of patients suffering from advanced neoplastic disease were fed parenterally for a period ranging from 1 to 16 weeks. The parameters considered were: weight change, serum albumin level, lymphocyte transformation test and serum immunoglobulin level. There were 23 patients in one group and 21 patients in the other. Regimens included for group I: saline solution (1000-1500 ml), glucose (100-150 g) and amino acids (15-30 g) per day; for group 2: 40-50 Cal/kg per day (dextrose about 15 g/kg per day), about 2 g of amino acids/kg/day and about 40-50 ml water/kg/day. In addition, 13 patients underwent both treatments sequentially. All the Group I patients lost weight (1.3 kg/week); while out of 23 patients in Group 2, 15 gained weight, 2 remained unchanged and 6 continued to lose weight, but to a lesser rate than before hyperalimentation (the average weight gain was 1.1 kg/week). Serum albumin levels decreased in 19 out of 25 patients in Group I and increased in 14 out of 26 patients of Group 2. Initial values of the lymphocyte blast transformation test were very low in both groups of patients, and an increase was observed only in patients treated by hyperalimentation. The increase was more evident in patients who were not under antiblastic treatment. Changes in serum immunoglobulin levels were not significant. The authors conclude that malnutrition plays a very important role in neoplastic cachexia and can be improved by parenteral hyperalimentation. Although it is possible that in the near future hyperalimentation and conventional neoplastic therapies will play complementary roles in treatment of advanced neoplastic disease, malnutrition is still the specific indication for intravenous hyperalimentation.

Amino Acids↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Diagnosis of bone and liver metastases in breast cancer comparing tumor markers and imaging techniques.

One hundred and forty-seven patients were examined by bone scintigraphy, ultrasonography and scintigraphic scan of the liver, at different times after surgical removal of a breast cancer, to rule out skeletal and hepatic metastases. At the same time as imaging procedures, serum levels of tumor markers (CEA, TPA and CA 15-3) were determined using radioimmunometric methods. One or more markers were elevated in all 13 patients with hepatic metastases; 9 out of 46 patients with bone metastases had all serum markers normal, with a sensitivity of 80%. Combined assay of the markers proved useful, TPA and CA 15-3 showing the best sensitivity in bone metastases, and all three markers in liver metastases.

Adult↗