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Biomedical subjects

G Ruggiero

Publications and source records attributed to G Ruggiero.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Immunosuppressive therapy in chronic active hepatitis (CAH). A multicentric retrospective study on 867 patients. A report from a study group for CAH of the Italian Association for the study of the liver.

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical, biochemical and histological features of 867 patients with biopsy-proven CAH observed in 12 Italian Liver Units for at least one year. Either HBsAg positive or HBsAg negative patients (473 and 394 patients, respectively) were left untreated, or were treated with one of the following regimens: a) prednisolone or prednisone 10 to 30 mg daily, referred to as Steroids; b) azathioprine 50 to 100 mg daily; c) prednisolone or prednisone 10 to 20 mg daily associated with azathioprine 50 to 100 mg daily, referred to as Combination. The outcome was evaluated on the basis of clinical, biochemical and histological parameters. Among the 473 patients with HBsAg positive CAH those treated with combination, as compared to those untreated, more frequently, improved (P less than 0.001), and less frequently deteriorated (P less than 0.001). Under Steroids or Azathioprine improvement was more frequent than in untreated patients, but deterioration was not prevented. The results were similar among the 394 HBsAg negative patients. The data indicate that combination is effective in treating either HBsAg positive CAH or HBsAg negative CAH.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

[Sensitivity of bacteria exposed to subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics to the action of serum and liver phagocytes].

Incubation of E.coli and S. aureus with subinhibitory concentration (1/5 MIC) of cefamandole modified bacterial morphology and resistance to host defence mechanisms. In fact, cefamandole induced filamentous forms of E. coli, when added to the perfusing medium of the isolated rat liver system, were phagocytized at a much fortes rate then control bacteria, but appeared less sensitive to serum bactericidal activity. In contrast, S.aureus, after exposure to the antibiotic, was more sensitive to the bactericidal activity of serum then controls, while treated and untreated cells were phagocytized at the some rate. The data suggest that even at low doses some antibiotics may alter bacterial structure and increase their susceptibility to host factors.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Right brachial angiography with compression. Review of the literature.

A technique for performing right brachial angiography by compressing the right anterior-inferior part of the neck is proposed, as a result of studying the left carotid circulation without puncturing the left carotid artery. A success was obtained in about 75% of cases. The success of the technique depends mainly on the anatomical nature of the innominate artery. When the technique is successful both left carotid arteries in the neck and their intracranial branches can be satisfactorily visualized. In some cases visualization of the left vertebral artery was also obtained. Attention is drawn also on the increased diagnostic possibilities of studying the vessels in the neck with a greater dilution of the contrast medium.

Brachial Artery↗
PubMed1982

Endotoxemia in a series of 104 patients with chronic liver diseases: prevalence and significance.

Endotoxemia, measured by Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay, was found to be present in 34 (46%) out of 72 patients with liver cirrhosis and in 7 (22%) out of 32 patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH). In cirrhotics, no difference in the alteration of liver function tests and renal function was found between the two groups. However, 18 months mortality was higher in the group with endotoxemia in respect to the group without endotoxemia (p less than 0.05). In CAH patients, the Limulus-positive group showed a higher level of serum gamma-globulins, compared to the Limulus-negative group (p less than 0.005). Moreover, CAH patients with a positive LAL test showed marked histological activity and bridging necrosis more frequently than those with a negative test. This suggests that in these patients the appearance of endotoxemia may indicate a more advanced stage of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Decreased phagocytic and bactericidal activity of the hepatic reticuloendothelial system during chronic ethanol treatment and its restoration by levamisole.

The effect of chronic ethanol feeding (3 weeks) on the phagocytic and the bactericidal activity of hepatic RES versus viable Escherichia coli was studied using the isolated rat liver perfused with a serum-containing medium. Controls or ethanol-fed animals were used as liver or serum donors. The bactericidal activity of serum from ethanol-fed rats was similar to controls and accounted for the disappearance of nearly one-tenth of the bacterial inoculum from the system. When control livers were perfused with a medium containing serum from ethanol-fed animals, phagocytosis was comparable to controls while intracellular killing was greatly reduced. When livers were isolated from ethanol-fed rats, phagocytosis was significantly depressed and no killing occurred, irrespective of the source of serum. Levamisole was able to restore the macrophage activity depressed by ethanol. Our data indicate that the direct effect of ethanol on hepatic macrophages plays a major role in reducing the bactericidal activity of hepatic RES, although alterations of serum factors may contribute to an ineffective preparation of bacteria for intracellular killing.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

[Transport of cytidinediphosphocholine in different biological models. II - Transport of (5 3H, Met 14C) cytidinediphosphocholine in isolated and perfused rat liver].

The uptake of double labeled CDP-choline by isolated and perfused rat liver has been investigated. The time course of CDP-choline uptake is different for 3H and 14C, showing the existence of the degradation process of the molecule. The identification and characterization of CDP-choline and its metabolites, in the perfusate and in the hepatic extract are performed by high pressure liquid chromatography.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

[Effect of levamisole on changes in the of hepatic RES induced by chronic ethanol poisoning].

Hepatic RES is depressed in chronic alcholic intoxication and we have previously observed a significant reduction of killing of E.coli by the Kupffer cells of the isolated rat liver. In the present study rats treated with ethanol for 3 weeks, were given levamisole and then the clearance of E. coli, by the isolated liver, was followed. Levamisole 10mg/kg i.p. for 3 days, restored the depression of intracellular killing induced by ethanol. At the dosage of 2,5 mg/kg of levamisole this effect was not present. Changes of humoral factors were not involved in the phenomenon because sera from untreated anaimals were present in the perfusate for all sets of experiments.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Treatment of chronic active hepatitis (CAH): a retrospective review of 130 patients.

The authors review the course of disease in 130 patients (87 HBsAg-positive and 43 HBsAg-negative) with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) observed in the last six years. Patients were treated with prednisone (36 HBsAg-positive an 8 HBsAg-negative), azathioprine (7 HBsAg-positive and 12 HBsAg-negative) or a combination of prednisone and azathioprine (23 HBsAg-positive and 14 HBsAg-negative), or remained untreated (21 HBsAg-positive and 9 HBsAg-negative). Among HBsAg-positive patients improvement was observed in 54% of the 66 patients treated, and in none of the 21 untreated patients (P less than 0.001). Treatment did not modify the course of the disease in HBsAg-negative patients with CAH; this is probably related either to the small number of patients in each treatment group, or to geographical differences. Furthermore treatment was not effective in patients older than 40 years, whether HBsAg-positive or HBsAg-negative. Three out of 87 HBsAg-positive patients, and two out of the 43 HBsAg-negative patients had died by the end of the observation period irrespective of treatment. Full remission with clearance of HBsAg was observed only in one patient after 4 years of treatment with steroids.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

HBsAg carriers among blood donors in Italy; a retrospective survey of data from 189 blood banks.

Data of occasional or periodic blood donors from 189 banks scattered throughout Italy were retrospectively surveyed for the period between 1974 and 1977. The prevalence of HBsAg positive subjects (PHA or RIA) among occasional donors during 1975-1977 was about 3% with no appreciable annual variation. The rate of HBsAg positivity in southern Italy (i.e. Campania, 4.32%) was higher than in northern Italy (i.e. Trentino, 0.30%). Only 0.27% of the occasional donors showed both HBsAg positivity and elevated serum transaminases levels. Among periodic donors the rate of infection, as indicated by the appearance of HBsAg in serum subsequent to the last donation, was approximately 0.5% per year. Only one-tenth of the periodic donors who acquired HBsAg also had hypertransaminasemia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

[Hepatic clearance of Escherichia coli during chronic alcoholic intoxication].

The effects of chronic ethanolic intoxication on the phagocytic and bactericidal activity of the hepatic reticuloendothelial system against viable Escherichia coli were examined using be in vitro perfused at liver system. Livers were isolated from control and ethanol treated animals (3 week) and perfused with a red cell-free medium containing 4% homologous serum from control rats. After addition of E. coli (2 X 10(7) cell/ml) to the perfusing medium hepatic clearance of bacteria was measured by determining the recovery of viable cells in the perfusate, liver and bile after 30 min experimental time. Livers from ethanol treated animal showed a slightly lower phagocytic activity respect control animals, but were not able to kill phagocytized bacteria (20% intraphagocytic killing occurred in control livers). Our date suggest that the higher susceptibility toward infections with gram negative bacteria during chronic ethanol intoxication might be mediated by a impairment of functional activity of hepatic macrophages which may be independent of changes in serum opsonins.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Enhanced phagocytosis and bactericidal activity of hepatic reticuloendothelial system during endotoxin tolerance.

The effects of tolerance to Escherichia coli endotoxin on the phagocytic and bactericidal activity of the hepatic reticuloendothelial system against viable E. coli were examined using ex vivo perfused rat livers. Livers were isolated from control and endotoxin-tolerant rats and perfused with a medium containing 5% homologous serum from either control or tolerant rats. After the addition of the E. coli (2 x 10(7) cells per ml) to the perfusate, the hepatic clearance of the bacteria was followed for 30 min. The highest activation of the hepatic reticuloendothelial system was observed when serum from tolerant animals was added to the perfusate. Under these conditions phagocytosis was 47% (12% in controls), and 37 to 38% of the bacteria were killed (5% in controls). This activation was less when livers obtained from tolerant rats were perfused with serum from controls or with saline only. The data suggests that, during endotoxin tolerance, humoral factors play an important role in the activation of the hepatic reticulendothelial system, although a direct stimulation of Kupffer cells also occurs. The enhancement of phagocytosis by tolerant serum did not require the presence of homologous antibodies and involved the activation of the alternative complement pathway, since it was lost after removal of factor B activity. On the other hand, stimulation of intracellular killing required both complement and specific antibodies. The data suggest a role of endotoxin in the activation of humoral and cellular mechanisms involved in the host resistance to gram-negative bacterial infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

[Incidence of cryoglobulinemia in a series of cases of chronic liver diseases].

The prevalence of cryoglobulinaemia in a series of patients with chronic liver disease from the Campania area has been studied. The series included: 14 cases of chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH), 70 cases of chronic active hepatitis (CAH) and 113 cases of liver cirrhosis. Liver function tests were carried out on the serum of each patient and cryoglobulines were studied. Liver biopsy was carried out when indicated. About a third of the patients were under the effect of previous treatment with anti-inflammatory steroids and-or azathioprine. Cryoglobulines were found in 4 of the 197 patients (2%); of type IgG in 3 cases: 1 of CAH, HBsAg negative and 2 of inactive cirrhosis of which one with HbsAg in the serum; of type IgM in 1 case of CAH, HBsAg negative. The data are discussed on relation to other reported data.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

[Incorporation of S-adenosylmethionine in the isolated and perfused rat liver. Preliminary study].

The uptake of labeled S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) by isolated and perfused rat liver has been compared to that of methionine: the rate of incorporation of the amino acid exceeds by about three times that of the sulfonium compound. S-Adenosylmethionine transport system shows saturation kinetics with an apparent Km of 59,5 microM and is energy-dependent, as demonstrated by the inhibition by 2,4-dinitrophenol.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Clearance of viable salmonella typhi Ty 2 and Staphylococcus aureus by the isolated rat liver in the absence of serum factors.

The clearance of S. typhi Ty 2 and of a S. aureus strain by the isolated rat liver perfused in vitro with a synthetic serum free perfusate was studied. Bacteria were added to the perfusate at the initial concentration of 1x10(8) cells/ml. During perfusions the perfusate was sampled; after 30 min bile and liver samples were obtained and used for viable bacterial counts. After 30 min the amount of bacteria phagocytized greatly differed from one strain to the other: 30% for S. typhi Ty 2 and 100% for S. aureus. The end amount of viable bacteria recovered in the isolated liver was 7% for S. typhi Ty 2 and 80% for S. Aureus, thus indicating that for the latter strain greater clearance was not associated with an equally fast intracellular death.

Animals↗