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Biomedical subjects

G Verme

Publications and source records attributed to G Verme.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Influence of delta infection on severity of hepatitis B.

The prevalence of serum markers of primary delta infection was determined in 532 patients with acute benign hepatitis B seen in Italy, and in 111 patients with fulminant hepatitis B seen in Italy, France and England. Patients with fulminant hepatitis had significantly higher prevalence of delta markers (43/111, 39%) than did those with benign hepatitis (101/532, 19%). In 25 of the 43 patients with delta-positive fulminant hepatitis, serum markers indicated a primary hepatitis B infection while in the remaining 18, IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen was absent, indicating that hepatitis B preceded superinfection with the delta agent. The increased morbidity of HBsAg hepatitis with delta infection may result from the cumulative simultaneous exposure to hepatitis B virus and delta, or from superinfection of HBsAg carriers with delta.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1981

Circulating trypsin-like immunoreactivity in chronic pancreatitis.

The present study has been designed to work out the factors regulating the fasting serum levels of trypsin-like immunoreactivity in chronic pancreatitis. One hundred patients with chronic pancreatitis have been included and studied during a painless phase of the disease. No relationships have been observed between serum trypsin-like immunoreactivity and the presence of pancreatic calcifications. Serum immunoreactive trypsin levels showed a gradual decline parallel to the progressive impairment of bicarbonate and enzyme (trypsin and chymotrypsin) outputs in duodenal aspirates during pancreatic secretory studies. Therefore, serum trypsin-like immunoreactivity levels are thought to reflect the functional capacity of the exocrine pancreas. Reduced levels of trypsin-like immunoreactivity were detected in almost all patients with diabetes and steatorrhea. However, the finding of low levels also in a minority of chronic pancreatitis patients with normal endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or pancreatic secretory tests points to other factors which, in addition to the atrophy of the pancreatic parenchyma, may influence the circulating levels of trypsin-like immunoreactivity in chronic pancreatitis.

Antigens↗
PubMed1981

Placebo controlled studies with ranitidine in duodenal ulcer.

171 duodenal ulcer patients were treated for four weeks with either ranitidine or placebo under double-blind conditions. 40 patients (monocentre study) received ranitidine (40 mg), or placebo t.d.s. with meals and 80 mg at bedtime. 131 patients (multicentre study) received ranitidine (150 mg), or placebo b.d. In the monocentre study endoscopy after 4 weeks of treatment showed complete healing in 83.3% of the ranitidine patients and 30.4% of those on placebo (P less than 0.01%). In the multicentre study the healing percentages were 79.4% and 30.4%, respectively (P less than 0.001). In both trials pain and antacid consumption decreased in patients taking ranitidine more than in patients on placebo. After 4 weeks in the double blind studies 13 of the 15 patients with unhealed ulcer in the monocentre study and 51 of 54 patients in the multicentre study received open treatment with ranitidine for another 4 week period. The overall healing percentages by the 8th week of treatment with ranitidine were 94.4% and 93.6% respectively. No serious side effects, or haematological changes were observed during the treatment with ranitidine.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1980

Immunohistochemistry of brain 5-hydroxytryptamine.

An immunohistochemical assay for 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) has been developed, validated by parallel radioimmunoassay and a series of tests with monoamines or related molecules, and applied to the detection of 5HT in rat brain sections. The procedure seems to be more sensitive and specific than the classical Falck-Hillarp technique. Among amines and related compounds tested, only 5-methoxytryptamine has been found to cross-react. 5HT-immunoreactive neurons and/or fibres have been observed in the spinal cord, brain stem, hypothalamic nuclei, epiphysis and subcommissural organ, thalamus, striatum, corpus callosum, amygdala, hippocampus, olfactory tubercle, and cerebral cortex.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Trypsin-like immunoreactivity in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis.

Elevated serum and urine amylase and serum lipase values are not always diagnostic of an acute pancreatitis, on the account of the extrapancreatic production of these enzymes. A diagnostic improvement can be made by using the CAm/CCr ratio, but this index too is abnormal in some non pancreatic diseases. Since trypsin measurement seems to be more specific in the evaluation of pancreatic condition, serum trypsin-like immunoreactivity has been measured in 28 patients with acute pancreatitis, 95 patients with a wide spectrum of gastroenterological diseases and in 30 patients with severe chronic renal failure. 85 normal subjects were used as controls. Abnormally high serum trypsin-like immunoreactivity (TLI) values were detected in 100% of patients with acute pancreatitis, without any overlap with normal controls. TLI values above the upper normal limit were also found in 70% of patients with severe renal damage, while none of the patients with liver disease, biliary disease, peptic ulcer an inflammatory bowel disease had elevated TLI levels. In 29 patients with hyperamylasemia due to extra-pancreatic diseases serum trypsin-like immunoreactivity was always within the normal range. It is concluded that the determination of serum TLI is a sensitive and reliable tool in the diagnosis of an acute pancreatic inflammation, providing that a severe renal failure is excluded.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1979

Incidence and significance of antibodies to delta antigen in hepatitis B virus infection.

A microtitre solid-phase blocking radioimmunoassay (RIA) for antibody to the hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated delta antigen was specific and detected anti-delta antibody at dilutions of serum of up to 10(6). Analysis of sera from HBsAg-negative subjects and different categories of HBsAg carriers from different regions confirmed the association of anti-delta antibody with HBV infection. Anti-delta antibody was detected in persistently high titres in 19.1% and 2.6% of sera from patients with chronic hepatitis and symptomatic chronic carriers, respectively, and was not detected in the sera of HBsAg-negative controls. Anti-delta antibody appeared transiently and in low titres (less than 1:500) in 4.8% of sera from patients with acute type B hepatitis. The presence and persistence of anti-delta antibody seem to be associated with chronic HBV infection and the development of progressive liver damage.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1979

An ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study on the delta antigen associated with the hepatitis B virus.

Thirteen liver biopsies in which the delta antigen was detected by immunofluorescence were studied by electron microscopy and immune electron microscopy with peroxidase labelled IgG and F(ab1)2 fraction obtained from a human antiserum containing high-titre anti-delta antibodies. The findings were compared with those obtained in 11 HBcAg positive and in two HBsAg negative controls. Neither unique particulate morphology nor any HB virus ultrastructural component were visualised in the delta positive specimens; 20-23 nm naked core particles were observed in 10 of 11 biopsies displaying the HBcAg in immunofluorescence. Delta positive nuclei frequently contained dense round structures of diameter varying between 20 and 30 nm with a soft indistinct edge. These granules did not exhibit characteristic ultrastructural features which enabled them to be distinguished from other granular material observed occasionally in nuclei of normal and diseased livers. However, their association with the delta antigen has been proved by the deposition on identical structures of peroxidase labelled anti-delta antibody. These results suggest that the delta antigen is unrelated to the Dane particle, the putative HB virus. The granules observed in the delta positive nuclei are composed of an amorphous matrix, possibly insoluble aggregates of the delta antigen.

Cell Nucleus↗
PubMed1979

Antral G- and D-cell counts in chronic renal failure.

Antral somatostatin- and gastrin-producing cells (D and G cells) were studied in a group of patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) in comparison with a control group. Gastric acid secretion and serum gastrin, phosphate, and parathormone (PTH) levels were also evaluated in every patient. The group with CRF showed a mild increase both in G- and in D-cell denisty. In this group serum phosphate and PTH levels were higher than normal, showing hyperparathyroidism in every patient. A direct correlation was found between G-cell density and parathyroid function in patients with CRF. Hyperparathyroidism, therefore, seems to play a role in the mechanism of increased serum gastrin levels in CRF.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Cell-mediated immunity to acetaldehyde in alcoholic liver disease demonstrated by leukocyte migration test.

To determine whether a sensitization to ethanol metabolites occurs in alcoholic liver disease, reactivity of lymphocytes to nontoxic amounts of acetaldehyde was studied by direct elaboration of migration inhibitory factor (MIF) production. Eighteen alcoholics with various degrees of biopsy-proven liver damage showed increased MIF production in response to acetaldehyde; the mean value of the group differed significantly from 15 healthy controls, 15 subjects with nonalcoholic liver disease, and 15 alcoholics without liver involvement (P less than 0.001, P less than 0.001, P less than 0.02, respectively). Among the alcoholics with liver disease, none individuals (50%) with histological signs of advanced alcoholic hepatitis showed the highest percentage of inhibition of migration; the value differed significantly from the remaining patients with lesser degrees of hyaline necrosis in liver biopsies (P less than 0.005). These results indicate that acetaldehyde is involved in the pathogenesis of alcoholic hepatitis. Clinically, this test might facilitate the selection of patients with alcoholic hyaline necrosis.

Acetaldehyde↗
PubMed1978

Treatment of active duodenal ulcer with oral cimetidine: a multicenter controlled endoscopic trial.

A double-blind 4-week trial of cimetidine (1 g daily) versus placebo was conducted in 68 adult outpatients with active duodenal ulceration endoscopically confirmed. 3 of the patient admitted to the study (1 on cimetidine and 2 on placebo) did not complete the trial. After 4 weeks of treatment, 25 of 33 patients (76%) receiving cimetidine had healed their ulcers compared with 15 (47%) of 32 patients receiving placebo (p less than 0.02). Antacid consumption was also significantly decreased by cimetidine when compared with placebo. Tolerability of the drug was good.

Administration, Oral↗