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Biomedical subjects

L A Scuro

Publications and source records attributed to L A Scuro.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

A discrepancy between the effects of a single oral dose of captopril on blood pressure, plasma renin activity, and serum angiotensin-converting enzyme levels.

The effects of a single oral dose (100 mg) of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, captopril (SQ 14,224), on blood pressure (BP), plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone (PA), and serum ACE were investigated in 18 patients with essential hypertension (EH) and in 4 with renovascular hypertension (RVH). in most patients, SQ 14,225 caused a significant reduction of BP during the subsequent 6 h, particularly in RVH patients. A significant correlation between basal PRA levels and BP reduction was observed only by considering all the patients together. After ACE blockade, a significant increase of PRA was observed in RVH and in normal-renin EH patients, but not in EH patients with lower PRA. Maximal serum ACE inhibition (over 50%) occurred after 2 h but diminished after 4 h and 6 h, whereas the BP decrease persisted for 6 h. After 3-day treatment with indomethacin (six patients) captopril's antihypertensive action was blunted, despite a reduction of baseline PRA levels and of captopril-induced PRA elevation. The antihypertensive effects of SQ 14,225 in low-renin EH patients, the lack of effect of ACE blockade on renin secretion in these patients, and the reduction of the antihypertensive effects of SQ 14,225 after indomethacin refute the interpretation of purely angiotensin-related antihypertensive mechanism.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1983

Serum primary bile acids in chronic alcoholic pancreatitis.

Since cholestasis is a common, although poorly recognized, complication of chronic pancreatitis, and bile acids seem to be a sensitive index of cholestasis, fasting and post-prandial s-cholic and s-chenodeoxycholic acids were determined by radioimmunoassay in 48 chronic alcoholic pancreatitis patients (CP) and 22 healthy controls (C). Patients were grouped as follows: chronic pancreatitis with and without cholestasis; chronic pancreatitis operated on or not. A statistically significant increase in both CA and CDCA was observed in CP with cholestasis vis-a-vis C. In the CP without cholestasis and with normal biliary tract the average CA and CDCA values were also higher than in C, even though the difference was not statistically significant. No difference was observed between patients submitted or not submitted to pancreojejunostomy. The CA/CDCA ratio was increased in all CP subgroups, even in the patients without cholestasis, with significant difference only for some samples. Thus an increase in serum bile acids can be detected.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1982

Calcium and parathyroid hormone behaviour after exogenous secretin infusion in man.

The response of serum calcium, PTH, CT and gastrin to an infusion of secretin (3 CU/kg/h) over a period of 90 min was studied in ten healthy males and two female patients with hypoparathyroidism. In the healthy males serum calcium, after a transient fall, significantly increased at 45 min after the onset of the infusion (P less than 0.001). Serum iPTH rose significantly within 5 min whereas serum CT and gastrin concentrations did not change. The two hypoparathyroid patients did not show any variations in either serum iPTH or calcium. These findings suggest that infusion of pharmacological doses of secretin into normal subjects modifies serum calcium, and that this change is due to PTH release.

Calcitonin↗
PubMed1982

Duodenal ulcer in chronic relapsing pancreatitis.

Frequency of duodenal ulcer in patients with chronic pancreatitis is still controversial. This study aims to prospectively investigate the frequency of duodenal ulcer in a group of 190 patients (162 males and 28 females) affected by chronic relapsing pancreatitis admitted to our department between 1970 and 1979. 41 cases (21.5%) were endoscopically observed (22% of the males and 17.9% of the females; male:female ratio 1.2:1). Drinking habits, cigarette consumption, presence of pancreatic calcifications and surgery did not affect the frequency of duodenal ulcer. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, as fecal fat excretion higher than 7 g/day, seems to be linked with an increased frequency of duodenal ulcer (exact Fisher's test: p = 0.0586). Moreover, duodenal ulcer was present in about one third of the patients who afterwards died, but it was the cause of death in only 1 case. Even if a prospective control population is lacking, the male:female ratio of duodenal ulcer in chronic pancreatitis seems to be different from that observed in a comparable hospitalized group (1.2:1 vs. 2.4:1) and from that reported in literature in the general adult population.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1982

Pancreatic exocrine function in rosacea.

As some rosacea patients complain of gastrointestinal troubles and the administration of pancreatic extracts ameliorates both dyspepsia and skin lesions, the pancreatic exocrine function in 21 subjects affected with rosacea has been investigated by means of the secretin-cerulein infusion test. 21 healthy controls have been studied for comparison. No difference was found between rosacea and control subjects for flow rate, bicarbonate and chymotrypsin concentration and output, while lipase concentration and output was significantly lower in rosacea patients, with a decrease ranging from 18.5 to 66% of normal values. Therefore, a deficient lipase secretion could be responsible, at least partly, for the clinical manifestations of rosacea.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Gastric secretion, gastroduodenal histological changes, and serum gastrin in chronic alcoholic pancreatitis.

Controversial data have been reported on gastric acid secretion in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Moreover, studies on gastroduodenal morphological changes in patients with this disease and with other alcohol-related conditions have given different results. Basal and penta-gastrin-stimulated gastric secretion, histological changes of gastric and duodenal mucosa, and basal and meal-stimulated gastrin were measured in 21 patients with chronic alcoholic pancreatitis and in the following pair-matched groups: 21 chronic alcoholics and 21 control subjects (nonulcer dyspepsia), and in 19 patients with proven liver cirrhosis of alcoholic origin. No patient suffered from peptic ulcers. Moreover, gastric secretion was also measured in 51 patients with proven duodenal ulcers and in 34 healthy subjects. Basal acid output in patients with chronic pancreatitis was significantly higher (p less than 0.05) than in the other groups, except for the patients with duodenal ulcers. Peak acid output values in patient with chronic pancreatitis were similar to those measured in patients with duodenal ulcer, and they were higher than in the healthy subject group and in patients with liver cirrhosis, but statistical significance was not attained for patients with nonulcer dyspepsia. An increased frequency of duodenitis was found in patients with chronic pancreatitis, whereas an increased frequency of gastric metaplasia in the duodenal bulb was observed in all the patients with alcohol-related conditions considered. No relevant differences among the considered groups were found relating to gastric histological changes. Basal and meal-stimulated gastrin were similar in all the studied groups. This study suggests that in patients with chronic pancreatitis there is increased gastric secretion and probably an increased capacity for secretion of acid. Moreover, in patients with chronic pancreatitis, duodenitis seems to be frequent, but it probably is not directly related to chronic alcohol consumption.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Presence of duodenopancreatic feedback in minipigs and possible interference from the bile.

In two minipigs chronic pancreatic and duodenal fistulas, which allowed the diversion and the intestinal replacement of pancreatic secretion, were prepared. In a third minipig a chronic biliary fistula was also prepared so the bile secretion could be fed back into the intestine through a duodenal catheter. In these animals a chronic gastric fistula was made so gastric secretion could also be collected. Diversion-replacement of pure pancreatic juice and of bile were carried out in the fasting state. This study confirms the presence of a feedback regulatory mechanism in exocrine pancreatic secretion in the pig. Moreover, it suggests that bile can interfere with this phenomenon.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Effect of graded doses of secretin on parathormone serum levels in man.

5 healthy volunteers were submitted to i.v. infusion for 45 min of graded doses of commercial GIH secretin (0.01, 0.025, 0.05, 0.5, 1 and 2 CU/kg h-1). Parathormone serum levels were measured before and during the infusion. All the dosages of exogenous secretin were followed by a significant increase in serum PTH levels in a dose-dependent fashion. Commercial GIH secretin, even at low doses, seems to increase circulating parathyroid hormone levels significantly.

Dose-Response Relationship, Drug↗
PubMed1981

Effect of exogenous gastrointestinal peptides containing the C-terminal tetrapeptide of gastrin on calcium, calcitonin and parathormone serum levels in man.

Gastrointestinal hormones containing the C-terminal tetrapeptide of gastrin are involved in calcium homeostasis. The aim of this study was to investigate: 1) the effect of a standard meal (schedule a) and of a duodenal infusion of 5% aminoacid solution (schedule b) on calcium, CT and PTH serum levels in man; 2) the behaviour of these parameters during I.V. infusions of pentagastrin (mcg 1.5/Kg-hour), sincalide (mcg 0.04/Kg-hour) and caerulein (ng 75/Kg-hour) (schedule c). In order to avoid any possible interference by endogenous secretin release, schedule c was performed in 5 patients previously submitted to total gastrectomy. Schedule a and b were studied in 5 healthy volunteers. After a standard meal a slight increase of CT and PTH was measured. Duodenal infusion of aminoacid was followed by hypocalcaemia and slight but constant rise of CT levels, without significant variations of circulating PTH. Pentagastrin, sincalide and caerulein induced a slight but significant hypocalcaemia and a rise of serum CT levels, together with a significant increase of serum PTH. These findings suggest that peptides containing the C-terminal tetrapeptide of gastrin directly affect calcium homeostasis in the absence of secretin release.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1980

Adipose tissue cellularity and weight reduction forecastin.

Seventy-six obese female outpatients underwent controlled 1000 kcal diets (50% carbohydrate, 25% fat, 25% protein). Prior-to-treatment data underwent "step-wise" multiple regression analysis to investigate the possibility of predicting body weight after 6 months of treatment (y), Body weight can be forecast using a linear regression function. This function, based on initial weight (x1) and adipose cell weight (x2), uses the equation y = 9.75 + 0.87x1 - 8.41x2 (F = 696.53; P less than 0.001; R2 = 0.95). Afterwards, patients were subdivided into three groups according to the difference between 6th and 12th month body weights: weight loss, weight stable, and weight increase groups. Weight gaining patients showed a significantly higher mean fat cell number, weight lossers had a higher mean adipose cell weight than the other two groups.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1980

Diagnostic value and biological significance of antibody-coated bacteria in urine.

The incidence of antibody-coated bacteria (ACB) in the urinary sediments as an indication of the site of urinary tract infections (UTI) was investigated in 103 adult subjects with persistent bacteriuria by means of a direct immunofluorescence technique.ACB were found in 49 of 58 (84.5%) subjects with long-standing upper urinary tract obstruction and in 5 of 45 (11.1%) with lower UTI; this difference was statistically significant (X(2) = 51.79; P<0.001). The group with upper UTI was further subdivided according to renal function (patients with renal insufficiency had both bilateral obstruction and bilateral renal damage); 21 positive results were obtained in 27 (77.8%) patients with normal renal function, whereas 28 positive cases were observed among 31 (90.3%) patients with chronic renal insufficiency. Thus the degree of renal involvement also seemed to influence the outcome of the test. Within the group of lower UTI, a higher rate of ;false-positive' results was obtained in 14 patients with symptomatic long-standing infection (21.4%) than in 31 subjects with asymptomatic bacteriuria (6.4%). The three major immunoglobulin classes and the secretory component were studied in 42 cases. Of these, 29 were found to be positive for ACB. The constant presence of IgA and secretory component on the surface of ACB suggests that the secretory immune system plays an important role in UTI.

Antibody-Coated Bacteria Test, Urinary↗