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Biomedical subjects

L Ferrari

Publications and source records attributed to L Ferrari.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Prevention of non-hemolytic transfusion reactions with leucocyte-poor blood: a prospective study.

Twenty-five patients with homozygous beta-thalassemia, who complained of occasional nonhemolytic transfusion reactions (NHTR), were alternately transfused eight times with normal packed red cells (PRC) and leucocyte-poor blood prepared by three methods: cotton wool filtration (CWF), buffy coat removal after dilution with saline and upright spin (BCR), and microaggregate filtration (MAF). On overall, CWF-treated RBC concentrates (CWF-RBC) contained 0.02 x 10(9) leucocytes; BCR-RBC contained 0.4 x 10(9), MAF-RBC 1.3 x 10(9) and PRC 1.7 x 10(9). The frequencies of NHTR were: CWF, 0.02; BCR, 0.04; MAF, 0.20; PRC, 0.28. Compared to PRC, both CWF and BCR significantly reduced the frequency of NHTR (p less than 0.01), whilst MAF did not (p greater than 0.1). On the other hand, in one patient CWF caused the two most severe NHTR recorded in this study, both of which were characterized by anaphylaxis.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Alpha interferon in T helper phenotype chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a report of three cases.

Three patients affected by T helper chronic lymphocytic leukemia were treated with low dose interferon alpha-2b (3 MU/m2 3 times weekly). The disease presented different pathologic expressions with diffuse skin lesions in one patient, a mild clinical course and a prolymphocytic variant with aggressive features, respectively, in the other two cases. A consistent response was observed within 3-6 weeks; by that time a reduction of blood and marrow lymphocytosis in the three patients and a regression of the cutaneous lesions were documented. Therefore, it should be emphasized that the use of alpha IFN, whose effectiveness on cutaneous T cell lymphomas has been already demonstrated, may represent an active agent in the treatment of leukemic T helper phenotype chronic lymphocytic proliferations.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Separation, characterization, and analysis of epirubicin (4'-epidoxorubicin) and its metabolites from human urine.

Three metabolites of the new antitumor anthracycline epirubicin (4'-epidoxorubicin, 4'-epiDX) detected by HPLC in urine of four patients treated with 75 mg/m2 of the drug, were isolated and identified. In an initial step, fluorescent metabolites present in urine, pooled during the first 24 hr after drug administration, were adsorbed on a column of a styrene divinylbenzene adsorbent. The subsequent gradient elution with aqueous methanol, followed by extraction with 1-butanol at different pH values, allowed separation of 4'-epiDX and its 13-dihydro derivative from the more polar metabolites. Each anthracycline was subsequently separated by reverse phase liquid chromatography, characterized by acid and enzymatic hydrolyses, and studied with chemical-physical analysis. In addition to the parent drug, its 13-dihydro derivative and 4'-O-beta-D-glucuronyl-4'-epiDX which were structurally characterized, a glucuronide conjugate of 13-dihydro-4'-epiDX was identified. In four patients analyzed, approximately 12% of the total administered dose was estimated, by reverse phase HPLC and fluorescence detection, to be excreted in the 0-24-hr pooled urine. 4'-EpiDX accounted for 57% of the total excreted fluorescent anthracyclines, its 4'-O-beta-D-glucuronide for 32%, 13-dihydro-4'-epiDX for 7%, and its glucuronide for 3%, average values.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Reference values of urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid in children].

Delta-aminolaevulinic acid is well known to be an intermediate in the synthesis of haeme and small amounts are normally excreted in urine (ALA-U). An increased excretion of this substance occurs in porphyria and in lead poisoning. The urine specimens of 670 children (362 boys and 308 girls), aging from less than one to fifteen years and who had no evidence of abnormal exposure to lead, have been collected in order to find out the range of normal values of ALA-U expressed in mg/l for the different age and sex group. Our data can be usefull, together with zincprotoporphyrin (ZPP), for screening of anemias and for monitoring lead exposure.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Flow cytometric analysis of anti-platelet antibodies in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Anti-platelet antibody measurement may be important in defining the pathogenesis of thrombocytopenic states. In this paper we compared three anti-human immunoglobulin reagents by using them to detect anti-platelet antibodies on the platelet surface and in the serum of 14 patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and 22 thrombocytopenic disorders. Samples were analyzed by both flow cytometry and a fluorescence microscope. In ITP patients, the direct test was positive in 50% of the cases, while the indirect technique proved to be positive in a slightly higher number of those tested (56%). Furthermore, the number of positive cases was similar for the three reagents used in this study, although the mean percentage of positive platelets was higher for the kappa/lambda monoclonal reagent. These data further support the sensitivity and reproducibility of flow cytometry analysis, which was capable of detecting antiplatelet antibodies in all patients with transfused Cooley's disease (regarded as positive control), as well as in a significant number of patients with ITP or related diseases. On the basis of the data presented here, definitive proof regarding the presence of anti-platelet antibodies in patients with thrombocytopenia still has to be found, and further studies are needed in order to ascertain the autoimmune nature of these disorders.

Blood Platelets↗