Epidermal growth factor, somatostatin, and psoriasis.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to L Uccioli.
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Persons with type 1 diabetes show electrophysiological abnormalities of the visual system which are revealed by methods such as flash electroretinogram (FERG), oscillatory potentials (OPs), pattern electroretinogram (PERG), focal electroretinogram (focal ERG), visual evoked potentials (VEP) in basal condition and after photostress. This review reports the changes in electrophysiological responses of the different structures composing the visual system observed in persons with type 1 diabetes before the development of the overt clinical retinopathy. In persons with type 1 diabetes without retinopathy (IDD), the earlier abnormal electrophysiological responses are recorded from the innermost retinal layers and postretinal visual pathways, as suggested by impaired PERGs and delayed retinocortical time (RCT). These are observed in IDD persons with a disease duration shorter than 6 months. Further electrophysiological changes are recorded from the macula (abnormal focal ERG and VEP after photostress) in IDD persons with disease duration greater than 1 year. Additional electrophysiological changes are recorded from the middle and outer retinal layers (impaired FERG and OPs) in IDD persons with a disease duration greater than 10 years. All the electrophysiological tests show a greater degree of abnormal responses in persons with type 1 diabetes when a background retinopathy is present.
Although the St Vincent declaration calls for common European action in order to reduce major amputations, the differences in the incidence of foot problems and the prevalence of risk factors has not been fully investigated. We have examined the risk factors for foot ulceration and amputation in 278 consecutive patients (mean age 50.4 years, range 18-79 years) attending outpatient clinics of four teaching hospitals: Athens, Manchester, Rome, and Antwerp. There were no differences in age, weight or sex among the four groups but the percentage of patients with Type 1 diabetes was higher in Rome and Antwerp. Patients in Rome and Antwerp also had a longer duration of diabetes compared to Athens and Manchester. Mean vibration perception threshold was similar in all groups. No differences were found in the number of patients with moderate or severe clinical neuropathy (neuropathy disability score > 5), severe sensory loss (VPT > 25 V), and limited joint mobility. Symptomatic peripheral vascular disease was more frequent in Antwerp (p < 0.05) compared to the other three centres and foot ulceration in Rome compared to Manchester (p < 0.05). The number of smokers or ex-smokers and the average alcohol consumption were similar in all centres. We conclude that, despite a few differences mainly in Type 1 diabetic patients, there are no major differences in the risk factors for foot ulceration and that, therefore, similar strategies for the prevention of foot problems may be equally successful in different European countries.
Autonomic neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes. In this study we evaluated autonomic neuropathy by determining somatostatin (S-14)-evoked acetylcholine (Ach) release from postsynaptic parasympathetic fibers in the atria of controls (C) and streptozotocin diabetic rats (STZ-D), with and without tetrodotoxin (TTX). The release induced by S-14 did not differ in C and STZ-D. TTX blocked S-14 induced Ach in C but failed in STZ-D. TTX resistance in STZ-D may be explained by variations of membrane potential in nerve fibers.
Among the numerous techniques used to measure body composition, this study utilised anthropometric methods (weight, height, circumference and skin folds) and impedance measurement (measurement of bioelectric impedance). Results from the two methods were compared in order to assess whether BMI parameters and the waist/hips ratio (WHR) influenced this correlation. One hundred and eighty patients (133 F, 47 M) were included in the study. Patients were divided into groups according to the degree of obesity expressed as BMI and WHR. Body composition was evaluated using anthropometric methods (according to Garrow Webster, Durnin-Womersley, modified Durnin-Womersley and Jackson-Pollock) and impedance measurement in which resistive bioelectric impedance is measured using a tetrapolar technique. A good correlation was generally observed in the female population between impedance assessment and anthropometric methods, and this correlation was not influenced by either BMI or WHR. In the male group, on the other hand, the correlation between the two methods was limited by BMI greater than 30 and WHR greater than 1. In conclusion, impedance measurement and plicometric methods are generally compatible, but areas of uncertainty arise in the male population with BMI greater than 30 and WHR greater than 1.
We report a case of ankylosing spondylitis associated with hairy cell leukemia. This is the second observed case (I3) of ankylosing spondylitis with a B-type lymphoproliferative disorder which allows us to make some observations about the pathogenesis of these rare diseases.
Monoclonal gammopathy has rarely been reported in ankylosing spondylitis. We observed a patient with ankylosing spondylitis and monoclonal gammopathy with no signs of malignancy, chronic infections or amyloidosis. This association may show some possible pathogenetic mechanisms involved in these two different diseases of still uncertain etiology.
We have analysed the results of surgical treatment for microcarcinoma of the thyroid (MCT). In sixteen patient clinical and follow-up data were retrospectively evaluated during a 35.1-month follow-up. Thyroid hyperfunctional state us was present in two subjects. A single nodule was detected by echotomography in 11 patients, while multinodular diffuse goitre was revealed in 3 patients. In the last two subjects, thyroid gland appeared completely normal at ultrasonography, despite laterocervical lymph node metastases. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy was performed in 6 patients and its diagnostic accuracy was high (83,3%). MCT was classified as "incidental" in 12 patients and "occult" in the remaining 4 patients. Eight subjects underwent total thyroidectomy and 8 hemithyroidectomy plus isthmectomy. No postoperative complications were recorded. In 10 patients MCT histotype was papillar adenocarcinoma, in 5 was follicular adenocarcinoma and in the remaining case it was medullary carcinoma. Goitre was associated in 75% of the cases. Only in a patient disease progressed to death because of hematogenous metastases. In conclusion, we believe that incidental MCT is a low-grade malignancy with a benign biological behaviour. Occult MCT is a potentially lethal disease. We did not observe differences in the long-term results between different surgical treatments of MCT.