Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Amato.
The possible ways of diagnosis periodontal disease are examined in the light of what is reported in the literature. Particular stress is laid on the importance of the diagnosis of diseases "activity", a condition that is indispensable for the implementation of correct periodontal therapy.
The possible treatment of periodontal infrabone defects is examined in the light of current developments. The possibility of using alloplastic grafts to create new periodontal structures is discussed in particular detail.
Diabetes mellitus is accompanied constantly by functional changes in polymorphonucleated neutrophils and particularly in their chemotactic properties. Their function of impeding the invasion of the organism on the part of aggressive external factors cannot therefore be implemented. These patients are, therefore abnormally susceptible to infection and, with high frequency, also present serious periodontal disease.
After reviewing the various irrigation solutions, indications and chemical properties are described and stress laid on chloroform and chelating agents. Although these are not used as canal irrigants in the strict sense, their special features suggest that they might be included in this group of substances.
The therapeutic effectiveness of benzoyloxymethyl-thiamin in controlling post-operative pain in odontostomatological surgery has been examined. The double blind study used a placebo and concerned 100 patients subjected to avulsion of the third molar in dysodontiasis on an out-patient basis. The results point to the effectiveness of benzoyloxymethyl-thiamin in the symptomatic treatment of post-operative pain symptomatology both as regards its duration and intensity; the drug also proved to be very well tolerated and its administration was not accompanied by any unwanted side-effects.
The burning mouth syndrome is a pathology characterized by burning oral mucoses. The etiological factors can be numerous. The Authors suggest a nosologic classification of this disease.
Fifty-four appropriate for gestational age preterm infants (less than 35 weeks gestation) were followed prospectively from birth with coagulation and real-time ultrasound studies. Coagulation analyses included fibrinogen, prothrombin time, thrombin time and platelet count. The occurrence of peri-intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH) was documented by portable 5 MHz Echo Scanner. Definite PIVH was present in 21 babies (38%). Coagulation studies showed especially lower values of fibrinogen levels in babies of less than 30 weeks gestation compared to a control group without PIVH (p less than 0.03). Furthermore, significant correlation was observed in these patients between platelet count and degree of PIVH. Infants with Grade 3 and 4 PIVH had lower platelet count than infants with less severe bleeding (Grade 1 and 2) (p less than 0.02). These data suggest that hemostatic abnormalities play a major role as co-factor in the incidence and severity of neonatal PIVH in very low birth weight infants of less than 30 weeks gestation.
This study investigates the Il-1 production in vitro by normal peripheral blood monocytes or non-T cells following contact with different dialysis membranes (cuprophan, polysulphone, polymethylmethacrylate and polyacrylonitrile), in the presence or absence of lipopolysaccharide. The results of this study show that the physical contact between dialysis membranes and Il-1 producing cells is not by itself able to induce abundant Il-1 production unless exogenous lipopolysaccharide is added. A modest Il-1 production, however, could be observed with synthetic membranes (polysulphone and polyacrylonitrile), but not with cellulose membranes (cuprophan). Used membranes are completely ineffective as a trigger of Il-1 synthesis.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Thirty-six preterm infants of less than 34 weeks of gestation with idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS) were studied. Eighteen of them were treated with intravenous thyroxine (T4) and compared with 18 control prematures to evaluate the effect of postnatal T4 administration on the course of IRDS. After treatment, serum T4 levels were similar to those of healthy term infants. No statistically significant effect on mortality rate, duration of mechanical ventilation (p greater than 0.3), need of high oxygen environment (p greater than 0.05) and development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (p greater than 0.2) was observed between the two groups. These observations show that postnatal use of T4 does not carry any benefit for preterm infants with IRDS.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The effectiveness of early single volume exchange transfusion (ET; 80 ml/kg) was compared with that of early double volume exchange transfusion (160 ml/kg) for treatment of hemolytic disease of the newborn caused by AB0 incompatibility. Twenty full-term infants with AB0 hemolytic disease were randomized into the two treatment groups. The groups were comparable for gestational age, body weight, hemoglobin values, reticulocyte count, maximum serum bilirubin levels, rate of rise of serum bilirubin before ET, antibody titer, and age at time of ET (all p greater than 0.05). The efficacy of treatment was similar in both groups taking into account the mean bilirubin level after ET, post-ET bilirubin, duration of phototherapy following ET, and frequency of second ET (all p greater than 0.05). However, platelet count immediately after ET was lower in the double volume ET group as compared to the single volume ET group (p less than 0.01). Hemoglobin values immediately after ET were higher in the double volume ET group (p less than 0.01). At ten days of life no differences were detectable. The results of this study indicate that the effectiveness of single volume ET for treatment of full-term infants with jaundice due to AB0 incompatibility is at least comparable to that of double exchange ET. Furthermore, the lesser aggressive approach determines less complications such as a decrease of platelet count.
The present case report demonstrates a new probable cause of intrauterine acquired neonatal pneumonia. An infant weighing 780 gm was born in the 27th week of gestation because of maternal spontaneous onset of labor with intact membranes. The infant was referred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) soon after delivery with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). A suspected infection with Chlamydia trachomatis was confirmed by bacterial isolation and direct immunofluorescent test (IF) using monoclonal antibodies. On the basis of this observation we suggest that intrauterine Chlamydia infection should be considered as cause of premature delivery and RDS.
Intradialytic hypoxemia, leukopenia and coagulation system activation were monitored in 9 uremic patients during hemodialysis with cuprophane (Cu) and polysulfone (Psf) membranes, using the following parameters: polymorphonuclear count (PMN), elastase alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor (EI-alpha 1PI) complex, platelet count, beta-thromboglobulin (BTG), fibronectin (FN) and arterial oxygen tension (PaO2). Our results indicate that 1) intradialytic hypoxemia observed with both membranes does not seem to be exclusively related to the well-known membrane-dependent leukopenia; 2) platelet activation, as demonstrated by the plasma BTG increase, appears to be an exclusive cellulosic membrane-related phenomenon; 3) at the same time platelet activation seems to be the major factor responsible for high FN levels, the highest FN levels occurring concurrently with the lowest platelet count.
A total of 60 preterm infants, aged less than 37 weeks of gestation were studied. Morphological changes of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) were evaluated in two groups of patients. PMN vacuolization was frequently noted at birth in preterm neonates with culture-proven infection (sensitivity 86%, specificity 90%). Toxic granulations were a less reliable indicator of bacterial infection. A relatively good correlation with other parameters in use for "sepsis screen" we found with band cell/total neutrophil ratio (X2 = 1.66, P greater than 0.1). Examination of peripheral blood smears for vacuolization of WBCs appears to provide adjunct in the early detection of bacterial infection in preterm babies.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The incidence of hyperbilirubinemia (serum bilirubin values greater than 205 mumol/l) in two groups of preterm infants (birthweight less than 1500 gm) with and without peri-intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH) was studied. In the first 10 days of life, 16 (39%) of the 41 infants with PIVH vs. 22 (46.8%) of those without PIVH (n = 47) had high bilirubin levels. No difference in peak serum bilirubin concentrations nor a need for phototherapy was noted between the two groups (P greater than 0.07). Forty-one infants had PIVH: 30 had PIVH grade I or II and 11 had grade III or IV. No statistically significant correlation was found between degree of PIVH and hyperbilirubinemia. Moreover, at 12 months corrected age, major and minor handicaps were equally distributed between the two groups. The neurologic outcome appeared to relate, in largest part, to the severity of the PIVH, and to not be influenced by the hyperbilirubinemia. We conclude that there is no positive relationship between incidence and extension of PIVH, plasma bilirubin levels, and outcome in very low-birth weight infants.