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M Barbato

Publications and source records attributed to M Barbato.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Cyclic vomiting syndrome and food allergy/intolerance in seven children: a possible association.

UNLABELLED: Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is characterized by repeated unpredictable, explosive and unexplained bouts of vomiting. The episodes have a rapid onset, persist over a number of hours or days, and are separated by symptom-free intervals. Despite the recent interest in this disorder, its aetiology, pathogenesis and even its target organ remain unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role played by food allergy in CVS. The report concerns eight children (five male, three female), mean age 8 years (3-13 years), suffering from CVS for 2 years at least. The diagnosis of CVS was based on characteristic history, normal physical examination and negative laboratory, radiographic, neurological and endoscopic studies. Despite the absence of clinical signs typical of food allergy, skin prick tests were positive in six of the eight patients (75%). Specific IgE were present in 4/8 (50%) of the patients. Skin tests and specific IgE were positive for cow's milk proteins, egg white and soya. IgE levels were higher than the mean + 2SD in 5/8 (63%) of the patients. A double blind placebo controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) was carried out on seven of the eight patients who displayed clinical improvement after an elimination diet for cow's milk (and other foodstuffs indicated by positive skin tests). The DBPCFC was positive in all seven children. Clinical follow-up revealed a state of well-being over the 6 months of observation. CONCLUSION: It appears reasonable to suggest that food allergy plays a role in cyclic vomiting syndrome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Using complete breastfeeding and lactational amenorrhoea as birth spacing methods.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of lactational amenorrhoea and to determine the relationship between extended breastfeeding and the return of fertility. Breastfeeding pattern, basal body temperature, cervical mucus, salivary ferning, vaginal blood discharge, frequency of sexual intercourse, and the presence of ovulation in the first cycle after the resumption of menses with ultrasonography were evaluated in 40 women. All subjects completed the study with only one case of incomplete breastfeeding. No pregnancies were observed. The mean number of feeding sessions and mean interval between sessions decreased significantly (p <0.01) during the first six months postpartum (7.5 +/- 1.3 after 60 days postpartum vs. 5.7 +/- 2.1 after 180 days, and 3.6 +/- 0.8 vs. 5.1 +/- 0.9, respectively). Eight women (20%) menstruated before weaning, but none had an adequate thermal shift, while 32 (80%) had their first vaginal bleeding after weaning with 12 (37.5%) registering an adequate thermal shift. Both basal body temperature and salivary ferning proved to be suggestive of ovarian activity, while mucus characteristics were not reliable in identifying fertile periods. Our study showed that breastfeeding associated with lactational amenorrhoea proved to be a good method of postpartum fertility control. Since the importance of supplementation is still debated, it is recommended that a "complete" breastfeeding program be used.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Gonadotropin and body mass index: high FSH levels in lean, normally cycling women.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the relationships between body mass index (BMI) and LH or FSH levels over the cycle in normally cycling women. METHODS: We compared baseline characteristics, cycle characteristics, follicle sizes, and daily hormone levels among women with low (n = 22), normal (n = 63), or high (n = 22) BMIs over 326 cycles. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age or other lifestyle characteristics between groups. High BMI was significantly associated with younger age at menarche and less sleeping time. No differences were observed between high- and low-BMI groups in cycle length or diameter of the dominant follicle. Luteinizing hormone levels were significantly higher only in the beginning of the cycle in women with low BMIs than in those with high BMIs. Follicle-stimulating hormone levels were also significantly higher but were high during all three phases of the cycle (early follicular, periovulatory, and luteal phases). Mean levels were approximately 1. 9, 1.8, and 1.2 times higher, respectively, in the low-BMI group than the high-BMI group. CONCLUSION: Luteinizing hormone levels and BMI were inversely associated in normally cycling women during the early follicular phase. Follicule-stimulating hormone levels and BMI were inversely associated during the whole cycle, independent of age.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound indices of ovulation in spontaneous cycles.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of sensitivity and specificity of 4 ultrasound indices of ovulation. STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter collaborative study of 794 abdominal and transvaginal ultrasound scanning of ovaries performed during 271 cycles in 107 normally fertile women. Comparison of sensitivities and specificities of indices using McNemar test. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the indices were 84 and 89.2, respectively, for disappearance or sudden decrease in follicle size; 38.4 and 79.7 for appearance of ultrasonic echoes in the follicle; 61.6 and 87.1 for irregularity of follicular walls; 71.0 and 88.2 for appearance of free fluid in the cul-de-sac of Douglas. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonic echoes had a significantly lower sensitivity (P<0.001) and specificity (P<0.01) than other indices.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Value of antigliadin antibodies (AGA) in latent coeliac disease (CD).

BACKGROUND: The term latent coeliac disease (CD) is applied to patients who were previously shown to have a normal jejunal mucosa on a free diet. The aim of this study was to determine whether a high AGA value in the serum of patients with coeliac symptoms can also be regarded by itself, without typical mucosal atrophy, as a marker of latent CD, as some authors suggest in relatives of celiac patients. METHODS: We observed 31 patients with suspected CD and pathological values of serum IgA ang IgG AGA. In all we performed intestinal biopsy, assayed antiendomisium antibodies (AEA) in serum, AGA IgA, IgG, and IgM in duodenal jejunal fluid and in some of the lymphocytcs CD3+ gamma/delta+ in the lamina propria of the intestinal mucosa. RESULTS: In this study only pathological values of serum AGA without mucosa atrophy don't seem to be markers of latent CD, but an aspecific allergic response. CONCLUSIONS: As shown by other authors serum AEA, intestinal fluid AGA IgM and lamina propria lymphocytes CD3+ gamma/delta+ seem markers of latent CD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Partial cryptogenetic epilepsy and food allergy/intolerance. A causal or a chance relationship? Reflections on three clinical cases.

The possibility that certain foods or allergens may induce convulsions has already been reported in the literature. None of these studies has, however, shown a close correlation between food allergy and epilepsy, most reports being anecdotal and open to various aetiological hypotheses. The present report concerns 3 children with cryptogenetic partial epilepsy, diagnosed by means of electroencephalography, with behavioural disorders (hyperactivity, sleep disorders and writing difficulties). In these patients, instead of using anticonvulsive agents, treatment was based upon a cows milk-free diet, working on the hypothesis that there could be a casual relationship between intolerance to this food item and the epileptic symptoms. An improvement was observed in the children's behaviour and moreover, the electroencephalographic anomalies disappeared. Upon double blind oral provocation tests, these patients did not present an immediate reaction, but only after a few days. starting the controlled diet again led, in all cases, to disappearance of the electroencephalogram. In conclusion, it would appear feasible to hypothesize the role of food intolerance in the onset of convulsive crises, even if limited to certain types of epilepsy such as the cryptogenetic partial form.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

Sex ratio associated with timing of insemination and length of the follicular phase in planned and unplanned pregnancies during use of natural family planning.

This was a multicentred, prospective study of pregnancies among women using natural family planning. The women maintained natural family planning charts of the conception cycle, recording acts of intercourse and signs of ovulation (cervical mucus changes, including peak day and basal body temperature). Charts were used to assess the most probable day of insemination relative to the day of ovulation and length of the follicular phase of the cycle. The sex ratio (males per 100 females) for 947 singleton births was 101.5, not significantly different from the expected value of 105. The sex ratio did not vary consistently or significantly with the estimated timing of insemination relative to the day of ovulation, with the estimated length of the follicular phase or with the planned or unplanned status of the pregnancy. Although these findings may be affected by imprecision of the data, the study suggests that manipulation of the timing of insemination during the cycle cannot be used to affect the sex of offspring.

Family Planning Services↗
PubMed1998

[High prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at the onset. Preliminary results of an Italian multicenter study].

143 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) at the onset entered this perspective study on NHL-associated risk factors. They were 87 males and 56 females with a mean age of 52.3 years (range 14.6-82.3). An associated hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was found in 16 of the 143 NHL cases (11.2%; 95% CI 6.5-17.5). They were 11 males and 5 females [mean age 59.9] year with disseminated (13/16) or localized NHL disease (3/16)]. The NHL histological subgroup was low grade (6/16), intermediate grade (2/16) or high grade (8/16). The cell origin was B in 15/16 cases and B cell-T cell rich in 1/16. The discovery of HCV infection was contemporary to lymphoma diagnosis in 6/16 cases but preceded the NHL onset in the other 10 patients. In these 10 patients the median time between HCV infection diagnosis and NHL onset was 3.6 years (range 1-14.5). These data confirm that in Italy the prevalence of HCV infection in patients with NHL (11.2%) is significantly higher than expected in the general population (1.3-3.2%). The finding that, in most cases, HCV infection was definitely antecedent to NHL onset, usually by years, adds evidence to the possible causative role of the HCV in lymphomagenesis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Volumetric self-sampling of cervicovaginal fluid to determine potential fertility: a multicentre pre-effectiveness study of the Rovumeter.

The aim of this study was to assess how effectively the Rovumeter, designed for the volumetric self-sampling of cervicovaginal fluid (CVF), can be used to locate the minimum period of potential fertility (PPF) during ovulatory cycles. A multicentre, prospective study was undertaken of volunteers (attending natural family planning clinics) over three consecutive, apparently normal, menstrual cycles. All women collected daily samples of early morning urine and CVF and recorded the volumes (to the nearest 1.0 and 0.1 ml respectively). The concentrations of oestrone glucuronide (EG), luteinizing hormone (LH) and pregnanediol glucuronide (PG) were measured in all samples of early morning urine by immunoassay. A preliminary data set was used to optimize an algorithm to detect the start and end of potential fertility from the volumes of CVF. The end-points used were the normality of each menstrual cycle from its length, the length of luteal phase, and concentrations of EG, LH and PG, the start and end days of potential fertility from CVF volumes, and the minimum PPF, which was defined as the day of the LH peak minus 3 to day plus 2 inclusive. Overall, 72 women (median age 30 years, range 24-38) were recruited from three centres (23 from Birmingham, 24 from Milan, 25 from Santiago) and contributed data from 235 menstrual cycles (median length 28 days, range 23-44). The urinary LH peak was identified in 228 cycles (97%; median time, day 15 from day 1 of last menses, with range day 10 to day 35). The use of the Rovumeter gave start and end signals of potential fertility during 138 cycles (59%). The median length of the derived PPF was 8 days (range 4-18). The signals covered the defined, minimum PPF in 113 cycles [i.e. 50% of those with an LH peak; range 28% (Milan) to 62% (Birmingham)]. Overall 16/72 women (22%) had successful tests over three consecutive menstrual cycles [range 2/24 (8%; Milan) to 8/23 (35%; Birmingham)]. We conclude that signals from daily changes in the volume of CVF as determined by the use of the Rovumeter consistently locate the minimum period of potential fertility in only a small proportion of women.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Pemoline in ADHD.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗
PubMed1997

Association of HLA-DQ7 antigen with cow milk protein allergy in Italian children.

In this study we investigated the HLA association with cow milk allergy. Thirty-seven Italian children with cow milk allergy and 35 randomly selected age-matched healthy children as control group were included in the study. DNA typing was performed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique. We show the first statistically significant positive association between the expression of the HLA-DQ7 antigen and cow milk allergy. Several immunological tests (skin prick test, RIA, radioallergosorbent test (RAST) and ELISA) were performed to evaluate the humoral immune responses of DQ7 positive and DQ7 negative allergic patients. Our results show that among the DQ7 positive patients the majority presented a high humoral response. Furthermore, the in vitro proliferative response of patients to the beta-lactoglobulin antigen was performed to evaluate their cell-mediated immune response. We observed that the number of the nonresponders was higher in the DQ7 positive patients when compared to the DQ7 negative patients. Our data indicate an association of HLA-DQ7 antigen with cow milk protein allergy and that the DQ7 positive patients had a prevalence of humoral rather than cellular responses.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Adverse outcomes of planned and unplanned pregnancies among users of natural family planning: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine prospectively whether unplanned pregnancies are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes among users of natural family planning. METHODS: Women who became pregnant while using natural family planning were identified in five centers worldwide: there were 373 unplanned and 367 planned pregnancies in this cohort. The subjects were followed up at 16 and 32 weeks' gestation and after delivery. The risks of spontaneous abortion, low birth-weight, and preterm birth were estimated after adjustment by logistic regression. RESULTS: The women with unplanned pregnancies were more likely to be at the extremes of age, to report more medical problems before and during the index pregnancy, and to seek antenatal care later in gestation than the women with planned pregnancies. However, women with planned pregnancies reported a higher rate of spontaneous abortion in previous pregnancies (28.8%) than did women with unplanned pregnancies (12.9%). There were no significant differences in the rates of spontaneous abortion, low birthweight, or preterm birth between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: No increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes was observed among women who experienced an unplanned pregnancy while using natural family planning.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1996

Neurohormonal and behavioral response to methylphenidate in cocaine abstinence.

We investigated prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) secretion during acute and late abstinence following methylphenidate (MP) administration. Ten male patients who were undergoing acute cocaine abstinence and nine control subjects were randomly assigned into one of two possible sequences of MP and placebo, with each experimental condition occurring on two successive days. This procedure was repeated after 7 days for the patients. Baseline measures were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc tests. Measures of MP challenge were analyzed by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with baseline as the covariate. Acute abstinence was compared with control values and then to late abstinence. Plasma levels of PRL, GH, and MP were measured along with a measure of clinical symptoms. Patients had higher basal PRL concentrations during acute abstinence compared with controls, and patients showed no difference when compared to themselves after 7 days (late abstinence). Provocation with MP yielded exaggerated PRL and GH responses in patients during acute abstinence compared with control values, and ANCOVA also revealed a significant increase in PRL response during late abstinence compared with acute abstinence. GH was a less sensitive indicator than PRL. Craving was exacerbated by MP during both acute and late abstinence and was possibly increased at late abstinence. This indicates that the perturbation in dopamine regulation persists and may be increased as clinical recovery occurs for most subjective symptoms. Blood pressure changes were variable and interpretation was uncertain.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Further evidence that infection is an infrequent cause of first trimester spontaneous abortion.

A previous cohort study found no clinical evidence that infection occurred more often in subjects experiencing pregnancy loss compared with those experiencing successful pregnancy [Simpson et al. (1996) Hum. Reprod., 11, 668-672]. Given these surprising findings, we conducted a similar analysis on another cohort also followed prospectively. Using couples practising natural family planning for conception or contraception, information on clinical evidence of infection was gathered beginning with week 5 of gestation. Information on fever and signs of overt infection was specifically sought by interview and physical examination. Frequencies of urinary, vaginal and other infections in subjects experiencing pregnancy loss were 11.1, 9.5 and 8.7% respectively, not significantly different from rates in subjects having liveborns (10.1, 10.2 and 10.3% respectively). Thus, no association between clinical infection and early pregnancy loss (< or = 16 weeks) was observed. Cohort studies utilizing biologically based assays are awaited because extant data do not provide evidence that clinically evident infections play major roles in first trimester pregnancy losses.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗