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Biomedical subjects

M Carreras

Publications and source records attributed to M Carreras.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Systemic lupus erythematosus presenting with neurological disorders.

Six patients are described who developed a wide variety of neurological manifestations heralding systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which included epileptic seizures, stroke, peripheral polyradiculoneuropathy similar to Guillain-Barré syndrome, transverse myelopathy and multifocal disorders with remitting course mimicking multiple sclerosis. The peculiarity of these cases was that the neurological disorders remained the only manifestations of SLE for many years and the nervous system appeared to be the main target even after the development of systemic SLE. In five patients the prognosis was favourable and corticosteroid treatment led to prolonged remission.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Parkinson's disease in Ferrara, Italy, 1967 through 1987.

Epidemiological surveys on Parkinson's disease that have been carried out in different parts of the world have suggested that the disease is uniformly distributed in white populations. The position with regard to the Mediterranean peoples is still controversial, because of the large variation of the frequencies observed in the different areas that have been investigated. We therefore studied the frequency of Parkinson's disease in the Local Health Service of Ferrara, northeastern Italy (mean population, 187,000). Based on 394 patients, the mean incidence per year for the period from 1967 through 1987 was 10.01/100,000. The incidence rate of Parkinson's disease among cases with early onset was found to be statistically higher in rural areas as compared with urban ones (6.32/100,000 vs 3.11/100,000). Moreover, the study revealed a significantly higher incidence rate among agricultural workers (20.6/100,000). These results would seem to give further support to the hypothesis of a possible causal role of environmental factors that are mainly linked to agriculture, most likely due to the continual exposure to toxic agents in this area. However, further studies, which are not exclusively epidemiological, are necessary before any conclusions may be drawn, because many confounding variables may account for the results from surveys of this type.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Neurophysiological study of Horner's syndrome.

Sympathetic skin response from the forehead and from the hand obtained by using electric, acoustic stimuli and during deep breathing was recorded in normal subjects and in patients suffering from Horner's syndrome in order to characterize this clinical picture neurophysiologically. The reliability of the method points to its possible usefulness in the pre-postganglionic differential diagnosis also.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

End-stage renal disease in systemic amyloidosis: clinical course and outcome on dialysis.

We studied a group of 48 patients with systemic amyloidosis and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) treated with chronic dialysis to analyze the clinical course and the factors which can influence survival. This group was compared to a control group of 63 nondiabetic patients without amyloidosis with ESRD treated with hemodialysis. The median survival of the experimental group was 52 months; 1-, 2- and 6-year actuarial survival was 72, 62, and 44%, while in the control group it was 95, 91, and 81%, respectively (p less than 0.001). Survival was significantly shorter for patients with amyloidosis who rapidly (less than 3 months) progressed to ESRD or who had an acute deterioration in renal function immediately prior to the need for dialysis. The median survival in these cases was 4 and 1.5 months, respectively. Age, the presence or the degree of renal failure at the moment of diagnosis, and the type of amyloidosis did not affect the survival of these patients. Despite a shorter period of time spent on dialysis, these patients had a similar number of hospital admissions, cardiovascular and infectious events as the control patients, but more gastrointestinal disorders (bleeding and chronic diarrhea) and blood access problems. In conclusion, amyloidotic patients maintained on chronic dialysis have high morbidity and mortality rates. Nevertheless, acceptable survival is predictable in stable patients who progress slowly to ESRD.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1988

Effect of vanadate on the glucose-1,6-bisphosphate synthase and glucose-1,6-bisphosphatase activities of phosphoglucomutase.

Phosphoglucomutase, in addition to catalyzing the interconversion of glucose 1-P and glucose 6-P, catalyzes both the synthesis of glucose 1,6-P2 from glucose monophosphate and either fructose 1,6-P2 or glycerate 1,3-P2, and the hydrolysis of glucose 1,6-P2. Vanadate inhibits the mutase activity, activates the synthase activities, and does not affect the phosphatase activity. These effects suggest that the "exchange" step postulated for the phosphoglucomutase pathway is specifically inhibited by vanadate.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Metabolism of glucose 1,6-P2--III. Partial purification and characterization of glucose 1,6-P2 synthase from pig skeletal muscle.

1. Glycerate 1,3-P2-dependent glucose, 1,6-P2 synthase has been purified 2000-fold from pig skeletal muscle, with a yield of 75%. 2. The enzyme possesses fructose 1,6-P2-dependent glucose 1,6-P2 synthase and phosphoglucomutase activities, which represent 0.1 and 60% of the main activity, respectively. 3. Both glucose 1-P and glucose 6-P can act as acceptors of the phosphoryl group from glycerate 1,3-P2. 4. The Km values are 19 microM and 67 nM for glucose 1-P and glycerate 1,3-P2, respectively. 5. The enzyme is inhibited by glycerate 2,3-P2, fructose 1,6-P2, glycerate 3-P, phosphoenolpyruvate and lithium, the inhibition pattern varying with the compound.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Apparent recurrence of hemolytic uremic syndrome in azathioprine-treated allograft recipients.

The present study describes 3 adult patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) leading to chronic renal failure. Following renal transplantation, the 3 patients developed microangiopathic hemolytic anemia associated with acute rejection crises and graft failure. In 2 patients the renal histology of the transplanted kidney was consistent with HUS. It is concluded that, in adult patients, HUS may recur after renal transplantation and contribute to renal graft failure.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Motor neuron disease in the province of Ferrara, Italy, in 1964-1982.

We carried out an intensive incidence, prevalence, and mortality survey of motor neuron disease (MND) in the province of Ferrara, northern Italy. Based on 72 patients, the mean incidence per year for the period 1964 through 1982 was 0.98 cases per 100,000. On December 31, 1981, the prevalence rate was 3.95 per 100,000. In the 19-year period the average mortality rate was 0.83 per 100,000 per year. The disease was more common in men, in individuals aged 50 to 70 years, and in residents in rural areas engaged in agricultural work. A retrospective case-control study, confirming a significantly higher frequency of MND in farmers and persons living in rural areas, revealed that the disease was more common in the lower social classes to which most unskilled and heavy laborers belong. In addition, a significantly increased risk for MND was found in patients with previous histories of trauma, but confounding variables may account for this association.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Effects of vanadate and insulin on glucose 1,6-P2 and fructose 2,6-P2 levels in rat skeletal muscle.

Levels of glucose 1,6-P2 but not fructose 2,6-P2 were found decreased in skeletal muscle of alloxan-diabetic ketotic rats. Administration of both insulin and vanadate restored the altered values without affecting fructose 2,6-P2 concentrations. In normal rats, insulin increased muscle levels of both sugars, and vanadate decreased glucose 1,6-P2 without changing fructose 2,6-P2 levels. Enzymatic activities involved in glucose 1,6-P2 and fructose 2,6-P2 metabolism were not affected under any experimental condition.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Inhibition of phosphoglucomutase by fructose 2,6-bisphosphate.

Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate inhibits phosphoglucomutase. The inhibition is mixed with respect to glucose 1,6-bisphosphate and non-competitive with respect to glucose 1-phosphate. In contrast with fructose 1,6-bisphosphate and glycerate 1,3-bisphosphate, which also possess inhibitory effect, fructose 2,6-bisphosphate does not phosphorylate phosphoglucomutase. Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate preparations contain contaminants which can explain artefactual results previously reported.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

The frequency of multiple sclerosis in Italy: a descriptive study in Ferrara.

Results of intensive prevalence surveys on multiple sclerosis carried out in different small regions of Italy have suggested that this country falls into the high-frequency zone for the disease. To verify this hypothesis by studying a large population, we conducted intensive incidence and prevalence survey in the province of Ferrara, northern Italy (mean population, 386,000). Based on 128 patients, the mean incidence per year for the period 1965 through 1979 was 2.2 cases per 100,000. On October 24, 1981, the prevalence rate was 46.1 cases per 100,000. The results support the view that northern Italy is a high-risk area for multiple sclerosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Predisposing factors in Bell's palsy: a case-control study.

The frequency of diabetes mellitus reported in subjects affected by Bell's palsy varies widely. In this investigation, a case-control study, we encountered a frequency of 24.8%. In addition, arterial hypertension and lipid disturbances were found to affect subjects with Bell's palsy more frequently than controls. These findings appear to suggest a primarily ischaemic pathogenesis for most cases of idiopathic peripheral facial paralysis. Furthermore, the finding of significantly lower taste impairment in diabetics than in non-diabetics with Bell's palsy may support the hypothesis of a vascular rather than a metabolic pathogenesis in these cases also. In fact, the vessels supplying the distal portion of the facial nerve, probably more affected in the diabetic patients in order to preserve taste sensation, have such a particular anatomical configuration that this might favour the onset of a diabetic small vessel disease which, in turn, would represent a factor of easier decompensation.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Metabolism of glucose 1,6-P2. I. Enzymes involved in the synthesis of glucose 1,6-P2 in pig tissues.

Pig tissues show four enzymatic activities of glucose 1,6-P2 synthesis: (A) 2 [glucose 1-P]----glucose 1,6-P2 + glucose; (B) glucose 1-P + ATP----glucose 1,6-P2 + ADP; (C) glucose 1-P + fructose 1,6-P2----glucose 1,6-P2 + fructose 6-P; (D) glucose 1-P + glycerate 1,3-P2----glucose 1,6-P2 + glycerate 3-P. Brain is the tissue with highest capability of glucose 1,6-P2 synthesis. With the exception of skeletal muscle, activity "D" represents the highest activity of glucose 1,6-P2 synthesis. In muscle, activity "B" is the major activity. The existence of a specific glucose 1,6-P2 synthase which catalyzes reaction "D" is confirmed. Two peaks of such an enzyme are isolated by ion-exchange chromatography. There is an enzyme which specifically catalyzes reaction "C", not previously described. There is a glucose 1-P kinase not identical to phosphofructokinase.

Animals↗