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Biomedical subjects

M Cazzaniga

Publications and source records attributed to M Cazzaniga.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Comparison of simple tests for the non-invasive diagnosis of clinically silent cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND: Biopsy is the gold standard for assessing cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, but it is expensive and at risk of complications. Alternative non-invasive methods have been developed but their usefulness remains uncertain. AIM: To compare the accuracy of five non-invasive scores in detecting cirrhosis. METHODS: We reviewed the charts and liver biopsies of 228 consecutive, treatment-naïve, hepatitis C virus-positive patients, 13.2% of whom with histological diagnosis of cirrhosis. The five alternative scores were age-platelet index, cirrhosis discriminant score, aspartate transaminases to platelet ratio index, Pohl's index, and aspartate transaminases/alanine transaminases ratio. RESULTS: The specificities of the scores were good (87-100%), but not so their sensitivities (17-67%). Accordingly positive likelihood ratios were generally good but negative likelihood ratios were suboptimal. Combinations of the scores independently related to cirrhosis only slightly change this diagnostic accuracy. Using double cut-offs to exclude/diagnoses cirrhosis, cirrhosis discriminant score classified 21% of patients without misdiagnoses and aspartate transaminases to platelet ratio index classified 85% of case with 9% of misdiagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: The five scores showed variable sensitivities and specificities in detecting liver cirrhosis, both individually and in combination. The use of double cut-off points may make the cirrhosis discriminant score and aspartate transaminases to platelet ratio index useful to reduce the number of patients submitted to liver biopsy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Midazolam for acute emesis refractory to dexamethasone and granisetron after highly emetogenic chemotherapy: a phase II study.

GOALS OF THE WORK: To assess whether the addition of midazolam to dexamethasone and granisetron could ameliorate the refractory acute nausea and/or vomiting caused by a highly emetogenic platinum-based chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Enrolled in the study were 30 consecutive adult patients with refractory acute emesis. Nausea and vomiting were assessed by physicians and graded according to the NCI common toxicity criteria. Nausea was further self-assessed by patients using a visual analogue scale. Statistical analysis was performed by nonparametric tests. RESULTS: With the introduction of midazolam, 73% of patients had a reduction of at least one grade in nausea and vomiting intensity in comparison with the previous cycle of chemotherapy. From the second cycle, six patients (23%) had complete control of acute vomiting, a benefit that usually persisted in the subsequent cycles. Five more patients achieved complete control of acute vomiting during the third course; this effect persisted in the subsequent courses as well. The average relative reduction in acute nausea and vomiting grade from the first to the second course was 48% (95% CI 34-62%) and 48% (95% CI 31-65%), respectively. A significant difference in acute nausea and vomiting over all the six courses of chemotherapy administered was recorded (Friedman ANOVA, P <0.0001). Comparing each course with any subsequent course, a significant reduction in acute nausea and vomiting was observed between the first and second course, the first and third course, and the first and fourth course. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that midazolam may be a useful adjunct to standard antiemetic drugs for patients receiving highly emetogenic cisplatin-based chemotherapy. A randomized trial is warranted to confirm these results.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Patterns of relapse and modalities of treatment of breast cancer: the 'IRIS' Project, a multicenter observational study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe the patterns of breast cancer relapse and the factors influencing therapeutic choices in an unselected postmenopausal population. METHODS: Five hundred and thirty-nine patients were enrolled between October 1999 and March 2001. The majority (92.6%) underwent surgery for the primary tumor: there was no difference between general and university hospitals in terms of the type of mastectomy, but a slight difference was found between Southern and Northern Centers. RESULTS: At the time of first relapse, 61.6% of the patients had a good Karnofsky performance status. The median disease-free interval (DFI) was 34 months. More than half of the patients (62.3%) presented a single metastasis. Metastatic disease was treated with chemotherapy in 64.8% of cases (alone in 44.1%, and in combination with hormone therapy in 20.1%), hormone therapy alone was given in 30.8% of cases. The main reasons for choosing chemotherapy were age (31%), standard guidelines (19.4%) and the site of metastatic disease (14.3%), and those for selecting hormone therapy were age (26.6%), site of relapse (19.3%), standard guidelines (19.2%), biological tumor characteristics (14.3%) and the DFI (11.1%). Taxane-containing treatments accounted for 46.1% of the chemotherapies, whereas letrozole was the preferred hormone (41.2%). CONCLUSION: The first relapse of breast cancer is often single, at bone or viscera, and mainly diagnosed by instrumental screening examinations. The preferred chemo- and hormone therapies are taxane-containing regimens and letrozole, respectively.

Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal↗
PubMed2003

Vinorelbine and carboplatin in inoperable non-small cell lung cancer: a monoinstitutional phase II study.

Chemotherapy regimens for patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) provide typically palliation or limited symptom-free survival. We investigated the efficacy, in terms of response rate and time to progression, of a combination chemotherapy containing carboplatin and vinorelbine as a first-line treatment for inoperable NSCLC. Fifty-two consecutive patients with advanced NSCLC were treated with carboplatin AUC 6 according to Calvert's formula on day 1, combined with vinorelbine, 25 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8. Therapy was given every 3 weeks. The median age was 66 years (range, 40-80); ECOG performance status was 0 in 20, 1 in 25 and 2 in 7 patients. According to an intent-to-treat analysis, response rate (partial and complete responses) in 52 assessable patients was 18/52 (34.6%; 95% confidence interval, 22-47%). In addition, 16 patients (30.8%) had stable disease and 18/52 (34.6%; 95% CI, 22-47%) progressed while on treatment. Median time to progression and overall survival were 7, 5 and 12.3 months, respectively. Grade 3/4 granulocytopenia was observed in 18/8 patients (34.6/15.4%). Grade 3/4 nadirs generally lasted no more than 7 days, and no neutropenic fever was reported. The treatment was generally very well tolerated: grade 1 or 2 nausea and vomiting was observed in 12 and 4 patients, respectively, and grade 2 neuropathy in 5% of cases. Statistical analysis did not highlight any significant differences in clinical benefit (partial and complete responses and stable disease), time to progression, or grade 3-4 hematologic and non-hematological toxicity according to age ( 65 years). Carboplatin AUC 6 and vinorelbine was found to be an efficacious regimen as a first-line treatment for inoperable lung cancer patients and was also subjectively very well tolerated in aged patients. The regimen warrants further investigation in the emerging subgroup of aged patients in order to draw firm conclusions.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Ductal lavage for detection of cellular atypia in women at high risk for breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer originates in breast epithelium and is associated with progressive molecular and morphologic changes. Women with atypical breast ductal epithelial cells have an increased relative risk of breast cancer. In this study, ductal lavage, a new procedure for collecting ductal cells with a microcatheter, was compared with nipple aspiration with regard to safety, tolerability, and the ability to detect abnormal breast epithelial cells. METHODS: Women at high risk for breast cancer who had nonsuspicious mammograms and clinical breast examinations underwent nipple aspiration followed by lavage of fluid-yielding ducts. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: The 507 women enrolled included 291 (57%) with a history of breast cancer and 199 (39%) with a 5-year Gail risk for breast cancer of 1.7% or more. Nipple aspirate fluid (NAF) samples were evaluated cytologically for 417 women, and ductal lavage samples were evaluated for 383 women. Adequate samples for diagnosis were collected from 111 (27%) and 299 (78%) women, respectively. A median of 13,500 epithelial cells per duct (range, 43-492,000 cells) was collected by ductal lavage compared with a median of 120 epithelial cells per breast (range, 10-74,300) collected by nipple aspiration. For ductal lavage, 92 (24%) subjects had abnormal cells that were mildly (17%) or markedly (6%) atypical or malignant (<1%). For NAF, corresponding percentages were 6%, 3%, and fewer than 1%. Ductal lavage detected abnormal intraductal breast cells 3.2 times more often than nipple aspiration (79 versus 25 breasts; McNemar's test, P<.001). No serious procedure-related adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Large numbers of ductal cells can be collected by ductal lavage to detect atypical cellular changes within the breast. Ductal lavage is a safe and well-tolerated procedure and is a more sensitive method of detecting cellular atypia than nipple aspiration.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[The bidirectional Glenn operation in 100 cases with complex congenital heat diseases: factors influencing surgical results].

OBJECTIVE: The bidirectional Glenn shunt is a well established surgical technique in children with complex congenital heart disease. The present study is a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing this operation in order to assess the influence of different variables in the outcome. PATIENTS AND METHOD: From December 1990 to June 2000, 100 patients received a bidirectional Glenn shunt. Two groups were defined, based on the outcome. Group A (n = 15, unsuccessfully result) including death and need to reoperate, and Group B (n = 85, patients with good outcome). RESULTS: The mortality was 8%. Eight patients were reoperated at follow-up. The survivors were followed for a mean of 3.5 years. Mean pulmonary artery pressure 7 mmHg was a factor associated with poor clinical progress. Other variables (age less than 1 year, excessive pulmonary blood flow, double Glenn operation, significant anatomic anomalies, and arrythmias), were also associated with outcome. Significant variations were observed in the time of by-pass or the need for aortic clamp in cases with simultaneous operative repair of pulmonary branch stenosis. Actuarial survival rate, most more than 1 year was 92%, and freedom from reoperation at 3 years was 90%. CONCLUSIONS: The bidirectional Glenn shunt is an excellent palliation in patients with functionally single ventricle. Mean pulmonary artery pressure was the most important variable related with the outcome. We are encouraged to continue with tendency to perform bidirectional Glenn shunt preferably early, avoiding, whenever possible, previous palliative surgery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Effect of low dose tamoxifen on the insulin-like growth factor system in healthy women.

The use of tamoxifen as a preventive agent may be limited by the increased risk of endometrial cancer and venous thromboembolic events observed in postmenopausal women. We have recently shown a comparable activity of lower doses of tamoxifen on several surrogate biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and breast cancer, including Insulin-like Growth Factor-I (IGF-I). To provide further insight into the effect of tamoxifen at low doses on the IGF system, we have correlated the drug serum levels attained after 2 months of either placebo (n = 32), tamoxifen 20 mg/day (n = 26), 10 mg/day (n = 23) or 10 mg/every other day (n = 29) with the changes in IGF-I, Insulin-like Growth Factor-II (IGF-II), Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein-1 (IGFBP-1), Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio. Compared with placebo, tamoxifen induced a mean +/- standard error (SE) reduction of IGF-I of 16.9 +/- 7.8%, p < 0.05, a non-significant increase of 22.9 +/- 12.2% in IGF-II, an increase in IGFBP-1 of 49.3 +/- 22.7%, p < 0.05, and a non-significant change of IGFBP-3 (-4.0% +/- 9.2). No significant concentration-response relationship was observed between serum tamoxifen concentrations and the biomarker changes except for the ratio of IGF-I/IGFBP-3, which decreased by 1.53 +/- 0.68% for any increase by 10 ng/ml of serum tamoxifen concentration (p = 0.02). Although low tamoxifen concentrations induce a comparable modulation of the IGF family relative to the conventional dose, the lower decrements in the IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio observed at low drug concentrations might be associated with a reduced preventive activity. Further studies on the search of the minimal active dose of tamoxifen are warranted.

Anticarcinogenic Agents↗
PubMed2001

The role of disodium pamidronate in the management of bone pain due to malignancy.

A number of controlled studies have recently demonstrated the role of disodium pamidronate in the prevention of skeletal complications in patients with metastatic bone disease due to breast cancer and multiple myeloma. They have also shown that it relieves pain and is well tolerated. The aim of this open prospective study was to evaluate the acceptability of a new schedule of pamidronate infusion and to assess pain, analgesic consumption and the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) in patients with metastatic bone pain treated with pamidronate in association or not with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy. Patients with different types of cancer and at least one painful bone metastasis were treated with two cycles of 60 mg intravenous (iv) pamidronate weekly for three consecutive doses, with a 3-week interval between the two cycles (six infusions over 7 weeks), followed by one infusion every 3 weeks for a total of 24 infusions. Two hundred patients were enrolled in the study, of whom 94 received at least the first six infusions; 25 patients received all 24 infusions. Pamidronate was well tolerated in the majority of the patients both during the first six infusions and during the whole study period. In the patients under study, pain intensity decreased compared with T0 after the first two infusions (second week of treatment). The mean equivalent daily dose of oral morphine required ranged from 21.5 to 41.5 mg/day and was low and stable during the study. For the patients who remained in the study, the KPS remained around 70 during the whole treatment period and intrasubject analysis showed a substantial stability of the KPS within each subject. A first fracture occurred within 321 days in 25% of the whole population under study. Pamidronate represents a further valid therapy to add to an already consolidated list of therapies such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and orthopaedic intervention in the pain management of patients with bone metastases. Future studies are necessary to evaluate the role of pamidronate and the appropriate schedule in patients with advanced or terminal cancer who are no longer being treated with oncological therapies.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Double total anomalous pulmonary venous connection].

We present a newborn infant with right atrial isomerism, complex congenital heart malformation and anomalous pulmonary venous connection, reliably diagnosed by 2-D Doppler color echocardiography. The infant had no significant obstetric antecedents. The neonatal clinical picture included cyanosis, heart murmur and respiratory distress. The infant was treated with prostaglandin from the age of 24 hours until his death after surgery. The 2-D echo Doppler color flow mapping showed findings that suggested right atrial isomerism, severe left ventricular hypoplasia, pulmonary atresia and ductus arteriosus. The pulmonary veins flowed together to a posterior cardiac chamber from which an emissary vertical venous vessel connected with a left superior aneurysmal sack. Two venous channels emerged from this sack: one connecting to the innominate vein and the other to the atrium. The malformations were confirmed by cardiac catheterization. On the sixth day of life, the patient underwent anastomosis between the posterior venous chamber with the atrium, a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt implant, and ductus closure but died during surgery. The association between complex cardiac anomalies and uncommon obstructive total anomalous pulmonary venous connection in the context of right atrial isomerism is lethal and few neonates survive surgical repair. Two-dimensional echo color flow Doppler is a reliable diagnostic technique and an indispensable guide in angiography.

Heart Defects, Congenital↗
PubMed2000

[Absent pulmonary valve syndrome with ductal origin of the left pulmonary artery. Diagnosis only by 2-D echo doppler color flow mapping].

A two-month old infant is described with the rare combination of absent pulmonary valve syndrome, ventricular septal defect, pulmonar "anular" stenosis and ductal origin of the left pulmonary artery. The diagnosis that was confirmed in the operating room was made by 2-D echocardiographic Doppler color flow mapping study without the support of cardiac catheterization.

Echocardiography, Doppler, Color↗
PubMed2000

[Balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty in the neonatal period. The clinical and echocardiographic effects].

AIM: To analyze the efficacy of balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV) as the elective treatment for neonatal critical pulmonary valvar stenosis (PVS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The results of clinical and echocardiographic features before and after the BPV were reviewed in 29 neonates (18+/-12 days of life). Different hemodynamic and 2-D color Doppler echocardiographic were evaluated. The BPV result was classified as favourable if no other balloon or surgical therapy was required to normalise pulmonary flow and achieve a sustained right ventricle-pulmonary artery (RV-PA) Doppler gradient below 40 mmHg. It was considered unfavourable if the neonate died, needed surgery or redilation and/or the RV-PA Doppler gradient was > or =40 mm Hg. The study developed in three phases: pre BPV immediate post BPV until the hospital discharge (14+/-11 days), and in the mid-term follow-up of between 8 and 96 months (51+/-31 months). RESULTS: Mortality was not registered with BPV. The RV/left ventricular systolic pressure decreased from 1.4+/-0.3 to 0.8+/-0.3 (p<0.01) as a consequence of the dilation, and the the systemic oxygen saturation increased from 85 +/-12 to 92+/-6% (p<0.01). The RV-PA Doppler gradient diminished from 86+/-18 to 28+/-16 mm Hg immediately after BPV (p<0.01) and was registered at 13+/-6 mm Hg in the follow-up (n = 24). The RV-PA junction Z value grew from -1.25+/-0.9 before valvuloplasty to -0.51 +/-0.7 at the final echocardiogram (p<0.01). No changes in the tricuspid diameter were detected between both periods of time. Five neonates obtained unsatisfactory results: 4 in the immediate post BPV (systemic-pulmonary artery shunt 2, transannular patch 2), and 1 in the mid-term follow-up (valvectomy + transannular patch). The actuarial curve reflects that 82,7% of the patients were free form reinterventions at 8 years. CONCLUSIONS: BPV is safe and effective to relief PVS in the neonate. The balloon promotes advantageous changes in both, pulmonary annulus and the right ventricle. In addition, the RV-PA Doppler gradient observations in the follow-up, support the expectation that the BPV is a "curative" therapy.

Catheterization↗
PubMed2000

[Interrupted aortic arch with aortopulmonary window. Total primary correction without extracorporeal circulation in the newborn].

This report describes the unusual association between the interruption of the aortic arch type B and aortopulmonary window type II in a neonate. When the patient was 20 days old, a one-stage surgical repair was done through left side thoracotomy without circulatory by-pass, making a left carotid artery to descending aorta anastomosis, closing the window with a hemaclip, respectively. A routine 2-D Doppler color echocardiography performed in the immediate postoperative period showed the absence of blood flow in the right pulmonary artery. The patient required a new intervention, changing the position of the clip in order to restore the normal pulmonary blood flow. Eight months after surgery, the "neoaortic arch" grows in harmony with the body surface area, without signs of cerebral circulatory deficiency or significant gradient at any level.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed2000

[Divided left atrium: operative results and follow-up in the cor triatriatum].

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: A divided left atrium because of cor triatriatum is a relatively rare cardiac anomaly requiring corrective surgery. We describe here our clinical and surgical experience with this congenital heart defect as well as the different medium and long term diagnostic, surgical and evolution aspects. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1981 to 1999, 15 children with cor triatriatum without complex associated cardiovascular defects underwent surgery at a mean age of 13 months (excision of the obstructive membrane). The surgical reports were reviewed and the clinical and echocardiographic data were analyzed before and after the intervention; six of these patients (40%) were referred to operating room only with the 2-D echo Doppler technique and color flow mapping information. The follow-up period ranged from 8 months to 19.3 years. RESULTS: Diagnosis was confirmed during the surgical procedure. One 9 month old patient died 60 days after a successful corrective surgery because of sepsis (7%). No late deaths or reoperations were found in the follow-up period. All 14 patients who survived the operation have a functional class I (NYHA), and they are asymptomatic in the follow-up. The overall survival rate was 93% (70% CI: 87-90). CONCLUSIONS: Corrective surgery with excision of the obstructive membrane dividing the left atrium restores normal anatomic, hemodynamic and clinical status in children with cor triatriatum without complex associated defects.

Female↗