Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Cicardi

Publications and source records attributed to M Cicardi.

85 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Danazol and stanozolol in long-term prophylactic treatment of hereditary angioedema.

Treatment with 17 alpha-methyltestosterone and with some synthetic androgens prevents attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE). However, the potential hepatotoxicity of 17 alpha-alkylated androgens raises the problem of long-term prophylactic use of these agents. Therefore we compared the efficacy in preventing HAE attacks of 17 alpha-alkylated steroids (danazol and stanozolol) with non-17 alpha-alkylated derivatives (quinbolone, nandrolone decanoate and mesterolone). As the latter group proved ineffective, it seems that a drug's efficacy in preventing HAE attacks is connected to its 17 alpha-alkylation. Moreover, our long-term observations with the minimum effective dose of danazol seem to indicate the absence of important collateral effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Treatment of hereditary angioedema.

The purpose of this study was to report the results of different treatments in 20 patients with hereditary angioedema. Effectiveness of tranexamic acid in preventing swellings was evaluated in 15 patients: in all but 3 subjects tranexamic acid was effective without serious side effects. 15 severe attacks of edema were managed with intravenous infusions of either kallikrein inhibitor (8 cases) or concentrate of C1 esterase inhibitor (7 cases). In only 1 case was the kallikrein inhibitor unsuccessful. C 1 esterase inhibitor concentrate proved highly effective in the treatment of acute attacks (the result was lacking in one patient because of too low dosage of the drug). No side effects were observed with both treatments, but improvement was more rapidly achieved with infusion of C1 esterase inhibitor. The serum levels of C4 and C1 esterase inhibitor and the activity of C 1 esterase inhibitor before and after long-term prophylaxis and acute attacks treatment were investigated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Hepatic function and fibrinolysis in patients with hereditary angioedema undergoing long-term treatment with tranexamic acid.

Prophylactic treatment with antifibrinolytic agents, epsilon-aminocaproic and tranexamic acid, reduces the incidence and severity of attacks in patients with hereditary angioedema. Long-term effectiveness or risk of antifibrinolytic agents has not been established. Sixteen patients needing continuous prophylaxis because of frequency and severity of attacks were treated with tranexamic acid. In four patients this treatment was ineffective and the drug was withdrawn after 2 months. A remission or reduction in the frequency or severity of attacks was observed in 12 patients treated for a period ranging from 8 to 34 months. Hepatic tests and blood fibrinolytic activity were not influenced by long-term oral treatment with tranexamic acid.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

[Study by means of enzymatic and immunochemical determination of Cl esterase inhibitor in 59 patients with hereditary angioneurotic edema].

Serum C1 esterase inhibitor was determined in 138 members of 18 italian families with hereditary angioedema by immunochemical and enzymatic assays. On the basis of quantitative and functional findings, the type A of hereditary angioedema was diagnosed in 44 subjects, and the type B in 15. Some technical devices concerning serum sample handling were identified. The influence of heparin, EDTA, and citrate on C1 esterase inhibitor activity of normal plasma was also investigated.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hereditary angioedema: an appraisal of 104 cases.

One hundred and four patients affected by hereditary angioedema belonging to 31 families have been studied. Twenty-two percent had the variant form related to the deficiency of the functional activity of serum C1 esterase inhibitor. The remaining 78% of patients had the predominant form, characterized by low antigenic levels and low functional activity of serum C1 esterase inhibitor. Attacks of swelling affected the subcutaneous tissue in 86% of patients; the upper airways in 76% of patients, and the bowel mucose in 75% of patients. Before treatment was available the mortality rate was 56%. One or more attacks a month were present in 46% of cases. The infusion of C1 inhibitor concentrate promptly reversed 14 severe attacks without any side effect. Twenty-nine patients were given long term prophylactic treatment with androgen derivatives with full success. Tranexamic acid reduced the frequency of swelling of 70% of the patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antiproteasic activity of C1 inhibitor. Therapeutic perspectives.

Kallikrein is a protease involved in the inflammatory process causing acute pancreatitis. Attempts to prevent this process with antiprotease agents have been successful in experimental animal models but disappointing in humans. We studied 40 consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic papillosphincterotomy. This procedure can induce a transient, moderate pancreatic inflammatory reaction, characterized by hyperamylasemia, which in 1-6% of the patients may evolve to acute pancreatitis. To assess the capacity of C1 inhibitor, the main physiological inhibitor of kallikrein, to prevent such complications, we pretreated 20 patients with 3000 U of C1 inhibitor plasma concentrate i.v.; 20 patients served as controls. Serum levels of amylase and functional C1 inhibitor were determined before the procedure and after 2, 4, 8 and 24 hours. Serum levels of amylase in the control group (146 +/- 21 IU) and in the group treated with C1 inhibitor (158 +/- 25 IU) were similar before treatment. Four and 8 hours after the end of the procedure, amylase levels were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the treated group (231 +/- 46 and 355 +/- 104 IU) than in the control subjects (969 +/- 229 and 923 +/- 207 IU). After 24 hours both groups had normal amylase levels. In treated patients, functional levels of C1 inhibitor increased from 104 +/- 30 to 175 +/- 30% and remained elevated throughout the observation period. These data indicate that C1 inhibitor plasma concentrate can prevent hyperamylasemia following pancreas injury, probably, by inhibiting the kallikrein-mediated inflammatory process. C1 inhibitor might benefit patients at high risk of pancreatitis who undergo endoscopic papillosphincterotomy.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Angioedema due to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition: an association frequently unrecognized.

Angioedema as a side effect of treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors is often under-recognized. We analyzed the subjects seen in our out-patient clinic for angioedema. Over the past 3 years, we have found a cause-effect relationship between angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor treatment and angioedema in 14 of the 334 subjects presenting with this condition.

Adult↗