Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Dottorini

Publications and source records attributed to M Dottorini.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Laryngeal cancer: long-term follow-up of respiratory functions after laryngectomy.

Pulmonary function of 31 heavy smokers with laryngeal cancer was evaluated before and during the 1st year after total (n = 21) and conservative (n = 10) laryngectomy. 2 of them died because of recurrences, 1 for bronchopulmonary complications. Long-lasting hoarseness was the only presenting symptom in all patients. Preoperative lung function data and mucociliary clearance were consistent with a coexisting chronic obstructive lung disease in most subjects and was probably due to smoking. No differences were observed comparing pre- and postoperative data in the 10 conservative laryngectomy patients. On the contrary, the total-laryngectomy patients showed a progressive impairment of bronchial obstruction and bacteriological infection of the trachea during the 1st year after the operation. An impressive increase in mucociliary clearance rates has been observed 2 months after total laryngectomy during the postoperative hypersecretory phase. the obtained data allow us to hypothesize that when clinical conditions of laryngectomized patients in whom local or distant recurrences have been excluded deteriorate, this is related to a progressive bronchial obstruction at any level of the bronchial tree due to descending bacterial infection of the airways. To our knowledge this is the only work demonstrating that total laryngectomized patients need a complete pre- and postoperative evaluation of lung function, airway dynamics, mucociliary function and tracheal bacteriology for long-term prognosis and treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

[Bone scintigraphy in total isoelastic hip prosthesis. Proposal of a semiquantitative analysis].

The authors present a method of semiquantitative analysis of bone scintigraphy in the study of the evolution of total hip prosthesis and analyse the course of remodelling processes in a group of patients who showed no post surgical complication after total isoelastic hip arthroplasty without cement. The authors will use data worked out as terms of comparison in the study of those patients who present, after surgery, a symptomatology difficult to be evaluated in order to discriminate the cases where the symptoms indicate the beginning of a pathologic process (loosening and/or infection).

Aged↗
PubMed1984

[Radioimmunoassay of high specificity for vincristine].

The authors set up a simple and fairly rapid radioimmunoassay for vincristine, that shows a good sensitivity, precision and specificity. In particular, the higher specificity in comparison with other similar dosage techniques is likely due to the marked specificity of the used anti-vincristine serum, which displays a low interference even by molecules with a vincristine-like structure. Therefore, the suggested radioimmunoassay technique seems quite suitable for studying vincristine pharmacokinetics and for monitoring blood levels of this alkaloid in treated patients.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1981

[Bronchial mucociliary function. A new diagnostic technic].

To study mucociliary clearance of central airways we used a recently described method consisting of the inhalation of 99mTc labeled autologous spherocytes aerosol. In 3 of 8 normal non smoking subjects, an abnormally low rate of m.c.c. was observed. The m.c.c. rate was also very low in 2 of 6 patients with bronchial cr. who never smoked. These observations provide considerable evidence that those non smoking subjects presenting with low mucociliary clearance may be regarded as "high risk subjects" for broncho-pulmonary diseases. The good central deposition pattern of the inhaled spherocytes may provide, in very ill patients, a non-invasive visualization of the central airways.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Pulmonary function studies in adenoid hypertrophy.

Tests of pulmonary function were performed on children with severe adenoid hypertrophy, before and one month after adenoidectomy. Five types of subjects were selected: (1) normal; (2) cases with isolated increase of residual volume (RV); (3) supernormal type with increased RV; (4) obstructive type of ventilatory defect, and (5) restrictive type of ventilatory defect. Following adenoidectomy there is an objective evidence of improved pulmonary function. The data suggest that 65.7% of clinically normal children with adenoid hypertrophy show pulmonary function abnormalities.

Adenoidectomy↗
PubMed1980

Reference values for flow-volume curves during forced vital capacity breathing in male children and young adults.

127 non-smoking males aged 8-25 years were studied to obtain normal reference values for flow-volume (FV) curves. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant differences for all indices (PEF; MEF 25%, 50%, 75%; PIF; MIF 25%, 50%, 75%) in the first three age-groups (8-10, 11-13 and 14-16 years); the three last groups (17-19, 20-22 and 23-25 years) did not show any significant variation of FV curve data. Male subjects older than 16 years showed a negative correlation between maximal expiratory flow at 50% of forced vital capacity and standing height. Multiple regression equations relating FV curve indices to age and anthropometric data are calculated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Circadian rhythms of respiratory functions in asthmatics.

35 subjects underwent pulmonary function tests, plasma cortisol and urinary catecholamine measurements at 4-hour intervals, during a period of 24 h. In healthy subjects a circadian variation was not demonstrated. In asthmatic subjects circadian variation of a large number of ventilatory variables and a normal circadian pattern for plasma cortisol were demonstrated. Asthmatic patients were divided into two groups: patients with intrinsic asthma and patients with extrinsic asthma. The former showed the most impressive circadian pattern; the most severe bronchospasm occurred between 12.00 and 00.00 h; patients with extrinsic asthma, older than 20 years became worse around 03.00 h. During this period their urinary catecholamines reached the lowest values. The younger patients with extrinsic asthma presented the highest TGV values at 12.50 h. From the clinical viewpoint, it is emphasized that chronobiologic criteria could be utilized for the chronotherapeutic management of asthmatics.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

ACTH 1-17 effects in intrinsic bronchial asthma.

We have studied the effect of Synchrodyn 1-17 (100 micrograms/day/15 days, intramuscularly) on 12 patients with intrinsic asthma, presenting a circadian pattern in several functional parameters related to the bronchial patency (and/or with bouts of nocturnal asthma). Treatment with ACTH 1-17 had two main effects: the pathological rhythms of the bronchial tone disappeared and there was a clear general improvement in the indices of bronchial patency. The drug was well tolerated. Euphoria and water retention were the side effects: they were noticed in a variable number of subjects and disappeared after discontinuation of treatment.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Interferon-gamma (r-IFN-gamma) induced activation of alveolar macrophages (AM) from anergic patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Forty-six anergic patients (37 males and 9 females, age range 55-79 yr) were selected from ninety-one patients suffering from COPD due to frequent exacerbations and impaired delayed cutaneous reactivity (43.9%). The phenotype of circulating lymphocytes, their proliferative response to a panel of polyclonal T-cell activators and the candidacidal activity (CA) of circulating PMNs (polymorphonuclear cells) were measured. In 13 patients presenting a defective CA of circulating PMNs, the in vitro response of alveolar macrophage CA to r-IFN-gamma was also determined. We found: 1) a significant reduction in the CL response to PHA in COPD patients vs controls; 2) a low PMN-CA in 23 (57%) COPD patients; 3) a non-significant difference in phenotype analysis in patients and controls; 4) lower CA of AMs in COPD patients than in controls; 5) restoration in vitro of CA by r-IFN-gamma in the group of anergic COPD patients presenting depressed CA. We conclude that a defective cell-mediated immunity could be the basis of the enhanced susceptibility to infectious exacerbations in many COPD patients and that, in vitro, it could be reversed by r-IFN-gamma treatment.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[A rare cause of pulmonary coin lesion: Rendu-Osler-Weber disease].

The diagnosis of lung coin lesions (peripheral lesions with a diameter of no more than 6 cm) is one of the most important problems in pneumology. Among the numerous causes of coin lesions, the presence of malignancies must always be excluded. The Authors describe an unusual case of lung arteriovenous fistula in a patient suffering from Rendu-Osler-Weber disease. The importance of a multi-step diagnosis, starting with non-invasive procedures is stressed; this is to avoid life threatening complications which may occur after lung trans-thoracic biopsies of previously undiagnosed vascular abnormalities.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Pharmacologic control of breathing].

Recent advances in respiratory neuropharmacology and neurophysiology have allowed the assessment of the effects of different drugs on the control of the ventilation both qualitatively (alterations of ventilatory pattern) and quantitatively (size and duration of the ventilatory and haemogasometric alterations). In the control mechanism of ventilation, the pharmacological intervention can act both on the respiratory input (basal metabolism, peripheral chemo-receptors, pulmonary receptors, bulbar neurons, cortical nervous system) and on the respiratory output (respiratory muscles). Based on personal experience in this field and the recent literature, the Authors briefly discuss the seat and the mechanism of action of the drugs with stimulating effect (respiratory analeptics, almitrines, progesterone, acetazolamide, salicylates, protriptyline, theophylline) and depressing effect (narcotics and narcotic-antagonists, anaesthetics, barbiturates and benzodiazepines) on the ventilation, as well as the role of the neurotransmitters and modulators. The clinical (positive and negative) effects of these drugs, particularly related to the patients with chronic lung disease, are also illustrated.

Central Nervous System Stimulants↗