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Biomedical subjects

M Martini

Publications and source records attributed to M Martini.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

An epidemiological study on Q fever in the Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy.

A seroepidemiological survey was carried out in cattle from an Apenninic area of the Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy, in order to assess the prevalence and to analyze the epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii infection. The complement fixation test was performed on 711 animals from 99 herds. The prevalence rate was 13.1% with respect to the herds and 4.4% with respect to the animals. The positive titres ranged from 1:8 to 1:256. Significant differences in positivity were found between animals of different age and breed and between animals from herds of different types of production and management. The infection seems to be linked also with infertility and with replacement from the outside.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Measurement of systemic resistances in aortic regurgitation.

Peripheral resistance is usually measured by dividing mean aortic pressure by mean aortic flow. This statement holds true as long as resistance is constant throughout the heart cycle. This is not the case in aortic regurgitation, because during diastole, but not in systole, a conduit is opened to blood flow through the regurgitating valve. Peripheral resistance was measured in 11 patients with aortic regurgitation and in 23 normal subjects by solving for Ri in the "windkessel" equation. We compared this resistance (R1) with that measured by standard methods (RES). In normal subjects, R1 and RES are almost identical [R1 = 0.96 (RES) +/- 0.12, r = .95], while in aortic regurgitation there is no correlation [R1 = 0.64 (RES) +/- 1.4, r = 0.2]. RES in normal subjects is increased with respect to RES in aortic regurgitation (32 vs 22, p = 0.0019), while R1 in aortic regurgitation is decreased compared to both R1 and RES in normal subjects (13.5 vs 21 and 22, p = 0.0063). The difference between R1 and RES in aortic regurgitation is related to the regurgitating volume. Compliance, calculated by assuming a monoexponential diastolic aortic pressure decay, is markedly decreased in aortic insufficiency, while it is increased if it is calculated by dividing the time constant of aortic pressure decay by R1. Thus, in severe aortic regurgitation peripheral resistance is usually less than normal, and standard methods of measurement fail to detect this fact. Correct evaluation of resistance and compliance may be useful to evaluate ventriculoarterial coupling and to titrate vasodilator therapy in this disease.

Aortic Valve Insufficiency↗
PubMed1994

[Surgical treatment of chronic hematogenous osteomyelitis. A series of 42 cases].

INTRODUCTION: Chronic hematogenous osteomyelitis (C.H.O.) is still a scourge of the non-industrialized countries. The authors operated on 420 cases of C.H.O. in Algeria between 1968 and 1987. A computerized analysis of the results of the surgical treatment of these 420 cases was made in Brussels, Belgium, by two of the authors. The results of this computerized study are exposed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 67.1 per cent of the patients were male and 37.9 female. 68 per cent were operated before 16 y. of age. 381 lesions involved tubular bones: femur, tibia and humerus were the most frequent locations. Only 4 per cent of the cases had never presented a suppuration. Cultures of Staphylococcus were positive in 82 per cent of the cases. Surgical procedure was classical--bone window opening, sequestrectomy and saucerisation--in 359 cases. Operation was limited to soft tissues in 22 cases and bone resection was performed in 39 cases. Post-operative antibiotherapy was administered for a period of 10 to 60 days according to the patients. RESULTS: After the first operation with the classical procedure, results were satisfactory in 72 per cent of the cases but "healing" was achieved in 95 per cent of the cases after 2, 3, 4 and up to 6 operations. After bone resection, the rate of permanent healing was of 100 per cent. Follow-up was of more of 1 year (up to 22 y.) in 80 per cent of the cases. DISCUSSION: As far as classical procedure is concerned, a computerized analysis made according to 34 variables, led to the conclusions that the following variables could have a positive influence upon the prognosis: surgical team's experience, young age of the patient at the time of operation, subacute onset of the disease, location on the humerus, diaphysis of long bones, membranous and short bones, small number of sinuses, sclero-geodic radiologic appearance of the lesions, thin perifocal radiologic condensation, periosteal reaction, post-operative administration of two antibiotics. Excellent results of bone resection are pointed out but attention is drawn on the dangers of extending the indications for resection to the tubular bones. CONCLUSION: The authors conclude that improvement in the results of the surgical treatment of C.H.O. may only take place after improvement of the quality and duration of chemotherapy: that is confirmed by the results of a clinical trial they organized on the role of post-operative administration of Amoxicilline + Clavulanic Acid for a period of 60 days after surgery: 44 patients, 2 lost to follow-up, 4 failures and 38 "healings" (90.5 per cent) at 2 years and more.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Melatonin as an anxiolytic in rats: time dependence and interaction with the central GABAergic system.

Anxiolytic and pro-exploratory melatonin properties were assessed in rats using a plus-maze procedure. Both melatonin (1 mg/kg) and diazepam (0.5 mg/kg) showed a significant diurnal variation to decrease anxiety and to promote exploratory behavior. Melatonin displayed anxiolytic activity at night, with absence of effects at noon and a weak activity at the beginning of the light phase. Melatonin pro-exploratory activity was found only at night. Diazepam exerted significant anxiolysis during the night, with less activity during the day. Diazepam pro-exploratory activity was found during the night only. A dose-response study carried out by injecting 1-20 mg/kg melatonin at 12:00 or 18:00 h indicated that melatonin activity was greatest at 18:00 h. Diazepam was anxiolytic at both times, and pro-exploratory at 18:00 h only. Melatonin activity was blunted by administration of the benzodiazepine antagonist, flumazenil.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1993

Effects of nifedipine on functional liver plasma flow in normal subjects and in patients with cirrhosis.

The short-term effects of nifedipine (10 mg administered sublingually) on functional liver plasma flow, measured by calculating the extrarenal clearance of sorbitol, were investigated in 12 normal volunteers and 40 patients with cirrhosis scored according to Child-Pugh classification. Nifedipine significantly increased functional liver plasma flow in healthy subjects (23%, p < 0.0001) and in patients with cirrhosis in the Child-Pugh class A group (19%, p < 0.001); in patients in the Child-Pugh class B group functional liver plasma flow was not modified, whereas in the patients in the Child-Pugh class C group it was significantly reduced (-7%, p < 0.02). The mean arterial pressure showed a significant reduction in all groups studied. According to the pathophysiologic meaning of functional liver plasma flow, it is suggested that nifedipine meets criteria for an ideal test substance to evaluate the functional reserve of the liver. Furthermore, when used with the Child-Pugh classification, its effect on functional liver plasma flow may be useful to improve the efficiency of the Child-Pugh classification, in establishing the prognosis of patients with cirrhosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Indications and limitations of percutaneous cholecystostomy for acute cholecystitis.

Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) was used as an alternative to operative therapy in 21 elderly or critically ill patients with suspected acute cholecystitis. All had associated disabling diseases, ten (48 percent) were older than 65 years, nine (43 percent) were in the intensive care unit and eight (38 percent) were recovering from recent operations. Among the 21 patients, 18 had cholecystitis (eight calculous and ten acalculous); in three patients, the procedure was only diagnostic. In 16 of 18 patients with acute cholecystitis, immediate relief of symptoms and significant improvement of laboratory signs of cholecystitis occurred. Persistent signs of peritonitis and uncertainty of diagnosis led to cholecystectomy without complication in one patient. Colonic perforation, as a result of technical complications, necessitated laparotomy in another patient. No other complication of PC was noted. Mortality rate of a patient with cholecystitis, treated by PC, was 5.5 percent (one of 18). Among ten patients with acalculous cholecystitis, only one patient underwent cholecystectomy because of a direct complication of PC. The other nine patients are alive and symptom-free with an intact gallbladder after a mean follow-up period of 16 months. Among eight patients with calculous cholecystitis, four later underwent cholecystectomy, three died from underlying disease, and one patient had stones extracted percutaneously. These results indicate that PC is an effective temporary measure in elderly or critically ill patients with acute cholecystitis and, under close clinical supervision, a safe alternative to surgical intervention. In patients with acalculous cholecystitis, PC can be used as an immediate and definitive therapy, and cholecystectomy can be avoided.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1993

[Monovascular coronary disease in the pre-angioplasty era].

Single-vessel coronary disease has been considered so far a benign condition, for which the medical therapy may represent the optimal treatment. In order to assess the effectiveness of this approach, we studied 323 patients who had come to our attention for ischemic heart disease and resulted affected by single-vessel coronary artery disease. From our data it appears that single-vessel coronary artery disease is frequently associated with myocardial infarction and post-infarction aneurysm. Coronary angiography indicated that left anterior descending coronary artery is the most frequently affected vessel, and that its involvement is often associated with lethal outcome. Forty-two out of the 323 patients underwent coronary artery bypass surgery; the remaining patients were medically treated. Surgical patients showed a better improvement respect to the medical group, while survival was not statistically different. An unexpected result was the relatively high risk in circumflex artery lesion. These data may justify a broader utilization of invasive therapy in recent onset angina, in light of the excellent results recently obtained with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗
PubMed1993

Pancreatic necrosis: an early finding in severe acute pancreatitis.

Despite the clinical importance of pancreatic necrosis in the course of acute pancreatitis, little is known about when it develops. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) is a reliable parameter with a high deduction rate for pancreatic necrosis. We analyzed 199 patients with acute pancreatitis. The development of pancreatic necrosis was ascertained by a daily measurement of serum CRP in 45 patients with contrast-enhanced computed tomographic-proven necrotizing pancreatitis. In all 45 cases, the criteria for pancreatic necrosis were satisfied within the first 4 days of the onset of symptoms. This indicates that pancreatic necrosis is an early finding that develops within hours.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

Wound botulism: clinical and microbiological findings of an Italian case.

A case of wound botulism in a 41-year old man is reported. The patient had accidently been wounded when he fell on an iron bar. Some days later he developed typical clinical manifestations of botulism. Wound botulism was confirmed by detection and quantification of type B botulinal toxin in the serum. Ventilatory supportive care was necessary and botulinal antitoxin was not given. The patient was hospitalized for 30 days and recovery was complete.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Determination of pancreatic lipase by immunoactivation technology. A rapid test system with high sensitivity and specificity.

This paper describes the test characteristics and clinical relevance of a newly developed homogeneous enzyme immunoassay IMAC lipase test for the determination of serum pancreatic lipase. The method of determination is based on an immunoactivation technology and utilizes antibody fragments against human pancreatic lipase covalently bound to the marker enzyme horseradish peroxidase. The serum samples of 408 persons were investigated with this new assay. The within-run and day-to-day precision, the linearity, and the recovery of this immunoassay correspond to a very high degree to the requirements made of a modern immunological test. Comparison with an ELISA method resulted in a correlation coefficient of 0.971, whereby the IMAC lipase assay tended to register lower serum values. The serum range for the IMAC lipase test is 0-47 micrograms/L, based on a normal collective of 187 healthy controls. A sensitivity of 95.8% for the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis at a cutoff level of twice the upper normal range and a specificity of 99.3% at an efficiency of 99.8% can be given. The advantage of the IMAC lipase test method is its ability to be adapted to work on automatic laboratory analyzers.

Acute Disease↗