Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Montillo

Publications and source records attributed to M Montillo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Fatal haemoptysis in pulmonary filamentous mycosis: an underevaluated cause of death in patients with acute leukaemia in haematological complete remission. A retrospective study and review of the literature. Gimema Infection Program (Gruppo Italiano Malattie Ematologiche dell'Adulto)

A retrospective study on a consecutive series of 116 patients affected by acute leukaemia with documented pulmonary filamentous mycosis (FM) admitted between 1987 and 1992 to 14 tertiary-care hospitals in Italy was made in order to evaluate the characteristics of those patients who developed fatal massive haemoptysis. In 59/116 cases of pulmonary FM the infection was the principal cause of death and in 12 of these patients a massive haemoptysis was responsible for death. The diagnosis of FM infection was made ante-mortem in only four out of these 12 patients. The autopsy was performed in 11/12 patients and documented a FM infection. The mycetes isolated were: Hyphomycetes spp. (three patients), Mucorales spp. (two patients), Aspergillus spp. (seven patients). At the time of the massive haemoptysis the mean neutrophil count was 7.2 x 10(9)/l, and no patient had relevant thrombocytopenia (mean 184 x 10(9)/l, range 28-350) or coagulative abnormalities. The mean time which elapsed between resolution of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (WBC < 10(9)/l) and occurrence of haemoptysis was 7 d. No signs or symptoms predictive of this fatal complication were identified. Massive haemoptysis can be the cause of death in patients with acute leukaemia and pulmonary FM which in the majority of patients was not diagnosed in vivo. This complication occurs most frequently shortly after the recovery from chemotherapy-induced aplasia. The mechanism of lesion is unknown, but it may involve the vascular tropism of FM and the release of leucocyte enzymes. Better preventive and therapeutic antifungal treatments are needed to avoid this serious, albeit rare, complication.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

Value of antigen and antibody detection in the serological diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in patients with hematological malignancies.

In a study to determine the value of antigen and antibody detection in the serological diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in patients with hematological malignancies, 436 sequential serum samples from 79 neutropenic patients were tested. Circulating galactomannan antigen was detected with a latex agglutination method (Pastorex Aspergillus) and antibody to Aspergillus fumigatus with an immunodiffusion test on agar gel. Among the 79 patients 18 cases of invasive aspergillosis were detected (4 proven, 6 highly probable, 3 probable, 5 suspected). Antigen was detected in 7 of these 18 patients. The sensitivity of the antigen test was 38.8% and the specificity 95%. The antibody test showed 55.5% sensitivity and 100% specificity. In this study the antigen test was less sensitive than previously reported but highly specific and might serve as a supplementary diagnostic test.

Antibodies, Fungal↗
PubMed1994

Meningioma-like cerebral relapse of Hodgkin's disease.

A case of Hodgkin's disease with isolated cerebral relapse is reported here. The peculiar presentation features are reported and the difficulties related to the differential diagnosis are discussed.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1992

[The soluble IL-2 receptor in malignant hemopathies].

The increase in the serum levels of the IL-2 receptors is due to its release both in vivo and in vitro from activated cells or neoplastic cells expressing it constitutively. The diagnostic, prognostic and physiopathologic significance of the sIL-2R was investigated by testing the serum of 271 haemopathic patients in various stages of the disease. In HCL the elevated sIL-2R level has a diagnostic value. In HD the sIL-2R level appears to be directly correlated with the extent of the disease and is equally important in the follow up of patients with HCL, NHL, HD, AL and MDS, where the serum level of the soluble receptor is usually associated with the biological and clinical activity of the disease. Unlike other B lymphoproliferations, patients with Multiple Myeloma on average show only slightly elevated levels of soluble receptor with no significant differences related to the stage or evolution. As for the chronic myeloproliferative disorders, we found only slightly elevated values in ET and PV, with frankly pathological values in CML during a blastic crisis or in the accelerated phase and in MFI during the clinically active phase of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Bone marrow cryopreservation: biological aspects.

Ten bone marrow suspensions have been cryopreserved by a Programmed Freezer Planer R 201. Total cellularity, viability, differential myelograms, cytochemical pattern and CFU-GM growth "in vitro", have been evaluated on the cellular suspensions both before and after 1 and 18 months of storage in liquid nitrogen. Total cellular recovery and viable cell recovery were satisfactory, cellular loss being due, almost entirely to death of the more mature cells. NASDA reaction did not vary after freezing, on the contrary peroxidase reaction and overall PAS reaction showed respectively a slight and an almost complete disappearance. LAP reaction was not valuable, after freezing, because of the more mature myeloid cell loss. CFU-GM recovery was satisfactory and clusters and colonies growth in methylcellulose appeared quite similar before and after 1 and 18 months of storage at very low temperature. Our cryopreservation technique cannot prevent some cellular loss or some qualitative cellular damage, but colonizing ability is almost completely preserved.

Bone Marrow Cells↗