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Biomedical subjects

M Salvatore

Publications and source records attributed to M Salvatore.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

High serum thyroglobulin levels. Diagnostic indicators in patients with metastases from unknown primary sites.

Patients with metastases from differentiated thyroid carcinoma have a good chance of long-term survival when the diagnosis is prompt and appropriate therapy is applied early. This is also true for patients with metastases in the bone, taking into account that an appropriate therapy, usually 131-I, may be palliative in some cases. This study investigates whether serum thyroglobulin (Tg) measurement in patients with cold thyroid nodule and metastases from an unknown primary site could help identify a differentiated thyroid carcinoma. The results obtained show that Tg measurements is a useful adjunctive test when used with fine-needle aspiration biopsy. In particular, very high Tg levels point to metastatic thyroid cancer, whereas lower levels do not help determining whether metastatic cancer is of thyroid origin or not.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMed1987

Effects of intravenous verapamil administration on left ventricular diastolic function in systemic hypertension.

The effects of intravenous verapamil administration (0.1 mg/kg as a bolus followed by an infusion of 0.007 mg/kg/min) were studied using high-temporal-resolution radionuclide angiography in 27 patients with hypertension. Verapamil administration increased heart rate from 69 +/- 11 to 75 +/- 12 beats/min (p less than 0.001) and decreased systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressures (BPs) from 155 +/- 21/102 +/- 12 mm Hg (mean 119 +/- 14) to 142 +/- 19/95 +/- 12 mm Hg (mean 109 +/- 13) (p less than 0.001 for all). Ejection fraction decreased significantly (from 65 +/- 10% to 60 +/- 11%, p less than 0.005); peak filling rate, however, increased significantly only in patients in whom it was subnormal in the basal study (from 2.2 +/- 0.4 to 3.0 +/- 0.6 end-diastolic counts/s, p less than 0.001). These latter patients had significantly higher values of left ventricular (LV) mass index than patients with normal or increased peak filling rate (129 +/- 22 vs 112 +/- 22 g/m2, respectively, p less than 0.05). The isovolumic relaxation period changes were inversely related to the baseline values (r = 0.83, p less than 0.001). In the subgroup of patients in whom isovolumic relaxation period lengthened, time to end systole decreased (from 360 +/- 31 to 329 +/- 30 ms, p less than 0.025) and time to onset of rapid filling increased (from 420 +/- 31 to 451 +/- 34 ms, p less than 0.025), whereas these 2 intervals had opposite patterns in patients in whom isovolumic relaxation period decreased or did not change.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Epirubicin in combination chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced stage non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

From April 1981 to May 1984, 23 patients with advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphomas were treated with CEOP (cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) or OEPP (vincristine, epirubicin, procarbazine, and prednisone) combination chemotherapy. CR was achieved in 58% and PR in 31% of the patients, giving an overall response rate of 89%. Nine of 15 (60%) previously untreated patients with unfavorable histology obtained a CR and 5 a PR. Median relapse-free survival was 33 months; median overall survival has not yet been reached, and the probability of survival for CRs was 91% after 54 months of follow-up. Acute toxicity was quite acceptable, and chronic cardiac toxicity was detected in 6 patients only. In conclusion, epirubicin used in combination chemotherapies induced durable remissions and prolonged survivals in advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Immunoscintigraphy in the follow-up of patients operated on for carcinoma of the sigmoid and rectum. Preliminary report with a new monoclonal antibody: B72.3.

Thirty patients who had curative surgery for sigmoid and rectal carcinoma were studied by immunoscintigraphy using a new monoclonal antibody: B72.3 radiolabeled with Iodine-131 (I-131) or Indium-111 (In-111). Results were compared with other conventional diagnostic procedures such as computed tomography, ultrasound, endoscopy, and tumor markers. Seven patients had local recurrences and/or distant metastases. Immunoscintigraphy identified all local recurrences (five cases) that were confirmed by CT and was able to localize three of five liver metastases (two false-negatives). Furthermore, immunoscintigraphy also recorded a false-positive. Preliminary use of B72.3 shows good potential for the evaluation and detection of neoplastic sites.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Bisoprolol in the treatment of angina pectoris: a double blind comparison with verapamil.

In order to verify the anti-ischaemic effect of a new beta-blocking agent, bisoprolol, a double blind parallel groups trial was carried out in comparison with verapamil. 26 patients with a history of spontaneous and/or effort angina were studied. After a two-week treatment with placebo, they were randomized in two groups. One group was treated for 4 weeks with bisoprolol 10 mg o.d. and for the following 4 weeks with bisoprolol 20 mg o.d. The other group received verapamil 80 mg t.i.d. for the first 4 weeks and 120 mg t.i.d. for the remaining 4 weeks. Throughout the study isosorbide dinitrate 20 mg b.i.d. was administered and sublingual nitroglycerin was allowed when necessary. 21 patients completed the study. Both bisoprolol and verapamil significantly reduced the number of angina episodes and nitroglycerin tablets consumption, as well as ischaemic episodes recorded on Holter ECG. The total number and severity of ectopic ventricular beats were reduced too. On multistage treadmill exercise test, both drugs increased effort time and time to ST depression = 1 mm, and reduced ST depression and double-product. The effect of bisoprolol on double product was greater than that of verapamil because of the better control of heart rate. The relationship ST/double product suggested that beta-blockers act essentially through the reduction of myocardial oxygen consumption and verapamil possibly with an additive effect on coronary circulation. Radionuclide ventriculography showed no deterioration of rest ventricular function with both drugs. In conclusion, bisoprolol and verapamil showed a satisfactory anti-ischaemic effect, with good tolerability.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Effect of nifedipine on dipyridamole thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy.

The effect of a calcium antagonist drug, nifedipine, on dipyridamole thallium-201 images was assessed in 10 angina patients with positive dipyridamole test. Two dipyridamole thallium-201 tests were performed, the first in basal conditions, the second after administration of 20 mg nifedipine. After dipyridamole, heart rate and double product increased respectively from 68.0 +/- 8.2 to 94.7 +/- 11.5 beats/min (p less than 0.01) and from 9459.5 +/- 1800.2 to 12,770.0 +/- 1864.7 mmHg X beats/min (p less than 0.01). Dipyridamole when infused after nifedipine induced an increase in heart rate from 74.2 +/- 7.16 to 88.8 +/- 5.6 beats/min (p less than 0.01) and in double product from 9650.5 +/- 1348.0 to 11,399.0 +/- 1146 mmHg X beats/min (p less than 0.05). Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were unmodified during the two studies. Segment scores were comparable before and after nifedipine. Thus, nifedipine does not worsen thallium-201 myocardial images obtained during dipyridamole infusion, therefore, this test could provide an alternative to exercise thallium-201 in patients receiving calcium antagonist drugs.

Coronary Circulation↗
PubMed1986

Two-dimensional echocardiographic evaluation of ventricular asynergy induced by dipyridamole: correlation with thallium scanning.

Myocardial asynergies detected by two-dimensional echocardiography during intravenous administration of Dipyridamole (0.75 mg/kg) were evaluated in 54 patients referred for angiographic evaluation of chest pain. Technically adequate two-dimensional echocardiograms suitable for analysis were recorded in 42 of 54 (77.7%) patients studied. Thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, during dipyridamole test was performed in the same patients. Thirty of the 42 patients studied showed significant coronary narrowing at cardiac catheterization. Dipyridamole-induced wall motion abnormalities and myocardial perfusion defects were detected, respectively, in 19 (63.3%) and 21 (70%) of 30 patients with significant coronary artery disease. Wall by wall comparison of the distribution of dipyridamole-induced echocardiographic asynergy with reversible thallium-201 (201Tl) perfusion defects demonstrated complete correlation in 42 segments examined. Three segments with perfusion defects at thallium scanning did not show asynergy during the test while two segments showing wall motion abnormalities during dipyridamole infusion did not manifest perfusion defects. Our study demonstrates that two-dimensional echocardiography during dipyridamole testing is useful in detecting patients with coronary artery disease. Furthermore, ventricular asynergies detected during the test show a high correspondence with site of myocardial perfusion defects at thallium scanning.

Cardiac Catheterization↗
PubMed1986

Pre-operative axillary lymphoscintigraphy in breast cancer: experience with sub-areolar injection of 99Tcm-nanocolloidal albumin.

Thirty-two patients affected by monolateral breast cancer and five patients with benign mammary pathology were submitted to pre-operative lymphoscintigraphy by sub-areolar injection of nanocolloidal albumin with the aim of evaluating any axillary lymphonodular involvement. The 32 patients, affected by cancer, subsequently underwent a surgical operation so as to permit a pathological-anatomical study of the axillary cavity. A comparison between the clinical and instrumental examinations brought to light the much greater reliability of the latter which gave 87.5% of correct diagnoses. The authors emphasize the absence of false positive results and the excellent sensitivity of the method in bringing to light even limited involvements of the axillary lymphonodes. The authors believe that axillary lymphoscintigraphy deserves to be included in the pre-operative protocols which afford a correct staging of the disease and, consequently, a better assessment of the extent of the surgical action.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Involvement and function of the right ventricle in acute myocardial infarct. Hemodynamic, echocardiographic and angioscintigraphic correlations].

To assess the acute effects of myocardial infarction on right ventricular function 22 patients were studied utilizing right heart catheterization, radionuclide angiography and two dimensional echocardiography. Thirteen patients had inferior myocardial infarction (Group I) and 9 anteroseptal or anterior (Group II). Hemodynamic findings suggesting right ventricular infarction were present in 3 patients of Group I. Mean radionuclide right ventricular ejection fraction was lower in inferior myocardial patients (38.2 +/- 7.6-Group I vs 50.3 +/- 11.4-Group II, p less than 0.005), while left ventricular ejection fraction in anteroseptal, and anterior myocardial infarction patients (36.8 +/- 10.5-Group II vs 55.9 +/- 7.6-Group I, p less than 0.001). Six patients in Group I presented a depressed radionuclide right ventricular ejection fraction (less than 40%): moreover right ventricular ejection fraction correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction in Group II (r = 0.79, p less than 0.001) but not in Group I (r = 0.55, p = NS). By mean of 2 dimensional echocardiography Group I patients had an increased right ventricular end diastolic area (15.3 +/- 3.8 vs 12.1 +/- 1.2 cm2, p less than 0.05) while Group II an increased right ventricular free wall motion (47.3 +/- 10.7 vs 32.4 +/- 14.1%, p less than 0.005); right ventricular end diastolic area correlated with right ventricular ejection fraction only in Group I (r = 0.60, p less than 0.05). Five patients in Group I and no patients in Group II had an enlarged right ventricular end diastolic area. Therefore, radionuclide and echocardiographic evidence of right ventricular involvement were not always associated with abnormal hemodynamics. Thus, the damaged right ventricular chamber dilates to allow an adequate stroke volume in presence of low ejection fraction; hemodynamic significant right ventricular myocardial infarction becomes evident only in patients with more severe right ventricular compromise; the increase in right ventricular free wall motion in anterior myocardial infarction patients compensates the loss of contribution of interventricular septum contraction.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Pseudotumor cerebri and thyroid-replacement therapy in patients affected by differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

The pseudotumor cerebri, a neurological syndrome clinically characterized by headaches, vomiting and bilateral papilledema, occurred in two patients, previously subjected to total thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma, after initiation of levothyroxine replacement therapy. In patients with thyroid cancer, subjected to thyroidectomy and then thyroid hormone replacement therapy, the possible development of pseudotumor cerebri syndrome should be considered and differentiated from CNS symptoms due to brain metastases.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1985

[Thymus-hypophysis-thyroid interrelation in rats after administration of a heterologous extract of thymus gland].

The Authors have investigated the effects of a thymus chromatographic fraction on TSH, T3, T4 serum values in thyroidectomized and normal controls rats before and after thymus treatment. The decrease in TSH values of thyroidectomized rats points out a possible inhibitory effect which the thymus extract may have at either the level of the adenohypophysis or hypothalamus. Moreover the TSH values in the euthyroid rats after thymus treatment showed a slight decrease, this changes are much more evident in the thyroidectomized rats after thymus treatment. In fact the plasma TSH of thyroidectomized rats drops from 97.5 +/- 4 microU/ml before thymus treatment, to 76.25 +/- 10 microU/ml after thymus treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Response to vincristine treatment in a case of idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome with multiple clinical manifestations.

A case is reported of idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome involving many organs and systems and with a wide range of clinical findings: hematologic, cardiovascular, skin, pulmonary, spleen, liver, and gastrointestinal. Mortality in such patients is very high, but aggressive medical treatment (vincristine 2 mg/week for 5 weeks) produced a significant clinical benefit and considerably improved our patient's prognosis.

Aspirin↗