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Biomedical subjects

N Giordano

Publications and source records attributed to N Giordano.

120 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Hyperuricemia and gout in thyroid endocrine disorders.

OBJECTIVE: A significant correlation between thyroid function and purine nucleotide metabolism has been established in hypothyroidism. On the contrary, the relationship between hyperthyroidism and purine metabolism is more controversial. The present study evaluates the prevalence of hyperuricemia and gout in patients affected by primary hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. METHODS: We studied 28 patients with primary hypothyroidism and 18 patients with primary hyperthyroidism, all hospitalized because of endocrine dysfunction. All underwent a series of clinical, biochemical and instrumental evaluations; in particular, thyroid-stimulatin hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), blood urea, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance, serum and urinary uric acid levels were measured. RESULTS: In comparison to the prevalence reported in the general population, a significant increase of both hyperuricemia and gout was found in the hypothyroid patients, and of hyperuricemia in the hyperthyroid patients. In hyperthyroidism the hyperuricemia is due to the increased urate production, while in hypothyroidism the hyperuricemia is secondary to a decreased renal plasma flow and impaired glomerular filtration. CONCLUSIONS: Ourfindings confirm the data in the literature concerning the high prevalence of hyperuricemia and gout in hypothyroidism. It shows that hyperthyroidism can cause a significant increase in serum uric acid, as well, although lower than the hyperuricemia due to thyroid hormone deficiency.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Efficacy and safety of a musically modulated electromagnetic field (TAMMEF) in patients affected by knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Numerous studies have demonstrated the utility of extremely low frequencies (ELF) electromagnetic fields in clinical practice. Moreover, the effects of these fields seems to depend on their respective codes (frequency, intensity, waveform). In our study we want to value the effects of the TAMMEF (Therapeutic Application of a Musically Modulated Electromagnetic Field) system, which field is piloted by a musical signal. METHODS: Ninety subjects, affected by primary osteoarthritis of the knee, were enrolled in the study and randomly divided into three groups of 30 patients each: A exposed to TAMMEF, B exposed to ELF, C exposed to a simulated field. All subjects underwent a cycle of 15 daily sessions of 30 minutes each and a clinical examination upon enrolment, after 7 days of therapy, at the end of the cycle and at a follow-up 30 days later: RESULTS: All the patients of groups A and B completed the therapy without the appearance of side effects: they presented a significant improvement of the subjective pain and the functional limitation, which remained stable at the follow-up examination. In group C, there was no improvement of the pain symptoms or articular functionality. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the TAMMEF system is efficacious in the control of pain symptoms and in the reduction of functional limitation in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Moreover, the effects of the TAMMEF system cover those produced by the ELF field.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Histopathological study of iron deposit distribution in the rheumatoid synovium.

A qualitative and semi-quantitative evaluation of synovial iron deposits in 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in 12 patients presenting with degenerative and traumatic joint disease was carried out. Ferric iron deposits, abundant and preferentially distributed in the superficial and deeper connective tissue layers in the RA patients, were more limited and prevalently sited in the synovial lining layer in the controls. These results further underline the increase in synovial iron stores found in active RA and the role played by iron deposits in sustaining inflammation, as has been reported in the literature.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Retinal vasculitis in rheumatoid arthritis: an angiographic study.

The authors studied sixty patients affected by classical or definite rheumatoid arthritis (RA), to evaluate the possible existence of retinal vasculitis, by employing fluorescein angiography. Retinal vasculitis was found in 18% of the examined patients, even if no clinical and ophthalmoscopic signs of retinal vessel inflammation were present. The authors suggest that the retina should be examined in RA patients, since retinal vasculitis may be asymptomatic at the beginning, but can represent one of the possible extra-articular manifestations of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antianemic and potential anti-inflammatory activity of desferrioxamine: possible usefulness in rheumatoid arthritis.

In order to study the role of excessive synovial iron sequestration in the production of anemia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the antianemic efficacy and anti-inflammatory effect of desferrioxamine administered in a short-term treatment (14 days), were evaluated in 10 patients suffering from classic or definite RA and hyposideremic anemia. Treatment with desferrioxamine showed an elevated urinary iron excretion, a significant increase of serum iron, UIBC and hemoglobin, and a marked progressive decrease of serum ferritin. A moderate improvement of the pain intensity, morning stiffness and Ritchie's index was also observed. The results obtained suggest that excessive reticuloendothelial iron deposits occur in RA and that the iron uptake can be an important factor in the production of anemia. Desferrioxamine seems to be useful in the treatment of patients suffering from RA and anemia, in order to release iron from synovial tissue, reduce the inflammatory process and improve anemia, changing an anemia which is typically resistant to the martial therapy into an iron-sensitive anemia.

Adult↗