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Biomedical subjects

O Schiraldi

Publications and source records attributed to O Schiraldi.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Disseminated intravascular coagulation associated with disseminated cryptococcosis in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is uncommon in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), despite the high incidence of infectious diseases. We describe an HIV-infected patient presenting with disseminated cryptococcosis, who had clear-cut laboratory evidence of progressively worsening DIC (thrombocytopenia, prolonged prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time, hypofibrinogenemia, increased fibrin(ogen) degradation products and D-Dimer, reduced antithrombin III), although the clinical signs of the disease were rather scarce. The patient died despite intense treatment, which included heparin and fresh frozen plasma, and DIC was confirmed histologically. It is suggested that, in a patient with AIDS presenting with an opportunistic infection, laboratory signs of DIC should be carefully checked to early recognize this complication and promptly initiate the required therapy.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Circulating immune complexes in HBsAg-positive and HBsAg-negative chronic liver diseases.

Circulating immune complexes (CIC) were investigated by the fluid-phase C1q-binding test in serum samples from 131 subjects with various clinical types of HBsAg-positive and HBsAg-negative chronic hepatitis diagnosed on both clinical and laboratory criteria, including liver biopsy; serum samples from 28 asymptomatic HBsAg carriers and 75 healthy controls were also examined. The results of these findings were correlated with the liver damage and the clinical course of the disease. CIC were detected in all categories of chronic hepatitis with a significant prevalence only in patients with liver cirrhosis. No correlation was found between the levels of CIC, the presence of circulating HBsAg, and active inflammation or necrosis in any of the different types of chronic hepatitis. In contrast, a highly significant correlation was found between the prevalence of CIC and a more severe prognosis in patients with CAH and liver cirrhosis. The findings suggest that the presence of CIC is not specific for a given type of chronic liver disease and that they do not play any role in the pathogenesis of liver damage. The correlation observed between the presence of CIC and an unfavourable course of chronic liver disease suggests that CIC may modify the host's immune defence mechanisms.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Pericardial involvement as initial manifestation of multiple myeloma].

Pericardial involvement is a rare complication of multiple myeloma, caused by amyloidosis, infections, or plasmacell infiltration, usually at late or terminal disease stage. We report a patient with pericarditis coming from a department of Cardiology where a preceding (15 years before) diagnosis of breast cancer and present bloody pericardial effusion with probably malignant cells permitted at first to orientate towards metastatic pericardial involvement in breast cancer. Laboratory findings (pancytopenia, hypogammaglobulinemia, proteinuria) suggested to perform bone marrow aspirate, serum and concentrated urine immunoelectrophoresis, measurement of 24-h urine protein excretion, and further cytologic and immunocytochemical assay of pericardial fluid. Acquired data allowed to diagnose light chain multiple myeloma with pericardial involvement caused by plasmacell infiltration. We diagnosed this complication, representing first and main clinical feature of multiple myeloma, owing to a complete clinical and laboratory evaluation and repetition of cytologic and immunocytochemical assay of pericardial fluid.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis as initial clinical manifestation of common variable immunodeficiency. A case report].

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a primary immunodeficiency disease characterized by severe and recurrent infections which affect both lung and gastrointestinal systems. On the contrary, central nervous system involvement, related to virus infections, is an important, rare and usually fatal complication occurring in a later phase of the disease. Furthermore, CVID may predispose to a variety of autoimmune diseases. Here, we report the case of a 20 years old girl who developed acute disseminated encephalomyelitis as the first clinical feature in CVID. The infective agent was not determined and there was no history of recent vaccinations. CVID was diagnosed on the basis of the significant reduction of serum immunoglobulin concentration, in the absence of either diseases responsible for secondary immunodeficiency or functional and/or quantitative abnormalities of lymphocyte subsets, phagocytes and complement fractions. The treatment with high doses of native intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) combined with corticosteroids in the early phase led to a complete recovery with restitutio ad integrum. This case outlines the possible relationship between autoimmune diseases and infections in CVID, as suggested by the finding of either viral encephalitis in CVID patients and the well-known autoimmune pathogenesis of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. In such a condition, the combination of IVIG and corticosteroids may offer considerable advantages in terms of therapeutical efficacy.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antibodies to hepatitis C virus and chronic hypertransaminasemia in southern Italy.

In an ecographic survey for gallstones, executed on a systematic sample from the municipal electoral roll of a town in Southern Italy, 164 subjects were found with ALT more than twice the upper normal limit (unl). Five years later 138 of these were re-examined; 76 still had ALT greater than 2 unl (group A), 41 still abnormal (group B) and 21 normal (group C). Anti-HCV antibodies were found in 52 subjects of group A (68%). 18 of group B (44%) and 2 of group C (9.5%). The odds ratio of ALT greater than 2 unl (A vs C) in anti-HCV+ was 20.6 and of a still elevated ALT (A + B vs C) was 14.1. Logistic regression was used to eliminate the effect of possible confounding factors (sex, age, alcohol, drugs, HBV markers) on the relationship chronic ALT increase and anti-HCV positivity but the odds ratio was still 18.9 (A vs C) and 11 (A + B vs C). These findings suggest that anti-HCV antibodies are strongly associated with chronic hypertransaminasemia at the population level in Southern Italy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Studies on the physiopathology of cholera in Bari].

During a small epidemic of cholera in South Italy in summer of 1973, the infection showed some peculiarities and differences in comparison with cholera classic picture of Asiatic areas. In this paper epidemiological, pathogenetic, clinical and biochemical data of patients admitted to the Institute of Infectious Diseases of Bari are reported. The age of the majority of patients (over 50) is an important factor for understanding cause of infection; but also preexistent basal diseases are responsible of severe course of infection. In fact, in spite of low mortality (2/70), in many cases the course of disease has been complicated by metabolic disorders. Also cardio-vascular conditions have influenced course of infection. The Authors discuss the causes of this atypic behaviour of cholera in South Italy.

Cholera↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[An epidemic of familial toxoplasmosis (author's transl)].

After observation of choroiditis of toxoplasmic nature in a member of a rural family, the authors have led a clinical and serological study on other five members of the household. Three of five had antibody titers and two of these demonstrated antibody titers consistent with recent toxoplasmic infection; one of these members manifested asymptomatic choroiditis. Therefore, it would be interesting to carry out a clinical and serological study on relatives of patient with toxoplasmosis.

Adolescent↗