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Biomedical subjects

P Fabbri

Publications and source records attributed to P Fabbri.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1975

Ultrastructural findings in bullous pemphigoid.

In four bullous pemphigoid patients electron microscopic and direct immunofluorescence examinations were carried out on sections of the border of a blister, apparently normal skin surrounding the blister, apparently normal skin distant from the blister, and apparently normal skin subjected to the stimulus of a xenon lamp. The bullous pemphigoid blister was formed by cleavage of the basal cells away from the basal lamina which remained intact. The intercellular spaces were widened and the half-desmosomes reduced in number in the skin surrounding the blister. Xenon lamp irradiation produced a pattern similar to that of the skin surrounding the blister, but without immunoglobulins and complement fixed in vivo.

Basement Membrane↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Leukocyte chemotaxis and pyoderma gangrenosum.

Leukocyte chemotaxis (in five patients with pyoderma gangrenosum) was studied using a modification of the Boyden chamber method. In all patients the chemotactic response was significantly lower than in the controls. This abnormal chemotaxis was a result of an intrinsic neutrophil dysfunction. No significant difference was detected between the chemotactic response of leukocytes from patients with minimal or no skin involvement and those from patients with extensive lesions.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The role of apoptosis in the pathogenesis of dermatitis herpetiformis.

Apoptosis is a form of cell death that is claimed to be involved in a number of chronic inflammatory and malignant skin diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate whether apoptosis may contribute to the pathogenesis of epidermal changes in dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) and, in particular, whether certain apoptosis-related markers such as Bax, Bcl-2, Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) take part in this process. For the detection of apoptotic nuclei, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labelling technique (TUNEL) was employed on cryostat sections. Skin lesions from six and perilesional skin from four DH patients were stained with monoclonal antibodies to Bax, Bcl-2, Fas and FasL. The same evaluation was also performed on three patients affected by bullous pemphigoid (BP) and in two healthy donors. Using TUNEL technique, a remarkable increase in the apoptotic rate within the epidermal compartment was observed in DH and BP patients in comparison with normal controls. In our immunohistochemical analysis, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was almost the same in the epidermis of perilesional/lesional DH, BP and healthy skin specimens. In DH and BP specimens both Bax and Bcl-2 proteins were increased in the dermal perivascular compartment. Fas showed a prevalently epidermal staining, both in DH and BP lesions, while FasL was distributed in perivascular and subjunctional dermis; some FasL+ cells infiltrated the DEJ and the basal layer of epidermis. This study allowed us to highlight conspicuous apoptotic phenomena in basal and suprabasal keratinocytes within lesional and perilesional skin of DH. We conclude that in DH, as well as in BP, apoptosis plays a role in the pathogenesis of cutaneous lesions in concert with other pathogenetic mechanisms.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cellular infiltrate and related cytokines, chemokines, chemokine receptors and adhesion molecules in chronic autoimmune urticaria: comparison between spontaneous and autologous serum skin test induced wheal.

In recent years, the demonstration of circulating functional autoantibodies against the high affinity IgE receptor or against IgE themselves in about one-third of patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria has suggested that an autoimmune mechanism might be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease--the so-called chronic autoimmune urticaria (CAIU). In this study we compare findings from serum-induced and spontaneous wheals with regard to immunohistochemical markers of disease activity and discuss whether autologous serum skin test (ASST) may be regarded as an in vivo experimental model of the physiological stimulus causing urticaria skin condition, or if it does not reproduce the whole of the mechanisms operating in the development of spontaneous wheals. By means of immunohistochemical technique, we analyzed specimens from just-developed spontaneous wheals and from serum-evoked wheals of six CAIU patients, to glean information on cellular infiltrate and related cytokines, chemokines, chemokine receptors and adhesion molecules. According to the results of our study, spontaneous urticaria lesions seem to be sustained by a characteristic inflammation pattern where neutrophils, adhesion molecules, IL-8 and chemokine receptors play a main role in flogosis triggering and, consequently, disease development. On the contrary, ASST-induced wheals seem to imply different activities mainly represented by basophil granulocytes and related molecules, i.e. IL-4. Although it represents an efficacious diagnostic instrument to screen CAIU patients, ASST is not an exhaustive model of the many immunopathogenic pathways operating in the development of urticaria lesions, especially with regard to systemic activation networks.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Molecular detection of microsatellite instability in basal cell carcinoma.

Several studies have shown that the presence of genetic instability can be associated to carcinogenesis process. The detection of microsatellite instability (MI) that consists of an expansion and/or deletion of DNA within repeat sequences, may constitute a sensitive marker for the presence of gene mutations. A series of 18 basal cell carcinoma (BCC) consecutive patients was examined for the presence of alteration in 12 DNA microsatellite markers, in order to better understand the molecular significance of MI in the genesis and progression of BCC. Molecular alterations were detected in 6 out of 12 analyzed microsatellite loci. Five out of 18 BCC samples showed loss of heterozygosity at chromosome loci localized in the vicinity of the tumor suppressor genes, whereas six out of 18 BCC patients presented at least one altered microsatellite (instability). We demonstrated molecular genetic alterations at 2p16 locus, in the proximity of MSH2 gene and 17p21, in the proximity of the p53 gene. These data validate and confirm a role of MI in genesis and progression of BCC, by analysis of markers localized at specific chromosome region in proximity of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Verification and evaluation of services from the viewpoint of continuing improvement].

Starting from an analysis of the rules of the scenary and context, in which the process of transformation of the health structures in firm is developing, we emphasize how the verification and evaluation of the services represent an indispensable element to improve the quality of the hospital "product", to define the level of adequate quality, and to define the costs of the services relative to the required quality.

Efficiency, Organizational↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The utility of the lupus band test on sun-protected non-lesional skin for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: The sensitivity and specificity of the lupus band test was evaluated, using three different criteria, on sun-protected non-lesional skin for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In addition, the sensitivity and specificity of the lupus band test was compared with those of other laboratory tests used in the diagnosis of SLE. METHODS: Sun-protected non-lesional skin biopsies from 65 patients (F 50; M 15; mean age 41 yrs.) with specific cutaneous manifestations of lupus erythematosus (LE) and from 18 patients with other dermatologic diseases (F 11, M 7; mean age 40 yrs.) were tested using the direct immunofluorescent technique. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the lupus band test was 10.5% and 97.8% respectively using the strict criterion of the presence of two different immunoreactants. The sensitivity and specificity were 52.6% and 69.5% respectively based on the presence of two different immunoreactants and were 78.9% and 47.8% based on the presence of only one immunoreactant. The highest sensitivity was found for ANA (100%). The specificity of all the laboratory abnormalities was particularly high, varying from 82.8% to 100%, except for ANA antibodies which showed a specificity of 65.2%. CONCLUSIONS: A positive lupus band test on sun-protected non-lesional skin (even if showing the presence of only one immunoreactant at the dermo-epidermal junction) represents a useful and specific criterion for identifying patients with LE. However, this test is not useful in distinguishing between cutaneous lupus patients with systemic involvement and those without systemic involvement.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Accreditation visits: role of the evaluator].

Accreditation visits are used by Italian Health "Aziende" as ways how to evaluate themselves in comparison with the pre-definite requirements. They can be used to be allowed to offer health services when there are the necessary qualifications. The "judge" or "expert" should support the "Aziende" in order to help in getting knowledge and qualification to "credit" the organization. We want to examine this subject "new" to the Italian Health System through the experience of the Ferrara Hospital making the Nurse aware of the importance of taking part in it. Therefore the Nurse will have to accept the new challenge and new development objectives.

Accreditation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sjögren's syndrome: a retrospective review of the cutaneous features of 93 patients by the Italian Group of Immunodermatology.

OBJECTIVE: Various cutaneous manifestations have been described (xerosis, eyelid dermatitis, angular cheilitis, cutaneous vasculitis and annular erythema) in Sjögren's syndrome (SS), but so far only three studies on large numbers of SS patients have been carried out. The frequency of cutaneous manifestations and their association with specific clinical or immunological parameters have never been studied. The aim of the Italian Group of Immunodermatology was to evaluate these associations in a large number of SS patients. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on 93 patients with SS followed over a ten-year period (1990-2000) at 6 Italian dermatological centers. They were subdivided into two groups, 62 with primary SS and 31 with secondary SS, and the frequency of cutaneous manifestations and specific antibodies was determined and compared between them. RESULTS: We found significantly higher levels of xerosis (p = 0.009) (56.4% versus 25.8%) and angular cheilitis (p = 0.017) (38.7% versus 16.1%) in primary SS patients than in those with secondary SS. A significant association of xerosis with anti-SSA + SSB (p = 0.033) antibodies was also demonstrated. Eyelid dermatitis and pruritus were common but less specific cutaneous symptoms. Annular erythema was found more often in primary (6.45%) than in secondary (3.2%) SS and was associated with SSA + SSB antibodies in 75% of the cases. Cutaneous vasculitis was present in 30.6% of primary SS (manifesting as palpable purpura in 84%) and in 29.3% of secondary SS cases. CONCLUSION: Xerosis is the most frequent and characteristic cutaneous manifestation of primary SS. It is not linked to decreased sebaceous or sweat gland secretion, but more probably to a specific alteration of the protective function of the stratum corneum. Angular cheilitis is a common but less specific skin lesion in SS and is associated with xerosis and xerostomia.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Clinical and neurophysiologic study of Guillain Barré syndrome: results of therapy with plasmapheresis].

The Guillain Barré poliradicoloneuritis shows a high incidence of permanent sequelae and exitus. Recently the plasmapheresis has been applied in the acute stage with a beneficial effect to the rapidity and the degree of the recovery. In the present study the results obtained in a group of patients with Guillain Barré of maximal severity are reported. All the patients have received plasmapheresis (3-5 exchanges) in the first days of the disease. Eventual side effects during the procedure have been evaluated together to the neurophysiological findings. The recovery has been evaluated in the brief and in the long term. From this study the efficacy of the plasmapheresis in Guillain Barré poliradicoloneuritis is confirmed. Furthermore a correlation has been evidenced between the amplitude of the muscular potential (CMAP) registered in the acute phase and the prognosis of the illness.

Adolescent↗