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Biomedical subjects

P Ferrari

Publications and source records attributed to P Ferrari.

At least 451 records · Page 25Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Activity of purified diosmin in the treatment of hemorrhoids].

Several theories on the etio-pathogenesis and physio-pathology of hemorrhoids have been up to now proposed. From the fisio-pathological viewpoint, particular importance is retained by the vascular factor, which in its turn is influenced by mechanical and sphinceric factors, that impair the venous back-flow. In the evidence of an hemorrhoidal crisis, characterized by local oedema, pain and bleeding, the use of bioflavonoid drugs is deemed to be the first choice. We investigated the use of purified diosmin, given at a dose of two 450 mg tablets bid for the first 7 days, then at 1 tablet bid for up to 2 months, in a group of 66 patients suffering from primitive hemorrhoids of grade 1-4. Our results confirmed diosmin efficacy in decreasing both pain and bleeding: reduction rates of 79% and 67%, respectively, were reached in the first treatment week. In the second week, figures were 98% and 86%, respectively. Diosmin tolerability was excellent: this characteristic makes the drug very easy to handle by the general practitioner and also useful to the proctologist in the preparation of patient to further treatments.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Favorable course of cerebral candidiasis in a low-birth newborn treated with liposomal amphotericin B].

A very low birth weight female infant developed a systemic infection by Candida albicans. Her clinical conditions were very poor; involvement of CNS was demonstrated my multifocal hyperechogenic images, spreading to the periventricular and subcortical areas of brain, confirmed by CT as circumscribed hyperdense punctiform granulations suggesting initial cerebritis. The introduction of liposomal Amphotericin-B in the therapy resulted in a marked improvement of clinical conditions together with the disapparance of pathological brain images. Longitudinal examinations carried out every three months during the first year, and every six months during the second, have shown adequate psychomotor development. The results of late cerebral nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging were within the norm. The patient is now seven-years-old and shows a well-balanced neuropsychological development. Systemic Candida infections of VLBW infants with CNS involvement have usually a very poor prognosis in terms of death or residual brain damage. The use of liposomal Amphotericin-B allowed us to achieve the complete cure of our patient, suggesting an high efficacy together with at a lower toxicity in respect of traditional treatments.

Amphotericin B↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Surgical pathology examination of radical prostatectomy specimens. Updated protocol based on the Italian TAP study.

Between January 1996 and June 2000, 192 men with prostate cancer underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy (RP) and bilateral pelvic node dissection in 26 centers participating in the Italian randomized prospective TAP study. The reviewing pathologist evaluated 145 RP specimens. Seventy-five cases had not been treated with total androgen ablation before RP was performed, whereas 70 had been treated for three months. Whole-mount sectioning of the complete radical prostatectomy specimens was adopted in each center for accurately evaluating the pathological stage of prostate cancer and resection limit status. The results of this study suggest that total androgen ablation before RP is beneficial in men with clinical stage T2 because of the significant pathological down-staging and decrease in the number of positive margins in the RP specimens. On the basis of the experience acquired through the Italian TAP study and recent publications on prognostic factors in prostate cancer, the original practice protocol for examination of RP specimens removed from patients with carcinoma of the prostate glands was updated.

Androgen Antagonists↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Severity of human hypertension in relation to the age in which high blood pressure makes its presumptive appearance.

PURPOSE: The present study investigates the properties of blood pressure (BP) circadian rhythm (CR) in newly-diagnosed hypertensives (NDH) as a function of the chronological age in which hypertension became manifest. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed on 141 NDH (71 males and 70 females, ranging in age from 24 year to 79 years), who were monitored in their 24-h BP via a non-invasive, ambulatory, automated recorder. The relation between the properties of BP CR and the age of the development of hypertension was investigated via the Clinospectror method, a trend analysis (periodic-linear regression method) for rhythmic biophenomena. RESULTS: A trend was detected for each one of the three properties of BP CR in relation with the age in which high BP made its appearance. As a matter of fact, the daily mean level (mesor) of BP CR was seen to be progressively less pronounced. The amplitude was found to show a progressive increment of its extent. The acrophase was seen to show a progressive antemeridian rotation of its timing. CONCLUSIONS: These trends suggest that hypertension tends to be less severe when its development occurs in subjects older in age. Such a less pronounced severity is, however, accompanied by a more pronounced oscillation of BP values during the 24-h of the day. Such a higher circadian variability, in turn, tends to show its highest expression during the morning hours of the day.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Diabetic foot: from diagnosis to therapy].

Four percent of Italians are affected by diabetes mellitus. There are 120 million diabetics worldwide: it is expected that 15% of them will have wounds on their feet during their lifetime. In industrialized countries diabetes mellitus is the main cause of non-accidental amputation and this risk is approximately 15 times higher in diabetics than in any other population. The vasculopathy and/or the diabetic neuropathy represent the basic pathogenic elements in the development of diabetic foot: 15% of diabetics are affected by arteriopathy after 10 yrs of illness and just <50% of diabetics after 25 yrs; 25% of patients have neuropathy after 10 yrs of illness, >40% have neuropathy after 25 yrs. The infection is the third, and often, concomitant pathogenetic factor in the diabetic ulcera. The diagnostics of the vasculopathic diabetic foot makes use of a careful objective check; doppler ultrasonography and arteriography (with the therapeutic application of the PTCA). In addition to the objective check, EMG and the neuropathy autonomy test are fundamental in the neuropathic diabetic foot. Osteomyelitis represents the most fearful complication in the diabetic foot; it can often be solved only through surgical destructive therapy. Therapy of the diabetic foot must come from careful and synergic team work, in which dietician, vascular surgeon, orthopedist and dermatologist make available their own skill with humility and endless patience.

Diabetic Foot↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Predicting intradialytic hypotension from experience, statistical models and artificial neural networks.

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic intradialytic hypotension (IDH) associated with increased mortality in hemodialysis patients is difficult to predict and hence prevent. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are promising tools to solve multidimensional non-linear problems. The aim of the study was to verify in which way mathematical models, statistics or knowledge of patients influence the ability of the nephrologists to predict IDH. METHODS: The performance of ANNs was compared with that of independent nephrologists supported by a logistic regression giving odds ratio for each studied variable (NEPHiS) or of nephrologists in charge of the patients without (NEPHc) or with statistical support as for NEPHiS (NEPHcS). Data from 98 hemodialysis patients were analysed in order to select patients with frequent IDH (>10% of the dialysis sessions). Complete data on 1979 dialysis sessions from 7 patients were retrieved. The ability to predict the occurrence of hypotension episodes was compared (ROC curves) between ANNs, NEPHc/S (N=7) in Switzerland and NEPHiS from independent dialysis centers in Western Australia (N=10). RESULTS: ANN gave the most accurate correlation between estimated and observed IHD episodes compared to NEPHc (p<0.001), but a similar performance was attained by NEPHcS (p<0.001). NEPHiS were superior to NEPHc (P<0.05), but inferior to ANN (P<0.01). For a sensitivity of 80%, specificity was 44% for ANNs, 33% for NEPHcS and 20% for NEPHc. CONCLUSIONS: ANNs are superior to nephrologists in predicting IDH episodes; however when supported by a statistical analysis, nephrologists reach ANNs in their prediction ability. IDH still remains difficult to predict even with mathematical models.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Stiff-man syndrome in a patient with Hodgkin's disease. An unusual paraneoplastic syndrome.

A case of stiff-man syndrome (SMS), a rare and dramatic CNS disease characterized by continuous muscle activity and painful spasms resembling a chronic form of tetanus, occurring in a patient with Hodgkin's disease (HD) is reported. The patient developed the clinical features of SMS at the same time as the HD relapse. A satisfactory improvement was obtained with diazepam, but the complete recovery from stiffness was achieved only after chemotherapy was started. Cerebellar autoantibodies were found in the serum of the patient. With chemotherapy the patient achieved a second complete remission (CR). Eighteen months later the patient developed a second HD relapse, and at that time no signs of SMS were detected.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Sympathetic reflex dystrophy. Description of a pediatric case].

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a well known syndrome in adults, but often misdiagnosed in children. We describe a case occurred in a 12 years old girl. Psychological factors played a major role in the mechanism of the disease. Early recognition and prompt management allow complete recovery without sequelae.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Metabolism of 5-isopropyl-1-methyl-2-nitro-1H-imidazole. Identification of some urinary metabolites in the dog.

The metabolism of 5-isopropyl-1-methyl-2-nitro-1H-[2-14C] imidazole in dogs has been investigated after oral administration of 50 mg/kg. Three main metabolites, still containing the nitro group and accounting for about 50% of the total radiocarbon, together with a small amount of the unchanged drug, were isolated from the urine within 48 hr. The structures were determined by mass, infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The biotransformations giving rise to the metabolites isolated involve the isopropyl chain of the molecule, either at the tertiary carbon atom or at one of the two methyl groups, or both. Thus, the metabolic behavior of this 2-nitroimidazole derivative appears to be similar to that previously demonstrated for the class of the isomeric 5-nitroimidazoles.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Disorders of catecholamine metabolism in infantile autism. Comparative study of 22 autistic children].

In a group of 22 autistic children aged 5 to 16 y., and a group of normal controls matched for age and sex, catecholamines metabolism has been investigated in plasma, platelets and urine. This investigation was part of a research project in which several biological parameters (including serotonin) were simultaneously explored in the same children. In the autistic group, epinephrine and norepinephrine and dopamine were significantly lower in isolated platelets, and no significant difference was found between the two groups for the urinary excretion of epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, DOPAC and MHPG. Other differences between the two groups in the statistical correlations of several biochemical parameters (plasma norepinephrine and dopamine with platelet MAO activity, platelet norepinephrine with platelet dopamine, platelet dopamine, platelet dopamine with platelet serotonin) also suggest abnormalities of bioamine metabolism in the platelets of autistic children.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Metabolism of serotonin in autism in children].

In this controlled study of 22 autistic children and 22 normal controls matched for age and sex, the frequency of hyperserotonemia in infantile autism was confirmed. Platelet serotonin was elevated in patients. Comparative to controls, serotonin was also high in urine of autistic patients, while, on the contrary there was no difference for the urinary excretion of 5-HIAA. No difference was observed either for serotonin uptake and efflux or for MAO activity, in isolated platelets. The elevation of plasma free tryptophan - significant only with the Kolmogorov Smirnov test - suggests that 5-HT biosynthesis might be enhanced. In the group of patient reported in this study, disorders of serotonin metabolism are associated with disturbances of platelet catecholamines, and also with elevated immunoglobulins and enhanced cellular immunity reactions.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Immune status in infantile autism. Correlation between the immune status, autistic symptoms and levels of serotonin].

In sixteen autistic children high values of IgG and a high level of lymphocyte stimulation with PHA were observed. Principal component analysis showed: 1) a significant correlation between basic lymphocyte mitogenic activity and the clinical symptoms opposition and hyperactivity, 2) a significant correlation between high Ig levels, high PHA stimulation responses and the main autistic symptoms (withdrawal, inaffectivity, hypoactivity, mannerism, stereotypy and negatively echolalia), 3) a significant correlation with serotonin uptake by platelets and high immunological responses. Such correlations are strongly in favor of an immunologic component in autistic disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Coffin-Lowry syndrome. Description of a clinical case].

A case of Coffin-Lowry syndrome is reported. Severe mental retardation is associated with characteristic craniofacial anomalies, short stature and "soft hands". X-linked inheritance is supposed.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Design criteria for a computerized clinical database].

The techniques of data management constitute a principal field in medical informatics, both for systems oriented to sole information retrieval, and basic-systems for more sophisticated applications. The operative utility of a data base depends on a careful planning based on foreseen requirements, and on the observance of some methodological rules. Such as, a precised preliminary study for the selection of clinical data to include in the data base, the choice of better tools and methodologies for the data collection and the right programming of software for the management of the archives. The knowledge of these problems allows, in many cases, the programming of computerized data base to use efficiently in the management of clinical information and in the planning of research. These problems, which do not depend on the hardware used, are commonly found in these applications. However, they have to be solved either for the use of large data base in hospital, which run on mainframe, or for the archives of the department, which can be built by every clinician on his own personal computer.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Usual meal times in relation to age, sex, work activity and morningness-eveningness.

Meal-timing is considered an important socio-environmental synchronizer of circadian rhythms and influences human metabolism; the temporal distribution of food intake has also an influence on human performance. In these last years, in industrialized countries, remarkable changes, both in quality and quantity and in timing, have been determined in eating behavior brought about by changes in social and working organization. In this study the authors have verified the usual mealtimes during working and free-days in a population of 670 city-dwellers, 404 men and 266 women, aged between 17 and 60, including students, housewives, clerks, artisans, tradesmen and industrial workers. The results can be summarized as follows: a. the times of the two main meals show a high stability, both in working and in free-days, at about 1230 for lunch and 1915 for dinner, with a higher variability for the dinner-time; b. there are no relevant differences between men and women; c. there is a progressive advance of the breakfast-time (together with sleeping and waking times) with oncoming age; d. industrial workers advance the breakfast-time, on work days, compared to housewives, clerks, artisans and tradesmen, while the latter delay dinner-time as compared to the others; e. shiftwork breaks up the usual timetables interfering with at least one of the main meals, according to the different shifts (morning, afternoon, night); f. morning types anticipate meal and sleeping times in comparison to evening types, both while working and, above all, on free-days.

Adolescent↗