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Biomedical subjects

P Martelletti

Publications and source records attributed to P Martelletti.

71 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Enzymatic and metabolic changes in peripheral serum after superior mesenteric artery ligation in dogs.

Modifications in serum levels of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), glutamic-oxalacetic-transaminases (GOT), glutamic-pyruvic-transaminases, L-gamma-glutamyl transferases, alkaline phosphatase, glycemia, serum nitrogen, creatinine, amylase, sodium and potassium were measured in dogs during experimentally induced acute mesenteric infarction, in the attempt to establish useful criteria for the early diagnosis of mesenteric infarction. Twelve dogs were studied, 6 being submitted to simple laparotomy and 6 to ligation of the superior mesenteric artery which caused mesenteric infarction. Venous blood samples were collected for 24 hours after surgery in all animals in order to detect any changes in the above-mentioned enzymatic and metabolic parameters. All animals were killed after the experiment and autopsy studies carried out. Animal with mesenteric infarction displayed a significant increase in serum total CPK, LDH, GOT and alkaline phosphatase. This observation may be useful in the diagnosis of acute mesenteric infarction.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1981

[The puerperium and dysnociception. I) Behavior of serum beta-endorphins in pregnant and post-partum animals].

The observation that migraine patients improve during pregnancy with return of headache upon commencement of breast feeding, led Authors to investigate the involvement of Pain Suppressor System (PSS) in pregnancy and after delivery. PSS is a complex system which utilizes neurotransmitters as beta-Endorphine-Like-Immunoreactivity (beta-ELI), 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), Dopamine (DA) and GABA. The Authors report preliminary results of beta-ELI behaviour in pregnancy and in the immediate post-partum period in rats.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Disruption of the immunopeptidergic network in dietary migraine.

This investigation is devoted to the study of the time-course of a cytokines panel (IL-4, IL-6, IFN-gamma, GM-CSF) in plasma samples from migraine patients. The data obtained during challenged migraine crises was compared to the baseline values. Time-data series analysis showed a fall after a challenge test for IL-4 and IL-6 plasma levels and an opposite trend for gamma-IFN and GM-CSF levels. The implication of this phenomenon in dietary migraine is not readily evident. There may possibly be an activation of this cytokine network together with the well-known impairment in the neuropeptidergic system, considering the close links between interleukins and other cytokines and the neuro-mediators of pain, such as histamine and 5-HT.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Proinflammatory cytokines in cervicogenic headache.

Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and Tumour Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) exert their multifunctional biological effect by promoting and increasing the molecular events of cellular inflammation. The aim of this study was to find out whether the cytokine pattern of cervicogenic headache (CH) patients tends, like that seen in cluster headache, towards an inflammatory status. Fifteen CH patients, diagnosed according to the 1998 CHISG criteria, were analysed for serum IL-beta (ELISA) and TNF-alpha (bioassay and ELISA) both during the natural course of a painful attack and during a phase of mechanically worsened pain. The control groups consisted of 15 migraine without aura (MWA) patients and 15 historically healthy subjects. The MWA patients were studied both during (MWA-IN) and outside (MWA-OUT) a migraine attack. Higher levels of both IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha were detected in the sera of CH patients than in that of MWA-IN and MWA-OUT and C subjects. A difference also emerged in CH between spontaneous and mechanically worsened pain phases. We conclude that the degree of cytokine production may depend on the different pathophysiological mechanisms at work in MWA and CH.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Proinflammatory pathways in cervicogenic headache.

Cervicogenic headache (CEH) is a relatively common form of headache arising from the neck structures. The pathophysiology probably results from various local pain-producing factors such as intervertebral dysfunction, with a no less important role played by the frequent coexistence of a history of head traumas. This report represents a series of pathophysiological studies in CEH patients and the results achieved by pharmacological treatment of the disease. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-alpha) exert their multifunctional biological effects by promoting and increasing the molecular events of cellular inflammation. We found that the cytokine pattern of CEH patients is--similar to cluster headache--biased towards an inflammatory status. Higher levels of both IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha were detected in the sera of CEH patients than the levels in patients with migraine without aura and in healthy subjects. There were also differences between the spontaneous and mechanically worsened pain phases of CEH. Nitric oxide (NO) synthase is also activated in cervicogenic headache. No change in NO metabolites levels has been observed after NO donor administration. This behaviour is clearly different from that observed in migraine and tension headache patients. We conclude that the high degree of cytokine and NO production in CH may depend on the differing pathophysiological mechanisms at work in CEH than in other forms of headache.

Cytokines↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The cluster headache: a clinical model of immunologic receptor pathology?].

It is well established that cluster headache shows impaired functions at their neuroimmunomodulatory system level. Defect in receptor expression for 5-HT, IL-1 and IL-2 have been found in these patients. Sumatriptan, a molecule with agonistic activity for 5-HT1D receptor, truncates cluster headache attacks in 74% of patients. Flow cytometric analysis of monocytes expressing 5-HT receptor in cluster headache patients showed different trends clearly correlated with the clinical response to sumatriptan. Our findings strongly support the concept that cluster headache patients who are non responders to sumatriptan could present a block in their 5-HT receptor possibly due to specific autoantibodies for this receptor site.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Chronic daily headache: management and rehabilitation].

In 2001, WHO evidenced headache among the first twenty disability agents in the world. The International Classification of Headache Disorders, II version (ICHD-II) recognises 24 types of chronic headache and states primary headaches as chronic when attacks appear for more than 15 days per month, for at least three months. Migraine given by drugs overuse, defined by ICDH-II in 2004 (and revised in 2005) as MOH, represents a common and debilitating disorder, which can be defined as generation, perpetuation and persistence of intense chronic migraine caused by the frequent and excessive use of (symptomatic) drugs, giving an immediate relief. MOH is associated with overuse of a combination of analgesics, barbiturates, opiods, Ergot alkaloids, aspirin, FANS, caffeine and triptans. Furthermore, some psychological and behavioural states seem particularly important in promoting and sustaining drugs abuse. The management and rehabilitation of patients affected by CDH, over-using symptomatic drugs, consists in the suspension and gradual reduction of their assumption, because of tolerance and addiction possibilities. Therapeutic success, defined as total absence of headache or frequency reduction over 50% in a period of time from 1 to 6 months, stands around 72-74%.

Analgesics↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chronopathology for angiotensin converting enzyme circadian rhythm in migraine.

This investigation is devoted to explore the 24-h patterns of serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity in clinically healthy subjects and migraine patients taking as reference the adrenal cycle. Time data series have been analyzed by means of chronobiologic procedures. The biostatistical approach has documented that the enzymatic activity of serum ACE in clinically healthy subjects changes with a circadian periodicity. The chronobiologic approach has additionally revealed that the enzymatic activity of serum ACE activity is circadianly aperiodic in migraine patients, while plasma cortisol shows a preserved cyclicity along 24-h scale. The aperiodicity suggests that the enzymatic degradation of the ACE-dependent substrate is inappropriate over the 24-h span.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Epidural corticosteroid blockade in cervicogenic headache.

Cervicogenic headache (CGH) is a relatively common form of headache stemming from the neck structures which presents some pathophysiological condition probably linked together with various pain-producing factors. This report presents a series of 9 patients suffering from cervicogenic headache and the results achieved by means of epidural steroid (methylprednisolone 40 mg) injection into the epidural cervical space (C6-C7 or C7-T1) level. The effectiveness of this diagnostic blockade was compared with the results obtained using the same procedure in 6 chronic tension headache (CTH) patients. A sharp decrease in the Numeric Intensity Scale (NIS) and in the Drug Consumption Index (DCI) values were observed after the diagnostic procedure in CGH patients. The short-term (12 hours) and medium-term (4 weeks) marked clinical improvement obtained in CGH patients may increase the number of available diagnostic tools which can be used to identify these underestimated patients population. The long-term effectiveness of this approach in cervicogenic patients is being evaluated over time.

Adult↗