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Biomedical subjects

R Di Virgilio

Publications and source records attributed to R Di Virgilio.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Increased serum levels of carboxyterminal propeptide of type 1 collagen (PICP) in hyperthyroidism.

Type 1 collagen is the major organic constituent of the bone: its synthesis is reflected by the serum levels of type 1 procollagen C-terminal propeptide (PICP), which is therefore considered an index of osteoblastic activity. Serum PICP along with other serum and urinary markers of bone metabolism were measured in 16 untreated premenopausal females affected by Graves' disease and also in 7 of them after attainment of euthyroidism by methimazole treatment. Before treatment PICP was higher than sex and age-matched controls (324.19 +/- 101.74 vs. 131.44 +/- 26.25 micrograms/l, p < 0.001). Osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase, serum calcium and urinary excretions of calcium and hydroxyproline were significantly increased with respect to controls, whereas parathormone was lower. Treatment induced a significant decrease of PICP, as well as calcemia, calciuria and hydroxyprolinuria compared to pretreatment values, while osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase did not significantly differ. Non parametric correlation analysis showed positive correlation of free T3 and PICP (rs = 0.73, p < 0.005), osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase; PICP was also significantly correlated with osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase. Our data suggest that hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease causes an increase of serum concentrations of PICP, which decrease after attainment of euthyroidism. The differences between PICP and BGP as markers of bone synthesis need to be further clarified.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1991

Clodronate treatment increases serum osteocalcin in normocalcemic osteolytic bone metastases.

28 consecutive patients with multiple osteolytic bone metastases due to various types of cancer were treated with 300 mg/day of sodium clodronate given intravenously as a 3-hour infusion, 16 patients were treated for 10 days and 12 for 20 days. Our findings showed that clodronate administration causes an increase in serum osteocalcin (sBGP) in the group of patients treated for 20 days (p less than 0.05), a reduction in serum Ca in both groups of patients (p less than 0.01), an increase in serum alkaline phosphatase (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.01), a reduction in urinary Ca (p less than 0.01) and a reduction in uOHP (p less than 0.05). The raise in sBGP may be attributed to the reduction of sCa and to the consequent secondary hyperparathyroidism. The increase in sBGP can be considered as the expression of osteoblasts stimulation following an adequate period of therapy with sodium clodronate.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Serum bone GLA-protein in hypercalcemia of primary hyperparathyroidism and malignancy.

Serum bone GLA-protein, a modern and sensitive marker of bone turnover, was measured in 15 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, 18 patients with hypercalcemia of malignancy, 41 patients with bone metastasis without hypercalcemia, and 29 healthy subjects. Serum bone GLA-protein was increased in primary hyperparathyroidism (17.6 +/- 3.9 ng/ml) and normal in hypercalcemia of malignancy (5.2 +/- 2.8 ng/ml; p less than 0.001 vs hyperparathyroidism) and in normocalcemic patients with bone metastases. In primary hyperparathyroidism parathyroid hormone correlated positively with urinary calcium excretion (p less than 0.05) and with urinary hydroxyproline excretion (p less than 0.001). The sensitivity of serum bone GLA-protein measurements in differentiating between primary hyperparathyroidism and hypercalcemia of malignancy was 91% and the specificity 84%. Thus this marker appears to be a useful tool for the differential diagnosis of hypercalcemias.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Hypercalcemia in malignancies: treatment with dichloromethylene diphosphonate (Cl2MDP).

Eleven hypercalcemic patients affected by various kinds of cancer were treated with dichloromethylene diphosphonate (Cl2MDP), 400 mg diluted in 500 ml of saline solution, i.v., during 3 h. Drug administration normalized plasma calcium levels in all treated patients, within 72 h for patients with lung cancer; within a longer period for other kinds of cancer. Moreover, Cl2MDP also reduced calciuria in treated patients. The use of the drug was not followed by side effects and was also well tolerated in patients with kidney insufficiency.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Male osteoporosis: current treatments and future options].

PURPOSE: To provide indications for currently approved treatments and future options for male osteoporosis, based on the pathogenetic mechanisms of bone loss in the male sex. DESIGN: Review of the most significant data reported in the literature. RESULTS: Unhealthy lifestyle habits should be modified. Testosterone replacement is indicated only in patients with diagnosis of hypogonadism. Based on the demonstrated pathogenetic role of estrogen lack in bone loss in men, either low doses of this hormone or selective androgen receptor modulators have been proposed for the treatment of male osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates are the only medications approved by Food and Drug Administration for idiopathic and glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in men. As far as anabolic treatments are concerned, there is not agreement on clinical utility of sodium fluoride. Short-term treatment with parathyroid hormone (PTH) seems to be safe and effective in patients with idiopathic osteoporosis, due to its anabolic action. Therapeutic use of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor type I (IGF-I), both considered as potential anabolic agents, is still limited because of the high incidence of side effects and relatively transient efficacy, particularly of IGF-I. CONCLUSIONS: Treatments should be selected on the basis of anti-fracture efficacy of various medications, which has been demonstrated so far only for alendronate and risedronate. Although anabolic agents produce noticeable increase of bone mineral density, is still debated if they also reduce fracture incidence in males with osteoporosis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Serum osteocalcin in hyperthyroidism].

Several bone metabolism biochemical parameters were measured to evaluate the increased serum osteocalcin (sBGP) in hyperthyroidism. Twenty patients (19 women and 1 man, aged 22-69) and 20 age and sex-matched healthy subjects were examined. The following serum measurements were performed: calcium, phosphate, mid-molecule PTH, calcitonin, 25OH vitD, alkaline phosphatase, total and free thyroid hormones; urinary excretion of calcium, hydroxyproline and creatinine was also measured. The results (mean +/- standard error) show significant increases of sBGP (16.4 +/- 1.02 ng/mL; p less than 0.001), serum calcium (10.1 +/- 0.1 mg/dL; p less than 0.001), alkaline phosphatase (144.0 +/- 11.7 UI/L; p less than 0.001), urinary calcium (315.6 +/- 48.5 mg/g urinary creatinine; p less than 0.001) and hydroxyproline (43.0 +/- 6.1 mg/g urinary creatinine; p less than 0.001). A significant correlation between total and free thyroid hormones and sBGP was found. Accelerated bone turnover in hyperthyroid patients is therefore confirmed: both osteoclastic bone resorption, as suggested by increased serum and urinary calcium and urinary hydroxyproline, and osteoblastic bone formation, as suggested by increased serum osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase, are stimulated.

Adult↗