Biomedical subjects

R Romano

Publications and source records attributed to R Romano.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

Protection by coenzyme Q10 of tissue reperfusion injury during abdominal aortic cross-clamping.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of coenzyme Q10 in reducing the skeletal muscle reperfusion injury following clamping and declamping the abdominal aorta. METHODS: 30 patients undergoing elective vascular surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm or obstructive aorto-iliac disease were randomly divided into two groups: patients in group I were treated with coenzyme Q10 (150 mg/day) for seven days before operation, and those in group II received a placebo. We studied the hemodynamic profile in each patient during clamping and declamping of the abdominal aorta. The plasma concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (malondialdhehyde), conjugated dienes, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase were measured in samples from both arterial and inferior vena cava sites. Serial sampling was performed after induction of anesthesia, 5 and 30 minutes after abdominal aortic cross clamping, 5 and 30 minutes after aortic cross-clamp removal. RESULTS: The concentrations of malondialdehyde, conjugated dienes, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase in patients who received CoQ10 were significantly lower than in the placebo group. Decrease of plasma malondialdehyde concentrations correlated positively (p < 0.01) with decrease of both creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase release in samples from the inferior vena cava. The hemodynamic profile during clamping and declamping the abdominal aorta was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that pre-treatment with coenzyme Q10 may play a protective role during routine vascular procedures requiring abdominal aortic cross clamping by attenuating the degree of peroxidative damage.

Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal↗

PubMed1996

Reconstruction of function and aesthetics of the maxillary anterior region: a combined periodontal/orthodontic therapy.

Severe cases of periodontal disease often require periodontal surgery. Techniques have been developed attempting to minimize the postsurgical gingival recession and compromise of the interdental papillae. This article presents a case report in which soft tissue regenerative surgery was minimized through combined utilization of periodontal and orthodontic principles. The treatment plan included the control of periodontal inflammation, restoration of lost attachment apparatus, realignment of anterior dentition, and stabilization of occlusion. The anticipated loss of a maxillary central incisor was avoided. The learning objective of this article is to present the advantage of the interdisciplinary form of therapy in such challenging cases.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Portal hypertension and iron depletion in patients with genetic hemochromatosis.

Clinically, portal hypertension has been considered to be less common and less severe in patients with cirrhosis resulting from iron overload in homozygotes for genetic hemochromatosis than in patients with cirrhosis of other causes. To characterize the prevalence and progression of portal hypertension in genetic hemochromatosis (GH), 120 cirrhosis and iron-overloaded patients were compared with a control group of 120 patients with postnecrotic cirrhosis (PNC) who were matched for gender, age, Child's class, and alcohol abuse. Gastroesophageal endoscopy and abdominal ultrasonography were performed at diagnosis and repeated every 12 months and every 6 months, respectively, to evaluate the presence and severity of varices, the caliber of the portal vein and its collaterals, and splenic size. At diagnosis a similar frequency of varices was observed in patients with GH (25%) and in PNC (24%), as well as of portal vein abnormalities and spleen enlargement. During the follow-up period, all but two of the patients with GH were treated by phlebotomy and depleted of excess iron. After a mean of 6 +/- 4.3 (SD) years of observations (range, 2 to 10 years), varices were improved or completely reversed in 26% of patients with cirrhosis and GH but in only 5% of those with PNC (P < .01). Bleeding from varices was observed in only one patient with GH but in five patients with PNC. Of 22 patients with GH in whom portal hypertension was unmodified or worsened, 16 had coexistent hepatic viral infection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Relationship between acrosome reactions and hamster egg penetration after ionophore challenge in absence of teratozoospermia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between acrosome reactions and hamster egg penetration after ionophore challenge in nonteratozoospermic semen samples. SETTING: A tertiary care center, the Andrologic Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine, University of L'Aquila. PATIENTS: Twenty-five nonteratozoospermic patients with infertile marriages and nine fertile men. INTERVENTIONS: The hamster egg penetration assay and the acrosome reaction assessment were performed on capacitated sperm suspensions in basal conditions and after ionophore challenge with ionomycin. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The relationship between the acrosome reactions and the hamster egg penetration was analyzed. RESULTS: Although in basal conditions the spontaneous acrosome reaction rate was not correlated with the hamster egg penetration, after ionophore challenge both the induced acrosome reaction rate and the acrosome reaction increase (induced minus spontaneous acrosome reaction rate) correlated with the hamster egg penetration. The highest correlation was observed between the induced acrosome reaction rate and the penetration index. Considering a penetration index = 2 as the threshold of a good response of the hamster egg penetration assay to the ionophore challenge, significantly lower acrosome reaction rates and increases were associated with poor hamster egg penetration. However, different penetration indexes occurred at the same level of induced acrosome reaction rate. CONCLUSIONS: The capability of sperm to react after ionophore challenge reflects to some extent the capability of the acrosome-reacted sperm to undergo the changes of the plasma membrane that are necessary for sperm-oocyte fusion. The simple evaluation of the acrosome reactions may represent a useful complement rather than a substitute for the hamster egg penetration assay in monitoring the responses of human sperm to the ionophore challenge. An impaired inducibility of the acrosome reactions may account for poor hamster egg penetrations exhibited by nonteratozoospermic semen samples.

Acrosome↗

PubMed1995

Improved beta-adrenergic receptor function after coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with congestive heart failure.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate whether coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) modifies beta-adrenergic receptor dysfunction, we measured lymphocytic beta-adrenergic receptor density and function, and plasma catecholamine levels in patients with congestive ischaemic disease scheduled for CABG. METHODS: Assays were performed on 20 patients with CHF at admission and 6 months following CABG; 20 age-matched healthy subjects served as the control group. RESULTS: Preoperative lymphocyte beta-adrenergic receptor density was significantly reduced in patients with CHF compared with the control group. Similarly, basal adenylyl cyclase as well isoproterenol- and NaF-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity was significantly reduced in lymphocytic membranes of patients with CHF compared with controls. Conversely, no difference was found in forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity between the two groups of patients. Preoperatively, plasma levels of both noradrenaline and adrenaline were significantly higher in patients with CHF compared with the control group. CABG was associated with clinical and haemodynamic improvement in all patients. Lymphocyte beta-adrenergic receptor density and function were also improved. Basal beta-adrenergic receptor density improved from 39.2 +/- 1.7 to 46 +/- 1.5 fmol/mg protein. Basal adenylyl cyclase activity increased from 33.1 +/- 2.6 40 +/- 2.4 pmol/mg protein per min; a significant increase in activity stimulated by isoproterenol (from 41.5 +/- 3.1 to 61 +/- 3.8 pmol/mg protein per min) and by NaF (from 71.8 +/- 2.7 to 85.3 +/- 3.5 pmol/mg protein per min) was also observed. Although postoperative plasma catecholamine levels tended to decrease, the difference compared with preoperative values was not significant. CONCLUSION: The results of our study indicate that CABG in patients with CHF is accompanied by the restoration of an almost normal functional state of the lymphocytic beta-adrenergic receptor system.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

PubMed1994

Ontogenesis and taste bud cell turnover in the chicken. I. Gemmal cell renewal in the hatchling.

Taste bud cell turnover rate was examined in oral epithelium of the precocial chick, which at hatching contains the adult complement of taste buds. Forty newly hatched chicks received single or double pulse injections of tritiated thymidine (specific activity was 6.7 Curies/millimole; dosage was 0.5 microCuries/g body weight, intraperitoneally). Anterior mandibular epithelium was processed for light microscopic autoradiography at 2 and 16 hours, as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 days after the initial pulse. In a coded and randomized procedure, the section (7 microns) through the bud's center was selected for counting > or = 6 silver grains over round-clear and gracile-dense gemmal cell nuclei. The mean number of labelled cells/bud varied significantly (P < or = 0.01) during the first four posthatch days, yielding the fastest gemmal cell turnover rates (3.4-4.4 days) yet reported in vertebrates. Average bud diameter also significantly changed during the first four posthatch days, and was reflected in shifts of the distribution of 40-69 microns and > or = 70 microns diameter buds. Both an increase in labelled bud cells and bud diameter during the first two posthatch days may reflect high proliferation rates in initially maturing buds. Subsequent decrease in bud diameter between 2 and 3 days postinjection may indicate splitting of large-diameter (> or = 70 microns) buds and/or normal bud cell death due to failure of sensory afferentation. Bud-splitting alone, however, cannot account for significant decreases in bud cell label which did not occur before 4-6 days postinjection.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Protection by coenzyme Q10 from myocardial reperfusion injury during coronary artery bypass grafting.

To evaluate the effect of coenzyme Q10 in reducing postoperative cardiac complications after ischemia and reperfusion, we randomly divided 40 patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass into two groups: patients in group 1 received coenzyme Q10 (150 mg/day) for 7 days before operation, and those in group 2 were the control group. Concentrations of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (malondialdehyde), conjugated dienes, and cardiac isoenzymes of creatine kinase were measured in samples from both arterial and coronary sinus sites. Serial sampling was performed 5 minutes after heparin administration, at 10 and 30 minutes during cardiopulmonary bypass, 15 and 30 minutes after aortic cross-clamp removal, and 5 minutes after protamine administration. The concentrations of malondialdehyde, conjugated dienes, and creatine kinase in group 1 were significantly lower than those in group 2. The decrease in plasma malondialdehyde concentrations correlated positively with the decrease in creatine kinase levels in the coronary sinus. The treatment group showed a significantly lower incidence of ventricular arrhythmias during the recovery period than did the control group (p < 0.05). Although the percentage of patients requiring inotropic agents was not significantly different between the two groups, the mean dosage of dopamine required to maintain stable hemodynamics was significantly lower in patients of group 1 than in those of group 2 (p < 0.01). Our findings suggest that pretreatment with coenzyme Q10 may play a protective role during routine bypass grafting by attenuating the degree of peroxidative damage.

Coenzymes↗

PubMed1994

Impaired hamster egg penetration by human sperm from ejaculates with low acrosin activity but otherwise normal.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if a low acrosin activity in otherwise normal ejaculate from infertile patients is associated with an impairment of sperm functions involved in the hamster egg penetration. SETTING: A tertiary care center, the Andrology Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine, University of L'Aquila. PATIENTS: Nine infertile patients with low acrosin activity in otherwise normal ejaculate (including normal immunoreactivity for acrosin) were studied; nine fertile men served as a control group. The two groups were homogeneous for seminal parameters. INTERVENTIONS: The hamster egg penetration assay and the acrosome reaction rate assessment were performed on capacitated sperm suspensions in basal conditions and after ionophore challenge. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The penetration rate, the penetration index, and the acrosome reaction rate were measured and compared between the groups. RESULTS: No penetration was achieved in seven patients and a low penetration was achieved in two cases. The difference with the control group was significant. The ionophore challenge was associated to penetration of hamster eggs in seven of nine patients, but the penetration index was significantly lower than the controls. Acrosin activity was correlated to hamster egg penetration. Both spontaneous and induced acrosome reaction rate were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: A low sperm acrosin activity in otherwise normal ejaculate is associated with an impaired hamster egg penetration. This impairment does not seem to be due to altered dynamics of acrosome reaction.

Acrosin↗

PubMed1994

Sperm-zona pellucida binding of human sperm is correlated with the immunocytochemical presence of proacrosin and acrosin in the sperm heads but not with the proteolytic activity of acrosin.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the sperm-zona pellucida (ZP) binding is related to the presence of immunoreactivity for proacrosin and acrosin and/or to the proteolytic activity of acrosin. SETTING: The Andrology Clinic, University of L'Aquila, Italy. PATIENTS: Thirty-five infertile couples and 15 men of proven fertility. INTERVENTIONS: Salt-stored unfertilized oocytes after IVF were inseminated with a mixture of equal numbers of test and fertile donor sperm after swim-up selection, respectively labeled with fluorescein or rhodamine. Total acrosin activity, the percent of sperm immunostained for proacrosin and acrosin, and the percent of sperm with oval heads were evaluated in fresh semen and after swim-up selection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Three zonae were used for each patient and sperm-ZP binding ratio (ZP ratio) was calculated as the total number of test sperm bound to ZP divided by the total number of control sperm bound to ZP. The ZP ratio was compared with the percent of live sperm immunostained for proacrosin and acrosin, with total acrosin activity and with the percent of sperm with oval heads after swim-up selection. RESULTS: The sperm-ZP binding ratio was correlated positively with the percent of sperm immunostained for proacrosin and acrosin and with the percent of sperm with oval heads, but not with acrosin activity. Ejaculates with immunostaining for proacrosin and acrosin > or = 55% of sperm (the mean value of infertile couples) and acrosin activity < 24 muIU/10(6) sperm (the mean value of infertile couples) (n = 8) had a ZP ratio > or = 0.5, whereas ejaculates with low immunostaining for proacrosin and low acrosin activity (n = 12) had a ZP ratio < 0.5. The difference between the ZP ratio of the two groups was highly significant. CONCLUSIONS: The ZP binding is related to the immunocytochemical presence of proacrosin and acrosin but not to the proteolytic activity of acrosin in human sperm, suggesting that egg recognition and proteolytic activity are independent functions of proacrosin and acrosin.

Acrosin↗

PubMed1994

Effects of propofol on the human heart electrical system: a transesophageal pacing electrophysiologic study.

Previous studies have shown that infusion of propofol has sometimes been associated with bradyarrhythmias. To evaluate the effects of propofol on the electrical system of the heart, we carried out an electrophysiologic study with transesophageal pacing on ten healthy subjects scheduled for minor elective maxillo-facial surgery. By means of atrial pacing conducted by a progressive increase in stimulation cycles, we determined, in awake patients and during propofol anesthesia (2.5 mg kg-1 for induction, followed by 100 micrograms kg-1 min-1 for maintenance), the correct sinus recovery time and the eventual appearance of Wenckebach atrio-ventricular block. We did not notice sinoatrial node depression or pathologic increase in the atrio-ventricular conduction.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

[Blood glucose and intracranial surgery].

When there is a cerebral ischemia, the use of glucose seems to be contraindicated. Seventeen non diabetic patients, scheduled for elective intracranial surgery (mean surgical time: 218.8 +/- 42.8 min), exhibited no hypoglycaemic episodes during surgery without dextrose. The authors conclude that dextrose can be avoided without sequelae during intracranial surgery.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

New evidence for a membrane-bound pathway in hormone receptor binding.

The fully active cholecystokinin analog (Thr,Nle)-CCK-9 was lipo-derivatized by N-terminal grafting of a dimyristoylglycerol moiety to induce tight interdigitation with cell membrane bilayers. While the parent CCK peptide was shown to interact only transiently with small unilamellar phospholipid vesicles, the lipo-CCK peptide, although self-aggregating into vesicles, inserts rapidly and quantitatively into phospholipid bilayers. Fluorescence and, even more so, NMR data are supportive for a chain reversal of the CCK moiety of the lipo derivative with embedment of the C-terminus into hydrophobic compartments of the bilayer. MD simulations allowed for a proposal of the folded form of CCK in bilayers with a helical array parallel to the interface and an amphipathic display of the side chains. In this model, the phenylalanine aromatic ring is heading the peptide molecule and may thus play a decisive role in the lateral penetration of the receptor at the water/lipid interface. In fact, despite the membrane-bound state, its binding affinity for rat pancreatic acini is comparable to that of the CCK peptide when tested after a 3-h equilibration period but 5-6-fold lower at 45 min, suggesting that the association rate is significantly lower than that of the unmodified CCK peptide. This can rationally be attributed to the tight interdigitation of the double-tailed lipo moiety with the membrane bilayer. Moreover, an escape of the lipopeptide into the extracellular aqueous phase is energetically highly unfavored; therefore, the receptor can only be reached by a membrane-bound two-dimensional migration. The observed difference in amplification between binding and amylase secretion may result from inadequate occupation of low-affinity CCK receptors, which leads then to poor couplings to G-proteins. Nevertheless the data confirm that lateral penetration of receptor structures is possible, and thus, preadsorption of peptide (neuro)hormones at the cell membrane bilayer may indeed represent the first step in the receptor recognition process.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1993

Lipophilic derivatization and its effect on the interaction of cholecystokinin (CCK) nonapeptide with phospholipids.

N-terminal lipophilic derivatization of the fully active cholecystokinin analogue (Thr,Nle)-CCK-9 with the di-myristoyl-raz-thioglyceryl moiety leads to spontaneous self-aggregation of the lipopeptide into polydispersed vesicles at the liquid state. The high degree of fluidification of the vesicles favors a fast and net transfer of monomers to phospholipid bilayers even below the phase-transition temperature of the acceptor vesicles. Surprisingly, the process is accompanied by formation of peptide clusters. The peptide-rich domains exhibit a high affinity for Ca2+, a fact which may be correlated to the biological function of CCK as this hormone is known to stimulate calcium outflux from reserves in the cell membranes. Moreover, induced membrane affinity allowed to study more precisely the interaction of the CCK peptide with lipid bilayers as mimicry of cell membranes. Differently from what was observed with a similar lipogastrin derivative in which the peptide tail was found to be permanently exposed to the aqueous phase, in the case of the lipo-CCK compound insertion of its C-terminal active site into more hydrophobic compartments of the bilayer is occurring, as well as a folding into beta-type structures, thus confirming the role of cell membranes in displaying peptide hormones for specific receptor recognition.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1993

Peptide hormone-membrane interactions. Intervesicular transfer of lipophilic gastrin derivatives to artificial membranes and their bioactivities.

Incorporation of di-fatty acylglycerol moieties at the N-terminus of human little-gastrin-(2-17) leads to self-aggregation of the resulting lipo-gastrins into stable, most probably fluid vesicles. Net intervesicular transfer of the lipo-gastrins to phosphatidyl-choline model bilayers occurs at high rates whereby the chain length of the gastrin lipid moiety was found to affect the transfer rate more decisively than the nature of the acceptor vesicle. Similarly, the bioactivity of the lipo-gastrins is again affected by the nature of the lipid moiety suggesting differentiated interdigitation with the natural bilayer components and thus, different two-dimensional migration rates to the target receptors. Embedment of the lipo-gastrins in phosphatidylcholine bilayers at high lipid/gastrin ratios as mimicry of the cell membrane bound state does not result in onset of ordered structure, but leads to full exposure of the gastrin in essentially randomly coiled form at the water/lipid interface. This may result from the artificial N-terminal anchorage of the gastrin molecules to the bilayers, but also from the relatively tight packing of the phosphatidylcholine vesicles. Nevertheless, this observation might suggest that in the present case membrane-induced conformation and orientation may not represent a pre-requisite for the hormone receptor binding process. However, the results of this study clearly confirm even for the non-amphiphilic hormone gastrin a membrane-bound pathway for receptor recognition and occupancy.

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine↗

PubMed1993

Effect of ionophore challenge on hamster egg penetration and acrosome reaction of antibody-coated human sperm.

PROBLEM: Following the demonstration that antisperm antibodies do not affect the spontaneous acrosome reactions (AR) of human sperm used for the hamster egg penetration assay (HEPA), we evaluated the effect of the ionophore challenge on HEPA and AR of antibody-coated sperm. METHOD: Motile sperm suspensions from donors were exposed to serum and seminal plasma samples with sperm-head-directed antibodies, washed, capacitated, and challenged with ionomycin. RESULTS: The proportion of acrosome-reacted sperm, assessed by fluoresceinated Pisum sativum agglutinin and supravital stain Hoechst 33258, was significantly higher in the antibody-exposed sperm than in the controls (47.0 +/- 13.2% vs. 39.3 +/- 12.1, respectively; P < 0.05). However, the hamster egg penetration rate and index were not significantly different between antibody-exposed sperm and controls (98.0 +/- 3.7% vs. 85.9 +/- 16.2% and 6.64 +/- 4.1 vs. 6.81 +/- 4.8, respectively). Only one of eight test samples with antisperm antibodies, where the highest increase of AR rate compared with controls was observed (55.0% vs. 35.6%) produced a substantial increase of penetrations per oocyte (7.4 vs. 4.1). CONCLUSION: The ionophore challenge enabled us to recognize a subtle effect of anti-sperm antibodies on the dynamics of acrosomal loss, the clinical relevance of which needs to be elucidated.

Acrosome↗

PubMed1992

Peptide hormone-membrane interactions: the aggregational and conformational state of lipo-gastrin derivatives and their receptor binding affinity.

The (2RS)-1,2-dipalmitoyl-3-mercaptoglycerol/-, (2RS)-1,2-dimyristoyl-3-mercaptoglycerol/-, and (2RS)-1-myristoyl-2-palmitoyl-3-mercaptoglycerol/maleoyl-bet a-alanyl- [Nle15]-human-gastrin-(2-17) adducts were prepared as lipo-gastrin derivatives of explicitly primary amphiphilic properties. As representative of this class of lipo-gastrins, the dimyristoyl derivative has been thoroughly characterized in its aggregational state since, among the three compounds, theoretically it should exhibit the lowest degree of lipid character. It aggregates in aqueous solution to form monodispersed unilamellar spherical vesicles with dislocation of the peptide moiety at the bilayer surface in predominantly unordered structure. The liposomes are remarkably stable toward solubilization with trifluoroethanol and toward vesicle to micelle transition with neutral and negatively charged surfactants even above their critical micellar concentrations. Asymmetric fusion with the detergent micelles induces polydispersion of the liposomes in terms of shape and size without affecting in significant manner the mode of display of the gastrin portions at the bilayer surface. Only the positively charged hexadecyltrimethylammonium hydroxide provokes the collapse of the vesicles into mixed micelles with concomitant altered dislocation of the gastrin-peptide in the new aggregational state. Despite the lipid properties of the gastrin derivatives, i.e., formation of liposomes, they retain remarkable receptor affinities (IC50 = 1.5 x 10(-9) M for myristoyl-palmitoyl-gastrin, IC50 = 2.0 x 10(-9) M for di-myristoyl-gastrin and IC50 = 3.1 x 10(-9) M for di-palmitoyl-gastrin vs IC50 = 2.8 x 10(-10) M for Nle15-gastrin). Since the displacement of radiolabeled Nle15-gastrin from rat pancreatic acinar cell line membrane preparations by both the parent gastrin hormone and the three lipo-gastrins occurs in parallel manner, the data support a mechanism of receptor occupancy via accumulation of the gastrins at the membrane surface and their two-dimensional diffusion to the target receptor. Thereby the differentiated decrease of affinity in function of fatty acid chain length has to be attributed to the energetically more or less favored transfer of the monomers from the donor vesicles to the acceptor membranes. Moreover, according to this model migration of the lipo-gastrins with their interdigitating di-fatty-acyl moieties should be delayed, again in lipid structure-dependent manner, in comparison to the parent gastrin molecule, which is free to float in the membrane interfacial phase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Hepatitis C virus and porphyria cutanea tarda: evidence of a strong association.

Porphyria cutanea tarda in human beings is believed to be due to reduced hepatic uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase activity. However, extrinsic factors such as alcohol abuse and drug intake are required for clinical manifestation of the disease. In addition to typical cutaneous lesions, patients with porphyria cutanea tarda usually have chronic liver disease and moderate iron overload. Of 74 Italian patients with porphyria cutanea tarda, hepatitis C virus antibodies were detected in 76% by enzyme-linked immunoassay and in 82% by recombinant immunoblot assay. Viral genome, studied with nested polymerase chain reaction, was found in the sera of 49 subjects--47 positive and 2 indeterminate on recombinant immunoblot assay. Five percent of the patients were HBsAg-positive, and about 40% had had past hepatitis B contacts. Alcohol abuse was present in 38%. Liver biopsies performed in 42 patients showed chronic persistent hepatitis in 7 patients, chronic active hepatitis in 22 patients, fibrosis in three patients and cirrhosis in 10 patients. Hepatitis C virus antibody was detected in 100% of patients with chronic active hepatitis and in about 80% of all other groups. Alcohol abuse was more frequent in patients with cirrhosis (80%) than in the other groups. In Italian patients with porphyria cutanea tarda, the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection was very high, comparable to that in non-A, non-B hepatitis and high-risk patient groups. Hepatitis C virus is probably the main pathogenetic factor of the liver disease of patients with porphyria cutanea tarda.

Alcoholism↗

PubMed1992

Cerebrovascular disorders and alcohol intake: preliminary results of a case-control study.

The role of alcohol as a risk factor for cerebral infarction and hemorrhage has been assesed in 200 middle-aged and elderly stroke patients and 200 controls matched for age, sex and hospital admission date. Computed tomographic brain scans were done in all but 10 of the stroke patients. Alcohol intake was reckoned on the 12 months preceding hospitalization and expressed in grams daily according to a standard nomogram. The Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test was used for the diagnosis of alcoholism. Cerebral infarction was present in 59% of the stroke patients and cerebral hemorrhage in 9%. The role of alcohol as risk factor for stroke proved to be small (Odds Ratio 1.86) and was practically lost after adjustment for the most common risk factors for cerebrovascular disorders (previous strokes, arterial hypertension, diabetes, obesity and hyperlipidemia). Our findings seem to suggest that alcohol is not an independent risk factor for stroke in the middle-aged and elderly. The data are, however, preliminary and are discussed in the light of methological problems.

Aged↗