Biomedical subjects

R Scorza

Publications and source records attributed to R Scorza.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1997

Effect of iloprost infusion on the resistance index of renal vessels of patients with systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of iloprost, a stable prostacycline analog, on kidney blood flow in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), using color flow Doppler sonography. METHODS: The acute effect of the drug was studied in 10 patients with SSc with elevated resistance index (RI) levels (all RI values reported are multiplied by 100). Iloprost was administered intravenously (2 ng/kg/min for a period of 8 h). To study the effects of chronic drug administration, 16 patients with SSc were randomly assigned to 2 groups of 8 cases each. The first group was treated with 9 infusions of iloprost in 6 mo. The second group was treated with slow release nifedipine (40 mg/day) for 6 mo. RESULTS: Interlobar artery RI (median 67 vs 61; p = 0.02) and cortical vessel RI (median 65 vs 54; p = 0.001) were reduced after acute treatment. In chronic drug administration, RI values were not modified by nifedipine, while iloprost reduced the RI of the interlobar (median 69 vs 61; p < 0.03) and cortical arteries (median 66 vs 58: p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest iloprost might be useful for treatment of scleroderma renal vasospasm.

Brachial Artery↗

PubMed1997

[Carcinoid tumors of the cecal appendix].

The authors evaluate the incidence of carcinoid tumours out of a total of 2478 appendectomies performed between January 1984 and December 1991 at Treviglio Hospital. Histological tests, routinely performed on all appendixes removed, have revealed an incidence of 0.56% of this disease. Lesions are clinically silent in all cases. In fact, the finding of a carcinoid tumour was coincidental in 12 patients undergoing appendectomy for symptoms of appendicitis, and in two cases in which appendectomy was initially performed during the course of hysterectomy. Eleven cases were histologically of the classical type, including one with a "balloon cell" variant. Lastly, three cases were tubular type adenocarcinoids. In all cases treatment took the form of simple appendectomy. Follow-up studies are still in progress which have enabled the recidivation of neoplasia to be excluded in all patients, even 11 years after treatment.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Common variable immunodeficiency following Epstein-Barr virus infection.

The authors present a case of a patient who developed recurrent bacterial upper respiratory and pulmonary infections and marked hypogammaglobulinemia with a gradual decrease of serum IgG, IgA and IgM some months after acute Epstein-Barr virus infection. Test for identification of lymphocyte subpopulation showed increased CD8+ T-cells with a surface phenotype (CD8+, CD57+, HLA-DR+) characteristic of virus-induced, activated cytotoxic cells. Viral investigations showed a positive anti-EBNA titer, an IgG titer anti-VCA of 1:40, a negative IgG titer anti-EA and human immunodeficiency virus negativity. The authors conclude that these clinical features are indicative of possible common variable immunodeficiency following Epstein-Barr virus infection.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMed1996

Renal vascular damage in systemic sclerosis patients without clinical evidence of nephropathy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of color-flow Doppler ultrasonography, a direct, noninvasive technique, for measurement of kidney blood flow in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: Twenty-five normal volunteers and 25 SSc patients (median disease duration 8 years, range 2-21 years) were studied. All were free of clinical symptoms of renal damage. The resistance index (RI) was determined on main, interlobar, and cortical vessels. RESULTS: In SSc patients, the RI was significantly increased at every sampling site examined (P < 0.001). RI values were strongly correlated with disease duration (main artery r = 0.56, P < 0.04; interlobar artery r = 0.63, P < 0.02; cortical artery r = 0.75, P < 0.002). Regression analysis showed no relationship between RI and creatinine clearance values. CONCLUSION: Color-flow Doppler ultrasonography is a sensitive and noninvasive technique for evaluating vascular damage of the kidney in patients with SSc.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Case report: successful treatment with cimetidine and zinc sulphate in chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis.

The authors evaluated the clinical efficacy of a treatment with cimetidine and zinc sulphate in a patient with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis. Cimetidine was given at a dose of 400 mg three times daily; zinc sulphate at a dose of 200 mg daily, then adjusted to maintain blood zinc levels at the upper normal range. This treatment lasted 16 months. An impressive and significant reduction of the infectious events and an increased CD4 (helper/inducer) cell counts were observed. The authors conclude that this combined immunopotentiating treatment is safe and inexpensive to treat immunodeficiency disorders.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMed1996

Association between polymorphisms in the TNF region and systemic lupus erythematosus in the Italian population.

The purpose of this work was to the hypothesis that MHC encoded susceptibility factors for SLE lie in the TNF region. An association study was performed by analyzing 123 northern Italian SLE patients and 199 matched controls for three TNF markers: two polymorphisms in the TNFA promoter and the TNFa microsatellite. Haplotypic combinations of TNF markers were also compared in patients and controls. No significant association was observed considering either the whole SLE panel or SLE clinical and immunological subtypes. Three TNF-238/A homozygous patients were detected, while no homozygote was present in controls. The clinical and immunological phenotype of the three -238/A homozygotes suggests that the -238/AA genotype is a marker of a particular clinical subtype.

Genetic Predisposition to Disease↗

PubMed1995

Comparison of different methods for the detection of autoantibodies in autoimmune diseases.

Different immunological techniques were compared for their sensitivity in detecting some important autoantibodies in the sera of patients with rheumatic diseases. Sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus were screened for anti-dsDNA, Sm, and RNP autoantibodies by Crithidia luciliae assay, Farr assay, enzyme immunoassay, and immunoblotting. Sera of patients with Sjögren's syndrome were screened for anti-SSA and anti-SSB antibodies by enzyme immunoassay, counter immunoelectrophoresis, and immunoblotting and sera of patients with scleroderma for SCL-70 autoantibodies by enzyme immunoassay counter immunoelectrophoresis, and immunofluorescence on Hep-2 cells. Enzyme immunoassay and counter immunoelectrophoresis gave the most positive results and the best agreement compared with the other techniques. Immunofluorescence gave few positive results for each antibody evaluated. Immunoblotting gave intermediate results for all autoantibodies except anti-SSA, where the prevalence was low. There was no relationship between levels of dsDNA, Sm, and RNP antibodies and disease activity score in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Functional analysis of a new polymorphism in the human TNF alpha gene promoter.

In this paper the functional relevance of a TNFA promoter polymorphism, a G/A polymorphic sequence at position -238, was tested by analysing its influence on TNF alpha production upon in vitro stimulation of monocytes from 78 healthy, unrelated individuals by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or after allogenic stimulation in a panel of 32 healthy individuals. All TNFA-A positive individuals were either DR3 or DR7 positive, confirming the previously reported strong linkage disequilibrium of the TNFA-A allele with the two extended haplotypes (B18, F1C30, DR3) and (B57, SC61, DR7). No individuals homozygous for the TNFA-A allele were present in the panel. The mean level of TNF alpha production was not significantly different in TNFA-G/G homozygous and in TNFA-A/G heterozygous individuals after LPS stimulation of monocytes (P = 0.35) or after allogenic stimulation (P = 0.7). After LPS and allogenic stimulation DR3 positive individuals had a higher mean TNF production. This could not be further differentiated by typing for TNF -283.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

[Choledochoduodenostomy in the treatment of benign disease of the common bile duct: evaluation of long-term results].

The Authors report their experience in the treatment of 36 patients managed by side-to-side choledochoduodenostomy for common bile duct disease and followed for a period of five years. The main indication to surgery was a choledochal dilatation more than 1.5 cm. The surgical technique consisted in a single layer side-to-side choledochoduodenostomy with absorbable suture according to Roessner. There was no operative mortality and few post surgical complications (six patients, 15.78%) were registered; 25 patients (69.45%) were completely asymptomatic at five years, while in six cases (16.66%) significant symptoms were observed. In one case a biliary gastropathy with no metaplasia was documented.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

[Proximal anastomotic pseudoaneurysms].

Abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysms development in patients submitted to endoaneurysmectomy or bifurcated aorto-peripheral by pass was, for a long time, considered a rare complication of aortic surgery. In old papers it was referred prevalence of abdominal PSA which rambled on values less than 1%. The diagnosis was always reached in concomitance with fissurations, ruptures or aorto-digestive fistulas. Recent papers, in which were reported results of accurate instrumental (echo and TC) follow-up of patients with aortic prosthesis, demonstrated a really higher prevalence of abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysms (about 6%). A retrospective analysis of PSA admitted to the General and Cardiovascular Institute of the University of Milan and the First Surgical Division of the General Hospital of Treviglio-Caravaggio (BG), demonstrated a high morbidity and mortality of complicated aortic pseudoaneurysms surgery. Considering the data reported in the international literature and the results of the surgery of complicated aortic PSA, the Authors point out the necessity of accurate periodical instrumental follow-up of subjects with aortic prosthesis in order to identify anastomotic pseudoaneurysm and to evaluate incidental evolution of aneurysmatic disease.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Aorto-iliac aneurysms rupturing into the iliac veins.

BACKGROUND: Rupture of aorto-iliac aneurysms into the iliac veins is seldom reported in distinct series, and represents only a fraction of ruptures into the abdominal cavity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four cases are reported: two aortic aneurysms ruptured into the right iliac vein, one right iliac aneurysm ruptured into the right iliac vein, one right iliac aneurysm ruptured into the cava at the bifurcation, one aortoiliac aneurysm ruptured into the right iliac vein. Two patients showed severe shock at admission. Central venous pressure at operation was 43.6 +/- 26.3 cmH2O, and rapidly decreased at aortic clamping. Venous bleeding was controlled by finger compression of the iliac and caval vein and aortic graft replacement followed direct suture repair of the venous breach. De Weese caval clip was implanted twice, to prevent pulmonary embolism in severely compromised iliac veins. This series represents 1% among 373 ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms operated on as emergencies over the same period. RESULTS: Pulmonary embolism, either paradoxical or postoperative, never occurred. Mortality rate was 25%, compared to 35% overall mortality among the whole ruptured group. The role of the site of rupture is swelling of the lower limbs is suggested, and edema can be suggestive though statistical evidence has not been achieved. CONCLUSIONS: Three concepts are stressed: early diagnosis and operation (i.e. before cardiac high output failure and shock); accurate as well as simple surgical technique; careful post-operative intensive care.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

[Anastomotic pseudoaneurysm, true para-anastomotic aneurysm and recurrent aneurysm following surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm. Is a unifying theory possible?].

BACKGROUND. Recurrent aneurysms (RA) and true para-anastomotic aneurysms (TPA) are currently reported as anecdotal findings during occasional follow-up of subjects previously operated for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). In several instances concomitant false anastomotic aneurysms (FAA) are found, not attributable to infection nor to suture or graft degradation. PURPOSE. To discuss the possibility that RA of inborn arteries, TPA, and non infectious FAA, when concomitantly present in the same subject, may reflect a peculiar late presentation of multiarterial aneurysmal disease. MATERIAL. Three cases of occasionally discovered concomitant RA, TPA, and FAA in subjects previously operated for AAA are reported. The finding of new aneurysms and FAA in subjects previously operated for AAA may be theoretically justified by the currently recognized pathogenetic mechanisms, molecular, enzymatic or genetically determined, implicated in the formation of AAA. This points out the need for a correct surgical management of AAAs and for accurate accomplishment of follow-up programmes supported by ultrasound echography of graft-arterial anastomoses and of the arteries at risk of aneurysmal disease.

Aged↗

PubMed1994

[A rational approach to cholecystectomy in the patient with an abdominal aortic aneurysm].

A retrospective series of 30 (2.8%) cases of cholelithiasis out of 1064 abdominal aortic aneurysmectomies is presented. 21 subjects underwent aneurysmectomy and prosthetic grafting combined with cholecystectomy. Complications related to the combined operation, early or late (6 months to 8 years follow-up was available for the whole series), were not recorded in this subgroup. 9 (30%) patients with coincidental gallstones underwent simple aneurysmectomy: 2 (22%) patients complained of symptoms of biliary colic, eight and fifteen weeks after operation respectively, and successfully underwent medical treatment. A third patient (11%), operated on urgently for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, developed acute cholecystitis, gallbladder perforation and biliary peritonitis on the 17th day of operation: he died of multiple organs failure on the 8th day of urgent cholecystectomy. Acute alithiasic cholecystitis was recorded only once (0.1%) among the 1034 abdominal aortic aneurysmectomies without gallstones: fatal outcome was ascribed to massive multiple organ cholesterol embolization. If careful asepsis and correct surgical tactics are observed, cholecystectomy can safely be performed in combination with abdominal aortic aneurysmectomy in subjects with a positive history of cholecystitis or in poor general conditions, but it cannot be considered as a prophylactic treatment towards postoperative acute cholecystitis in good-risk subjects with a negative history of cholecystitis.

Aged↗

PubMed1994

A case of asymptomatic giant aneurysm of the common hepatic artery.

The authors are presenting a case of asymptomatic giant aneurysm of the common hepatic artery in a 72 year-old woman. The patient came under our observation with a complete, recent diagnosis. However, two years earlier in another clinic, a para-hilar hepatic mass with partially calcified walls was incidentally found during an abdominal ultrasound. An abdominal TC without contrast medium showed the mass to be hepatic hydatid cysts. TC images after 2 years showed a growth in diameter from 7 to 12 cm. Having undergone an hysterectomy and a rectal prosthesis, technical difficulties occurred because of the aneurysm's characteristics. The authors would like to emphasize that the rarity of the lesion must not exclude it from the diagnostic protocol of abdominal masses: ultrasound must be accompanied by a Doppler and the TC must be made using a contrast medium. Furthermore, revascularization surgery may create difficulties that cannot be previously prevented.

Aged↗

PubMed1994

[Recurrent aneurysmal disease of the native arteries in subjects operated on for abdominal aortic aneurysm].

Abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs are presently increasing in number all over the western countries; long life expectancy and high quality of life, warranted to patients surviving operation, stressed the possibility that aneurysmal disease affects other arteries as well as the para-anastomotic aorta itself. OBJECTIVE. The observation that, in the last four years, five patients were operated on for recurrent aneurysms of native arteries, gives the opportunity to discuss the matter and review the literature on this topic. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Five cases of recurrent aneurysms of native arteries in patients that had undergone abdominal aortic aneurysmectomy 4 to 11 (mean: 8) years before are discussed. A total of 16 new aneurysms were found. Although all these patients regularly attended their clinical follow-up program, these observations have to be considered retrospective and incidental, because B-mode echography was not yet routinely requested by the followup protocol. RESULTS. Neither hypertension nor type of graft implanted in the first operation were correlated to the development of new aneurysms in these five subjects. Rupture as causative of the original aneurysmectomy was recorded in two cases (40%), that developed 8 recurrent aneurysms (50%), one of which ruptured. CONCLUSIONS. Although recurrent aneurysms are occasionally reported in the literature, the lack of prospective follow-up series, based on non invasive serial imaging of the arterial system, prevents clarifying whether these observations are isolated or recurrence is likely to be a long-term outcome of aneurysmal disease.

Aged↗

PubMed1994

Primary aortocaval fistula.

Twenty-two spontaneous aortocaval fistulas between an abdominal aortic aneurysm and the inferior vena cava were surgically treated in 27 years at one surgical unit. The incidence was 5.9% of ruptured abdominal aneurysms; the operative mortality rate of 36.4% compared with an overall mortality rate for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms of 34.9%. Among 10 subjects in shock on admission the mortality rate was 50% compared with 25% in non-shocked patients. Of the 22 patients one died at laparotomy from irreversible cardiac arrest; in the other 21 the procedure consisted of endoaneurysmal repair of the fistula which involved replacement of the aneurysm by a Dacron prosthesis after control of venous bleeding was achieved. No occurrence of paradoxical pulmonary embolism was reported. Multiple organ failure caused death in six cases; of these, four died as a result of acute renal failure. Severe preoperative anuric shock was recorded in five instances, with a mortality rate of 80%, compared to 25% for non-shocked subjects. Mortality was not improved by intraoperative autotransfusion; however, the incidence of severe shock was 55.5% in those patients treated by autotransfusion, compared with 38.5% in the standard blood replacement group.

Aged↗

PubMed1994

[Current knowledge and unresolved problems in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm].

This is a wide literature review on abdominal aortic aneurysm (81 references). The main branches in which research is in progress are presented, and new concepts in pathogenesis are illustrated. These come out of the development of knowledge in basic sciences and their interdisciplinary application to this disease. Biochemistry, pathology, immunology, genetics, mathematics, mechanics, fluidodynamics are the routes now followed in the effort to cast light on the inner mechanism of birth and growth of this disease, presently unpredictable and uncontrollable, but successfully treatable by vascular surgery.

Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal↗

PubMed1994

[Primary aorto-enteric communication].

BACKGROUND: Primary aortoenteric communications are a rare and severe complication of abdominal aortic aneurysms or erosions by neoplastic diseases. Early diagnosis and surgical treatment are crucial. Postoperative morbidity and mortality are high. Diagnosis if often made intraoperatively, because the typical clinical feature (digestive haemorrhage, abdominal aneurysmal mass, abdominal pain) is often incomplete and critically ill patients require quick surgical decision and do not allow the use of sophisticated diagnostic tools. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eight cases, observed through 13 years, are presented: six males and two females. Mean age was 61 years; male to female ratio was 3:1. In four cases (50%) a herald bleeding occurred during the days preceding hospital admission. Presenting symptoms were haematemesis (63%), melaena (87%), abdominal pain (63%); six subjects (75%) presented hemorrhagic shock. Only three patients (37%) were aware to be affected with abdominal aortic aneurysm before admission. Diagnosis was always made by clinical feature and urgent laparotomy: two preoperative duodenoscopies were not diagnostic. Aortoduodenal communication occurred in six cases: one of these was secondary to erosion of the aorta by a carcinoma of the pancreas. Aortogastric communication occurred once; the remainder case was a communication between a hypogastric artery aneurysm and the last ileal loop. RESULTS: Surgical operation was carried out in emergency in seven patients: the eight (tumour of the pancreas and aortoduodenal erosion) died before operation. Enteric defect repair, aneurysmectomy and aortic grafting was performed in six cases. In the last case (hypogastric-ileal communication) ligation of the hypogastric artery and ileal segmental resection was performed. Thirty days operative mortality was 58%. CONCLUSION: Despite early recognition and operation, primary aorto-enteric communication remains a severe life threatening disease, bringing high mortality rates. These are clearly affected by shock condition, but a correct surgical technique and prolonged postoperative antibiotic medication to avoid graft infection are mandatory to minimize mortality.

Adult↗