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Biomedical subjects

R Scorza

Publications and source records attributed to R Scorza.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Central nervous system involvement in HCV-related mixed cryoglobulinemia.

An involvement of the peripheral nervous system is frequent in patients with HCV-related mixed cryoglobulinemia (HCV-MC), whereas central nervous system (CNS) impairment has been rarely reported. To investigate the possible CNS involvement in MC, we evaluated 18 patients by neurophysiological, neuroradiological and neuropsychological methods. Three patients (16.7%) had clinically evident neurological central signs, ten (55.5%) complained of mild symptoms, possibly indicative of CNS impairment, and five (27.8%) did not have any CNS symptom. Evoked potentials (EPs) were abnormal in 83% of the cases (SSEPs in 72%, VEPs in 44%, MEPs in 39% and BAERs in 22%). Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed abnormal findings in 83% (small T2-weighted hyperintense lesions in 72%, focal or diffuse atrophy in 50%). Cognitive impairment was detected in 22% of the patients. A mild or subclinical CNS involvement is frequent in MC patients. Neuropsychological, neurophysiological and neuroradiological examination are useful to detect CNS involvement also in asymptomatic subjects.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Surgical treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms. Personal experience.

A series of 262 observed cases of aneurysm of the thoracic aorta is examined in which 216 cases of surgical correction were performed between 1974 and 1987. Dissecting aneurysms and post-traumatic pseudoaneurysms, although of different aetiology and morbid anatomy, are also included since the surgical technique adopted is similar in all groups. Clinically different aspects of acute and chronic lesions are analyzed. Of all preoperative examinations, angiography is preferred as it gives the most precise definition of the aortic lesion. This is especially necessary in the case of acute dissection or rupture of thoracic aorta although the role of CAT scan is becoming progressively more important. In cases of aortic dissection with massive aortic valve insufficiency, the substitution of the ascending aorta and aortic valve with reimplantation of coronary arteries, in accordance with Bentall's technique is also indicated. The improvement in surgical results is emphasized, since surgical mortality has decreased from 30.6% to 22% in the last eight years. This is due to improvement in surgical technique, to extra corporeal circulation and myocardial protection.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pathological patterns and surgical treatment of renal artery stenosis in renovascular hypertension.

Atherosclerosis and dysplasia are the most common lesions affecting the renal artery, causing stenosis and renovascular hypertension. Surgical revascularization of the ischemic kidney in properly selected patients has proved to be the treatment of choice. The different pathological characters of dysplastic lesions are examined and compared with the ones of atherosclerotic disease, in surgically treated patients. Correlations between angiographic and histological aspects are also considered. The recognition of these different pathological patterns is important for the selection of the most suitable surgical procedures. The results of a personal technique of arterial reconstruction and angioplasty are reported.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Aneurysms of the renal artery.

The detection of renal artery aneurysms has greatly increased in the last years with the use of angiographic procedures and nowadays thanks to digital subtraction angiography routinely adopted in the diagnostic evaluation of patients affected by lesions at the renal artery level. This study reports the data of 31 renal artery aneurysms observed in 30 patients admitted to our Institute from 1970 to 1986. All the aneurysms were demonstrated by means of selective renal angiographies. Twenty-two patients out of 30 presented hypertension. In order to establish the possible role of the aneurysm in the genesis of hypertension, in all these cases the PRA was determined. In 27 patients a surgical procedure was adopted. This paper reviews our series of patients, analyzing the diagnostic procedures, the symptomatology presented with particular regard to the presence and the type of the associated hypertensive condition, the adopted therapeutic procedures and the results.

Aneurysm↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Nineteen year experience on the treatment of aneurysms of the abdominal aorta: a survey of 832 consecutive cases.

832 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm were admitted to our Hospital, at the University of Milan, from 1965 to 1983. 238 patients were operated on as an emergency for rupture of the aneurysm while 541 underwent elective surgery. The overall postoperative mortality was 7% for the patients operated on electively and 54.3% for the ruptured aneurysm operated on as an emergency.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Behavior of the "double erythrocyte sedimentation rate" in neoplastic pathology].

Special aspects of a particular ESR reading have been evaluated in a series of 273 patients admitted ver a number of years to the Departments of Surgical Anatomy and Operations Course and, thereafter, Surgical Symptomatology of the University of Milan (Head: Prof. Ugo Ruberti). The inhibitory phase of sedimentation observable in vitro is particularly and typically scanty in patients with malignant tumours. The negative results are also analysed critically, with mention of particular factors (metastasis, arteriopathies, etc.) of use in diagnosis and prognosis. In the light of present-day knowledge it is therefore considered that this "double" ESR reading points, with sufficient specificity, to an ongoing tumoral process.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Intraoperative antibiotic perfusion. Control parameters].

The results of a randomized study conducted over a group of 30 patients for reconstructive vascular surgery with implantation of a prosthetic arterial graft are presented. Fifteen patient underwent a short term prophylaxis with a single intravenous dose of tobramycin and lincomycin. A group of 15 other patients (control group) didn't undergo any antibiotical treatments. Resulting data from this study appear to confirm the utility of this administration form and its validity against postoperative surgical infections.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Takayasu's arteritis in Italian patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical features, angiographic findings and evolution of Takayasu's arteritis in Italian patients. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the case records of 27 Italian patients with Takayasu's arteritis, all meeting the 1990 ACR criteria for classification of this vasculitis, with a median disease duration of 9.5 years. RESULTS: The patterns of arterial involvement and the frequencies of systemic and specific symptoms were similar, with some exceptions, to those reported in the literature. In our patients weight loss was rare, the incidence of respiratory symptoms and seizures was low, and no clinical manifestations of intestinal involvement were reported. All of the patients were treated with antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications, and 14 were also treated with corticosteroids and immunosuppressants; a stabilization of the vascular involvement was seen in most of them. Thirteen patients underwent surgery, and 5 had percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasties. Five pregnancies were observed, without complications. Two patients died, one after an angiographic evaluation and one for reasons unrelated to the disease. CONCLUSIONS: Takayasu's arteritis is heterogeneous in presentation, evolution and response to therapy. In our series of patients the disease seems to have showed a more favorable course than that previously reported. This can be attributed to the effectiveness of therapy, but also, at least partially, to the better prognosis that the disease seems to have for Western than for Eastern subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Secretion of cytokines upon allogeneic stimulation: effect of aging.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro mitotic response and cytokine production after allogeneic stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy elderly subjects. Interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-2 (IL-2), gamma-Interferon (gamma-IFN), and Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were detected in the supernatants of mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC). The in vitro proliferative response was significantly reduced in the elderly subjects. The amount of IL-2 detected in the supernatant from cultures of cells from elderly donors was higher than for young controls, as were the production of cytokines predominantly secreted by the macrophage population (IL-1 and TNF-alpha). There was no difference in the production of gamma-IFN by cells of elderly and young subjects.

Adult↗