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Biomedical subjects

R Testa

Publications and source records attributed to R Testa.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

A non-absorbable rifamycin for treatment of hepatic encephalopathy.

Ammonia (NH3) plays a role in hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Agents affecting colonic ammonia production, such as non-absorbable antibiotics, decrease plasma levels of NH3 and findings of HE. The short-term efficacy of a non-absorbable rifamycin, rifaximin, was studied in comparison with paramomycin in 20 cirrhotic patients with high levels of NH3 and impaired number connection test (NCT). Both antibiotics significantly decreased ammonia-producing colonic bacteria. Rifaximin proved to be active on both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and is thus effective, even at the dosage used, in the treatment of HE.

Absorption↗
PubMed1984

Effects of denzimol on benzodiazepine receptors in the CNS: relationship between the enhancement of diazepam activity and benzodiazepine binding sites induced by denzimol in the rat.

Denzimol, a new anticonvulsant drug with a pharmacological profile similar to that of phenytoin, enhances the ataxic and antimetrazol activity of diazepam in rats without affecting its activity against picrotoxin-induced seizures. In vivo and ex vivo denzimol enhances the binding of 3H-flunitrazepam in cortex and in hippocampus but not in cerebellum. The possibility of this increase in the number of benzodiazepine binding sites contributing in some way to enhancement of the depressive and anticonvulsant activity of diazepam is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Unreliability of conventional visual electrocardiographic monitoring for detection of transient ST segment changes in a coronary care unit.

Visual monitoring at the central station of coronary care units (CCUs) may not adequately assess the presence and frequency of transient asymptomatic ST segment changes in patients with unstable angina. We have performed continuous 24-h electrocardiographic recordings over a total period of 50 days in 10 patients admitted to our CCU with frequent attacks of angina at rest. Over the corresponding period, at the central monitoring station (6 beds), the nursing-staff detected only 31 transient ischaemic episodes (27 with ST elevation, 4 with depression, 9 of which were asymptomatic). By contrast the retrospective analogue analysis of tapes identified 213 ischaemic episodes: 143 with ST elevation (greater than or equal to 0.2 mV) and 70 with ST depression (greater than or equal to 0.2 mV); usual CCU monitoring failed to report changes during 13 episodes (8 with ST elevation, 5 with depression) accompanied by anginal pain. When the tapes were played back in real time on a CCU monitoring scope, a cardiologist (who had the option of interrupting the play-back whenever tired) recognized 48% of the episodes when presented in groups of 4 and randomly positioned on the screen together with 2 other electrocardiographic tracings not related to the study; he recognized 92% of the episodes when only one ECG was presented on the screen. Thus conventional visual monitoring in a CCU considerably underestimates the incidence of transient ischaemic ST segment changes, some of which were accompanied by pain. This low rate of detection is the result of the presentation on the central monitoring station of several ECGs and of fatigue.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

[Isosorbide dinitrate ointment in the long-term treatment of intermittent claudication].

We evaluated the long-term therapy with Isosorbide Dinitrate Ointment (ISDN-O): 300 mg daily on the painful leg area in 20 male patients (pts) affected by Intermittent Claudication. The efficacy of the treatment was assessed on the basis of the subjective evaluation of pain threshold (daily diary) and objectively by repeated treadmill stress tests performed by each patient at a constant speed, selected according to the severity of symptoms, and by the evaluation of changes both of the distance walked without symptoms (DWS) and of the maximal distance reached (MDR). The maximal duration of the test was 15 minutes independently from the speed. The reproducibility of treadmill tests and the acute effect of isosorbide dinitrate ointment administration were preliminarly evaluated in 2 groups of 5 patients each. The distance walked without symptoms and maximal distance reached in two control stress tests performed in two successive days were: distance walked without symptoms 37 +/- 29 vs 36 +/- 22 m (NS) and maximal distance reached 97 +/- 40 vs 98 +/- 37 m (NS). During the control period and 1 hour after the drug administration distance walked without symptoms was 34 +/- 31 vs 43 +/- 50 m (NS) and maximal distance reached 89 +/- 53 vs 97 +/- 57, (NS) respectively. In a group of 5 patients the effect of one month administration of placebo was evaluated: distance walked without symptoms was m 68 +/- 29 and m 104 +/- 62 and maximal distance reached was m 156 +/- 103 and m 188 +/- 97 basally and after 1 month of placebo (NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Unusual combination of genetic defects in a Sicilian family: beta-thalassaemia, haemoglobin Lepore Boston-Washington and heterocellular hereditary persistence of fetal haemoglobin.

This paper reports a Sicilian family in which beta-thalassaemia, haemoglobin Lepore Boston-Washington and heterotocellular hereditary persistence of fetal haemoglobin (HPFH) were present in various combinations. The most interesting combination was that of Hb Lepore and heterocellular HPFH, which has not been previously reported. This subject was clinically normal, with the haematological picture of Hb Lepore trait and an unusually high level of HbF due to an increased number of circulating F cells.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Denzimol, a new anticonvulsant drug. I. General anticonvulsant profile.

The anticonvulsant profile of N-[beta-[4-(beta-phenylethyl)phenyl]-beta-hydroxyethyl]imidazole hydrochloride (denzimol, Rec 15-1533) has been evaluated in mice, rats and rabbits in comparison with some standard antiepileptic drugs. Denzimol suppressed electrically and chemically induced tonic seizures but did not prevent the clonic ones. In mice and rabbits the anticonvulsant activity of denzimol against maximal electroshock seizures was almost equal to that of phenytoin and phenobarbital with more rapid onset of action, whereas in rats the compound resulted in being the most potent and the less toxic one showing a longer duration of anticonvulsant activity than phenytoin. In the maximal pentetrazol seizures test in rats denzimol showed a profile similar to that of phenytoin and carbamazepine, but different from that of barbiturates and benzodiazepines so that it is suggested that its clinical application would be that of "grand mal" and psychomotor type seizures therapy.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Denzimol, a new anticonvulsant drug. II. General pharmacological activities.

The paper reports on the pharmacological properties of N-[beta-[4-(beta-phenylethyl)phenyl]-beta-hydroxyethyl]imidazole hydrochloride (denzimol, Rec 15-1533), a compound endowed with anticonvulsant properties, and its possible side effects. Effects on the CNS, effects on vigilance and general motility are similar to those of phenytoin and occur at doses much above anticonvulsant levels. The drug has good in vitro antihistamine, anticholinergic and anti-5-HT activity which accounts for the effects on the gastrointestinal system e.g. inhibition of gastric secretion and motility and anti-ulcer properties. There was no significant effect on the cardiovascular system or respiration, except an interesting antiarrhythmic activity.

Analgesics↗
PubMed1983

Denzimol, a new anticonvulsant drug. III. Toxicological evaluation.

The toxicological characteristics of N-[beta-[4-(beta-phenylethyl)phenyl]- beta-hydroxyethyl]imidazole hydrochloride (denzimol, Rec 15-1533) a drug with a very good anti-convulsant activity in pharmacological studies carried out in different animal species, were evaluated in acute and chronic toxicity studies. The following overall results were obtained: the acute oral toxicity in mice and rats is of low order; in the chronic oral studies denzimol was generally well tolerated when given to rats for 13 and 26 weeks and to dogs for 52 weeks at different dosage levels. In particular, there was no evidence of remarkable neurological effects or lesions in any of these studies. The results of the studies in rats showed the major target organs for the toxicity of denzimol to be the liver and kidney, where mild, reversible changes were observed; instead in dogs no pathological effect was seen, at any of the dosages used (10, 30, 100 mg/kg p.o. per one year).

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1982

[Comparative evaluation of the effects of a peritoneo-venous shunt and of concentration-reinfusion on the survival of cirrhotic subjects with "intractable" ascites].

Two homogeneous groups of patients with ascites intractable to a traditional medical therapy and to a first concentration and reinfusion (C/R) have been studied. The first group underwent others C/R, the latter one a peritoneo-venous shunt. The survival and the quality of life of the two groups of patients have been compared. Also a correlation between the basal clinical conditions and the mortality has been tested. In both groups the survival was similar, but the patients who underwent a peritoneo-venous shunt had a better quality of life. The deaths, but for a correlation with iperbilirubinemia, were related with the logic evolution of cirrhosis. The authors conclude with some critical considerations about the treatments evaluated.

Ascites↗
PubMed1982

Vasospastic ischemic mechanism of frequent asymptomatic transient ST-T changes during continuous electrocardiographic monitoring in selected unstable angina patients.

Asymptomatic episodes of ST segment and/or T wave changes are often reported during Holter monitoring in patients with angina pectoris. However, the interpretation of such changes is debated relative to silent myocardial ischemia. We studied 11 patients admitted to the CCU because of frequent episodes of unstable anginal attacks who had undergone repeated periods of Holter monitoring, characterized by predominantly occurring asymptomatic episodes of ST segment and/or T wave changes associated with less frequent typical anginal attacks. In a total of 89 days of Holter monitoring, the patients evidenced 520 episodes of transient ECG changes including 180 of ST elevation, 73 of ST depression, and 267 of T wave alterations. Only 12% of episodes were symptomatic. Coronary injection during asymptomatic ST-T changes was performed in eight patients. In six it was possible to document spontaneous coronary spasm. In seven patients ergonovine administration induced anginal pain, ST-T changes, and coronary spasm. In all patients the anginal attacks completely disappeared with medical treatment and the asymptomatic episodes were abolished in six and reduced in four. Our findings support the hypothesis that in certain selected unstable anginal patients, transient asymptomatic ECG changes are caused by acute myocardial ischemia.

Angina Pectoris↗
PubMed1982

Comparison between laparoscopy, ultrasonography, and computed tomography in widespread and localized liver diseases.

The diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography (US) in various liver disease in comparison with laparoscopy is evaluated. The diagnostic reliability of CT and US is higher in localized than in widespread hepatic disorders. US is more valuable than CT in the diagnosis of diffuse hepatic lesions. The diagnostic accuracy is similar in localized lesions of neoplastic type. Laparoscopy is the most reliable tool in the diagnosis of widespread liver disease with the exception of fully developed cirrhosis or severe steatosis. In focal neoplastic disease CT and US can be dependably employed when the histological type of the cancer is not required.

Adult↗