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Biomedical subjects

S Milani

Publications and source records attributed to S Milani.

148 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship between rheumatoid factor and the immune response against hepatitis C virus in essential mixed cryoglobulinemia.

OBJECTIVE: The authors examine the relationship between the presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and anti-HCV antibodies, rheumatoid factor (RF) activity, the level of complement, and the cryocrit in the sera of patients affected by essential mixed cryoglobulinemia (EMC). In addition, the authors evaluate the circulating B-CD5 positive lymphocytes, believed to be RF producers in the blood of EMC patients. METHODS: Clinical and laboratory data on 219 cases of EMC were collected from five centers of the GISC (Italian Group for the Study of Cryoglobulinemias). Statistical analyses of these data were carried out with the aim of evidentiating significant relationships, in order to shed light on the mechanism of cryoprecipitation. RESULTS: The cryocrit was higher in anti-HCV negative and in HCV-RNA positive sera. The titers of RF activity were significantly higher in anti-HCV negative sera. A linear correlation between RF activity and the cryocrit was observed for HCV-RNA positive cases (r = 0.416), this correlation being highest in the patients who were HCV-RNA positive and anti-HCV negative (0.709). Type III EMC were more reactive than type II against the non-structural antigens of HCV, particularly 5-1-1 and C-22. There were more circulating B lymphocytes sharing membrane antigen CD5 in EMC than in the blood of normals or patients with HCV-related chronic hepatitis. Levels of circulating B-CD5 correlated with serum RF activity (r = 0.677), especially in sera from anti-C-100 negative patients (p = 0.991). CONCLUSION: The data strongly suggest that the level of the cryoprecipitate is a function of both the HCV-RNA in the serum and the RF activity. Antibody specificity against HCV probably influences the density of the cryoprecipitate.

Cryoglobulinemia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The combination of metoclopramide, methylprednisolone and ondansetron against antiblastic-delayed emesis: a randomised phase II study.

The aim of the study was to verify whether the combination of an antiserotoninergic, metoclopramide, and a steroid could improve the complete control (CC) of delayed emesis, a contraversial issue, 105 patients undergoing highly-emetogenic chemotherapy, receiving Ondansetron (O) 8 mg + Dexamethasone 20 mg i.v. for the prevention of acute emesis, were randomly treated p.o for three further days with a) Metoclopramide 10 mg x 3 b) the same as a) + Methylprednisolone 4 mg c) the same as b) + O 8 mg x 3. CC (acute+delayed emesis) over three cycles was: a) 0.b) 12.5%, c) 38.5% (p = 0.02). Days with nausea/vomiting: 59%, 51%, 29.7% of the total observed period, respectively (b vs c p = 0.0000). CC of acute emesis was similar in the first cycle (about 85%), remained unchanged in the following cycles (c) and decreased to 30% and 68% in the third cycle (a and b) (p = 0.01). The three drug combination significantly improved complete control of acute and delayed emesis over successive chemotherapy cycles.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Effectiveness of sequential administration of G-CSF and GM-CSF after antineoplastic chemotherapy in patients with advanced tumors: results of a randomized trial].

Recent in vitro data have shown that growth factors are more effective when used in combination. This synergy between cytokines, when translated in a clinical setting, should permit a reduction of dosage, and therefore of toxicity. We sought to determine whether the sequential administration of low doses of G-CSF followed by low doses of GM-CSF could be effective both in protecting from neutropenia, and in reducing side effects. A randomized single blind phase III study was carried out. Patients considered to be eligible for the study were designated to receive a minimum of 3 chemotherapy cycles for treatment of metastatic or locally advanced cancer. Patients were randomized to receive, from the 8th day to the 13th day of cycle, G-CSF, 2.5 micrograms/kg/day s.c., or G-CSF, 2.5 micrograms/kg/day s.c. for the first 3 days, followed by GM-CSF, 2.5 micrograms/kg/day s.c. for the last 3 days. The number of delays in relation to the number of cycles, the number of patients whose therapies were deferred, and the total number of days of delay in relation to the total number of days of observation were significantly different, with far fewer delays in the group treated with the G-GM sequence. Our study confirms that the sequential administration of G-CSF and GM-CSF is highly synergistic. This synergy allows clinicians to administer chemotherapy treatments to pre-treated and/or elderly patients, with minimal risk of toxicity and no need for delays or dosage reduction.

Adult↗