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S Serafini

Publications and source records attributed to S Serafini.

43 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

The polymorphism of multi-drug resistance 1 gene (MDR1) does not influence the pharmacokinetics of dexamethasone loaded into autologous erythrocytes of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: We have recently demonstrated that low doses of Dexamethasone 21-P (Dex 21-P), loaded in autologous erythrocytes and administered at monthly intervals, have been able to maintain steroid-dependent patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) in clinical remission with a progressive and complete tapering of systemic steroids. AIM: Since multi-drug resistance 1 gene (MDR1) has a potential influence on Dexamethasone (Dex) bioavailability, we designed this study to investigate the correlation between MDR1 genotype and Dex pharmacokinetic after its delivery in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen steroid-dependent consecutive patients with IBD (10 UC mean age 36 +/- 12, and 7 Crohn's disease mean age 31 +/- 5) were consecutively recruited. The C3435T polymorphism of MDR1 gene was studied by Denaturing High Performance Liquid Chromatography (DHPLC). Serum level of Dex were determined at the end of the infusion and after 15 days by high performance liquid chromatography electrospray mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The mean dose of Dex 21-P administered was 9.9 mg +/- 4 (range 2.7-20.3), while the mean levels of Dex at the end of the infusion and after 15 days were 0.66 +/- 0.23 mM and 0.06 +/- 0.06 mM, respectively. Concerning the C3435T genotype, two patients were wild-type, eleven heterozygotes, and four homozygotes. No correlation between basal or 15-days plasma level of Dex and MDR1 genotype was found (r = 0.19 and r = 0.21, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrated that Dex plasma level, after infusion of autologous erythrocytes loaded with Dex 21-P are completely independent by the MDR 1 gene polymorphism. This could be another potential advantage of this modality of drug delivering.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Aberrant pancreas: description of a clinical case and review of the literature].

Aberrant pancreas is a rare finding pathology. Authors reviewed this problem after their personal observation of a specific case, pointing out the behaviour of the disease, particularly the difficult for a careful preoperative diagnosis. They also point out the necessity to make a diagnosis of "suspect" in presence of a symptomatology with the referred characters and when there aren't instrumental findings for evident pathologies.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cerebral N-acetylaspartate is low in patients with multiple sclerosis and abnormal visual evoked potentials.

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to compare cerebral proton MR metabolite changes in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and abnormal visual evoked potentials (VEPs) with those in MS patients with normal VEPs. METHODS: Seventeen subjects with clinically definite MS were studied with VEPs and MR spectroscopic imaging. Proton MR metabolites were measured using a fast spectroscopic imaging technique called proton echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (PEPSI). Kurtzke's Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score was also ascertained for each subject to obtain a clinical rating. Twelve regions of interest within the visual pathway of the cerebrum were evaluated for levels of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline, creatine, and the presence or absence of MR-detectable lesions. RESULTS: PEPSI NAA values (water-normalized, CSF-corrected) were significantly lower in MS subjects with abnormal VEPs than in subjects with normal VEPs. MR-detectable lesion fractions and EDSS scores were also significantly different between the two VEP groups, but NAA comparison had a P value 100 times less than either of these measures. CONCLUSION: In patients with MS, NAA measurements in the optic pathways of the brain were sensitive to VEP abnormalities. NAA was more sensitive to VEP changes than were choline, creatine, MR-detectable lesions, and EDSS score.

Adult↗