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Biomedical subjects

S Todesco

Publications and source records attributed to S Todesco.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Electrocardiogram in progressive systemic sclerosis. Analysis of 73 cases.

Electrocardiographic abnormalities were found in 53 out of 73 patients (72,6%) affected with progressive systemic sclerosis or scleroderma. Along with some modifications of little value, like heart rate increase or decrease, sporadic premature beats, slight ST depression or T-wave flattening, other more important abnormalities were recorded. One patient had atrial fibrillation and one supraventricular tachycardia. In 21 cases (28.8%) conduction disorders were found, including A-V block, right bundle branch block, left anterior hemiblock and bifascicular block. Low QRS voltages were present in 15 cases (20,6%), confined in all but one to the peripheral leads. In 13 patients (17,8%) Q or QS aspects suggesting myocardial necrosis were observed, but a clinical history or clinical picture of myocardial infarction syndrome was lacking in all cases but one. Electrocardiographic patterns of myocardial necrosis in scleroderma may indicate not only myocardial infarction, which seems to be a rather rare occurrence in such disease, but also intraventricular conduction system defects or progressive replacement of myocardium by fibrous tissue.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

[Tissue autoantibodies during therapy with levamisole for rheumatoid arthritis].

In 20 patients affected with rheumatoid arthritis, tissue autoantibodies were studied during a year of treatment with levamisole. Before therapy, antinuclear antibodies were present in 11 cases, anti-thyroid microsomes in 1 and anti-smooth muscle in 6. During therapy, autoantibodies remained almost unchanged in all patients, thus indicating that levamisole does not influence this aspect of humoral immunity in rheumatoid arthritis. Furthermore, no correlation was found between autoantibody pattern before treatment and effects of levamisole on clinical course of disease.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1982

Indoprofen in rheumatic patients with acute episodes: a multicentre trial.

The results are reported of an open multicentre trial in 228 rheumatic patients with flare-ups. Fourteen centres adopting the same investigational protocol collaborated in the study. Indoprofen was administered for 1 week at a daily dosage of 1000 mg according to a treatment schedule used with success in acute gouty arthritis: a 400 mg i.v. bolus was followed by 200 mg (1 tablet) t.i.d. Subjective (pain) and objective variables were used for reliable assessment of activity. Marked reduction of pain intensity was already noticeable on day 1 of treatment and was followed by progressive improvement in subjective and objective variables for all the diagnoses considered. According to the patients' own overall assessments, results were good or very good in more than 50% of cases. The best outcomes were obtained in low back pain, acute gout and psoriatic arthritis. At the end of treatment only 7.4% of patients experienced no change or deterioration of symptoms. Adverse reactions, consisting mostly of mild and reversible gastrointestinal disturbances, were reported by 9.2% of patients, but only in 1.8% was treatment discontinued. Indoprofen administered according to the above schedule is an appropriate treatment for acute episodes of rheumatic diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

[Effect of D-penicillamine on serum immunoglobulins in rheumatoid arthritis].

Immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM) have been measured by radial immunodiffusion method in 43 patients affected with rheumatoid arthritis and treated with d-penicillamine (Pen). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), serum alpha 2 and gamma globulins have alos been determined. Serum samples were collected before therapy and after 3 months (43 cases), 6 months (30 cases), 9 months (20 cases), and 12 months (15 cases, respectively). Pen was administered starting from 150 mg/day up to 600-750 mg/day. IgG did not show any significant change, whereas IgA significantly decreased only at 6 month and IgM at every follow-up. During therapy, a decrease in ESR was observed in all determinations, while alpha 2 and gamma globulins showed a reduction at 9 and 12 month follow-up. In rheumatoid arthritis Pen seems to reduce IgM and partially IgA, along with some inflammatory indices. Thus, an inhibitory effect of Pen on immunological reactions is suggested, although a direct breakdown activity on immunoglobulins cannot be excluded.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Functional renal involvement in normotensive patients with progressive systemic sclerosis: impaired sodium excretion during isotonic saline infusion.

An intravenous infusion of 2,000 ml isotonic saline was performed in 8 normotensive, normoreninemic patients with progressive systemic sclerosis. None of them had clinical evidence of renal disease. Total and proximal fractional excretion of sodium was reduced when compared with that of 8 normal subjects. No correlation was found with para-aminohippurate (PAH) clearance values. Two years after this study was done, 4 patients developed arterial hypertension; interestingly, plasma renin activity remained within the normal range. Reduced sodium excretion is suggested as having a pathogenetic role in the hypertension of progressive systemic sclerosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

[Early effect of levamisole on plasma immunoglobulins in rheumatoid arthritis].

In 8 patients affected with rheumatoid arthritis the effects of levamisole administration (150 mg/day once a week) on plasma immunoglobulins were studied. The concentration of IgG, IgA and IgM was measured before and after 15,30,60 and 90 days of treatment. We observed a significant increase of IgG after 30, 60 and 90 days, of IgA after 30 and 90 days, and of IgM after 15 and 30 dyas. Such response is in contrast with previously reported decreased of immunoglobulins most frequently observed after 6 months of drug administration. Therefore, it seems that levamisole at the beginning of its activity on immunocompetent cells enhances rather than decreases the antibody production.

Antibody Formation↗
PubMed1979

[Degradation products of fibrinogen in synovial fluid].

The fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products were measured in 24 synovial fluids sampled from patients with knee joint effusion. It has been observed that they are increased in synovial fluid involved in inflammatory processes. Their presence and concentration seem to be related to the control of local inflammation.

Arthritis↗
PubMed1979

Cardiac involvement in progressive systemic sclerosis.

The case of a patient with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) who developed electro- and vectorcardiographic patterns of myocardial necrosis without clinical picture of myocardial infarction is reported. The coronarography showed no obstruction of coronary arteries and cineventriculography a hypodynamic enlarged left ventricle. The analysis of electrocardiograms from 43 other patients affected with PSS revealed myocardial necrosis in 5 of them. The clinical syndrome of myocardial infarction was absent in all these cases. Moreover, the hemodynamic investigation in 13 cases allowed to record a dip-plateau figure on the right ventricle pressure curve in 3 of them. In PSS, the electrocardiographic aspects of "necrosis" as well as hemodynamic restrictive findings or ventricular enlargement at ventriculography could indicate myocardial disease.

Adult↗