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Biomedical subjects

A Colangelo

Publications and source records attributed to A Colangelo.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Delayed non-infectious lung disease in allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE WORK: The studies on late-onset non-infectious respiratory complications after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT) have been mainly focused on bronchiolitis obliterans to date. The aim of this work was to analyze the incidence, clinico-pathologic characteristics and outcome of the entire spectrum of entities falling into the group of delayed non-infectious lung disease (DLD). METHODS: Retrospective chart review was carried out of 112 patients who underwent allo-BMT for hematologic malignancies between April 1995 and November 1998 at a single Institution. The categorization of the pulmonary disease was made by analyzing clinical data, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and histology when possible. RESULTS: DLD occurred in 10 (10%) out of 97 recipients who survived at least 100 days following allo-BMT and was defined as bronchiolitis obliterans (BO; 4 cases), acute lung injury (ALI; 1 case) and subacute cellular interstitial pneumonia (SCIP; 5 cases). The BAL-profile was characterized by a marked increase of the neutrophil percentage in BO cases and of the lymphocyte (predominantly CD8+) percentage in parenchymal DLDs (SCIP, ALI). HRCT proved to be helpful to correctly identify BO cases, whereas histology was always needed to better define DLD presenting with an interstitial and/or alveolar pattern. The predominant airway involvement as well as the acute-onset of a respiratory illness with histological evidence of diffuse alveolar damage were associated with a worse prognosis because of a poor response to the immunosuppressive treatment. CONCLUSIONS: DLDs represent a group of entities heterogeneous in regard to variables such as onset and clinical behaviour (acute, subacute or chronic), predominant pattern of lung involvement (airway or parenchymal), response to treatment. Although immunopathologic mechanisms related to c-GVHD probably have a relevant pathogenic importance in this setting, the possible role of associated events (eg, drug toxicity and infections) at least in priming the lung damage need to be better clarified for its therapeutical implications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Glucocorticoids differentially increase nerve growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor expression in the rat brain.

Adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) and adrenal steroids may influence trophic processes operative in neuronal plasticity. Because nerve growth factor (NGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) participate in neuronal trophism, we have investigated whether adrenal steroids induce the expression of these two trophic factors in the rat brain. The systemic administration of dexamethasone (DEX) elicited a rapid (within 3 hr) and sustained accumulation of bFGF and NGF mRNA in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Regional studies showed that DEX increases bFGF but not NGF mRNA in the cerebellum, striatum, and hypothalamus. In situ hybridization studies revealed that DEX increases NGF mRNA in superficial layers of the cerebral cortex and in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, and bFGF mRNA throughout the brain, suggesting that DEX induces NGF mRNA in neurons and bFGF in glial cells. ACTH administered systemically elicited a temporal and regional induction in NGF and bFGF mRNA similar to that obtained with DEX. Increases in NGF and bFGF mRNAs were also observed after administration of corticosterone and, albeit to a lesser extent, aldosterone, suggesting that the pituitary-adrenocortical axis plays an important role in the regulation of NGF and bFGF expression in the brain. Our data suggest that NGF and bFGF represent a link by which the adrenal cortical system can exert trophic action on the CNS.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1985

Implementation and cost analysis of a syringe pump system for intermittent i.v. drug delivery.

Implementation of a syringe pump system for delivery of intermittent i.v. drug doses in a 452-bed teaching hospital is described; the system was evaluated for cost effectiveness one year after implementation. Drugs to be administered by syringe pump were diluted to concentrations recommended for i.v. push administration and then administered over 22-30 minutes. For batch preparation of more than 100 syringe doses, an automated dispensing pump was used. Before the syringe pump system was implemented hospitalwide, costs were predicted on the basis of data from the pharmacy's computerized i.v. administration records. In the first year after hospitalwide implementation of the system, 4687 patients received 113,898 doses of intermittent i.v. medications by syringe pump; this represented approximately 73% of all intermittent i.v. doses. The remaining doses were dispensed in minibags, and no substantial problems resulted from concurrent use of both systems. Based on current contract prices, use of the syringe pump system resulted in savings of more than +79,000 during the first year. Implementation of a syringe pump system for administration of most intermittent i.v. medications resulted in substantial cost savings.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗