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Biomedical subjects

A Colli

Publications and source records attributed to A Colli.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

[Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in normal adolescents].

PURPOSE: To evaluate technical aspects of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in normal adolescents. METHODS: Forty five normal adolescents (27 female), 10-18 years old. RESULTS: ABPM recordings showed a mean of 90% successful readings; 30% of the patients complained of sleep disruption related to the functioning of the ABPM monitor; the mean systolic, diastolic and heart rate fall during sleep was 13%, 23% and 24% respectively; the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure load, while awake, was in male adolescents 25.4 +/- 27.7% and 11.8 +/- 14.6%, and in female adolescents, 17.5 +/- 18.7% and 11.8 +/- 11.4%, respectively; the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure load, while asleep, was in male adolescents 15.4 +/- 22.9% and 2.8 +/- 4.9% and, in female adolescents, 10.5 +/- 18.2% and 1.8 +/- 2.7%, respectively; the mean diastolic values of the first two hours of recording were higher than the ones obtained during the rest of the hours of recording while awake; different mean systolic, diastolic and heart rate values were found during the afternoon and nocturnal sleep periods. CONCLUSION: ABPM was well accepted by the adolescent population, with good technical results.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Assessment of health risks due to hazardous air pollutant emissions from electric utilities.

Hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions from electric utilities were evaluated. Cancer risks, as well as noncancer effects, due to inhalation exposure were assessed for 67 HAPs. Also, cancer risks due to multipathway exposure to radionuclide emissions were assessed. In addition, an assessment of the fate of mercury (Hg) through various environmental media was included. Results suggest arsenic, chromium, and nickel are the HAPs that present the highest cancer risk due to inhalation exposure. For noncancer effects due to inhalation exposure, hydrogen chloride appears to present the greatest potential concern. The risks due to multipathway exposure to radionuclides are estimated to be of similar magnitude to the risks posed by inhalation of arsenic and nickel. Mercury is of potential concern for multipathway exposures because it persists in the environmental and bioaccumulates in the aquatic food web. The study suggests there is a plausible link between Hg emissions from utilities and the Hg found in soil, water, and freshwater fish.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1994

Abnormalities of Doppler waveform of the hepatic veins in patients with chronic liver disease: correlation with histologic findings.

OBJECTIVE: Changes in the Doppler waveform of the hepatic veins are associated with chronic liver disease, particularly cirrhosis. We correlated abnormalities in Doppler waveforms of hepatic veins with histologic findings in the liver to determine the accuracy of Doppler imaging in the detection of cirrhosis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fifty-two patients with chronic hepatitis C were examined prospectively and blindly by two sonographers. In the same session, a liver biopsy specimen was obtained from each patient and submitted to three independent pathologists for conventional interpretation and for grading of severity according to a predetermined scoring system. Duplex sonography of the hepatic veins was also performed in 50 control subjects. RESULTS: Abnormal hepatic vein waveforms were detected in 12 of 16 patients with cirrhosis and in eight of 36 patients without cirrhosis. However, histologic examination of the biopsy specimens showed that only two of the eight patients without cirrhosis had no significant abnormalities, other than mild portal inflammation. Abnormal waveforms were seen in no control subjects. We found a correlation between fibrosis and steatosis and abnormalities in the Doppler waveform of the hepatic veins (r = .50, p < .001). Portal inflammation, intralobular degeneration, and necrosis did not correlate with an abnormal waveform. CONCLUSION: Duplex sonography of the hepatic veins may be useful for studying liver disease associated with fibrosis and steatosis. In patients with well-compensated liver disease, flattening of the Doppler waveform of the hepatic vein suggests the presence of cirrhosis.

Female↗
PubMed1993

Ascitic fluid analysis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Ascites in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a poorly characterized subgroup of malignancy-related ascites. Not only the underlying liver disease, but also the tumor growth and spread contributes to the ascites formation. The authors differentiated ascites in HCC from other types of ascites. METHODS: The authors analyzed the ascitic fluid of 185 consecutive patients (89 liver cirrhosis, 33 HCC, 31 peritoneal carcinomatosis, 22 liver metastases, 10 spontaneous bacterial peritonitis). RESULTS: Each subgroup showed a typical pattern. Compared with the cirrhotic patients, those with HCC showed a higher frequency of positive cytologic findings (4 of 33 versus 0/89, P < 0.004), elevated fibronectin concentration (10/33 versus 8/89, P < 0.004), and elevated polymorphonuclear cell count (10/33 versus 5/89 P < 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of patients with ascites and HCC patients showed signs of peritoneal infiltration with positive cytologic findings and increased concentration of fibronectin. Moreover, neutrocytic ascites without signs of superinfection is relatively common (30%).

Albumins↗
PubMed1993

Abnormal renovascular impedance in patients with hepatic cirrhosis: detection with duplex US.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether duplex ultrasound (US) can allow detection of early impairment of renal function in patients with hepatic cirrhosis. The authors calculated the pulsatility index (PI) and resistive index (RI) by using duplex US in 17 patients with cirrhosis and ascites but with normal renal function (group A), in 16 patients with cirrhosis but no ascites (group B), in 20 with chronic hepatitis (group C), in six with peritoneal carcinomatosis (group D), and in 16 healthy control subjects (group E). All patients had normal renal function on the basis of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine values. PI and RI were higher (P < .001) in group A patients than in others. Cirrhotic patients with ascites had renal vasoconstriction even in the absence of clinically apparent renal impairment and full-blown hepatorenal syndrome. Impaired renal perfusion plays a key role in sodium and fluid accumulation in patients with liver disease. On the basis of these results, duplex US is useful in pathophysiologic and clinical studies in such patients.

Ascites↗
PubMed1990

The COMPLY computer program for demonstrating compliance with national radionuclide air emission standards.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed national radionuclide air emission standards for a number of source categories. One of these standards applies to Nuclear Regulatory Commission Licensees and non-Department of Energy facilities having the potential to release radionuclides to the atmosphere. Approximately 6000 facilities are subject to the standard, which limits the effective whole-body dose commitment to the maximally exposed individual from radionuclide releases to the atmosphere. A computer program to assist the regulated community in determining compliance has been developed by the EPA's Office of Radiation Programs. The computer program COMPLY calculates the dose to an individual residing outside the facility. The program considers dose from inhalation, ingestion of contaminated food, air immersion, and ground deposition. It is based on models developed by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP). Compliance procedures provided in COMPLY are designed to reduce the burden on the regulated community. The approach begins with simple-to-use methods that are very conservative in determining compliance. The methods become progressively less conservative but more complicated at succeeding levels. Each higher level requires the input of site-specific information, but allows a more realistic estimate of dose. This paper describes the COMPLY program, and provides estimates of the work required and the degree of conservatism in the dose computed at each level.

Air Pollution, Radioactive↗
PubMed1989

Diagnostic accuracy of sialic acid in the diagnosis of malignant ascites.

The authors evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of sialic acid and its lipid-bound fraction in ascites and compared these tests with others (fibronectin, cholesterol) recently claimed as valuable in the differential diagnosis of ascites. Fibronectin yielded the best diagnostic accuracy (85%) with no false-positive and 37% of false-negative (10/27). The authors also found higher concentration of sialic acid in malignant ascites than in nonmalignant ascites (P less than 0.001) and, taking 300 mg/l as the cutoff value, the false-positive rate was 10% (four of 40), the false-negative rate 30% (eight of 27), and the overall diagnostic accuracy 82%, comparable to that of the fibronectin. The authors conclude that both fibronectin and sialic acid determinations in ascites may be regarded as accurate markers of neoplastic involvement of the peritoneum, although no test is useful in the ascites with hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis of the liver.

Ascites↗
PubMed1988

Disposition of a flow-limited drug (lidocaine) and a metabolic capacity-limited drug (theophylline) in liver cirrhosis.

The plasma clearance after oral administration of a completely absorbed drug that is metabolized by the liver depends on its intrinsic clearance. In cirrhosis the bioavailability of a flow-dependent drug increases because of both portosystemic shunting and hepatocyte dysfunction. A drug with a high extraction ratio, lidocaine, and a drug with a low extraction ratio, theophylline, were administered to 27 patients with cirrhosis and 16 control subjects. We found a significant impairment of both theophylline clearance (p less than 0.001) and lidocaine clearance (p less than 0.001) and an increase in the lidocaine peak concentration (p less than 0.001). The three parameters were significantly correlated with each other. The impairment of theophylline metabolism did not correlate with other indexes of disease severity, whereas lidocaine clearance was lower and lidocaine peak level higher in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and evidence of portal hypertension. Thus impairment in lidocaine disposition, which reflects both hepatocyte dysfunction and portosystemic shunting, correlated closer with the severity of liver disease than did theophylline metabolism.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Ticlopidine-theophylline interaction.

Ticlopidine, a new antithrombotic agent, and theophylline, a widely used bronchodilator drug, are both almost completely metabolized in the liver. To evaluate an interaction between these two drugs, we studied theophylline pharmacokinetics before, after 10 days of ticlopidine administration, and 1 month later in 10 healthy volunteers. We found a highly significant increase in the theophylline elimination half-life (P less than 0.001) and a comparable reduction in its total plasma clearance (P less than 0.001) after ticlopidine treatment. Pharmacokinetic parameters returned to initial values within 30 days after ticlopidine withdrawal. Moreover, no changes in theophylline pharmacokinetic parameters were observed 3 months later, before and after 10 days of placebo administration. Our results seem to exclude direct liver toxicity and may suggest a reversible inhibition of the liver metabolic capacity of theophylline.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Diagnostic accuracy of fibronectin in the differential diagnosis of ascites.

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of fibronectin levels in ascites to differentiate malignant from non-malignant ascites, the authors studied 30 patients with sterile uncomplicated ascites in chronic liver disease, 18 patients with malignant ascites and four patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Fibronectin concentration was significantly higher in malignant ascites than in sterile ascites (P less than 0.001). High values (greater than 85 mg/l) were found in four of six cases of hepatocellular carcinoma in liver cirrhosis with negative cytologic examination, and in six of seven peritoneal carcinomatoses. Low values (less than 85 mg/l) were found in four patients with liver metastases and in one patient with intrahepatic biliary duct carcinoma in cirrhosis. In four patients with infected ascites, the fibronectin level was low. Among all other parameters (total protein concentration, lactate dehydrogenase, gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, pH, amylase, triglycerides, leukocyte count, and cytologic examination), fibronectin yielded the best degree of discrimination (diagnostic accuracy, 79%).

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Aneurysmal dilatation of left atrial appendage diagnosed by cross sectional echocardiography and surgically removed.

An isolated aneurysmal dilatation of the left atrial appendage was found in an 18 year old girl who presented with atrial fibrillation and an unusual cardiac shadow on routine chest radiographs. The diagnosis was made by cross sectional echocardiography. The giant appendage was excised to remove the risk of systemic embolism and the need for life long anticoagulation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Value of two-dimensional echocardiography in the diagnosis of pericardial cysts.

Four adult patients with pericardial cysts were studied by two-dimensional echocardiography. In all cases echocardiography demonstrated a round echo-free structure, of varying size, related to one of the cardiac chambers, from which it was separated by a definite wall of echoes. M-mode echocardiography in the three cases in which it was performed, failed to yield the diagnosis. This report assesses the importance of two-dimensional echocardiography and its greater reliability and sensitivity compared with: (1) M-mode echo in identifying pericardial tumors and establishing their relationships to nearby cardiac structures, and (2) standard chest X-ray in differentiating solid masses from cysts and in defining the characteristics of cysts walls. Particular stress is laid on the role of two-dimensional echo cardiography leading directly to surgery in patient number 4, who had a teratoma and in whom early surgery was essential. The high sensitivity and the ability of the technique to differentiate solid from cystic masses and to define their relationships with cardiac chambers make it a reliable method for assessing pericardial cysts.

Adult↗