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Biomedical subjects

A Di Giacomo

Publications and source records attributed to A Di Giacomo.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Triphasic helical CT in Budd-Chiari syndrome: patterns of enhancement in acute, subacute and chronic disease.

AIM: To retrospectively evaluate helical computed tomography (CT) findings in a series of consecutive patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome. METHODS: Patterns of enhancement observed at contrast-enhanced helical CT in 10 consecutive patients (six women, four men; aged 27-51 years) with either acute, subacute or chronic Budd-Chiari syndrome were retrospectively evaluated along with the status of the hepatic veins. All patients underwent triphasic helical CT (10 mm beam collimation, 7 mm rec. intervals, 120 kV, 200-250 mA, pitch = 1.0) performed at 20-25, 70-75 and 300 s after i.v. bolus (3 ml/s) injection of 150 ml iodinated non-ionic contrast media. RESULTS: Abnormal patterns of enhancement were identified in eight patients. In all patients with acute Budd-Chiari disease (3/3) abnormal arterial enhancement of the caudate lobe, the so-called "fan-shaped pattern" was observed, whereas visible venous thrombosis was only depicted in two. Conversely, a "patchy pattern" of enhancement was observed in five out of seven patients with either sub-acute (2) or chronic Budd-Chiari disease (5) along with a strip-like appearance or lack of visualization of hepatic veins. CONCLUSIONS: The "fan-shaped" pattern of enhancement represent a characteristic finding of acute Budd-Chiari disease, and it may help to suggest the correct diagnosis even in absence of visible venous thrombosis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2002

Acute myocardial infarction in a patient with unstable angina.

A 58-year-old-man with unstable angina developed a violent retrosternal and interscapular pain during coronary angiography with no associated ECG abnormalities. The patient was immediately submitted to transesophageal echocardiography, which revealed an echo-free space behind the ascending aorta thought to be consistent with an aortic dissection. To confirm this finding the patient underwent contrast-enhanced helical CT, which ruled out a dissection but revealed a small hypoattenuating, ill-defined area within the lateral wall of the left ventricle, consistent with an acute myocardial infarction. The finding was first confirmed by bedside echocardiography and later validated by laboratory tests. Review of the left coronary angiogram showed the culprit lesion at the origin of a major acute marginal branch of the circumflex artery.

Angina, Unstable↗
PubMed2002

Serum leptin and CD4+ T lymphocytes in HIV+ children during highly active antiretroviral therapy.

OBJECTIVE: Because leptin, the adipocyte-derived hormone, affects thymocyte survival, proliferation of naïve T lymphocytes and the production of proinflammatory cytokines, we aimed to investigate the role of this molecule in immunoreconstitution during highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). DESIGN: Prospective longitudinal cohort study. A series of 20 HIV+ children were studied. The subjects were grouped by their increase in serum leptin levels after HAART. METHODS: All participants were weight-stable, free of endocrine disorders and opportunistic infections and equally distributed for sex (males, n=10; females, n=10). Body mass index (BMI), serum lipids, leptin, CD4+ T cells and HIV-1 RNA were measured before initiation of HAART and after a 2-year follow-up. RESULTS: Serum leptin concentration positively correlated with CD4+ lymphocyte number before treatment. HAART significantly reduced viraemia and increased serum levels of lipids in all patients, whereas a significant increase in CD4+ cells and serum leptin was observed in the majority of patients. Notably, in children where HAART was not effective in increasing CD4+ lymphocyte counts, serum leptin did not increase. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, these findings reveal for the first time a novel link among CD4+ T lymphocytes, serum leptin and highly active anteretroviral theraphy.

Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active↗
PubMed2002

A novel method for monitoring response to chemotherapy based on the detection of circulating cancer cells: a case report.

We describe a novel method for detecting micrometastasis in the blood stream of cancer patients based on RT-PCR amplification of tumor-associated carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) mRNA. To increase sensitivity and specificity of RT-PCR, CEA transcript was selectively up-regulated in cancer cells by exposure of peripheral blood to non-toxic concentrations of staurosporine (ST). Thereafter, polyA(+) RNA was extracted from tumor cells captured by means of magnetic beads coated with a monoclonal antibody against a common human epithelial antigen. Finally, RNA was subjected to RT-PCR analysis of CEA transcript. Using this approach, we demonstrated an ST-mediated increase in CEA transcript in blood specimens collected from a patient with metastatic colon cancer before receiving treatment with 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin. After a few cycles of chemotherapy, CEA-positive tumor cells were no longer detected. Clinical follow-up of this patient indicated that treatment with chemotherapy induced a dramatic reduction in liver metastasis. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that lack of CEA transcript detection might be consistent with disappearance or at least marked reduction of circulating tumor cells.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2001

Requirement for leptin in the induction and progression of autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Recent evidence indicates that leptin modifies T cell immunity, and may provide a key link between nutritional deficiency and immune dysfunction. To study the influence of leptin on autoimmunity, susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis induced by immunization with a myelin-derived peptide was examined in leptin-deficient, C57BL/6J-ob/ob mice, with or without leptin replacement, and in wild-type controls. Leptin replacement converted disease resistance to susceptibility in the C57BL/6J-ob/ob mice; this was accompanied by a switch from a Th2 to Th1 pattern of cytokine release and consequent reversal of Ig subclass production. Our findings suggest that leptin is required for the induction and maintenance of an effective proinflammatory immune response in the CNS.

Adoptive Transfer↗
PubMed2001

Leptin potentiates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in SJL female mice and confers susceptibility to males.

SJL (H-2s) female mice are more susceptible than males to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced by immunization with myelin-derived peptides. The reasons for this sexual dimorphism are unclear, but may include such factors as sex-related differences in immune responsiveness, hormonal effects and sex-linked genetic factors. Recent evidence indicates that leptin modifies T cell immunity promoting T helper (Th) 1 pro-inflammatory immune responses. Circulating leptin levels show a marked sexual dimorphism, being higher in females than in males. In the present study, we investigated whether leptin treatment altered the course of relapsing-remitting EAE, induced by the proteolipid protein peptide (PLP(139-151)), in SJL susceptible females and EAE-resistant males. Administration of leptin to female SJL mice before or after disease onset significantly worsened the disease, with a concomitant increase in the PLP(139-151)-specific delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactivity and in vitro IFN-gamma secretion. Leptin treatment at priming with antigen or before disease onset rendered male SJL mice susceptible to EAE, with the appearance of PLP(139-151)-specific DTH reactivity and a switch from a Th2 to Th1 pattern of cytokine release. Our findings indicate that leptin administration to susceptible females resulted in a more severe disease, and that reduced leptin levels in male SJL mice may contribute to the gender-related differences in the induction phase of EAE.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

[Experimental study of colonic anastomoses. Comparison of different suture methods in the rat].

A comparative experimental study was conducted on three different suture techniques for end-to-end colonic anastomoses. The development of stenosis, perivisceral adhesions and resistance to endoluminal pressure were assessed. The results show that the one layer all-coat interrupted stitch anastomosis displays less resistance to endoluminal pressure during the first seven days but is followed by fewer complications.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗
PubMed1979

Effect of somatostatin on the potentiating action of glucagon, cyclic adenosine monophosphate and theophylline on glucose-induced insulin release.

The effect of glucagon on the inhibition of the insulin response to glucose induced by somatostatin was investigated in humans and in the isolated perfused rat pancreas. Both in vivo and in vitro somatostatin suppressed glucose-induced insulin release. This inhibitory effect of somatostatin was overcome by glucagon. Similar results have been observed in vitro by the infusion of theophylline or cyclic adenosine monophosphate.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Laparoscopic appendectomy and laparotomy appendectomy: comparison of methods].

The study compares the real advantages of laparoscopic appendicectomy using only a transumbilical trocar, with laparotomic appendicectomy in the management of acute and/or chronic pain in the lower right abdominal quadrant. From May 1997 to April 2000, 88 patients were treated: 27 (group I) with the laparoscopic approach, and 61 (group II) with laparotomy. We compared operating times, incidence of complications, hospital stay and cosmetic result. We also reviewed the literature on this subject over the past ten years. Average operating time was 45 minutes in group I and 30 minutes in group II; complications consisted in 2 cases of omphalitis in the laparoscopic group and 3 infections of the wound and 2 cases of lipolysis of the abdominal wall in the laparotomic group. The average hospital stay was 3.2 days in the laparoscopic group against 4.7 days in the laparotomic group. Resumption of work and sport occurred after 10 to 20 days and 15 to 45 days in groups I and II, respectively. The total cost was lower in the laparoscopic group. The laparoscopic approach appears to be an effective technique for the management of acute and chronic appendicitis, as it allows both treatment of the pathology and diagnosis and treatment of other unknown pathologies, with exploration of the abdominal cavity. In addition, it guarantees a good cosmetic result, a short hospital stay with a low incidence of complications and an advantageous cost/benefit ratio.

Adolescent↗