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A Ferrario

Publications and source records attributed to A Ferrario.

41 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Alpha interferon as initial treatment of essential thrombocythemia. Analysis after two years of follow-up.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Recombinant alpha-interferon has been shown to be effective in essential thrombocythemia and in thrombocytosis associated with other myeloproliferative disorders. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five untreated patients were enrolled in our study from May 1989 to April 1992. Recombinant alpha interferon-2b was administered at an initial dose of 2 megaunits (MU)/m2 three times a week at escalating doses to 5 MU/m2 or the maximum tolerated dose. The mean follow-up for patients still in treatment at the time of this report was 35.9 months (range, 24-63). RESULTS: Fourteen patients (56%) had achieved a complete remission by a mean time of 152 days; 6 patients (24%) had achieved a good partial remission by a mean of 180 days. In addition to the favorable effect on platelet count, a marked improvement in clinical symptoms was observed. Treatment had to be discontinued in 9 patients (36%), 5 for toxicity (3 neurologic, 1 anemia and 1 severe hypertriglyceridemia) at a median of 155 days from the beginning of therapy (range, 30-400). Four patients refused to continue therapy because of low tolerance (flu-like syndrome) at mean of 160 days from the beginning of therapy (range, 34-301). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, lower doses were administered compared with previous short-time trials. The present data show that interferon is an effective alternative to cytostatic agents in long-term treatment of patients with essential thrombocythemia, even when used at lower dosages.

Adult↗

Complications of prosthetic surgery in the dysplastic hip.

The complications of prosthetic surgery in the dysplastic hip have specific features that are related to the conditions that make the realization of an implant technically complex; the altered primary acetabular and femoral morphology, the sequelae of previous non-substitutive surgery, and the consequent possible upsetting of joint biomechanics. It is possible to distinguish between complications relative to the skeleton, joint biomechanics, and soft tissues. Prosthetization of the acetabular skeletal aspect may encounter frequent errors in reconstruction (incongruous reaming-too much or too little-the improper use of bone grafts), errors in orientation of the acetabular component (excessive verticalization and anteversion) that are considered early complications. The same technical errors may cause late complications in the implant, or its migration. At the femoral level the particular shape of the medullary canal and of the femoral neck may lead to defects in orientation in anteversion and fracture of the diaphysis. Possible complications of a biomechanical nature are essentially to be related to changes in the center of rotation in both a craniocaudal and a mediolateral sense and or to the heterometry of the limbs. In the soft tissues, muscle tension may become too much or too little, in relation to recovery of joint biomechanics; in cases with significant lengthening neurologic deficit may occur. Accurate preoperative planning (traditional x-rays and CT scan), the choice of the most suitable surgical route of access, and the different prosthetic models that adapt best to the different morphological situations, the expertise of the surgeon, are all essential elements in monitoring complications.

Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip↗