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Biomedical subjects

A Filice

Publications and source records attributed to A Filice.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Larger axillary metastases in obese women and smokers with breast cancer--an influence by host factors on early tumor behavior.

To better define the influence by host factors on very early breast cancer behavior, we retrospectively analyzed nodal status, diameter of the largest axillary metastasis (M), diameter of the primary tumor (P), the M/P ratio, tumor estrogen receptor status, age, obesity, and smoking habits in 176 women with node-positive breast cancer. Both M/P ratios and M were larger in the 72 obese women and in the 40 nonobese smokers than in the 64 nonobese nonsmokers after control for other factors. Step-wise regression analysis demonstrated independent associations between M/P ratios and obesity (p = 0.0002), larger primary tumors (p < 0.0001), more positive nodes (p < 0.0001), and smoking (p = 0.0268), as well as between M and obesity (p = 0.0201), larger primary tumors (p = 0.0093), and more positive nodes (p = 0.0001). Among the 104 nonobese women, smoking was associated both with larger M (p = 0.0257) and larger M/P (p = 0.0055). Our observations suggest more rapid growth by metastases in obese women and smokers with breast cancer, as well as earlier metastasis from their primary tumors.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Efficacy of flecainide in the treatment of ventricular tachycardia in the elderly. Dynamic electrocardiographic study].

The antiarrhythmic activity of flecainide has been tested in seven old patients (mean age 71 years) suffering from recurrent episodes of ventricular tachycardia. A basal 24-hour dynamic electrocardiogram was recorded for each patient and was repeated on day 5 of oral flecainide treatment (200 mg). A significant reduction (p less than 0.0001) of premature ventricular beats, of bigeminism (p = 0.0025) and of the episodes of ventricular tachycardia (p = 0.017) was obtained with plasma flecainide levels between 322 and 614 ng/ml. In addition, sinus rhythm was restored in two patients with stable atrial fibrillation and in the others ectopic atrial beats were markedly reduced. Among the ECG parameters examined, only QRS was significantly increased (p = 0.034). No significant change of blood pressure and laboratory parameters was observed. Untoward side effects were not observed.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

[Personal experiences concerning the usefulness of the exercise test in the diagnosis of ischemic heart disease in aged patients with atypical symptomatology].

Present-day therapeutic possibilities, both medical and surgical, make it mandatory for the practitioner to identify elderly patients with ischemic heart disease which in these patients often presents with atypical symptoms. Twenty elderly patients with not clear-cut symptoms of coronary disorder were submitted to an exercise test on a walking belt. In 14 (70%) the test was positive and in 8 of these 14 cases previous dynamic electrocardiography had not yielded signs of ischemia. The authors consider correctly performed exercise testing the best means for identifying the often not diagnosed coronary impairment of elderly subjects.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

[Effects of acute loading of alcohol on platelet aggregation in normal subjects].

Ten healthy subjects were submitted to alcohol loading (0.8 g/kg body weight; average alcohol blood level 0.97 g 0/00). The number of platelets, hematocrit and ADP-induced platelet aggregation curves did not show any variation from baseline. Significant changes (p less than 0.05) were observed as regards latent period (increased) and maximum amplitude (reduced) for collagen-induced platelet aggregation. In agreement with others, the authors conclude that alcohol definitely inhibits platelet aggregation.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Post-treatment residual tissue in idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis: active residual disease or silent "scar" ? A study using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography.

OBJECTIVE: Medical treatment is often effective in idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (IRF) but frequently leads to residual retroperitoneal masses that may represent active disease or simply consist of inactive fibrotic tissue. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) is a functional imaging modality that reliably assesses disease activity in a number of inflammatory diseases including IRF. We used 18F-FDG PET to evaluate the metabolic activity of residual masses in a series of IRF patients. METHODS: We studied 7 consecutive IRF patients, all of whom presented constitutional symptoms and/or pain, and had high acute-phase reactant levels; 6 had ureteral involvement. IRF was diagnosed by means of computed tomography (CT), which revealed a peri-aortoiliac mass in all cases. Three patients underwent surgical ureterolysis and 2 received ureteral stents. Subsequently, 5 patients received prednisone, one sequential treatment with prednisone and tamoxifen, and one prednisolone plus methotrexate. All of the patients underwent 18F-FDG PET at varying times after the end of treatment. RESULTS: The presenting signs/symptoms improved in all patients and the levels of acute-phase reactants significantly decreased or normalised. Ureteral obstructive disease resolved in all cases. Post-treatment CT revealed a considerable reduction in the amount of IRF but all of the patients had a residual retroperitoneal mass. PET revealed slight aorto-iliac 18F-FDG uptake in only one patient; all of the others were negative. No patient relapsed during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Post-treatment residual masses are frequent in IRF patients but, in most cases, probably represent metabolically inactive tissue.

Adult↗