PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Indaco

Publications and source records attributed to A Indaco.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Transforming growth factor-beta, endothelin-1, and c-fos expression in necrotizing/crescentic IgA glomerulonephritis.

BACKGROUND: Among our cases of IgA glomerulonephritis (IgAGN), 10% show necrotizing/extracapillary lesions involving a small percentage of glomeruli and associated with a certain degree of inflammation in absence of glomerular and interstitial scarring. In our experience, also in repeat biopsies, these cases of IgAGN have a worse prognosis probably because necrotizing/extracapillary lesions can repeat and accumulate, leading to the progression of damage. As it is well known that transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) are key-factors in the progression of glomerulonephritis, aim of the study was to examine their expression in renal biopsies of primary IgAGN with necrotizing/crescentic lesions in complete absence of interstitial fibrosis. To obtain information about the mitogenic effect of ET-1, the expression of c-fos, whose upregulation by ET-1 has been established in culture, was also studied. METHODS: Eighteen renal biopsies of patients with necrotizing/crescentic IgAGN were examined by immunohistochemistry with antibodies against TGF-beta, ET-1 and c-fos. The results were compared with those obtained on 22 cases of IgAGN characterized only by pure mesangial proliferation and 25 IgAGN biopsies with advanced, not active, glomerulointerstitial lesions. RESULTS: In necrotizing/crescentic IgAGN glomerular TGF-beta appeared more positive than in cases characterized only by pure mesangial proliferation and was especially expressed on cellular crescents. In the interstitium, TGF-beta, ET-1 and c-fos were expressed by infiltrating leukocytes, tubules, and small vessels. This positivity, although similar as localization, was less diffuse than in biopsies with advanced interstitial damage, but significantly greater than in cases with pure mesangial proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: Positivity of TGF-beta on cellular crescents is similar to that observed from other authors in different types of necrotizing/crescentic human glomerulonephritis and supports our hypothesis that this is a peculiar type of IgAGN. Moreover, interstitial expression of TGF-beta, ET-1 and c-fos in biopsies with glomerular active lesions but complete absence of interstitial fibrosis may potentially represent a signal of activation of mechanisms that induce and amplify the damage leading to further progression of the disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Adhesion molecules expression in noncrescentic acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis.

Clinicomorphological features of 11 cases of non-crescentic acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN) were reviewed. Intraglomerular and interstitial leukocytes and their possible correlation with the adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 (ELAM-1/E-selectin) were investigated by an immunohistochemical method. Intraglomerular leukocytes were primarily granulocytes (11.4 +/- 10 cells/glomerular cross-section) and monocytes-macrophages (13.4 +/- 19.4 cells/glomerular cross-section). The granulocytes outnumbered monocytes-macrophages in 7 of 11 specimens. The number of intraglomerular leukocytes correlated with proteinuria at the time of renal biopsy. Intraglomerular ICAM-1 staining was strongly positive in all biopsies, especially when intraglomerular monocytes-macrophages prevailed. Expression of intraglomerular VCAM-1 and E-selectin in diseased kidneys did not differ from that in normal kidneys. Interstitial leukocytes were primarily monocytes-macrophages (158.9 +/- 96.8 cells/mm2) and T lymphocytes (102.2 +/- 63.9 cells/mm2). The number of interstitial leukocytes, especially monocytes-macrophages, correlated with serum creatinine level at the time of biopsy. Interstitial ICAM-1 staining was strongly positive on tubules, peritubular capillaries, and small vessels. The tubular positivity for ICAM-1 correlated with the number of interstitial monocytes-macrophages. Interstitial VCAM-1 and E-selectin were expressed as in normal kidney tissues. The data from this study demonstrate that APSGN is characterized by the presence of both intraglomerular and interstitial leukocyte infiltration, correlating respectively with proteinuria and serum creatinine at the time of renal biopsy. Among the adhesion molecules studied, ICAM-1 seems the most involved in leukocyte recruitment, especially in that of monocytes-macrophages.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

Chronic and acute pain syndromes in patients with multiple sclerosis.

We have studied 122 patients (52 men and 70 women) with definite Multiple Sclerosis (MS) to evaluate the frequency and clinical characteristics of pain in MS. The Hamilton Rating Scale for depression, the Beck-Self Depression Inventory and the Kurtzke Disability Status Scale were used in all patients. We have divided the patients with pain in two groups: patients with pain syndromes at onset and patients with pain syndromes during the course of MS disease. We found that 57% of all our MS patients complained of pain syndromes at some time during the MS course, while 21% reported pain as a symptom at onset of MS. The majority of patients suffered from chronic pain (constant or intermittent pain lasting more than one month). The most frequent chronic syndromes were dysesthetic extremity pain, painful spasms and tonic seizures. We did not find a significant differences with respect to age, sex, disease duration, physical impairment, depressive symptoms between the patients of pain-free group and of pain groups. There was a significant difference in mean disease duration from diagnosis in patients reporting pain at onset of the disease. In conclusion, the pain in MS is not a rare symptom; the role of physiopathological mechanism underlying pain syndromes arise unclear.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Mood disorders in epilepsy.

Depression is a common psychiatric problem associated with epilepsy. Interictal depressive symptoms are more frequent and severe in epileptic patients than in subjects with comparable chronic neurologic diseases or physical handicaps. Epileptic depression was characterized as major or dysthymic: bipolar depression is rarely described. Several Authors are of opinion that interictal depression is more frequent in epileptics with temporal lobe foci and, in particular, with temporal left hemisphere lesions. The pathogenetic significance of depression in epileptics is unclear. Some suggest the hypothesis that depression represents behavioral effects of neurochemical responses to brain injury for asymmetrical hemispheric distribution of neural substrate for mood. We think that depression in epileptic patients does not represent a psychological reaction to a particular cognitive or physical impairment, but it is in some way related to the type of epilepsy. In addition, some antiepileptic drugs may have psychotropic effects: the most positive findings were associated with carbamazepine.

Anticonvulsants↗
PubMed1992

Interictal depression in epilepsy.

The relation between depression and epilepsy was evaluated in 96 epileptic out-patients. We found that 50% of epileptic patients fulfilled the DSM-IIIR criteria for depression. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Beck Self Depression Inventory and the Zung Anxiety Scale were also used in all patients. The patients with partial seizures with complex semiology (CPS) were more depressed than the patients with primary generalized epilepsy and with partial seizures with elementary semiology. A significant increase in the level of anxiety was also found in the group with CPS compared to the other two groups. No correlations were noted between severity of depression and duration of epilepsy, seizure frequency, socio-economic status, education, and family history of depressive illness. No relationship was observed between anticonvulsant drug levels and depression. We failed to confirm an association between side of epileptic lesion and severity of depression. We suggest that depression in epileptic patients does not represent a psychological reaction to a particular cognitive or physical impairment, but is in some way related to the type of epilepsy.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Cerebrospinal fluid beta-2-microglobulin in multiple sclerosis and AIDS dementia complex.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum concentrations of beta-2-microglobulin (beta-2-m) were evaluated in 19 patients with clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS), in 21 with AIDS dementia complex (ADC), and in 20 subjects with other neurological diseases (OND). CSF beta-2-m and CSF/serum beta-2-m ratio were significantly higher in the patients with ADC than in the MS and OND patients. The CSF and serum levels of beta-2-m in MS patients were not significantly different from those of OND patients. These findings indicate that CSF beta-2-m and CSF/serum ratio may be a useful marker in the diagnosis of ADC. In MS patients the beta-2-m CSF determinations are of no value.

AIDS Dementia Complex↗
PubMed1990

Neurocutaneous melanosis, neurofibromatosis and spinal meningioma: an unusual association.

The case of 38-year-old woman bearer of a congenital giant naevus "en pélerine" with numerous neurofibromas and other satellite naevi was reported: the patient was afflicted by spastic tetraparesis, more pronounced on the right side. MRIscan of the spine revealed the presence of a cervical spinal tumor shown histologically to be a psammomatous meningioma. The skin picture was consistent with neurocutaneous melanosis; the rarity of its association with neurofibromatosis and spinal meningioma is discussed in the light of embryologic arguments.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Amitriptyline in the treatment of headache in patients with Parkinson's disease: a double-blind placebo-controlled study.

We evaluated the effect of 25 mg bid amitriptyline on muscle contraction headache in 36 patients with Parkinson's disease in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. Treatment lasted 12 weeks, and we assessed the efficacy by number of days with headache, sum-of-severity score (intensity X number of days with headache), and consumption of analgesics. We also administered Hoehn-Yahr staging, the Webster Rating Scale, the Mini-Mental State, and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale. We assessed the patients after a 4-week run-in period and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks of treatment. Thirty-one patients (15 in the amitriptyline group and 16 in the placebo group) completed the trial. Amitriptyline reduced the intensity and the frequency of headache, whereas the placebo did not. The Zung Depression Scale and the Webster Rating Scale findings remained unchanged.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Effects of long-term ticlopidine treatment on platelet function and its tolerability in cerebrovascular disease.

A trial was performed on thirty-two patients with cerebrovascular disease (transient ischaemic attack and stroke) to assess the effect of ticlopidine, a new inhibitor of platelet aggregation, on some platelet functions and coagulation, and its safety in long-term use (6 months). The results show that ticlopidine was highly effective in inhibiting ADP-induced platelet aggregation, platelet adhesiveness and circulating platelet aggregates, but it had no effect on fibrinogen levels. No serious side-effects were observed. Ticlopidine may therefore prove to be a useful antiplatelet drug in the management of patients with cerebrovascular disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Antiplatelet activity and tolerance of indobufen (K3920) in cerebrovascular disease: a therapeutic approach.

A trial was carried out on 30 patients with cerebrovascular disease to evaluate the effect of indobufen, a new antiplatelet drug, on some platelet functions and coagulation, and its tolerance, after 12-months' treatment. From the results of the present study it appears that 2 hours after administration indobufen was able to reduce platelet aggregation induced by ADP, platelet adhesiveness, circulating platelet aggregates, and to increase bleeding time. These differences remained constant throughout the treatment period. Except in 3 patients, between the 8th and 12th months, who suffered an ischaemic attack with no aftermaths, no cerebrovascular ischaemic attacks occurred during indobufen treatment. No side-effects were observed. The data indicate that indobufen is a well-tolerated drug in all situations requiring antiplatelet treatment.

Adult↗