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Biomedical subjects

A Puxeddu

Publications and source records attributed to A Puxeddu.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Immunorestorative properties of thymostimulin (TS) in patients with Hodgkin's disease in clinical remission.

Fifteen Hodgkin's disease patients (8 male, 7 female) aged 19-72 years, who had been in complete unmaintained remission for 1 year or more when the study was initiated, were given 50 mg thymostimulin (TS) IM daily for 60 consecutive days. When compared with 26-30 age- and sex-matched controls, as a group the patients' circulating ENR+, OKT+3, and OKT+4 cells were depressed (0.001 less than or equal to P less than or equal to 0.06), whereas their OKT+8 cell population was not. Low (greater than 1 SD or greater than 2 SD below mean in controls) or borderline (mean value of two subsequent tests greater than 1 SD below mean in controls) values of ENR+, OKT+3, and OKT+4 cells were seen in nine (group I) of the 15 patients tested, while the remaining six patients (group II) had normal T-cell proportions. Following TS treatment, the proportions of ENR+, OKT+3, and OKT+4 cells increased to normal in all group I patients. The T-cell levels, however, decreased to pretreatment values 60-70 days after completion of TS therapy. TS had no effect on the group II patients whose T-cell percentages had initially been normal. Spontaneous cell-mediated cytotoxicity (SCMC) was assessed in 11 patients, and irrespective of the baseline values, there was a significant enhancement (P less than 0.005) by day 15 of TS administration, which was maintained during treatment. SCMC, however, returned to pretreatment levels 60-70 days after TS was discontinued. The delayed skin test reactivity to DNCB was significantly depressed in all cases. Although TS restored the T-cell proportions, it failed to reverse DNCB reactivity from negative to positive in any of the patients tested. TS can thus restore defective T-cell frequencies and can enhance cytolytic functions that are potentially important in host immunosurveillance, but it apparently failed to improve the skin reactivity to neoantigen.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

[Beta thalassemia: motivation for screening in Terni].

There are no definitive data on the frequency of beta-thalassaemia in the Province of Terni; a mass screening programme has not been carried out. Preliminary studies confirm that there is a strong incidence of beta-thalassaemia heterozygotes. A theory can be put forward for the presence of beta-thalassaemia trait, based on the notion of the multicentric genesis of the disorder: the malaria may have been the dominant selective factor.

Heterozygote↗
PubMed1982

Erythrocyte concentration of glycolytic phosphorylated intermediates and adenosine nucleotides in subjects with diabetes mellitus.

We determined erythrocyte concentration of phosphorylated glycolytic intermediates and adenosine nucleotides in 9 non-ketotic diabetics under different conditions of glycemic control. We showed a significant increase of G6P, F6P and FDP levels in the 9 diabetics with poor glycemic control, whereas other phosphorylated glycolytic intermediates were in the normal range. After achieving fair glycemic control G6P, F6P and FDP fell to normal value. G6P, F6P and FDP were well correlated with simultaneously determined plasma glucose. Another 5 diabetics with poor glycemic control were connected to Biostator in order to determine the time relationship between blood glucose and erythrocyte levels of G6P, F6P and FDP. We demonstrated a prompt decrease to the normal values of the phosphorylated glycolytic intermediates where blood glucose fell to normal 60-90 minutes after automatic insulin delivery. Finally, we determined RBC glycolytic intermediates in 5 subjects with normal OGTT and in 5 subjects with normal fasting plasma glucose but abnormal OGTT. In this group we observed a prompt and persistent increase of G6P, F6P and FDP levels over the three hours hyperglycemia phase which has been induced by glucose load. No significant increase was found in subjects with normal OGTT. Our results demonstrate that erythrocyte glycolytic metabolism in abnormal in diabetics, depending strictly on the degree of glycemic control.

Adenine Nucleotides↗
PubMed1981

[Early diagnosis of pheochromocytoma in pregnancy].

The authors report a case of pheochromocytoma revealed by a de novo appeared hypertension in a young female patient at her 3rd trimester of pregnancy. An early diagnosis and an appropriate medical management allowed a successful maternal outcome. Since maternal and fetal prognosis of pheochromocytoma associated with pregnancy is strictly related to an antepartum diagnosis, the importance of suspecting pheochromocytoma as underlying cause of de novo appearing hypertension (or hypertension of unknown origin) during pregnancy is emphasized. Biochemical tests (plasma and/or urinary catecholamine or metabolite determination) are recommended as the most suitable approach to the screening of pheochromocytoma in pregnancy.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗
PubMed1980

Modification of glycosylated haemoglobin concentration during artificial endocrine pancreas treatment of diabetics. Evidence for a short-term effect on HbA 1 (a+b+c) levels.

In order to verify whether or not insulin-induced blood glucose control can acutely lower glycosylated haemoglobin levels, HbAI (a+b+c) (HbAI) was measured in 11 diabetics before, during and after 3 days of treatment with an "artificial endocrine pancreas" (Biostator). Initially 5 patients were in fair glycaemic control (group A), while the other 6 showed poor control (group B). HbAI levels decreased significantly after 3 days in both groups A (from 9.6 +/- 0.2% to 8.5 +/- 0.3%, mean +/- SEM, p less than 0.05) and B (from 13.7 +/- 0.2% to 12.6 +/- 0.3%, p less than 0.05). A further HbAI decrease was observed until day 60 following Biostator treatment, during which period glycaemic control improved, as assessed by fasting and post-lunch plasma glucose values and daily glycosuria determined every 10 days. These results suggest that increased HbAI levels may be reversed early by strict blood glucose control during a 3 day period. It is concluded that HbAI levels not only reflect long-term glycaemic control, but also recent acute variations in mean blood glucose values.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Artificial beta-cell application in two cases of insulinoma: a different pattern in beta-cell adenoma and carcinoma.

With the aid of an artificial beta-cell (Biostator, Miles Laboratories Inc.), a different metabolic and biological pattern of behaviour was observed in benign versus malignant insulinoma. In the patient with beta-cell adenoma but not in the one with carcinoma, plasma insulin concentrations decreased promptly and markedly, and blood glucose increased during diazoxide and somatostatin infusion. Moreover, only in the adenoma patient was glucose need characterized by a circadian rhythm with the maximum values during daytime. This behavior could reflect the degree of tumor beta-cell differentiation. The controlled glucose and insulin infusion was of great help during and after surgical treatment.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1979

Therapeutical application of artificial beta-cell in surgery and obstetrics.

An artificial beta-cell (Biostator) was used to control blood glucose concentration in six insulin-dependent diabetics who underwent surgical procedures and in five diabetic women during both vaginal childbirth and Caesarian section. In all cases, an optimal glycometabolic control was achieved before, during, and after surgery and delivery.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Variation induced by a three-days application of the artificial beta-cell on glucagon, growth hormone and catecholamine secretion, glycosylated hemoglobin, and erythrocyte 2,3-diphosphoglycerate concentration.

Five insulin-dependent diabetics with poor metabolic control were examined at the beginning and after a three-day application of artificial endocrine pancreas (AEP). Pancreatic alpha cell function evaluated by arginine infusion (0.5 g/Kg b.w. over 30 minutes) showed no significant differences between the beginning and during artificial beta cell aplication, but the increment in plasma glucagon level over basal values observed in both tests appeared significantly higher at 30 and 60 min in comparison with a control group. Growth hormone response to arginine infusion was clearly reduced in the second test. C-peptide concentration appeared very low in basal conditions and during arginine infusion; no improvement was observed after three days of AEP application. Urinary excretion of norepinephrine markedly increased at the beginning of the study, reversed almost to normal during AEP treatment, while minor changes were observed in urinary excretion of epinephrine. The Concentration of glycosylated hemoglobin, markedly higher than normally before the connection with AEP, showed a slight but significant decrease during glucose-controlled insulin infusion. Finally, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate was normal and no modifications were observed in the course of the study.

Arginine↗