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Biomedical subjects

C Aprile

Publications and source records attributed to C Aprile.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Radioimmuno-guided endoscopy (RIGE) in the detection of primary and recurrent rectal tumor.

The usefulness of radioimmunoguided endoscopy in the detection of primary and recurrent rectal cancer was investigated. Of the 15 patients included in our study, 4 with suspected primary rectal cancer were examined preoperatively, while the remaining 11 were studied after radical resection of rectal carcinoma with the aim of detecting local recurrence. Radioimmunoguided endoscopy was performed employing a hand-held gamma-detecting probe (mod. 2 Oris, France), after the administration of a 111In labeled monoclonal antibody to CEA. Radioimmuno-guided endoscopy results detected the presence of primary or recurrent periluminal cancer in seven cases. In four it modified the preoperative stage based on the findings of conventional investigation and it influenced the surgical decision in five cases. No toxicity was noted and none of the patients developed HAMAs.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Study of functional and biochemical indicators of subclinical lung damage in bleomycin-treated patients.

In 30 patients affected by testicular non-seminomatous cancer we evaluated pulmonary function tests before and after bleomycin-including combination chemotherapy. We paid particular attention to changes in diffusing lung capacity (DCO) and its two components, namely diffusing capacity of the alveolar-capillary membrane (Dm) and pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc). In the same patients we also evaluated the behaviour of serum procollagen III aminopeptide (sP-III-P), assumed to be a biochemical equivalent to Dm, and of serum angiotensin converting enzyme (S-ACE), assumed to be a biochemical equivalent to Vc. We found that, after chemotherapy, patients showed a significant decline in several pulmonary function parameters, namely VC, TLC, and FEV1 (P < 0.0001, P = 0.0351, P = 0.0004, respectively), when compared to pre-treatment values. DCO was significantly impaired after chemotherapy (P < 0.0001), but with regard to its components, Vc values showed a significant decline (P = 0.0002), whereas Dm values were unchanged. Values of sP-III-P raised significantly after chemotherapy (P = 0.003), whereas S-ACE activity did not show any significant variation. When we looked at relationships between functional and biochemical parameter variations, the only significant correlation we found was between DCO and S-ACE (r2 = 0.112; P < 0.02). We conclude that in asymptomatic patients treated by bleomycin-including combination chemotherapy, DCO impairment is likely to occur because of a subclinical injury to pulmonary vessels, as suggested by Vc decline. Although the occurrence of pulmonary interstitial fibrosis after chemotherapy was excluded by chest X-ray examination and by stable values of Dm, sP-III-P elevation would suggest an accelerated type III collagen turnover in interstitial fibroblasts activated by bleomycin.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Radioimmunolocalization of pelvic recurrences from rectosigmoid cancer employing 111In anti-CEA F(ab')2.

Thirty-two immunoscintigraphic studies have been performed in 26 patients previously operated upon for rectosigmoid cancer, for an early detection of pelvic recurrence, employing 111In anti-CEA, F(ab')2. The sensitivity was 1, specificity 0.76 and accuracy 0.84, leading to a positive predictive value of 0.69 and a negative value of 1. The combined use of a non-imaging surgical probe in 6 of the 10 patients who underwent second look surgery, detecting the 111In radioactivity used for RIS, improved diagnostic accuracy, ruling out the presence of tumors in 3 patients with false positive RIS.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1991

Acute effects of repetitive hemodialysis on circulating immunoreactive parathyroid hormone levels in uremic patients undergoing vitamin D (calcitriol) therapy.

The acute effects on parathyroid gland activity of repetitive hemodialysis with a dialysate calcium concentration of between 3.5 and 4 mEq/l were evaluated in 21 hemodialysis patients on calcitriol therapy for 1 year or more. In this study circulating immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels were measured using radioimmunoassay specific for C-terminal iPTH (C-PTH), middle molecule iPTH (MM-PTH) and intact iPTH (I-PTH), before the dialysis session at the end of the week (I), after 4 h regular hemodialysis (II) and after a further 72 h (III). C-PTH was abnormally high (202 +/- 64 pmol/l) (I) in 18 patients with no documented parathyroid hyperplasia and showed no significant difference in subsequent controls. MM-PTH was also high (379 +/- 125.5 pmol/l) (I), but decreased to 348 +/- 136.7 (II) (p less than 0.05) and returned to predialysis levels (III). I-PTH (I) was 8.2 +/- 5.3 pmol/l (normal levels in 8 patients), fell to 3.4 +/- 2.6 pmol/l (II) (p less than 0.01), and increased (p less than 0.01) with respect to the basal levels of 11.1 +/- 7.5 pmol/l (III). Three patients presented echographically documentable parathyroid hyperplasia and, despite constantly high iPTH levels, showed a similar I-PTH behavior while MM-PTH and C-PTH revealed no constant pattern. The decrease in iPTH levels was accompanied by a significant increase in total calcium and ionized calcium during the hemodialysis session. No significant changes in iCa and Ca together with I-PTH levels were found in 4 volunteers before and after the hemodialysis session with dialysate calcium 2.75 mEq/l. We conclude that I-PTH assay has been shown to capture acute changes in parathyroid gland activity in hemodialyzed patients for both low and high iPTH levels. High calcium dialysate hemodialysis inhibits acutely intradialytic PTH secretion but the effect is just temporary and the 72-hour interdialytic period, despite vitamin D therapy, stimulates parathyroid secretion significantly. Nevertheless, I-PTH fluctuations occur in some patients within the normal range, and high dialysate and calcitriol therapy seem to be capable of controlling parathyroid activity; as regards the remaining population, we suggest that a personalized therapeutic approach should be studied with a view to achieving a better control of interdialytic calcium homeostasis.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Long term production of SP1 by amniotic cells.

We verified the long term production of SP1 by amniotic cells. After 20 days of incubation, protein synthesis was inhibited by adding puromycin to the culture medium and stimulated by the addition of foetal calf serum to the culture media.

Amnion↗
PubMed1990

Elevated serum procollagen III aminopeptide levels in sarcoidosis.

Procollagen III aminopeptide (P-III-P), a peptide released during the conversion of type III procollagen to type III collagen, is considered a potential marker of fibroblast activity in a variety of pulmonary and extrapulmonary diseases. The aim of the present article was to investigate the levels of P-III-P in serum samples (sP-III-P) from a large number of sarcoid patients, in particular looking at its relationship with other markers of disease activity and its presumed role as a marker of pulmonary fibrosis. sP-III-P has been radioimmunoassayed in an overall series of 57 patients and the levels were higher (19.18 +/- 9.17 ng/ml) than in 25 age- and sex-matched controls (11.32 +/- 2.15 ng/ml; p less than 0.001). The elevation was neither sex-related nor related to obvious liver sarcoid localization. Although sP-III-P levels were slightly higher in patients with stage II, there was no significant difference in patients with stage I or III. We found a positive relationship with serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (S-ACE) levels (p less than 0.04), but not with other markers of disease activity (67Ga uptake, bronchoalveolar lavage [BAL] lymphocyte percent, vital capacity, and lung diffusing capacity). The relationship with S-ACE was confirmed in a longitudinal follow-up study, where sP-III-P strictly paralleled the S-ACE behavior. Finally, the initial sP-III-P levels did not predict cases either with disease relapse or resistance to corticosteroid treatment. We conclude that, in our study, sP-III-P levels failed to characterize sarcoid patients with radiologic fibrotic pattern (stage III), and, in addition, were unable to predict which patients would have a poor prognosis. Rather, they reflect a metabolic activity of sarcoid granuloma cells. Thus, the usefulness of sP-III-P in the treatment of patients with sarcoid may be considered similar to that of S-ACE.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Circulating opioids and plasma renin activity in insulin-dependent diabetics with renal haemodynamic alterations.

Circulating opioids were studied in insulin-dependent diabetics with renal haemodynamic alterations. Higher circulating beta-endorphin (beta-EP) and lower beta-lipotropin (beta-LPH) levels were found in patients with glomerular hyperfiltration than in diabetics with normal glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and controls. Moreover, significantly positive correlations between beta-EP and GFR, and between beta-EP and renal plasma flow were demonstrated in these patients. On the contrary, reduced beta-EP levels were observed in diabetics with impaired GFR and overt nephropathy. Plasma renin activity was increased in diabetics with glomerular hyperfiltration and reduced in diabetics with overt nephropathy. Circulating opioids might, therefore, play a role in renal haemodynamic alterations, both in patients with early and advanced glomerular changes.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Assessment of split renal function with 99mTc-aprotinin.

The aim of this work is to correlate the net kidney uptake of 99mTc-aprotinin (TcA) in 103 subjects with separate effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and some blood chemistry parameters at 90, 180, and 360 min postinjection both in the normal and diseased kidney. Correlations found with separate ERPFs are highly significant at any time (P less than 0.001). However, although the slope of the regression line is steeper at 180 min, r tends to deteriorate slightly with time postinjection and a higher intercept on the y axis; this pattern is more pronounced if diseased kidneys are considered separately. The following are probably related to the renal handling of TcA: Early scans better reflect blood flow to the kidney, while later scans are more related to the metabolism/excretion tubular mechanisms; correlations found with urea, creatinine, urea clearance, and creatinine clearance are highly significant at any time; in 20 additional patients with diseased kidneys, renal uptake measurements done 360 min postinjection first with TcA and then with DMSA showed better correlations with ERPF employing TcA. Our results indicate that TcA is a feasible indicator of split renal function even at 90 min postinjection when a scan is easily carried out on an outpatient basis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

The role of meta-iodo [131I]benzylguanidine (MIBG) in the diagnosis and follow-up of neuroblastoma.

Fourteen scans employing the adrenergic blocking agent [131I]MIBG were performed on 10 children with neuroblastoma (NB) or ganglioneuroblastoma (GNB). The scans were negative in 5 cases, and 1 further case produced doubtful results in both the MIBG and CT scan tests. In 4 cases, very positive results were obtained with clear vision of the primary tumor and its metastases. In 1 case, which demonstrated partial differentiation of the outer part of the tumor mass toward GNB, a differentiated tumor specimen did not reveal significant uptake of the tracer. Half-lives of the tracer as measured by external detection in the period 24-48 h after injection were reduced after successful therapy. MIBG scanning appears to be a feasible indicator of NB adrenergic activity, and it can assume a primary role in the staging and follow-up of NB. Higher tumor uptake of the [131 I]MIBG and low background offer new perspectives in the radiometabolic treatment of MIBG.

3-Iodobenzylguanidine↗
PubMed1978

Accumulation of 99m Tc-Sn-pyrophosphate in pleural effusions.

Accumulation of 99m Tc-Sn-pyrophosphate in pleural effusions has been evaluated in 56 patients grouped as follows: 8 with bacterial effusion (Group A), 27 with malignant effusion treated by local and/or parenteral antitumor chemotherapy (Group B), 21 with malignant effusion treated only by supportive therapy (Group C). Results, expressed as effusion to plasma PPi ratio, ranged from 0.1 to 0.28 in group A, from 0.04 to 0.64 in group B and from 0.60 to 1.73 in group C, with significant differences among the three groups. In no case was uptake found in cells of the sediment. Chemical analysis (including total and ionized calcium, total protein, acid and alkaline phosphatase) of plasma and exudate in neoplastic patients showed a slight, but significant, difference between groups B and C as regards plasma-effusion gradient for total calcium and acid phosphatase. Negative correlation also exists between effusion to plasma PPi ratio and plasma-exudate gradient for ionized calcium in neoplastic patients. The data support the hypothesis that acid phosphatase content and calcium gradient are among the factors involved in the mechanism of PPi accumulation in pleural effusions.

Diphosphates↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Determination of albuminuria in type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients with microproteinuria and overt nephropathy. Comparative evaluation between a radial immunodiffusion procedure and a highly sensitive radioimmunoassay.

We have studied the correlation between urinary albumin excretion rate evaluated by a radial immunodiffusion technique and a highly sensitive radioimmunoassay in type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients with microproteinuria and overt clinical nephropathy. Several statistically significant correlations were found between urinary albumin excretion rate measured by radial immunodiffusion and by radioimmunoassay, both in patients with microproteinuria and overt nephropathy. Moreover, statistically significant correlations between urinary albumin excretion rate, albumin clearance and total urinary protein excretion rate were observed in each of the groups studied. The radial immunodiffusion procedure can therefore be considered a useful and sensitive method for the evaluation of urinary albumin excretion rate both in diabetic patients with microproteinuria and in patients with overt clinical nephropathy.

Albuminuria↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of separate renal function by means of 99mTc-aprotinin uptake test.

The possibility that relative kidney uptake of technetium-99m aprotinin (TcA) might be indicative of separate renal function was investigated in 89 patients who underwent both effective renal plasma flow (ERPFs) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) determination. A reference group consisted of 27 healthy volunteers, studied only with TcA. The correlation with ERPFs (r = .73) was similar to that previously reported and confirmed. The correlation with GFR (r = .68) was better if a subgroup of renal units with TcA uptake lower than 16% (lower normal limit) was considered. Most likely, glomerular filtration is a limiting factor of the tubular uptake of TcA, and when GFR is reduced, both parameters decrease in the same manner, while if GFR is normal the two parameters are relatively independent. The correlation between TcA and GFR in 32 children was very similar to that found in adults. TcA uptake test seems to be a useful indicator of separate renal function, providing morphological information at, the same time.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Occupational syndromes of the extremities. The role of endothelin in the cold-test vasospasm: a pathogenetic hypothesis].

UNLABELLED: In 34 subjects (29 subjects vibrations exposed and 5 controls), the variations of seric levels of endothelin (Et) after Cold Test were investigated, while vasomotor modifications were monitored and recorded by forefinger volumetric pulsoplethismography. Blood sampling for Et dosage (from dorsal vein of the hand) was done in 17 subjects after 2' Cold Test and in 17 subjects after 5' Cold Test. RESULTS: 1) Et levels are always increased after Cold Test but level increase is statistically significant only after 5' Cold Test. 2) There is no evidence of relations between Et level increase and pulsoplethismographic alterations showing acral vasospasm. It is evident that in Raynaud phenomenon Et increase is not the only factor but takes part in the occurring of this acrosyndrome. When endothelium has a reduced activity opposing cold induced vasoconstriction, seric Et increased level may represent a biohumoral factor enhancing entity and duration of vasospasm.

Adult↗