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Biomedical subjects

C Loffredo

Publications and source records attributed to C Loffredo.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Vitamin A and cardiac outflow tract defects.

To assess the relationship between maternal intake of vitamin A and cardiac outflow tract defects, we examined data from a population-based case-control study among liveborn infants born from 1987 through 1989 to mothers residing in the Baltimore-Washington area. Case infants (126) had a nonsyndromic cardiac outflow tract defect. Control infants (679) did not have birth defects and were a stratified random sample of liveborn infants from the same area. The main exposure was average daily maternal intake of retinol and provitamin A carotenoids from foods and supplements during the year before conception. Compared with an average intake of less than 10,000 IU, retinol intake of 10,000 IU or more from supplements was associated with a ninefold increased risk for transposition of the great arteries (odds ratio = 9.2; 95% confidence interval = 4.0-21.2), but not for outflow tract defects with normally related arteries (odds ratio = 0.8; 95% confidence interval = 0.1-6.6). Similar intakes of carotenoids and dietary retinol were not associated with an increased risk for either type of outflow tract defect.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Local specific immunotherapy in allergic conjunctivitis.

We evaluated the effect of local specific immunotherapy in 40 patients suffering from seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. Twenty patients received saline solution in both eyes; and 20 others received local specific immunotherapy in both eyes. Sodium cromoglycate drops were instilled in both eyes in all patients. Subjective and objective symptoms, and cytological findings had significantly improved after 1 year in the group treated with local specific immunotherapy plus sodium cromoglycate compared to the group treated with sodium cromoglycate and saline solution.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Fungal keratitis due to Scopulariopsis brevicaulis in an eye previously suffering from herpetic keratitis.

In the case reported, herpes virus I after having caused relapsing keratitis in an eye promoted the formation of a severe corneal ulcer caused by Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, a saprophytic mycete found in soil, which only once has been described as the cause of keratitis in man. Scopulariopsis was identified microscopically after culturing the conjunctival secretion on Sabouraud dextrose agar medium, while DNA probe tests confirmed the absence of herpes virus I. Topical and oral administration of miconazole and scraping of the corneal infiltrate dispersed the infection. Subsequently local steroids were given to reduce the neovascularization, and a therapeutic contact lens was applied because of intercurrent corneal thinning. Three months after beginning antifungal therapy, the visual acuity had increased from 1/120 to 1/10. The case described confirms that S. brevicaulis can cause opportunist infections in a cornea previously damaged by a different agent.

Conjunctiva↗
PubMed1993

Use of prescription and non-prescription drugs in pregnancy. The Baltimore-Washington Infant Study Group.

We analyzed use of therapeutic drugs during pregnancy by 2752 mothers of infants without major congenital malformations. During pregnancy, 68% of the women used at least one prescription or non-prescription drug. Drug use in pregnancy was significantly more common for women who were white, older, married, better educated, of higher income and occupational status, receiving private prenatal care and not living in urban areas. Number of maternal illnesses, higher socioeconomic status, white race, multiparity and use of recreational drugs explained 26% of reported drug use. The mean number of drugs reported (1.2) underestimates total drug exposure due to exclusion of some drug categories including multivitamins and illicit drugs. Since the majority of women giving birth to normal infants report use of at least one pharmacologic agent during pregnancy, attribution of adverse outcome to drug use in an individual case is rarely justified.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1993

Paternal exposures and cardiovascular malformations. The Baltimore-Washington Infant Study Group.

Possible associations between paternal exposures and cardiovascular malformations were evaluated in the Baltimore-Washington Infant Study, a population based case-control investigation of congenital heart disease and environmental factors. Home interviews of case and control parents elicited information on parental home and occupational exposures. Analysis focused on twelve cardiac diagnostic groups and paternal exposures incurred during the six months preceding the pregnancy. Associations were identified between jewelry making and atrial septal defect (Odds ratio: 12.6; 95% confidence interval: 2.3-68.6) and membranous ventricular septal defect (8.1; 2.0-33.3), welding and endocardial cushion defect with Down syndrome (1.8; 1.1-3.0), lead soldering and pulmonary atresia (2.3; 1.1-4.9) and ionizing radiation and endocardial cushion defect without Down syndrome (4.7; 1.7-12.6). Ionizing radiation was found to be associated with endocardial cushion defect with Down syndrome only when father was present at interview (5.6; 1.7-17.9); a similar effect of father at interview was noted for paint stripping in relation to coarctation of the aorta (3.5; 1.5-8.0) and muscular ventricular septal defect (3.5; 1.5-8.5). Also, paint stripping was associated with hypoplastic left heart only in the presence of family history of cardiac defects (11.9; 2.4-60.0). This large study on cardiac diagnostic groups and specific preconceptional exposures provides new leads for further assessment of the role of paternal exposures on adverse pregnancy outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Tetralogy of Fallot. The spectrum of severity in a regional study, 1981-1985.

The combined medical and surgical mortality rate for 125 infants with tetralogy of Fallot registered in the Baltimore-Washington Infant Study from 1981 to 1985 was 28% (mean age at follow-up for living infants, 40 months). Despite early diagnosis and successful early repair in many infants, significant risk factors for death included pulmonary atresia, major additional cardiac anomalies, major noncardiac malformations, low birth weight, and prematurity. There is a wide spectrum of severity, ranging from infants with isolated tetralogy and no risk factors who have an excellent prognosis to infants with three or more risk factors and a high probability of neonatal death. Further treatment advances will improve outcome in some, but not all, infants. A regional all-inclusive study of a specific cardiac defect can define research and treatment challenges not obvious from selected clinical series.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1990

Ocular melanoma: total dose and dose rate effects with Co-60 plaque therapy.

From 1968 to 1987, 123 consecutive patients with nonmetastatic choroidal melanoma were treated with cobalt-60 plaques. One hundred sixteen patients were followed up for a mean of 3.8 years. Twenty patients had local failure, and 14 patients had distant failure. Complications included 32 cataracts, and seven enucleations were required. Local recurrence did not correlate with tumor height, tumor volume, dose, or dose rate. Increased volume (P = .004) and height (P = .01) correlated with increased rates of distant metastases. Dose adjusted for volume did not correlate with the rate of metastases.

Brachytherapy↗