Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D Brunelli.
Gastric lipoma is a rare benign tumor. The symptoms are correlated with the size and the dimensions of neoplasm. It can be the cause of bleeding, gastroduodenal intussusception and intestinal obstruction, as in case reported and surgically treated. The Authors make a literature review to define the better diagnostic and surgical approach.
Unconventional immune responses have been demonstrated in individuals who, despite repeated exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, remain seronegative. As environmental exposure to pathogens and genetic background may modulate immune responses differentially, one Italian and two Asian populations of HIV-1-exposed seronegative individuals were studied. In serum samples from each group, IgG to CCR5, IgG to CD4 and IgA to gp41 were measured, which were previously described as markers of unconventional immunity in HIV-exposed seronegative Caucasians. Given the importance of conformational epitopes in virus-cell interactions, IgG to CD4-gp120 complex was also measured. It was found that markers of HIV exposure were present in all populations studied. HIV-specific humoral responses (IgA to gp41 and IgG to CD4-gp120 complex) were extremely significant predictors of HIV exposure (P<0.0001 in both cases), whereas the predictive values of anti-cell antibodies (anti-CCR5 and anti-CD4) varied between populations. Evidence is provided for the correlation of these differences with route of exposure to HIV and level of natural antibodies to cross-reactive microbial antigens. In conclusion, exposed seronegative individuals of ethnically different origins display similar signs of HIV-dependent unconventional immunity. A specific relevance must be attributed to different innate and acquired factors.
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The effects of gallopamil, a calcium channel blocker methoxy derivative of verapamil, recently introduced into clinical use in Germany, were evaluated in 20 patients with stable exertional angina. Two different dosages of the drug were used: 25 mg tid and 50 mg tid. It was observed that both dosages improved exercise tolerance (355 +/- 95 sec after placebo; 462 +/- 78 sec, p less than 0.01 and 511 +/- 97 sec, p less than 0.01 after the two doses) while the time taken to produce ischemia (-1 mm ST depression) was significantly prolonged only by the higher dose of the drug (204 +/- 101 sec after placebo; 324 +/- 135 sec after gallopamil 150 mg, p less than 0.05). Both dosages of gallopamil caused a significant reduction in the double product in the first phases of the exercise (double product 3 degrees min of exercise x 10(2): 173 +/- 140 after placebo; 153 +/- 34, p less than 0.05 and 145 +/- 30, p less than 0.05 after the two doses), while they did not affect this parameter at the end of the exercise. Our data seem to confirm that gallopamil works through a lowered myocardial metabolic demand as a consequence of the reduction of the afterload. Both dosages of the drug decreased the number of episodes of angina, but the higher dose was more effective. The drug is safe and well tolerated. All patients completed the study. Furthermore, no particular haemodynamic problems were observed.
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In a patient with complete heart block complicated by "Torsade de point" (T.D.P.) we were able to record an M-mode echocardiogram during an attack of this peculiar ventricular tachyarrhythmia. The aortic valve opening was inconstant, incomplete and unequal during the T.D.P. (13 sec.), although the rate of the tachyarrhythmia was almost constant. On the other hand, during a subsequent ventricular pacing at a comparable rate like, the aortic valve opening was constant and complete. On the basis of these observations we conclude that the reduction of stroke volume, observed in T.D.P., is mainly due to mechanical failure as a result of partial desynchronization of the ventricular activation, as in ventricular fibrillation in which, however, the desynchronization is complete.
BACKGROUND: Tumor-induced hypophosphatemic osteomalacia is a syndrome characterized by urinary phosphate wasting related to the presence of a slowly-growing tumor of mesenchymal origin. The characteristic laboratory findings are normal serum calcium, marked hypophosphatemia, increased serum alkaline phosphatase, markedly reduced renal tubular reabsorption of phosphorus and inappropriately low levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25-(OH)2D]. CASE PRESENTATION: A 65-year-old woman presented with a 17-year clinical history of musculoskeletal pain, muscular weakness in the pelvic girdle, spontaneous fractures and difficulty in walking. Over the ensuing years the patient suffered other multiple spontaneous fractures, surgically treated, and the muscular pains worsened until she became bedridden. During the years before hospital admission the patient received treatment with clodronate, oral calcium salts and vitamin D therapy. Standard laboratory, ultrasonography and scintigraphic findings provided a "convenient" diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism, but the low plasma level of phosphorus induced to perform an Indium111-octreotide scintigraphy. Scintigraphy visualized an area of pathologic increased signal uptake in the left groin, consistent with a mass containing a high density of somatostatin receptors. After surgery, histologic examination and immunostaining of the resected specimen indicated an hemangiopericytoma. Nevertheless, the persistently low blood phosphorus level, in association with the increased serum calcium and PTH levels, were attributed to the prolonged phosphate therapy the patient underwent over the years, and the persisting abnormal laboratory indexes indicated the development of a tertiary hyperparathyroidism. We performed a subtotal parathyroidectomy and intraoperative assay of serum PTH showed that levels had diminished by more than 80% from preoperative values. Over the ensuing months Ca+2, PTH and serum phosphorus values returned to normal, and the pain symptoms disappeared. CONCLUSIONS: Tumour-induced osteomalacia is a very rare syndrome associated in 5% of cases with tertiary hyperparathyroidism due to long-term therapy with phosphorus and vitamin D. The initial diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism, confirmed by the parathyroid MIBI-scintigraphy, would lead us to an inappropriate surgical treatment. Therefore we want to stress the importance of In111-octreotide scintigraphy in detecting tumours, rich in somatostatin receptors, in presence of an hypophosphatemic syndrome.
Rectourethral fistulas are an uncommon complication of urinary or rectal surgery, trauma, inflammatory disease, radiation therapy for prostate cancer; they represent an unique challenge for the surgeon. Although closure can occure spontaneously, most cases of acquired rectourethral fistula need surgical repair. Despite a century of surgical experience, no single approach has been universally accepted. We report a case of a rectourethral fistula occurred in a 73 year-old man after a radical retropubic prostatectomy and external beam irradiation for prostate cancer, successfully treated with perineal approach.