[Plasma renin activity, aldosterone and aging: chronobiological circadian study].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D Colantonio.
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A case of simultaneous evidence of plasma cell leukaemia and multiple myeloma is reported. Plasma cell leukaemia doesn't represent an evolution of multiple myeloma, but a primitive disease, because the two forms of plasma cell dyscrasia arose from two different neoplastic plasma cell populations. In fact, leukaemic plasma cell produced IgA and were PAS-positive, while myelomatous plasma cells produced IgG and were PAS-negative. From this case, some hypothesis on simultaneous development of the two types of plasma cell neoplasias are discussed.
Clinico-pathological findings in 50 consecutive previously untreated patients with IgG and micromolecular multiple myeloma were reviewed. The clinical factors related with a shorter survival were: Bence-Jones proteinuria, high level of serum creatinine and serum calcium, low level of haemoglobin, widespread bone lesions, and plasma cell percentage in bone marrow more than 20%. This factor is significantly correlated with survival. The staging systems proposed by Durie and Salmon and by Merlini et al. are a precious reference in the evaluation of survival and treatment.
The relation between aging and plasmatic renin activity (PRA) and plasmatic aldosterone (PA) was studied in three groups of healthy normotensive male subjects: group A (subjects aged 20-40 years), group B (subjects aged 41-60 years), group C (subjects aged 61-80 years). Each group consisted of 15 subjects. All studied subjects were kept for a week on standardize life conditions with a defined daily intake of 120 mEq of sodium and 60 mEq of potassium. Venous blood samples were collected at 8.00 a.m., the subjects resting in supine position at least eight hours before the study. PRA and PA levels were determined by radioimmunoassay. The mean value of PRA and PA in the three groups were compared by t Student test. The results show that both PRA and PA present a decrease with age advancing: in fact the levels of PRA and PA are significantly higher in group A versus group B and group C, and in group B versus group C. The decline in PRA levels in the older subjects appeared to be due to various factors. It is concluded that aging process causes a decrease in PRA, with parallel lowering of PA and that these modifications have to be considered in biochemical diagnostic work-up of patients with arterial hypertension.
In a group of 50 patients with liver cirrhosis compared with a group of 50 clinically healthy subjects serum magnesium levels were determined. The patients were divided according the aetiology of liver cirrhosis and to the presence or not of ascite and cholestasis. The serum magnesium levels were related to the main laboratory tests used in liver cirrhosis. The patients present a significant decrease of serum magnesium levels in comparison to controls. The patients with alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver and with ascite have significant lower magnesium levels in comparison with the patients with post-hepatitis cirrhosis and with patients without ascite. There is a significant correlation between serum magnesium levels and serum levels of aldosterone, albumin, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and total pool of bile acids. Direct and indirect effects of alcohol, a secondary hyperaldosteronism, the use of diuretics, and hypoalbuminaemia could account for magnesium serum level decrease in liver cirrhosis.
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Plasma levels of human growth hormone (hGH) were measured for an entire day every two hours, starting from midnight, in 6 healthy male subjects and in 6 male patients with homozygous beta-thalassemia, without evidence of any endocrine disease. The data were analyzed by the "cosinor" method, and the results show the presence of a significant (p < 0.05) circadian rhythm for hGH in both groups. Whereas no differences were found in mesors and acrophases between the two studied groups (p > 0.05), a statistically-significant (p < 0.05) difference was observed regarding amplitudes, being higher in the controls. These data suggest that in patients with beta-thalassemia major without evidence of any endocrine abnormality, the circadian secretory pattern of hGH is preserved, even if the rhythm amplitude is reduced: this could be a compensatory mechanism in order to stimulate growth.
The plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide were determined before, at the end of exercise performed on a bicycle ergometer at constant 200-W for 10 minutes, and at 30 minutes after the end of test in 8 clinically healthy male subjects. The results show that plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels increase significantly at the end of test, and return to baseline values after 30 minutes. The increase in atrial natriuretic peptide levels is significantly correlated with the increase in heart rate and in systolic arterial blood pressure. These data indicate that the plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide increase in response to exercise proportionally to the intensity of workload: in this respect, exercise is an useful test in order to evaluate the endocrine function of the heart.
From 1970 to 1989, multiple myeloma was diagnosed in 184 residents in the counties of L'Aquila and Avezzano, two cities of the Region Abruzzo in Central Italy. The data were analysed for variations by sex, classes of age, urban and residence areas, symptoms and clinical stages at presentation, causes of death, and survival curves. The average annual incidence rate in the period 1970-89 was 5.8 per 100,000 residents. This increase in trend is statistically-significant (p less than 0.01). The average incidence was consistently higher among males, the age group 61-70 years old, and residents in urban areas for the decades 1970-79 and 1980-89. The increase in incidence rates of multiple myeloma was evident in all population categories, without significant differences (p greater than 0.05) in any evaluated class. The patients diagnosed in 1970-79 presented significantly (p less than 0.05) higher percentage of bone involvement at first diagnosis with respect to the patients diagnosed in 1980-89. A significant difference (p less than 0.05) was also observed in the clinical stage distribution. Patients from the 1980-89 decade survived for a significant (p less than 0.0001) longer period of time than the diagnosed between 1970-79. No differences (p greater than 0.05) were noted regarding causes of death. These results confirm the recent data of an increased incidence of multiple myeloma in the world. This trend could be due to an improvement in diagnosis and recording of multiple myeloma. On the other hand, environmental and occupational factors may play an important role in this increase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
In a group of 136 completely followed up patients with multiple myeloma, the prognostic significance of the immunological myeloma types, of 20 different single prognostic factors, of 15 clinical staging systems, and of 6 morphological classifications was retrospectively investigated by means of the calculation of mean survivals, survival curves, and responses to chemotherapy. A univariate analysis was employed in order to correlate each prognostic parameter at presentation with the survival in the whole group; a multivariate analysis according to the Cox's hazards regression model was used in order to select the most powerful prognostic variables. The patients were grouped according to the myeloma immunological types, to the mean value of each single prognostic factor, and to each stage of the clinical and morphological systems. Causes of death were also related to immunological multiple myeloma types. All single variables, except age and serum calcium, presented a significant relationship with the survival, even if at different significance levels. Cox's regression model selected among them, serum levels of beta 2-microglobulin, percentage of bone marrow plasma cells, hemoglobinemia, lytic bone lesions, and Bence-Jones proteinuria as the most significant factors related to survival. Each clinical and morphological staging system divided groups of patients with significant differences in mean survivals, or in survival curves, or in response to therapy. Multiple myeloma type IgA and micromolecular, with Bence-Jones proteinuria, and type lambda were associated with a poor prognosis, with low therapeutical response, and with the development of fatal renal failure. All these parameters, together with new prognostic factors, are useful in the prognostic evaluation, and, when applied in different steps of the diagnosis and the therapy, allow of studying the clinical course of multiple myeloma under different perspectives, in order to have a more complete picture of the disease and of the single patient.
The incidence of multiple myeloma is increasing in western countries, and several environmental and occupational risk factors have been suggested to explain this trend. A case-control study was conducted in order to investigate the relationship between occupation, exposure to chemicals, and risk of multiple myeloma. A total of 170 cases of multiple myeloma, 98 males and 72 females, aged 43-84 (mean age = 67 D.S. = 10), and 170 matched hospital controls (mean age = 68 D.S. = 9) were identified for the years 1970-1988. All subjects were interviewed about socioeconomic status, current or previous occupation, and if they had ever been exposed to one or more of a list of toxic substances. Exposure were grouped in 21 risk categories. Poor socioeconomic status was associated with a significant risk for multiple myeloma (OR = 2.8; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.61-3.05), as well as agricultural work (OR = 2.71; 95% CI: 1.87-4.42), and work in industry (OR = 3.20; 95% CI: 2.00-5.75). Regarding toxic substance exposure, a significant association was found for asbestos (OR = 4.00; 95% CI: 2.02-8.05), mineral oils (OR = 3.00; 95% CI: 1.98-5.08), pesticides (OR = 2.83; 95% CI: 1.87-4.78), and radiation (OR = 9.00; 95% CI: 0.81-21.73). No significant association was demonstrated for alcohol intake and tobacco smoking. High odds ratios were also found for fertilizers, paints, cosmetics and/or hairdressing products, and dust. These findings agree with previously reported studies, suggesting a relationship between some occupational exposures and the risk of multiple myeloma. The data, however, require clarification in prospective, larger, population-based studies.
In an autopsy study of 2569 subjects, during the period 1971-1988, 289 cases of myocardial infarction were found. On the basis of morphological and histological data 8 (2.8%) of such cases were diagnosed as isolated right ventricular myocardial infarction. Clinical data relating to these 8 cases were also considered. The right ventricular myocardial infarction may be secondary to acute or chronic pulmonary hypertension, in the setting of massive pulmonary thromboembolism or cor pulmonale, especially in the presence of right ventricular hypertrophy and with normal or stenotic coronary arteries. Isolated right ventricular myocardial infarction is clinically underestimated due to the great difficult to make a correct diagnosis in life. The low accuracy of the standard electrocardiographic records does not allow to pose a diagnosis of isolated right ventricular myocardial infarction.
Some epidemiological and clinical considerations on 184 cases of multiple myeloma, diagnosed in the period 1970-1989, are reported. The mean annual incidence rate for multiple myeloma was 5.1 per 100,000 residents, with a prevalence in male sex and in patients aged more than 65 years. The most frequent symptoms at presentation were bone pain and anemia, while the main cause of death was renal failure. The survival at three years was about 60%, and at five years about 45%. The subdivision of the patients according to the clinical staging system proposed by Durie and Salmon has demonstrated a significant difference in the three survival curves.
The prognostic value of the multiple myeloma (MM) immunological type, of 20 different single prognostic variables, of 11 clinical staging systems, and of 6 morphological classification systems was evaluated in 121 patients (71 males and 50 females, 75 MM IgG, 26 MM IgA, and 20 MM micromolecular), who were followed from diagnosis to demise. The values of the prognostic variables related to diagnosis were correlated with survival by means of univariate analysis; multivariate analysis according to Cox's model was employed to select highly-significant parameters correlated with survival among these variables. Every patient was retrospectively staged according to each clinical and morphological system. Mean survivals were computed for each group on the basis of immunological type, mean value of each prognostic factor, clinical and morphological stage. Survival curves were computed and compared. All prognostic parameters showed a significant relationship with survival, even though p-value differed. Multivariate analysis according to Cox's model has indicated the following variables as significantly correlated with survival: bone marrow plasma cell percentage, degree of lytic bone lesions, hemoglobinemia value, and serum levels of beta 2-microglobulin. Each clinical and morphological staging system, as well as immunological types and mean value of single prognostic parameters, have divided patients into separate groups with significant differences in mean survival and in survival curves. All of these factors could be taken into account for correct prognostic evaluation, and, if they were applied in different steps of diagnosis and therapy, it would be possible to study the MM patient under different perspectives, in order to have a more complete picture of the disease and of the patient.
A retrospective study was undertaken on 178 cases of fatal pulmonary thromboembolism, 86 males and 92 females, in whom major pulmonary emboli were found at autopsies, performed from 1971 to 1988. The 178 cases represent 6.9% from 2569 autopsies. In 43 cases (24.2%) the fatal pulmonary thromboembolism developed after surgery. The clinical diagnosis was performed in 59 cases (33.1%). The conditions at risk for fatal pulmonary thromboembolism were orthopedic surgery and radical surgery for malignancy among the surgical patients, and heart diseases and neoplasias among the medical patients. The death by fatal thromboembolism occurred in the 63.5% in the first six hours after onset of symptoms. The data suggest that recognition of those conditions which coexist with pulmonary thromboembolic disease can facilitate early diagnosis, and that when high risk is present antithrombotic prevention is of critical importance.