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Biomedical subjects

D Longo

Publications and source records attributed to D Longo.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Approaching the controversies in antibacterial management of cancer patients.

The principles for management of infectious complications in cancer patients are continuing to evolve. The critical element includes the prompt institution of broad-spectrum antibiotic(s) empirically when granulocytopenic patients become febrile and continuation and modification of the regimen in patients with persistent fever and granulocytopenia. The view is presented that antibiotics provide systemic prophylaxis as well as therapy in persistently granulocytopenic patients and that they should be continued until all signs of infection have cleared or the granulocyte count has recovered. Such aggressive therapy, supplemented by continued evaluation and monitoring of the patient, can significantly reduce infection-relation morbidity and mortality.

Agranulocytosis

Ophthalmic involvement in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Forty patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) were examined for ocular abnormalities. Twenty of these patients died and the eyes were obtained for culture and histopathologic examination. These patients have multiple opportunistic infections and neoplasms as the result of a severe depression of cellular immunity. Fifty percent of all patients with AIDS and 75% of the autopsy group have ocular signs attributable to AIDS. Ocular findings were confined to four major categories: cytomegalovirus retinitis (10 patients), retinal cotton wool spots (11 patients), conjunctival Kaposi's sarcoma (2 patients) and neuro-ophthalmic motility abnormalities (3 patients). Cytomegalovirus retinitis was a significant cause of visual loss. Seven of 40 autopsy eyes had hand motion or worse visual acuity prior to the patients' death because of CMV retinitis. This necrotic retinitis showed minimal inflammation and progressed to involve the entire retina in three to six months, resulting in a gliotic retinal membrane. Therapy with antiviral agents was not effective. Recognizing the ocular signs of AIDS may facilitate the diagnosis. The ophthalmologist also has a major role in the observation of progression or regression of these ocular manifestations, and can assist in the evaluation of therapy in patients with AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Persistence of Pneumocystis carinii in lung tissue of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients treated for pneumocystis pneumonia.

Eleven patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) were studied by repeat bronchoscopy during PCP treatment to assess histologic evidence of resolution of the pneumonia. Nine of 10 patients studied after 8 to 21 days of therapy demonstrated evidence of persistent PCP. Four of 6 patients studied after 22 to 35 days of therapy continued to demonstrate Pneumocystis carinii cysts on repeat examination, while only 1 of 4 patients studied after 35 days of therapy showed evidence of PCP pneumonia. The rate of resolution of PCP in patients with AIDS may be different from the rate of resolution of PCP in patients without AIDS. There was no apparent correlation between rate of clinical response and likelihood of histologic resolution on follow-up biopsy. The PCP in patients with AIDS may require more prolonged therapy for complete resolution of this pneumonic process.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Low-grade lymphomas. Expression of developmentally regulated B-cell antigens.

A series of low-grade B-cell lymphomas was analyzed for a battery of immunologic determinants by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Histologically distinctive subclasses of these lymphomas, well-differentiated lymphocytic (WDL), intermediately differentiated lymphocytic (IDL), and follicular center cell (FCC) lymphoma, were found to be readily distinguishable by their expression of immunologic determinants that are known to be developmentally regulated in normal B cells. Although all cases expressed monoclonal surface immunoglobulin (sIg), HLA-DR, and the surface membrane proteins recognized by antibodies B1 (p32) and BA1, staining with other monoclonal antibodies revealed unique immunologic phenotypes for each subclass: WDL p65 (Leu 1)+, p24 (BA2)-; IDL p65+, p24+; FCC p65-, p24-. Additionally, the fluorescence intensities (number of determinants per cell) obtained for sIg, BA-1, and B1, but not HLA-DR, were significantly different among the three lymphoma subclasses. The relative fluorescence intensities of each of these three markers followed the same pattern: FCC greater than IDL greater than WDL. Taken together, these distinguishing features suggest that low-grade B-cell lymphomas represent arrested, and possibly sequential, stages of B-cell differentiation.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Gas chromatographic quantitation of breath hydrogen and carbon monoxide for clinical investigation in adults and in children.

A simple and suitable method of breath sampling and the gas chromatographic determination of H2 and CO in breath of children as well as of adults are described. The analytical system allows the measurement of concentrations of H2 and CO as low as a few ppm. The proposed method of breath collection (tedlar bag with low resistance valve face mask) appears particularly useful for long storage purposes, because it eliminates the need for additional manipulations and the possible associated sample dilution. Normalization of H2 breath amounts to internal standard O2 to obtain reliable and precise measurements is particularly useful in non-collaborating patients whose observed H2 peak values increase by 15% after the correction. The overall procedure is fast, inexpensive and accurately recognizes adult or children lactose malabsorbers as well as subjects exposed even to low levels of CO.

Adult

Fixation and regression in the family life cycle.

In spite of the obvious fact that families differ significantly depending upon their current stage of the life cycle, most of the family therapy literature focuses on intervening in ongoing family interaction without specific attention to the dimension of family development. Family sociologists, on the other hand, while not dealing with modifying family functioning, have provided more detailed tools with which to understand variations in family functioning based on stages of family development. Our work with families in acute distress suggests the need to increase the specificity with which our assessments and interventions are tailored, by incorporating the family developmental view. This paper explores the utility of the family developmental view using the concepts of fixation and regression in the family life cycle. These concepts were found to be relatively refined and quite pragmatic assessment devices that assist therapists in specifying developmental issues of the family. Case examples of actual families in crisis are presented in order to demonstrate the utility of these conceptual tools.

Adaptation, Psychological

[The attitude and vaccination practice of a sample of Campania pediatricians].

One hundred-twenty-six pediatricians were questioned about their attitudes concerning the practice of immunization, their feelings about the new vaccines (measles, mumps, german measles, hepatitis b) and about the pertussis vaccine. 80% of them reported that indications and contraindications were still unclear: Down's syndrome and atopic eczema are still thought to be real contraindications--despite the mass of papers suggesting that they are not so--, moreover 95% of the participants persists into the unnecessary evaluation of the antibody title following hepatitis b immunization. We conclude that it would be wise to periodically diffuse to pediatricians update recommendations about the extended immunization program, especially in our region, were still an high number of children are not properly immunized.

Adult