PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E D'Erasmo

Publications and source records attributed to E D'Erasmo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Aging changes in vertebral morphometry.

We analyzed the vertebral morphometry of healthy premenopausal women and their changes with age and menopause in order to better define the reference population for the clinical and epidemiological evaluation of vertebral fractures. Vertebral morphometry has been performed on lateral thoracic and lumbar spine films from 50 premenopausal and 76 postmenopausal normal women, age range 39-74 years. Vertebral heights and the anterior height/posterior height ratio are significantly lower in postmenopausal compared with premenopausal women. Vertebral anterior height decreases about 1.5 mm/year, whereas middle and posterior height decreases about 1.3 and 1.2/mm year, respectively. A statistically significant reduction of vertebral heights by around 1 mm/vertebra was observed in postmenopausal (n = 16) compared with premenopausal women (n = 20) of the same age (P < 0.05). The results demonstrate that vertebral heights are lower with advancing age and menopause and that the vertebral heights difference in elderly people is not only the consequence of a cohort effect. The results also contribute to better defining the reference population to be chosen for evaluating vertebral deformation.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Calcium and bone mass at different periods of life].

In this review we report some considerations on the relationships between calcium intake and bone density during life time, with particular regard to postmenopausal women. We also report some practical aspects concerning calcium salt supplementation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Clinical aspects of early increase in serum gamma-glutamyl transferase in cerebral infarction.

Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) serum levels were measured in 42 female patients within 72 hours, and on day 10, after an ischaemic cerebral infarction (CI) and correlated with neurological impairment at admission and with mortality during hospitalization. Mean +/- SEM GGT serum value within 72 hours after CI was significantly higher compared to the mean +/- SEM value observed in control subjects (26.7 +/- 2.5 vs 16.5 +/- 1.2 U/L, P < 0.001) and it correlated with the severity of neurological status and with mortality. A positive correlation between GGT and creatine kinase (CK) serum levels was also observed (r = 0.47, P < 0.01). On day 10 after CI, normalization of serum GGT values was found. We conclude that GGT serum level increases in CI as a consequence of brain damage and that this increment may be considered as a clinical and prognostic unfavourable index of the disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Neurological state, infarct size and clinical outcome are related to early platelet count decrease in stroke.

We performed this study in order to verify the existence of a correlation between early platelet count reduction and initial neurological impairment, infarct extension and mortality or clinical outcome in an established ischemic cerebral infarction. The results demonstrate that the platelet consumption and/or accumulation in the infarct area, expressed by circulating platelet decrease, is related to the severity of neurological involvement, infarct size and poor clinical outcome.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Plasma fibrinogen and platelet count in stroke.

Plasma fibrinogen levels and platelet counts were evaluated in 30 patients with acute ischemic cerebral infarction (CI) three and nine days after the onset of symptoms. Hyperfibrinogenemia (379.4 +/- 80.3 vs 327.3 +/- 48.3 mg/dL of controls, p < 0.005), a reduction of platelet count (207.133 +/- 48.388 vs 288.375 +/- 61.373 x 10(9)/L of controls, p < 0.001), and an inverse correlation (r = -0.41, p < 0.05) between the two parameters were observed on day three. On day nine, platelet counts normalized while plasma fibrinogen levels slightly increased; the inverse correlation no longer occurred. The results suggest that in the earliest phase of stroke plasma fibrinogen levels may condition the extent of platelet accumulation or consumption in the ischemic area. This confirms in vivo that the platelet aggregation process is strictly dependent on fibrinogen concentration.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

[Efficacy of L-thyroxine (L-T4) therapy on the volume of the thyroid gland and nodules in patients with euthyroid nodular goiter (ENG)].

The efficacy of treatment with TSH suppressive doses of L-thyroxine was evaluated by echography in 35 patients with euthyroid nodular goiter. Patients have been subdivided in two groups comparable for sex age and size of the goiter. Sixteen patients were treated for nine months with suppressive doses of thyroxine and nineteen were followed without therapy as control. Patients in treatment were then followed up for additional 9 months without therapy. The mean decrease of thyroid volume at nine months was 25% (27 +/- 10 ml vs 20 +/- 8 ml; p < 0.01). After discontinuation of treatment thyroid volume increased and had returned to base line values after nine months of follow up. In the control group mean thyroid volume had increased by 17.7% at nine months (28 +/- 17 vs 33 +/- 19 ml; p < 0.001). Thyroid nodules in response to thyroid hormone treatment showed a variable behaviour: 30.7% (4/13) of the nodules responded to the therapy with a reduction > to 25% at the ninth month; the remaining nodules were insensitive to the therapy. In conclusion suppressive thyroxine treatment is effective in reducing the goiter, nodules instead are only in part sensitive to the treatment. Thyroxine therapy of euthyroid nodular goiter must be followed for long term since upon thyroxine discontinuation there is a prompt reappearance of the goiter.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

A hospital survey of hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia in malignancy.

We evaluated the incidence of hypo- versus hypercalcemia and hypo- versus hyperphosphatemia in a survey of 158 patients with malignancy; 55/158 had bone metastases. When serum calcium levels were corrected for albuminemia, the incidence of hypo- and hypercalcemia was respectively 10.8% and 10.1%. Hypophosphatemia was found in 29.7% patients, hyperphosphatemia in 2.5%. The incidence was slightly different in presence of bone metastases. Hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia prevailed in osteoblastic metastases and hypercalcemia in osteolytic metastases. The incidence of hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia in malignancy was therefore surprisingly high, even apart from the presence of bone metastases. Both hypo- and hypercalcemia were associated with elevated serum alkaline phosphatase levels. Moreover, a calcium-phosphorus product reduction was observed in osteoblastic metastases, suggesting a condition of secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Effect of the acute sublingual administration of ketanserin in hypertensive patients.

The purpose of this study has been to compare the acute antihypertensive effect of a dose of 20 mg of ketanserin in 18 patients after sublingual administration and in 19 after oral administration. In three patients ketanserin and ketanserin-ol plasma levels were measured after both sublingual and oral administration. The results showed a more rapid, considerable antihypertensive effect after sublingual administration. In addition, the high plasma levels of ketanserin-ol, the metabolite produced by hepatic reduction of ketanserin, reached after sublingual administration, rather than transmucosal absorption, indicate that the clinical effect observed is due to more rapid dissolution of the tablet formulation and liberation of the active drug.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1991

Hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia in cancer patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia and the relationship between calcium and magnesium serum levels in 82 hospitalized cancer patients, 61 of whom were in the terminal phase of the disease. The frequency of hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia was 13.4% and 17.1% respectively. The incidence of hypocalcemia in patients with hypomagnesemia was 28.6%, while in those with normal or high magnesium serum levels it was 10.3%. The lowest magnesium serum level was observed in hypocalcemic patients. It may thus be concluded that hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia are a frequent complication of malignant tumors mostly in the terminal stage of the disease, and that even hypomagnesemia could contribute to the development of tumor-associated hypocalcemia.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Platelet count, mean platelet volume and their relation to prognosis in cerebral infarction.

The study was performed on patients with ischaemic cerebral infarction in order to obtain information on serial changes of some platelet parameters and to test their prognostic significance. Platelet count, obtained within 48 h after cerebral infarction, was significantly lower than in the control group (213,611 +/- 65,652 mm-3 vs. 299,525 +/- 60,611 mm-3, P less than 0.001), reaching the normal level on the ninth day and thereafter. The mean platelet volume was significantly greater than in the controls (11.26 +/- 1.29 fl vs. 8.93 +/- 0.93 fl, P less than 0.001), and normalization generally occurred on the forty-fifth day. The mean platelet count was significantly lower in the patients who died than in those who survived (P less than 0.025 and P less than 0.05 respectively on the first to second and fourth day after infarction). The reduction of platelet count and the increase of mean volume appear to be related to an increased platelet consumption in the infarction area, associated with an in vivo platelet activation, as larger platelets are more responsive to platelet activity and aggregability tests. The lower mean platelet count observed in the patients who died suggests that the platelet value might be considered as a prognostic index of cerebral infarction.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Pathogenetic aspects of involutional osteoporosis.

The pathogenetic factors of postmenopausal and senile osteoporosis are reviewed. Both postmenopausal and senile osteoporosis occur as a result of a defective regulation of bone remodelling which leads to a negative uncoupling between bone resorption and bone formation. Systemic and local factors contribute to the development of the phenomenon. While studies of the systemic factors involved in age-related bone loss are well advanced, although still incomplete, the study of the local factors responsible at a tissue level for the negative skeletal balance has barely begun.

Adult↗