PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Longhini

Publications and source records attributed to E Longhini.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Evaluation of the intensity and duration of the bronchodilatory action of fenoterol-ipratropium bromide in combination compared with terbutaline and placebo in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.

The effect obtained using terbutaline and Duovent was studied in a group of 16 patients with chronic obstructive lung disease. The drugs were administered by aerosol in doses based on spirometric indices of flow and lung capacity. The results obtained confirm the efficacy of the two drugs in improving gas flow. This improvement persisted for 6-7 h after administration. Comparison of the two drugs has shown that as far as FVC is concerned, the improvement obtained with Duovent is longer-lasting than that with terbutaline. There were no side-effects.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

The effect of intravenously administered salbutamol on serum potassium in asthmatic and nonasthmatic atopic subjects.

The role of adrenergic mechanism in the pathogenesis of allergic disease is controversial. Recent experimental and clinical reports have suggested that beta-adrenergic blockade impairs and beta stimulation enhances extrarenal potassium uptake in humans. This led us to study the effect of the intravenous administration of salbutamol, a specific beta-2-adrenergic agonist, on serum potassium in 9 healthy subjects and in 23 patients with allergic asthma and/or rhinitis. Serum potassium fell significantly and reached a peak decline at the end of venous infusion in all the normal subjects. Seventeen atopic subjects showed a lower or absent serum K+ decrement: there was no difference between asthmatic and rhinitic patients. There was no relation among the salbutamol-induced serum potassium decrement, serum glucose increment, blood pressure and heart-rate changes, and nonspecific bronchial reactivity. These findings suggest that beta-2-adrenergic hyporesponsiveness is present only in some allergic patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

M-mode subxiphoid echocardiography in assessing pulmonary hypertension. Its usefulness in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

12 patients (9 males, 3 females; aged 35-63 years, mean 55) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were studied in order to determine the correlation between the values of pulmonary arterial pressure and the M-mode echographic size of the right pulmonary artery (RPA) from the subxiphoid approach. Both the largest (systolic) and smallest (diastolic) size of the vessel were considered, and both were corrected for body surface area ('index size' - PA/BSA). The reliability of this echographic size is supported by the evidence that the tract of the pulmonary artery considered in this study is perpendicular to the ultrasonic beam. Both the systolic and diastolic size of RPA correlated with the systolic, diastolic, and mean pulmonary arterial pressure, detected by catheterization. Measurements of RPA size were made from the suprasternal approach in 8 patients out of 12. The size of RPA from the subxiphoid approach was also estimated in 21 normal subjects, serving as controls. Measurements of RPA size from the suprasternal approach were made in 12 of these subjects. Both the systolic and diastolic size of RPA from the subxiphoid approach correlated with the systolic and diastolic size of the suprasternal view in patients and in normal subjects. Subxiphoid M-mode echocardiography seems to be a valuable noninvasive technique in assessment of pulmonary hypertension, particularly in patients affected by COPD.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Comparison of methods for determining erythrocyte deformability].

We have studied the erythrocyte deformability by means of the filtration technique proposed by Reid et al. and with the new technique proposed by Schmid-Schönbein et al. using a Filtrometer MF4. We have studied 50 healthy subjects (24 females and 26 males) aged 25-61 (mean age 34 years). Our results show that slope 80% (SL80) and minimal value (MV) represent the more reliable indexes given by Filtrometer MF4. This instrument gives an exhaustive and automated analysis of erythrocyte deformability. Its results allow us a more extensive knowledge of hemorheological behavior of red blood cells in very low flow conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Potassium tolerance and bronchial reactivity in asthmatic and nonasthmatic atopic subjects.

Abnormal autonomic nervous system responsiveness may contribute to the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Therefore, we measured the beta-adrenergic systemic (metabolic) responsiveness by means of acute potassium load in 10 normal healthy subjects and in 19 patients with allergic asthma and/or rhinitis. Ten allergic patients showed a greater potassium increment, as in normal subjects, when potassium was infused in the presence of propranolol. There was no difference between asthmatic and rhinitic patients. We then examined the relation between the response to potassium tolerance and the nonspecific, nonpharmacological bronchial reactivity in response to inhalation of ultrasonically nebulized distilled water. Some allergic patients showed bronchial hyperreactivity, while others did not show a difference compared with the controls; there was no significant difference between asthmatics and rhinitics, and there was no relation between nonspecific bronchial reactivity and potassium load tolerance. These findings suggest that systemic beta-adrenergic hyporesponsiveness may be present only in some allergic patients. There is no demonstrable relation among atopic state, nonspecific, nonpharmacological bronchial reactivity, and systemic beta-adrenergic hyporesponsiveness.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Detection of circulating DNA in plasma of patients with pulmonary embolism by counterimmunoelectrophoresis.

In order to confirm the usefulness of free plasma DNA detection in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE), we have studied 16 patients with PE, 33 with various diseases, and 13 normal subjects. Free plasma DNA was detectable in 15 of 16 patients with PE (94%) and in 3 control patients, but never in plasma from normal subjects. In most cases, DNA was detectable until the 10th day after PE. In conclusion, counterimmunoelectrophoresis is a rapid, inexpensive and specific test which may be used as an exclusion test in the detection of patients suspected of having PE, who will have to undergo more extensive evaluation.

Counterimmunoelectrophoresis↗
PubMed1983

Pressure available for expiration in chronic airway obstruction.

The pressure generated at 0.1 s after the onset of expiration measures the rate of rise of expiratory pressure potentially available for expiration. P0.1e increased with increasing the frequency of breathing and was higher in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients than in controls. In normal subjects breathing under resistive load P0.1e became similar to that of patients for a given respiratory frequency. P0.1e consistently increased as the load and/or the frequency of breathing were raised. Expiratory pressure depends on elastic recoil of the respiratory system, nevertheless the action of neurally controlled respiratory muscles influence the rate of rise of expiratory pressure. The decrease of expiratory braking action by inspiratory muscles (-Pmusi) influence the rate of pressure rise in the first part of expiration, whereas the contraction of abdominal muscles (-Pmuse) increases P0.1e later from onset of expiratory occlusion. These compensatory reflexes are vagally mediated and are presumed to originate in stretch receptors. In COPD patients the braking action of inspiratory muscles was smaller and the facilitating action of abdominal muscles was higher than in controls. Both expiratory braking decay and expiratory activity increase with the rise of breathing frequency or with the increase of respiratory airflow resistance.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1981

Respiratory function 8 years after a diagnosis of peripheral airways disease.

A program of screening for airways obstruction was designed to examine: (1) the precision and the reliability of the proposed tests (2) the evolution of respiratory impairment in 69 subjects, 8 years after a diagnosis of peripheral (small) airways obstruction. The tests that exhibit very good reliability are: vital capacity, total lung capacity, 1-second forced expiratory volume, single breath CO diffusion capacity, curvilinearity score; and the ratio of closing capacity to total lung capacity. 39% of smokers and 15% of nonsmokers developed central airways obstruction 8 years after the diagnosis of peripheral airways disease. These results confirm the hypothesis that small airways may be regarded as a noisy rather than a silent zone.

Airway Obstruction↗
PubMed1981

Effects of isovolumetric venesection on blood viscosity, on red cell deformability, and on arterial flow velocity in chronic respiratory failure with secondary polycythemia.

Normovolemic hemodilution produced by isovolumetric venesection was done in 8 patients with polycythemia and respiratory failure secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The 'deformability index' was studied by means of a filtration technique. The blood flow velocity in ascending aorta and right pulmonary artery was also studied by means of ultrasonic Echo-Doppler technique. The procedure showed in all patients an increase of oxygen tension and a decrease of carbonic gas tension in arterial blood. At the same time it was possible to demonstrate an improvement of red cell deformability and an increase of arterial flow velocity. Isovolumetric venesection is an important procedure in the management of patients with polycythemia secondary to respiratory failure.

Arteries↗
PubMed1980

Effect of hematocrit on the blood viscosity of patients with chronic respiratory failure and secondary polycythemia.

The blood of patients with chronic global respiratory failure and polycythemia exhibits higher viscosity than that of normal subjects. Plasma changes have been excluded as causal factors. The viscosity of whole blood, plasma and blood after correction of hematocrit (Ht; 45%) with autologous plasma, has been determined. The results indicate that in such patients the increase in Ht is not the most important factor affecting the rheological properties (increased viscosity) of blood. A high Ht value may be only pat of the mechanism that increases the blood viscosity of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. There is evidence that other factors are responsible for increased blood viscosity in chronic respiratory failure.

Blood Viscosity↗
PubMed1979

Small airways disease: a trial of an easy functional discrimination of preclinical emphysema.

In the genesis of small airways obstruction (SAO) we have to consider two alterations with different prognoses: the first, in which the obstruction depends on a reduction of the diameters of the small bronchi (i.e. with prevalent 'intrinsic mechanism)'), is reversible; the second, probably irreversible, is due to pulmonary emphysema in its pre-clinical stage. It is useful to distinguish between these two mechanisms by means of functional tests which are easily applicable in epidemiological screening. We have studied, by means of different lung mechanics tests, 5 normal, male, non-smoking subjects (N) and 10 male smokers considered to be affected by SAO. Several theoretical considerations, experimental data and prospective studies suggest that under various tests of easy execution for a screening program there are some which have, in some cases, a prognostic value and seem to be coupled to a qualitative meaning: this is the case for delta N2 which is significantly greater in subjects of the extrinsic group where the abnormality is considered irreversible. Some other tests are very sensitive to detect SAO subjects by they are lacking in specificity and in prognostic meaning (CV, VEmax, FDC). Finally, other tests [maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF) and residual volume (RV)] seem to have a prognostic value only because they indicate an advanced stage of the illness, not depending on the kind of the affection (SAO Ex or SAO In).

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Maximal frequency of breathing at various tidal volumes in airways obstruction.

To determine the relative importance of control system and of mechanical and metabolic properties of the motor system on the maximal frequency of breathing (1/t) at various tidal volumes (VT), we have studied the relationship between cycle period (t) and tidal volume in 10 normal subjects, in 9 patients with chronic obstructive lung disease, and in a normal subject breathing against different resistive loads. The results, expressed according to the equation t = t0 + b VT (where t0 represents the time required for a breathing cycle at zero VT and b means the additional time required for a breathing cycle with a VT equal to vital capacity), indicate that t0 is independent from the load either in unloaded or loaded normal subjects or in obstructive patients. In fact, although b was found significantly different, t0 remained essentially constant. These findings suggest that the level of maximal voluntary ventilation may be mainly related to metabolic and mechanical properties of the motor system (muscles of breathing and load imposed on them).

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Diffference between mouth and esophageal occlusion pressure during CO2 rebreathing in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

During CO2 rebreathing, we measured the pressures generated at the mouth and in the esophagus during the first 0.1 sec of inspiratory effort against a closed airway in 6 normal subjects and 6 patients with chronic obstructive lung disease. Normal subjects showed similar reponses to CO2 in terms of both mouth pressure and esophageal pressure. Patients' responses at the mouth to CO2 were decreased compared to those of normal subjects, but the responses in the esophagus were not significantly different. The patients demonstrated a greater response of occlusion pressure measured in the esophagus than at the mouth. In patients with altered mechanical properties of the lung, the change in mouth occlusion pressure might be influenced by problems of equalization of pressure within the airways due to unequal time constants, by problems of regional differences in pressure gradients over the pleural surface, or both. Esophageal pressure during airway occlusion 100 msec after the onset of inspiration may be better measure of respiratory drive than mouth pressure in patients with intrinsic increase of airway resistance.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Drive and performance of ventilatory system during rebreathing.

In eight normal subjects, eight patients with asthma, and six patients with chronic obstructive lung disease, the first derivative of occlusion pressure at FRC during rebreathing has been studied. The maximal dP/dt was always lower in patients. Such a behavior may depend on reduced neuronal discharge as well as on reduced effectiveness of the contraction of the respiratory muscles. Though (dP/dt)max. may provide a reliable measure of the sensitivity of the respiratory center only in a homogeneous group, the results of plotting its value against ventilation and end-tidal Pco2 confirm the failure of the thoracomuscular system to convert the output of respiratory centers into increase of pulmonary pressure and ventilation.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Early discrimination between intrinsic and extrinsic factors in chronic obstructive lung disease.

15 subjects, divided into (1) normal, (2) with small airway obstruction (SAO) and (3) with chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD), were studied to understand the mechanism of the obstruction. The curves of maximal expiratory flow versus static pressure are particularly useful for this purpose, when we have a SAO. In fact, only at this early stage, we can identify by this way two different groups: subjects obstructed by a pure extrinsic mechanism, and subjects obstructed by a pure intrinsic mechanism.

Airway Obstruction↗
PubMed1977

Peripheral pulmonary wedge angiography in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Relationship to pulmonary function, chest x-ray film, and hemodynamic data.

Peripheral pulmonary wedge angiographic studies can investigate only limited areas of the pulmonary vascular bed; nevertheless, this technique is very useful in emphasizing the morphologic changes of small vessels (less than 1 mm in diameter) in pulmonary emphysema. The aim of this work is to determine the relationship between peripheral wedge angiographic appearances and pulmonary function, the chest x-ray film, and hemodynamic data in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Three healthy subjects, four patients with type-A chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and eight patients with type-B chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were studied. Among the tests of pulmonary function, only a marked reduction (less than 60 percent of predicted) of the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide is always indicative of severe widespread emphysema. No relationship was found between hemodynamic data and peripheral wedge angiographic findings. Some agreement resulted between the chest x-ray film and peripheral wedge angiographic abnormalities only in patients with type-A chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; on the contrary, in patients with type-B chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, both false-positives and false-negatives were noted.

Angiography↗