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Biomedical subjects

E Pistocchi

Publications and source records attributed to E Pistocchi.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Evolution of serum prealbumin following hemodialysis: effect of different dialysis membranes.

The effects of hemodialysis on the levels of serum prealbumin (pA) were studied on a crossover basis in 17 uncomplicated patients. Bicarbonate dialysate was used exclusively, and two different membranes, cuprophane and polysulfone, were compared. We aimed to prove the induction of an acute-phase response during the procedure. Serum pA, corrected for hemoconcentration, decreased significantly 24 h after the start of cuprophane hemodialysis and returned to the initial value within 48 h. No such change was observed using polysulfone membranes. These results were seemingly correlated with the effects of the membranes on complement activation. It is concluded that cuprophane hemodialysis is indeed associated with an acute-phase response, probably due to interleukin-1 release during the treatment, and that the membrane composition has some role in inducing it. Thus, serum pA analysis may prove useful as an indicator of the biocompatibility of the dialysis procedure.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗
PubMed1991

External quality assessment programme for in vitro allergy tests: ISS/CNR scheme--the first one organized in Europe by government--and European scheme "Galileo".

Accordingly with the new tendency of employing Rast Units (RU) instead of Rast Classes (RC) in the specific-IgE testing field, is necessary that internal Quality Control (QC) and external Quality Assessment (QA) programmes take account of these RU. So far only few experiences of controlling and assessing the quality concerned with RU, have been carried out. In Italy, a National QA-scheme organised by the National Health Institute (ISS) and the National Research Council (CNR), which involves about 90 laboratories, is starting just now, and a commercial QA programme (Galileo), started in 1989, by now is the only one which helped valuate each laboratory's performance for specific-IgE assays. The results collected in a 12 months period were elaborated in different ways as they were expressed in RC or in RU and the trial confirms that the specific-IgE testing field is still far from reaching the reliability already established for other assays. So we hope the National and the Galileo schemes will help stimulate major improvements in internal precision and in between-laboratories agreement.

Allergens↗
PubMed1987

Serum CA 19-9 and CA 50 antigens in hemodialysis patients.

Serum concentrations of monoclonal antibody-defined tumor markers CA 19-9 and CA 50 were measured in 64 uncomplicated hemodialysis patients (Group 1) and in 8 hemodialysis patients with cancer (Group 2) in comparison with corresponding CEA determinations. From our results in Group 1 patients it appears that both CA 19-9 and CA 50 maintained an excellent specificity in these patients. As to the sensitivity of these tests, our findings in Group 2 patients are comparable with those reported in patients with cancer and normal renal function. It is concluded that, unlike CEA, these new tumor markers maintain their clinical value in chronic renal failure.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Lack of evidence for the role of secondary hyperparathyroidism in the pathogenesis of uremic thrombocytopathy.

The possible relationship between platelet dysfunction and secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) in chronic renal failure was examined in 23 uremic patients on conservative therapy (group I) and in 27 patients on maintenance hemodialysis (group II). Platelet function was assessed by measuring the degree of aggregation in response to various concentrations of adenosine diphosphate. Secondary HPT was evaluated by means of serum biochemistry (parathyroid hormone, calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase) and radiographic examinations (x-ray films of the hand skeleton). This study showed impaired platelet aggregation in group I patients, compared to either group II patients or controls. There were no significant differences when group II patients were compared to controls. No significant correlations between platelet aggregation and the hematochemical changes associated with secondary HPT were found. No differences in platelet aggregation were found with regard to the activity (alkaline phosphatase) and the severity (x-ray findings) of secondary HPT. Effective treatment of secondary HPT with 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol in both group I and group II patients was not associated with consequent changes in platelet aggregation. It is concluded that secondary HPT is probably not a major factor in the pathogenesis of platelet dysfunction in chronic renal failure.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1986

Effect of ibopamine on the progression of chronic renal failure.

Persistent changes in the slope of the reciprocal of serum creatinine concentration against time after medical intervention are likely to reflect the influence of therapy on progression of chronic renal failure. This observation allowed us to demonstrate the ability of ibopamine, a new orally active dopamine-related drug, to improve renal function or at least to slow its deterioration in 20 patients studied over a period of 6 months. We also noted that the therapeutic response to the drug varied considerably according to the nature of the underlying nephropathy, with maximal benefit being observed in nonglomerular diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Serum alpha-1-acid glycoprotein in chronic renal failure.

We measured the serum concentration of alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) in 30 healthy subjects (controls), in 54 patients with various degrees of residual renal function (group I), and in 98 patients in the terminal phase of chronic renal failure (CRF) on both conservative and dialytic therapy (group II). A positive correlation between the logarithm of serum AAG and serum creatinine levels was found in group I. Serum AAG increased significantly when serum creatinine rose above 10 mg/dl. This fact would indicate that a retention of the substance occurs as the renal function falls. The mean serum concentration of AAG was significantly higher in group II patients, with no difference between those on conservative therapy and those on maintenance hemodialysis. However, levels above normal were present in only a minority of cases. We conclude that the serum AAG measurement maintains its diagnostic value as an acute phase reactant also in the terminal phase of CRF.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

[High levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in the serum of uremic patients under hemodialysis treatment].

The serum concentration of CEA was measured twice, at intervals of 3 months, in 40 uremic patients on maintenance hemodialysis. None of them had evidence of malignancy or of any other non-malignant condition known to affect serum CEA. 111 normal adults acted as controls. The mean serum concentration of the substance was significantly higher in hemodialyzed patients (5.32 +/- 3.68 ng/ml) than in controls (1.98 +/- 1.1 ng/ml) (P less than 0.001). Levels above normal were present in 40% and in 4.5% of the cases respectively (P less than 0.0005). Comparable results were obtained at the second examination. No correlations with sex, age, underlying nephropathy, time on dialysis, or cigarette smoking were found. It is concluded that the measurement of CEA cannot be recommended as a reliable test in the screening of cancer among uremic patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

[Utilisation of Olivetti P 652 calculator system for RIA evaluation (author's transl)].

The AA. take into consideration the utilisation of the Olivetti calculator system including the following hardware: P 652 basic unit microcomputer; paper tape reader LN 20; Editor 4 ST typewriter, for RIA evaluation. For this purpose they have compiled a series of generalized programmes that utilise for the calculation of the standard curve, the logit transform fitted by using a linear regression or a cubic regression and the sigmoidal linear logarithmic curve calculated by cubic regression. Other two programmes are described also for automatic data reduction in the detection of hepatitis associated antibody (anti-Australia antigen) and of normalized serum thyroxine.

Antibodies↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Antibiotic treatment of lung disease in cystic fibrosis].

Patients suffering from chronic lung infections are a major problems in therapy of cystic fibrosis (CF). Resistance frequently occurs with great rapidity among isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonal aeruginosa. The rational for the use of frequent antibiotics (reduction of bacterial count), and the principle to follow while using antibiotics in CF patients are discussed. Research on amikacin peak levels and its average levels in serum, saliva and sputum is presented.

Amikacin↗