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Biomedical subjects

E Riccio

Publications and source records attributed to E Riccio.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Endoscopic management of foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract: report on a series of 414 adult patients.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Ingestion of foreign bodies is a common occurrence. Few papers in the literature report experience and outcome at tertiary centers. The aim of this paper is to report the management and the outcomes in 414 patients admitted for suspected ingestion of foreign body between May 1995 and December 1999. METHODS: A plain radiographic film of the neck, chest or abdomen was obtained in the case of radiopaque objects, and in order to rule out suspected perforation: in such cases a computed tomography (CT) study was also performed. All patients were asked to give their informed consent, which was refused by three patients. Anesthesia was always used, either conscious sedation (86.8 %), or general anesthesia in the case of poor patient tolerance (13.2 %). All patients underwent an endoscopic procedure within six hours of admission. A flexible scope was used in all patients and a wide range of endoscopic devices was employed. RESULTS: Foreign bodies were found in 64.5 % of our patients. Almost all were found in the esophagus. The types of foreign body were very different, but they were chiefly food boluses, bones or cartilages, dental prostheses or fish bones. In three patients (1.1 %) it was impossible to endoscopically remove the foreign body, which was located in the cervical esophagus: all these three patients required surgery. No complications relating to the endoscopic procedure were observed, but 30.7 % of patients had an underlying esophageal disease, such as a stricture. Only eight patients required a second endoscopic procedure, performed by a more experienced endoscopist. CONCLUSION: Foreign body ingestion represents a frequent reason for emergency endoscopy. The endoscopic procedure is a successful technique which allows the removal of the foreign bodies in almost all cases without significant complications. Surgery is rarely required.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Diffusion of knowledge about Helicobacter pylori as assessed in an open-access endoscopy system: a prospective observational study based on the Maastricht guidelines.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Aim of the present study is to assess, according to the guidelines of the Maastricht Consensus Conference, the appropriateness and diagnostic yield of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in an open-access endoscopy system, in order to evaluate the diffusion of knowledge about Helicobacter pylori among different types of physicians. METHODS: Patients undergoing endoscopy because of dyspeptic symptoms were prospectively considered in 21 endoscopy services of Campania during two different 1-week periods in 1998 and 2001. The following data were recorded: age, sex, symptoms, history of peptic ulcer with regard to previous endoscopic or radiographic examinations and treatment, endoscopic diagnosis, and H. pylori status. The indication for endoscopy was evaluated according to Maastricht guidelines and current medical knowledge. RESULTS: In the two periods, 1998 and 2001, 706 and 520 patients were, respectively, considered. The two series were matched for demographic characteristics, symptoms, and endoscopic diagnosis. Endoscopy was considered not indicated in 398 patients (56.4%) in 1998 and in 265 patients (50.9%) in 2001 (p = NS). The majority of them, 288/398 (72.3%) in 1998 and 162/265 (61.1%) in 2001 (p = 0.001), had recently undergone endoscopy or radiology and empiric antisecretory treatment or eradication. They had been referred to endoscopy because of recurrence of symptoms or to assess healing. In 110 cases in 1998 (27.6%) and in 103 cases in 2001 (38.9%; p = 0.001) endoscopy was performed in dyspeptic patients younger than 45 years without alarm symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: 4 years after the Maastricht Conference, a large number of endoscopic examinations are not indicated and could be avoided following the Maastricht guidelines. In 2001, in comparison to 1998, a larger number of physicians are likely to investigate and treat correctly the H.-pylori-related diseases, but there are still some problems with the application of the 'test-and-treat policy'.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Correlations between urinary nicotine or cotinine and urinary mutagenicity in smokers on controlled diets.

Cigarette smokers have been reported to void urine that is more mutagenic, as measured in the Salmonella/microsome assay, than urine voided by nonsmokers. Several previous studies have attempted to correlate indices of tobacco smoke exposure (e.g. nicotine, cotinine, tar intake) with urinary mutagenicity, with conflicting results. These studies generally involved small numbers of smokers and did not carefully control diet, which is known to affect urinary mutagenicity markedly. Our objective was to conduct a controlled study to determine clearly if there were a correlation between urinary nicotine, cotinine, or nicotine + cotinine and urinary mutagenicity and to determine if nicotine or its major metabolite plays a role in the mutagenicity of urine from cigarette smokers. We used a large number of smokers (31), each of whom smoked both a tobacco-burning cigarette and a tobacco-heating cigarette on consecutive weeks, and we prepared and served identical diets to all subjects. Nicotine and cotinine concentrations were determined in small aliquots from urine samples collected over 24 hr, and the remaining urine sample was extracted and concentrated on XAD-2 resin for mutagenicity assays in the Salmonella/microsome test. Nicotine, cotinine, and nicotine + cotinine were statistically correlated with mutagenicity of urine from smokers of the tobacco-burning cigarette, but there was no correlation between nicotine, cotinine, or nicotine + cotinine and mutagenicity of urine from smokers of the tobacco-heating cigarettes. Thus, although urinary nicotine and cotinine concentrations correlate with urinary mutagenicity in smokers of tobacco-burning cigarettes, the present results indicate that nicotine and its metabolite are not responsible for the mutagenicity of smokers' urine.

Cotinine↗
PubMed1990

Comparative studies on the genotoxic activity of mainstream smoke condensate from cigarettes which burn or only heat tobacco.

The in vitro genotoxic activity of mainstream cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) from cigarettes which heat but do not burn tobacco was compared to that of CSC from cigarettes which burn tobacco. CSCs from five cigarettes were compared. Three of the cigarettes [the Kentucky reference research cigarette (1R4F), a commercially available ultra-low tar brand (ULT) and a commercially available ultra-low tar menthol brand (ULT-menthol]) burn tobacco while two of the cigarettes [a regular (TEST) and a menthol (TEST-menthol]) heat tobacco. CSC from all cigarettes were collected by identical standard techniques, which involved collecting mainstream smoke particulate matter on Cambridge filter pads under FTC smoking conditions. The pads were extracted with DMSO, and the CSCs obtained [10 mg total particulate matter (TPM)/ml DMSO] were evaluated at identical concentrations in an in vitro genetic toxicology test battery. CSCs from 1R4F, ULT, and ULT-menthol cigarettes were mutagenic in Ames bacterial strains TA98, TA100, TA1537, and TA1538 in the presence of metabolic activation (S9 from Aroclor-induced rat liver) but negative in strain TA1535. In the absence of metabolic activation, 1R4F, ULT, and ULT-menthol CSCs were not mutagenic except for a weak response in strain TA1537 for the 1R4F and ULT CSCs. TEST and TEST-menthol CSCs were nonmutagenic in all five bacterial strains, both with and without metabolic activation. CSCs from 1R4F, ULT, and ULT-menthol cigarettes were positive in the CHO-chromosomal aberration assay and in the CHO--sister chromatid exchange assay both with and without metabolic activation while TEST and TEST-menthol CSCs were negative in both assays, either with or without metabolic activation. CSCs from 1R4F, ULT, and ULT-menthol cigarettes were weakly positive in inducing DNA repair in cultured rat hepatocytes while TEST and TEST-menthol CSCs were negative in this assay. All five CSCs were nonmutagenic in the CHO-HGPRT assay both with and without metabolic activation. CSCs from the 1R4F, ULT, and ULT-menthol cigarettes were cytotoxic in the CHO-HGPRT assay, both with and without metabolic activation, while TEST and TEST-menthol CSCs were not cytotoxic under either condition. These results demonstrate that mainstream CSCs from the TEST and TEST-menthol cigarettes are neither genotoxic nor cytotoxic under conditions where CSCs from 1R4F, ULT, and ULT-menthol cigarettes are genotoxic and/or cytotoxic in a concentration-dependent manner.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Genetic toxicology studies comparing the activity of sidestream smoke from cigarettes which burn or only heat tobacco.

The results of in vitro genetic toxicology studies of sidestream cigarette smoke (SSCS) from cigarettes which heat but do not burn tobacco were compared to those of sidestream smoke from cigarettes which burn tobacco. SSCSs from 5 cigarettes were compared. Three of the cigarettes, the Kentucky reference research cigarette (1R4F), a commercially available ultra-low-tar brand (ULT) and a commercially available ultra-low-tar menthol brand (ULT-menthol) burn tobacco while two of the cigarettes, a regular (TEST) and a menthol (TEST-menthol) heat tobacco. SSCSs from all cigarettes were prepared by identical techniques, which involved collecting sidestream smoke particulate matter on Cambridge filter pads and combining the particulate matter with the vapor-phase materials collected by bubbling the smoke exiting the Cambridge pad through DMSO. The SSCSs obtained (equivalent to 0.4 cigarettes/ml DMSO) were evaluated at identical concentrations in an in vitro genetic toxicology test battery. SSCS from 1R4F, ULT and ULT-menthol cigarettes produced positive results in Ames bacterial strains TA98, TA100, TA1537 and TA1538 in the presence of metabolic activation (S9 from Aroclor-induced rat liver) but negative results in strain TA1535. In the absence of metabolic activation, 1R4F, ULT and ULT-menthol SSCSs were not significantly mutagenic. TEST and TEST-menthol SSCSs produced negative results in all 5 bacterial strains, both with and without metabolic activation. SSCS from 1R4F, ULT and ULT-menthol cigarettes produced positive results in the CHO chromosomal aberration assay and in the CHO sister-chromatid exchange assay both with and without metabolic activation while TEST and TEST-menthol SSCSs produced negative results in both assays, either with or without metabolic activation. The SSCSs from 1R4F, ULT and ULT-menthol cigarettes were weakly positive in inducing DNA repair in cultured rat hepatocytes while TEST and TEST-menthol SSCSs were negative in this assay. All 5 SSCSs were nonmutagenic in the CHO-HGPRT assay both with and without metabolic activation. SSCSs from the 1R4F, ULT and ULT-menthol cigarettes were cytotoxic in the CHO-HGPRT assay, both with and without metabolic activation, while TEST and TEST-menthol SSCSs were not cytotoxic under either condition. These results demonstrate that sidestream smoke from cigarettes which heat but do not burn tobacco (TEST and TEST-menthol) was neither genotoxic nor cytotoxic under conditions where sidestream smoke from cigarettes which burn tobacco (1R4F, ULT and ULT-menthol) was genotoxic and/or cytotoxic in a concentration-dependent manner.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Comparative studies of the mutagenicity of urine from smokers and non-smokers on a controlled non-mutagenic diet.

Measuring the mutagenicity of urine is widely viewed as a means of evaluating human exposure to potentially genotoxic materials. Diet and cigarette smoking have both been reported to affect the mutagenicity of human urine, but the relationship between smoking status and the expression of diet-related urinary mutagenicity is unknown. It has been reported that some promutagens are more active in in vitro assays when tested in the presence of urine from smokers than when tested in the presence of urine from non-smokers. We aimed to determine whether the differences in urinary mutagenicity between smokers and non-smokers result from increased urinary mutagenicity from dietary heterocyclic amine mutagens in smokers compared with non-smokers. Groups of smokers and non-smokers (6-12) were given identical diets, previously shown to be low in heterocyclic amines and very low in mutagenicity. The diet consisted exclusively of raw food and of food cooked in boiling water. After a 2-day dietary stabilization period, 24-hour urine samples were collected for three consecutive days. The regimen was repeated in the following week. For comparison, both groups were also placed on a "western" diet, consisting of a variety of foods prepared by several cooking methods, designed to reflect what a typical United States family might consume. Urine was concentrated using XAD-2 resin and then assayed for mutagenic activity in the Ames test. The urine of smokers was significantly more mutagenic than that of non-smokers when on both the raw/boiled and the "western" diets. These results indicate that the increased urinary mutagenicity observed in smokers compared with non-smokers is not due to enhanced mutagenicity of diet-related heterocyclic amine mutagens in the urine of smokers.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Human urine mutagenicity study comparing cigarettes which burn or only heat tobacco.

Cigarette smokers have been reported to void urine which is more mutagenic, as measured in the Ames bacterial mutation assay, than urine voided by non-smokers. Condensate from the mainstream smoke of a cigarette which heats, but does not burn tobacco (test cigarette) showed no evidence of mutagenicity in a battery of in vitro genotoxicity assays under conditions in which condensate from the mainstream smoke of cigarettes that burn tobacco was mutagenic. The objective of this study was to determine whether the absence of mutagenic activity observed in the in vitro assays would be reflected in the urine of smokers of the test cigarette. 72 subjects (31 smokers and 41 non-smokers) were enrolled in a 6-week study, with the smokers randomly divided into 2 groups. The study was designed as a double crossover, with each smoker smoking both test (tobacco-heating) and reference (tobacco-burning) cigarettes. This design allowed each smoker to serve as his or her own control while at the same time allowing comparisons between groups of non-smokers and smokers of both test and reference cigarettes. 24-h urine samples were collected twice a week and concentrated using XAD-2 resin. Urine concentrates were tested in Ames bacterial strains TA98 and TA100, with and without metabolic activation and with and without beta-glucuronidase/aryl sulfatase. Individuals who smoked the test cigarette voided urine which was significantly less mutagenic than that voided when they smoked reference cigarettes. The mutagenicity of urine from smokers who smoked the test cigarette and non-smokers did not differ under any of the assay conditions used in this study.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Effect of cooking methods on the mutagenicity of food and on urinary mutagenicity of human consumers.

The effects of cooking methods on the in vitro mutagenicity of individual foods, the in vitro mutagenicity of meals containing those foods, and the mutagenic exposure of human volunteers following consumption of the meals were examined using Ames bacterial strain TA98 with S-9 metabolic activation. Three methods of food preparation--boiling, baking and frying/flame-broiling--were compared. With meats, frying or broiling resulted in higher in vitro mutagenicity (10- to 50-fold) than did baking or boiling, whereas for carbohydrates, eggs or vegetables mutagenicity did not vary markedly with cooking method. The observed (experimental) mutagenic activity of the meals was quite similar to their calculated (predicted) mutagenicity, obtained by summing the mutagenicity of the individual foods in the meal. The close agreement between experimental and predicted mutagenicity indicated that components of the meal did not interact in either a synergistic or inhibitory manner. The mutagenicity of fried flame-broiled meals was approximately 10-fold greater than the mutagenicity of baked or broiled meals, which were similar in mutagenicity. The mutagenicity of human urine following consumption of the meals was related to the in vitro mutagenicity of the meals themselves. The in vitro mutagenicity of meals is markedly affected by the cooking method used to prepare them and the mutagenicity of the diet may be reflected in the mutagenicity of body fluids.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Antiviral therapy in HBsAg-positive chronic liver disease (HBsAg+ve CLD): how many patients really need it?

One hundred and seventy-one consecutive patients with HBsAg+ve CLD were investigated in order to assess whether they were actively replicating the hepatitis B virus, and therefore eligible for antiviral therapy. Our results show that only 5.8% of patients were actively replicating B virus and therefore antiviral therapy, when available, could be used only for a small subgroup of patients suffering from CLD due to hepatitis B virus chronic infection.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Mid-term natural course in Naples of chronic HBeAg positive infection caused by the HB-virus. Prospective study, preliminary to antiviral treatment].

41 consecutively observed patients with chronic HB virus infection in replication phase (HBeAG positive) were followed up for an average period of 60 months with a view to evaluating the frequency of spontaneous HBeAg/anti-HBe seroconversion and the influence of the event on the clinical course of the liver disease. The 41 patients, of mean age 22 years, suffered from: 26 ECP, 7 ECA, 8 CIRR. 18 patients (41%) presented HBeAg/anti-HBe seroconversion with an annual percentage of 12%, all with stable normalisation of hepatic cytolysis tests. Factors related to HBeAg/anti-HBe seroconversion were: female sex, higher mean starting values of transaminase, positive history for EVA, absence of Virus Delta superinfection. The effectiveness of antiviral treatments will only be demonstrated when seroconversion (inhibition of viral replication) is produced much more frequently than that which occurs spontaneously. Candidates for current antiviral treatment are indicated.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Potential diagnostic role of renal sonography in acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN) "with minimal urinary signs"].

The Authors studied 8 patients with an average age of eight and a half affected with G.N.A.P.S. with "minimum urinary signs". A renal ecography carried out in a diagnostic approach showed in 7 cases out of 8 the constant presence of an increased volume of the kidney, associated with hyperecogenicity and 3rd degree thickening of the cortical. They conclude that this information could be of great use for a rapid diagnostic orientation in forms of G.N.A.P.S. "with minimum urinary signs".

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Fetal polyuria and decrease of electrolytes in amniotic fluid as principal markers of neonatal Bartter's syndrome].

The above mentioned after a careful investigation of the modern pathogenic aspects of Bartter's syndrome, evaluated the markers that are useful for the prenatal diagnosis of Bartter's syndrome, they pointed out, as in both cases the presence of polyhydramnios not associated with ecographically detectable fetal malformations, elevated chloride in the amniotic fluid, accompanied in one case by increased levels of aldosterone, in the other case by the increase of K, as being reliable markers for the prenatal diagnosis of these conditions.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Collagen diseases and the involvement of the mouth in childhood].

In the review, the authors describe the lesions of the oral cavity, which are present in lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, dermatomyositis. They underline the importance of their knowledge for the dentist and for the pediatrician, because the last recognition can influence prognosis negatively.

Adolescent↗