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Biomedical subjects

F Calzolari

Publications and source records attributed to F Calzolari.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Intrinsic III ventricle craniopharyngioma.

A case of intrinsic III ventricle craniopharyngioma in an 11-year-old girl is presented. Only five cases in children have previously been reported in detail. The intraventricular location of a craniopharyngioma originates from ectopic remnants and causes intracranial hypertension without hormonal or neurological disorders. The tumor was safely removed by the transcallosal approach, and we confirmed that the floor of the III ventricle was intact.

Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms↗

Heart rate variability during the acute phase of myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: After acute myocardial infarction (AMI), several abnormalities of the autonomic control to the heart have been described. Heart rate (HR) variability has been used to explore the neural control to the heart. A low HR variability count measured 7-13 days after AMI is significantly related to a poor outcome. Little information is available on HR variability early after AMI and its relation to clinical and hemodynamic data. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 54 consecutive patients (42 men and 12 women; mean age, 60.4 +/- 11 years) with evidence of AMI by collecting the 24-hour HR SD from Holter tapes recorded on day 2 or 3. We also measured HR variability in 15 patients with unstable angina and in 35 age-matched normal subjects. HR variability was lower in AMI than in unstable angina patients (57.6 +/- 21.3 versus 92 +/- 19 msec; p less than 0.001) and controls (105 +/- 12 msec; p less than 0.001). Also, HR variability was greater in non-Q-wave than in Q-wave AMI (p less than 0.0001) and in recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator-treated patients with respect to the rest of the group (p less than 0.02). No difference was found for infarct site. HR variability was significantly related to mean 24-hour HR, peak creatine kinase-MB, and left ventricular ejection fraction (all p less than 0.0001). Patients belonging to Killip class greater than I or who required the use of diuretics or digitalis had lower counts (p less than 0.004, p less than 0.001, and p less than 0.024, respectively). Six patients died within 20 days after admission to the hospital. In these patients, HR variability was lower than in survivors (31.2 +/- 12 versus 60.9 +/- 20 msec; p less than 0.001), and a value less than 50 msec was significantly associated with mortality (p less than 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: HR variability during the early phase of AMI is decreased and is significantly related to clinical and hemodynamic indexes of severity. The causes for the observed changes in HR variability during AMI may be reduced vagal and/or increased sympathetic outflow to the heart. It is suggested that early measurements of HR variability during AMI may offer important clinical information and contribute to the early risk stratification of patients.

Angina, Unstable↗

Aneurysm of the azygos pericallosal artery. One case.

The Authors describe a case of aneurysmal rupture of the azygos pericallosal artery, a variant of the anterior cerebral artery. The association between aneurysm and this anatomical anomaly is of interest because of its rarity and clinical-therapeutic implications.

Adult↗

Ultrasonography in pathological conditions of muscles, tendons and joints.

The authors discuss the use of ultrasonography in the investigation of pathological condtions of muscles, tendons and joints. The indications and related ultrasonographic findings are presented. The importance of this method is emphasized both as an aid to diagnosis and choice of treatment. Its use in evaluating the effectiveness of treatment is also discussed.

Elbow Joint↗

[Circadian and ultradian rhythms of the heart rate in the neonate].

Few papers deal with the chronobiologic characteristics of heart rate in neonates. A better knowledge of this topic could be useful under both clinical and therapeutical point of view. We studied the circadian and ultradian rhythms of heart rate in 10 healthy neonates (5 males and 5 females). Six of them (60%) show a well defined circadian rhythm of heart rate such as adult subjects even if with an obviously higher mesor and with acrophases dispersed throughout the 24 hours. We also demonstrated one or more ultradian rhythms of heart rate for each neonate. The most frequent have a period between 4 hours and 6 minutes and 4 hours and 36 minutes. These rhythms are out of phase with the world outside which is the best evidence that they are not imposed by some undetected external factors.

Circadian Rhythm↗

[Changes in thyroid hormone status after injections of iodinated contrast media].

Administration of four different contrast media exerted slight but significant and prolonged effects on the hormonal thyroid status, in 53 euthyroid subjects (four subgroups), without any clinical expression of dysthyroidism. Changes in serum T3, rT3 and T4 demonstrated different trends for each iodinated compound, probably depending on the regulatory thyroid mechanisms, and CM pharmacokinetics. Plasma profiles of free fractions (FT3, FT4) slightly reflected consensual changes with circulating iodothyronines, at various time periods of study, demonstrating high correlation indexes with total fractions. The five hormones profiles correlation study suggest that different mechanisms could be responsible for some features encountered of "low T3 syndrome". These effects may be not only equivalent to giving various sources of iodide, but suggest more complex mechanisms. It is apparent that man has a remarkable and possibly unique system of homeostatic thyroid hormone regulation.

Angiography↗

Heart rate and premature beats: a chronobiologic study.

Sixteen subjects, mean age 59 +/- 18, 11 normal and 5 with coronary artery disease, all having premature ventricular and/or atrial beats in the standard resting electrocardiogram (ECG), were studied to analyse the chronobiologic parameters of these arrhythmias. Single cosinor analysis of the data obtained by 96-hour ECG performed according to the Holter system, demonstrated: A) significant circadian rhythm in heart rate for all the subjects, with acrophases occurring between 12.56 and 17.36; B) significant circadian rhythms of premature ventricular beats for the majority of the subjects, with acrophases distributed along the 24 hours; C) significant circadian rhythms in premature atrial beats for 8 subjects, with acrophases occurring between 04.24 and 18.12; D) a spectrum of significant ultradian rhythms in heart rate with various periodicities, both in normal and in coronary patients; E) significant ultradian rhythms in premature ventricular beats for 8 subjects with periods ranging from 5h 15' to 17h. Population mean cosinor analysis demonstrated: A) significant circadian group rhythm in heart rate for all the 16 subjects and for the group of 11 normal subjects; B) no significant circadian group rhythm for premature ventricular and atrial beats. These findings suggest that the study of the individual chronobiologic pattern of premature beats may help to optimize antiarrhythmic therapy.

Cardiac Complexes, Premature↗

[Comparison between traditional skeletal radiography and total body bone scintigraphy in the diagnosis of multiple myeloma].

28 patients with multiple myeloma were examined by skeletal x-ray and 99Tcm-diphosphonate bone scan. Using both techniques, a total of 70 myelomatous bone lesions was found in 13 (46,5%) of the 28 patients: 69 bone lesions were detected by radiography and 33 by radionuclide imaging. Results indicate that x-ray is superior to bone scan, approximately twice, in detecting myeloma-related bone lesions. The low sensitivity of bone scan in myeloma can most likely be explained by the particular nature of myelomatous bone lesions. Multiple myeloma is almost always osteolytic, with very little new bone formation and extensive osteoclast activity related to osteoclast activating factor, whereas skeletal uptake of 99Tcm-diphosphonate seems to be related mainly to osteoblastic process. An exception to this general finding is the rib fractures, in which the two methods are equally reliable. These findings suggest that radiography is the method of first choice in obtaining a skeletal survey in patients with multiple myeloma.

Bone and Bones↗

[Comparative diagnostic value of echography and oral radiologic examination of the gallbladder in relation to surgical findings].

For nearly 60 years, since it was introduced by Graham and Cole (1924), oral cholecystography (OCG) has been used as the imaging technique of choice in investigation of gallbladder disorders. Recently, the future of OCG has come into doubt, principally as a result of ultrasonography, with the advent of high-resolution real-time scanning. Stones are seen as echoes within the lumen of the gallbladder and are associated with an acoustic shadow, findings which are highly specific. On this basis, to evaluate the accuracy of ultrasonography in detecting cholelithiasis, the A. have performed by real-time cholecystosonography 60 patients with not diagnostic OCG in a group of 546 patients affected by gallbladder diseases. Our results have confirmed that sonography revealed 4 normal gallbladders, 51 gallstones and 1 primary gallbladder cancer, with 5 cases of false positive. The true false negative rate has been difficult to determine, as surgery is usually not performed after a negative study. The accuracy of cholecystosonography for gallstone diagnosis was found to be 88,1% for all three Crade's categories.

Cholecystography↗

[The acromegalic hand. Diagnostic value of various radiographic measurement indices].

The first classic description of so-called "spade hand" in acromegaly dates from 1886 and is reported by Marie [22]. The hand radiograph is easily diagnostic, when gross abnormalities are present. Sometimes, however, it may be difficult to distinguish the appearances of the milder case from the normal, only by X-ray. The aim of this paper is to define the position of several hand measurements (sesamoid index, tufting, joint space thickness, hand length, metacarpal index, soft tissue measurements at index finger) and to compare these indices in relation to the detection of disease in radiological diagnosis. Hand measurements were made in 100 normal controls and in 19 cases of acromegaly, of whom hand radiograph and xerograph were performed and also compared each others.

Acromegaly↗

[The ribs in beta-thalassemia. Course of the changes in relation to transfusion therapy].

At the present time, the only treatment available to correct the anemia in Cooley's disease is the use of blood transfusions. The patients maintained at a higher baseline level of Hb (Hypertransfusion Regimen = HTR, with Hb levels of 8 divided by 10 g/100 cm3) are in general, in better health and have smaller organs: particularly, the changes in the skull and in other bones become less pronounced and may recede. The authors have reviewed in 77 patients with beta-thalassemia syndromes a spectrum of rib changes, including widening, osteoporosis with or without localized lucencies, "rib-within-a-rib" appearance, subcortical lucency and extramedullary hematopoietic masses. These radiological changes are explained on the basis of the relationship of the proliferating marrow to the medulla, cortex and periosteum. The type of abnormalities depends on the type of transfusion regimen. HTR begun early in life will prevent the development of any abnormal rib changes; on the other hand, in the majority of cases, abnormal findings did not regress with LTR (= Low Transfusion Regimen, with Hb level of 4 divided by 6 g/100 cm3).

Adolescent↗

[The hand in psoriatic arthropathy. Radiographic and xeroradiographic comparison].

The hands of 45 cases of psoriasis with arthritis and of 100 cases of rheumatoid arthritis without psoriasis were studied by radiographic and xerographic techniques. The characteristic findings of both methods were recorded separately and compared later. In 44% of cases of psoriatic arthritis, radiographic and xerographic changes are indistinguishable from typical rheumatoid arthritis, but with predominant involvement of distal interphalangeal joints, often bilaterally asymmetric. On the contrary, in 31% of cases, erosive polyarthritis associated with proliferation of subperiosteal new bone (enthesopathy) is present, also with characteristic feature of arthritis mutilans. In 25% of cases, psoriasis of the skin and/or nails is associated with clinical manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis, without roentgenographic findings of arthropathy. The xerographs and radiographs of each patient were compared, assessing the degree of subperiosteal erosion, soft tissue swelling, acro-osteolysis, distruction of small joints and osteolysis of the phalanges, bony ankylosis. The soft tissue swelling ("sausage" finger) was more easily demonstrated by xeroradiography than by conventional radiography, because of its wide recording latitude. However, radiograph remains the technique of choice in the assessment of bone changes of the hand, especially at the first stage of arthritides.

Adult↗

STI usefulness during isometric exercise in labile hypertensive patients.

Measurement of the left ventricular systolic time intervals (STI) was considered a valid method in demonstrating the presence of a state of beta-drenergic hyperstimulation. The authors used this method during isometric exercise to differentiate between a group of 16 normal subjects (N) and 16 random labile hypertensives (LH), and between the N and 16 fixed hypertensives (FH). Exercise resulted in a general shortening (p less than 0.01) of the STI, an increase (p less than 0.01) in the systolic arterial pressure (SAP), and an increase (p less than 0.01) in the heart rate (HR) in all the groups studied. The study also demonstrated that the state of blood pressure (diagnosis) alone does not significantly influence the course of the exercise test, and that the interaction diagnosis-exercise gives quantitatively different results in the three groups, to the extent that it is possible to recognize a specific polygraphic pattern for the LH. In this group there is a greater shortening of the Q--S2 and the non-corrected LVET (p less than 0.01) than for the N. The behaviour for the FH falls between the other groups, but it is not possible to distinguish clearly between this group and its neighbour on either side. We conclude that the measurement of the STI during isometric exercise could be useful in determining a diagnostic pattern for subjects who show a lability in their blood pressure.

Adult↗

[The normal values of systolic time intervals must be reviewed?].

A study of the relation between left ventricular ejection time (LVET) and arterial blood pressure (BP), was carried out in 26 healthy volunteers divided into 2 groups. A rise in BP was achieved in the first group of 2 subjects by venous infusion of 0.02% methoxamine solution. The heart rate was held constant by right atrial pacing and the arterial blood pressure was measured by catheterization of the right radial artery. A simultaneous recording of the electrocardiogram, the carotid arterial pulse and the arterial blood pressure tracings, was obtained. The relationship between LVET and the corresponding values of BP was examined by plotting LVET against BP. The second group of 24 subjects underwent a session of maximal isometric exercise. When the maximum of the effort was reached, the carotid arterial pulse tracing was recorded and the blood pressure of the arteria dorsalis pedis was measured by doppler technique. In both groups we plotted LVET against BP and HR. Simple and multiple regression equations were obtained. Our data show that LVET correlates with BP during the maximal isometric exercise and during venous infusion of methoxamine, suggesting that the normal values of systolic time intervals (STI) should be revised.

Blood Pressure↗

Liver metastases from gastric carcinoma: report of a patient treated with adoptive immunotherapy (tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes plus interleukin-2 and subsequently local-regional lymphokine-activated killer cells plus interleukin-2).

A 37-year-old patient with liver metastases from gastric cancer was treated with a double adoptive immunotherapy regimen comprising tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes plus interleukin-2 and subsequently local-regional lymphokine-activated killer cells plus interleukin-2 because of an extremely high in vitro cytotoxic specific activity on established gastric cancer cell lines. The necrosis verified in the center of the hepatic metastasis would appear to demonstrate treatment efficacy, but no clinical response was seen. In vitro cytotoxicity data alone are insufficient to predict the clinical efficacy of adoptive immunotherapy.

Adult↗

[Combined treatment of inoperable liver metastases from colorectal cancer].

AIMS: Liver resection improves survival in selected patients with colorectal liver metastases. However, the majority of patients with colorectal liver metastases have an inoperable oncological disease. The aim is to investigate whether intra-arterial infusion of chemotherapy, improves response to treatment and may convert a selected group of patients with irresectable liver metastases into an operable state. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-sex patients (pts) with inoperable hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer were treated with intra-arterial chemotherapy, by angiographic technique. All patients underwent a short 5-FU-based locoregional infusion and the 13 non pretreated patients also received systemic therapy. Evaluation of response was made by CT scan. RESULTS: Total cycles administered angiographically: 132 (range, 1-11). There were no complications associated with the angiographic procedure and no cases of > grade 2 toxicity. One heavily pretreated pt experienced moderate cholangitis and superficial gastric erosion. Thirty-one pts were assessable (20 pretreated and 11 not); there was 1 complete response (CR), 3 partial remissions (PR), 2 stabilizations (SD) among non-pretreated pts (6/11; CR + PR + SD = 55%) and 1 PR and 8 SD among pretreated pts (9/20; PR + SD = 45%). The remaining 16 pts progressed. Four pts became eligible for radical hepatic resection (1 refused surgery and 3 patients were operated on). There was no peri-operative deaths. Median survival of these 3 pts was 24, 28 and 39+ months. CONCLUSIONS: Our data, even if based on a relatively small case series, appear to confirm effective local disease control in this clinical setting. Regional chemotherapy used singly or in combination with systemic chemotherapy may convert a selected group of patients with irresectable liver metastases to an oncological disease that can benefit from surgical treatment.

Adenocarcinoma↗