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Biomedical subjects

F Conti

Publications and source records attributed to F Conti.

351 records · Page 20Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome in Italian patients with persistent fatigue.

Our study was carried out to determine the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) within a selected population of patients suffering from persistent fatigue. We studied subjects with recurrent or persistent fatigue lasting 6 months and fulfilling at least four minor Center for Disease Control (CDC) criteria for the diagnosis of CFS. Evaluation included both clinical examination and laboratory testing. All subjects filled out a questionnaire specifically designed to gain information about the length and severity of symptoms, and patients with a previously diagnosed illness associated with fatigue were excluded. The study was carried out at the Fatigue Clinic of an internal medicine unit (Clinica Medica I) of the University of Rome "La Sapienza". Sixty-three subjects, residents of the Lazio region (central Italy), completed the diagnostic assessment. Alternative diagnoses were established in 37 (59%) of the 63 patients. A diagnosis of CFS based on the CDC criteria was established in only 6 cases. In 2 subjects, CFS had appeared following infectious mononucleosis, and no definitive diagnosis could be formulated for 18 patients. In Italy, CFS seems to be an infrequent cause of severe and persistent fatigue in a selected population. Numerous morbid conditions may be responsible for a clinical picture closely resembling CFS. We recommend that patients suffering from fatigue be thoroughly evaluated.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Correlation between tracheal pressure and pulmonary artery pressure in healthy dogs.

The relationship between mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and alveolar pressures, at varying tidal volumes and opposing variable pressure to expiratory flow, was studied in 14 healthy dogs at the end of inspiration and at the end of expiration. Pulmonary blood flow was also studied in 4 dogs. Through the analysis of multiple regression, the equations which show the relation between PAP, tracheal pressure and tidal volume during phases of zero flow were obtained. Our study shows that the co-relation between PAP and tracheal pressure is always highly significant and that, in our experimental conditions, the parameter having the greatest influence on PAP is tracheal pressure, while tidal volume is negligible.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dexrazoxane cardioprotection in advanced breast cancer patients undergoing high-dose epirubicin treatment.

PURPOSE: We performed a randomized trial to evaluate the cardioprotective effect of dexrazoxane (DEX) in advanced breast cancer patients (ABC) treated with high single-dose epirubicin (EPI). A secondary objective was to determine the role of radioimmunoscintigraphy (RIS) in the assessment of epirubicin cardiotoxicity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety-five patients with ABC were treated with EPI 160 mg/m2 by i.v. bolus every 3 weeks with or without DEX, 1,000 mg/m2 i.v. Cardiac monitoring included multigated radionuclide (MUGA) scan with determination of resting left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and RIS with 111-Indium antimyosin monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 69% in the EPI arm and 67% in the EPI + DEX arm; median time to response and median time to progression were identical in both arms, being 2 and 8 months, respectively. Median survival was 19 months versus 29 months (p 0.21), respectively. DEX did not appear to contribute to extracardiac EPI toxicity. Congestive heart failure occurred only in the EPI arm (2 instances). LVEF significantly decreased from baseline only in the EPI group. An abnormal tracer uptake at RIS was observed early in both arms, but the increase in heart to lung ratio was much more evident in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: DEX significantly protects against the development of high dose epirubicin cardiotoxicity apparently without evidence of an adverse impact on antitumor activity and non cardiac toxicity. RIS is a very sensitive technique in detecting anthracycline cardiac damage, but its specificity is low and cannot be considered alone a primary test for guiding anthracycline treatment.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Vinorelbin in the treatment of breast cancer: current status and prospectives for the future].

PURPOSE: To evaluate efficacy and tolerability of vinorelbine in breast cancer. DESIGN: A review of most significant and recent clinical trials was performed. RESULTS: Vinorelbine as single agent showed 44% and 17.36% of response as 1st and 2nd line treatment, respectively. When combined with other agents, these figures were the following: cisplatin, 73%-75% and 43-64%; mitomycin C, up to 92% and 33%-69%; 5-fluorouracil, 33%-64% and 22%-55%; ifosfamide, 57% and 28%; taxol, 78% and 54%; taxotere, up to 80%; mitoxantrone, 44%-68% and 31%-40%; doxorubicin, 57%-82% and 30%-33%; epirubicin, 22%-78% and 33%. Vinorelbine-epirubicin combination appears to be very active in neoadjuvant setting, with up to 92% response rates. CONCLUSIONS: Vinorelbine activity is significant and similar to that of the most active antineoplastic drugs in breast cancer. The most promising combinations appear to be with anthracyclines, taxanes or mitomycin C, even in heavily pretreated patients. Some aspects, such as optimal dose and scheduling and the inclusion in adjuvant programs or in new combination regimens remain to be defined.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Decreased immunoreactive beta-endorphin in mononuclear leucocytes from patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate beta-endorphin concentrations in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). METHODS: Sixteen patients with CFS were enrolled in this study. Ten healthy subjects were studied as controls. Beta-endorphin concentrations were measured in PBMC by radioimmunoassay performed with antibodies specific for the C-terminal portion of human beta-endorphin. RESULTS: Beta-endorphin concentrations in the PBMC of chronic fatigue patients were significantly lower (p < 0.001) than in healthy subjects (mean +/- SD: 8.5 +/- 7.0 vs. 42.6 +/- 22.6). CONCLUSION: Patients with CFS were found to have low levels of PBMC beta-endorphin. This finding may reflect the condition of chronic immune activation in CFS that has been reported in previous investigations. Beta-endorphin concentrations in PBMC seem to mirror the central nervous system homeostasis of the opioid. Therefore, we would postulate that the fatigue and weakness typical of CFS could be related to low beta-endorphin concentrations at the central nervous system level.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Simultaneous infusion of vinorelbin and taxol as first-line chemotherapy in metastasized breast cancer].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the activity and toxicity of simultaneous infusion of vinorelbine (VNB) and paclitaxel (T) as first line chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer patients (pts). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 33 pts with histologically proven advanced breast cancer were treated with VNB 25 mg/m2 and T 150 mg/m2, both drugs given by i.v. infusion over 3 hours, with cycles repeated every 3 weeks. Granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), 300 micrograms subcutaneously, was given on days 7 to 12 of each cycle in the first 10 patients. RESULTS: From October 1995 to July 1996, 33 untreated pts entered the study. Characteristics of the pts were the following: median age 53 years (29-71); median WHO performance status 1 (0-3); pre/postmenopausal 8/25; prior adjuvant chemotherapy 16; prior radiotherapy 8; dominant disease sites: soft tissue in 6; bone in 7, viscera in 19; number of metastatic sites: 1 in 18, 2 in 9, 3 in 6 pts. In 31 evaluable pts we observed: 1 CR (3%) and 14 PR (45%), for an overall response rate of 48%. Median time to response was 2 months; median time to progression and median survival were 7 and 22+ months, respectively. Median number of cycles was 6. Myelosuppression was the dose-limiting toxicity, with G 4 neutropenia occurring in 22% of the pts and neutropenic fever in 6% of the pts. Other toxicities were generally mild with nausea in 52% of the pts; mucositis in 15%; constipation in 12%; peripheral neuropathy in 46.5%. Alopecia was universal. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous infusion of VNB and T is well tolerated and active in untreated patients with advanced breast cancer. Median survival (22+ months) is similar to that reported with anthracycline-containing regimens, although response rate appears to be lower. It is likely that higher response rates may be achieved with a higher dose-intensity.

Adult↗