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Biomedical subjects

F Corona

Publications and source records attributed to F Corona.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

[Acute appendicitis or diverticulitis of the right colon? Diagnostic dilemma in emergency surgery].

Diverticulitis of the right colon is a rare disease in the Western countries, so that the diagnosis still remains very difficult and frequently indistinguishable from acute appendicitis preoperatively. In presence of acute abdominal discomfort with pain referred to the right lower quadrant region, fever and hyperleukocytosis, nausea and vomiting, surgeons operate with a margin of uncertainty, because of the increased morbidity and mortality associated with delay in diagnosis and consequent perforation of acute appendicitis. Moreover the unexpected inflammatory colonic mass of uncertain etiology is sometimes mistaken for carcinoma at laparotomy and consequently a right hemicolectomy is performed. In these cases it should be better that right-sided colonic diverticulitis should be taken into account allowing a more correct surgical approach and even conservative treatment alone. Therefore, in case of suspected appendicitis, since our experience and literature data indicate that the mean age for right diverticulitis is over 40 years, also in presence of a significative Alvarado's score, computed tomography is strongly recommended, if the age is over 40 years.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Cholinergic facilitation of erection and ejaculation in spinal cord-transected rats.

Penile reflexes (PRs) were monitored in chronic spinal cord-transected rats by identifying them visually, and at the same time they were recorded as the electromyographic activity of bulbospongiosus muscles. Intraperitoneal injection of the agonist muscarine (10 microg) produced a facilitation of PRs. A decrease in the latency, an increase in the number of clusters and often an increase in the duration of cups were found after muscarine. In addition, 66% (six out of nine) of the animals ejaculated after muscarine. These results suggest that cholinergic receptor stimulation may be involved in erectile and ejaculatory mechanisms mediated by the spinal cord.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

[Abdominal compartment syndrome: patophysiologic and clinic remarks].

The abdominal compartment syndrome is a high grade abdominal hypertension with clinical evidence of multiorgan failure (MOF). It is more and more frequently observed in intensive-care units as a complication in critical patients, but especially in traumatology and surgery. The incidence is highly variable according to the different trials but the severity of scores is the common factor. All the possible mechanical, haemorrhagical, inflammatory and traumatological causes act but do not enable the stability of the abdominal content, abdominal compliance and parietal tension. The initial triad of effects consists in diaphragm elevation and visceral and vascular compression and therefore triggers a physio-pathological way that leads to a respiratory, renal and cardiovascular dysfunction and to parietal, hepatic and intestinal ischaemia and consequent bacterial translocation: sepsis and MOF. Burch's classification (1996) reports four levels of gravity from low (<15 mmHg) to severe (>35 mmHg): both of the first grades should be managed in intensive-care units with conservative pharmacological procedures, while for the two others a surgical approach of laparotomy with drainage and temporaneous closure of the abdominal wall should be considered. As mortality is still very high (29-62%), especially when multiorgan failure is already set; bladder pressure of all critical patients should be monitorized to treat immediately any potential abdominal hypertension.

Abdomen↗
PubMed2003

Safety and efficacy of iloprost for the treatment of ischaemic digits in paediatric connective tissue diseases.

OBJECTIVE: We analysed our experience with the use of iloprost for the treatment of critical ischaemic digits (ID) in children with connective tissue diseases (CTD) in order to assess its safety and efficacy. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of paediatric patients with CTD who were treated with iloprost for critical ID resistant to conventional therapy. Information on demographics, clinical and laboratory features, the regimen of iloprost treatment and outcome were collected. RESULTS: Fifteen patients (10 female, five male) treated one or more times with iloprost were included (total of 19 treatments). Six had juvenile systemic sclerosis, five had systemic lupus erythematosus, three had mixed connective tissue disease and one had cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa. Thirteen patients were already taking calcium channel blockers with no improvement; in two patients ID were the presenting signs of the disease without prior treatment. Eleven patients had more than two fingers involved; one child had involvement of all 10 fingers. Normal digital blood flow was achieved in 74% of treatments and significant improvement was noted in 26%. Fingertip necrosis was present in 11 patients (14 treatments). It healed completely in seven, improved in one and remained unchanged in six. Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) was present in 14 patients (17 treatments): in two no RP attack occurred during the follow-up period, eight improved both in the number of attacks per week and in the duration of each attack. Complete pain relief was observed in 10/17 treatments (59%) and there was a significant decrease in pain in the remaining seven. No major side-effects or withdrawal symptoms were reported. Minor side-effects reported include reversible headache (seven patients), hypotension or irritability (three), nausea/vomiting (two) and injection site reaction (one). CONCLUSIONS: Iloprost appears to be a safe and effective treatment for ischaemic digits and digital ulcers in children with CTD. In conjunction with immunosuppressive drugs, it has a potential role in preventing irreversible complications, such as digital gangrene and amputation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

[Peritoneal papillary serous carcinoma: clinical report].

Peritoneal papillary serous carcinoma (PPSC) is a rare tumour that involves the surface of the peritoneum, with prevalence in female patients and can originate from a single or multicentric focus is here described. A primary peritoneal serous carcinoma is here described. The patient has been treated with paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 and carboplatinum AUC 6.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Efficacy and safety of alendronate for the treatment of osteoporosis in diffuse connective tissue diseases in children: a prospective multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: Osteopenia/osteoporosis is being increasingly reported as a complication of many chronic diseases, even in children. In this preliminary study, we evaluated the effect of an oral bisphosphonate (alendronate) on bone mass in children with diffuse connective tissue diseases. METHODS: Thirty-eight children with low bone mass were treated with alendronate for 1 year; 38 children who had the same primary disorders as the study patients but in a less severe form served as untreated control patients. We were also able to evaluate changes in bone mass (before and after alendronate) in 16 of the treated patients whose bone mineral density (BMD) had been routinely measured before the present study was initiated. RESULTS: BMD increased by a mean +/- SD of 14.9 +/- 9.8% (P < 0.002 versus baseline) in the treated patients (reaching the normal range in 13 patients), while the BMD was 2.6 +/- 5% (not significant versus baseline) in the control group (15 had a decrease). Most interestingly, there was a large increase in BMD (15.3 +/-9.9%) after alendronate therapy in the 16 children who had their BMD followed up in the year before the study, during which time they had shown little increase in BMD (1.03 +/- 6.3%), and often a decrease. Considering their condition, increases in the height of all patients was satisfactory. No new fractures were observed after alendronate therapy was initiated. CONCLUSION: Bisphosphonates can be considered essential components of the treatment of secondary osteoporosis, not only in adults, but also in pediatric patients. Alendronate has a positive effect on secondary osteopenia/osteoporosis in children with connective tissue diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Bone mass change during methotrexate treatment in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Thirty-two children affected by juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) were studied with serial measurements of bone mass for an average of 18 months, to evaluate the effects of long-term methotrexate (MTX) treatment on bone. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured on lumbar spine and total body. During MTX therapy some increase in BMD was observed, though this was smaller than in a control group of healthy children. Axial (spine and trunk) and appendicular (upper and lower limbs) BMD showed similar increases. BMD, either as an absolute value or as a percent variation from baseline, did not correlate with either MTX dose or length of therapy. In children treated also with corticosteroids, these drugs negatively influenced bone mass increase. The main determinant of absolute spine BMD value appeared to be weight, while height and lean mass seemed to be the determinants of total body BMD. Pubertal stage and disease activity significantly influenced the yearly change in BMD. In conclusion, our data suggest that long-term, low-dose therapy with MTX does not induce osteopenia in children with JRA.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Arthritis as a presenting feature of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Leukaemia can present with joint swelling in the absence of abnormal haematological findings. Arthritis as a presenting sign of lymphoma, however, is extremely rare. Three children with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who had joint swelling at the onset of their disease are reported. Two cases showed histological features of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (Ki-1/CD30 positive), and one of angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma. In all patients the unusual presentation delayed correct diagnosis.

Arthritis↗
PubMed1996

High performance liquid chromatography purification and amino acid sequence of toxins from the muscarinic fraction of Tityus discrepans scorpion venom.

Tityus discrepans venom was fractionated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50 column. The peptides in fraction II from Sephadex were further purified by high performance liquid chromatography, through a C4 reverse-phase column. Lethality of purified peptides was determined by injection into mice and crabs, and their effects were verified electrophysiologically on frog (Hyla crepitans) sartorius neuromuscular junction. Toxins having retention times between 39.6 and 40.7 min depolarized the muscle membrane and caused acetylcholine release at the endplate. The toxin eluted at 42.67 min increased the frequency of miniature endplate potentials without depolarizing muscle fibres. The four most active toxins were reduced, carboxymethylated and sequenced by automatic Edman degradation and named TdII-1 to II-4. Toxin gamma from Tityus serrulatus venom and the toxins from T. discrepans venom were found to be structurally distinct. TdII-1 to II-4 lack the pancreatic effects of T. serrulatus' toxin gamma; yet, the five toxins act on Na+ channels.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1994

Levels of circulating intercellular adhesion molecule 1 and E-selectin in serum and synovial fluid of juvenile chronic arthritis patients.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the levels of two adhesion molecules (AM), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) and soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin), in serum and synovial fluid (SF) of patients with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA). METHODS: Both soluble AM levels were tested, in serum and synovial fluid (SF) samples, with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. RESULTS: Serum levels of sICAM-1 and sE-selectin in JCA patients were not significantly different from those of a control group. Synovial fluid levels of sICAM-1, but not of sE-selectin, assayed significantly higher (p < 0.05) in JCA patients than in controls. Moreover SF levels of both molecules correlated negatively with disease duration, being higher in the earliest phases. No significant correlations were found between JCA sICAM-1 and sE-selectin levels and leukocyte count or ESR. CONCLUSIONS: These observations may signify a more important role of ICAM-1 than E-selectin in the migration of inflammatory cells into JCA SF. The negative correlation of both AMSF levels in JCA patients with disease duration could reflect a higher expression of ICAM-1 and E-selectin during the earliest phases of the disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Therapy of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis].

The correct drug treatment of JRA must consider the course and the subtype of the disease. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs are the first choice treatment, especially the recent ones which are more active and less toxic. The slow-acting antirheumatic drugs are the second choice treatment and must be employed in the chronically active stages of the disease; good results have been obtained with sulphasalazine and methotrexate both on clinical features and on blood biochemistry with relatively scarce side effects. Thymic hormones, cyclosporin A and intravenous immunoglobulins, though not yet widely experienced, can represent a worthwhile alternative to standard treatment in carefully selected cases. Steroids must be used only in special cases (particularly aggressive systemic JRA, carditis, severe anemia and those patients who fail to respond to usual treatments) and must be withdrawn as soon as possible to avoid adverse effects and steroid-addiction. Intraarticular long-acting steroids are the first choice treatment for rheumatoid monoarthritis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Immune status in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Observations in 67 cases.

67 children affected with acute lympocytic leukemia were immunologically evaluated for lymphocytic markers, serum immunoglobulins and delayed hypersensitivity skin tests at the onset, in remission and after cessation of therapy. E, EA rosettes and surface Ig assayed significantly lower in leukemic children than in matched controls, except for three cases of T-cell leukemia in which E rosettes were very high. After cessation of therapy almost normal results were obtained. As for serum Ig, the only abnormal finding was that of low IgM during therapy. The skin tests with Varidase, Candidine, Mumps antigen and DNCB were not significantly different at onset and in remission. As for DNCB test, the negative responses at onset often became positive in remission, but only when the test was performed before any treatment (anamnestic-like response?). One of the three patients with T-cell leukemia relapsed after 8 months: strangely enough, no surface marker could be detected on that occasion. We could not find any relationship between various immunological tests, or between these tests and prognosis; chemotherapy proved active in suppressing cellular immunity, especially the primary cellular response.

Adolescent↗