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Biomedical subjects

F Ferrario

Publications and source records attributed to F Ferrario.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

Electrophysiological findings in workers exposed to N-heptane fumes.

Electrophysiological examination of the peroneal nerve was performed in a group of individuals exposed for professional reasons to vapours of n-heptane. The results suggest a probably specific role of this hydrocarbon compound in provoking "minimal" peripheral nerve damage.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Amplitude desynchronisation of evoked compound muscle action potentials in normal and uraemic subjects.

Compound muscle action potentials of the extensor digitorum brevis were obtained in two groups of normal and uraemic subjects by stimulating the deep peroneal nerve at the ankle and at the capitulum fibulae. Particular attention was drawn to the index of desynchronisation supplied by the amplitude change in the muscle potential evoked by distal and proximal stimulation of the same nerve. Statistical studied confirmed the soundness of this index in the normal and in the pathological condition, and showed a significant increase of the values found in uraemic patients. The complex of the data pointed out the advantage of integrating the usual motor conduction velocity determination with the mentioned desynchronisation index.

Action Potentials↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sonography after renal biopsy: assessment of its role in 230 consecutive cases.

Among 230 patients undergoing ultrasound (US) guided renal biopsy, 218 had postbiopsy sonography. Clinical records were reviewed to correlate symptoms to US findings. In each case of large hematoma (thickness above 1 cm), all postbiopsy sonographic studies were analyzed to look for findings indicative of unfavorable outcome. A total of 96 subcapsular/perirenal hematomas were found. Large hematomas were observed in 20 patients (20/230 = 8.7%), seven of these (3%) were severely symptomatic. In the absence of clinical signs of bleeding, no patient had clinical consequences. In the presence of clinical signs of bleeding, serious complications occurred only in patients with large hematomas. US thickness of retroperitoneal hematoma correlated to clinical outcome: whenever measured thickness was less than 2 cm, clinical evolution was very favorable, whereas a thickness above 2 cm was invariably associated to clinical signs of bleeding. In six of seven cases of thickness exceeding 3 cm, severe complications developed. An unfavorable evolution was associated with increasing thickness and an echogenicity inappropriate with respect to the time elapsed since biopsy. Hydroureteronephrosis, peritoneal effusion, and anomalous vascular images were indicators of deterioration. We conclude that sonography is indicated only for symptomatic patients and that the monitoring of both thickness and changing echogenicity of retroperitoneal blood collections supplements clinical follow-up.

Biopsy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Activity of epomediol in the treatment of hepatopathies: a double-blind multi-centre study.

A multi-centre study with epomediol discoids (200 mg three times daily for 30 days) versus placebo was carried out in 519 patients either with symptoms attributable to hepatopathy and/or alterations in the hepatic function. Epomediol was given to 257 patients chosen at random and the remaining 262 were given placebo. In cases of hepatopathy in which there was no severe damage to the hepatic parenchyma the symptoms of the disease were reduced and the laboratory parameters were improved on treatment with epomediol, whereas the activity of the drug was low in patients with chronic hepatopathy. This confirms that the clinical use of epomediol is most useful in cases of hepatopathy in which the change in hepatic function is still reversible.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Borderline indications for renal biopsy].

The Authors report 3 cases with clinical renal manifestations where the indication to perform a renal biopsy was defined as borderline. The uncertain indication was related to the clinical presentation, with a pattern of urinary abnormalities, such as isolated microscopic hematuria, microscopic hematuria associated with mild proteinuria, and isolated proteinuria. In addition, similar questions on biopsy are raised for chronic renal failure and elderly patients. In the literature, microscopic hematuria without significant proteinuria shows that 25% of adult patients have no histological abnormalities. A higher percentage is found among children. The other cases exhibit a pattern of IgA nephropathy, Alport's syndrome, thin BM nephropathy and arteriolar C3 deposition. The percentage of an abnormal histological picture increases if the patients have a family history of hematuria, and if there are concomitant episodes of macroscopic hematuria, because of an increase in IgA nephropathy and Alport's syndrome, respectively. In the last cases, therefore the indication to perform a renal biopsy increases. For those patients without these characteristics, a renal biopsy can be delayed whereas in cases of microscopic hematuria with proteinuria or isolated proteinuria the indication for a renal biopsy is stronger, because the spectrum of glomerulopathies is wider, and the possible evolution to renal failure after 10 years is higher (10-14% of cases). In patients with chronic renal failure the biopsy is contraindicated for cases where the thickness of the cortical section of the kidney is lower than 8-10 mm, because of possible technical difficulties, lower diagnostic information due to sclerosis and higher risk of complications. The prolonged bleeding time and the consequent risk of bleeding can be avoided by i.v. infusion of vasopressin 2 hours prior to biopsy. The higher indications are for those patients who may be susceptible to a medical treatment, capable to slowing down the progression of nephropathy. Finally, in elderly patients the biopsy is indicated in almost all cases because of the recently confirmed high incidence of glomerulopathies. In the aged there is a higher frequency of membranous GN, crescentic-ANCA associated GN, amyloidosis and, according to some Authors, post-infectious GN. In all cases a precise histological diagnosis can correct an erroneous diagnosis made according to clinical data alone. In the elderly the indication for biopsy aims at making an exact diagnosis of nephropathy, especially for acute renal failure: for this purpose age itself should not become an obstacle.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Post-infectious glomerulonephritis].

Post-infectious glomerulonephrites (GNs) include a wide spectrum of nephropathies, with known etiological agent, bacterial, parasitic, viral. Among GNs secondary to bacterial infections, post-streptococcal GN is the most frequent; nevertheless, its incidence in developed countries has decreased during the last 20 years, while some of the characteristics such as types of infection, exposed subjects, clinical and evolutionary patterns have changed. Prognosis has worsened and is correlated with some clinical and histological parameters. The viral infection-related GNs include those associated with HBV, HCV, HIV plus other rarer forms. Membranous GN (MGN), membranoproliferative GN (MPGN) and IgA nephropathy may occur in the course of HBV infection, while different GNs can be detected in relation to HCV, the most frequent being mixed cryoglobulinemic GN, a MPGN with peculiar morphological features. Multiple glomerular involvements are seen from HIV infection, the more characteristic form being the so-called HIV associated nephropathy (HIVAN), a focal segmental glomerulosclerosis with tuft collapse affecting African subjects, which starts with a nephrotic syndrome and rapidly develops into uraemia. Other GNs derive from HIV-related immunecomplexes, some with diffuse proliferative characteristics, or lupus like, with less severe clinical manifestations compared with HIVAN. Among the rare viral infections, we ultimately, mention the association between Parvovirus B19 and "collapsing" focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Prospective, cohort, epidemiologic studies of laryngeal neoplasms in Italy].

Recent epidemiological studies show, quite surprisingly, a regression in mortality rates for lung cancer in some of the most industrialized countries of the world. Aetiopathogenetic analogies are made by the Authors in order to verify future trends concerning the incidence of laryngeal cancer in Italy. In this study a particular study model, which furnishes incidence rate expectations for the disease, is elaborated. Comparison of relative risks according to birth dates demonstrates that people born around 1930 are in the higher risk range while younger generations seem to show an effective incidence reduction. Evaluations include that of estimating the period in which the world-wide incidence of the disease will be maximum. With the addition of 70 years (main incidence in the seventh decade) to the year 1930 (the worst year) the study predicts that the end of this century will see the most consistent accumulation of new cases. After the year 2010 a trend towards a gradual regression in incidence will appear. The reasons are probably related to the social and cultural transformations of the last twenty years, particularly the progressive abandoning of the smoking habit.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The opinions of general practitioners on alcohol abuse].

A postal survey has been carried out in order to know the attitudes of general practitioners concerning the harmful effects of alcohol. Only 18% of the 150 physicians of a roman suburban area involved in the survey returned the questionnaire. According to a quarter of them a daily intake of wine larger than 600 ml (65 g of alcohol) in man and 500 ml in women is still unharmful. Anamnesis, behaviour disturbances, liver enlargement and "liver enzymes" were considered the most useful diagnostic procedures. Every preventive strategy emphasizing the role of general practitioners has to take into account the need of appropriate guidelines.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗