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Biomedical subjects

F Ghinelli

Publications and source records attributed to F Ghinelli.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1975

[Radioimmunologic determination of hepatitis antigen and its clinical implications].

The AA. carrie out an analysis of the results obtained by means of the radioimmunologic method and concludes as follows: 1) Au-positive acute hepatitis represent the more largely diffused form among adult people; 2) from a clinical point of view, it seems appropriate to modify definitions of A and B hepatitis, of infectious hepatitis or serum hepatitis, classifying this disease as follows: a) hepatitis with positive antigenemy; b) hepatitis with negative antigenemy; and this independently from the anamnestic and epidemiologic elements. In the second part of this report, the AA., after introducing some considerations on the effects of the therapy by means of steroids, illustrate the data concerning a study carried out on a group of Au-positive and Au-negative subjects, subdivided into treated and non treated patients. From these analysis, even if a statistical survey has not been made, no elements are noticed, able to differentiate the behaviour of the two groups of hepatitis studied, in comparison with the therapy by means of steroids. One single Au-negative case, within a certain period of time, after the therapy with steroids, showed the presence of a positivity of immunologic phenomena only by the radioimmunoassay.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hepatic encephalopathy: lack of changes of gamma-aminobutyric acid content in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid.

The aim of the study was to verify the role of gamma-aminobutyric acid in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy occurring in cirrhotic patients by attempting to correlate plasma and cerebrospinal fluid content of authentic gamma-aminobutyric acid with the neurological manifestations of hepatic encephalopathy. For this purpose, plasma and cerebrospinal fluid gamma-aminobutyric acid levels were measured by means of mass fragmentography in 17 cirrhotic patients with hepatic encephalopathy and in 6 cirrhotics without neurological symptoms. Moreover, in all patients, a second sample was obtained during the clinical course of hepatic encephalopathy. The mean plasma and cerebrospinal fluid gamma-aminobutyric acid levels were not different in patients with or without hepatic encephalopathy and did not change during the evolution of the neurological symptoms. The lack of changes in the gamma-aminobutyric acid content in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid during hepatic encephalopathy is in contrast with the hypothesized importance of increased entry into the brain of gamma-aminobutyric acid in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Negative nitrogen balance in cirrhotics. (A correct therapeutic approach).

The aims of this study were: 1. the assessment of the nitrogen balance (NB) in both compensated and encephalopathic cirrhotics, 2. the evaluation of the efficacy of a new therapeutic approach: amino acid solutions enriched with branched chain (BCAA) but poor in aromatic (AAA) amino acids. Solutions containing only BCAA were also employed: 42 cirrhotics were divided into the following groups: 1st group (26 cases), cirrhosis without hepatic encephalopathy (HE); 2nd group (16 cases), cirrhosis with HE. Six patients (23%) in the 1st group showed a positive NB at the beginning; 20 (77%) were negative; 18 of them were fed an oral diet (0.8 g protein/kg/day; 35 cal/kg/day) as a result of which they were brought into a positive NB within 5 days (from - 7.38 +/- 0.95 to + 3.67 +/- 0.46 g N/24 h). In two cases the diet failed to give a positive NB, so it was replaced by a BCAA enriched solution infusion (NB raised from - 1.0 +/- 5.4 g N/24 h). Patients in the 2nd group were put on total parenteral nutrition (TPN); two cases receiving glucose alone achieved a positive NB only when BCAA enriched solutions were added (from - 4.0 to + 3.0 g N/24 h). Four patients treated for 3 days with BCAA alone did not achieve a positive NB; in these cases likewise, BCAA enriched solutions were added in order to achieve a positive NB (from - 0.8 to + 4.2 g N/24 h); all 14 cases treated from the beginning with glucose + BCAA enriched solutions became positive, on average, within 5 days (from - 4.82 +/- 0.89 to + 3.15 +/- 0.61 g N/24 h). In addition to the NB, other parameters (blood ammonia, BCAA/AAA ratio, blood urea, electroencephalograms) and clinical symptoms were beneficially influenced by these solutions.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Coping styles and psychosocial-related variables in HIV-infected patients.

The study examined the relationship between coping and psychosocial variables (psychological stress symptoms, locus of control, emotional repression, and social support) among 108 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. The authors administered several tests, including one that measures fighting spirit and degree of hopelessness, to assess each patient's individual coping style. The patients who were adjusting well to their HIV-positive status tended to have a higher level of fighting spirit and lower degree of hopelessness than those patients who were not adjusting well to their HIV-positive status. A coping style based on incapacity to face and confront HIV infection was associated with symptoms of psychological stress, repression of anger, external locus of control, and low social support in the latter group. These patients showed symptoms indicating maladjustment to HIV infection (43% of the sample) and differed from the "noncases" (the well-adjusted patients) in that the former group reported inadequate coping responses (lower fighting spirit and higher hopelessness, fatalistic attitude, and anxious preoccupation) and poorer social support, and had a greater tendency to repress anger and express sadness. The data support the hypothesis that coping with HIV infection is a complex phenomenon involving multiple and interacting variables. Interventions aimed at improving the coping style for many HIV patients are needed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Fulminant acute hepatitis treated by immunologic therapy (author's transl)].

Following the most recent results on immunological pathogenetic mechanism, on which seems to be based the malignant evolution of acute viral hepatitis the AA. have treated a patient affected of acute fulminant hepatitis by means of immunologic therapy with specific globulins anti-HBsAg. The result of this personal experience and the analysis of the data from the literature suggest the opportunity to use specific antibodies (HBsAb) associated with syntomatic and depurative therapies, with obvious limits of single experience.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Acid-base modifications induced by treatment with concentration-reinfusion of ascitis fluid in cyrrhosis (author's transl)].

In 9 cyrrhotic patients with ascites we have studied the acid base status and the renal acidogenic capacity (urinary titrable acidity, ammonia) before, during and after reinfusion of concentrated ascitic fluid. Acid-base parameters have been evaluated also in the ascitic fluid and in the concentrated reinfusion fluid. The treatment does not determine any significant variation of acid base equilibrium in the cyrrhotic patients, while there is a remarkable loosing of CO2 with lowering of pCO2 in the concentrated ascitic fluid. We discuss the main physiopathological factors involved in such a type of treatment.

Ascitic Fluid↗