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Biomedical subjects

F Innocenti

Publications and source records attributed to F Innocenti.

68 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Chemistry and pharmacology of arginine pyroglutamate. Analysis of its effects on the CNS.

By studying the influence of the arginine pyroglutamate on the CNS its variations were evidenced which are clearly identifiable through the analysis of the interaction with molecules having either a depressive or excitatory action. In the case of pentobarbital the antagonistic effect of the compound on the general anaesthesia is very intense and is equally present even when medazepam and flurazepam are associated. Equally obvious is the antagonism with barbiturate in the case of spontaneous motility but much less so with the two benzodiazepines. As far as the specialized behaviour is concerned, arginine pyroglutamate does not alter the sound discrimination capacity (responses in Sdelta punished) at fixed intervals (F.I.) nor does it influence the learning of a sound discrimination (responses in Sdelta punished) at varied intervals (V.I.). The process of learning is instead moderately accelerated in the case of a temporal discrimination and of a conditioned avoidance response (CAR) in the shuttle-box. No effect was found when the same amino acids were introduced alone or in random association. The hypothesis is proposed that the phenomena described depend on the different pharmacokinetics of arginine pyroglutamate that ensures brain concentrations sufficient to block the activity of depressive compounds but is not capable of influencing in a significant way the spontaneous and specialized behaviour of normal animals.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A decade of adult liver transplantation in a single center in Chile.

INTRODUCTION: Since the early days, liver transplantation (OLT) has conquered several barriers worldwide to become a proven therapy. We assessed the evolution of our adult liver transplant program. METHODS: We studied all adult patients who underwent OLT since the inception from November 1993 through May 2003. Donor data, recipient pretransplantation evaluation, surgical technique, results, and costs were examined over our evolution, stratifying 3 groups over time, based on the number of adult OLT per year. RESULTS: Between November 1993 and May 2003, 70 OLT were performed in 64 patients older than 15 years of age. Preoperative Child score, preoperative creatinine level, donor and recipient age, and proportion of emergencies were similar in the 3 groups. Over time, the predominant surgical technique was the piggyback technique (97% of OLT) with a decrease in the use of bypass from 63% to 5% during the last time period. Over the 10 years of our program's existence, warm ischemia time has been reduced to less than 1 hour, whereas cold ischemia time has remained constant at around 5 hours. Biliary and vascular complications decreased over time to around 10%. The mean length of hospital stay (LOS) decreased to 12 days (excluding emergencies). Since inception, our 1-year patient survival rate average is 91%; however, in just the last 3 years of our program (2000 through 2003), the 1-year patient survival rate is 97%. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our surgical technique has evolved toward piggyback use without veno-venous bypass with a significant decrease in warm ischemia times. As expected, our results have improved over time and our LOS and costs have decreased. Finally, our current results are similar to the best ones reported in the medical literature today.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Transcystic cholangiogram access via rubber band with early withdrawal after liver transplantation: a safe technique.

OBJECTIVE: Since different techniques have been described for cholangiogram access after liver transplantation, we compared two different methods for patients with duct-to-duct biliary anastomoses. METHODS: Adult liver transplant patients from program inception in 1993 to May 2003 in whom a duct-to-duct biliary anastomosis with a T-tube choledochostomy were compared with those having a transcystic duct catheter using a rubber band. We excluded 10 patients in which a different technique was used or graft or patient survived less than 21 days. Group A (n = 28,) had a number 10 T-tube exteriorized through the recipient main bile duct; and group B (n = 33) a number 5 Bard ureteral stent tied to the cystic stump with reabsorbable suture and secured with a hemorrhoidal rubber ligature. RESULTS: The biliary complication rate was lower among the transcystic catheter group (9.1%, 3/33) compared to the T-tube group (35.7%, 10/28). Postcatheter withdrawal peritonitis was present in two patients in the T-tube group, one of whom required emergency laparotomy. A satisfactory postoperative cholangiogram was obtained in both groups. The transcystic catheter was withdrawn on average at 29 days, compared to 136 days in the T-tube group. CONCLUSIONS: Both techniques are equally effective in obtaining a satisfactory postoperative cholangiogram. However, the transcystic catheter technique allows a significantly earlier withdrawal with fewer complications compared to the T-tube technique.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Rapid steroid taper and neoral monotherapy in liver transplantation in Chile: a step in the right direction?

UNLABELLED: Diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, obesity, osteopenia, and increased risk of viral recurrence are among the complications associated with posttransplant steroid use. Steroid withdrawal or rapid taper has been reported to be safe. The aim of this study was to compare the rejection incidence and severity among patients treated with two different steroid taper strategies. METHODS: This retrospective study included all the adult liver transplant recipients since the program's inception from 1993 to January 2002. The minimum follow-up was 1 year. Exclusions included patients receiving an immunosupressive regimen other than mycophenolate mofetil, steroids, and Neoral, or suffering an autoimmune etiology, or displaying patient or graft survival less than 1 year. The incidence and severity of rejection episodes were compared between the two groups of steroid taper protocols: group A received methylprednisolone (1 g) intraoperatively with a slow taper to 10 mg prednisone per day at 1 year. Group B received methylprednisolone (2 g) intraoperatively followed by a rapid reduction with intention to withdraw by month 4, continuing on Neoral monotherapy. Rejection diagnosis was made on histological bases. RESULTS: One-month and 1-year rejection rates were 47% and 53%, respectively, among the rapid taper group with Neoral monotherapy, which was similar to 60% and 64%, respectively, in the slow taper group. Rejection severity was also comparable between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated with a rapid steroid taper protocol followed by Neoral monotherapy or a slow taper protocol showed similar acute rejection incidences and severities. Their survival rates were also comparable. Further study is necessary to evaluate the impact of rapid steroid taper to prevent the complications of steroid use.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Trends in mechanical ventilation and immediate extubation after liver transplantation in a single center in Chile.

INTRODUCTION: Some groups have reported early extubation post-liver transplantation in patients with previously defined criteria, in an attempt to shorten the ICU stay and decrease costs. We review our experience with trends in mechanical ventilation and resource utilization. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the length of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay, hospital stay, transfusions, and costs of liver transplants performed since the program's inception in 1993 and 2002 including 82 OLT in 71 patients. We also report our experience with immediate postoperative extubation, which we have done from October to December of 2002. We compare different periods: the early days (1993 to 1997), namely, fewer than 10 OLT per year, with the subsequent years assessed individually. RESULTS: There has been a progressive decrease over time in the length of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay, hospital stay, and costs. Since the program's inception actuarial adult patient 1- and 5-year survival rates were 88.7% and 78%, respectively. The 1-year survival rate increased to 97% during the period of 2000 to 2002 (n = 30). From October to the present, we extubated four of seven adult patients who met criteria with none of them requiring reintubation. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate improved results, decreased length of mechanical ventilation, ICU, and hospital stay, and costs. The immediate postoperative extubation may be feasible for patients who meet previously defined criteria.

Blood Transfusion↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical characterization and survival of adult patients awaiting liver transplantation in Chile.

Liver transplantation has become widely used for patients with decompensated disease. Because of the shortage of donors, each year more patients die on the waiting list. Our aim was to characterize and evaluate the final outcomes of all listed candidates for liver transplantation during a 34-month period. We retrospectively evaluated all adults listed between January 2000 and November 2002. Sixty-three patients (37 women, mean age 45.8 years) were listed: 48 due to chronic liver disease and 15 for a highly urgent transplantation due to acute liver failure. The main etiology of chronic disease was alcoholic (22%) or primary biliary cirrhosis (17%). Of 52 chronic patients, 26 (50%) were transplanted with a mean waiting time of 168 days. Among the others, 8 died (15%) while awaiting transplantation, 3 (5%) were removed from the list, and 15 patients still await transplantation (28%). Among acute liver failure patients, the main etiologies were autoimmune (25%) and medication induced (25%). Of 15 acute patients, 6 (37.5%) have been transplanted at a mean waiting time of 6.8 days with 100% survival posttransplantation. In this cohort, 6 patients (37.5%) died while awaiting liver transplantation, and 4 (25%) survived with medical support. In conclusion, the severity of liver disease and death rate among our waiting list was similar to that observed in developed countries. It seems reasonable to review our current allocation system based on waiting time on the list. We will have to decide whether to transplant sicker patients or those with hepatocarcinoma (as in the United States recently with the MELD system), thereby possibly decreasing the mortality rate on the waiting list at the expense of higher costs and more difficult postoperative care or to just keep our current policy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Predictive models in cirrhosis: correlation with the final results and costs of liver transplantation in Chile.

Medical scores for predicting survival are essential to stratify patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) for prioritization for liver transplantation (OLT). Recently the UNOS has adopted the Mayo Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score as the basis for liver allocation in the United States. We retrospectively evaluated and assessed the prognostic impact, the length of stay (LOS), and hospital charges for OLT using two severity scores (Child-Turcotte-Pugh [CTP] versus MELD) to stratify cirrhotic patients before OLT. Twenty-six consecutive adult cirrhotic patients (11 women, mean age 46 years) underwent LT between 2000 and 2002. The main causes for transplantation were alcohol and primary biliary cirrhosis. The mean CTP and MELD scores at the moment of listing for OLT were 8.9 and 16.3 points, respectively. The best discriminative values with prognostic impact in terms of outcome and costs of OLT were a Child Pugh score >/=11 points or a MELD score >/=20 points. Patients in these strata showed a significant increase in LOS in the hospital (from a mean of 12 to 22 days) and intensive care stay (from a mean of 4 to 14 days) post-OLT when compared with patients with a lower CTP or MELD score (P <.05). There was also a trend toward higher hospital charges (P =.06). Organ allocation by MELD score will probably adversely affect the LOS and hospital charges of patients being transplanted due to ESLD.

Adult↗