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Biomedical subjects

F Longo

Publications and source records attributed to F Longo.

121 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Immunologic function in children with recurrent respiratory infections evaluated in a state of well-being].

The purpose of the study is to analise the immunological function of children suffering from RRI long after the last episode in order to evaluate whether the immunological abnormalities reported by several authors have to be considered implicated in the pathogenesis or the mere consequence of recurrent infections. 65 children who had been suffering from RRI in the previous winter (s) have been studied during the wellbeing condition of the following summer season. A defective T cell function was no longer found; the study of humoral immunity showed low values of IgA even though no child had an IgA selective deficiency (IgA below 5 mg% ml). These data suggest that T cell defective function has to be considered mainly secondary to infections. It is conceivable that in these children the recovery of T cell function is impaired by viral infections and is somewhat slower. On the other hand low values of IgA have been detected in a higher percentage with respect to the general population and could be considered typically associated with the RRI syndrome in children.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Chronic asthma in children: comparison between a delayed-action theophylline preparation and a prompt-release aminophylline preparation].

Data from 34 patients were included in the analysis of this open group comparative study comparing a controlled release theophylline given twice daily with immediate release aminophylline given four times daily. The treatment period was of eight weeks duration. There was no significant difference between treatments in clinical assessments of asthma severity or pulmonary function tests. Similarly there were no significant differences between treatments in diary card assessments of asthma symptoms or PERF. Serum theophylline levels were measured prior to the morning dose of test treatment and 2 or 5 hours later, respectively for patients taking immediate release (IR) or controlled release (CR) preparations, at each clinic visit. There was no significant difference between treatments in serum theophylline levels fluctuations, although the dosing interval (12 hours) was twice as long for CR formulation. Six patients reported unusual symptoms, two in the CR group (headache, gastric discomfort) four in the aminophylline group (three headache, one headache and vomiting).

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Aplasia cutis congenita: report of 4 additional cases and review of the literature].

Aplasia cutis congenita is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by focal absence of skin at birth. In the majority of cases, the involved area is limited to the scalp. These disorders are relatively rare. As a result of misinterpretation, medicolegal advice can be sought by parents who believed that their child's scalp had been injured during surgical induction of labour or fetal monitoring. We report four additional patients (two familiar and two sporadic cases) and discuss, in the light of a comprehensive review of the literature, the probable pathogenesis, the clinical variability and the treatment.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Changing trends in adenotonsillectomy at San Pablo Hospital 1983 vs. 1993.

The purpose of this paper is to review the changing trends in Adenotonsillectomies performed in San Pablo Medical Center during the last ten years. We have reviewed using a 25 variable questionnaire all patients undergoing this surgical procedure during the first six months in 1983 and compared the information with the patients having this procedure during the first six months of 1993. We conclude that the number of interventions, the indications, prior medical history and cost effects have changed substantially. Our data supports the accuracy of some of the trends being reported in the literature regarding this surgical intervention.

Adenoidectomy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Localized scleroderma after infection with Epstein-Barr virus.

Over a period of three years (1989-1992) five children suffering from localized scleroderma were seen at the Department of Pediatrics of the University of Trieste. Evidence of a previous infectious mononucleosis (IM) was present in four out of five patients. The clinical history of these four children is reported. The association between the appearance of scleroderma and a previous viral infection is not surprising. However, in the pediatric literature there is only one case of progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) developing in a 15-month-old girl less than one month after she contracted IM. The presence of shared epitopes between an Epstein-Barr virus protein, BOLF1, and the hypervariable region of HLA associated with the pauciarticular form of JCA, recently reported, could provide a key to the pathogenesis of other collagen diseases such as scleroderma.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Vascular hyperfragility in systemic lupus erythematosus treated with low doses of cortisone].

We report an unusual cutaneous manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a 15-year old female. The diagnosis was made on the basis of clinical symptoms, cutaneous hystology (positive "lupus band test") and on laboratory findings (hypocomplementemia, positive antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factor). Treatment with methylprednisolone (0.5 mg/kg/die) improved the clinical symptoms but, after 2 months, large ecchymotic lesions appeared on the lower legs below the knee extending as far as the ankles, likely triggered by minor local traumas. Coagulative function was normal, the lupic anti-coagulant factor (LAF) was negative, anticardiolipin antibodies were absent and there was no thrombocytopenia. There was only a slight increase in clotting times in vitro, in presence of ADP. The amount of cortisone was reduced and the type of treatment modified; satisfactory control of the disease was attained with deflazacort (0.3 mg/kg/die). The ecchymosis on the lower limbs never disappeared even though they became slightly smaller. Ecchymotic lesions are not usually included in the wide range of cutaneous manifestations associated with SLE. Moreover vascular fragility resulting from pressure and minor traumas is known to be a cutaneous complication of hypercorticism; nevertheless the doses of cortisone administered to this patient were rather low and other clinical signs of steroid hyper-dosing were absent although cortisolemia assay at base and after stimulus with ACTH was not performed. We would suggest that the negligible platelet binding defect (whether primary or SLE-associated) together with the low amounts of cortisone administered caused ecchymotic lesions to appear in this patient suffering from a disease (SLE), in which the small cutaneous vessels are favourite targets.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Systemic lupus erythematosus: description of a pediatric series].

We describe 11 cases of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) with pediatric onset (10 females and 1 male). Mean age at onset was 10.9 years (range 3 to 16 years). Initial manifestations: cutaneous involvement in 7 cases, articular symptoms in 7 cases, renal involvement in 5 cases (proteinuria and/or microhematuria, or renal failure), pancytopenia in 3 cases. In 3 cases the onset of the disease was extremely sudden and severe: one patient had an intestinal infarct following mesenteric thrombosis associated with glomerulonephritis; another started with encephalopathy (deep coma, stage III); a third patient presented renal failure due to acute glomerulonephritis. At diagnosis all patients received systemic steroid therapy with the exception of one who had only a cutaneous involvement. The course of the disease is described. We underline that, in our series, it was rare for organs and systems, apart from the central nervous system, to be involved in exacerbations after initial onset of the disease. Six patients are presently asymptomatic or have only minor cutaneous and/or articular manifestations which are well controlled with low-dose cortisone therapy. Laboratory indices did not return to normal in any of the patients. In fact, in our series the disease doesn't appear to reach a complete remission, even many years after onset and no patient seems to be able to withdrawal the therapy at all. Our data confirm, according to other Authors, that the course of LES with paediatric onset is more severe than in adults.

Adolescent↗