Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to G Alessandrini.
Annular Pancreas (AP) is a rare congenital anomaly that usually presents in childhood with symptoms referable to duodenal obstruction; nonetheless, this condition can manifest in adulthood with abdominal pain, pancreatitis, duodenal ulcer, pancreatic head mass. The Authors hereby discuss a case of AP observed in a 63 year-old patient in which EUS played a decisive role in achieving a certain diagnosis.
BACKGROUND: The use of peeling agents is very common in clinical practice. However, despite the overall good safety profile, it is not without any inherent risk; therefore, clinicians should be adequately informed about potential risk in order to avoid or prevent them. OBJECTIVE: This paper reviews toxicological and allergological aspects of peeling agents in general, also beyond their actual use in peeling procedures. Toxic and allergic reactions from peeling agents are rather uncommon and have been rarely reported in association with the medical use of peels. METHODS: Systemic toxic effects may essentially derive from phenol and potentially from two phenol derivatives, resorcinol and salicylic acid. A complete understanding of the toxicological profile of peeling agents, along with a correct execution of the technique and a carefully selection of patients, can help avoid serious side effects. RESULTS: Allergic contact reactions occur most frequently with resorcinol, while most peeling agents are only rare sensitizers or appear to be free of true sensitizing power. Other types of hypersensitivity response seem to be very rare.
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The present study shows the effects of two different steroid replacement therapies, with conjugated estrogens or with a new synthetic steroid derivative, ORG OD14, on plasma beta-endorphin (beta-EP) and beta-lipotropin (beta-LPH) levels in postmenopausal subjects. Blood samples were collected before treatment and after 1, 2 and 4 months of treatment; a third group of patients was treated with placebo. After 2 months of treatment both groups of patients who underwent steroid supplementation showed circulating levels of beta-EP and beta-LPH higher than basal levels. ORG OD14 treatment increased beta-EP and beta-LPH levels more than conjugated estrogens at the 2nd month of therapy. No further change was found after 4 months. The two drugs were effective in reducing hot flushes and improving physical and psychological symptoms. These data indicate that sex steroids are able to increase beta-EP and beta-LPH secretion in postmenopausal women, with a concomitant relief of climacteric symptoms.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of opiate receptors involved in the regulation of LH secretion in relationship to ovariectomy. Menstruating fertile (n = 5) and climacteric (n = 7) patients and postmenopausal (n = 5) women who underwent therapeutical bilateral ovariectomy were studied in the first week postsurgery and LH plasma levels were evaluated after naloxone (4 mg in bolus plus 4 mg infusion/90 min), LHRH (10 micrograms + 10 micrograms iv) and saline administration. Two groups of fertile (n = 6) and postmenopausal (n = 6) subjects were studied as controls. Since the LH responsiveness to naloxone was impaired in climacteric patients after ovariectomy, the test was repeated in 5 of them after 1 and 6 months of estrogen-gestagen treatment (conjugated estradiol + noretisterone acetate), showing a significant increase in all patients in both cases. In four subjects treated with only gestagen, naloxone was still unable to significantly modify LH plasma levels. These results indicate that ovariectomy affects the activity of opiate receptors, resulting in the first week postsurgery LH rise inversely related to basal LH levels. Furthermore, these results indicate that one or six cycles of estrogen-gestagen treatment in ovariectomized patients similarly induces a restoration of the opiate receptors neuroendocrine activity.
The present study reports the plasma levels of gonadotropins (luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone), proopiomelanocortin-related peptides (adrenocorticotropic hormone, beta-endorphin, and beta-lipotropin), and cortisol in eight menopausal women experiencing frequent hot flushes. beta-Endorphin and beta-lipotropin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay after extraction and Sephadex G-75 column chromatography. Plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (after extraction), luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and cortisol were measured by specific radioimmunoassay. All hormone levels showed a prompt and significant rise on occurrence of hot flushes (18 total recordings), remained high for 15 minutes, and decreased to basal levels 35 minutes later. The evaluation of the behavior pattern of single hormone levels revealed a more pronounced increase of proopiomelanocortin-related peptides and cortisol than of gonadotropins (p less than 0.01).
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The ideal method for evaluation of anal canal tumors after radiochemotherapy and/or local excision remains controversial. Endoanal magnetic resonance imaging (EMRI) is a new, promising technique. The effectiveness of EMRI is reported in a study of 24 patients. Axial SET1-weighted and TSET2-weighted, sagittal and coronal T2-weighted sequences using Fat-suppression were acquired. In 4 cases, the low signal/noise ratio did not allow a diagnosis. In 6 cases, the lesion was not detected. Parietal hypo-intense thickening was detected in 14 patients, but it was not diagnostic for disease recurrence. In this study, EMRI showed 58.3% sensitivity and 41.6% specificity, thus it was not useful in the follow-up of anal tumors.
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