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Biomedical subjects

G B Cavazzuti

Publications and source records attributed to G B Cavazzuti.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Posture, spontaneous movements, and behavioural state organisation in infants affected by brain malformations.

Posture, quantity of spontaneous movement patterns, quality of general movements (GMs), and behavioural state organisation were studied in nine infants affected by documented brain malformations. A single 1 h video recording of five infants and two or more serial video recordings of another four infants were performed after birth. The graphic representation of single movement patterns (actogram) and of behavioural states of one video recording was performed in eight out of nine infants. The quality of GMs was assessed according to Prechtl's method in all video recordings. All nine infants showed a less variable posture than normal newborn infants and an unusual resting posture was detected in seven infants. Poor behavioural state organisation without sleep cycles was common to the nine infants and excessive wakefulness was observed in six infants. As for the quantity of single movement patterns, six infants lacked one or two movement patterns normally present in healthy newborn infants. An abnormal quality of GMs was noted in all nine infants and distinct motor abnormalities were observed in single infants. A monotonous and sometimes stereotyped sequence of different body parts involved in the movement (i.e. poor repertoire GMs) was common to all infants. In the four infants of whom two or more video recordings were available, initial poor repertoire GMs were followed by a further deterioration in movement quality. No relationship was found between the quantity of defective brain tissue, lack of a specific part of the brain, type and severity of GM and posture abnormalities.

Brain↗
PubMed1996

Multicystic encephalomalacia in term infants.

The terms "multicystic encephalomalacia" and "subcortical leucomalacia" (SCL) are used to describe the presence of areas of necrosis that develop into cystic lesions inside the brain. These lesions are generally due to severe asphyxia and/or hypotension. The designation SCL can also be used to describe the extent and the seat of the lesion in the brain or to distinguish subcortical lesions from periventricular and/or combined ones. In this study we give an account of our experience with eight newborns admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit, who presented clinical-neurological alterations and encephalomalacic lesions whose presence was documented by ultrasonography.

Asphyxia Neonatorum↗
PubMed1996

A study of childhood febrile convulsions with particular reference to HHV-6 infection: pathogenic considerations.

Most febrile convulsions (FC) in infants occur during a viral infection, particularly in children of less than 3 years of age; human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) has an important pathogenic role. To evaluate the link between this and other viruses and FC, a group of 65 children (mean age 18.46 months, SD +/- 9.19) with a first episode of simple FC (G1) was compared with 24 children (mean age 19.29 months, SD +/- 13.17) with a febrile syndrome but without FC (G2). Virological study showed the following infections: HHV-6 in 23/65 of G1 and in 12/24 of G2, adenoviruses (ADV) in 9/65 of G1 and in 0/24 of G2, syncytial respiratory virus (SRV) in 3/28 of G1 and in 0/2 of G2, HSV-1 in 6/65 of G1 and in 1/24 of G2, cytomegalovirus (CMV) in 2/65 of G1 and in 0/24 of G2 and HHV-7 in 1/42 of G1 and in 1/13 of G2. Children in G1, statistically compared with G2, were significantly more likely to have a family history of FC and circulating granulocytes, while IgM and alpha 2-globulin were less probable. Some cytokines (IL 1 beta, TNF beta and GM-CSF) were found in 24 children in G1 and 12 in G2; no differences were found between the two groups. In the light of our data and of the recent literature, the possibility that the cytokines may act on the nervous system cannot be excluded. Among the HHV-6-infected children, those suffering from convulsions were statistically more likely to have a family history of FC and IgM, while IgA were less likely. In G1, 57 cases were followed up over 2 years: 9 of them had a second episode of FC. Virological diagnosis at the first episode of FC revealed HHV-6 infection in 3 cases, 2 of these being due to viral reactivation. We underline the important role of HHV-6 infection in FC and postulate a relationship between family history and the immunity of the patient; this is confirmed by the loss of statistical significance in the reduction of IgM in G1 compared with G2 with no family history of FC. The reactivation of FC by HHV-6 is a possibility to be borne in mind; an increased number of cases would be needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Adenovirus Infections, Human↗
PubMed1995

Neuropaediatrics.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed1993

Febrile and afebrile convulsions: a clinical follow-up.

A joint study was performed on 204 children who suffered separate febrile (FS) and afebrile seizures (aFS) within a short space of time to evaluate the risk of subsequent convulsive crises. The data obtained revealed frequent recurrence of seizures and high risk of subsequent convulsive afebrile crises in these children.

Atrophy↗
PubMed1993

Efficacy and tolerability of nimesulide and lysine-acetylsalicylate in the treatment of paediatric acute upper respiratory tract inflammation.

In a single-blind study that recruited 70 children aged 5 to 12 years with acute upper respiratory tract infection and fever (in- or outpatients), the effectiveness and tolerability of nimesulide 50 mg/dose were compared with those of lysine-acetylsalicylate 720 mg/dose (equivalent to 200mg of salicylate). Each agent was administered to 35 children, and both groups were simultaneously treated with antibiotics. General and respiratory symptoms were evaluated daily. Nimesulide treatment was associated with a more rapid and greater antipyretic effect than lysine-acetylsalicylate: 94% of nimesulide recipients and 77% of lysine-acetylsalicylate recipients were considered by physicians to have a good or very good response to therapy (p < 0.05). Furthermore, fewer doses of nimesulide than lysine-acetylsalicylate were required for resolution of fever and associated symptoms (nausea, vomiting, headache). The 2 drugs had similar global efficacy. Tolerability was good or very good in all patients.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1990

Psychobehavioral disturbance in epileptic children.

Psychobehavioral disturbances are frequently seen in epileptic children, but they vary in type and degree. This diversity depends on various factors: age at onset, type of epileptic syndrome and EEG pattern, and the drugs used. The early onset of an epileptic process (within the first year of life) has a profound effect on the organization of primary relational processes and on structuring of the ego. The cognitive and behavioral damage that results may become evident after just a few seizures and may persist through time when such damage is not definitive. Epilepsy with onset in childhood may be accompanied by practognosic deficits and impairment of memory, attention and analytical reasoning. These deficits occur much more frequently in the symptomatic forms. In adolescent forms of epilepsy prevalently idiopathic, disturbances of a neurotic type are relatively common. Psychobehavioral disturbances tied to drugs can be noticed mainly with the use of phenobarbital (hyperactivity, longer reaction times), phenytoin (torpor), and politherapy.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

Isolation of HHV-6-related virus from children affected by infectious syndrome.

Peripheral blood cultures from children showing symptoms of generic infectious disease have been examined for human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6). Two HHV-6-related isolates have been obtained: one from a child for whom a clinical diagnosis of exanthema subitum has been made when a typical rash appeared, and one from a child in whom the infectious symptomatology has maintained the characters of nonspecific syndrome. All the syndrome diagnosed as exanthema subitum resulted as being associated with fresh infection by HHV-6-related virus.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1989

Late febrile convulsions: a clinical follow-up.

A joint study was performed on patients from the Pediatric Clinics of Catania and Modena. Two hundred and twenty-two children who presented with febrile convulsions (FC) after the age of six years (LFC) were followed up in order to evaluate the risk of recurrence and type of convulsions. The overall results showed that 94 patients out of 222 (42.3%) had subsequent fits, both febrile and afebrile. The present study suggests that the risk of subsequent afebrile crises in LFC is higher (15.8%) than observed after "simple" FC (2-3%) and similar to that reported after "complex" FC (13-17%).

Anticonvulsants↗
PubMed1989

HIV infection in children born to seropositive mothers: a laboratory and clinical follow-up study.

Several serological techniques may be used for the detection of HIV infection, however, in the case of infants, there are no methods that are effective prior to the loss of maternal antibodies. Thus, in such cases, a completed series of serological and virological assay of HIV antibodies should be performed in follow-up studies. Twenty children living in Modena (Italy) were studied since 1985. Seven of these children were of ages ranging from 3 to 10 years. Only one of them was found to be seropositive for HIV. The remaining 13 children were studied from birth. Six had lost maternal antibodies to HIV at a median age of 15.1 months. Four showed decreasing levels of the anti-body by Western blotting. HIV antigen was detected in serum samples from 2 children. The data reported stress the need for longitudinal studies that could lead to reliable methods of diagnosing HIV infections in newborns.

Child↗
PubMed1988

Epidemiological and genetic study of 200 cases of oral cleft in the Emilia Romagna region of northern Italy.

Epidemiological and genetic variables in clefts were analyzed during the years 1978-1986 in a case-control study of congenital malformations in the Emilia Romagna region of northern Italy. Among 150,168 newborns, 200 cases of cleft were detected, yielding a prevalence of 1.33 per 1,000. These clefts consisted of 112 (0.075%) cases of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL +/- P) and 88 cases (0.058%) of cleft palate (CP). Coexisting abnormalities were found in 32% of cases. The heritability coefficient of CL +/- P was 0.84. No cluster in time or space could be demonstrated. Epilepsy was the only maternal risk factor found to be correlated with clefts. A predominance of males was found among CL +/- P cases.

Cleft Lip↗
PubMed1987

Congenital malformations in 100,000 consecutive births in Emilia Romagna region, northern Italy: comparison with the EUROCAT data.

A population based Congenital Malformations Registry has been established in the Emilia Romagna region of northern Italy. From the 1st of January 1978 to the end of 1984, 103,484 births were monitored, and 1914 babies with one or more congenital abnormalities were registered producing a rate of 1.85 per cent. The total number of malformations registered was 2,412 (2.3%). The rates of selected groups of malformations (isolated and in association with other defects) are presented and compared with rates derived from the EUROCAT study.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1984

Follow-up study of 482 cases with convulsive disorders in the first year of life.

A total of 482 patients who had had one or more seizures in the first year of life were followed for at least five years (most for more than 10 years). The patients were divided into four groups: febrile convulsions, infantile spasms, status epilepticus and 'other'. Of those with febrile convulsions, 62 per cent developed normally, compared with 14 per cent in the group with infantile spasms, 15 per cent with status epilepticus, and 24 per cent in the 'other' group. Findings on recurrent seizures, epilepsy and mental retardation and/or neurological abnormalities are also reported. Epilepsy developed equally frequently among those with partial and with generalised seizures, but the former more frequently became mentally retarded. The effects of severity of seizures and other factors are discussed. In general, this research confirmed the grave prognosis after seizures during the first year of life, and not only for West syndrome and status epilepticus. The outcome was more favourable when the seizures were cryptogenic or febrile, isolated, with onset in the second six months, generalised, and when the EEG was normal between seizures.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1983

Neurobehavioural comparison of low-risk preterm and fullterm infants at term conceptional age.

The neurobehavioural performances of 20 low-risk preterm infants born at 33 weeks gestation or less were examined with the Brazelton Scale at the expected date of delivery, and 20 healthy fullterm infants were also examined on the fifth day of life. The preterm infants were significantly inferior in orientation, motor performance, regulation of state and autonomic regulation. With the exception of autonomic regulation, the neurobehavioural clusters were more heterogeneous among the preterm group. The data suggest that low gestational age at birth, even following relatively normal pre-, peri- and neonatal development, is associated with a behavioural repertoire which is different, more heterogeneous and on average poorer than that of fullterm infants.

Child Behavior↗
PubMed1980

Longitudinal study of epileptiform EEG patterns in normal children.

EEG were recorded in 3,726 children, from 6 to 13 years of age who were neurologically normal and had no history of epileptic seizures. The records were taken during wakefulness, at rest, and during hyperventilation. In 131 cases (3.54%) epileptiform patterns were found. They consisted of 3 count/sec spike and slow waves discharges (4 cases), multiple spike and slow wave complexes (37 cases), midtemporal spikes (50 cases), rolandic or parietal spikes (27 cases), occipital spikes (2 cases), and multifocal spikes (11 cases). Half of the subjects with EEG abnormalities had behavior problems and/or slight psychomotor ability disturbances. Follow-up studies over an 8 to 9 year period were performed. These demonstrated the spontaneous disappearance of the EEG abnormalities, usually within school age or, at the latest, during adolesence. Only seven individuals developed epileptic seizures of the primary generalized type which responded well to anticonvulsant drug treatment. From this study we can deduce that the epileptiform EEG patterns that often are found in children during school age have no clinical relationship to epilepsy in the great majority of cases. The relationship with epilepsy exists probably on a genetic level for the generalized discharges. The spike foci are non-epileptic in nature in all probability, especially if they emerge from a fairly normal background activity and their duration is very similar to that of the constituents of the background activity, as found in the majority of these subjects. On the contrary, it is probable that these alterations express difficulties in affective or motor adaptation during childhood.

Adolescent↗