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Biomedical subjects

G Banfi

Publications and source records attributed to G Banfi.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Schönlein-Henoch glomerulonephritis. Characteristic ultrastructural changes in the glomerular basement membrane and localisation of osmiophilic deposits.

In glomerulonephritis accompanying the Schönlein-Henoch syndrome (SHS) a characteristic subepithelial basement membrane change is present in 85% of cases. The subepithelial change is a reaction to subepithelial deposits and consists of a garland or dome-like new formation of thin densa lamellae. This change is much more frequent in SHS than in IgA-nephritis or idiopathic glomerulonephritis or any other systemic disease. Furthermore, subepithelial deposits (50% of cases) are nearly as frequent as subendothelial deposits (65%) and more often present than formerly assumed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Long term follow up of IgA mesangial deposits glomerulonephritis.

The clinical course of IgA Mesangial Deposits Glomerulonephritis (MDGN) has been investigated in 178 patients for 1 to 32 years (mean 6 years) from the onset of symptoms. Impairment of renal function occurred in 28 patients, 13 of whom required RDT or died in uraemia. Hypertension was observed in 67 patients. The actuarial survival rate at ten years was 91%. A significant correlation was observed between the occurrence of renal failure and the following features: absence of episodes of gross haematuria, early appearance of hypertension, marked proteinuria and sclerosing glomerular lesions. These data suggest that IgA MDGN has generally a very prolonged course, but in a few cases may evolve, sometimes early, to chronic renal failure.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Enhanced chemiluminescence in the measurement of proteins and haptens: evaluation of choriogonadotropin (hCG) and free thyroxin.

We evaluated the Amerlite system (Amersham, Bucks, UK) for hCG and FT4. The within-run imprecision (CV%) for hCG was 4.05 at 19.6 U/l (n = 10), 6.28 at 43.45 U/l (n = 10) and 4.62 at 298.57 U/l (n = 10). The between-run imprecision (five replicates for ten days) was 4.8%, 15% and 11%, respectively. The system was linear up to 200 U/l. A good correlation between Amerlite hCG and an IRMA assay (Becton Dickinson, r = 0.91), Delfia (Pharmacia, r = 0.91) and an automated ELISA assay on ES 600 (Boehringer, r = 0.92) was observed on 70 samples. Within-run imprecision for FT4 was 3.8% at 0.7 ng/dl (n = 10), 3.3% at 1 ng/dl (n = 10) and 4.32% at 5.15 ng/dl (n = 10), and between-run was 5.95%, 4.4% and 8.2%, respectively. The comparison with a commercial direct RIA (Becton Dickinson) showed good correlation (r = 0.90, n = 100 samples). The diagnostic value of the association of thyrotropin and FT4, in comparison with the traditional thyroid tests (T3, T4, thyrotropin, FT4, FT3) has been assessed in various thyroid diseases.

Chorionic Gonadotropin↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Local impairment of immunoreactivity in HIV-infected women with HPV-related squamous intraepithelial lesions of the cervix.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the local immune response in two groups of patients with high-grade cervical intraepithelial squamous lesions (SIL): one with HIV infection and the other with HPV infection alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 16 conization specimens (8 from HIV-infected and 8 from non-HIV-infected patients) of HPV-related, high-grade SIL were selected. The specimens from non-HIV patients were considered as controls. The total number of Langerhans cells, CD4 and CD8 cells present in 10 field areas (3.120 mm2) was recorded in each case. In HIV patients CD4 and CD8 peripheral counts were performed immediately before surgery. RESULTS: The CD4/CD8 ratio never exceeded 0.71, whereas the lowest ratio in controls was 0.81: this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.0009). The mean number of Langerhans cells was markedly reduced in the high-grade SILs in the HIV patients in comparison with controls (P = 0.001). The number of CD4 cells and the CD4/CD8 ratio correlated with the peripheral CD4 count (P = 0.001 and 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: In our study a marked local impairment of cervical immunoreactivity was observed, which may play a major role in the progression of these lesions in HIV-infected women.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

CA 19.9, CA 242 and CEA in the diagnosis and follow-up of pancreatic cancer.

The diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is usually made in the advanced stages of the disease when the prognosis is poor. We compared the behavior of CA19.9, CEA and the newly proposed mucin CA242 in a consecutive series of 42 pancreatic carcinomas. A control group was recruited of 21 patients with benign pancreatic diseases. With the recommended cutoffs (37 U/ml for CA19.9, 20 U/ml for CA242 and 8 ng/ml for CEA) we obtained a specificity of 90% for CA19.9 and of 85% for CA242 and CEA. The sensitivity was 85.7% for CA19.9, 73.8% for CA242 and 26.2% for CEA. CA19.9 and CA242 showed identical behavior in various TNM stages of cancer and in stages III and IV of the Hermreck classification. Moreover, CA19.9 and CA242 showed identical behavior in 10 patients monitored during the survival period who developed recurrence of disease. ROC curve evaluation demonstrated that CA242 and CA19.9 were very similar. The results of CA242 were better than those of CA19.9 in the false positive range under 10%, whereas CA19.9 had a better performance in the true positive range over 70%. CA242 could be used instead of CA19.9 for diagnosing pancreatic carcinoma.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Are diabetic metabolic compensation and CA19.9 really correlated?

Diabetes has been claimed to be a risk factor for pancreatic carcinoma, but it is probably a consequence of gland invasion from the neoplastic tissue. A link between diabetes and pancreatic carcinoma was suggested by means of biochemical markers of the diseases, namely glycated hemoglobin and CA19.9. Moreover, CA19.9 was proposed as a sensitive and useful marker of the severity of exocrine damage in diabetes, since the mucin decreased when metabolic compensation improved. We examined 64 diabetic patients (36 insulin dependent, 16 non insulin dependent, 12 treated with diet) by measuring CA19.9 using two different immunometric methods and glycemia and glycated hemoglobin. We observed that a correlation between CA19.9 and biochemical markers of metabolic compensation of diabetes was inexistent and no differences between insulin dependent and non insulin dependent patients were found. A high concentration of CA19.9 in a diabetic patient should be interpreted and evaluated in the same manner as for a non diabetic patient.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison between magnetic resonance imaging and other techniques in 39 multiple sclerosis patients.

Till now there are no specific laboratory tests to confirm the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). For this reason the diagnosis of MS is based on the clinical evidence of central nervous system white matter disease with temporal and spatial dissemination of the lesions. Recent advances in neurophysiology and imaging techniques can provide more objective criteria towards more accurate and earlier diagnosis, detecting clinically unsuspected lesions. We evaluated 39 MS patients (23 definite, 7 probable, 9 possible) by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), CT scan, Evoked Potentials (EPs) testing and Cerebrospinal Fluid analysis. MRI was abnormal in 34 cases (87%) and CT scan in 14 (36%); EPs were also abnormal in 34 cases. 30 patients had both EPs and MRI alterated and 4 patients had alterated only one of the two investigations. The frequency of EPs alterations was: VEP 74%, Median SEP 44%, Tibial SEP 59% and BAEP 54%. The BAEP was more sensitive than MRI in detecting brainstem involvement. On the other hand MRI was more sensitive than SEPs in detecting somatosensory pathways involvement. The combined use of the two techniques allowed a reclassification of 10 out of 16 possible or probable MS cases.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gold nephropathy and renal amyloidosis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

A 71-year-old Caucasian woman with rheumatoid arthritis, who had been treated with gold salts for 19 months, developed a significant proteinuria associated with nephrotic syndrome and renal impairment. Her renal biopsy revealed the unusual simultaneous occurrence of gold nephropathy and renal amyloidosis and she was treated by gold withdrawal, methylprednisolone pulses and azathioprine, with a good remission of symptoms. We describe the case and discuss the possible cause(s) of similar renal involvement and the results obtained with the combined therapy of steroids and cytotoxic drugs.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Renal amyloidosis].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Amyloidosis↗