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Biomedical subjects

G Bianchini

Publications and source records attributed to G Bianchini.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

[Amiodarone and antithyroid antibodies].

It is known proved that amiodarone, in chronic therapy, can cause side effects in several organs. The drug, because of its molecular structure and because of its iodine content, interferes with thyroid function and may produce ipo and hyperthyroidism. This should be related to the functional situation and to the autoregulatory mechanisms of the gland and to the iodine amount in the environment. Concerning the pathogenesis of these alterations, a controversy arose about autoimmune mechanisms and the significance which can be ascribed to the presence of circulatory antithyroid antibodies in amiodarone treated patients. In the present work the amount of antithyroid antibodies in a number of amiodarone treated patients has been related to the functional situation of the gland and to the period of treatment. The authors have studied 51 patients under short and long term therapy in comparison with a control group of 36 subjects. All the subjects under consideration live in Northwest Tuscany, an area where iodine intake is moderately low, therefore dysthyroidism and endemic goitre are rather frequent. No significant differences have been found about the amount of circulating antithyroid antibodies in the three groups under consideration.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

[The use of low doses of intermediate acting muscle relaxants in adenotonsillectomy].

In this study we compared the efficacy of a reduced dose of medium term neuromuscular blocking agents atracurium (0.20 mg/kg) and vecuronium (0.04 mg/kg) in short-term (8-10 min) pediatric surgery. Eighty-four children (ASA I and II) undergoing adenotonsillectomy were selected for this study. Their average age was 56 months (range 30-121 months). We compared intubation conditions and the level of neuromuscular blockade using accelerometry. The induction and maintenance of anesthesia were achieved by anaesthetic gas (halothane first followed by isoflurane). Later on 57 children received vecuronium 0.04 mg/kg (group V) and 27 atracurium 0.20 mg/kg (group A). The latency period was similar in both groups (114.5 +/- 36.1 sec gruppo V vs 100.1 +/- 32.1 sec gruppo A). Intubation was performed in the same period of time (159 +/- 17.4 sec gruppo V vs 156 +/- 20.8 sec gruppo A) and the stimulus was always less than 5% of the baseline values. Intubation was considered excellent in 93% of patients of group V, good in 3.5% and poor in 3.5%. Conversely in patients of group A intubation was considered excellent in 85%, good in 11.5% and poor in 3.5% (n.s.). The neuromuscular recovery, measured by T1 > 5%, was faster in group V (493.6 +/- 154.3 sec gruppo V) than group A (652.6 +/- 210.9 sec gruppo A) (p < 0.001). The TOF ratio during extubation was significantly lower in group A (0.556 +/- 0.177 gruppo A) than in patients of group V (0.789 +/- 0.173 gruppo V) (p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenoidectomy↗
PubMed1991

The effect of enalapril on nephrotic proteinuria and determination of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme before and after treatment.

In order to evaluate the effect of an ACE-inhibitor (enalapril) on nephrotic proteinuria in patients with primitive nephropathies, to determine the SACE before and after treatment and to compare the variation of SACE levels with the variations of proteinuria, seventeen patients were studied (5 F, 12 M) aged between 10 and 68 years. All patients were evaluated in basal conditions for creatinine clearance, protidaemia, proteinuria, SACE and serum electrolytes. All but one patient had a renal biopsy. After basal evaluation nine patients received enalapril, 10 mg/die, for two weeks. After one week SACE levels were re-evaluated, while the proteinuria was re-evaluated several times during the two weeks of treatment. The results obtained suggest (1) SACE levels are significantly higher in patients with nephrotic syndrome than in normal patients (21.14 +/- 8.37 nmol/ml/min; N.V.:15.60 +/- 4.73; M +/- s.d.; p less than 0.01); (2) proteinuria is unresponsive to the ACE-inhibitor action (varied from 8.00 +/- 2.70 g/24 h to 7.74 +/- 3.19 g/24 h, p = NS); (3) no correlation exists between the reduction of SACE levels and variations of proteinuria.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Electrophysiologic effects of somatostatin in man.

Experimental and clinical studies suggest that somatostatin, a regulatory peptide widely distributed in human tissues may have electrophysiologic effects. We studied a group of 14 patients who underwent a complete electrophysiologic study for different rhythm disturbances. Somatostatin significantly increased the spontaneous cycle length, the atrial and atrioventricular nodal effective refractory periods, and the Wenckebach cycle length. The AH and HV intervals during sinus rhythm remained unchanged. The effectiveness of somatostatin to interrupt paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias was assessed in 18 patients. Termination was obtained in 15 (82.5%). Our results show that somatostatin has a significant electrophysiologic effect on the human heart, and confirm its clinical effectiveness in some arrhythmias.

Arrhythmias, Cardiac↗
PubMed1986

Somatostatin response to a mixed meal in normals and in type I diabetics.

Somatostatin has been proposed as a regulatory peptide of nutrient entry and fuel homeostasis because of its ability to inhibit the release of substances involved in food digestion and metabolism. The aim of the study was to evaluate the somatostatin response to a test meal in type I diabetics at the clinical onset of the disease and after two months of intensive insulin therapy. Normal subjects and diabetics in good metabolic control showed a characteristic biphasic somatostatin rise after a test meal; this response was lacking in diabetics at the onset of the disease. The response of somatostatin to a mixed meal in normals confirms its involvement in nutrient digestion and metabolism. The lacking somatostatin response in newly diagnosed type I diabetics might be related to deficient GIP response to the test meal or to other factors such as the insulinopenia or metabolic derangement characteristic of the clinical onset of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Circannual versus seasonal variations of longitudinally sampled 25-hydroxycholecalciferol serum levels.

Seasonal variations in human serum levels of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25OHD) have been largely documented in transverse studies of population. But seasonality is not per se a demonstration that 25OHD serum levels fluctuate along the course of year according to a waveform profile with a periodic rhythm. Because of this, we attempted to investigate the possible occurrence of a circannual rhythm for 25OHD serum levels in a longitudinal design, by fitting a 365.25-day cosine curve to temporal biodata recorded in 10 clinically healthy subjects, monthly sampled for RIA determinations of 25OHD. Cosinor procedure statistically validated the occurrence of a circannual rhythm for 25OHD serum concentrations at a highly significant level of probability (P = 0.0015) for null hypothesis amplitude = 0. With 95% of probability, amplitude ranges from 5.0 to 16.5 ng/ml (mean value of oscillation = 10 ng/ml), while acrophase is temporally located from September 14 to December 3 (mean timing = October 21). Yearly, mean values for 25OHD serum concentrations is of 40.3 +/- 5.4 ng/ml as quantified by the line which transversely divides the cosine curve interpolating original biodata. By calculating the band of a complete 12 months variability which includes 90% of the distribution with 90% confidence limits, the circannual chronodesm of 25OHD serum levels has been obtained. Such a chronodesmic sinusoid has been compared to the circannual chronogram. By this comparison, a dissociation between the crest (October) and the peak (August) has been detected. The finding suggests that seasonal variations are superimposed to the circannual rhythm. Seasonal but also circannual changes, thus, characterize the yearly variability of 25OHD serum levels in man.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Fibrin deposits and fibrinolytic activity in Schonlein-Henoch syndrome.

Previous reports have shown that alterations in cutaneous and plasmatic fibrinolytic activity are found in cutaneous necrotizing vasculitis (CNV). In a combined investigation with direct immunofluorescence and autohistographic evaluation of tissue fibrinolytic activity in the lesional skin of 20 subjects affected by Schonlein-Henoch (SH) syndrome, there was a marked decrease in cutaneous fibrinolytic activity in SH syndrome accompanied by deposits of fibrin-like material at the dermo-epidermal junction and around the small blood vessels of dermis in affected skin. These data suggest some interactions between decreased fibrinolytic activity, fibrin deposits, and the tissue damage in the development of skin changes in SH syndrome.

Child↗
PubMed1983

[Calcium-phosphorus changes in chronic anticonvulsant therapy: effects of the administration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 on secondary hyperparathyroidism].

The present study represents a contribution to the knowledge of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHP) in patients treated with anticonvulsant drugs (AC). In these subjects alterations of the calcium: phosphorus metabolism as rickets and osteomalacia are frequent; however literature data on SHP are scarce. Our research carried out on 29 adult patients under treatment with one or more AC for periods ranging from 9 months to 12 years confirmed that 25-OHD levels in the serum are low, especially in patients treated for longer times. The iPTH levels in the serum are increased with respect to normal controls, while blood calcium and phosphate levels are normal as are urine calcium and phosphate. The 25-OHD levels in serum present the same seasonal variations as the normal controls. The administration of 25-OHD3 (20 micrograms/day for 3 months) to 12 of these patients who had the lowest 25-OHD spring levels rendered the 25-OHD levels attain normal values. Cyclic AMP was normalized; serum and urine calcium and phosphorus and urinary hydroxyproline were not modified significantly. On the basis of the present data it is recommended that chronic AC treatment should be accompanied by long term administration of 25-OHD3 for prophylaxis and/or for treatment of SHP.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

[Bone histomorphometry: methodological criteria in the study of metabolic skeletal diseases].

The present study deals with the appropriate statistical approach to the histomorphometric technique carried out on bone tissue with the Merz and Schenk integrating eyepiece. Statistical analysis of the results obtained from ten bone biopsies of renal osteodystrophic patients enabled to calculate the values of standard errors for each histomorphometric parameter as a function of measured histological fields. The examination of 42 fields chosen at random on histological sections from different sites of the bone biopsy guarantees sufficiently low standard error values. This technique is of invaluable help in the study of metabolic bone diseases, and extremely useful in the evaluation of treatment trials in renal osteodystrophy.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1981

[Assay of serum 24,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol by a competitive protein binding method].

24-25(OH)2 D3 is a vitamin D metabolite due to renal 24-hydroxylation of 25OHD3. The metabolite has some important biological functions on the bone and intestine. Its affinity to the D serum binding protein allows a competitive binding protein assay to be carried out as for 25OHD3, following a chromatographic purification step on Sephadex LH 20. Serum levels of the metabolite in 18 control subjects were found to be 2,69 +/- 1,34 ng/ml while 25OHD3 was 17,41 +/- 7,39 ng/ml and the ratio 24-25(OH)2D3 /25OHD3 in the serum was 0,15. The assay of 24-25(OH)2D3 is useful for physiological studies and for identification of vitamin D depletion states.

24,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D 3↗
PubMed1980

[Circannual rhythm of plasma 25-hydroxycholecalciferol in normal man].

Circannual rhythm of serum 25OH-cholecalciferol has been evaluated in 11 normal adult subjects. Blood samples were collected monthly. The pattern of serum levels of the metabolite was biphasic with the lower average values between January and June and maximal mean levels between July and October. Mean values were higher than in North-European countries. The estimated dietary intake of cholecalciferol was in the normal range. Therefore diet does not seem to account for the relatively elevated serum levels of the metabolite. On the contrary sunlight exposure appeared to have marked influence both on mean 250HD levels and on the seasonal rhythm. In spite of seasonal wide variation of serum 250HD levels, blood calcium and phosphate values were stable. The results of serum PTH assay favour the hypothesis that the maintenance of steady blood calcium levels may be due to seasonal variation of parathyroid secretion.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy.

The authors observed different clinical forms of Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy in 4 members of a family (two sisters, their mother and the maternal grandfather). The sisters were affected by pseudohypoparathyroidism type I, the older manifested the hypocalcemic variety, the younger the normocalcemic variety; the mother and the grandfather presented only with short stature and subcutaneous calcifications. The variety of clinical and biochemical alterations observed in these 3 generations supports evidence that Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy has a broad spectrum and that distinctions between the various forms of pseudohypoparathyroidsim should not be rigidly considered.

Adult↗