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Biomedical subjects

G Bona

Publications and source records attributed to G Bona.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

[Precocious puberty].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal↗
PubMed1995

Effect of priming with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids combined with whole-cell pertussis vaccine or with acellular pertussis vaccine on the safety and immunogenicity of a booster dose of an acellular pertussis vaccine containing a genetically inactivated pertussis toxin in fifteen- to twenty-one-month-old children. Italian Multicenter Group for the Study of Recombinant Acellular Pertussis Vaccine.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and the immunogenicity of a booster dose of recombinant acellular pertussis vaccine combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (DTaP, Biocine SpA) in 15- to 21-month-old children primed in infancy with either whole-cell diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTwP) vaccine or DTaP vaccine. DESIGN: Open-label second phase of a double-masked, controlled trail, with masked analysis of serum samples. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Three hundred fifty children, 15 to 21 months of age, who had been primed at 2, 4, and 6 months of age with either three doses of DTaP vaccine (n = 173) or DTwP vaccine (n = 177). The children were enrolled in eight vaccination centers in Italy. INTERVENTIONS: All children received a booster dose of the DTaP vaccine and were examined for safety at 48 hours and at 7 days after vaccination. Serum samples for evaluation of immunogenicity were obtained from 196 (55%) of the 350 children. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: IgG antibodies to pertussis toxin (Ptox), filamentous hemagglutinin, 69-kilodalton protein, and tetanus toxoid were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pertussis toxin-neutralizing antibodies were measured by the Chinese hamster ovary cell toxin neutralization assay. MAIN RESULTS: Adverse reactions to DTaP were infrequent, and there was no difference in the incidence of local or systemic reactions in children given DTaP as a fourth dose in comparison with a first dose. One month after the DTaP booster vaccination, both groups had 6- to 40-fold increases in serum antibody concentrations to all antigens tested; the concentrations against the three pertussis antigens were higher in the DTaP-primed children (p < 0.05). The antibody titers to diphtheria and tetanus toxoids were higher in the DTwP-primed group (p < 0.05), but both groups had protective titers. The geometric mean ratio of anti-Ptox neutralizing antibody per unit of IgG anti-Ptox antibody was higher in the DTaP-primed group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There are quantitative and qualitative differences in booster responses to DTaP vaccine in young children, depending on whether they were given DTaP or DTwP as primary immunization. This DTaP vaccine is safe and highly immunogenic as a booster.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1995

Design and performance characteristics of the Pericarbon Stentless valve.

The Pericarbon Stentless valve (PS) in an unstented bioprosthesis made of glutaraldehyde tanned bovine pericardium. Its design concept and chemical fixation process are based on those developed for the stented Pericarbon valve, which has been in clinical use for eight years. The two-sheet design and the special suture pattern with which the two pieces of pericardium are attached aim at avoiding stress concentration during function. The resulting cylindrical structure is a relatively low-profile valve conduit, which can be further trimmed by the implanting surgeon to the individual patient's specific anatomical requirements. The main advantage of the stentless concept is optimum hemodynamic characteristics, inherent in the high external/internal diameter ratio. The unique design and material selection of the PS valve offer the following advantages: Free-hand insertion similar to that with homograft aortic valves. Absence of any fabric cover or reinforcement providing a maximum effective orifice area and reduced risk of infection. Wide range of available sizes from 15 mm to 29 mm. Special methods have been developed for laboratory testing of the PS. These, and the in vitro results are presented in detail, with particular emphasis on the hydrodynamic performances under different flow conditions. Clinical implantation of the Pericarbon Stentless valve has already been started, and early results in the aortic position show good hemodynamic function and a low rate of complications.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

[Thymic hyperplasia. Description of a clinical case].

Thymomegaly, which was in the past considered as predisposition to sudden death infants, is judged today as paraphysiological. The study achieved on a 10 months' patient shows the complexity in determining the diagnosis of simple thymic hyperplasia, when together with a massive thymus enlargement are conditions which divert to other pathologies, as in this tested clinical case.

Cortisone↗
PubMed1994

[Thyroid autoimmunity and congenital hypothyroidism].

The involvement of thyroid autoimmunity in the pathogenesis of sporadic congenital hypothyroidism is still incompletely understood. While antithyroglobulin and anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies are harmless, the transplacental passage of TSH receptor antibodies with blocking activity from a mother with autoimmune thyroiditis to the fetus is responsible of transient neonatal hypothyroidism in the baby. This is however a rare condition. Thyroid growth blocking antibodies have been described in healthy mothers of children with permanent congenital hypothyroidism due to thyroid dysgenesis, but this observation was not confirmed in other studies including our own. Antibodies producing cell mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), either transferred from the mother or due to an autoimmune thyroiditis developing in utero, might be involved in the pathogenesis of permanent congenital hypothyroidism. However, this hypothesis requires confirmation in more extensive studies.

Autoimmune Diseases↗
PubMed1994

[Transient changes in thyroid function in the neonatal period].

Transient neonatal hypothyroidism (TH) is a state biochemically characterized by altered TSH and T4 values at screening and subsequently confirmed by serum analysis. TH can go or not go along with clinical manifestations of hypothyroidism and evolves to the normalization of the thyroid functional capacity independently of substitutive therapy. In addition to the complete TH the application of screening programs for congenital hypothyroidism has enable to acknowledge partial changes of the thyroid functional capacity in the neonatal age characterized by isolated anomalies of the individual hormonal parameters. Since the incidence of neonatal TH in Italy is remarkably high (the forms of complete TH being not less than 20% of the hypothyroidism cases diagnosed at the screening) we want to provide an overview of the latest acquisitions regarding TH. Finally the indications for treatment of the various forms of TH, a still controversial matter, are considered, in consideration of the primary role played by thyroid hormones on the development of central nervous system in the perinatal age.

Congenital Hypothyroidism↗
PubMed1994

Growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-I and somatostatin in human fetus, newborn, mother plasma and amniotic fluid.

During pregnancy, organism development and its differentiation are stimulated and modulated by fetal and placental hormones. However the exact role played by all the different growth factors has not been explained yet. This study summarizes knowledge about secretion, regulation and role of GH, IGF-1 and SRIF during perinatal age. It also reports the results of researches into GH, IGF-1 and SRIF in amniotic fluid, in mothers and in newborns at delivery and at four days of age. Amniotic fluid GH levels proved significantly higher during middle pregnancy that at delivery (p < 0.001); a significant difference was also found between mean GH concentrations observed in amniotic fluid collected at delivery in preterm and full-term pregnancies. In amniotic fluid, significant reductions of SRIF and IGF-1 concentrations correspond to a sudden decrease of GH concentration during the last months of pregnancy. Fetal serum GH levels resulted higher than venous cordonal GH concentration at birth (p < 0.001). High levels of IGF-1 were found in the amniotic fluid and in the maternal plasma. These values were higher than those observed in cord blood during pregnancy or at delivery. Preterm and full-term newborns showed similar serum GH levels at birth and at the age of 4 days. Mean GH values in newborns, both at birth and at the age of 4 days, proved to be significantly higher than the values of their mothers (p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1993

Efficacy of meclofenamate sodium versus placebo in headache and craniofacial pain.

Twenty patients were enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of meclofenamate sodium in headache and craniofacial pain. There were four observation periods of 15 days each: Period 1 was a wash-out period. In period 2, subjects were randomly assigned to a 15-day regimen of taking two capsules a day of 100mg meclofenamate sodium (group 1) or placebo (group 2). In period 3, group 1 was switched to placebo and group 2 to meclofenamate sodium for the next 15 days. Lastly, the patients took no medication for a further 15 days (period 4). A thermographic record of the craniofacial and neck areas was taken at the end of periods 1 and 4. A record of the pressure threshold and tissue compliance at different sites of the craniofacial, neck and shoulder areas was taken at the end of each period. During the trial, number and duration of painful events were recorded daily by the patients, and the level of pain evaluated on a visual analog scale. Mean data were analyzed for significant difference by ANOVA and paired t-test. During the meclofenamate sodium period, there was a significant decrease of days with painful events compared to the wash-out period in group 1 and compared to the placebo period in group 2. In the majority of patients, the meclofenamate sodium period scored lowest or second-lowest after the follow-up period in mean pain intensity. Data for pressure threshold, although not significant, were indicative of a possible increase during and after intake of meclofenamate sodium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Magnetic resonance and the diagnosis of short stature of hypothalamic-hypophyseal origin.

Magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 23 patients with short stature (7 had multiple pituitary hormone defect, 11 had isolated growth hormone deficiency and 5 had normal variant short stature) to investigate if there is a relation between magnetic resonance findings and results of endocrine tests. Magnetic resonance imaging of patients with multiple pituitary hormone deficiency or with serious isolated growth hormone deficiency (growth hormone < 3 micrograms/l) revealed an interrupted pituitary stalk and ectopic neurohypophysis or a mass. In patients with less serious isolated growth hormone deficiency (growth hormone > 3 micrograms/l) or with normal variant short stature, the technique revealed a normal or hypoplastic hypophysis. Magnetic resonance appears to be a useful second-level diagnostic tool in defining the type of alteration in growth defects of endocrine origin.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Herpetic encephalitis with biphasic course. A case report and review of the literature].

Encephalitis represents an important event in pediatric practice. Between the different causes Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) seems to be the most significant etiological agent, not only for its frequency but chiefly for conditioning prognosis. The Authors report a new case of HSV encephalitis with biphasic course illustrating the most recent pathologic, diagnostic and therapeutic features in the attempt to individualize those factors, between clinical data, laboratory findings and imaging that allow early diagnosis and consequently precocious specific antiviral therapy.

Child↗
PubMed1989

[Schönlein-Henoch syndrome in children. Clinico-epidemiologic analysis of 170 cases].

The clinical and epidemiological data of 170 patients aged between 8 months and 13 yrs 9 months hospitalised for Schönlein-Henoch syndrome in the period 1976-87 have been analysed. There were more females than males (78/92); a triggering event, usually inflammation of the first airways, was identified in 58% of patients. In 60% of cases onset was autumn-winter. Extrarenal symptoms infrequently take on a certain degree of clinical gravity. Nephropathy is observed, at onset (30%) or some time later from one month to 3 years and 3 months (7.6%), is seen in 37.6% of patients. In all, 7/64 (11%) of patients were at stage D of nephropathy at the end of follow-up. 2 of these began with IRA, 2 with nephritic syndrome, 2 with hypertension and one with monosymptomatic microhaematuria. The latter figure suggests that this symptom should not be underestimated at onset and its course should be followed closely. The mesangium was the primary localisation in the 6 patients biopsied. Finally, there do not appear to be any substantial differences between patients treated and those not treated with corticosteroids and/or anti-platelet aggregators, in agreement with what most authors state.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Defects of thyroid hormone synthesis: nosographic study and proposal for a protocol for differential diagnosis].

In addition to the forms of congenital hypothyroidism caused by dysgenesis of the thyroid gland (agenesia, ectopy), this phenomenon may be caused by enzyme deficiencies of the thyroid hormone synthetic process. These defects, which are hereditary and transmitted as recessive autosomic characters, are clinically manifest in homozygotic subjects in the form of goitres which appears during the neonatal age or, as in more common, during later infancy. At present, mass neonatal screening allows this phenomenon to be diagnosed during the first days of life. The diagnosis of hypothyroidism caused by enzyme deficiency is made on the basis of radioisotopic and ultrasonic studies, and by the assay of plasma levels of thyroglobulin. The exact definition of the specific enzyme activity which is lacking in each case is more complex and has still to be resolved. This study describes the biochemical and pathogenetic characteristics of the different thyroid hormone synthesis defects and includes the findings of previously published diagnosis tests in order to identify the missing enzymatic activity. Lastly, a protocol for the differential diagnosis of the various types of defect is outlined. A specific etiological definition of the altered thyroid metabolism, while providing further insight into the physiopathology of the thyroid and the epidemiology of enzymatic hormone synthesis defects, should not be a motive for delaying the start of substitutive therapy at the earliest possible stage.

Child↗