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Biomedical subjects

G F Ferraccioli

Publications and source records attributed to G F Ferraccioli.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

B cell clonality in gastric lymphoid tissues of patients with Sjögren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) in the stomach and of a possible antigen driven proliferation, in patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS). METHODS: Twenty one patients with primary SS and 80 dyspeptic controls underwent upper endoscopy. Lymphoid tissue and Helicobacter pylori were assessed by histopathological analysis. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6) genome were studied by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) DNA amplification. Two PCR VDJ procedures were used to detect immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene rearrangement. RESULTS: Organised MALT was found in 33.3% of the patients, compared with 21.5% of the controls (NS). H pylori infection was seen in 71% of patients and 63% of controls. Genomic EBV or HHV-6 was found in a minor portion of SS gastric tissues. B cell expansion was detected in nine of the 21 patients. Infectious agents in the stomach might have contributed to B cell clonality only in 55.5% of the cases. No strict relationship was found between lymphoid follicles and clonality. CONCLUSION: Lymphoid accumulation in the gastric mucosa is common in Sjögren's syndrome, but full evidence for an antigen driven B cell expansion could not be demonstrated. Only a portion of those with clonal B cell expansion had evidence of an infectious agent. Other unknown infectious agents or factors related to the underlying disease (autoantigen) and its tissue environment may have a further role as possible causes of B clonal expansion in the gastric mucosa.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Soluble interleukin-2 receptor in sera and synovial fluids of rheumatoid patients: correlations with disease activity.

The measurement of serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), a sensitive marker of lymphocyte activation, has been proposed as an indicator of disease activity and "outcome" in patients with inflammatory diseases characterized by the activation of immune cells. Serum sIL-2R levels have been reported higher in rheumatoid patients than in controls. Using an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA), we evaluated soluble IL-2R levels in the serum of 34 patients with RA and in the synovial fluid of 25 of these patients and we compared it with levels found in the serum of 13 healthy controls. Serum sIL-2R levels were significantly elevated in RA patients compared with the healthy age-matched control group (P < 0.005). The mean level of soluble IL-2R in synovial fluids was significantly higher than the mean sera levels in RA patients (P < 0.0001). Moreover, we examined the correlation between serum and synovial fluid sIL-2R levels and disease activity measures. Serum sIL-2R correlated only with ESR (P < 0.04). The synovial fluid sIL-2R correlated with ESR (P < 0.02) and a visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score (P < 0.04). Both serum and synovial fluid sIL-2R levels correlated with the chronic arthritis systemic index (CASI; P < 0.04 and P < 0.005, respectively). Our data suggested that in RA the measurement of sIL-2R may certainly mirror the degree of chronic inflammation and the continuous activation of the immune cells in the joint, although the role of this molecule in the immune response is still unclear.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Disability in rheumatoid arthritis: the predictive value of age and depression].

Fifty rheumatoid patients were given the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales (AIMS) in order to determine the contribution of clinical and demographic variables to the overall disability. Among the clinical variables, pain intensity and depression were carefully assessed along with the classic morning stiffness and the joint count and tenderness/Ritchie's index. Two main findings arose: age contributed on its own to the overall disability, while disease duration had no significant effects; joint count and tenderness (Ritchie's index) correlated in a highly significant manner with depression as derived from the AIMS subscale and the Zung Depression Inventory (ZDI). ZDI items were separated into a "somatic factor" and a "dysphoric factor", showing a clear-cut influence of the somatic factor on the disability score. Our results suggest that age of the patient, pain intensity and a depressive mood related to physical impairment are chief predictive factor of the overall disability in rheumatoid arthritis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[The validity and reliability of the Italian version of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

The validity and the reliability of the Italian version of AIMS (Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales) was tested in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The factorial analysis performed on tests obtained from 274 patients showed a strict similarity with the original version. The five extracted factors (upper-limb function, lower-limb function, psycho-affective dimension, social dimension and pain) explain 80% of the common variance. The internal consistency (Cronbach's alfa coefficient = 0.78) and the test-retest performance (r = 0.86) support the reliability of the Italian AIMS. The analysis of the correlations with clinical parameters (the Ritchie's and Thompson's articular indexes, the systemic Lansbury's index, the joint count, the grip strength and morning stiffness), with pain measures (VAS, MPQ, PPI) and psychometric measures (ZDI, ZAI) assessed in 143 out of 274 patients, demonstrates the concurrent validity. The results show that the Italian version of AIMS is a practical value in the management of RA patients. The construct certainly allows its application even in other common chronic diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Relationship between procollagen III peptide serum levels, synovitis of weight bearing joints and disability in rheumatoid arthritis.

We studied P-III-P levels along with several acute phase reactants, Beta-2-microglobulin and autoantibody synthesis in 52 rheumatoid patients. No relationship arose between P-III-P levels and immunological parameters nor with acute phase reactants. We observed a highly significant difference between P-III-P levels in patients with knee and/or hip involvement with respect to those with only polyarthritis of small joints (86.1 +/- 21.5 vs 61.2 +/- 19.1 ng/ml; p less than 0.001). In 24 consecutive patients we also observed a significant correlation (p less than 0.02) between P-III-P levels and AIMS score. We conclude that P-III-P levels are mainly related to the synovial inflammation of major joints and as such P-III-P might represent the biochemical marker of the synovial mass in rheumatoid arthritis.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Clinico-biological aspects of myositis due to Trichinella T3 with special regard to a rheumatologic study].

One hundred and fifty patients living in Salsomaggiore Terme developed signs and symptoms of trichinellosis after eating infected horse meat. The etiological agent was identified as Trichinella T3. This large outbreak gave us the opportunity of studying the rheumatic manifestations during this kind of parasitic disease. Myositis was observed in 62% of the entire series whereas arthralgias were recorded in only 20% of the patients. The muscle pain was described in several ways, but in the majority it appeared during isokinetic movements. The scapular girdle was involved much more than the pelvic girdle. Arthralgias correlated with the degree of myositis, thus allowing us to conclude that the involvement of the muscle groups proximal to the joint clearly determined a painful sensation in the joint itself. Our histopathologic data suggest that the eosinophils may play an important role in the myositis process.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

HLA-DR antigens and anticardiolipin antibodies in northern Italian systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Eighty systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients attending 3 clinical centers were evaluated immunologically and immunogenetically. No HLA class II antigens were found to be significantly associated with SLE in these patients. A highly significant (P = 6.17 x 10(-7) association was observed between anticardiolipin antibodies and DR7. A lesser association (P less than 0.025) was also observed between DR2 and/or DR3 and anti-Ro (SS-A) antibodies. No relationship was found between any DR antigen and anti-Sm/RNP, anti-double-stranded DNA, or anti-La (SS-B) antibodies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Prospective rheumatological study of muscle and joint symptoms during Trichinella nelsoni infection.

One hundred and fifty patients were assessed during an outbreak of Trichinella infection in Northern Italy. The aetiological agent was proved to be T. nelsoni. A detailed prospective rheumatological study was carried out. Myalgia was observed in 88 per cent, muscle weakness in 60 per cent, myositis in 62 per cent and arthralgia in 20 per cent of the patients. The arthralgia score was strictly related to myalgias-myositis. The degree of myositis correlated with the degree of hypereosinophilia. Muscle damage in tissue samples was often observed in areas where eosinophils were the major cell population infiltrating the tissue. No relationship was seen between IgG antibody titers against Trichinella or IgE levels and clinical manifestations. Steroids, thiabendazole or mebendazole were not administered. We observed no CNS or heart involvement nor did we see vasculitis. After six months 18 patients, with the highest degree of myositis and hypereosinophilia had all improved. None showed abnormalities in laboratory tests and only four were still complaining of muscle aches. T. nelsoni-related infection appears to induce musculoskeletal symptoms in the majority of patients, but the long term course and prognosis is favourable.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Adult osteopetrosis: study of two brothers.

Bone biopsies from 2 adult cases of benign osteopetrosis have been studied histologically and under the electron microscope. The most important findings were a high degree of osteosclerosis, narrowing and fibrosis of medullary spaces, and the presence of abundant uncalcified osteoid tissue with an osteomalacia-like appearance. The osteoclasts were not numerous. All of them lacked the brush border and many showed wide cytoplasmic vacuoles containing amorphous and filamentous material. This picture, which is not different from that found in cases of fetal osteopetrosis, has not been modified by ethydronate therapy.

Biopsy↗