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Biomedical subjects

G F Ferraccioli

Publications and source records attributed to G F Ferraccioli.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
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↗
PubMed1985

[Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome. Current clinico-therapeutic state].

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome is a term labelling clinical illnesses characterized by blood hypereosinophilia and widespread infiltration of organs and tissues by mature eosinophils. Although any tissue can be affected the involvement of the nervous system and of the myocardium usually indicates worse prognosis. Histopathological studies carried out on myocardial tissues of hypereosinophilic patients, suggest that eosinophils are the main inducers of tissue damages. These cells seem to affect first the coronary endothelial cells, so leading to thrombi formation and then fibrosis. Eventually restrictive cardiomyopathy may occur. The pathogenetic events are not fully understood. However several studies have been focused on two eosinophil proteins: the major basic protein (MBP) as possible mediator of tissue damages and the cationic eosinophil protein (ECP) involved in thrombotic events. In the bone marrow a marked hyperplasia of the eosinophil series is usual, while in the blood only mature eosinophils circulate. Non specific abnormalities either of the cellular or humoral immunity have been described. Previous reports of a definitely incurable disease have been improved by modern therapeutic programs.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1985

Diclofenac-associated acute renal failure. Report of 2 cases.

2 cases of acute renal failure associated with diclofenac therapy are reported. In the 1st case no other risk factors but diclofenac administration were identified. Renal biopsy showed patchy interstitial infiltration of mononuclear cells and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. In the 2nd case preexisting nephropathy and heart failure were underlying illnesses. In both cases renal function returned to the basal values after stopping the drug.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1982

Serum antioxidant activity and related variables in rheumatoid arthritis. Behaviour during sulphydrylant treatment.

Some parameters (serum antioxidant activity, -SH groups, ceruloplasmin, copper) involved in the mechanisms of defence against oxygen free radicals were investigated in 25 rheumatoid patients and in 15 control subjects, matched for sex and age. When comparing the results obtained in the two groups, there is in rheumatoid arthritis a marked increase in the serum-specific antioxidant activity, related to ceruloplasmin, ESR, haemoglobin and Ritchie's index and a net decrease in the -SH groups inversely related to Ritchie's index and to ceruloplasmin. On analysing the sensitivity of the various parameters in discriminating between rheumatoid and healthy subjects, it is found that the -SH groups are the most sensitive, followed by the specific antioxidant activity, copper content, and ceruloplasmin. The evaluation of the same parameters in a group of 14 rheumatoid patients before and after 6 months of therapy with an antioxidant drug, viz. Tiopronin, confirms their usefulness in providing information regarding response to the treatment and on the recovery from the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

[Reactive SH-groups in clinical practice. Methodological notes].

Experimental investigations have been performed in order to point out the extrinsic factors influencing the results of -SH group determination. It has been observed that the anticoagulants normally used to obtain plasma samples, influence the serum -SH groups; in particular, heparin increases and citrate depresses the levels; the most reproducible data were obtained in serum samples. In addition it has been shown that the exposure to light for 6-8 hours lowered the serum -SH groups, whereas darkness prevented these changes. Serum-SH groups were not influenced by the administration of non steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, whereas D-Penicillamine and Tiopronin induced an increase of the -SH levels, ranging between 15-20%. The levels returned to the basal values within two hours from the drug intake. Following the methodological criteria here described it is possible to obtain a good information about the -SH group reserve, which free radicals generated in several diseases could consume. The practical usefulness of the serum -SH group determination in oxidative-peroxidative processes in discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Evaluation of the activity of anti-inflammatory agents by means of skin tests (M.S.U., SK-SD): comparison with clinical results.

The anti-inflammatory effects of indoprofen were evaluated by skin tests with mono-sodium-urate (M.S.U.) and streptokinase-streptodornase antigen (SK-SD) in 15 patients suffering from inflammatory and degenerative arthropathies. A clear-cut correlation between the short-term response to the M.S.U. skin test and the clinical response was observed in 12 patients.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1980

Neo-antigenic expression in rheumatoid synovia?

CEA-like activity was found in eight synovial samples of ten rheumatoid patients and in two samples of patients with recurrent arthrosynovitis. No CEA-like activity was found instead in seven synovial samples of patients with gonarthrosis. The plasmatic values result always within normal range in the non-rheumatoid patients and high only in two cases of rheumatoid ones. Since enzymatic proteolysis induces a synovial CEA-like activity fall, the A.A. think that the antigenic determinants belong to a "protein" locally synthesized.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

[Study of the effects of free radicals produced by ultraviolet rays on viscosity of human synovial fluid. Methodological details].

After having pointed out a method measurement of the synovial Fluid (S.F.) viscosity by means of a white blood cell diluting pipette, obtaining results similar to those of Ostwald's viscometer, the AA have studied the osteoarthrotic S.F. viscosity after Ultra Violet Illumination. The production of Free Radicals induced by U.V., determines a fall of osteoarthrotic S.F. viscosity towards the values found in arthritic S.F..So, the AA, indirectly, confirme the capacity of Free Radicals to induce a S.F. viscosity modification like that provoked by the phlogistic process.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1980

[Preparation of samples of biological fluids for electron spin resonance (ESR) examination].

The ESR (Electron Spin Resonance) Technique, is usually used in the study of Free Radicals and Metal - Proteins, in biological fluids, but the most apt method for the preparation of the sample has still to be defined. In this work the A.A. describe and analyse the negative and positive aspects of several methods. The results of the E.S.R. spectra, obtained by means of lyophilization, that is the most used method in literature, have been compared with those obtained by means of concentration of some biological fluid (serum and synovial fluid). The A.A. demonstrated that the lyophilization does not permit the reproducibility of the spectra, for different spectra are obtained from the same lyophilized serum and synovial fluid samples. A high reproducibility of the spectra is instead obtained by the concentration of the sample means of the "collodion bag" or "Aquacide" methods. The A.A. are convinced that for on exact investigation of the E.S.R. Signals, only the concentration method is useful, and not the lyophilization method as reported in literature.

Blood Chemical Analysis↗