PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G Ferrara

Publications and source records attributed to G Ferrara.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Continuous positive airway pressure improves the quality of sleep and oxygenation in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

We tested the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in 8 patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The comparison of a nocturnal polygraphic study performed during spontaneous breathing with a study during CPAP administration performed the following night showed a significant reduction in stage 1 and increase in REM, the abolition of obstructive apneas and a significant increase in mean oxyhemoglobin saturation. Most patients reported marked relief of symptoms after the first night of treatment. However 3 patients, though confirming the improvement refused further CPAP. We conclude that CPAP is an effective measure for prevention of apneas in OSAS and that in compliant patients it may be regarded as a short-term measure when a permanent correction of the causes is planned, or as a long-term treatment when the latter is not feasible.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Ambroxol for the prevention of chronic bronchitis exacerbations: long-term multicenter trial. Protective effect of ambroxol against winter semester exacerbations: a double-blind study versus placebo.

In a 6-month, double-blind multicenter trial conducted over the winter, the effects of daily administration of ambroxol retard (75 mg) were compared with those of placebo in preventing exacerbations and improving symptoms and clinical signs in chronic bronchitis patients. The trial was completed by 110 patients in the ambroxol group and by 104 in the placebo group. Initially, there were no significant differences between the groups. By the end of the 2nd month of treatment, 67.2% of the ambroxol group had had no exacerbations compared to 50.4% in the placebo group. At the end of the 6-month trial, 45.5% of the treatment group had had no exacerbations, compared to only 14.4% of the control group. These differences were statistically significant. Patients in the treatment group lost significantly fewer days through illness (442) and had fewer days when they needed antibiotic therapy (371) compared to the placebo group patients (837 and 781). Ambroxol also produced statistically significant symptomatic improvement, measured as difficulty in expectoration, coughing, presence of dyspnea and the auscultatory signs as compared to controls. Since ambroxol was well tolerated and compliance was good, it appears like a drug of choice for pharmacological prophylaxis of chronic bronchitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Diagnosis of a case of lipoid pneumonia by bronchoalveolar lavage.

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) was diagnosed by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in a 57-year-old woman with a long history of using oily nose drops. Since clinical and roentgenological presentations are nonspecific, BAL, along with specific staining of recovered alveolar macrophages, represents a safe alternative to more invasive diagnostic procedures whenever a diagnosis of ELP is suspected.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid↗
PubMed1986

Early estimate of theophylline clearance during intravenous infusion.

We examined two rapid methods of measuring theophylline clearance using pairs of serum concentration measurements, and compared them with the steady-state values in 31 patients with acute asthma. A constant intravenous aminophylline infusion was started at a rate given by current guidelines. Theophylline clearance was estimated from two serum measurements made with an interval of at least 4 h, providing clearance estimates 5 h from commencement. Duplicate estimates were made, using either a 3rd serum measurement at 12 h or a 3rd and 4th at 7 and 14 h. A steady-state estimate was finally made after 48 h constant infusion. The two rapid estimates agreed well both between themselves and with the steady-state determination despite wide variations in the clinical status of the patients. These methods provide a rapid means of monitoring dosage in the individual patient. This is particularly important when the predicted dose is inappropriate.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1984

Is it possible to predict pulmonary arterial hypertension from an exercise test?

In patients with chronic lung disease, the response to exercise can be impaired by ventilatory and/or circulatory disturbances. The response to a standard exercise varies according to the load in relation to the maximum load the subject can tolerate. Thus it seems more suitable to study the maximum tolerated, i.e. maximum workload expressed as VO2 max. We compared the results of VO2 max and pulmonary haemodynamic variables in 43 patients with chronic bronchitis. VO2 max ranged from 0.720 to 3.010 l/min. The relation between VO2 max and pulmonary artery pressure at rest or its increase with low level exercise was very poor, but there was a trend towards an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance in patients with low VO2 max, although a number of patients with low VO2 max had normal pulmonary vascular resistance. The ratio between heart rate at maximum workload and maximum heart rate according to age (heart rate obs/pred) was above 95% in the patients with pulmonary vascular resistance above 250 dyn.s. cm-5; it varied widely in the patients with normal or slightly elevated pulmonary vascular resistance. When VO2 max was below normal, and heart rate obs/pred low, it is probable that the decrease in VO2 max was due to ventilation impairment, or to a lack of cooperation. Oxygen pulse at VO2 max was also reduced in patients with high pulmonary vascular resistance, but a large range of values was observed in the rest of the patients. A high oxygen pulse at VO2 max however allows to rule out severe pulmonary artery hypertension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Cell surface marker analysis in diagnosis of the early phase of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Cell surface marker analysis was carried out in 50 CLL patients; 15 were preclinical or low count, that is with a total peripheral lymphocyte count well below 15,000/cmm and little or no infiltrative syndrome. Data of the cell surface marker in these 15 patients were compared with those of 15 patients with non-neoplastic benign lymphocytosis. Monoclonal B-cell compartment proliferation was found in low count cases, with analogous immnofunctional characteristics to typical CLL. On the other hand, there was a symmetrical increase in both T and B cell compartments in non-neoplastic lymphocytosis. This suggests that cell marker analysis is a very useful diagnostic tool during the preclinical phase of CLL, as it permits it to be readily differentiated from non-neoplastic lymphocytosis.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Reproducibility of maximum flows in air and He-O2 and of delta Vmax50 in the assessment of the site of airflow limitation.

Maximum expiratory flows at 50% of vital capacity while breathing air and a He-O2 mixture and delta Vmax50 observed during three sittings (morning, noon and morning the day after) in reference subjects and in patients with bronchial hyperreactivity were submitted to statistical analysis by between sittings comparison, looking for correlation coefficients, paired "t" test and variation coefficient. Results of paired "t" test ruled out the influence of fatigue and of training in performing forced expiratory manoeuvres. Correlation coefficients relevant to absolute flows are highly significant in both groups, whereas coefficients of variation are satisfactory in reference subjects and slightly higher although still acceptable in patients with bronchial hyperreactivity. As far as delta Vmax50 is concerned, the results of statistical analysis are positively unacceptable, thus demonstrating that this arithmetic manipulation of absolute flows is the ground for a poor reproducibility of results.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

"Silent" alleles at the HLA-C locus.

Defined specificities of the HLA-C locus possess a significantly lower immunogenicity as compared with the HLA-A and HLA-B specificities. HLA-C "blanks" are not immunogenic at all. Among the possible explanations, the most likely one appears to be a low phenotypic expression of these alleles. C locus antigens as a whole are thus likely to be of minor relevance in donor/recipient matching for transplantation.

Alleles↗
PubMed1976

[Oxygen therapy in pneumology].

Circumstances under which the use of oxygen-therapy in lung disease can be effective and harmless, depend upon a careful evaluation of its indications: they are suggested by the clinical need of correction of hypoxaemia as well as by the awareness of factors determining respiratory failure and of problems concerning O(2) transport and supply to tissues in health and disease. Blood gases monitoring enables to control the effects of treatment on arterial O2 and CO2 tensions thus giving all the useful data for oxygen administering particularly as far as components of hyperoxygenated mixtures, flow rate, duration, use of very effective low-risk devices (Venturi masks) are concerned. Correction of hypoxaemia involves the reduction of hypertension of the pulmonary circulation and hyperglobulia, improvement of tolerance of exertion, and attention to the metabolic compensation of respiratory acidosis. These results are influenced by the nature of the pathogenetic factors behind broncho-obstructive disease, which may lead to either a primarily "bronchitis" or a primarily "emphysematous" syndrome. An interesting feature relates to prognosis in the case of patients making home use of hyperoxygenated mixtures as part of a rehabilitation program, or to improve their quality of life. The cost and benifits of such treatment should be carefully weighed. Lastly, in the event of protracted treatment, attention must be paid to the possibility of toxicity and the means to be adopted for its prevention.

Acidosis, Respiratory↗
PubMed1976

[Gas exchange and acid-base equilibrium in chronic bronchitis and in emphysema].

Blood gas data for HbO2% and PaCO2 and determination of acid-base balance enable the biochemical features of bronchial obstruction to be related to primarily "intrinsic" or "extrinsic" factors. Long-term gas studies and ventilation mechanics data (lung elastic recoil pressure, maximum expiratory flow at different volumes and the corresponding recoil pressures) are also of assistance in this respect. Each type of bronchial obstruction thus has its own peculiarities, and these are also reflected in the level of metabolic compensation for respiratory acidosis.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗