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Biomedical subjects

G Ferraris

Publications and source records attributed to G Ferraris.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Prognostic factors and survival in children with perinatal HIV-1 infection. The Italian Register for HIV Infections in Children.

The signs that may arise after perinatal infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) have been classified by the Centers for Disease Control, but the clinical usefulness of the classification system and the prognostic importance of each disease pattern have not been established. We sought to address these issues by analysing data from the Italian Register for HIV infection in children. We studied 1887 children born to HIV-1-seropositive mothers. 1045 were identified at birth and the others were registered later (median age 4.8 [range 0.4-72] months). HIV-1-associated signs developed in 433 (81.8%) of 529 seropositive infected children at a median age of 5 (0.03-84) months. These signs appeared significantly earlier in the 102 children who died of HIV-1-related illness than in those who are still alive (median 3 [0.03-55] vs 6 [0.03-84] months; p less than 0.001). The cumulative proportion surviving at age 9 years was 49.5% (95% confidence interval 27-65%) and the median survival time was 96.2 months. Separate analysis of the 112 seropositive infected children followed from birth and older than 15 months gave similar results. Hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, parotitis, skin diseases, and recurrent respiratory tract infections formed the mildest disease pattern. Lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis and thrombocytopenia were signs of intermediate disease. By contrast, in multivariate analysis specific secondary infectious diseases, severe bacterial infections, progressive neurological disease, anaemia, and fever were significant and independent negative predictors of survival. Growth failure, persistent oral candidosis, hepatitis, and cardiopathy were associated in univariate analysis with significantly shorter survival. Our findings suggest that the outlook for children with perinatal HIV-1 infection is better than previously thought and that a new clinical staging system of single disease patterns is needed.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1992

Antibody response to inactivated polio vaccine (E-IPV) in children born to HIV positive mothers.

In order to evaluate the response to immunization of HIV-infected children we studied the humoral response to an enhanced potency inactivated poliovaccine (E-IPV) of 43 children born of HIV seropositive mothers. All these subjects have been followed for 32 (15-48) months in order to ascertain their infection status. After a course of 2 doses of E-IPV, 88% of children had neutralizing antibody (n.a.) titers greater than 1:4 to the 3 poliovirus serotypes and 100% to at least 2 polio strains. No statistically significant differences both as rates of n.a. positive subjects and as antibody levels were found between HIV infected children and those who lost HIV antibodies. The poorest response was observed in subjects with full-blown immunodeficiency (CD4 less than 1000/mm3, reduced response to PWM). Sixteen children also received a booster dose of vaccine one year after the completion of the primary cycle. Infected and non-infected subjects responded to the same extent with high levels of n.a. to this immunization. Interestingly, the recall dose was also able to induce high n.a. titers in those HIV infected children who showed significant decreases of n.a. titers in the months following the end of the primary cycle.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1992

Immunization in children with HIV seropositivity at birth: antibody response to polio vaccine and tetanus toxoid.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the humoral response to routine childhood immunization of HIV-infected children. DESIGN: Response rate, antibody titres and persistence after polio and tetanus vaccination were compared in 72 children with HIV seropositivity at birth and divided according to HIV infection status as determined by clinical and laboratory tests. METHODS: Polio antibodies were titred in a microneutralization test (positive titres, > or = 1:4), and antibody to tetanus toxoid with a passive haemagglutination method (protective titres, > or = 1:1024). RESULTS: The response rates to polio and tetanus vaccination (> 80 and > 75%) were similar in the HIV-infected and non-infected children, as were antibody levels. In the subgroup with sera obtained some months after the last dose of vaccine, polio antibody levels decreased in all four HIV-infected and in three of the seven non-infected children; protective tetanus antitoxin levels were detected in three of the six infected and in all three non-infected children. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the ability of children with HIV infection to respond adequately to the two vaccines considered, although tetanus antitoxin levels were inferior, compared with those in the seroreverted children. The unsatisfactory antibody levels observed in the admittedly few HIV-positive children studied some months after the last vaccination could be the result of a lower initial protective level and not necessarily an expression of severely impaired immunocompetence. The administration of booster doses in addition to the traditional immunization schedule could be useful in children with HIV infection.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1991

Polymerase chain reaction, virus isolation and antigen assay in HIV-1-antibody-positive mothers and their children.

Diagnosis of perinatal HIV-1 infection is complicated by the persistence of maternal antibodies and the conflicting reports on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) reactivity in children born to HIV-1-seropositive mothers. We have compared PCR with other diagnostic methods for perinatal HIV-1 infection and have attempted also to identify maternal markers which correlate with risk of transmission. PCR was the most sensitive method for early diagnosis of perinatal transmission of HIV-1, but the PCR-positive children (n = 11) developed at least one additional sign of infection. The PCR-negative children (n = 76) were clinically healthy, virus isolation negative, and their serum was HIV-1-antigen-negative. All children who had become seronegative (n = 36) were both PCR- and isolation-negative. Antigenaemia in the mothers correlated significantly with higher risk of perinatal transmission of HIV-1, while no other parameters (clinical stage, lymphocyte subsets, PCR and isolation) showed such a correlation. This indicates that the level of virus expression may be of key importance for the risk of vertical transmission of HIV-1 infection.

CD4 Antigens↗
PubMed1990

Biochemical aspects of the hormonal therapy of endometrial adenocarcinoma.

This paper reports an investigation of the mechanism involved in the response of endometrial adenocarcinoma to MPA. The following protocol was used for a period of 8 years: 1 g/day MPA per os for 30 days and 60 days after surgery, following by 500 mg/day for 1 year. Adenocarcinoma glycolytic activity, G-6-P cycle, polyamine concentration, and the activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), i.e. the first enzyme in polyamine synthesis, were compared before and after the 30/day treatment. The modifications induced by MPA are discussed and related to the pathological picture in an attempt to determine the characteristics of responding tumors.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1990

[A new digital radiology system. The technical considerations and clinical experience].

The authors report their experience with a new digital X-ray film processing system, particularly used in the diagnosis of breast, chest, joint and bone pathologic conditions. The technical features of the system are described, and the results are reported which appear as the most significant in mammography, with better visualization of both microcalcifications and small detail images. The above results are due to the possibility of broad contrast variations and of processing basal X-ray images. The possibility is also stressed of improving the diagnostic value of a technically incorrect radiograph, especially if overexposed, with subsequent dose saving.

Arthrography↗
PubMed1989

Treatment failure in cervical cancer: high risk factors of relapse.

Actuarial survival in 178 patients treated with radical surgery and lymphadenectomy from 1977 to 1987 have been evaluated. The survival rate at 60 months in the 124p N0 patients was 95%; in the 57 p N1 patients was 20.2%. The survival in patients with only 1 or 2 metastatic lymph nodes was 39.7%, while it was 13.1% with 3 or more lymph nodes involved. Survival rate related to lymph nodal metastatic level was 36%, 32%, 17% respectively when the first, second and third levels were involved. We demonstrated a statistically significant relation between survival and external thirds, CLS, vaginal, parametrial invasion. A multifactorial analysis also showed the remarkable significance of the simultaneous negativity of vaginal, CLS, external third invasion (survival rate 98.4%). When the positivity of the external invasion was associated with simultaneous negativity of vaginal and CLS invasion the survival rate was 79.4%. The survival rate in patients with positive vaginal and external third invasion was 26%. This showed the decisive importance of vaginal invasion in cervical cancer survival.

Female↗
PubMed1989

Lymph nodal metastases and pathological patterns in cervical cancer: a critical review.

We analyzed 8 pathological factors in order to recognize which of them are statistically significant in worsening the stage of cervical cancer. Three factors (external third invasion, CLS, parametrial invasion) are highly significant (p less than 0.001) as regards lymphatic metastases, while no one statistical relation has been found among grading or histotype and cervical canal invasion. Comparing the 8 pathologic factors among themselves, we have observed that parametrium, corpus and CLS are highly related to external third (p less than 0.001); in the same way corpus is related to cervical canal and parametrium to CLS (p less than 0.001).

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1988

Hormonal and surgical treatment of endometrial adenocarcinoma.

From January 1st 1980 up to December 31st 1986, 93 endometrial adenocarcinomas were treated at the Chair B of the Institute of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Full anatomopathological and hormonal data are available for 81 cases on whom diagnostic and therapeutic protocols were applied. In this selected group, positive lymph nodes were shown in 10 cases. Lymph node positivity was compared with miometrial infiltration grade: there were only two cases of lymph nodal positivity among 49 adenocarcinomas in which the invasion was more than 10 mm from the serosa, 8 lymph nodes metastases out of 32 adenocarcinomas with a distance between 10 and 5 mm and with distance less than 5 mm.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1988

Pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodal positivity in the ovarian carcinoma: its prognostic significance.

Our study is based on 29 patients with ovarian carcinoma in early stage (IA-IIB) having undergone total abdominal hysterectomy, with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy, appendectomy and pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy selective and bioptic. Out of the 29 patients 11 were classified I stage and 18 II stage. Within 3 years, out of 10 patients with node metastases, 1 is alive and free of disease, 6 deceased from the tumor and 3 are alive with residual tumor at various stages of invasion. Out of the 19 patients without nodes metastases 14 are alive and free of disease, 4 deceased from the tumor and 1 is alive with residual carcinoma. Survival related to histological type shows no statistically significant differences. Grading III has a survival of 27.6%, while the other two grades have a survival of 70% without significant differences. We can affirm that lymph nodes metastases represent the most reliable marker of high risk patients among the 3 risk factors (grading, histotype and nodes metastases) even if considered on a limited number of patients on the basis of preliminary data so obtained.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Radical vulvectomy and inguinal lymphadenectomy versus inguino-pelvic lymphadenectomy combined with radical vulvectomy and the role of radiotherapy.

We studied 39 patients with stromal invasion exceeding 1 mm. Among them 3 underwent emivulvectomy and 8 simple vulvectomy; all had selective inguinal lymphadenectomy of one side the first and bilaterally the others. 17 women underwent radical vulvectomy and inguinal lymphadenectomy while 11 had radical vulvectomy and inguino-pelvic lymphadenectomy. Out of 21 patients with lymph nodal metastases, 11 had one side inguinal metastases, 2 had a single metastasis, 2 had double metastases, 1 had three metastases and 2 multiple ones. Survival rate decreased from 54.5% to 20.0% when patients had more than 3 monolateral inguinal metastases or bilateral ones, with increase of pelvic lymph nodal metastases; therefore, in those cases, pelvic lymphadenectomy can be associated to inguinal lymphadenectomy or, when the carcinoma is situated in the clitoridis, Bartolino's gland or vagina (the same could be done for melanoma of the vulva). The usefulness of radiotherapy is limited by the small response of vulvar tissue. In a series of 45 patients with clinical diagnosis of inguinal metastases, who could not undergo operation, only therapy, with electron beam therapy (9 meV) associated to inguinal fields (15 meV), had positive influence in 27% of the cases.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Techniques of pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy in the surgical treatment of cervix carcinoma.

402 radical hysterectomies (17 ultraradical) were performed with lymphadenectomy. Positive metastatic nodes (N+) rate was 23.6% with an arithmetic mean of 22 excised lymph nodes. Single N+ belonged mostly to the obturatory group, double N+ to obturatory and external iliac groups, while multiple N+ (24 cases) had no particular site. Neoplastic invasion, embolism and grading were studied in 122 cases. The parametrium, vagina and uterine corpus were interested more in N+ cases. The cervical stroma was divided into internal, middle and external parts and invasion rate was respectively 3.6%, 7.2%, 89.2% in N+ cases and 35.1%, 22.3%, 42.6% in N--cases.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1988

Complications of axillary, inguinal, pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy.

Post-axillary lymphadenectomy complications have been checked in 1097 patients. Lymphedema occurred in 4.6% of cases, brachial injuries in 2% and necrosis with wound dehiscence in 0.44%. Pelvic lymphadenectomy complications have been studied in 139 patients who underwent Wertheim's operation and in 4 cases treated with Schauta-Mitra's operation for cervix or endometrium cancer. Para-aortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy complications have been considered in 92 patients who underwent Wertheim's operation, in 10 patients treated with anterior pelvic exenteration and in 1 patient who underwent posterior pelvic exenteration. The complications of para-aortic and pelvic selective lymphadenectomy have been checked in 101 patients. We had 3 peri-operatory deaths, 5 severe gastrointestinal complications (3 deceased for fistulae) and 2 intra-operatory iliac vessel injuries. Uretero-vaginal fistulae occurred in 6.2% of the cases also treated with radium-therapy and in 2.2% of the others. Intra/post-operatory bleeding was respectively 1500 +/- 450 ml and 450 +/- 300 ml. The complications of inguino-femoral and inguino-pelvic lymphadenectomy for vulvar cancer have been checked in 35 patients who had necrosis and wound dehiscence in all cases and lower limb thrombophlebitis in 2 cases.

Aorta↗
PubMed1988

Hormonal and surgical treatment of endometrial adenocarcinoma: actuarial survival.

We studied the survival period in two groups of patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma treated at the Chair B Institute of Gynecology and Obstetrics. The first series includes 30 of the 52 patients treated from 1976 to 1979. The second series includes 81 patients treated from 1980 to 1986. Lymph nodal positivity was present in 5 cases out of 30 patients belonging to Group I: all the interested lymph nodes were in the pelvic areas. Lymph nodal metastases were, instead, present in 10 cases as regard patients of Group II. Pelvic lymph nodes were involved in all the cases; in 5 of them also the paraaortic nodes were involved.

17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone↗