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Biomedical subjects

G L Capella

Publications and source records attributed to G L Capella.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Anti-leukotriene drugs in the prevention and treatment of hepatorenal syndrome.

Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a peculiar form of progressive renal failure complicating the course of cirrhosis and ascites. The renal impairment of HRS is merely functional and potentially reversible. Notwithstanding, in spite of several encouraging attempts, a satisfactory medical treatment for HRS is still expected. Several pathophysiological mechanisms are active in HRS. Arachidonate metabolism derangements are among these, and prostaglandins and thromboxane antagonists have been tried with variable outcomes. Also leukotrienes (LT) appear to be involved in HRS. Three drugs (zileuton, montelukast and zafirlukast) interfering with LT synthesis and receptor binding are currently available, but they have not yet been tried in HRS. Accordingly, the author would like to suggest physicians engaged in care of these critical patients to consider a trial with these drugs-as well as with any future innovative agent active on the arachidonate-derived metabolic pathways.

Acetates↗
PubMed2003

Mycosis on mycosis fungoides: zoophilic dermatophytosis selectively superimposed on pre-existing cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (mycosis fungoides) plaques.

We report a case of tinea corporis caused by a cattle-derived strain of Trichophyton mentagrophytes in a 44-year-old male affected by cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL, so-called mycosis fungoides). Fungal colonization of glabrous skin was strictly confined within pre-existing lymphomatous plaques. Either oral itraconazole or griseofulvin, or topical terbinafine were ineffective until the patient, who was treated with systemic retinoids and interferon-alpha for his CTCL, was shifted from leucocyte to lymphoblastoid interferon. The hypothesis that a local immunodisturbance could be responsible for the selective superimposition of tinea on CTCL lesions ('mycosis on mycosis'), and that such an immunodisturbance could be partially corrected by the interferon switch is discussed.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1995

Sarcoidosis presenting as erythema annulare centrifugum.

Erythema annulare centrifugum (EAC), a disease belonging to the poorly characterized category of 'figurate erythemas', has been associated with a variety of conditions, such as connective tissue diseases, infections, neoplasms and drug reactions. Here we report a case of EAC associated with sarcoidosis, the first case in the literature to our knowledge. EAC was the sole sign of the granulomatous disease process, which was diagnosed by means of appropriate investigations only after the patient reported the sudden resolution of a long-standing sensitization to perfumes and parabens. Steroid treatment for sarcoidosis improved the patient's condition, and restored the allergic response to these substances.

Erythema↗
PubMed1995

Densitometry of Pautrier's microabscess cells in cutaneous T cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Epidermotropic lymphoid T cell infiltrates are part of a continuous spectrum of lesions ranging from "benign" parapsoriasis to frank cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL, mycosis fungoides). Either the clinical or histologic differentiation between these entities prove often difficult and the prognosis may be difficult to assess. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied 15 patients, men aged 50 to 81 years, mean +/- SD 68 +/- 12 years, with patch-plague CTCL. Sections from punch biopsies from active lesions were stained with Feulgen reagent, coupled with a "twin" adjacent hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained section and analyzed with a VIDAS Zeiss-Kontron Image Analyzer. At least 50 dermal infiltrating cells and 50 epidermotropic Pautrierian cells per specimen were counted and the biopsies were repeated periodically. RESULTS: Nine patients with aneuploid Pautrierian cell DNA patterns dis well after conventional phototherapy (dermal cell ploidy was irrelevant), whereas six patients with euploid Pautrierian cell DNA patterns had to be treated aggressively (IFN + retinoids, COP). Clinical and histopathologic aspects of the first group were comparable to those of the second group. CONCLUSIONS: The classical cytophotometric aphorism seems to be reversed in this sample: "The more abnormal the ploidy of epidermotropic Pautrierian cells, the better the prognosis." Euploid epidermotropic cell prove more efficient in invading the skin and other areas and this efficiency may be reflected in more aggressive trends in the evolution of the lymphoma. Thus, DSM analysis of epidermotropic cells could prove very useful as an inexpensive tool for routine CTCL grading.

Abscess↗
PubMed1993

Intramuscular low dose alpha-2B interferon and etretinate for treatment of mycosis fungoides.

BACKGROUND: Mycosis fungoides is a lymphoma of cutaneous origin characterized by a proliferation of cells with a T phenotype. METHODS: In this pilot study, 13 men with mycosis fungoides in various stages were treated with alpha-2b interferon and etretinate. RESULTS: In ten of them, such a therapy proved to be effective (7 complete responses, 3 partial responses), sometimes with prolonged remissions (up to 20 months, and still persistent) after suspension of the drugs. CONCLUSIONS: We chose low-dose interferon administration in order to prevent side effects, which are said to be dose-dependent. In our experience this is not true, but this drawback seems to be overcome by the very good, sometimes spectacular, response to this combination therapy, particularly in low stage forms of the disease. This fact, compared with results provided by other groups, prompts us to plan new research protocols based on associations of retinoids with different interferon types (or even associations of different interferons), because we believe they will have an important place in treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in future.

Adult↗