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Biomedical subjects

G Mazzei

Publications and source records attributed to G Mazzei.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Systemic arterial hypertension in chronic alcoholics. Role of the abstinence syndrome].

A significantly positive association (p less than 0.001) has been shown between so called "minor" ethanol withdrawal-syndrome and raised systolic and diastolic blood pressure values in 328 hospitalized chronic alcoholics. In a subgroup of patients with clinical and histological findings of alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis, this association was absent (p greater than 0.5). In chronic alcoholics with several hospital admissions, a nearly constant relationship of "minor" ethanol withdrawal-syndrome to systolic and diastolic hypertension has been shown. Mild or early abstinence states in alcoholics - which may pass off undetected or misinterpreted in outpatient clinic examination - are possibly responsible for the positive association between hypertension and alcoholism reported by others in several epidemiologic studies. Therefore, high blood pressure values in a chronic alcoholic patient - even if detected on several occasions - need special clinical considerations and we think they do not mean alcohol-induced hypertension. From another point of view, high blood pressure values may give a hint for detection of hidden alcoholism.

Adult↗

[Biochemical indicators in chronic alcoholism. Comparison between the enzymes glutamate dehydrogenase and gamma glutamyl transferase].

Serum concentrations of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT) have been determined in 93 chronic alcoholics regularly taking at least 150 g of alcohol daily, and in 35 healthy teetotal subjects. Both these enzymes were increased in the alcoholic group (P less than 0.001). The incidence of "false negatives" (alcoholics with normal enzymes) may be considered equal (25 and 29% respectively) while "false positives" (teetotal subjects with increased enzymes) were less frequent for glutamate-dehydrogenase (17 against 37%). In 20% of alcoholics one enzyme was normal while the other was increased; the serum increase of these two enzymes probably indicates different hepatic lesions. The search for a reliable biochemical marker of hepatocyte necrosis cannot be considered concluded; hystologic examination is still necessary to assess alcohol-related hepatic necrosis. Our study has shown that glutamate-dehydrogenase has an equal sensibility to gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase but a higher specificity as an indicator of alcohol abuse.

Alcoholism↗

[Radiologic projection on the sagittal plane as a diagnostic parameter in primary lung neoplasms].

A study was carried out to evaluate the importance of location of radiological densities on lateral protection of X-ray films of the chest, as a valuable sign for the clinical diagnosis of primary neoplasms of the lung. Clinical case records of 100 patients with pneumonitis, 61 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and 58 cases with primary pulmonary neoplasms -- in which diagnosis was verified by hystological examination of biopsies performed during bronchoscopy or by autoptic control -- were reviewed. Radiological location in anterior or central-anterior planes was observed in only 14 per cent of patients with pneumonitis while in 86 per cent the location was in posterior or central-posterior planes. Only 10 per cent of patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis had their densities situated on anterior or central-anterior planes of the chest X-ray while in the remaining 90 per cent of cases the location was in central-posterior or posterior planes of the radiogram. In 74 per cent of patients with primary lung neoplasms we observed that radiological densities were located in the anterior or central-anterior planes; only in 26 per cent of patients the radiological location was in the posterior or central-posterior planes. Since in most instances of primary lung neoplasms the initial diagnostic approach is roentgenographic, it seems of particular importance in differential diagnosis to consider as neoplastic those lesions located in the anterior planes of an X-ray film taken in lateral projection until proven otherwise. This radiological aspect implies the opportunity to perform a bronchoscopic and hystological evaluation even in those patients in which clinical aspects should seem less suggestive of primary lung neoplasm. A posterior location does not exclude -- according to our data -- the neoplastic origin of a density but this radiological criterion does seem to justify a less aggressive diagnostic approach in all those patients which present contraindications or refuse invasive procedures.

Aged↗

[Macrocytosis and anemia in chronic alcoholism. Correlation with the results of hepatic needle biopsy].

Clinical and laboratory observations were made on 220 chronic alcoholics, regularly taking at least 150 g of alcohol daily. Haematological data concerning white blood cells, platelets and red cells counts, mean corpuscolar volume, hemoglobin and serum iron in these patients were compared with control values obtained from 150 healthy teetotal subjects. Hematological changes in chronic alcoholics were correlated with histological liver damages in transcutaneous needle-biopsies. No statistical differences were evident for white cells and platelets counts and for serum iron content; however, in chronic alcoholics, serum iron content showed a great dispersion around the mean. Mean corpuscolar volume (MCV) was significantly increased (P less than 0,001) in chronic alcoholics (even in those with a normal liver biopsy) but there was no significant difference in the degree and the incidence of macrocytosis between patients showing normal liver appearances or fatty changes only, and those showing more severe damage, i.e, acute alcoholic hepatitis (with or without steatosis), central hyaline-sclerosing necrosis and or hepatofibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma. No significant difference was seen between male and female alcoholics. Macrocytosis may be considered as an early marker for alcoholism but it does not correlate with the type of histological liver damage. Hemoglobin levels were significantly reduced in chronic alcoholics (P less than 0,01): the degree and incidence of anemia were more severe in those patients with advanced liver diseases and in female alcoholics. There is no statistically significant correlation between macrocytosis and anemia.

Adult↗

[Current status and problems of tuberculosis. 10 years of experience in a general medicine department].

One hundred and seventeen cases of tuberculous disease who came to the Authors' observation in 10 years are described. Some cases are illustrated in details just to point out the complexity and the different guises of clinical presentation and to underscore the importance of an high index of suspicion for tuberculosis in patients who are admitted to a ward of internal medicine. In 71 patients with active, progressive tuberculous disease, the diagnosis was confirmed by bacteriological findings in 29 cases and by bioptical and hystological data in 5 cases; in the remaining 37 cases only clinical and radiological criteria were met but the diagnosis was confirmed by the improvement which was observed after antimycobacterial therapy. Many difficulties have been met in the differential diagnosis between pulmonary tuberculosis and bronchogenic carcinoma in those cases with anamnestic and radiological data of previous pulmonary tuberculosis. When the radiological site of lesions was in the posterior segments of the lung, tuberculosis was the most probable diagnosis, while bronchogenic carcinoma is most oftenly localized in the anterior segments; only in 5 cases of the Author's series the above mentioned criterion was not satisfied. In 46 cases with clinical signs of inactive tuberculous disease which had not been adequately treated with chemotherapy, isoniazid was given only to those patients with a high risk of reactivation (silicosis, diabetes, chronic alcholism, gastric resection, prolonged steroid therapy). Two cases of isoniazid hepatitis were observed among patients treated by the Authors.

Adult↗

[Petit's lumbar hernia: about a case].

The authors are surgeons of Moscati Hospital in Aversa (CE)-Italy, and one of them is a Radiologist in the same hospital; they describe a rare case of lumbar hernia, the Petits hernia and describe the anatomical aspects of parietals hernias. Subsequently they describe the diagnostics aspects and then the surgicals treatments. In this case-report the authors describe the surgical operation to use one prolene-net to close the parietal breach. The most important aspect, that the authors emphsasize, is the absolute importance of careful clinic examination to diagnose it. This work is completed with some pictures that show it; some pictures are made in operatory-room during the surgical treatment and some of them are TC images.

Diagnosis, Differential↗