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Biomedical subjects

G Ongaro

Publications and source records attributed to G Ongaro.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

[Physiotherapy for the elderly].

One of the main goals of physical therapeutic procedures in the elderly is the restoration or maintenance of functional autonomy in daily living activities. Whilst necessity for care and assistance in an aged population rises dramatically with age, physical therapy can efficiently reduce these needs. For an optimal therapeutic approach the therapists should take into account the particular characteristics of the ageing process as well as the predominant comorbidities, which should be correctly assessed in order to integrate those context factors into the rehabilitation program. This is only possible with a good functioning teamwork: The team should therefore include physicians, nurses, physiotherapists as well as social workers and other professionals. We describe here the theoretical basis of the particular aspects of physiotherapy for the elderly and we illustrate this approach exemplarily for falls prevention through resistance- and balance training.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed2000

A single institution's experience (1982-1999) with plasma-exchange therapy in patients with fulminant hepatic failure.

Fulminant hepatic failure is a rare, but often fatal complication of acute viral hepatitis. This condition, in absence of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx) surgery, is associated with a high mortality rate, despite the improvement of general intensive care. Plasma-exchange (PEx) therapy has been long used to treat FHF, in particular by removing toxic substances and correcting the severe coagulopathy. In this study we describe our experience with PEx treatment of FHF, beginning in 1982. Seventy patients affected with FHF due to various causes (HBV = 40; cryptogenic/non-A, non-E = 15; Amanita phalloides = 8; other = 7) were treated with PEx (altogether 348 sessions). Overall survival rate, comprising patients undergoing OLTx, was 51%, a little higher than what we observed in patients (N = 49) treated solely by PEx, i.e., 41%. The best outcome predictor was FHF aetiology, owing to the good survival rate in patients with Amanita phalloides intoxication and the very poor prognosis of patients suffering from cryptogenic/non-A, non-E FHF. Moreover, the marked increase in prothrombin time and alpha-fetoprotein levels after 48 hours from admission was associated with a good prognosis, whereas the patient's age and coma grade were not clearly predictive of survival. Additionally, lymphocyte subpopulation, resulting in a CD4/CD8 ratio lower than 1.0 along with CD8 activation with HLA-DR strong expression, were associated with a high rate of mortality and morbidity. Our data indicate that PEx therapy can improve survival in patients with sufficient residual capacity of liver regeneration. Moreover, the identification of certain prognostic factors may be useful for the rational planning of therapeutic strategy in FHF.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Anti-hepatitis C virus serology in patients affected with congenital coagulation defects: a comparative study using three second generation ELISA tests.

We determined the prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies in 34 patients affected with congenital coagulation disorders attending the Haemophilia Centre of Padua, Italy. Serological tests were carried out by three second generation enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), two based on recombinant proteins (Ortho and Abbott) and one based on synthetic peptides (Behring) as antigenic substrate. The repeatedly reactive specimens were further assayed by the supplemental 4-antigen recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) (Chiron and Ortho). Moreover, we performed the dot-blot Matrix test (Abbott) on the samples showing discrepant results by the three ELISA tests. Twenty-six patients (76.5%) were anti-HCV positive using all three ELISA tests; 25 were confirmed by the supplemental RIBA test, the other one was indeterminate. Two samples were in a gray-zone only using the anti-HCV ELISA Abbott. These were positive by the RIBA; in contrast, such samples showed no reactivity with the Matrix test. In accordance with the current literature, these data show an equivalence between the 2nd generation screening tests (ELISA), at least when applied to a high risk population as in the present study. Further, these screening tests demonstrated a reliable specificity, since most of the ELISA-reactive specimens were confirmed by the supplemental RIBA test. In contrast, combined use of the anti-HCV tests could be useful when high sensitivity is requested, as in the case of blood donor pretransfusion screening.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Rasori, Borda and the theory of stimolo and contrastimolo].

Brown's thought represented one of the most successful medical systems which arose in the XVIIIth century, as a consequence of vitalism and as a reaction to the inadequacy of Hippocratic-Galenic medicine. Giovanni Rasori was a strong supporter of Brown's theories in Italy and creator of the scientific movement which was, then, called Rasorism. A fundamental point of Rasori's therapeutic thought was represented by the dynamic action of drugs, so that a pharmacological experimentation became necessary, for medical practice. Siro Borda, who was a follower and personal friend of Rasori, made experiments on 150 substances to identify their dynamic action and, finally, he classified them in three groups: stimolanti, controstimolanti, eterocliti. This last class comprehended all the pharmacological substances of uncertain or not yet determined nature.

History, 18th Century↗
PubMed1994

[Not Available].

In 1808 Giovanni Rasori (1766-1837) credited Giovan Battista Da Monte (Montanus, 1489-1551) with the introduction, around 1543 at the San Francesco Hospital of Padua, of clinical teaching at the bedside as an integral part of medical education. Actually, the Hospital and the University were two completely independent institutions, and Rasori's assertion is founded on the erroneous interpretation of some clinical consultations published by Da Monte's pupils.

Clinical Medicine↗
PubMed1993

"Anatomes peritissimus": Johann Georg Wirsung's unknown experiments on the circulation of the blood.

Andrea Argoli (1570-1657), professor of mathematics at the University of Padua from 1632 to 1657, published at Padua in 1644 in the work Pandosion sphaericum an accurate and succinct exposition of the theory of the circulation of the blood. Argoli's exposition actually is a summary of Jan de Wale's (Walaeus, 1604-1649) first Epistola de motu sanguinis, republished at Padua, just a year prior to the Pandosion, as an appendix to the fourth edition of De motu cordis of William Harvey. Argoli cites a hitherto unknown very expert anatomist at Padua, John George Verden, who carried out experiments at Padua designed to measure the volume of arterial blood emitted from each contraction of the left ventricle in small and large dogs. It is now possible to identify Verden with Johann Georg Wirsung (1589-1643), from Augsburg, the discoverer of the main pancreatic duct by ligation of the chyliferous ducts.

Blood Circulation↗
PubMed1992

[Not Available].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

History, 18th Century↗
PubMed1988

Hyper-IGD syndrome: a new case treated with colchicine.

We report a new case of hyper-IgD syndrome, a recently described disease characterized by recurrent episodes of fever with headache, bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy and, more rarely, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Polyclonal increase of serum IgD is the most important laboratory finding. Etiopathogenesis and differences with familial Mediterranean fever are discussed. Moreover, good results obtained with colchicine treatment are also reported.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1988

Acute-phase proteins in Alzheimer's disease.

The main 'acute-phase proteins' were determined in serum of 20 patients with presenile Alzheimer's disease (AD) and compared with values in 18 age-matched healthy control subjects. Following parameters were evaluated: alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha AT), haptoglobin (HPT), transferrin (TRF), acidic alpha 1-glycoprotein (A alpha G), ceruloplasmin (CER), alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha MG), C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin (ALB), together with the immunoglobulins IgG, IgM and IgA, and some of the most significant factors of the classic (C3, C4) and alternative (properdin factor B) pathways of complement activation. The results showed a statistically significant increase in the levels of alpha AT (p less than 0.001), CER (p less than 0.001) and of all the complement factors studied (p less than 0.005). The levels of other acute-phase protein (HPT, TRF, A alpha G, alpha MG, CRP, ALB) and immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA) were similar in AD patients and normal controls. These results give rise the possibility that these elements indicate an altered immunoregulation compatible with chronic cell damage and/or chronic inflammation conditions. Moreover, the increased level of alpha AT can be related to the low production of interleukin-1 (IL-1) reported in AD, which supports the hypothesis of a relative derangement of the macrophage function in presenile AD patients.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗
PubMed1987

Genetic study of red cell esterase D polymorphism by ultrathin layer isoelectric focusing. Distribution in the Veneto population (Italy).

Human red cell Esterase D (EsD) was analyzed by isoelectric focusing (IEF) on ultrathin-layer polyacrylamide gel with a pH range of 5.0-6.0. Hemolysates were treated with Dithiothreitol to avoid loss of activity and change of the isozyme patterns by in vitro storage effects. In our sample of 951 unrelated persons from Veneto, seven different phenotypes were observed. The following allele frequencies were calculated: EsD1 = 0.8476, EsD2 = 0.1336, EsD5 = 0.0178, and EsDV = 0.0010.

Carboxylesterase↗
PubMed1985

Effect of lymphocytapheresis plus cyclophosphamide on the course of a chronic progressive form of multiple sclerosis.

We report a case of a 16 year old boy with a chronic progressive form of Multiple Sclerosis treated with lymphocytapheresis and a low dose regimen of cyclophosphamide. A progressive improvement in the disability index and slowing of the clinical course were obtained. No side effects were observed. Depletion of lymphocytes and their pharmacological suppression point to their possible role in the induction of an immunoregulation of the disease process.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Effect of heparin and aspirin on platelet and clotting activation during leukapheresis.

Beta-thromboglobulin (beta TG), serotonin (5HT) and fibrinopeptide A (FPA) were assessed in twenty-two normal donors before, during, and at the end of leukapheresis. Seven procedures were carried out adding heparin to the circuit, and seven adding acetyl salicylic acid (ASA). The remaining eight procedures were carried out using only citrate and served as controls. Plasma beta TG increased both during and after the apheresis, together with a significant decrease of the intra-platelet content. Platelet 5HT did not show significant changes whereas FPA increased significantly. Using heparin, we obtained a complete prevention of FPA cleavage during the entire procedure, while beta TG increased at the middle of the procedure. No significant effects were observed using ASA both on beta TG and FPA levels. These features clearly indicate the activation of platelets and the thrombin generation in the apheresis circuit. Nevertheless, the activation of the clotting system seems to be predominant, as supported by the improved effect of heparin on beta TG and FPA amounts.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Lactoferrin serum levels in burned patients.

Twenty burned patients were studied (with mean body surface area burned 46.5%, mean age 25.4 years, and mean survival probability 78%), and lactoferrin, white-cells count and blood cultures were determined. Lactoferrin was detected more frequently (P less than 0.01) in the samples of patients with positive blood cultures. The role of lactoferrin in host defense mechanism and its possible function in sepsis is considered.

Adolescent↗