PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L Altomonte

Publications and source records attributed to L Altomonte.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Serum levels of interleukin-1b, tumour necrosis factor-a and interleukin-2 in rheumatoid arthritis. Correlation with disease activity.

Cytokines are potent immunoregulatory factors and may be directly involved in the disordered immunoregulation found in chronic rheumatic diseases. Interleukin-1b (IL-1b), Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and Tumour Necrosis Factor-a (TNF-a) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as mediators of chronic inflammation. Serum levels of IL-1b and TNF-a measured by radioimmunoassay were significantly higher in patients with RA than in healthy controls of similar sex and age while serum levels of IL-2 were significantly lower in the same patients. Further IL-1b and TNF-a were significantly elevated in RA patients with active disease and IL-2 was significantly reduced when compared with patients with low active disease. Serum IL-1b and TNF-a appear to correlate with systemic inflammation, and systemic features of RA may result from dissemination of cytokines produced in the synovium. The role of IL-2 in RA remains controversial. Reduced levels of IL-2 may be an expression of a deficiency of T-cells to produce IL-2 in the active phases of RA or may be due to a possible absorption of IL-2 by lymphocyte receptors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Lack of correlation between anticardiolipin antibodies and peripheral autonomic nerve involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus.

The presence of anticardiolipin antibodies has recently been related to a clinical complex in which both central and peripheral neurologic damage is included. A series of 27 female patients affected by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was tested for the presence of peripheral autonomic neuropathy and serum anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) levels were determined in each patient by ELISA. Peripheral autonomic impairment was detected in 40.7% of SLE patients and a large number (77.7%) of patients had elevated levels of ACA. No relationship was found between presence of ACA (both for IgG and IgM classes) and the autonomic neuropathy.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Effect of fish oil on neutrophil chemiluminescence induced by different stimuli in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Lipid composition plays an important part in the structural and metabolic functions of cell membranes. In particular the production of inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes is dependent on polyunsaturated fatty acid precursors. Neutrophil leucocytes participate in inflammatory processes by their phagocytic and killing activities which can be monitored by measuring the photon emission (chemiluminescence). Chemiluminescence was measured in a luminol dependent system after stimulation by either particulate (zymosan) or soluble (phorbol myristate acetate) stimulus in a group of 10 patients with rheumatoid arthritis before and 21 and 45 days after treatment with a diet supplemented with eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids. Ten patients with rheumatoid arthritis continuing their usual diet were used as control subjects. A progressive reduction of chemiluminescence stimulated by zymosan and phorbol myristate acetate was found in the patients treated with fish oil supplementation. This result correlated well with the reduction in erythrocyte sedimentation rate and an improvement of clinical parameters. The effects of fish oil derived lipids on neutrophil chemiluminescence are probably due to a change of the lipid composition of the cell membrane which is dependent on the esterification of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in cellular membrane phospholipids. The modification of membrane lipid composition seems to interact in a non-specific way with the metabolic activation of neutrophils during phagocytosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

[Budd-Chiari syndrome in the course of polycythemia rubra vera. Presentation of a clinical case].

An unusual case of Budd-Chiari syndrome during erythraemia is presented. Acute thrombosis of the suprahepatic veins became chronic with progressive improvement, shown clinically and radiologically in the form of partial recanalisation of thromboses of these veins and the porta. The pathogenetic relationship between polycythaemia and the Budd-Chiari syndrome is also discussed.

Budd-Chiari Syndrome↗
PubMed1979

Glucose, insulin and somatostatin infusion for the determination of insulin resistance in liver cirrhosis.

Twelve patients with liver cirrhosis and ten normal subjects were studied. Using a constant intravneous infusion of glucose, insulin and somatostatin over 2 1/2 hours we determined the stteady state plasma glucose level (SSPG) in order to measure insulin resistance. The results demonstrated that the cirrhotic patients were insulin resistant compared to normals and that plasma glucagon does not account for the insulin resistance in these patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Early insulin and glucagon response to subsequent pulses of arginine, glucose, and tolbutamide in normal man.

To determine the dynamics of insulin and of glucagon secretion in response to several sequential stimuli administered shortly after an arginine pulse (5 g), 20 nonobese, apparently healthy volunteers were given arginine (5 g), glucose (5 g), and tolbutamide (1 g) by rapid intravenous injection. The early insulin and glucagon area 0-8 min was studied. At the intervals and with the dosages used in this study, different stimuli with and without prestimulation with arginine did not lead to changes in early secretion of insulin. There was no exhaustion of the pool of insulin released after multiple sequential pulses. These results suggest a pattern in which stimulation induces a rapid release of insulin and activates the interchange between the stored and labile insulin pool; the 8-min interval is sufficient for the rapid return of the two compartments to a state of equilibrium. Also for glucagon, subsequent different stimuli did not exhaust glucagon release; nevertheless, glucagon is immediately suppressed by a submaximal glucose pulse.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

GH secretion in open-angle glaucoma.

Open-angle glaucoma is frequently observed in patients with acromegaly suggesting that the somatotropic hormone might facilitate a condition of glaucoma. The open-angle glaucoma patients studied, displayed higher plasma human growth hormone (HGH) levels than control subjects 60 min (30.3 +/- 1.7 against 16.8 +/- 2.7 ng/ml; p less than 0.001) and 90 min (19.0 +/- 1.9 against 9.3 +/- 1.2 ng/ml; p less than 0.001) after intravenous administration of arginine (25 g in 30 min). The authors support the hypothesis that the increased plasma HGH level may interfere with the regulation of ocular pressure by modifying the flow of aqueous humor from the eyeball via changes in the sclero-corneal trabecular meshwork; these changes are also found in diabetic subjects. The interplay between HGH and changes of carbohydrate metabolism (frequently occurring in glaucomatous patients) may be at the root of the variations of intraocular pressure in open-angle glaucoma.

Arginine↗
PubMed1979

Gastrin response to insulin in patients with cirrhosis of the liver.

Fasting gastrinemia in cirrhotics (48.35 +/- 2.77 pg/ml) was higher than in normal controls (32.93 +/- 0.75 pg/ml; P less than 0.001). After insulin-induced hypoglycemia, the mean increase of gastrin above basal level was 42.29 +/- 1.92 pg/ml in controls and 10.85 +/- 5.05 pg/ml in cirrhosis (P less than 0.001). BAO was 2.53 +/- 0.36 mEq/h in controls and 0.42 +/- 0.004 mEq/h in cirrhotics (P less than 0.001). After i.v. insulin, TAO was 8.42 +/- 0.72 mEq/h in controls and 3.06 +/- 0.26 mEq/h in cirrhotics (P less than 0.001). The authors suggest that the lack of an adequate gastrin and acid response to the hypoglycemic stimulus in cirrhotics might be accounted for by a decreased insulin sensitivity.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Serum gastrin in portal and peripheral veins after arginine in man.

Immunoreactive serum gastrin from portal and peripheral veins was determined in five controls and in five cirrhotic patients with indwelling portal catheters in basal conditions, during and after 30 min arginine infusion, in order to assess whether the human liver is involved in gastrin metabolism. A significant difference was found between portal and peripheral gastrin concentrations in controls at 0, 60 and 90 min; no significant differences were found in cirrhotics. Our findings support the hypothesis of an at least partial breakdown of endogenous gastrin in the human liver.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Urinary kallikrein excretion and plasma DBH activity in hypertension.

Many factors are to be considered in maintaining normal blood pressure. Authors study the behavior of urinary kallikrein (U.K.) and plasma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activity in various forms of hypertension. The values of U.K. excretion in normals were 20.5 +/- 1.8 E.U./24 h. In essential hypertensive patients (9.4 +/- 2.0 E.U./24 h) U.K. decreased, while in secondary hypertension it was significantly higher (33.8 +/- 3.0 E.U./24 h). Plasma DBH activity in essential hypertensive patients (17.72 +/- 2.33 I.U./ml) was similar to controls (20.22 +/- 1.39 I.U./ml); in secondary hypertension the mean values of plasma DBH were decreased (12.31 +/- 2.55 I.U./ml). No correlation between U.K. and plasma DBH activity was observed in normals and in various forms of hypertensive patients. U.K. seems a more reliable factor than plasma DBH in defining the different types of hypertension.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

[Changes in plasma insulin and growth hormone after intravenous glucagon in hepatic cirrhosis].

Decreased increases in blood sugar by comparison with control subjects was noted in patients with cirrhosis of the liver after i.v. administration of 1 mg glucagon. Insulin secretion was similar to that observed in the controls. Basal GH values were higher in the liver patients, whereas after glucagon they displayed a gradual and progressive increase with a peak at 60'. No significant differences in GH pattern were noted in the two groups, however.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

[GH secretion after L-dopa administration in hepatic cirrhosis].

A 500 mg L-Dopa administration in normal and cirrhotic subjects does not determinate a significant varation of plasma glucose and insulin level, while a peak plasma GH level in both cirrhotic and normal subjects occurred at 90' with a significantly greates values in cirrhotics. It is doubtful to affirm that a high plasma GH level is the only one factor which responsable of glucose intolerance in cirrhotic subjects, when there are many others factors contribute to it in synergic way. In order to elucidate the hypothesis on possible pathogenetic mechanism it is discussed some of our own experience and observations.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

[Secretion of GH and diabetic retinopathy].

Recently it has been studied a possible pathogenetic role of GH in diabetic angiopathy. The purpose of the present study was to verify whether the diabetic retinopathy is associated or not with a high plasma GH level. In an attempt to answer this question we did the dosage of plasma GH after a oral glucose load (110 g), Insulin (0,1 U/Kg) i.v., and arginin i.v. (25 g/30'). The plasma GH measurements were approximately the same as in normal patients. The Authors underline the importance of GH in pathophysiology of diabetic angiopathy and report all recent literature on this argument.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

[Plasma insulin and GH during oral glucose load in liver cirrhosis].

Blood sugar, insulin and GH values were examined in two groups of cirrhosis of the liver patients, with and without ascites, after the administration of 100 g glucose per os. No significant differences between the two groups were observed. Insulin values were higher than those in the controls, with a pattern similar to that noted in subjects with chemical diabetes. GH values were higher than in normal subjects and secretion was not suppressed.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

[Urinary kallikrein excretion in hepatic cirrhosis].

Measurements of urinary kallikrein using an esterolytic assay revealed higher levels in patients with liver cirrhosis than in a control population. The range of excretion in 33 patients with cirrhosis was from 18.68 to 85.20 E.U. per 24 hours with a mean excretion of 39.42 plus or minus 2.84 E.U. Kallikrein excretion in the control group ranged from 13.20 to 39.50 E.U. per 24 hours with a mean of 24.44 plus or minus 1.66 E.U.

Adult↗