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Biomedical subjects

L Altomonte

Publications and source records attributed to L Altomonte.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
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↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of somatostatin (SRIF) on plasma glucose and insulin response to glucagon in liver cirrhosis.

The present study was performed in order to evaluate the plasma glucose pattern in cirrhotic patients who, in the course of a continuous somatostatin infusion (500 microgram/h), were given pulses of glucagon (1 mg i.v.). In normal as well as in cirrhotic subjects somatostatin infusion provoked a marked reduction of the IRI plasma level and this was uninfluenced by subsequent glucagon administration. The rise in plasma glucose level in response to i.v. glucagon administration during somatostatin infusion was less marked in cirrhotics compared to normal subjects. This can be attributed to a variety of factors such as reduced number of liver cells or quantitative or qualitative changes of the liver cell glucagon receptors. Glucagon does not seem to contribute to the pathogenesis of carbohydrate intolerance in liver cirrhosis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Growth hormone secretion in diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.

Serum insulin and C-peptide response to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and serum growth hormone (GH) response to an intravenous insulin tolerance test (IVITT) were investigated in six non-obese patients, with normal glucose tolerance, affected by diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). Basal serum insulin, C-peptide and GH values were similar in DISH patients and in controls. After OGTT, insulin and C-peptide values were not significantly different in the two groups at any time interval. In contrast, after IVITT, a significant increase in GH concentrations was noted at 30 and 45 minutes in DISH patients when compared to controls. Growth hormone either acting alone or through somatomedin intermediaries results in new bone growth in acromegaly, and the same may be true for DISH. Recent reports suggest that GH promotes tissue growth by stimulating precursor cells in various tissues including cartilage and bone. The increased GH response to IVITT corroborates the hypothesis that GH may act as a bone growth-promoting factor in DISH.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Mucocutaneous lichen planus with esophageal involvement. A clinical case].

The paper reports the case of a 58-year-old woman suffering from mucosal and cutaneous lichen planus (LP) with esophageal and oral involvement, who had complained of dysphagia for approximately the past two years. The diagnosis of esophageal LP was made using esophagoscopy with mucosal biopsy. The differential diagnosis between LP and progressive systemic sclerosis is discussed; a cold-test, plethysmography of the limbs, an anti-ENA Sci-70 antibody assay, X-rays of soft tissues and esophagomanometry were performed for this purpose, and all proved normal. The presence of conditions implicated in the etiopathogenesis of LP (psychic disorders and the administration of psychoactive drugs, anti-hypertensives and FANS) were observed, together with an already known association with arterial hypertension. Altered hepatic function (with an increase in cholestasis enzymes) was also noted which is probably attributable to the prolonged use of psychoactive drugs (hepatic biopsy showed severe steatosis).

Antihypertensive Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The association of silent thyroiditis with active systemic lupus erythematosus.

Autoimmune thyroid disorders have been shown to occur in patients with connective tissue diseases. Hypothyroidism and thyrotoxicosis have been recognized in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Moreover, a high prevalence of antithyroid antibodies has been found in patients with SLE. We studied thyroid function in a group of SLE female patients without a history or clinical diagnosis of thyroid disease and then correlated the prevalence of abnormal function test results with the laboratory indexes of active disease and with the presence of antithyroid antibodies. The SLE patients had significantly lower T4 levels than the controls. Basal TSH and TSH concentrations after TRH stimulation were significantly higher in patients with active SLE in comparison to both patients with inactive SLE and to controls. 45.5% of patients with active SLE presented antithyroid antibodies. Antithyroglobulin and antimicrosomal antibodies were not found in patients with inactive SLE nor in controls. Our results confirm the existence of a mild hypothyroidism in SLE that is clinically silent. The altered thyroid function appears to be dependent on the activity of the systemic autoimmune process.

Antibodies↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Circadian rhythm of the heart rate and autonomic nervous system stimulation tests in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus].

We studied 19 women (mean age 35 +/- 13 years) with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), in order to evaluate whether or not alterations in the circadian rhythm of heart rate (HR) occur in patients with pathologic responses to stimulation tests of the autonomic nervous system (ST-ANS). The duration of SLE was 5.3 +/- 5 years. None of the patients had clinical signs of cardiopathy or dysautonomy, nor were any of them taking drugs with known effects on the heart or ANS. Nine patients (47%, group A) had normal ST-ANS and 10 (53%, group B) had an abnormal response to at least 1 ST-ANS (5 to sympathetic ANS, 3 to parasympathetic and 2 to both ST-ANS). Age, duration of disease and therapy were not different between the 2 groups. All patients underwent 24-hour ambulatory ECG monitoring, and chronobiologic analysis of hourly HR was carried out by single and mean cosinor methods. A significant circadian rhythm was found both in the total sample (mesor 80 b/min, acrophase h 13:12; p less than 0.01), and, separately, in group A (mesor 82 b/min, acrophase h 13:11; p less than 0.01) and group B (mesor 78 b/min, acrophase h 13:12; p less than 0.01). No difference existed between the HR circadian rhythms of the 2 groups. Thus, our data show the possibility of ANS involvement in SLE patients without clinical signs of dysautonomy; the analysis of the HR circadian rhythm does not appear to be a sensitive method to identify early involvement of the ANS in these patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Serum lipid pattern and apolipoproteins (A1 and B100) in active rheumatoid arthritis.

Cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerotic manifestations have been reported to be the most common causes of death in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the present investigation the levels of serum lipids, apolipoproteins (A1 and B100), total proteins, and albumin were studied in 35 female patients affected by active RA. Apolipoproteins A1 and B100 were significantly lower in RA patients than in controls. No significant difference was observed in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, or triglycerides. In contrast, HDL cholesterol and serum albumin were significantly lower in RA patients compared to controls. The finding of reduced apolipoproteins and HDL-cholesterol levels may represent an important factor in the etiology of cardiovascular and atherosclerotic disease in RA. Reduced levels of albumin in active RA may indicate a reduced rate of proteins like lipoproteins in the liver.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sensorineural hearing loss in rheumatoid arthritis.

Hearing function was tested in 20 patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Audiological examination was performed by pure tone audiometry thresholds, tympanometry, a stapedial reflex threshold test and auditory brainstem responses (ABR). Hearing impairment was observed in 55% of patients. Conductive hearing loss and the absence of stapedius reflex were never recorded. Five patients with abnormal audiograms had normal ABR and normal stapedial reflex thresholds while 6 patients showed abnormalities in their audiograms, stapedial reflex thresholds test and ABR. Abnormal audiometric results associated with normal ABR are compatible with cochlea involvement, while abnormal audiometric results associated with an altered ABR and stapedial reflex test may be due to retrocochlear involvement. Sensorineural hearing loss appeared to significantly correlate with active disease and with the presence of rheumatoid factor.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Changes in esophageal motility in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: an esophago-manometric study].

Impairment of esophageal motor function is well recognized in connective tissue disease. We have investigated esophageal function, by manometric studies, presence of symptoms of esophageal involvement and antibodies pattern, in 18 female patients affected by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Esophageal manometry showed motor abnormalities in 72.3% of the patients, especially hypokinetic abnormalities (hypotony of lower esophageal sphincter pressure, low amplitude or alterations of peristaltic waves) or, rarely, an increase of amplitude of peristaltic contractions. No significant correlation were found between antinuclear antibodies, esophageal symptoms and manometric findings. Hypoperistalsis or aperistalsis, may be due to an inflammatory reaction in the esophageal muscles or to an ischemic vasculitic damage of Auerbach plexus. High amplitude of peristaltic esophageal waves may be due to an early stage of reflux esophagitis: we have found gastro-esophageal reflux symptoms in more than half of our patients.

Adult↗