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Biomedical subjects

L Bazzichi

Publications and source records attributed to L Bazzichi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Peripheral benzodiazepine receptors on platelets of fibromyalgic patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to analyze if alterations of peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) characteristics occurred in platelet membranes of patients affected by primary fibromyalgia (FM). DESIGN AND METHODS: Platelets were obtained from 30 patients with FM. Evaluation of kinetic parameters of PBR was performed using [(3)H] PK11195 as specific radioligand compared with 16 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: The results showed a significant increase of PBR binding sites value in platelet membranes from FM patients (B(max) was 5366+/-188 fmol/mg vs. controls, 4193+/-341 fmol/mg, mean+/-SEM) (**p<0.01) but not for affinity value (K(d) was 4.90+/-0.39 nM vs. controls, 4.74+/-0.39 nM, mean+/-SEM) (p>0.05). Symptom severity scores (pain and tiredness) were positively correlated with B(max). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed an up-regulation of PBR in platelets of FM patients, and this seems to be related to the severity of fibromyalgic symptoms.

Blood Platelets↗
PubMed2006

Systemic sclerosis fibroblasts inhibit in vitro angiogenesis by MMP-12-dependent cleavage of the endothelial cell urokinase receptor.

Failure of endothelial cells to develop new vessels in response to hypoxia is a distinctive feature of systemic sclerosis (SSc) in the avascular phase. We have previously shown that SSc endothelial cells over-express matrix metalloproteinase-12 (MMP-12), which blocks angiogenesis by cleavage of the endothelial urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR). In the present study, we have investigated whether over-expression of MMP-12 and of angiostatic factors, or hypo-expression of angiogenic factors by SSc fibroblasts, contributes to impaired angiogenesis in SSc. Dermal fibroblasts were isolated from healthy subjects (N-Fb) and patients with diffuse SSc (SSc-Fb). Angiogenesis of target normal human microvascular endothelial cells (H-MVECs) was assayed by Matrigel invasion, cell proliferation, and capillary morphogenesis. uPAR cleavage and MMP-12 activity were evaluated by western blotting. We show that the over-expression of MMP-12 by SSc-Fb determines uPAR cleavage in H-MVECs. Conditioned medium from SSc-Fb impaired H-MVEC proliferation, invasion, and capillary morphogenesis. Anti-MMP-12 antibodies restored such impairment. Altered expression of angiostatic/angiogenic factors, including transforming growth factor beta1, did not account for SSc-Fb-dependent impairment of angiogenesis. The over-expression of MMP-12 by both SSc-Fb and SSc endothelial cells indicates that MMP-12 over-production may have a critical pathogenic role in SSc-associated vascular alterations.

Blotting, Western↗
PubMed2003

Clinical improvement in systemic sclerosis resulting from urokinase therapy explained by light and electron microscopy skin examination.

OBJECTIVE: In our previous work, patients affected by SSc were treated with intravenous urokinase and showed clinical improvement. In this study we used microscopy to document ultrastructural alterations occurring in sclerodermic skin from SSc patients treated with urokinase. METHODS: Ten patients with SSc were selected for this study. Skin biopsies were taken from the medial side of the right forearm on the third proximal on the volar surface. The patients were then treated with urokinase for 7 consecutive days. At the end of the treatment, the patients were examined and a new skin biopsy was taken close to the above-mentioned zone of the forearm for optic and electron microscopy examination. RESULTS: The patients showed a gradual improvement of the skin after urokinase treatment. Raynaud's appeared to be less intense, and they had an increased articular range, with the restoration of movements that had previously been limited. Histological findings showed that, after treatment, skin alterations appeared attenuated, in particular the connective tissue showed a decreased density and inflammatory infiltrate was slight. Electron microscopy findings showed that collagen fibres appeared to have a more regular diameter, and the capillary vessels' lining was thicker, with fewer pinocytotic vesicles. CONCLUSION: These observations show that urokinase treatment seems to be an interesting therapeutic strategy to consider for the treatment of SSc.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

A comparison of ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of temporomandibular joint involvement in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To define the diagnostic value of ultrasonographic (US) examination in comparison with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the assessment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: MRI and US examinations were performed in 33 patients (22 with RA and 11 with PsA). Alterations of the disc, alterations of the condyle and joint effusion were evaluated. RESULTS: Pathological changes of the TMJ were observed by MRI in 24 patients and by US in 31 patients. The sensitivity and specificity of US were calculated in comparison with MRI. The sensitivity was 72.2% and the specificity was 60% in the assessment of pathological changes of the TMJ. The sensitivity was 69.6% with specificity of 30.0% in the assessment of alterations of the disc; the sensitivity was 70.6% with specificity of 75.0% in the assessment of joint effusion. Significant concordance was not observed in the assessment of condylar alterations. CONCLUSIONS: US imaging appears able to detect different pathological changes of the TMJ and may be considered an important diagnostic tool for clinical evaluation of the TMJ in RA and PsA.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Cryoglobulinemic peripheral neuropathy: neurophysiologic evaluation in twenty-two patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and degree of peripheral neuropathy in 22 consecutive patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia, whether symptom-free or with subjective neurological symptoms. Electrophysiological investigations were carried out and a biopsy of the sural nerve was performed in six patients. Peripheral neuropathy of the lower limbs was demonstrated, which was mostly sensory and light or moderate in 86% of cases (19 patients). F-Wave and H-reflex recordings were found to be the most reliable methods; in 77% of cases, they were abnormal (17 patients). Using somatosensory evoked potentials, we were able to exclude simultaneous central nervous system involvement in 10 patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

A placebo-controlled study on urokinase therapy in systemic sclerosis.

A 4-month randomized placebo controlled trial on urokinase therapy in 36 consecutive systemic sclerosis patients randomly treated with urokinase or placebo was conducted. While patients on placebo did not show any significant improvement, in those following urokinase therapy there was a noticeable improvement in skin sclerosis observed via hand-print and ultrasonography of the skin. Vascular involvement improved: this was demonstrated by capillaroscopy results, showing an improvement in pattern and signs of revascularization and the resolution of skin ulcers. Vascular damage is a typical occurrence in systemic sclerosis cases and various vasoactive drugs are used symptoms for some such as Raynaud's syndrome or skin ulcers. At the moment these drugs seem to constitute the most effective therapy, and have few side effects. We have found only one previous study utilizing urokinase therapy for acute digital ischemia in systemic sclerosis. Our study is the first in which urokinase therapy has been used for the treatment of systemic sclerosis in a large number of patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

D-penicillamine and gold salt treatments were complicated by myasthenia and pemphigus, respectively, in the same patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

A 53-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis developed myasthenia gravis after 6 months of therapy with D-penicillamine. Nineteen months after D-penicillamine was discontinued and 12 months after the beginning of gold therapy, she developed pemphigus vulgaris. This is the first reported case of gold-induced pemphigus in rheumatoid arthritis. This study further underlines the complex interactions between the effects of treatment with sulfhydryl-disulfide exchange drugs and the altered immunological system of patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis.

Antirheumatic Agents↗
PubMed1994

Polymyositis-like syndrome in hypothyroidism: report of two cases.

An increase of muscle enzymes in hypothyroidism has sometimes been correlated with a polymyositis-like syndrome and hypothyroid patients have been misdiagnosed and mismanaged as suffering from polymyositis. Actually, muscle symptoms, such as aches and pain, stiffness, weakness and cramps or, more rarely, hypertrophy, are observed in hypothyroidism and increased serum muscle enzyme values, particularly the level of creatine phosphokinase (CPK), indeed seem to suggest polymyositis. The muscular groups most commonly affected by the above mentioned symptomatology are those of the shoulder and pelvic girdles. In this report two hypothyroid patients complaining of muscle symptoms, whose serum muscle enzymes were particularly elevated, are described. In the first case the patient had been suffering from pain and weakness of the thenar eminence for about 4 months. The clinical features suggested a diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but thyroid function tests revealed primary hypothyroidism. In the second case the patient had been afflicted with muscular weakness of the shoulder girdle for 2 months and was unable to keep his arms raised over his head. A study of thyroid function demonstrated a picture of hypothyroidism. Both patients were treated with L-thyroxine and in a relatively short time biochemical parameters improved remarkably, and the symptoms disappeared. The hypothesis that a muscular effort of long duration by hypothyroid patients may have been responsible for the muscular damage and the symptoms may explain why only a few hypothyroid patients develop a clinical picture similar to polymyositis.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Activation of murine autoreactive b cells by interleukin 1-like factors released from synovial inflammatory cells of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

The effect of interleukin 1 (IL-1)-like factor(s), produced by cells isolated from the synovial fluids of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, on an in vitro murine model of spontaneous autoimmunity, i.e., the development of plaque-forming cells (PFC) to bromelain-treated mouse red blood cells (Br-MRBC) in mouse peritoneal cell (PC) cultures, has been investigated. It has been found that IL-1-containing culture supernatants from cells isolated from joint fluids of RA patients, as well as recombinant IL-1, determine a marked increase in anti-Br-MRBC PFC development. Moreover, factor(s) of 10-20 KD molecular weight, with IL-1-like biological activity, capable of increasing the anti-Br-MRBC PFC development in mouse PC cultures, have been demonstrated in joint fluids from RA patients. The finding that synovial inflammatory cells produce factors that activate autoreactive B cells further supports the role of autoimmunity in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, as self-perpetuing disorder.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Superoxide dismutase-like activity of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives.

This paper reports the synthesis of some sulfurated 1,2,3-triazole derivatives and the biological evaluation, for the superoxide dismutase-like activity, of these new compounds together with several 1,2,3-triazoles previously described by us. All the compounds possess a SOD-like activity and some of them showed an activity equivalent to or higher than those of penicillamine or thiopronin, which are well known therapeutic drugs in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗
PubMed1990

Effectiveness and safety of etodolac in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a multicentre two-months' open study.

One hundred and seventeen outpatients (87 females and 30 males; mean age 53.5 +/- 13.2 years) encompassing the 1987 American Rheumatism Association criteria for rheumatoid arthritis were admitted into a multicentre open study. All patients were evaluated at baseline and after two months of therapy with etodolac (400 or 600 mg/die per os). Clinical evaluation was performed by using the following indicators: viso-analogic scale of global pain; index of pain on active movements; index for sleep disturbances, and duration of morning stiffness. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was chosen for the laboratory evaluation of the activity of the disease. One hundred patients received 400 mg/die, while only 17 patients received 600 mg/die; 115 patients undertook the evaluation after treatment, whereas two patients were considered "lost to follow-up". One hundred and five patients completed the study while ten patients withdrew (seven because of inefficacy and three because of intolerance of the gastrointestinal tract). Only nine patients presented side-effects, among these: five were judged etodolac-related, whereas four were not. A complete resolution of all these side-effects was achieved in all cases. Significant improvements were registered for all the four clinical variables. At the end of the study 56.5% of patients expressed a preference for etodolac, 16.5% for one of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs previously taken and 27% did not answer or were not able to express any definite preference. Strict concordance was found between the degree of clinical improvement achieved and the preferences expressed. The laboratory parameters did not reveal any variation at the end of the study in comparison with baseline values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Etodolac versus diclofenac: double-blind cross-over study in rheumatoid arthritis.

A 14-day double-blind clinical study was conducted on 16 patients with clinically active rheumatoid arthritis to compare the effects of etodolac (600 mg daily) and diclofenac (150 mg daily). Admission criteria were: functional impairment between Steinbrocker's classes I to III, Ritchie's index greater than 10 and erythrocyte sedimentation rate greater than 25 mm/h, and finally active involvement of the small joints of the hands. Following a wash-out period of at least two days from their previous non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, trial patients received etodolac or diclofenac for five consecutive days by random allocation; after that, and after another two day wash-out period, all patients were crossed-over to the alternate drug for another five consecutive days. One day before intake and on the last day of each treatment lap, each patient was examined in regard to the circadian grip strength (of the more severely affected hand), Ritchie's index and acute phase reactants; at the end of the second treatment period, subjective drug preference was explored. Grip strength was assessed by the patients themselves with a dynamometer at 08h00 and every two hours thereafter until 20h00. The overall daily value was calculated by measuring the area under curve (AUC) depicting the grip strength profile. Both groups of patients showed significant improvement of the Ritchie's index (p less than 0.01) and grip strength AUC (p less than 0.05), while taking medication, whereas no significant variations were noted in regard to the values of the acute phase parameters both between the two treatment groups, and within each treatment group. At termination, four patients expressed preference for etodolac, eight were in favour of diclofenac, and four gave an indifferent judgement. No statistically significant differences were detected between the two treatment groups; also no adverse events were seen in this short-term study. The results confirm the effectiveness and tolerability of etodolac in the acute stage of rheumatoid arthritis.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Tigason (etretinate) treatment in psoriatic arthritis.

Tigason (etretinate, RO-10-9359) is an oral aromatic retinoid acid which is effective in psoriasis and other dermatological syndromes. The present study reports the results of the use of this drug in 15 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis, aged between 42 and 74 (average 60.2) years. Two patients dropped out after one month because they showed dryness of lips, chapping and intolerable itching, and another two due to intolerable pruritus and deterioration of their skin lesions. The 11 remaining patients, five males and six females, were treated with a daily dose of 50 mg etretinate, reduced to 25 mg after two weeks. Assessments which included grip strength, Ritchie joint index, pain, and dermatological assessment were performed at monthly intervals. Routine blood tests for toxic effects and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were also performed, as well as CPR (C-protein reactive) as a test of disease activity. All patients showed an improvement in the psoriasis, joint swelling and pain. The elevated ESR observed in all patients studied also fell gradually during the course of etretinate treatment, as did as the intake of antiinflammatory agents. Elevated serum lipid levels (cholesterol and triglycerides) were found in three patients; further drug-specific side-effects such as dryness of lips and mouth, loss of hair, thinning of skin and scaling were frequently found in all patients, but they remained tolerable.

Administration, Oral↗