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Biomedical subjects

L Bianco

Publications and source records attributed to L Bianco.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Breakfast habits in moderately obese adults and its effect on daily energy and nutrient intake, on alcohol consumption and on various clinical and anthropometric parameters].

It is widely held that obesity may be due to alterations in the total caloric intake, the distribution of nutrient intake and the number of meals; widely spaced out meals of large proportions may be associated with metabolic dysfunctions. An observational study was performed in a random sample (80 males and 183 females) of moderately obese adults (IMC > 30 and < 40) attending the dietary unit of our hospital to evaluate spontaneous breakfast eating habits (understood as caloric contribution > 10% of daily caloric intake) in relation to: working activity, region of origin, possible influence on daily intake of energy and nutrients and on common clinical and anthropometric variables (arterial pressure, glycemia, cholesterolemia, triglyceridemia, IMC, WHR). Following the subdivision of patients into breakfast eaters (SC = 26 males, 52 females) and non-breakfast eaters (NC = 54 males and 131 females), no significant differences emerged between sexes with regard to region of origin, working activity, IMC, WHR, total kcal, distribution of nutrients, glycemia, cholesterolemia, triglyceridemia, arterial pressure. The only significant difference between SC and NC concerns alcohol consumption which was inversely correlated to breakfast eating in both males and females (males: r = -0.225, p < 0.05; females: r = -0.157, p < 0.05). No significant differences appear between wine consumers (SE = 29) and abstemious males (NE = 51), except for daily caloric consumption (kcal/die), triglycerides and arterial pressure, which were higher in SE (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.05 respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

[Lung interstitial disease in systemic sclerosis: semiologic characteristics with high-resolution computerized tomography and comparison with other methods].

In 28 patients with systemic sclerosis interstitial lung involvement was investigated with high-resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) in comparison with other diagnostic methods (respiratory function tests, lung scintigraphy and conventional radiography of the chest). The most frequent CT signs were: interlobular septal thickening, intralobular interstitial thickening, and ground-glass density. Their distribution was generally basal and posterior and high correlation was observed between the extent of lung disease and the cutaneous pattern of scleroderma. Pathological findings were present in 93% of cases: HRCT can must be considered more effective than the other methods in the evaluation of systemic sclerosis and should therefore be a fundamental diagnostic tool in the study and follow-up of interstitial diseases in the patients with systemic sclerosis.

Adult↗

Pharmacological activity and safety of trandolapril (RU 44570) in healthy volunteers.

The pharmacological activity and safety of the new angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor trandolapril (RU 44570) has been evaluated in ten healthy male volunteers given 2 mg once daily for seven days. Assessment criteria included evaluation of plasma ACE and renin activity and aldosterone levels in the supine and standing positions, monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate and electrocardiogram, routine blood and urine laboratory tests, and evaluation of adverse effects. Plasma ACE activity (both in the supine and standing positions) was significantly lower after the first dose and was almost completely suppressed after 7 days of treatment. Plasma renin activity with the subjects in both positions was significantly increased at the end of treatment. Plasma aldosterone did not vary significantly, except for an increase in the standing position after 7 days of wash-out. No significant changes occurred in blood pressure, heart rate, electrocardiogram, blood or urine laboratory tests. No adverse effects were reported, in particular, no orthostatic hypotension, cough or episodes of bronchospasm occurred. It is concluded that oral trandolapril 2 mg o.d. is an effective and long-lasting ACE inhibitor with a good safety profile on repeated dosing. Further studies are warranted to investigate its therapeutic application as well as its safety profile after long-term administration.

Adult↗

1,2-Dichloropropane hepatotoxicity in rats after inhalation exposure.

The hepatic effects of 1,2-dichloropropane (DCP) were investigated in male Wistar rats exposed to 15, 50, 100, 250, 450, 1000, 1300, 1800 or 4900 mg DCP m-3. At the end of a 4-h period of exposure, average blood DCP levels were 0.025 and 5.38 micrograms ml-1 in animals treated with 15 and 1300 mg m-3, respectively. Blood DCP concentrations were correlated with the air DCP concentrations in the inhalation chamber. At DCP concentrations of 100 mg m-3 or higher, the liver non-protein thiol (NPT) content was significantly reduced. Assays performed 20 h after 4-h DCP exposure showed that exposure to 100-1000 mg DCP m-3 had no effect on hepatic NPT levels. The NPT content increased only in the liver of rats exposed to higher (1300-4900 mg m-3) DCP concentrations. Treatment with DCP did not cause hepatic lipid peroxidation and did not modify total protein content. The observed changes in liver cell thiol homeostasis are likely to reflect the action of reactive intermediates formed during DCP metabolism. These changes can occur in rats following exposure to considerably low levels of DCP vapour.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Malnutrition and malabsorption after total gastrectomy. A pathophysiologic approach.

We investigated the nutritional state and pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in the malabsorption of 27 patients with total gastrectomy and esophagojejunostomy reconstruction without reservoir; they were first evaluated after a median period of 9 months after surgery and were not receiving either nutritional or pharmacologic support. Mean postoperative weight loss was -13.7 +/- 1.59%; mean daily caloric intake was 31.7 +/- 2.41 kcal/kg/day, with 70% of subjects ingesting less than 30 kcal/kg; P/kg was 1.2 +/- 0.09, with 21% of patients ingesting less than 1 g P/kg/day; mean ratio of nonprotein energy to 1 g nitrogen intake was 142 +/- 8.74:1, with only 24% of patients attaining a ratio greater than 150:1; and mean fat malabsorption was 37.4 +/- 4.6%. Hemoglobin (Hb), serum albumin, prealbumin iron, and folate were more often abnormal in the early postoperative period, whereas transferrin and vitamin B12 concentrations deteriorated later. alpha 1-Antitrypsin clearance was abnormal in almost all patients (indicating an intestinal protein loss), and the pancreolauryl test was abnormal in 60%. Neither morphological nor absorptive alterations of the small bowel nor an abnormal transit time or bacterial overgrowth was found. We conclude that inadequate caloric intake appears to be the main cause for malnutrition after total gastrectomy, but that caloric losses caused by steatorrhea and enteric protein leakage must be subtracted from intake, thus decreasing the amount of available calories.

Adult↗

Treatment of heart failure following chronic cor pulmonale with ibopamine.

A group of 36 patients with cor pulmonale chronicum were treated for 12 months with ibopamine, a dopamine-related drug, orally active, suitable for the long-term therapy of congestive heart failure. In heart failure due to chronic pulmonary disease other drugs such as digitalis are hardly effective. The results obtained indicate that ibopamine, given alone or associated to other drugs, is clinically efficient in the treatment of cor pulmonale chronicum while very few side effects definitely related to ibopamine were reported. In particular no increase in arrhythmias or significant augmentation of anginal episodes was noted.

Aged↗

Hearing loss and desferrioxamine in homozygous beta-thalassemia.

The authors present the results obtained during an audiometric screening of 153 children aged 5-18 years, affected by beta-thalassemia and treated with regular blood transfusions and iron overload chelation by means of desferrioxamine. Thirty-eight percent of the patients showed a significant sensorineural hearing loss at high frequencies with recruitment. Younger patients had a greater hearing loss, indicating that cochlear damage was not due to the disease itself. Furthermore, hearing loss appeared to be correlated with the mean and peak desferrioxamine doses administered and was higher in subjects with lower iron load. Thus, the ototoxic effect seems to have been higher when a good iron chelation had been obtained. Among our patients, conductive hearing loss was not more frequent than in patients without beta thalassemia.

Adolescent↗

Acute haemodynamic effects of ibopamine in patients with severe congestive heart failure.

Ten patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), in III and IV NYHA Class, were treated orally with a single dose of ibopamine ranging from 1.2-3.3 mg/kg, and were studied using the Swan-Ganz catheter and thermodilution technique. Cardiac index (CI) and stroke volume index (SVI) were increased, and mean pulmonary pressure (PAP), systemic vascular resistances (SVR) were lowered. Ibopamine increased CI (+33%) and SVI (+26%), and decreased PAP (-17%) and SVR (-24%). All changes were statistically significant. The maximum haemodynamic effect occurred 180 min after ibopamine administration. Blood pressure and heart rate were unaffected. Tolerability was good. This study shows that ibopamine when orally administered to human subjects improves cardiac performance and further investigations on its use as a therapeutic agent in the long term treatment of CHF are recommended.

Adult↗

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China↗

[Preliminary evaluation of the effect of ibopamine on the secretion of prolactin].

Ibopamine, diisobutyric ester of N-methyl dopamine, is an orally active dopaminergic agonist. The prolactin-lowering activity of Ibopamine was studied in 8 subjects with normal prolactine levels given the drug in a single dose of 100 mg. Prolactin levels measured by radioimmuno assay were evaluated before and within 2, 4 and 8 h of administration. Afterwards prolactin levels were evaluated after 4 and 8 days of treatment with Ibopamine administered at a dose of 50 mg three times daily. Ibopamine was shown to decrease prolactin to a statistically significant extent at the 2nd h after administration. At the 4th h prolactin returned to baseline values. After 4 and 8 treatment days prolactin levels did not differ significantly from baseline values. These results provide further evidence for the dopaminergic activity of Ibopamine and suggest a more through investigation in hyperprolactinemic subjects.

Adult↗