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Biomedical subjects

L Pernigotti

Publications and source records attributed to L Pernigotti.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Carotid plaque, aging, and risk factors. A study of 457 subjects.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of extracranial carotid artery atherosclerosis and its relation to principal cardiovascular risk factors at different ages in a sample of the general population. METHODS: B-mode ultrasonography was used to investigate the carotid district in 457 subjects (231 men and 226 women; mean age, 55.4 +/- 18.7 years; range, 18 to 97 years) in the metropolitan area. The ultrasonographic findings were then related to risk factors. RESULTS: Carotid plaques were found in 178 subjects (38.9%). The prevalence of atherosclerosis, number of plaques, and severity of stenosis were observed to increase with age. Age (P < .0001), cigarette smoking (P < .0001), male sex (P < .001), total cholesterol (P < .05), and, inversely, the ratio of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to total cholesterol (P < .05) were found to be independently associated with carotid atherosclerosis. Stratified analysis by sex and age showed effect modifications by age on cigarette smoking, total cholesterol, and the ratio of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to total cholesterol. After multivariate analysis including interaction terms, cigarette smoking and cholesterol levels were not longer found to be associated with carotid atherosclerosis in elderly subjects. Age (P < .01), total cholesterol (P < .05), and diabetes (P < .05) were positively related to the severity of vascular narrowing. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis in the general population, particularly among the very old. The association between risk factors and carotid atherosclerosis is less pronounced in the elderly than in younger subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Hemorheologic and coagulative pattern in hypercholesterolemic subjects treated with lipid-lowering drugs.

The effects on the coagulative and rheologic pattern of two lipid-lowering drugs, bezafibrate and simvastatin, were studied in 36 hypercholesterolemic subjects. Patients were randomly divided into two groups (18 subjects each) and received bezafibrate R 400 mg/day or simvatatin 10-40 mg/day over a twelve week period. Besides a decrease in plasma fibrinogen and fibrinopeptide A (p less than 0.001 both), bezafibrate induced a reduction of factor VIIc and VIIIc activity (p less than 0.001 both), while antithrombin 3 activity was increased (p less than 0.001) and the hemorheologic pattern was greatly improved (p less than 0.001). Simvastatin caused a slight decrease in factor VIIIc activity and a moderate reduction of beta-thromboglobulin. The efficacy of bezafibrate in reducing the activation of the coagulative cascade and improving the hemorheologic pattern has been confirmed; the peculiar triglycerides- and fibrinogen-lowering effect of the drug, not observed with simvastatin, could be responsible for these modifications.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Treatment of hypercholesterolemic patients of different age with simvastatin: 1-year study].

Nowadays there is no direct evidence that lowering cholesterol may reduce the CHD in the elderly; however, several evidences suggest the potential benefit of a dietetic and/or pharmacologic intervention in healthy young-old hypercholesterolemics. In this study we evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of simvastatin, alone or in combination with cholestyramine, in two groups of patients (group A: age 30-55 years and group B: age 60-75 years) with primary hypercholesterolemia, over a 48-week period. In both groups Simvastatin induced a significant reduction in total and LDL cholesterol (p less than 0.001 both), with a decrease of the total/HDL cholesterol ratio (p less than 0.001). A reduction of the apo-B100 levels was also observed (respectively p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.001) with a significant improvement of the apo-B100/apo-A1 ratio (p less than 0.01). Simvastatin was well tolerated and free of remarkable side effects in both groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Functional vascular disorders: treatment with pentoxifylline.

A group of 11 female patients (mean age 33.7 +/- 8 years) with a clearly proven primary Raynaud's syndrome of up to five years' duration were subjected to a two-month oral treatment with 3 X 400 mg pentoxifylline per day. The following parameters were studied without and with exposure to cold conditions: hemodynamics (finger photoplethysmography), red cell deformability (filtration test), various clotting variables (prothrombin activity, antithrombin III, plasma fibrinogen, partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, thrombelastogram), and clinical symptomatology. After treatment 7 of the 11 patients showed a distinct improvement of peripheral blood flow and of symptoms (decrease or removal of asphyxia attacks, pain, color change) under basal conditions, as well as after exposure to cold. Red cell filtration was significantly (p less than 0.05) improved, increasing by 35% under normal conditions and by 30% after exposure to cold. Positive changes were also found in respect to antithrombin III (increase) and plasma fibrinogen (decrease). The thrombelastogram was unchanged. Clinical and instrumental improvements were probably ascribable to better microcirculatory flow due to increased red cell deformability, reduced viscosity, and decreased fibrinogen, all capable of influencing in various degrees the blood flow at the microcirculatory level.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Hemorheological, hemocoagulation and photoplethysmographic changes induced by the administration of pentoxifylline in patients with Raynaud's disease].

1200 mg/day per os of Pentoxyphyllin administered for 60 day brought about an improvement in symptomatology and photoplethysmographic readouts under base conditions and following the cooling test in 7 out of 11 females suffering from Raynaud's disease. These results may be explained by an improved microcirculation flow resulting from increased erythrocyte filterability and a decrease in fibrinogenemia .

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Significance of hemorheological parameters within the framework of chronic brain disease].

Blood filtration and viscosity were investigated in 32 patients with severe mental deterioration classified on the basis of standard criteria. The group included 17 patients with 'vascular' and 15 with 'cellular' pathogenesis. The results of the study were compared with the data from a large series of 'normal' subjects. Reduced erythrocyte filtration was observed in 70.5% of the patients with vascular pathogenesis and in only 6.6% of those with degenerative conditions. The data on blood viscosity showed less connection between pathological conditions and hemorheological alterations. It is suggested that hemorheological alterations might contribute to the pathogenesis of certain clinical forms of chronic cerebropathy. It is therefore proposed that hemorheological tests should be included among the diagnostic procedures applied to such patients and might also be used in order to establish the appropriate treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

[Preliminary study on erythrocyte filterability and other hemorrheological parameters in arteriosclerotic vascular disease].

Red blood cell filterability, platelet aggregation and blood fibrinogen levels were evaluated in 46 vasculopathic patients with a history of peripheral insufficiency (15 subjects), cerebral insufficiency (16 subjects) and coronary insufficiency (15 subjects). In comparison with a control group of 24 normal subjects, filterability was depressed, platelet aggregation was enhanced and there was a higher plasma concentration of fibrinogen even one month after the last clinical episode of acute ischemia.

Aged↗
PubMed1981

[ADP-induced platelet aggregation in vascular diseases of the elderly].

A study of 60 over-65's, of whom 30 were suffering from coronary disease 15 had previous but now stable cerebrovascular insufficiency and 15 were suffering from circulation insufficiency in the lower extremities, showed that ADP-induced platelet aggregability was significantly increased by comparison with a group of 15 subjects of similar age rigidly selected as "normal". The aggregation rate was more enhanced than other parameters. In patients with coronary insufficiency and in those with cerebral vasculopathy, other aggregability parameters were significantly changed (minimum aggregating concentration). It is concluded that platelet aggregation, which is often increased in physiological ageing, is altered to an even greater extent in the vasculopathic elderly.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1975

Stimulation of rat liver beta-galactosidase activity by ions.

1. The p-nitrophenyl beta-D-galactosidase asctivity in rat liver homogenates of lysosome-rich fractions was shown to be markedly affected by the ionic composition of the medium. A stimulation of the reaction rate at pH 5 was produced by most of the salts tested, which contained anions such as acetate, SO4(2-) and Cl-, and cations such as Na+, K= and Mg2+. The most pronounced effect was observed with MgCl2. Only potassium glutamate was inhibitory. 2. Five peaks of beta-galactosidase activity obtained by DEAE-cellulose chromatography were equally sensitive to changes in the ionic composition of the medium. In the presence of added NaC1, the whole rate-pH curve was displaced towards higher pH values, the optimum being shifted from 2.0-2.5 to 3.5. The stimulation at pH 5.0 appeared to be mainly due to changes in Vmax., whereas the apparent Km was slightly modified. 3. Unlike the total, the free beta-galactosidase activity remained unchanged or even declined when KC1 was added to the reaction medium.

Acetates↗
PubMed1975

Effects of sympatholytic agents on amanita phalloides toxicity in the rat.

Some sympatholytic agents have been tested for the ability to counteract either the hepatotoxic or the lethal effect of A. phalloides in rats. Propranolol displayed a marked preventive action on the liver damage induced by the poison, but only a moderate influence on the lethality. Reserpine was uneffective in terms of liver derangement, but exerted some protection against the general toxic effect of A. phalloides. Other alpha- or beta-adrenolytic compounds failed to afford any significant protection with respect to both liver injury and lethality. It is suggested that propranolol might interfere with transport or binding of phallotoxins to the liver.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Influence of coffee on plasma lipids].

The influence of coffee on plasma lipids has been largely investigated during the last twenty years, but still many doubts remain about this subject. For this reason the influence of the assumption of coffee on plasma lipids, in healthy people, during six weeks has been studied. The coffee was prepared with an Italian coffee-machine (moka). No relationship was found between coffee assumption and increase of hematic cholesterol.

Adult↗