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L Vigna

Publications and source records attributed to L Vigna.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

[Disseminated tuberculosis with cutaneous manifestations in AIDS patients. Presentation of 4 cases].

BACKGROUND: Acute cutaneous miliary tuberculosis is a rare form of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection which has been described in only 25 published cases in the last 15 years. The appearance of serious disseminated forms of tuberculosis is enhanced by the severe immunodeficiency which characterizes AIDS. METHODS: Four cases are described of disseminated tuberculosis with cutaneous localization clinically described as the acute miliary form. Patients had AIDS and CD4 lymphocyte levels of < 100 cells/mm3. Diagnosis was established in all cases by scraping of cutaneous lesions and direct examination with Ziehl-Neelsen coloration. RESULTS: The 4 patients presented signs and symptoms of disseminated tuberculosis with cutaneous manifestations, without a definite pattern and with localization predominantly on the thorax. Three had BAAR-positive sputum. Multiresistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were confirmed by antibiogram. One patient infected by a strain sensitive to first-line drugs responded favorably to conventional treatment for disseminated tuberculosis. In the remaining three with multiresistant strains, the evolution of the disease was rapid and unfavorable. CONCLUSIONS: Abrupt appearance of cutaneous lesions in a patient with disseminated tuberculosis and advanced HIV-disease should raise the suspicion of its etiology. Scraping and direct examination using Ziehl-Neelsen coloration is practical, economical and non-invasive diagnostic method.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1995

The impact of long-term hemodialysis on pituitary-adrenocortical function.

The activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in hemodialyzed (HD) patients has been investigated, with conflicting results. Different results are reported concerning both basal ACTH and cortisol concentration and the responses to different stimulating agents, in chronic hemodialyzed patients. The present study was performed in order to asses whether the length of the hemodialytic treatment may affect the pituitary and adrenocortical response to stimulation with ovine CRH (oCRH) and with exogenous ACTH in a group of patients on chronic HD for more than 10 years. Ten uremic patients (aged 38-71, 6 males and 4 females) on chronic hemodialysis for at least 10 years and 7 healthy subjects matched for age and sex were studied. The patients were tested on the day preceding dialysis session. Each subject received on different non-consecutive days oCRH (100 micrograms i.v. in bolus) and ACTH (Synacthen 0.25 mg i.v. in bolus), and blood samples were obtained at appropriate intervals. Basal ACTH and cortisol levels of HD patients were in the upper limit of normal range (ACTH 39.21 +/- 11.11 pg/mL in HD patients vs. 26.88 +/- 14.12 pg/mL in controls; cortisol 19.96 +/- 5.07 in HD patients vs. 12.66 +/- 4.44 in controls); however, the means were not significantly different compared with controls. Following oCRH administration a net increase of ACTH and cortisol was observed in every patient tested (ACTH peak 83.81 +/- 28.49 in HD vs. 78.73 +/- 22.87 pg/mL in controls; cortisol peak 30.73 +/- 19.31 in HD vs. 20.05 +/- 3.19 micrograms/dL in controls).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1993

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) treatment potentiates growth hormone (GH) response to growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) stimulation in hemodialysis patients.

On the basis of previously described effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) treatment on endocrine abnormalities present in uremia, we assessed the possible effect of treatment with rhEPO on growth hormone (GH) response to growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) in a group of uremic patients. Eight patients on maintenance hemodialysis for 12 to 228 months, not previously treated with rhEPO, were tested with 100 micrograms of GHRH i.v. in bolus before and after three months of rhEPO treatment (40 U/kg i.v. three times a week). Before treatment, the GH response to GHRH was characterized, in uremic patients, by remarkable differences in plasma GH values and in the pattern of response curve in single patients. The variability of GH response was not modified after rhEPO treatment; however, an overall potentiation of GH response with a significant increase of plasma GH (p = 0.017 at 15 min, p = 0.035 at 30 min after GHRH injection) was observed in the tests performed after treatment. rhEPO administration induced an evident improvement of anemia, blood hemoglobin concentration being 5.3-7.6 g/dl before and 9.1-11.3 g/dl after treatment; however a demonstrable correlation between the potentiation of GH response to GHRH and the increase of hemoglobin concentration was not observed.

Anemia↗
PubMed1991

Increased growth hormone response to growth hormone releasing hormone induced by erythropoietin in uraemic patients.

This study was designed to assess the response of growth hormone (GH) to growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) and the possible interaction of acutely administered recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) on GH response to GHRH in a group of uraemic patients. Eight patients on maintenance haemodialysis, not previously treated with rhEPO, and six healthy controls were tested with GHRH (100 micrograms i.v. in bolus), and with GHRH (100 micrograms i.v. in bolus) plus rhEPO (40 U/kg in constant infusion for 30 min) on different days. GHRH injection provoked a GH release in five out of eight uraemic patients; the overall mean response did not differ significantly from the GH response obtained in controls (P = 0.30). Erythropoietin infusion significantly increased GH release after GHRH (P less than 0.01 at 15, 30, 45, 60 min after GHRH injection) in uraemic patients; in controls, on the contrary, stimulation with GHRH plus rhEPO did not induce a greater increase of GH release compared with that observed after GHRH alone (mean GH peak 37.66 +/- 7.68 mU/l after GHRH; and 38.0 +/- 9.18 mU/l after GHRH plus rhEPO; P greater than 0.5). In this study acutely administered rhEPO significantly potentiated the GH response to GHRH in uraemic patients whereas the same effect was not demonstrable in subjects with normal renal function.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of aztreonam in the treatment of infection caused by sensitive microorganisms].

We report a trial in 10 patients who were given Aztreonam. Six of the patients had an infection of the respiratory system while the other four had some problems with the urinary system. All the patients presented serious infections with gram negative germs. The evaluation of the results of the trial has been carried out using laboratory and clinical data before and after the treatment. The bacterial eradication and the clinical disappearance of symptomatology has been accomplished in all cases. Therefore we can affirm that the therapeutical use of "Aztreonam" has shown its effectiveness. Its tolerance has been excellent with no side effects.

Aztreonam↗