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M Conti

Publications and source records attributed to M Conti.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

A histopathologic investigation of PGE(2) pathways as predictors of proliferation and invasion in urothelial carcinomas of the bladder.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The pattern of arachidonate acid (AA) transformation in tumor cells has been shown to play a role in determining tumor cell invasiveness. AA is released from membrane phospholipids by cPLA(2). Then it is metabolized into prostaglandins and PGE(2) especially via cyclooxygenase pathways. PGE(2) production seems to be necessary for rendering the cells invasive. We aimed to characterize cPLA(2), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) and prostaglandine E synthase (PGES) expression in human transitional carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary bladder and correlate with the Ki-67 proliferating marker. METHODS: Formalin-fixed human TCC tissues (n=54) obtained from TURB or cystectomies were evaluated for cPLA(2), COX2, PGES and Ki-67 expression using specific antibodies. There were 6 CIS, 9 pTaG1, 9 pTaG3, 10 pT1G3 and 10 pT2G3. 10 normal bladder tissues were also evaluated. Control slides were incubated without primary antibodies and treated in a similar way. RESULTS: cPLA(2), COX2 and PGES were not expressed in the 10 normal tissues. In the same normal tissues, Ki-67 expression was observed only in 1% of the cells. However, cPLA(2) was expressed in 1/6 CIS, 1/9 pTaG1, 3/9 pTaG3, 6/10 pT1G3 and 2/10 pT2G3. COX2 was expressed in 0/6 CIS, 0/10 pTaG1, 2/9 pTaG3, 3/10 pT1G3 and 1/10 pT2G3. PGES was expressed in 4/6 CIS, 0/9 pTaG1, 4/9 pTaG3, 2/10 pT1G3 and 5/10 pT2G3. Ki-67 expression was 39.5% for CIS, 6.5% in pTaG1, 37% in pTaG3, 34.5% in pT1G3 and 55% in pT2G3. If we consider it a positive result when at least one enzyme was expressed, there were 5/6 CIS positive, 1/9 pTaG1 positive, 9/9 pTaG3 positive, 10/10 pT1G3 positive and 10/10 pT2G3 positive. Also the Ki-67 is more often expressed in cells with high grade tumor. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that (i). not only COX2 is involved in the tumorogenesis of the TCC but also cPLA(2) and PGES, (ii). there is relationship between the AA metabolic PGE(2) pathway expression and the aggressiveness of the TCC of the urinary bladder.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Longitudinal study of cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis: neuropsychological, neuroradiological, and neurophysiological findings.

OBJECTIVE: (1) To assess cognitive function and cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) involvement in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis; (2) to monitor disease evolution, cognitive dysfunction, and cerebral lesion burden over time (mean 8.5 year follow up period); (3) to study the relation between clinical, neuropsychological, and MRI data. On follow up assessment, visual and auditory oddball event related potentials (ERPs) were recorded as psychophysiological evaluation of cognitive status. Correlations between neuropsychological, MRI, and ERP data were also analysed. METHODS: Neuropsychological study assessed verbal and non-verbal IQ, deterioration index (DI) from WAIS subtests, conceptual reasoning, attention, verbal and visuospatial short-term and long term memory. MRI assessment detected presence of demyelinating lesions by using a semiquantitative method as well as cortical and subcortical atrophy over time. RESULTS: Attention, short-term and long term visuospatial memory were mildly impaired at baseline and remained unaltered longitudinally. At retesting a significant worsening of verbal long term memory (p=0.023), DI presence (p=0.041) and the increase of supratentorial and subtentorial MRI lesions load (p=0.001) emerged. Expanded disability status scale score correlated significantly with total lesion burden at both evaluations (p=0.043 and p=0.024 respectively). Temporal, occipital, and frontal horn lesions as well as cortical atrophy correlated significantly with attention and memory tests at baseline. Follow up assessment revealed significant correlation between cortical atrophy and attention as well as visuospatial short-term memory; spatial long term memory correlated significantly with lesions in body of lateral ventricle and frontal lobe. ERP study showed P300 latency abnormalities in 75% of patients, involving specifically more visual P300 (58.4 % of cases) than auditory wave (41.6 %). Visual P300 latency and amplitude correlated significantly with DI and auditory P300 latency with frontal horn and brain stem lesions. CONCLUSIONS: These findings revealed mild cognitive impairment in MS patients particularly consistent with slowing information processing over time. Increased MRI lesions do not correlate with the clinical course of the disease and cognitive deficit evolution. Thus, cognitive dysfunction could be related to disease peculiarity and not to the time course. Correlations between P300, neuropsychological, and MRI findings provide further information about ERP application to examine cognitive impairment in MS and probably to investigate their neural origin.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Diabetic muscle infarction associated with multiple autoimmune disorders, IgA deficiency and a catastrophically poor glycaemic control: a case report.

We report a case of diabetic muscle infarction in a 22-yr-old woman, with an 11-yr history of poorly controlled Type 1 diabetes complicated by laser-treated pre-proliferative retinopathy, macroalbuminuria and severe autonomic neuropathy, also affected by IgA deficiency, autoimmune hypothyroidism, coeliac disease and polygenic familiar hypercolesterolaemia. She was admitted to our Hospital for pain to the left thigh hindering her from walking. The pain had appeared without trauma about 2 months before admission, and worsened progressively in spite of anti-inflammatory drugs. Clinical picture (localised tender mass without skin signs of inflammation in an afebrile patient) and laboratory data (erythrocyte sedimentation rate 113 mm in 1 hr, fibrinogen 635 mg/dl) suggested the diagnosis of diabetic muscle infarction. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed this hypothesis showing a hyperintense area in T2-weighted sequences at adductor muscle group with enhancement after intravenous contrast. Symptoms subsided over the following 4 weeks after bed rest, analgesics, aspirin and a good glycaemic control. The 3-month follow-up MRI showed total recovery. At hospital admission, the patient presented a very poor glycaemic control (HbA1c 15.5%). After discharge, she started--in order to avoid the weight gain associated with intensive insulin therapy--a daily intense isometric training, undergoing frequent hypoglycaemic episodes. In a few months, in spite of repeated laser treatment, retinopathy progressed to the proliferative stage with bilateral vitreous haemorrhages and visual acuity decreased dramatically notwithstanding vitrectomy. This case confirms the association of diabetic muscle infarction with poorly controlled long-standing diabetes with microvascular complications, suggests the possible role of autoimmunity, and underlines the risk of repeated hypoglycaemic episodes and isometric exercise in the progression of pre-proliferative retinopathy.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Radical surgery does not recover immunodeficiency associated with gastric cancer.

Cell-mediated immunodeficiency is known to occur in advanced cancer patients, but it is less characterized in earlier stages. Pre-existing immunodeficiency may impair the recovery of postoperative lymphocytopenia, occurring generally within 8-14 days after surgical stress. This study was aimed to verify whether immunodeficiency exists in patients with operable gastric adenocarcinoma and whether radical surgery may restore a count of peripheral blood T helper cells (CD4) and CD4/CD8 ratio within physiological normal values in the late postoperative period. Thirty-five consecutive patients (M/F 18/17; mean age 67 years, range 42-82) with histologically proven gastric adenocarcinoma, undergoing surgery with radical intent, were studied. Assessment of total lymphocyte count and lymphocyte subsets was performed by FAC scan at baseline, then postoperatively 14 and 50 days after surgery. Normal reference values were according to CDC criteria for HIV immunodeficiency (total lymphocyte > 1500/mmc; CD4 cells > 500/mmc; CD4/CD8 > 1.2). Surgical interventions, including D2 locoregional lymphadenectomy, were as follows: 19 Roux Y total gastrectomies; 3 Roux Y subtotal gastrectomies and 13 Billroth II subtotal gastrectomies. Pathological nodal staging was pN0 in 18 and pN+ in 17 cases. Hystotype was intestinal in 14 patients, diffuse in 14 and unclassifiable in 7. Grading was G1 n = 7; G2 n = 7; G3 n = 21. Lymphocyte immunodeficiency was found at baseline in 41% of patients and at 14 days after surgery in 67% of patients. Recovery of postoperative surgery-induced lymphocytopenia occurred on the 50th day only in those patients with normal values at baseline (59%). CD4 deficiency was significantly more frequent in pN+ vs. pN0 patients, either at baseline (p < 0.001 ), on the 14th day (p < 0.02) and on the 50th day (p < 0.007) postoperatively. Cancer-related CD4 deficiency was a frequent finding in our consecutive series of gastric cancer patients; this systemic immune impairment was not restored after complete tumor removal, even in late postoperative period (50th day ). Further studies on a larger number of cases may confirm the prognostic value of lymphocyte count in early gastric cancer stages, and to verify whether early and late postoperative immunodeficiency may be prevented by IL-2 administration.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2002

Lubeluzole for acute ischaemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Experimental studies have shown that ischaemic insults cause excess release of excitatory amino acid (EAA) neurotransmitters, particularly glutamate. Glutamate re-uptake is impaired under ischaemic conditions. In preclinical models of stroke, antagonists of excitatory amino acids or of glutamate release protect against ischaemic injury, even when administered after the ischaemic insult. Lubeluzole is a benzothiazole derivative that has shown neuroprotective properties in different experimental models inhibiting glutamate release, nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and blocking voltage-gated Na+ and Ca2+ ion channels. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this review is to assess the effectiveness and safety of lubeluzole given in the acute phase of acute ischaemic stroke. SEARCH STRATEGY: The Cochrane Stroke Group trials register was searched. Additional searches of Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CENTRAL/CCTR), Medline, Embase, Pascal BioMed (1996-2001) and Current Contents CCSearch reg 7 Editions (1996-2001) were made to supplement the Stroke Group general strategy. We contacted Janssen Research Foundation to identify further studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: All randomised unconfounded trials comparing intravenous lubeluzole with placebo or open control in patients with a clinical syndrome definitely considered as an acute stroke in whom CT scanning showed an infarct or was normal. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two reviewers independently selected trials for inclusion, assessed trial quality and extracted the data. MAIN RESULTS: Five trials involving a total of 3,510 patients were included. The quality of the trials did not vary considerably. Sensitivity/subgroups analysis was not completely performed because of lack of data. Lubeluzole given at the doses of 5, 10 and 20 mg/day for 5 days was tested against a placebo-control group. There was no evidence that Lubeluzole given at any dose either reduced the odds of death from all causes (OR=0.93, 95% CI 0.79-1.09) or reduced the odds of being dead or dependent at the end of follow-up (OR=1.04, 95% CI 0.91-1.19). On the other hand, given at any dose, Lubeluzole was associated with a significant excess of heart-conduction disorders (Q-T prolonged > 450 msec) at the end of follow-up (OR=1.43, 95% CI 1.09-1.87). REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: Lubeluzole, given in the acute phase of ischaemic stroke, is not associated with a significant reduction of death or dependency at the end of scheduled follow-up period but seems to be associated with a significant increase of heart-conduction disorders (Q-T prolonged >450 msec).

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2002

Phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitors selectively block the spontaneous resumption of meiosis by macaque oocytes in vitro.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine whether phosphodiesterase (PDE) 3 inhibitors selectively prevent the resumption of meiosis in primates. METHODS: Immature oocytes (intact germinal vesicles) obtained from large pre-ovulatory follicles following ovarian stimulation in rhesus macaques were incubated with or without various doses of the PDE3 inhibitors, Cilostamide, Milrinone or ORG 9935, or a selective PDE4 inhibitor, Rolipram. Oocytes were observed for germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) as an indicator of resumption of meiosis. RESULTS: At 24 h, 72 of 121 (60%) control oocytes progressed to GVBD compared with 9/34 (27%, P < 0.01), 4/36 (11.1%, P < 0.01) and 0/28 (0%, P < 0.01) oocytes incubated with ORG 9935 at 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 micromol/l respectively. Similar results were achieved at 24 h with 1.0 micromol/l Cilostamide (2/24 oocytes, 8%, P < 0.01) and 100 micromol/l Milrinone (2/32, 6%, P < 0.01). In contrast, no significant difference in GVBD was noted between control oocytes and those incubated with up to 100 micromol/l Rolipram for 24 h (43/58, 74%) or 48 h (44/58, 76%). CONCLUSIONS: These experiments establish the specificity and dose-dependent ability of PDE3, but not PDE4, inhibitors to block resumption of meiosis in macaque oocytes in vitro. Thus, PDE3 inhibitors have potential use as contraceptives in primates.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed2002

The origin of modern plant virology.

Plant virology, born with Mayer's work, saw a first (embryonic) phase of development during two decades (1900-1920) with outstanding contributions from Dimitri Ivanovski, Martinus Beijerinck, Erwin Baur and Harry Allard. Between 1920 and 1930 a second phase saw the elaboration of surprising hypotheses concerning the enigmatic nature of viruses and experimental evidence of great stress was obtained. Revolutionary renewal began from the mid-1930s on the basis of a body of knowledge which was organically assembled into the first textbook of plant virology published by Kenneth Smith in 1933. In 1922, the geneticist Hermann Muller put forward the hypothesis that considered viruses as possible genes. The theory was resumed in an apparently independent way by Benjamin Duggar and Joanne Karrer Armstrong in 1923, who considered TMV a biocolloidal self-reproducing protein, like genes appeared to be. This hypothesis, even if neglected by virologists, anticipated by some decades the functional nature of viruses and represented the first conceptual response to virus enigma. Considerable experimental results were obtained by James Johnson, who showed that plants could be infected by different viruses and who introduced a first rational system of plant virus classification. Harold McKinney showed that TMV could mutate. Harold Storey, Kenneth Smith and Harry Severin demonstrated that several viruses could be transmitted by insects and supplied the first interpretation of the relationship between virus and insect. Mayme Dvorak and Helen Purdy obtained the first experimental evidence of the antigenic power of plant viruses. Virus purification, first tentatively accomplished with physical methods, was brilliantly performed by chemical means. Finally, Francis Holmes elaborated the first suitable test to estimate virus infectivity. The evolution of plant virology from an empirical discipline to a biological science took place thanks to the work of one group of American and English scientists who must be regarded as the fathers of modern plant virology.

History, 20th Century↗
PubMed2001

Density change effects on crystal growth from the melt.

When a crystal grows from its undercooled melt the local density changes, driving a convective flow in the liquid phase. Then, the purely diffusional description of the process ceases to be satisfactory. Moreover, the dynamic pressure associated with the flow field may affect the melting temperature (and the effective undercooling) of the system. Both these effects have been addressed in recent experimental work. In the present study we derive a thermodynamically consistent phase-field model that accounts for the density change effects in the solidification of a pure substance. Starting from a thermodynamic potential that includes squared gradient terms for both the order parameter and the density, the field equations are derived assuming positive local entropy production. The model is numerically solved in one dimension to show deviations from the classic phase-field description of the same phenomenon.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Normal scaling in globally conserved interface-controlled coarsening of fractal clusters.

We find that globally conserved interface-controlled coarsening of diffusion-limited aggregates exhibits dynamic scale invariance (DSI) and normal scaling. This is demonstrated by a numerical solution of the Ginzburg-Landau equation with a global conservation law. The general sharp-interface limit of this equation is introduced and reduced to volume preserving motion by mean curvature. A simple example of globally conserved interface-controlled coarsening system: the sublimation/deposition dynamics of a solid and its vapor in a small closed vessel, is presented in detail. The results of the numerical simulations show that the scaled form of the correlation function has a power-law tail accommodating the fractal initial condition. The coarsening length exhibits normal dynamic scaling. A decrease of the cluster radius with time, predicted by DSI, is observed. The difference between global and local conservation is discussed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Long-term hormonal regulation of the cAMP-specific phosphodiesterases in cultured FRTL-5 thyroid cells.

Thyrotropin (TSH) and pharmacological agents that elevate intracellular cAMP concentrations potentiate the mitogenic response of FRTL-5 thyroid cells to insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). This study was undertaken to determine the role of cAMP phosphodiesterases (PDEs) in this TSH-dependent regulation. Incubation of FRTL-5 cells with TSH, forskolin, or dibutyryl cAMP gradually induced the PDE activity, and treatment for 24 h produced a marked increase in type 4 high affinity cAMP PDEs. Under basal conditions, transcripts corresponding to PDE4A, PDE4B, PDE4C, and PDE4D were present. Stimulation for 24 h by TSH, forskolin or dibutyryl cAMP induced an increase in mRNA levels of PDE4B, PDE4D, and PDE4C. To understand the role of this cAMP-dependent PDE regulation in the potentiation of the mitogenic response to IGF-I, thymidine incorporation into DNA in response to IGF-I and TSH was measured in the absence or presence of PDE inhibitors. Exposure of the cells to 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) or RO 20-1724 had opposing effects on thymidine incorporation into DNA, depending on the stimulus applied. When IGF-I was used alone, both IBMX and RO 20-1724 potentiated IGF-I-stimulated thymidine incorporation. However, when IGF-I and TSH at high concentrations were used in combination, these PDE inhibitors blocked thymidine incorporation into DNA. In addition, these inhibitors depressed the synergistic increase in cyclin D1 and cyclin D- or cyclin E-associated cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activity that is induced by TSH and IGF-I. Increased CDK activities have been shown to play a crucial role in progression through the G(1)/S phase of the cell cycle. These data demonstrate that TSH produces marked changes in the cAMP degradative pathway of FRTL-5 cells by regulating the expression of cAMP PDEs. The regulation of the intracellular cAMP levels by this mechanism may contribute to the TSH- and IGF-I-dependent control of the entry into the S phase of the cell cycle through changes in the cyclin/CDK system in FRTL-5 cells.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed2001

Incomplete penetrance with normal MRI in a woman with germline mutation of the DCX gene.

X-linked isolated lissencephaly sequence (ILS) and subcortical band heterotopia are allelic human disorders associated with mutations of the DCX gene in both familial and sporadic forms. The authors describe a large Sardinian family in which three brothers with ILS have a missense mutation of the DCX gene. Their mother, a nonmosaic carrier, has a normal phenotype and cranial MRI. Skewed X-inactivation in the lymphocytes was also ruled out. This is the first report of an asymptomatic carrier of a DCX mutation likely due to apparent nonpenetrance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Identification and functional analysis of splice variants of the germ cell soluble adenylyl cyclase.

In mammalian germ cells, cAMP signaling is dependent on two forms of adenylyl cyclase, the conventional membrane-bound ACIII and a soluble form of adenylyl cyclase (sAC). Recent elucidation of the sAC sequence indicates that this enzyme is phylogenetically distinct from the membrane-bound AC, does not interact with G proteins, and its activity is regulated by bicarbonate ions. Here we have investigated the properties and regulation of this enzyme during spermatogenesis. Two different transcripts encoding a full-length and truncated sAC were identified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and RNase protection analysis. The truncated sAC transcript lacks exon 11 with a premature termination of the open reading frame after the catalytic domain. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction with testis RNA from adult mouse and rat of different ages, as well as RNase protection, showed that both transcripts are absent at 11 days of age, appear between 20 and 30 days of age, and are retained in the adult testis. The presence of corresponding proteins in testis, germ cells, and spermatozoa was demonstrated by fast protein liquid chromatography and differential immunoprecipitation with full-length sAC-specific antibodies. Bicarbonate ions activated both sAC forms and increased cAMP levels in germ cells isolated from 25- and 50-day-old rats and adult rats in a concentration-dependent manner. These findings provide evidence that full-length and truncated sAC are generated by alternate splicing. Both forms are active in spermatids, and the bicarbonate present in the seminiferous tubule may be a signal that regulates cAMP levels in these cells.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed2001

Area-preserving dynamics of a long slender finger by curvature: a test case for globally conserved phase ordering.

A long and slender finger can serve as a simple "test bed" for different phase-ordering models. In this work, the globally conserved, interface-controlled dynamics of a long finger is investigated, analytically and numerically, in two dimensions. An important limit is considered when the finger dynamics is reducible to area-preserving motion by curvature. A free boundary problem for the finger shape is formulated. An asymptotic perturbation theory is developed that uses the finger aspect ratio as a small parameter. The leading-order approximation is a modification of the Mullins finger (a well-known analytic solution) whose width is allowed to slowly vary with time. This time dependence is described, in the leading order, by an exponential law with the characteristic time proportional to the (constant) finger area. The subleading terms of the asymptotic theory are also calculated. Finally, the finger dynamics is investigated numerically, employing the Ginzburg-Landau equation with a global conservation law. The theory is in very good agreement with the numerical solution.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Phosphodiesterase 4D and protein kinase a type II constitute a signaling unit in the centrosomal area.

The mediation of cAMP effects by specific pools of protein kinase A (PKA) targeted to distinct subcellular domains raises the question of how inactivation of the cAMP signal is achieved locally and whether similar targeting of phosphodiesterases (PDEs) to sites of cAMP/PKA action could be observed. Here, we demonstrate that Sertoli cells of the testis contain an insoluble PDE4D3 isoform, which is shown by immunofluorescence to target to centrosomes. Staining of PDE4D and PKA shows co-localization of PDE4D with PKA-RIIalpha and RIIbeta in the centrosomal region. Co-precipitation of RII subunits and PDE4D3 from cytoskeletal extracts indicates a physical association of the two proteins. Distribution of PDE4D overlaps with that of the centrosomal PKA-anchoring protein, AKAP450, and AKAP450, PDE4D3, and PKA-RIIalpha co-immunoprecipitate. Finally, both PDE4D3 and PKA co-precipitate with a soluble fragment of AKAP450 encompassing amino acids 1710 to 2872 when co-expressed in 293T cells. Thus, a centrosomal complex that includes PDE4D and PKA constitutes a novel signaling unit that may provide accurate spatio-temporal modulation of cAMP signals.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed2001

Curvature effects in rapid alloy solidification.

The growth of a cylindrical or spherical crystal into its undercooled melt is a process whose description is complicated by the lack of a stationary regime. A simple approach to the problem, justified for low growth rates and widely used in the past for both pure substances and alloy solidification, is based on a quasistatic approximation which assumes an instantaneous adaptation of the diffusional field to the interface configuration. For alloy solidification, assuming isothermal conditions and local interface equilibrium, this simplified model predicts a diffusion controlled growth, with the radius of the crystal increasing asymptotically as ~t(1/2). However, as pointed out by recent investigations, thermal diffusion and nonequilibrium effects enter as essential ingredients in rapid alloy solidification. In the present paper we use the phase-field model to simulate the cylindrical and spherical growth of a solid germ into a supersaturated alloy melt. The problem is treated in its full time-dependent characteristics, accounting for nonequilibrium effects as well as for the rejection of both heat and solute away from the advancing front. We observe a complex behavior and a rich variety of dynamic regimes: in different regions of parameter space the growth rate is limited by diffusion (either thermal or chemical) or is kinetic controlled. Traversing the boundaries which limit these regions, the process undergoes sharp transitions which leave a trace in the solidified alloy. For realistic values of the Lewis number, thermal effects drive the process into a a diffusive regime, in which the rate limiting mechanism is the rejection of solute.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Cauda equina syndrome secondary to idiopathic spinal epidural lipomatosis.

STUDY DESIGN: Three cases of idiopathic epidural lipomatosis are reported. OBJECTIVES: Description of the relationship between spinal pathologic overgrowth of fat tissue and neurologic symptoms. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Idiopathic epidural lipomatosis is a very rare condition; it is usually secondary to chronic steroid therapy or endocrinopathic diseases. METHODS: Three men with a mean age of 58.5 years, who experienced intermittent claudication, bilateral radicular pain in both legs, and urinary dysfunction with hypoesthesia in the perineal region, were evaluated by plain radiography and magnetic resonance imaging, the results of which demonstrated a pathologic overgrowth of fat tissue in the spinal canal with a marked impingement of the dural sac. Obesity, endocrinopathic diseases, and chronic steroid therapy were excluded for all patients. Surgical treatment was performed by wide multilevel laminectomies, fat debulking, and instrumented posterolateral fusion. RESULTS: After surgery there was a gradual improvement in symptoms and signs so that 2 years later the patients returned to daily activities and were neurologically normal. CONCLUSIONS: Spinal epidural lipomatosis can be a cause of back pain but rarely radicular impingement. Magnetic resonance imaging is the procedure of choice. The treatment must be performed early by wide surgical decompression.

Aged↗