Biomedical subjects

M Ermani

Publications and source records attributed to M Ermani.

60 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Predictive value of different prognostic factors in breast cancer recurrences: multivariate analysis using a logistic regression model.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the sensitivity of different pre-operative parameters in patients with breast cancer (BC) recurrence using univariate and multivariate analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a series of 387 women (median age 60 years, range 35-83 years) who underwent curative surgery for pT1-2 BC. The patients were divided into two groups: Group 1: 325 (84.0%) patients with no evidence of disease during a median follow-up of 53 months (range 25-149 months) and Group 2: 62 (16.0%) patients who developed local or distant recurrences. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed significant (p<0.01) differences between the two Groups in age, size and grading of the tumor and hormone receptor rate. MIB1 proliferation rate, serum markers CEA and CA 15-3, and lymph node status were not useful in predicting relapse. Multivariate analysis using a logistic regression model showed that only age, size of the tumor and hormone receptor rate independently correlate with the onset of recurrences. CONCLUSION: There is no clear correlation between BC recurrence and the majority of the prognostic factors available. Multivariate analysis of several pre-operative parameters may help to correctly select the high risk population.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Longitudinal prospective study on quality of life and psychological distress before and one year after liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The impact of liver disease and medical complications on quality of life (QOL) and psychological distress before and after liver transplantation (LT) is a matter of growing interest. METHODS: In a longitudinal prospective study, perceived QOL (LEIPAD Quality of Life test) and psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory, BSI) were assessed in 25 cirrhotic patients when they were listed for LT and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after LT. Patients were also evaluated for medical complications and blood levels of immunosuppressive agents. RESULTS: Overall QOL and psychological distress improved significantly and rapidly in most domains from the first month and up to a year after LT. Medical complications and immunosuppressive agents did not correlate with any changes in QOL and psychological distress after LT. When patients were divided according to liver disease etiology: 1. HCV patients listed for LT had worse QOL levels than the group of patients as a whole or the alcoholic liver disease (ALD) patients; 2. HCV patients reported a significant improvement in QOL only 6 and 12 months after LT, and still suffered more psychological distress 12 months after surgery; 3. in ALD patients, overall QOL and psychological distress improved significantly at all follow-up points after LT; 4. HCV patients reported a worse QOL and greater psychological distress 1 and 3 months after LT than the group as a whole or the ALD patients (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Liver transplantation improves QOL and psychological distress in most recipients, but not in the early stages after LT in patients transplanted for HCV cirrhosis.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Increased titres of IgM anti-heparan sulfate antibody in Behçet's disease.

OBJECTIVE: Endothelial dysfunction is crucial in Behçet's disease (BD) pathogenesis, and measures of endothelial damage are potential markers of BD activity. Heparan sulfate (HS) is the most abundant proteoglycan in the endothelial cells, and anti-HS antibodies have been reported in subjects with vascular damage, due to vasculitis/vasculopathy. The aim of our study was to measure serum anti-HS antibodies in patients with BD and to determine whether their presence correlates with disease activity or clinical manifestations. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with BD (21 men, 11 women) (median age 36.81+/-12.0 years) were considered. Of these, 13 had clinically active disease at the time of study. The mean disease duration was 7.31+/- 8.2 years (median 6 years). Anti-HS antibodies were measured by ELISA. As controls, sera from 40 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects, and 78 age-matched patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were studied. RESULTS: Anti-HS IgM antibody titres were significantly higher in BD patients compared to healthy subjects (p=0.016) and SLE controls (p=0.0008). No differences in anti-HS IgG antibody titres were observed among the 3 groups. Using categorical data, increased titres of IgM anti-HS antibodies were significantly more frequent in patients with BD vs patients with SLE (p=0.02). The presence of the antibodies, of either isotype, did not correlate with disease duration, disease activity or clinical manifestations. CONCLUSIONS: BD patients have increased IgM anti-HS antibody titres compared to healthy and SLE controls. These antibodies did not correlate with disease activity or discrete clinical features, but might be relevant for pathogenic mechanisms of the disease.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Automatic recognition of spike-wave discharges in dynamic EEG].

A computerized system for automatic recognition of spike and wave discharges (SWDs), recorded by ambulatory EEG, is described. Four parameters were sequentially considered for detecting SWDs: amplitude, frequency, rhythmicity and second derivative of the EEG epochs to be evaluated. With this system the computer was able to recognize in 20 patients 95% +/- 4.7 of SWDs visually detected, while the percentage of the SWDs as compared with the total number of "discharges" found by the computer was 82.4% +/- 15.5.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Primidone kinetics and analysis of its interactions with the major antiepileptic drugs].

In 5 volunteers, after single oral administration of 10 mg/Kg of primidone (PRM) plasmatic concentration of the drug has been monitored during 24 hours. PRM plasma half life was found longer than in previous reports. It was however confirmed that its metabolite phenobarbital (PB) is not present in the blood for at least 48 hours. Moreover 166 patients under long term PRM treatment were investigated as to the influence of phenytoin (DPH) and carbamazepine (CBZ) on the PB serum levels. It was found that patients in therapy with PRM + DPH showed a better relationship between PRM oral dose and PB plasma level and also between oral dose and plasma level of DPH than in patients in monotherapy with PRM or DPH, whereas these effects were not evident in patients taking PB + DPH.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Clinicopharmacologic study of blood carbamazepine levels in a group of epileptic patients].

Clinico-pharmacological evaluation on Carbamazepine serum levels was performed in a group of epileptic patients. CBZ (Carbamazepine) blood levels have been detected in a heterogeneous group of epileptic patients taking several other antiepileptic drugs. Patients in which there was a good reduction of epileptic seizures after CBZ was added, had a mean blood level of 4.2 plus or minus 1.4 microgram/ml. When Dyphenilhydantoine (DPH) and/or Phenobarbital (PB) were associated with CBZ they both decreased CBZ blood levels; on the contrary CBZ did not appear to modify DPH and PB blood levels.

Adolescent↗