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Biomedical subjects

M Ferri

Publications and source records attributed to M Ferri.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid in the treatment of alcohol dependence: a double-blind study.

The effect of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid on alcohol consumption and alcohol craving in alcoholics was investigated in a randomized double-blind study versus placebo. Patients were treated as outpatients during a three month period either with gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (50 mg/kg/day, divided into three daily doses) or with placebo. Of the 82 alcoholics that entered the study, 71 completed it, 36 in the gamma-hydroxybutyric acid and 35 in the placebo group. Alcohol consumption was assessed by the subject's self report. At the 3rd month of treatment, 11 patients in the gamma-hydroxybutyric acid group referred to be abstinent and 15 referred controlled drinking; while in the placebo group only two and six patients referred abstinence and controlled drinking, respectively. Serum-gammaglutamyl-transferase activity correlated with the admitted alcohol consumption. Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid treatment decreased alcohol craving during the 3 months of treatment. Transient side effects were noted by six patients on gamma-hydroxybutyric acid and two on placebo. The results suggest that gamma-hydroxybutyric acid may be useful in the treatment of alcohol dependence.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Surgical treatment of adenocarcinoma of the cardia.

BACKGROUND: Adenocarcinoma of the gastric cardia presents different features from other gastric carcinomas. This study was performed to analyze the results of a 40-year experience with these lesions. METHODS: Of the 365 patients reviewed, 211 (57.8%) underwent resection. One hundred fifty patients underwent total gastrectomy with lower esophageal resection (TGER) and 46 underwent proximal gastrectomy with distal esophageal resection (PGER). More recently, 15 patients were submitted to total gastrectomy with subtotal esophagectomy (TGSE) without thoracotomy. RESULTS: The tumors were far advanced in most patients: extraparietal invasion in 77.7% of patients, lymph node involvement in 55%, and distant metastases in 11%. The postoperative mortality rate was 25.1% in patients who underwent resection: 26.7% after TGER, 17.4% after PGER, and 33.3% after TGSE (difference not significant). Cardiovascular and respiratory complications were common causes of death after both TGER and PGER. After TGSE, deaths were related exclusively to local complications, mainly as a result of cervical anastomotic leaks. The actuarial 5-year survival rate for all patients surviving resection was 16.7%. No improvement in the results of surgical therapy was observed during the past 20 years. The actuarial 5-year survival rate was significantly affected by pathologic staging: 61.0% stage I, 23.3% stage II, 9.8% stage III, and 0% stage IV (p less than 0.001). No significant differences in actuarial 5-year survival rates were observed between TGER (17.8%) and PGER (14.9%). Sex, duration of symptoms, and histologic type did not reveal prognostic significance. CONCLUSIONS: In early tumors a total gastrectomy with resection of 10 cm of esophagus above the tumor is advocated.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1991

[Surgery by exeresis for gastric carcinoma. An analysis of 165 consecutive cases].

Surgery is still considered the best approach in gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to identify the most important factors involved in the determination of long-term survival. Total and subtotal gastrectomy were analysed. Long-term survival in these patients was strictly correlated with the stage of disease and the infiltration of resection margins. Early diagnosis is confirmed to be the most important factor in the long-term survival of these patients.

Carcinoma↗
PubMed1990

[Prognostic factors in stomach cancer: invasion of gastric serosa and lymph node involvement].

Concerning prognostic factors in gastric cancer, the Authors analyse the main two influencing long-term prognosis: the depth of penetration of the tumor in the gastric wall and the presence of lymph node metastasis. 194 operated gastric neoplasms were staged, according to TNM classification (U.I.C.C., 1987) and divided into 4 groups: in the first group both the serosa and the lymph nodes were tumor-free; in the second both were involved; in the third only lymph nodes were involved; in the fourth only the serosa was involved. Crossed statistic analysis between groups showed that the only factor that influenced the long-term survival is the node involvement in the patients with tumor-free gastric serosa. These results correspond to most of the others in literature, and point to the connection between these two factors in defining the stage of the disease.

Female↗
PubMed1990

Flow cytometric analysis in colorectal carcinoma: prognostic significance of cellular DNA content.

The prognostic value of DNA ploidy status was evaluated prospectively in 70 patients with colorectal carcinoma. Cellular DNA content was measured by flow cytometry from fresh specimens with multiple site sampling. Seventy-five percent of cases exhibited a DNA aneuploid pattern. In a univariate analysis, DNA ploidy status showed a statistically significant correlation with survival (p less than 0.05), weaker than Dukes' stage (p less than 0.001). No correlation was observed between survival and presence of multiple DNA stemlines. In a multivariate analysis, Dukes' stage was the strongest prognostic indicator (p = 0.01) while DNA ploidy status did not show an independent prognostic value. It is concluded that DNA ploidy status is associated with pathological features of aggressive malignancy, but it does not have a determinant role in predicting survival.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1990

[Spontaneous pneumothorax. A follow-up of 100 patients].

A total of 135 spontaneous pneumothorax (PNX) episodes, occurring in a sample of 100 patients, are examined with a mean follow-up of 4 years. Aim of this retrospective analysis is to evaluate the influence of different therapeutic approaches on relapse rate. The evaluated treatment options are: respiratory physiotherapy, thoracentesis, prolonged drainage, surgery such as bullectomy or "frottage". By mean of correlation index, a decreased incidence of relapse is shown for surgery--with no relapse--followed by prolonged drainage and then by thoracentesis, and by respiratory physiotherapy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Adenocarcinoma of the cardia: results of resection with nic interposition].

The incidence of cancer of the cardia is increasing. Surgical treatment, in a small percentage of patients in early stage, consists in esophagectomy and total gastrectomy, followed by colon interposition. The operation can be performed through the thorax or by an abdominal and cervical approach. From 1982 to 1989 twenty-five patients were operated on. Between 1980 and 1982 the cancer was resected opening the thorax in 9 patients (group A), while from 1983 to 1989 the esophagus was removed through diaphragmatic hiatus in 16 patients (group B). All cases were analyzed as for histology, staging and resection margin. Average clinical follow-up was 22 +/- 32.7 months (range 1-102). Morbidity was 77.7% in group A and 68% in group B. Mortality dropped to 14% in the last 7 patients. Mean survival time was 23 +/- 34 months in group A and 11.2 +/- 13.7 months in group B (p = N.S.). Follow-up controls showed that all patients, in whom the esophagus was replaced with colon, were able to feed adequately.

Adenocarcinoma↗