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Biomedical subjects

M Filieri

Publications and source records attributed to M Filieri.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Specific IgE antibodies in twenty-eight workers with diisocyanate-induced bronchial asthma.

A specific IgE-mediated response was evaluated in twenty-eight workers exposed to TDI or MDI, with diagnosis of occupational asthma and positive to bronchial provocative challenge. The presence of anti-diisocyanate IgE was observed in 27% of subjects exposed to TDI and 83% of those exposed to MDI, particularly in individuals who experienced an acute massive exposure. An immediate-type response to bronchial provocative test was found in 66% of individuals with specific antibodies. Specific IgE are prevalent (91%) in subjects who developed symptoms before 6 years of exposure to isocyanates. The results suggest an association between the presence of specific IgE, early asthmatic symptoms and heavy episodic exposure.

Asthma↗

Absence of IgG antibodies to TDI-HSA in a radioimmunological study.

Sera of ninety-one workers with respiratory symptoms related to occupational exposure to toluene diisocyanate (TDI) were tested by a solid phase radioimmunoassay using polyvinyl plates, in an attempt to demonstrate specific IgG antibodies to a conjugate of TDI with human serum albumin (TDI-HSA). Different conjugates were prepared. In our radioimmunoassay a TDI-HSA 1600 (1600 micrograms TDI/mg HSA), obtained at alkaline pH with borate buffer, was used; this conjugate was immunologically reactive and did not contain protein macro-aggregates. No difference in percent of binding of radiolabelled anti-human IgG to TDI-HSA coated on plastic plates was found between exposed workers (asthmatic and non-asthmatic) and fifteen normal subjects. This may suggest that either TDI-induced bronchial asthma is not mediated by IgG antibodies, or TDI-HSA conjugate is unsuitable to be detected by anti-isocyanate IgG.

Animals↗

Bronchial asthma due to inhaled wood dust: Tanganyika aningré.

Three cases of bronchial asthma due to wood dust from Tanganyika anigré are reported. All patients were woodworkers and had symptoms of dyspnoea, cough and wheezing, and sometimes itchiness and rhinorrhoea, after exposure to Tanganyika aningré. The intradermal skin tests were positive for antigenic extract of Tanganyika aningré. In two patients the bronchial provocation test with the wood dust and with the soluble extract inhaled by aerosol was positive showing an immediate reaction; in the same patients bronchial hyperreactivity was also found. Atopy was present in one subject. No precipitins or specific IgE were found in patient sera by the immunodiffusion technique or by RAST.

Adult↗

A study of short-term effect of rehabilitative therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

51 male patients with mild degree chronic airway obstruction underwent detailed evaluation of pulmonary function tests, blood gas analysis and exercise tolerance test before and after a short-term therapy. The patients were randomly assigned to medical therapy alone or to medical and rehabilitative therapy. 23 patients treated with medical and rehabilitative therapy showed a significant decrease of respiratory rate and PaCO2 and a significant increase of TV, FEV 1.0, FEV 0.75 x 40, PaO2, SaO2 and exercise tolerance after a month of therapy. 28 patients treated with medical therapy alone showed a significant increase of VC and FEV 0.75 x 40. These data suggest that rehabilitative therapy is a valid adjunct to medical therapy in the short-term treatment of chronic airway obstruction.

Blood Gas Analysis↗

Infliximab monotherapy for refractory psoriasis: preliminary results.

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha plays an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Infliximab is an anti-TNF-alpha chimeric monoclonal antibody, which is licensed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. Some reports have shown the efficacy of infliximab, either in monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate, for the treatment of psoriatic arthropathy and psoriasis. The efficacy and tolerability of infliximab monotherapy was evaluated in 29 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, unresponsive to conventional treatments. Fourteen patients suffered from concomitant arthropathy. Patients received intravenous infliximab, 5mg/kg, at weeks 0, 2, and 6. After this 3-dose-induction regimen, patients were followed-up at monthly intervals and retreated with a single-dose infusion in case of relapse of signs and symptoms. Clinical assessment was performed using the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) to monitor psoriasis activity; pruritus and joint pain were assessed on a scale of 0 to 3. A marked improvement of skin lesions and subjective symptoms was noted in the majority of patients; an excellent reduction of PASI score (> or =75%) was observed in 13.8% of cases at week 2, 71.4% at week 6 and 78.6% at week 10. During the follow-up period, some patients maintained satisfactory clinical results without requiring any additional infusions. In general, skin lesions showed a trend towards a more prolonged and sustained improvement as compared with subjective symptoms. Treatment was well tolerated and no serious adverse events occurred.

Adult↗