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Biomedical subjects

M Meroni

Publications and source records attributed to M Meroni.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Multinucleated giant cells in myeloma kidney: an ultrastructural study.

The origin of multinucleated giant cells in myeloma kidney is not yet defined. These cells have long been thought to represent tubular epithelial cells transformed in syncytia, but, more recently, they have been considered as histiocytic cells arising from the interstitial tissue. We have studied by electron microscopy the distal tubules of kidney biopsies of 5 patients affected with myeloma kidney: our ultrastructural findings do not seem to clarify the problem. In fact, in the same patient, we have observed multinucleated giant cells probably originating from epithelial tubular cells and others, probably originating from histiocytes.

Cell Nucleus↗

The influence of thiopentone and alfathesin on succinylcholine-induced fasciculations and myalgias.

Thiopentone doses corresponding to 5.238 mg x kg-1, that is 2UD95 (UD95:unconsciousness dose 95) inhibit the intensity of succinylcholine-induced fasciculations compared with UD95. Alfathesin doses corresponding to 0.570 mg x kg-1, also 2UD95 (calculated as alphaxalone at a concentration of 9 mg/ml in alfathesin), do not have any greater effect on the degree of fasciculations compared to UD95. Furthermore, neither induction agent influences the incidence, distribution and duration of succinylcholine-induced myalgias. The inhibition of the degree of fasciculations caused by thiopentone is believed to be a consequence of a postsynaptic depressant effect of thiopentone at the neuromuscular junction. The evaluation of the degree of succinylcholine-induced fasciculations must take into consideration the dose of thiopentone administered at induction of anaesthesia.

Adult↗

Azetidine derivatives of tricyclic antidepressant agents.

Tricyclic derivatives of azetidine were synthesized and screened for their potential antidepressant activity. The active series had the tricyclic ring attached to position 1 and a basic group in position 3 of the azetidine. The most interesting compounds were comparable to the reference standards for reserpine antagonism in mice, the most active being the dextrorotatory methylamino derivative 84. The pharmacological profile classifies it as a CNS stimulant devoid of peripheral anticholinergic activity.

Animals↗

Pancuronium bromide precurarisation. II An evaluation of clinical aspects in patients of female sex.

The authors have studied the effects of precurarisation by means of pancuronium on 120 female patients by using three multiple doses of pancuronium bromide. The authors have demonstrated that the dose of pancuronium, capable of abolishing almost completely fasciculations and postoperative succinylcholine myalgias, corresponds to 0.009 mg/kg. This dose has proved to be most efficient in causing a considerable increase in subjective precurarisation symptoms (Heavy eye-lids, blurred vision etc.). Such symptoms have never caused even the least discomfort to the patients. The authors have finally demonstrated that the doses of pancuronium employed cause a decrease in V.C. within limits that do not, however, compromise ventilation.

Adult↗

Acute renal failure due to idiopathic tubulo-intestinal nephritis and uveitis: "TINU syndrome". Case report and review of the literature.

Acute renal failure due to idiopathic tubulo-interstitial nephritis associated with bilateral uveitis (TINU syndrome) is a rare clinical event, contracted mainly by girls or women. Here we report the clinical follow-up regarding a 22-year-old woman with acute renal failure (creat. clearance 13.5 ml/min) due to idiopathic tubulo-interstitial nephritis documented by renal biopsy, after bilateral uveitis which healed with local prednisone. The clinical history and the clinical follow-up of our patient were typical of the TINU syndrome. We were able to exclude all diseases causing acute tubulo-interstitial nephritis such as systemic infection, hypersensitivity to drugs, Behcet's disease, Sjogren syndrome, sarcoidosis, systemic lupus or vasculitides. The patient recovered after systemic prednisone.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Deaths with acute cerebral lesion and heart-beating potential organ donors in the Veneto region.

BACKGROUND: The study was aimed at describing the clinical characteristics of dead patients with acute cerebral lesion and analyzing reasons of the shortage of heart-beating potential organ donors in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in the Veneto Region. METHODS: Data have been prospectively recorded in 23 ICUs over six months for deceased patients with acute cerebral lesion (clinical data, death diagnosis) and for any potential organ donor (medical suitability, family interview, organ retrieval). RESULTS: In the ICUs of the Veneto Region in 1998 deceased patients with acute cerebral lesion were 187 per million population (p.m.p.); 317 cases have been studied. Median age was 64 years (range 7-93). Heart-beating death was legally confirmed only in 98/317 cases (31%) against a clinical diagnosis of brain death in 203/317 (64%). Only 82/317 (26%) were considered eligible donors and 48/317 (15%) became real donors (22.8 p.m.p.). Among the remaining 235 cadavers, 105 were over 70 years old. In the group of 130 under 70 years absolute contraindications were present only in 30 and problematical clinical situations were reported in 100. CONCLUSIONS: The number of deaths with acute cerebral lesion represents a sensible index and a key factor for evaluating the potential organ donor pool in small regions and in the single intensive care unit. Collected data demonstrate that in the Veneto Region the efficiency of solid organ retrieval can be improved and that organ donor shortage may depend, beyond family refusal, on clinical and cultural factors that hamper stabilized heart-beating deaths. Most potential donors with age over 70 or problematical clinical situations are preventively excluded by ICUs physicians. To improve organ donation all the patients who die in spite of neuro-intensive treatment should be prevented from circulatory arrest to permit legal declaration of death. Thus more potential organ donors without absolute contraindications could be recovered and time would exist for discussing any problematical situation with experts in organ procurement, particularly in respect to existing urgencies in the waiting list.

Adolescent↗

[Prognostic systems in intensive care: TRISS, SAPS II, APACHE III].

BACKGROUND: To validate the accuracy of SAPS II, APACHE III and TRISS for the prediction of mortality in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at polytrauma patients admission. The outcome of multiple trauma patients is often linked to the degree of physiologic dysfunction and to the extension of anatomic lesions, the age of the patient and the lesion mechanism. METHODS: The study population consisted of 93 cases of multiple injured patients hospitalised at the ICU of the Padua hospital from October 1998 to October 1999; the term polytraumatized patient is referred to patients who have multiple lesions of which at least one potentially endangers, immediately or in a short term, their life. These cases were evaluated with the APACHE III, SAPS II, Revised Trauma Score and Injury Severity Score. The predictive power of each system was evaluated by using decision matrix analysis to compare observed and predicted outcome with a decision criterion of 0.50 and 0.40 for risk of hospital death. RESULTS: All trauma score systems under study showed high accuracy rates, above all if they are used with a 40% positive test. CONCLUSIONS: The prognostic scales used in this study showed a good correlation between expected and observed cases, particularly with TRISS and APACHE III systems. The APACHE III system seems to be the most reliable of the different methods analysed. These prognostic systems are seldom or occasionally used in the ICU, in Padua and in the whole of Italy, so Italian data are not suitable to be compared to international ones. Due to urgency, the importance of the evaluation scales is often underestimated, but even if they require time and attention, they surely can be useful in the evaluation of the treatment, and not only of a polytraumatized patient.

APACHE↗

[Sedation in ambulatory minor oral surgery: sublingual triazolam].

In a random trial on 40 patients undergoing extraction of the third lower molar 0.125 mg of triazolam were administered sublingually to 20 patients and placebo (lactulose solution 66.7%) to 20 patients. The sedative and amnesic effect rapidly appeared after triazolam while the anxiolytic effect was less pronounced. The recovery of psychomotor functions measured by standard psychomotor tests occurred rapidly and all patients were discharged after about 120 min from the end of the surgery. The judgment of the surgeon was positive as far as the anxiolytic and relaxing effects of triazolam was concerned. The patients treated with triazolam moreover appreciated the sedation induced by the drug. No cardiocirculatory complication was observed and the patients showed a considerable stability from the circulatory stand point. The results show that triazolam may represent a safe alternative to the use of other anxiolytic and sedative drugs in the minor surgery of the oral cavity.

Administration, Sublingual↗

[Predictability of the anamnesis in pathology of the upper tract of the digestive system. Computerized analysis concerning 1000 subjects submitted to esophagogastroduodenoscopy].

The ability of history taking to predict endoscopically verified pathology of the upper gastrointestinal tract was evaluated in a group of 1000 patients submitted to esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS). The presence of one or more of the following symptoms at the time of EGDS or 4 weeks previously, was considered: epigastric pain, dysphagia, dyspepsia, gastrointestinal bleeding, pyrosis, anorexia and/or weight loss, nausea and/or vomiting. The results of this elaboration showed that the presence of recent symptomatology does not allow differentiation of patients with endoscopically verified pathology from those without it. The presence of an "at risk history" consisting of one or more of the following factors was also evaluated: smoking 10 cigarettes per day, drinking 100 g alcohol per day, previous diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal tract pathology, gastrointestinal-irritating therapy. Data analysis showed notable importance of the presence of an "at risk history"; in fact, when compared with subjects without this type of history, "at risk" patients were twice as likely to have a pathological condition diagnosed. Thus, when protocols for endoscopic examination are established the history of the patient and his lifestyle must be taken into consideration.

Adult↗

IgA glomerulonephritis in Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

Renal morphology was evaluated in 2 siblings with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) aged 12 and 4 years. They gave a typical history of recurrent episodes of respiratory infection and presented with microhematuria of glomerular origin and proteinuria. The study disclosed a membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis with IgA mesangial deposition in the elder child, while immunofluorescence was negative in the younger. The data indicate that (1) a specific nephropathy does not exist in WAS and (2) the IgA nephropathy is the result of recurrent infections and of related formation of IgA immune complexes scarcely removed by a deficient reticuloendothelial system. This view is consistent with presenting features in WAS (microhematuria, episodes of macrohematuria, proteinuria, Henoch-Schönlein syndrome) and with the fact that it takes years to develop as indicated by the negativity of immunofluorescence in the younger patient.

Child↗