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M Romanelli

Publications and source records attributed to M Romanelli.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

[Angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy. Anatomoclinical and immunological study of a case].

The clinical course of a 54-year-old man with generalized lymphadenopathy bearing all physical, laboratory and histologic characteristics of angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy with dysproteinemia is described. Morphologic and laboratory features of a hyperimmune state with autoimmune hemolytic anemia, elevated cold agglutinin levels and polyclonal gammopathy, but with paradoxical cutaneous anergy and decrease in blood T-lymphocytes, were found. Therapy with levamisole was without significant benefit and the patient died 2 months after initial diagnosis. Our findings give further support to the contention that this disease is an abnormal, but non-neoplastic, immune reaction resulting from a loss of suppressor T cells with hyperfunction of the B lymphocyte system.

Autoimmune Diseases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hardness of plantar skin in diabetic neuropathic feet.

To evaluate if skin hardness in diabetic neuropathic feet was increased and if its eventual modifications could be correlated to the severity of neuropathy, we studied a group of diabetic outpatients with and without neuropathy. Patients, selected among those who were attending their routine screening for diabetic neuropathy at our diabetologic clinic, were divided into two groups according to the presence (ND+) or absence (ND-) of diabetic neuropathy with the criteria of the S. Antonio Consensus Conference on Diabetic Neuropathy. Patients then underwent an evaluation of vibration perception threshold (VPT) by means of a biotesiometer, measurement of skin hardness (DMT) by means of a durometer, and transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO2) determination. VPT was determined at allux (VPT-A) and external malleolus (VPT-M), DMT was measured at heel (DMT-H), at medial (DMT-M) and lateral (DMT-L) midfoot, and at posterior midcalf (DTM-C) as a control site; TcPO2 was evaluated at dorsum (TcPO2-D) and at medial midfoot (TcPO2-M), respectively. All measurements were performed on the nondominant side with the patients supine. Patients were compared with age and gender-matched healthy volunteers (Controls), who underwent the same evaluations in the same order. ND+ patients showed higher values of VPT than ND- and Controls, both at first toe and at malleolus analysis of variance (ANOVA) p<0.01), as well of DMT in all the three sites explored (ANOVA, p<0.01). Moreover, ND+ showed no difference in DMT among the sites, while both in ND- and in controls DMT-M was significantly (p<0.05) lower than DMT-H and DMT-L. No difference among the three groups were observed in TcPO2 measurements, and no difference in DMT-C was observed either. A significant correlation was observed between DMT-H and VPT-M (r2 = 0.516) and between DMT-M and VPT-A (r2 = 0.624) in ND+ patients. Skin hardness was diffusely increased in ND+ patients, and this increase strongly correlates with the severity of neuropathy. Simple, noninvasive determination of skin hardness could identify patient at potential risk to develop neuropathic foot ulcers.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Histological, ultrastructural and clinical study of a malignant adrenal neoplasm producing minor mineralocorticoids].

The authors describe a case of an adrenal tumor of unusual dimensions with a benign histological appearance. After a short period diffuse metastases developed. The metastases should the features a poorly differentiated carcinoma. The size of the tumor appears to be a useful element of judgement in differential diagnosis between adenoma and carcinoma of the adrenal glands.

Adenoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

HCV and lymphoproliferative diseases.

METHODS: Genomic and replicative forms of HCV-RNA in B lymphocytes were detected by RT-PCR, and HCV genotyping was performed using universal and type-specific primers for the core region. Immunoglobulin gene rearrangement was detected by RT-PCR. RESULTS: The presence of genomic and replicative forms of HCV-RNA in the 5'NC region was investigated on total RNA extracted from subpopulations of PBMC. The frequency of HCV-RNA was higher in the B lymphocytes than in other PBMC. In two patients a larger sized band was present in the B lymphocytes and PMN; this band could represent either another form of HCV-RNA or a cross-reaction between cellular RNA and HCV primers. HCV-RNA detected using primers for the core region was negative in the patients examined. Immunoglobulin monoclonal gene rearrangement was present on the cDNA in all of the HCV and type II cryoglobulinemia positive samples except two; in contrast, it was absent in the HCV positive and cryoglobulinemia negative samples. The analysis of immunoglobulin monoclonal gene rearrangement on DNA showed the presence of new positive samples among the HCV positive, type II cryoglobulinemia negative patients, who had been negative when PCR was performed on cDNA. Denaturing sequencing gel showed clearer results than agarose gel. CONCLUSIONS: The early detection of immunoglobulin monoclonal gene rearrangement and expression is very important because it could provide evidence of the possible lymphoproliferative evolution of HCV infection. In addition, these investigations together with PCR product sequencing could show us the steps in the clonal selection of B lymphocytes towards malignant transformation, in which HCV plays a direct and/or indirect role.

Base Sequence↗