Biomedical subjects

M Valenti

Publications and source records attributed to M Valenti.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1998

[Goiter prevalence and urinary excretion of iodine in a sample of school age children in the city of Rome].

The aim of the study was the assessment of the urinary iodine excretion and the evaluation of thyroid volume compared with clinical examination in 1040 schoolchildren (6-14 years old), living in Rome. Mean urinary iodine excretion was 98.52 +/- 49.81 micrograms/l (median 92 micrograms/l). Thyroid enlargement, as assessed by palpation, was found to be grade 1A in 35.4% of the children, grade 1B in 9.6% and grade 2 in 0.2%. Thyroid volume, determined by ultrasound, increased with age, was significantly correlated with body surface area and was significantly higher in females, as compared to males, in the 11 and 12 years old group. Eleven children (1.9%) were negative at palpation (grade 0) but showed thyroid enlargement by ultrasound. The prevalence of goiter determined by ultrasound resulted to be 4.7%.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

The diagnosis of bladder outlet obstruction in men by ultrasound measurement of bladder wall thickness.

PURPOSE: The objective of the study was to investigate specificity and sensitivity of bladder wall thickness in the diagnosis of bladder outlet obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 174 patients referred to our prostate centers for lower urinary tract symptoms. Free uroflowmetry and pressure-flow studies were performed in duplicate as part of the diagnostic evaluation. After the 2 voiding studies were done the bladder was filled to 150 ml. and wall thickness was measured via suprapubic ultrasound. Bladder outlet obstruction was diagnosed and graded according to the Abrams-Griffiths and Schäfer nomogram as well as to the group specific urethral resistance algorithm. RESULTS: A significant correlation (r > 0.6, p < or = 0.007) was found between bladder wall thickness and all parameters of the pressure-flow study. A bladder wall thickness of 5 mm. appeared to be the best cutoff point to diagnose bladder outlet obstruction, since 63.3% of patients with bladder wall thickness less than 5 mm. were unobstructed while 87.5% of those with a bladder wall thickness 5 mm. or greater were obstructed. Bladder wall thickness out performed uroflowmetry in terms of specificity and sensitivity in the diagnosis of outlet obstruction as demonstrated by an area under curve value of 0.860 versus 0.688 in the receiver operator characteristics analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of bladder wall thickness appears to be a useful predictor of outlet obstruction with a diagnostic value exceeding free uroflowmetry although it does not represent a substitution to invasive urodynamics. These data support the hypothesis that the relationships between morphology and function are of clinical importance.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

[Drugs used in the treatment of arterial hypertension in dialysis patients in the Piedmont. What correlations between personal and clinical data can be made from the registry data?].

The therapeutical approach to arterial hypertension in the general population is now relatively well classified, whereas it remains a controversial problem in dialytic patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antihypertensive drugs used in dialytic patients in Piedmont and to identify correlations with other personal and clinical data. The authors analysed the data in the Piedmont Dialysis and Transplant Register concerning new patients admitted to dialysis during the period 1990-1995 (2,664 patients at 31/12/1995) and 1,373 patients who began dialysis during the period 1990-1993. A study of the antihypertensive drugs using in single and combined therapy over the five-year period shows major variations in the 45-65 year-old age bracket (increased ACE-inhibitors in single therapy, 15.5-25.6%, increased vasodilators in combined therapy, 15.3-21%). In patients aged > or = 65 years old a slight increase was found in the use of beta-blockers in monotherapy. Antihypertensive drugs at the 1st control (1990-1995 entries) appeared to be stable over the five-year period. From the 1,373 patients who started dialysis in the period 1990-1993, with at least three subsequent controls, the authors selected those hypertensive or normotensive patients receiving ACE-inhibitor therapy (best survival in general population) and compared their survival with that of patients receiving alternative antihypertensive treatment. No significant differences were found. The stability of the antihypertensive drugs taken by these patients over the past 5 years backs the hypothesis of a greater attention paid by nephrologists to the introduction of new drugs, both because of the frequent onset of collateral effects and owing to the special pharmacokinetics present in dialytic patients.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

PubMed1998

[Spiral computerized tomography in the study of renal neoplasms in children].

INTRODUCTION: Different kinds of pediatric renal tumors are known, the commonest of which is Wilms' tumor or nephroblastoma; other less common tumors are nephroblastomatosis, rhabdoid malignant tumor, clear cell sarcoma, congenital mesoblastic nephroma and multilocular cystic nephroma. However, the diagnostic imaging features of all these neoplasms are very similar. Ultrasonography (US) and Computed Tomography (CT) have currently a preminent role in the diagnostic evaluation of these conditions, compared to conventional radiology. The use of Spiral Computed Tomography (spiral CT) has definitely improved the efficacy of CT and we report on the advantages of this technique in both diagnosing and staging pediatric renal tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined 11 children with renal masses, 5 boys and 6 girls, whose age ranged 3 days to 10 years. All of them were submitted to US and CT; an abdominal plain film was previously obtained in 5 cases. Five patients were examined with conventional CT scaning, while the other 6 patients were submitted to spiral CT. CT examinations were always performed before and after i.v. administration of nonionic contrast medium (3 mL/kg). Contrast medium injection was performed manually in most cases; a mechanical injector was used only for older children, with 1 mL/s injection rate. Volume scan started at the end of manual or mechanical injection, or in some cases with a 70-second delay from the beginning of the mechanical injection. Spiral CT examinations were performed with 5-mm collimation thickness, 10 mm/s table speed (pitch = 2), 5-mm reconstruction intervals. In 4 of 6 cases studied with spiral CT a simple sedation of the patients was necessary. RESULTS: In 4 patients the abdominal plain film provided diagnostic information based on indirect signs such as bowel loops displacement by the tumor; it showed also some calcifications within the lesion in 1 of these cases and it was negative in 1 case. US allowed to detect the tumor and to evaluate its site, size and morphology in all patients. However, this technique is inaccurate in detecting abdominal lymph nodes involvement and failed to show two small cortical lesions in the contralateral kidney. CT always allowed to confirm the renal origin of the tumor, clearly showing the mass morphology and size and its intra- and extrarenal spread; moreover this technique evaluated the densitometric pattern of the mass before and after contrast medium administration. Compared to conventional CT, the spiral technique improved the enhancement of the lesion and abdominal vessels; the latter were better studied using multiplanar reconstructions (MPR). Furthermore, spiral CT detected a peritumoral pseudocapsule in 3 cases, a 5-mm lesion of the contralateral kidney in 1 case and abdominal lymph nodes involvement in 1 case. Angiography was performed in 2 patients to assess the presence of hemorrhagic components within the lesion and the possibility of preoperative embolization. DISCUSSION: CT is currently the technique of choice in the diagnosis and staging of renal masses in children, since it allows to recognize lesion site, size and densitometric patterns and provides an excellent visualization of surrounding structures (vessels and lymph nodes). Spiral CT further improves the examination quality, reducing the sedation time and requiring lower radiation doses. The use of MPR improves the depiction of great vessels and permits to detect venous thrombosis. Finally, synchronous lesions in the contralateral kidney and metastases to the liver and lungs are more easier to show.

Child↗

PubMed1998

Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of pinacidil after a single dose of a new slow release tablet in healthy volunteers.

Pinacidil (CAS 85371-64-8) is a recently developed antihypertensive drug of the class called "potassium channel openers". It produces vasodilatation and a fall of arterial blood pressure. The pharmacokinetics and the pharmacodynamics of pinacidil were studied after single oral administration of a new slow-release tablet formulation (Pindac) in comparison to the standard slow-release capsule formulation in healthy volunteers. Eighteen healthy subjects (3 men and 15 women), with a mean age of 31.1 years were given a single 12.5 mg dose of each formulation in an open, cross-over study, with randomised sequences and a 7-day wash-out period between doses. Blood samples were collected before and several times up to 36 h after drug administration. Blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory functions were assessed before and 1, 4, 24 and 36 h-after drug administration. Pinacidil plasma levels were determined by HPLC. Both formulations produced a similar significant reduction (10 +/- 4 mmHg) of systolic blood pressure 4 h after administration but no changes of diastolic pressure and heart rate. Both the maximal effect (Emax) and the area under the effect-time curve (AUE0-36) were similar for the two formulations. The main model-independent pharmacokinetic parameters of Pinacidil (Cmax, Tmax, AUC, MRT) as well as the absorption and the elimination half-lives were similar after the two formulations. The main advantage of the tablet formulation compared to the capsules is that tablets can be easily cut and therefore the dosage can be adapted to an individual patient's needs.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Mechanism of resistance to cisplatin in a human ovarian-carcinoma cell line selected for resistance to doxorubicin: possible role of p53.

A possible novel mechanism of cross-resistance to cisplatin (CDDP) in the doxorubicin-resistant ovarian-cancer cell line A2780-DX3, which displays atypical multidrug resistance, is presented. A2780-DX3 is found to be more resistant than the parental line A2780 in terms of CDDP-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis. Resistance is not related to the amount of cross-links. Topoisomerase-II (topII) protein levels were similar in both cell lines, with lower cleavage activity in A2780-DX3 cells. The parental and the doxorubicin-resistant cells expressed the same level of c-erb2, which could be implicated in CDDP resistance. bcl2 was almost undetectable in both cell lines. At the same time, we found strong induction of p53, waf-1 and bax protein levels after CDDP treatment in the A2780, but not in the A2780-DX3, cell line. Treatment of both cell lines with mitomycin C (MMC), which acts with a mechanism different from CDDP, caused equal accumulation of p53 and induction of bax. We found that A2780-DX3 cells exhibit altered cellular localization of p53 protein in comparison with A2780. A significant proportion of p53 in A2780-DX3 cells was found in the cytoplasmic compartment, and CDDP treatment induced a functional p53 protein in the nucleus of A2780 much more strongly than in A2780-DX3, which coincides with an increase of transcriptional activity of p53 in treated A2780 cells. We propose that the cross-resistance to CDDP in the A2780-DX3 cell line may be due to inactivation of a CDDP-dependent p53-accumulation pathway.

Cisplatin↗

PubMed1997

p53 status does not affect sensitivity of human ovarian cancer cell lines to paclitaxel.

Nine human ovarian cancer cell lines that express wild-type (wt) or mutated p53 were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity induced by paclitaxel. The IC50 calculated in the five mutated p53-expressing cell lines was not different from the four wt p53-expressing cell lines. The introduction of wt p53, by using a temperature-sensitive mutant murine p53 or the human p53 under the control of a tetracycline-dependent promoter, did not change the cytotoxicity of paclitaxel as compared to mock-transfected cells. By using for each cell line the paclitaxel IC50, we found that these concentrations were sufficient to induce an increase in p53 levels in all of the four wt p53-expressing cells, whereas in the mutated p53-expressing cells, the levels were unaffected. This increase in p53 levels led to an increase in the mRNA and protein levels of p53 downstream genes (WAF1, GADD45, and bax). In none of the cell lines examined was paclitaxel able to induce apoptosis, evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling staining and filter binding assay at concentrations closed to the IC50. By increasing the concentration of paclitaxel in the filter binding assay, we could see fragmentation of DNA in the different cell lines. We conclude that the presence of p53 is not a determinant for the cytotoxicity induced by paclitaxel in human ovarian cancer cell lines. Differences in the activation of p53 downstream genes could be observed in wt versus mutated p53-expressing cells, but this does not account either for a differential induction of apoptosis or for a change in cytotoxicity induced by paclitaxel.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed1997

Causes of death and recurrence after surgery for early gastric cancer.

The postoperative course of 172 patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) was followed for a median 7 years to evaluate the causes of death, incidence and patterns of recurrence, and characteristic findings in the recurrent cases. The cumulative 10-year mortality rate (+/- SE) was 22 +/- 3.7%. Seven patients (4.1%) died of operative mortality, 11 (6.4%) died of a recurrence of the gastric cancer and 13 (7.6%) died of unrelated causes. Unrelated causes of death were metachronous primary cancer (n = 6), cardiovascular disease (n = 2), pneumonia (n = 3), sepsis (n = 1), and car accident (n = 1). Four patients died from gastric stump recurrence, three from liver metastases, two from lymph node metastases, and two from peritoneal dissemination. Using Cox multivariate analysis, histologic type had the most significant effect on recurrence. Although influenced by the tumor nature, the EGC prognosis is relatively good. Based on the results of this study, particularly in Western institutions, histologic examination of resection margins and lymphadenectomy should be improved. Moreover, patients must be carefully followed for late recurrence and metachronous cancer.

Aged↗

PubMed1997

Scrotal hematoma due to neonatal adrenal hemorrhage: the value of ultrasonography in avoiding unnecessary surgery.

Scrotal hematoma is an uncommon presentation of neonatal adrenal hemorrhage. Nine previous cases of such an association have been reported in the literature, and unnecessary surgery was carried out in five of these cases. The authors report three new cases observed during a 3-year period and stress the critical role of scrotal and abdominal ultrasonography in order to avoid unnecessary surgical exploration.

Adrenal Gland Diseases↗

PubMed1997

DDP-induced cytotoxicity is not influenced by p53 in nine human ovarian cancer cell lines with different p53 status.

Nine human ovarian cancer cell lines that express wild-type (wt) or mutated (mut) p53 were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity induced by cisplatin (DDP). The concentrations inhibiting the growth by 50% (IC50) were calculated for each cell line, and no differences were found between cells expressing wt p53 and mut p53. Using, for each cell line, the DDP IC50, we found that these concentrations were able to induce an increase in p53 levels in all four wt-p53-expressing cell lines and in one out of five mut-p53-expressing cell lines. WAF1 and GADD45 mRNAs were also increased by DDP treatment, independently of the presence of a wt p53. Bax levels were only marginally affected by DDP, and this was observed in both wt-p53- and mut-p53-expressing cells. DDP-induced apoptosis was evident 72 h after treatment, and the percentage of cells undergoing apoptosis was slightly higher for wt-p53-expressing cells. However, at doses near the IC50, the percentage of apoptotic cells was less than 20% in all the cell lines investigated. We conclude that the presence of wt p53 is not a determinant for the cytotoxicity induced by DDP in human ovarian cancer cell lines.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed1997

Mortality in psychiatric hospital patients: a cohort analysis of prognostic factors.

BACKGROUND: This work followed a group of patients living in a psychiatric hospital in Central Italy in 1978 at the time of enforcement of the Italian reform law (No. 180) for closing down mental hospitals. The study had the following aims: a) to compare in terms of mortality patients discharged into the community with patients who did not experience deinstitutionalization; b) to determine the survival of the cohort of patients and to analyse prognostic risk factors for death; c) to analyse differences in mortality rates between psychiatric patients and the general population. METHODS: The study was designed as an historical follow-up investigation. Univariate (product limit) and multivariate (proportional hazards model) methods were used to estimate prognostic variables and related death risks. Mortality was assessed using standardized mortality ratios (SMR) on the entire cohort as well as after stratification according to age, sex, cause of death and discharge status, assuming the Abruzzo Region's population as standard. RESULTS: Length of hospitalization and discharge from hospital are prognostic variables for death risk, with relative risks respectively of 4.22 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.41-7.40) for a length of hospitalization of 10-25 years, and 8.13 (95% CI: 4.73-13.88) for non-discharge. The global SMR of the cohort was 2.68 (95% CI: 2.42-3.07). Non-discharged patients showed higher SMR than discharged. Excess mortality was found both in males and females for circulatory, respiratory and undefined diseases. A significantly lower mortality for cancer was observed in male patients. A strong excess mortality was observed in younger patients (20-29 years: SMRmales = 43.57; SMRfemales = 97.52). CONCLUSIONS: Longer periods of hospitalization and non-discharge from hospital are the main risk factors for death in psychiatric patients, who globally experience higher death rates than the general population for a wide spectrum of causes of death, whatever their diagnosis or gender. These findings strongly suggest positive actions in order to overcome the effects of institutionalization.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Novel 7-alkyl methylenedioxy-camptothecin derivatives exhibit increased cytotoxicity and induce persistent cleavable complexes both with purified mammalian topoisomerase I and in human colon carcinoma SW620 cells.

An alkylating camptothecin (CPT) derivative, 7-chloromethyl-10,11-methylenedioxy-camptothecin (7-CM-MDO-CPT) was recently shown to produce irreversible topoisomerase I (top1) cleavage complexes by binding to the +1 base of the scissile strand of a top1 cleavage site. We demonstrate that 7-CM-EDO-CPT (7-chloromethyl-10,11-ethylenedioxy-camptothecin) also induces irreversible top1-DNA complexes. 7-CM-MDO-CPT, 7-CM-EDO-CPT, and the nonalkylating derivative 7-ethyl-10,11-methylenedioxy-camptothecin (7-E-MDO-CPT) also induced reversible top1 cleavable complexes, which were markedly more stable to salt-induced reversal than those induced by 7-ethyl-10-hyroxy-CPT, the active metabolite of CPT-11. This greater stability of the top1 cleavable complexes was contributed by the 7-alkyl and the 10,11-methylene- (or ethylene-) dioxy substitutions. Studies in SW620 cells showed that 7-E-MDO-CPT, 7-CM-MDO-CPT, and 7-CM-EDO-CPT are more potent inducers of cleavable complexes and more cytotoxic than CPT. The reversal of the cleavable complexes induced by 7-E-MDO-CPT, 7-CM-MDO-CPT, and 7-CM-EDO-CPT was markedly slower after drug removal than that for CPT, which is consistent with the data with purified top1. By contrast to CPT, 7-E-MDO-CPT, 7-CM-MDO-CPT, and 7-CM-EDO-CPT were cytotoxic irrespective of the presence of 10 microM aphidicolin. These results suggest that 7-E-MDO-CPT, 7-CM-MDO-CPT, and 7-CM-EDO-CPT are more potent top1 poisons than CPT and produce long lasting top1 cleavable complexes and greater cytotoxicity than CPT in cells.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗

PubMed1997

Influence of the hydration state on blood pressure values in a group of patients on regular maintenance hemodialysis.

The pathophysiology of hypertension in patients on renal replacement therapy is not yet clear, and the role of extracellular fluid overload is still a matter of debate. The main problem is the lack of techniques to determine the fluid state. Recently new noninvasive techniques have become available which make it possible to accurately determine the hydration state in these patients. We have studied the influence of the hydration state on interdialytic blood pressure in 45 patients: 21 (46.6%) using antihypertensive medication and 24 (53.4%) without antihypertensive medication. Total body water (TBW) was determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis performed just before a hemodialysis session. The TBW was then related to the fat-free mass calculated by the anthropometric method (aFFM) of Durnin. The hydration state was defined using the following formula: TBW/aFFM 100. Furthermore, for each patient the ideal TBW was calculated according to the Watson formula. The difference between TBW and ideal TBW was considered a further index of the hydration state. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed by using a Takeda 24200 recorder according to the Korotkoff method during the 24 h before the midweek hemodialysis session. Blood pressure monitoring showed a significant correlation with the hydration state of these patients. In conclusion, the hydration state seems to play a major role in interdialytic blood pressure control.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Polymorphism of the apolipoprotein E gene and early carotid atherosclerosis defined by ultrasonography in asymptomatic adults.

Clinical and autoptical studies have suggested a predisposing role of the allele E4 of apolipoprotein E (apoE) in the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. To investigate the possible contribution of apoE allele polymorphism to the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) as assessed by ultrasound, we studied 260 asymptomatic nondiabetic subjects (121 men, 139 women; mean +/- SD age, 53 +/- 7 years), randomly selected from the population register of the inhabitants of Trieste, Italy. B-mode ultrasound was used to quantify the maximum IMT at 12 sites on the near and far wall of the common, bifurcation, and internal carotid arteries. ApoE genotypes were determined from amplified apoE sequences by restriction isotyping. The frequencies of E2, E3, and E4 alleles were 0.073, 0.827, and 0.100, respectively. As expected, subjects with E4 allele had the highest levels of total serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, subjects with E2 allele had the lowest levels, and those with E3 genotype had intermediate levels. The echographic measurements of carotid IMT showed increasing values from E2 to E4 carriers. After adjustment for total and LDL cholesterol serum levels, triglycerides, ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol, age, sex, and body mass index, ANCOVA showed that the common carotid IMT was significantly greater (P = .029) in subjects with E4 allele compared with E3 carriers. Our data confirm the influence of apoE4 on cholesterol levels and clearly show that apoE genotype affects carotid atherosclerosis in its early stages in middle-aged asymptomatic subjects.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Macular function impairment in eyes with early age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: To study different aspects of macular function in eyes with early age-related macular degeneration (early AMD: drusen with or without retinal pigment epithelium alterations) and normal visual acuity, to obtain a complete evaluation of macular function impairment in early AMD and to study the relationship between macular function and the ophthalmoscopic signs of early AMD. METHODS: Forty-seven subjects with early AMD and visual acuity better than 20/25 in at least one eye were studied: 34 patients had bilateral early AMD (group 1), 13 had neovascular AMD in the fellow (nonstudy) eye (group 2). Thirty-six age-matched healthy subjects were used as controls. Thirty degree stereoscopic fundus photographs and fluorescein angiography were performed to grade macular lesions. Macular recovery function, central visual field sensitivity, spatiotemporal contrast sensitivity, and the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 hue test were used to study different aspects of macular function. RESULTS: Except for color vision, all macular function tests were significantly impaired in eyes of patients with early AMD compared to those in control subjects. No functional difference was found between groups 1 and 2. The increase in drusen number negatively influenced macular recovery function. Increasing drusen confluence reduced macular recovery function as well as central visual field sensitivity and some selected spatial frequencies of spatiotemporal contrast sensitivity. Geographic atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium and focal hyperpigmentation reduced macular recovery function and contrast sensitivity at the highest spatial frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Macular recovery function central visual field sensitivity, and spatiotemporal contrast sensitivity are adequate and reliable indicators of macular function impairment in early AMD. Macular recovery function is the test that best reflects the ophthalmoscopic characteristics of early AMD because its deterioration parallels the worsening of typical fundus lesions. Function tests are valuable in the evaluation of patients with early AMD, particularly when interventional trials are planned.

Aged↗

PubMed1997

Manual versus computer methods for diagnosing obstruction from pressure-flow tracings in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

PURPOSE: We compared manual versus computer analysis of pressure-flow tracings for diagnosing bladder outlet obstruction in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 105 patients with a clinical diagnosis of prostate enlargement and lower urinary tract symptoms was included in the study irrespective of free flow rates. Pressure-flow studies were performed in duplicate and tracings were evaluated by 2 independent investigators blinded to patients status. Manual reading of urodynamic printouts and fully computerized analysis using CLIM software were done. All urodynamic parameters relevant to the diagnosis of outlet obstruction were compared using the Abrams-Griffiths and Schäfer nomograms. Group specific urethral resistance factors were also compared. RESULTS: There was good correlation between manual and computer derived values of maximum flow (r = 0.9874, p < or = 0.0001), detrusor pressure at maximum flow (r = 0.9943, p < or = 0.0001), minimum detrusor pressure during voiding (r = 0.8816, p < or = 0.0001) and group specific urethral resistance factor (r = 0.9917, p < or = 0.0001). The diagnosis of outlet obstruction according to the group specific urethral resistance factor, and the Abrams-Griffiths and Schäfer nomograms was highly consistent using the manual and computerized approaches. CONCLUSIONS: Manual analysis of pressure-flow tracings generated by urodynamic equipment and digital data obtained by CLIM software appeared to be highly consistent and equally reliable for diagnosing and grading outlet obstruction.

Aged↗

PubMed1997

Absorption of oral lornoxicam in healthy volunteers using a granular formulation in comparison with standard tablets.

The bioavailability of lornoxicam (CAS 70374-39-9), a novel highly potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent, was studied in healthy volunteers after single doses of a new oral formulation (8 mg granules) in comparison to tablets (8 mg). Eighteen healthy volunteers (6 males and 12 females) with a mean age of 29.4 were given a single 8 mg dose of each formulation in an open, cross-over study, with randomised sequences. Lornoxicam plasma levels were determined by an HPLC method. Cmax, AUC0-infinity and t 1/2 beta values were similar for both the granules and tablets, but tmax and lag time values after lornoxicam granules were significantly shorter than after the tablets. During the study, no side-effects were noted with either of the formulations studied. Therefore this study showed that lornoxicam granular formulation had a faster absorption than tablets even though the two formulations can be considered bioequivalent.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

[Three-dimensional reconstructions using spiral computerized tomography in the study of craniostenosis. Preliminary experience and technical considerations].

INTRODUCTION: Craniostenosis is a complex association of syndromes and isolated diseases characterized by premature closure of cranial sutures. Three-dimensional (3D) Computed Tomography (CT) reconstructions have been widely used for years in the preoperative assessment and postoperative follow-up of craniostenosis, because of their effectiveness and diagnostic accuracy. Our study concerns the acquisition and reconstruction techniques of spiral CT images. This technique provides optimal diagnostic results allowing reduction of the radiation dose to the patient and of the sedation time. MATERIAL AND METHODS: May, 1995, to September, 1996, twelve patients with abnormal cranial growth or suspected craniostenosis underwent spiral CT examinations, with 3D reconstructions. Fourteen examinations were performed, including two postoperative investigations. Our diagnostic protocol consisted of images with 3 mm slice thickness, 3 mm slice interval, 2 s scan time, with 180 mAs, 120 kV. The images were reconstructed at 1 mm intervals. RESULTS: According to the literature, this technique is safe enough relative to the dose to the patient (12.2 mSv) and permits to obtain good quality 3D reconstructions and adequate images of the brain and liquor spaces. Simple sedation was sufficient in all cases, using pentobarbital, 2-3 mg/kg. CONCLUSIONS: The Authors emphasize the diagnostic effectiveness and accuracy of spiral CT with 3D reconstruction in the study of craniostenosis, which also permits imaging of the brain and liquor spaces with minimal loss of information.

Age Factors↗