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Biomedical subjects

M Vanelli

Publications and source records attributed to M Vanelli.

68 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Pattern of blood polyamines in healthy subjects from infancy to the adult age.

Blood polyamine levels have been determined in 161 healthy subjects from newborn to adult age. During the growth period spermidine concentrations are always higher than in adulthood. In the first days of life a typical pattern for spermidine and spermine appeared with an early increase in the first hours after birth and a maximum at 24 h; afterwards the levels of both amines gradually and progressively decreased. The levels reached by 10 days of life were maintained until adulthood, at which time a further decrease was evident. The high levels of polyamines during the period of body growth may suggest that also in humans these substances play a role in the process of cellular proliferation.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Metabolic control in children and adolescents with diabetes: experience of two Italian Regional Centers.

A survey on glycemic control in 201 diabetic children and adolescents, aged 0-18 years, was performed in two Italian Centers for Childhood Diabetes (Chieti and Parma). Mean HbA1c was 7.8+/-1.4 (range 4.8-13.3%; median 7.6%). With progression of diabetes duration, deterioration of glycemic control was observed (r=0.20; p< 0.002), more evident in girls than in boys, with peaks at 14 (8.9+/-2.0 vs 6.9+/-1.7%; p<0.05) and 16 years (9.5+/-1.4% vs 8.1+/-1.1; p<0.02). No differences were found in BMI values in boys or girls, or for insulin doses which were increased significantly in both sexes according to age (r= 0.33, p<0.04). The number of insulin injections did not influence glycemic control. Only one severe hypoglycemic episode was reported during the period of observation. This study demonstrates that modern management, continuous education and patient and family empowerment are effective in attaining excellent glycemic control without increasing the risk of hypoglycemia.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ketoacidosis and hyperosmolarity as first symptoms of type 1 diabetes mellitus following ingestion of high-carbohydrate-containing fluids.

The concomitant occurrence of diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolarity is reported in two children, as early symptoms of misdiagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus. The precipitating factor for both severe metabolic abnormalities was the ingestion of a large amount of high-carbohydrate-containing fluids, a few days before admission. A similar situation has never been reported before in the literature. A successful therapeutic scheme is described.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The direct measurement of 3-beta-hydroxy butyrate enhances the management of diabetic ketoacidosis in children and reduces time and costs of treatment.

In this study the effectiveness of a quantitative test of beta-hydroxybutyrate (beta-HBA) against a commercial test for urine ketone bodies (UKB) in monitoring diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) was evaluated to verify whether this ketone-testing method was able to reduce the monitoring costs and professional burden of nurses and physicians. Thirty-three children with severe (arterial pH < or = 7.2) or moderate (7.2 < pH < or = 7.3) DKA were studied. Sixteen patients were randomly monitored with blood beta-HBA (group 1) and 17 by UKB (group 2). Contrary to UKB, beta-HBA levels appeared correlated with: HbA1c values on admission (r = 0.99; p = 0.0001); latent period before diagnosis of diabetes (r = 0.95; p = 0.0001); changes in arterial pH (r = -0.82; p = 0.0001) and blood bicarbonate values (r = -0.63; p = 0.001) during the treatment for DKA. Required time to achieve the resolution of ketosis in group 1 patients was related to the values of beta-HBA on admission (r = 0.84; p < 0.001). Determination of beta-HBA showed that ketosis in group 1 patients cleared 4 to 9.5 hours earlier than in group 2. Due to this early normalization, the patients of group 1 left the Intensive Care Unit 6.5 +/- 1.5 hr earlier than those of group 2. This led to 22 hr saved for clinical assessment and 375 laboratory investigations for a total saving of 2940 euros including costs for laboratory tests (29.8%) and clinical assessment (70.2%). Quantitative determination of beta-HBA levels seems to offer useful information for monitoring DKA in newly-diagnosed diabetic children and for reducing time and costs in an Intensive Care Unit.

3-Hydroxybutyric Acid↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Varicocele in childhood].

The Authors analyze 20 cases of left varicocele, treated surgically, in boys from 10 to 16 years with the mean age of 12 years. During the operation a testicular biopsy was carried out alternatively in both testicles, showing, mostly, a growth arrest of the spermatogenesis. A blood sample from the left internal spermatic vein was taken for the measurement of the testosterone. The Authors discuss the results and emphasize an early correction of the varicocele.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Leydig cell function in cryptorchid boys (author's transl)].

Testicular endocrine function was assessed in 54 cryptorchid boys, 9 of whom had previously been treated with human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). Two different HCG tests were used, the first being short (5,000 IU/m2) and the second more prolonged (3 x 1,500 IU). The testosterone response to the two tests is both quantitatively and qualitatively different. HCG therapy abolishes the differences between cryptorchid boys and controls, which may explain the conflicting results of HCG tests in literature. The results also suggest that the absence of the late testosterone response during the short test in the cryptorchid boys not treated with HCG is due to a reduced and exhaustable Leydig cell function.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Treatment by human chorionic gonadotropin in maldescended testes. (Synthesis of our experience)].

87 prepuberal children, 2-15 years old, 58 with unilateral and 29 with bilateral cryptorchidism, were treated intramuscularly with Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG). HCG was administered in 16 children in single dose (5.000 IU/m2), in 11 children every other day for one week (3 x 1,500 IU) and in 60 children twice a week (2 x 1,000 IU) for 3-7 weeks. Treatment was successful in 31% of children. The most effective HCG dosage ranged between 10,000 and 14,000 IU (2 x 1,000 IU once a week for 5-7 weeks). The best therapeutic response was obtained in inguinal cryptorchid testes (39,3%), in unilateral cryptorchidism (34,5%) and in children aged 5-10 years (42,3%). The observed androgenic side effects (32%) subsided within 3-12 months after therapy suspension. The HCG therapy appears of particular value in cryptorchidism treatment. Surgical management is indicated in cases of true ectopic testes and after failure of HCG therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Micropenis. Results of treatment with testosterone].

Two groups of children presenting with micropenis (penis length less than or equal to 2.5 cm) were treated according to 2 different therapeutic schedules. The first consisted of the transcutaneous administration of testosterone propionate (4 mg twice a day) and the second of the intramuscular injection of sustained action testosterone enanthate (25 mg every 2 weeks). Only the intramuscular treatment was able to induce a normal and durable penis growth, owing to the hyperplastic action that the testosterone injection exerted on the level of the cellular tissues of the penis. Using testosterone enanthate dosages varying from 25 to 50 mg, the risks for an abnormal acceleration of growth and bone age seem to be minimized.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Anti-gastric antibodies and gastritis in insulin-dependent diabetes in children].

BACKGROUND: Adult patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus frequently also show gastric disturbances. Knowledge of the prevalence of such abnormalities in children with insulin-dependent diabetes and the predictive value of anti-gastric parietal cell antibodies in blood may be of practical importance. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 68 patients (29 boys and 39 girls), aged from 5 yr 2 mo to 19 yr 10 mo, and treated for insulin-dependent diabetes from 1 mo to 14 yr 6 mo, were included in the study. Fasting blood concentrations of gastrin (G), pepsinogen (PG1), anti-gastric parietal cell antibodies (PCA) were measured. Fiberoptic endoscopy and biopsy of the gastroduodenal mucosa were performed in PCA+ patients and biopsy samples were examined for Helicobacter pylori (HP). RESULTS: 12 patients were PCA+; 3 of them had blood gastrin levels above 104 pg/ml and 4 had blood pepsinogen levels 24 ng/ml. Histologically, 3 patients had chronic diffuse gastritis (2 were HP+); 2 had chronic gastritis restricted to the antro-pyloric area (both were HP+); 3 had follicular lymphoid hyperplasia (without HP) and 4 had normal mucosa (without HP). CONCLUSION: The presence of PCA can predict the risk of chronic gastritis, possibly auto-immune in origin, in children with insulin-dependent diabetes.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Autoimmune endocrinopathies and Down's syndrome: a case report].

The authors refer about a girl, 16 years old, affected by Down's syndrome which developed diabetes mellitus (type I) and soon after hypothyroidism following autoimmune thyroiditis. They underline the usefulness of monitoring endocrine function in these patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Non-specific pituitary responses in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents].

OBJECTIVES: Several reports indicate a number of changes in the control of the release of PRL, LH, FSH, GH and beta-endorphin (B-EP) as a result of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). In this study we evaluate the presence of non-specific pituitary responses to releasing hormones in IDDM children and adolescents. METHODS: The non-specific effects of TRH on plasma GH, LH and B-EP levels and of GnRH on plasma GH, PRL, TSH and B-EP levels were measured in 16 IDDM children and in 16 healthy children matched by age and sex. All subjects were tested with injection of TRH (200 micrograms i.v. bolus) and GnRH (50 micrograms i.v. bolus). GH, TSH, PRL, LH and B-EP levels were evaluated with radioimmunological methods on blood samples collected before and after stimulation by releasing hormones. RESULTS: GH and B-EP non-specific responses to TRH and GnRH were significantly more pronounced in IDDM patients than in controls. All patients showed at least one non-specific response to one of the two releasing hormones. No significant correlations were found between non-specific pituitary responses and the patient's age, the duration and onset of disease or the degree of metabolic control. CONCLUSIONS: These observations may indicate that: in IDDM hypothalamus-pituitary regulating mechanism is altered; the hormones whose levels are most often found to be abnormal in IDDM (other than insulin) are also hormones which respond non specifically to the neuropeptides TRH and GnRH.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Normal values of first-phase insulin response to intravenous glucose in healthy Italian children and adolescents. The Prediabetes Study Group of the Italian Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology (SIEDP).

This study reports the first-phase insulin response (FPIR) calculated on a wide pediatric population. 138 non-obese, ICA- and GAD65 antibody-negative subjects, without family history of IDDM, were tested in 21 Italian Pediatric Diabetic Centers, according to a standardized protocol. After an overnight fast, 0.5 g/kg body weight of 25% dextrose (maximum 35 g) was infused over 2.5-3 minutes. Blood samples were taken at -10, 1, 3, 5 and 10 minutes after dextrose infusion for determination of insulin levels by radioimmunoassay. A significant positive relationship was observed between FPIR and pubertal stage groups (p = 0.0043), suggesting a progressive rise of FPIR throughout puberty. These results have to be taken into consideration in evaluating early abnormalities of carbohydrate metabolism in pubertal subjects. According to Tanner's stage the first percentile was 53 microU/ml for stage I, 53.6 microU/ml for stages II-III and 76.6 microU/ml for stages IV-V.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Blood glucose normalization-induced haemolysis in three adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus at onset and unknown G-6-PD deficiency.

We present three adolescents unknown to be G-6-PD deficient who developed haemolytic anaemia after admission for diabetes at onset uncomplicated by ketoacidosis. These patients had no bacterial infections and had not ingested haemolytic drugs. The fall in glucose availability after the correction of hyperglycaemia is proposed as capable of inducing haemolysis in G-6-PD deficiency.

Adolescent↗