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Biomedical subjects

O Ferraù

Publications and source records attributed to O Ferraù.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Risk of inflammatory bowel disease attributable to smoking, oral contraception and breastfeeding in Italy: a nationwide case-control study. Cooperative Investigators of the Italian Group for the Study of the Colon and the Rectum (GISC).

BACKGROUND: Using data from a case-control study carried out in Italy 1989-1992, we estimated the odds ratios (OR) and the population attributable risks (AR) for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in relation to smoking, oral contraception and breastfeeding in infancy. METHODS: The study focused on 819 cases of IBD (594 ulcerative colitis: UC; 225 Crohn's disease: CD) originating from populations resident in 10 Italian areas, and age-sex matched paired controls. RESULTS: Compared with non-smokers, former smokers were at increased risk of UC (OR = 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.1-4.3), whereas current smokers were at increased risk of CD (OR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1-2.6). Females who reported use of oral contraceptives for at least one month before onset of symptoms had a higher risk of CD (OR = 3.4; 95% CI: 1.0-11.9), whereas no significant risk was observed for UC. Lack of breastfeeding was associated with an increased risk of UC (OR = 1.5; 95% CI: 1.1-2.1) and CD (OR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1-3.3). Being a 'former smoker' was the factor with the highest attributable risk of UC both in males (AR = 28%; 95% CI: 20-35 %) and in females (AR = 12%; 95% CI: 5-18%). Smoking was the factor with the highest attributable risk for CD in males (AR = 31%; 95% CI: 11-50%). Lack of breastfeeding accounted for the highest proportion of CD in females (AR = 11%; 95% CI: 1-22%). Oral contraceptive use accounted for 7% of cases of UC and for 11% of cases of CD. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, the considered factors were responsible for a proportion of IBD ranging from 26% (CD females) to 36% (CD males). It is concluded that other environmental and genetic factors may be involved in the aetiology of IBD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Focal lymphocytic aggregates in chronic hepatitis C: occurrence, immunohistochemical characterization, and relation to markers of autoimmunity.

Intrahepatic lymphocytic aggregates are observed in chronic hepatitis C as well as in autoimmune chronic hepatitis. Autoantibodies and autoimmune manifestations may occur in hepatitis C. It has been suggested that the lymphocytic aggregates play a role in the liver injury of chronic hepatitis C by an immune-mediated mechanism. We studied the occurrence of intrahepatic lymphocytic aggregates and of autoantibodies in a consecutive series of 128 patients with chronic hepatitis C. For the phenotypic characterization of the lymphocytic aggregates cryostat sections and microwaved paraffin embedded sections were immunostained with monoclonal antibodies directed against T cell subsets, B cells, killer/natural killer cells, follicular dendritic cells, and macrophages. Autoantibodies were tested by immunofluorescence (antinuclear, anti-smooth muscle, antimitochondrial) and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (anti-soluble liver antigen, anti-liver/kidney microsome, anti-human receptor for asialoglycoprotein). Focal lymphocytic aggregates in portal tracts were observed in 76 of 128 (59%) patients. The cellular composition of the aggregates was constant: a core of B cells mixed with many T helper/inducer lymphocytes, and an outer ring was prominently formed by T suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes. A germinal center was rarely identifiable. The presence of lymphocytic aggregates was inversely correlated with the degree of fibrosis. Lymphocytic aggregates appeared more frequently in chronic persistent and chronic active hepatitis in comparison with cirrhosis and in the presence of bile duct damage. No correlation was found between lymphocytic aggregates and autoantibodies or other markers of autoimmunity. The lymphocytic aggregates are frequent in chronic hepatitis C. Their cellular composition is similar to that of primary lymphoid follicles in lymph nodes. Their presence does not seem to be correlated with features of autoimmunity.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

HCV infection, hepatic HLA display and composition of the mononuclear cell inflammatory infiltrate in chronic alcoholic liver disease.

Viral infection may play a role in alcoholic liver disease with histological features of chronic active hepatitis (CAH). Human leucocyte antigen (HLA) hepatocellular display is supposed to allow HLA-restricted T-lymphocyte cytotoxicity in chronic viral hepatitis. We studied the presence of serum anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies, the hepatic HLA display and the composition of the mononuclear cell infiltrate in 16 patients with alcoholic liver disease and histological features of CAH and in 11 patients with alcohol-related degenerative changes. All patients were negative for hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers. Anti-HCV were tested by microplate ELISA. Class I HLA A, B, class II HLA DR, lymphocytes pan T, T helper/inducer, T suppressor/cytotoxic, B, and K NK cells were stained on liver cryostat sections by monoclonal antibodies and double indirect immunoperoxidase. Anti-HCV were present in all the patients with features of CAH and absent in those with only degenerative changes. In livers with features of CAH the mononuclear cell infiltrate consisted largely of T lymphocytes with marked prevalence of suppressor/cytotoxic cells in periportal and lobular areas. K NK cells were rare. Class I HLA, diffusely displayed on bile duct epithelium and on sinusoidal cells, also appeared on liver cells in the areas of periportal and lobular necrosis, namely on the hepatocytes in close contact with suppressor/cytotoxic T cells. In livers with only degenerative changes class I HLA were diffusely displayed on bile duct epithelium and on sinusoidal cells but absent on the hepatocytes. In all the specimens HLA DR antigens were expressed on sinusoidal and inflammatory cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Behavior of anti-HBc IgM in acute and chronic hepatitis].

Anti-HBV core IgM antibodies (anti-HBc IgM) were tested by RIA in the sera from 269 patients with acute viral hepatitis (AVH), from 39 patients with chronic HBSAg+ hepatitis (CH) at various stage of evolution, in 41 asymptomatic HBsAg carriers and in 30 healthy volunteers. Anti-HBc IgM were found in 100/108 HBsAg+ AVH, in 6/161 HBsAg--AVH, in 9/39 with CH and only 1 asymptomatic HBsAg carrier. Among the chronic patients with anti-HBc IgM, 3 were HBeAg+ and 6 were anti-HBe+. The test of anti-HBc IgM results useful in the early aetiological diagnosis of acute hepatitis since it is always positive in HBV acute hepatitis even in the subjects who early seroconvert to anti-HBs; the absence of anti-HBc IgM in the HBsAg+ acute hepatitis suggests other overinfecting agents. The presence of anti-HBc IgM in CH seems not to be related to an active viral replication.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1980

[e/Anti-e system in liver disease].

HBeAg and anti-HBe were tested by RIA (Abbott Kits) in 53 patients (38 HBsAg +) with acute viral hepatitis (AVH), in 27 patients (5 HBsAg +) with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), in 54 (8 HBsAg +) with cirrhosis, in 32 (17 HBsAg +) undergoing haemodialysis, in 6 HBsAg carriers and in 45 controls. Most of the patients with HBsAg + AVH were HBeAg + in the first week and showed seroconversion to anti-HBe within the fourth week of the illness. Two from the four patients still HBeAg + in the fourth week seroconverted later on and clinically recovered, one is still HBsAg +/HBeAg + in the seventh week and one developed CAH HBsAg +/HBeAg +. High prevalence of HBeAg was found in the haemodialysed (94%) and in the patients with CAH (80%) while anti-HBe was more frequent in the HBsAg carriers (100%) and in the cirrhotics (62,5%). Among the patients HBsAg-, none was HBeAg + while 18% with CAH, 21,7% with cirrhosis, 26,6% of the haemodialysed and 4% of the controls were anti-HBe +. Our data, relating to AVH, are similar to those referred in the literature, but show conversely high prevalence of anti-HBe in CAH and in cirrhosis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1980

[Anti-HBc antibodies in chronic liver diseases].

The prevalence of the anti-HBc antibodies was studied in 54 patients with chronic liver disease and in a group of controls pair-matches. The meaning of the anti-HBc antibodies titer in the patients HBsAg negative is discussed. From our data, obtained by Radioimmunoassay, anti-HBc titers I:I000 seem to indicate an ongoing or recent viral replication, being probative, even in the absence of the HBsAg marker, for the viral etiology.

Adolescent↗