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Biomedical subjects

P Bertolini

Publications and source records attributed to P Bertolini.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Stentless porcine bioprostheses in the treatment of aortic valve infective endocarditis.

Between January 1992 and June 1994, 23 patients underwent surgery for aortic valve endocarditis at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the University of Verona; a subgroup of 10 patients underwent aortic valve replacement with a porcine stentless valve (Biocor LTDA n = 8; Toronto SPV n = 2). There were 7 males and 3 females with a mean age of 56.3 years (range, 36 to 73 years). Eight patients had active endocarditis and two had healed endocarditis. Nine patients had native valve in endocarditis, the presence of a bicuspid aortic valve in 2, and 1 patient had recurrent prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE), 7 of whom were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Class IV. The main indications for operation were congestive cardiac failure, active sepsis, and presence of large and mobile vegetations by echo and arrhythmias. There were no operative or late mortalities in this subgroup of patients. Short-term survival is 100% at a mean follow-up time of 11.2 months (range, 4 to 18 months), with no recurrent endocarditis or valve-related complications.

Adult↗

Elimination diet and intestinal permeability in atopic eczema: a preliminary study.

We measured small intestinal permeability to lactulose and rhamnose in 18 healthy children and in 15 children with atopic eczema, before and after a 14-day elimination diet. The children with atopic eczema had higher initial urinary lactulose/rhamnose ratios than the controls. After dietary restriction, there was no overall change in permeability. Dietary therapy did however result in a large reduction in permeability in three of the nine children whose skin disease was improved, but a statistically significant decrease in permeability was not observed in the diet-responsive group as a whole. Larger studies would be required to confirm that dietary restrictions can reduce intestinal permeability in some children with atopic eczema.

Adolescent↗

Application of fresh and cryopreserved homografts harvested from transplant patients for correction of complex congenital heart disease.

In recent years, the use of homograft tissue in cardiac surgery has increased so that supply is limited. Since October 1990, aortic and/or pulmonary valves were collected from 17 transplant recipients at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the University of Padova Medical School (11 male, 6 female, mean age 43.4 years, range 11 months to 61 years). The indications for transplant were dilated cardiomyopathy in 7, and end-stage ischemic heart disease in the remaining 10 patients. Twelve such valves have been subsequently reimplanted either as fresh or as cryopreserved valved homografts in the repair of different forms of congenital heart disease, by means of different tailoring techniques (7 male, 5 female; mean age 4.8 years [range 1 day to 18 years]; transposition of the great arteries = 5 cases; tetralogy of Fallot = 3 cases; hypoplastic left heart syndrome = 2 cases; double outlet right ventricle = 1 case; truncus arteriosus = 1 case). Overall, early mortality was 25%. None of these deaths could be related to the use of homografts. There have been no instances of valve related complications among nine patients surviving surgery at a mean follow-up of 11 months. All patients having heart explanted should be regarded as potential sources for aortic and pulmonary homografts.

Adolescent↗

Pharmacokinetics of two oral liquid formulations of oxatomide in children.

A study on the pharmacokinetics of two suspensions of oxatomide at the concentrations of 25 and 2.5 mg/ml was carried out on 12 children (7M, 5F) with a mean age of 9 years and weight of 29 kg. The plasmatic concentration peak, the time to reach the peak and the area under the curve displayed no significant differences between the two formulations. The maximum concentrations and the peak time of oxatomide in children are similar to those observed in adults.

Administration, Oral↗

Special considerations on primary cardiac tumors in infancy and childhood.

Primary cardiac tumors are rare at all ages and are even less common in infants and children. In the vast majority of cases, they are benign tumors that show little tendency to growth. Primary malignant tumors of the heart are exceptionally rare. Rhabdomyomas are the most common type of tumors in infants, followed in frequency by the fibromas and the teratomas. Myxomas are very rare in pediatric patients. Symptoms that derive from the presence of a neoplastic mass are usually due to obstruction or compression. In young symptomatic patients, usually affected by rhabdomyomas, there is little chance of survival without surgery. On the other hand several patients with cardiac neoplasms are totally asymptomatic. The indication for surgery is differenciated according to the severity of the clinical picture. Since 1974, 15 infants with a cardiac tumor have been observed in our hospital. Our recent experience with 5 cases, which are described in this report, confirm our opinion, that the most important fact is the restoration of the best possible heart function. Total resection of a tumor should not always be the main therapeutical aim. Surgical intervention is required for those patients, who develop relevant clinical symptoms. Close observation of the clinical course is mandatory in all patients with a doubtful indication for operation.

Child, Preschool↗

"Food allergy in children: an attempt to improve the effects of the elimination diet with an immunomodulating agent (thymomodulin). A double-blind clinical trial".

During 90 days of elimination diet nineteen children with food allergy manifesting atopic dermatitis were treated with either 120 mg/day of thymomodulin (10 subjects) or placebo (9 subjects) in a double blind design. After this period an improvement in skin lesions was observed in both groups. Subsequently a food challenge was performed for two weeks: in the group treated with thymomodulin skin lesions did not modify while they worsened in the placebo group and the comparison was statistically significant (p less than 0.01). Before the beginning of the trial laboratory assessments evidenced an increase in total and specific IgE serum levels, which decreased by the end of the study only in the group receiving the thymic derivative (p less than 0.05).

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Passage of food antigens into circulation of breast-fed infants with atopic dermatitis.

We have selected 13 babies presenting with atopic dermatitis during exclusive breast feeding. After evaluation of reaginic reaction, we detected beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) in breast milk and babies sera before and after maternal elimination diet and after maternal challenge. beta-Lactoglobulin was present only in the sera of infants ingesting breast milk containing BLG. We have seen reaginic reactions to cow's milk in seven babies. The maternal elimination diet improved eczema in 11/13 infants, maternal challenge worsened atopic dermatitis in 9/9 children. We demonstrated the transport of food antigen via breast milk into infants' circulation.

Breast Feeding↗

[Early correction of the interrupted aortic arch].

Between 1974 and March 1983, 14 infants with interruption of the aortic arch (IAA), ventricular septal defect (VSD), and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) have been operated at our institution. In the beginning of our experience only palliative operations were performed, consisting in reconstruction of the aortic arch, closure of PDA and pulmonary artery banding (PBA). According to this procedure five patients were operated. Three of them died, the two survivors underwent successful closure of the VSD subsequently. Since 1979 the primary total correction, with repair of the extra- and intracardial anomalies in deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest, is the operation of choice. A total of nine patients underwent primary correction, in this latter group we observed two deaths only.

Aorta, Thoracic↗