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P Malacarne

Publications and source records attributed to P Malacarne.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

[Infection surveillance in intensive care units. Preliminary results of a multicenter GiViTI study in 71 Italian ICUs].

AIM: Infection surveillance and control in ICU is believed to be a means to improve the quality of assistance. The importance of this activity is supported by both epidemiological (rate and severity of infection in ICU) and economic (efficiency, cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis) evaluations. Many authors thinks that infection surveillance and control should be performed with a routine tool in order to obtain remarkable data without too much time loss, and used by many ICUs, in order to compare the data. METHODS: A prospective observational study in 71 Italian ICUs participating in GiViTi. All patients admitted in each ICU during 6 month (except those discharged alive within 48 hours from admission) were enrolled and surveyed. Demographic and clinical data, data relating to nosocomial and at admission infections, risk factors, responsible micro-organisms, antibiotics use and outcome were collected. RESULTS: A total of 5814 patients (98% of eligible patients) were surveyed. The overall incidence of infected patients was 43%. The incidence of patients with nosocomial infection was 18% (1062 patients). Pneumonia, bacteraemia and urinary tract were the main sites. The major isolated micro-organism responsible of infection were staphylococcus (29.7%) and pseudomonas (16.2). Only 17% of all patients was not treated with antibiotics, and 72% of patients without infection was treated with antibiotics. CONCLUSION: These preliminary data confirm the importance of infection in ICU and the need of continuous surveillance. We propose a tool that can be useful for continuous and multicentric infection surveillance in ICU.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed2001

Evaluation of a standardized protocol of intracavitary recombinant interferon alpha-2b in the palliative treatment of malignant peritoneal effusions. A prospective pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: Several schedules with variable doses of intracavitary interferon have been proposed for the management of metastatic peritoneal effusions. This prospective pilot study evaluated the efficacy of a standardized schedule of intraperitoneal interferon alpha(2b). METHODS: In 41 cancer patients with malignant ascites a 9-french intraperitoneal catheter was placed under sonographic guidance, and ascites was drained until abdominal ultrasound showed complete absence of effusion. Interferon alpha(2b), 6 or 9 million units (body weight 50 kg, respectively), was then administered via the tube, which was clamped for 6 h. 6 courses were given at 4-day intervals. In comparison with pretreatment levels, the 30-day response was classified as complete (CR) = no fluid recurrence, partial (PR) = fluid recurrence <50% and no response (NR) = >50%. Responders were monitored until fluid recurrence requiring paracentesis. RESULTS: 12 patients had CR, 15 PR, 14 NR. Global response (GR) was 65.9%. In ovarian cancer, GR was 75% and was not influenced by the quantity of the pretreatment daily fluid production. In the other cancers, a pretreatment fluid production <or=500 ml/day was associated with a significantly higher response (p < 0.05). Patients not showing response within the first 3 courses did not respond after the next courses. 60-day GR was 41.5%, 90-day GR was 26.8%. The mean time to fluid reaccumulation was 70.5 +/- 75.3 versus 11.4 +/- 4.4 days before treatment (p < 0.001). The survival of responders was 38-394 days (mean 131), and the average duration of response was 101 days. CONCLUSION: This protocol could be reasonably applied to ovarian cancer patients and to patients with other cancers having a fluid production of <or=500 ml/day, and it should be stopped if no response is observed after 3 courses of treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Antibiotic therapy in Italy. Current data and proposals for the future].

Data concerning antibiotic therapy in italian ICUs are presented. These data were not directly measured: they have been derived from a previous study on costs of intensive care treatments. 78% of 1065 patients received antibiotic therapy. Empirical therapy was started in 82% of septic patients. 93% of septic patients had at least one antibiogram. In 96% of cases, 2 or more antibiotics were given. 85% of surgical non septic patients received antibiotic prophylaxis for an average of 3.6 days, with a 3rd generation cephalosporin in the majority of cases. 60% of medical non septic patients received antibiotic prophylaxis for an average of 6.2 days, mostly with a 3rd generation cephalosporin. These data raise doubts about the proper use of prophylaxis. These data can be considered a useful starting point for the development of a program of surveillance of infections in Italian ICUs.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2000

[Pinch-off syndrome and rupture of totally implanted venous access. Report of a case].

Permanently implanted central venous catheters (CVC) are very frequently used in the management of patients with cancer for the administration of chemotherapy, for infusing intravenous therapy or for total parenteral nutrition. Common complications in the use of CVC include venous thrombosis, infection, extrusion and occlusion. A potentially serious complication of implantable subclavian venous access devices is the "pinch-off" syndrome: the mechanical compression between the clavicle and first rib. The next stage of complication is catheter fracture, which is sometimes complicated with embolization. Repeated trauma to the catheter with mechanical compression between the clavicle and first rib has been postulated as the cause of fracture. Prompt retrieval should be attempted in all cases to prevent further complications. We reported a case.

Catheterization, Central Venous↗
PubMed1999

Intravenous itasetron: establishing the effective dose range for the prophylactic control of acute emesis in cancer patients undergoing high-dose cisplatin chemotherapy.

Nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy are a major cause of distress to patients and reduce compliance with potentially beneficial treatment. Itasetron hydrochloride is a new 5-hydroxytryptamine3 (5-HT3) antagonist with potent antiemetic properties. It is more potent than ondansetron in animal models and in early clinical studies it demonstrates a long half-life and does not undergo hepatic biotransformation before elimination. The aim of this open, uncontrolled study was to establish the effective dose range of itasetron hydrochloride given intravenously (i.v.) to patients due to receive high-dose cisplatin chemotherapy (50-120 mg/m2) for the first time. Thirty-nine patients were enrolled in the trial and received a single i.v. infusion of itasetron hydrochloride at a dose of 17-280 microg/kg body weight before commencing the cisplatin infusion (median dose 90-110 mg/m2). Antiemetic protection was demonstrated by doses in the range of 35-280 microg/kg. The 17 microg/kg dose was not effective. Treatment failure (>5 emetic episodes/24 hours) was reported in only six (16%) of the 38 evaluable patients over all treatment groups. Adverse events were generally mild or moderate and of a similar type and incidence to those of current 5-HT3 antagonists. Physicians' and patients' assessments of efficacy and tolerability of itasetron hydrochloride were similar, the majority rating the treatment as 'good' or 'very good'. In conclusion, itasetron hydrochloride is effective in the dose range 35-280 microg/kg in preventing cisplatin-induced emesis. Taken together with results from a larger dose-finding study, a dose corresponding to 35 microg/kg (equivalent to 2.5 mg itasetron, calculated as free base) has been pursued in Phase III studies with the i.v. formulation.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1999

Energy expenditure and severity of injury and illness indices in multiple trauma patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the energy expenditure of mechanically ventilated multiple trauma patients correlates with the severity of injury and illness indices before important systemic infection has complicated the clinical course, and to compare the energy expenditure with the energy expenditure expected from the Harris-Benedict equation adjusted with correction factors for trauma. DESIGN: Prospective, clinical study. SETTING: General intensive care unit of a university teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Immediate multiple trauma adult patients who required mechanical ventilation. INTERVENTIONS: Metabolic cart connected to the ventilator. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Data on admission to the emergency department and during the first 24 hrs of intensive care unit admission were collected for computation of severity of injury and illness indices, respectively. Resting and total energy expenditures were derived at least 48 hrs after intensive care unit admission by continuous indirect calorimetry. Predicted basal energy expenditure was obtained using the Harris-Benedict equation and predicted total energy expenditure was calculated using the Harris-Benedict value adjusted with correction factors for trauma. Twenty-six multiple trauma adult patients completed the study. No statistically significant correlations were observed between both the resting energy expenditure and the total energy expenditure and the Injury Severity Score, Revised Trauma Score, Simplified Acute Physiologic Score II, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, and Glasgow Coma Scale score. A regression model of total energy expenditure was developed with the following variables: Harris-Benedict equation, heart rate, and minute ventilation (p = .01; r2 = .74). The resting energy expenditure/predicted basal energy expenditure ratio was 1.17+/-0.2 and the total energy expenditure/predicted total energy expenditure ratio was 0.76+/-0.1. CONCLUSIONS: In mechanically ventilated multiple trauma patients the energy expenditure is not correlated to the severity of injury and illness indices but is dependent on the Harris-Benedict equation in addition to heart rate and minute ventilation. Furthermore, this patient population is characterized by a moderate state of hypermetabolism, and the Harris-Benedict prediction modified with correction factors for trauma systematically overestimates the total energy expenditure.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

High-dose folinic acid and 5-fluorouracil alone or combined with hydroxyurea in advanced colorectal cancer: a randomized trial of the Italian Oncology Group for Clinical Research.

Patients with histologically confirmed advanced colorectal cancer were randomized to receive folinic acid (FA; 500 mg/mq in 2-hour intravenous infusion) and 5-fluorouracil (5FU; 600 mg/mq given as an intravenous bolus 1 hour after FA), beginning every week for 6 weeks, followed by a 2-week rest period, either without hydroxyurea (HU, arm A) or with HU (35 mg/kg per day) given orally in three administrations (every 8 hours) starting 6 hours after 5FU administration (arm B). Six weekly doses were considered one course. One hundred eighty-two patients were randomized in this trial and 162 (89%) were evaluable for response: 81 patients in arm A and 81 patients in arm B. Objective response was observed in 18 (one complete response and 17 partial responses) of 81 evaluable patients (22%; 95% confidence interval, 13-31%) in arm A, and 24 (nine complete responses and 15 partial responses) of 81 patients (30%; 95% confidence interval, 20-40%) in arm B. There was no difference in terms of median time to progression and median survival. Gastrointestinal toxicity was the most frequently observed toxicity in both arms. The double modulation of 5FU, FA plus HU does not appear to be better than the classic 5FU plus FA schedule. This trial confirms that 5FU and FA reached a plateau of 20% to 30%.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1997

Depression, psychosocial variables and occurrence of life events among patients with cancer.

Depressive disorders and psychosocial related factors were investigated in 113 patients one year after the diagnosis of cancer. Patients with an ICD-10 diagnosis of depression (31% of the sample) showed higher external locus of control, poorer social support, higher incidence of undesirable and/or uncontrollable events than non-depressed patients. They also differed in reporting more frequently a life-time history of emotional disorders, inability to adjust to the diagnosis of cancer and in having a lower score on the performance status. Of these factors, past psychiatric history, early maladjustment to cancer, poor social support and low performance status were predictors of depressive symptoms. However, because of the cross-sectional nature of the study, no conclusion regarding a causal relationship between depression and psychosocial variables is possible.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Henoch-Schönlein syndrome associated with breast cancer. A case report.

The association of the Henoch-Schönlein syndrome with leukemias and lymphomas, though rare, is well known, but this type of pathology appears to be exceptional in the case of solid tumors. The authors report a case of malignant breast tumor wherein cutaneous vasculitis appeared at the moment of the disease's progression.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

[Hemodynamic and hydroelectrolytic problems in the care of potential multiorgan donors].

Brain death condition involves haemodynamic and hydroelectrolytic unbalances which can lead to organ malfunction and perfusion impairment making their harvest for transplant not possible. Fluid infusion, based on an adequate haemodynamic and hydroelectrolytic monitoring, can restore imbalances enabling organ harvest. Authors here report their own experience in treating 30 multiorgan donors during 12 hours before organs harvest; the fluidotherapy they performed and the need of basing either the quantity and the sort of the infused liquids on a close monitoring are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Prevention of aspiration pneumonia during long-term feeding by percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: might cisapride play any role? An open pilot study.

The risk of aspiration during tube feedings has been reduced but not abolished by percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). This open study was planned to evaluate whether cisapride may play some role in preventing aspiration in long-term enteral feeding via PEG. A group of 29 patients, unable to swallow because of head and neck cancer (14 cases) or neurological disorders (15 cases) entered the study; 7 neurological patients, fed via nasogastric tube before PEG placement, had suffered from aspiration pneumonia during nasogastric feeding. All patients underwent PEG, and 10 mg cisapride was routinely given via PEG before each administration of enteral feeding and 6 h after its initiation when the feeding was continued for 12 h or more. Only 1 minor complication was observed during the acute hospital setting (ileus, spontaneously resolving after 36 h). After hospital discharge, the patients were followed for a total of 4935 days of feeding (range 47-508 days, mean time per patient: 170 days) and assessed weekly for the development of complications. No episode of probable/possible aspiration pneumonia was observed during the follow-up. Two neurological patients with involuntary movements had rupture of the feeding tube, which was replaced without complications. These results support the hypothesis that cisapride might play some role in the prevention of aspiration in patients fed via PEG, and justify the planning of some controlled, double-blind trials to verify such a hypothesis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Accidental introduction of a naso-gastric tube into the cranial cavity in a patient with non-severe cranial and facial trauma].

The authors report the accidental insertion of a nose-gastric tube inside the brain-pan of a patient affected by a cranic-facial trauma. The wrong tubes positioning was performed at the Emergency Department of the authors' hospital; it was discovered a few minutes later when a cranic CT scan had been performed. In the meantime an important neurologic syndrome developed. The poor objective evidence of the injury, which, even though causing not very evident physical damage to the patient's face, produced a communication between the patient's nose-pharynx and brain-pan, made the case worth reporting. The aim of this report is to remember and to stress how in every case of craniofacial injury, although if of poor evidence, the insertion of a naso-gastric tube is exposed to its dislocation to the brain-pan. The tube positioning must then be performed only after a cranic CT scan showed no disruption of the anatomic structures dividing the nose-pharynx by the brain-pan. The simple skull X-ray is not sufficient.

Brain Injuries↗
PubMed1993

Steroid receptor enhancement by natural interferon-beta in advanced breast cancer.

In the current study we investigated the effect of two different doses of natural interferon-beta (IFN-beta) on steroid hormone receptors in 45 patients with advanced breast cancer. IFN-beta seems to regulate the receptor mechanisms, inducing in cutaneous metastases an increase of oestrogen and progesterone receptors. Moreover, using IFN-beta and tamoxifen as a combined therapy in 23 receptor-positive patients, no negative interference of the two drugs was observed and no relevant side-effects due to the treatment were noticed. The modulation of steroid receptor content by IFN-beta in advanced breast cancer might represent an interesting way to ameliorate the clinical responsiveness to anti-oestrogens.

Aged↗