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Biomedical subjects

R Abbiati

Publications and source records attributed to R Abbiati.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Oral BCAA supplementation in cirrhosis with chronic encephalopathy: effects on prolactin and estradiol levels.

The effects of oral BCAA supplementation on fasting levels of prolactin and estradiol were retrospectively analyzed in frozen plasma samples of patients with cirrhosis and chronic hepatic encephalopathy, taking part in a 3-month randomized, double-blind trial. Twenty-five patients had received 0.24g of BCAA per kg body weight, 24 had received an equinitrogenous amount of casein, in addition to a diet providing 0.7-1.0 g/kg of protein. Thirty-eight were males, 11 post-menopausal women. Fasting prolactin did not show any change in the BCAA group, where mental state significantly improved. In the casein group plasma prolactin increased by nearly 50% during the 3-month period. Similarly, estradiol concentrations were unchanged during BCAA supplementation, and increased during casein treatment. The analysis of variance demonstrated significant differences between the 2 treatments. Liver function tests and nutritional parameters (albumin, transferrin, urinary creatinine) supported a superiority of BCAA over casein. These data suggest that the favorable effects of BCAA on mental state are not mediated by changes in cerebral neurotransmission, but are due mainly to maintained liver function, possibly related to improved nutrition.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1990

Long-term oral branched-chain amino acid treatment in chronic hepatic encephalopathy. A randomized double-blind casein-controlled trial. The Italian Multicenter Study Group.

In a double blind randomized study, branched-chain amino acids and placebo (casein) were compared as a treatment for chronic hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis. After a 15-day run-in period with controlled diet (45-65 g protein), the patients were administered, in addition to their diet, branched-chain amino acids (0.24 g/kg, 30 patients) or an equinitrogenous amount of casein (34 patients). One patient on branched-chain amino acids and two on casein were lost to the study. After 3 months, the index of portal-systemic encephalopathy significantly improved in patients on active treatment (from 40 [S.D. 14]% to 21 [17]), but was not in subjects receiving casein (from 37 [13]% to 36 [12]). Two or more parameters of the index improved in 24 patients treated with amino acids (80%; confidence limits, 61-92%), and only in 12 receiving casein (35%; confidence limits, 20-54%; p less than 0.001). Patients who did not improve were given an alternative treatment for 3 more months. Casein-treated patients given branched-chain amino acids rapidly improved. The changes in neuropsychologic function were associated with an improvement in semiquantitative nitrogen balance, which became consistently positive in amino acid-treated subjects; there was also a mild improvement in nutritional parameters and in liver function tests. The supplementation of oral branched-chain amino acids to the diet is superior to casein as a treatment for providing adequate nitrogen supply and improving the mental state of cirrhotic patients with chronic encephalopathy.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Effects of chronic oral branched-chain amino acid supplementation in a subpopulation of cirrhotics.

Liver cirrhosis is characterized by low plasma levels of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) and high concentrations of aromatic amino acids (AAA), and this imbalance has been implicated in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy by the synthesis of altered neurotransmitters. Contrasting results on intravenous or oral BCAA efficacy and metabolic impact have already been reported, but studies reported in the literature were never longer than a few weeks. After oral administration of BCAA and a standard diet to 28 cirrhotic patients for 1 year, no modifications in plasma concentrations of BCAA could be observed up to 3 months of therapy. Our data and an accurate analysis of the current literature lead us to propose the hypothesis that in the impaired nitrogen metabolism following cirrhosis there are neither single metabolic presentations nor many perturbations, but numerous 'subpopulations' of patients who present a homogeneous pattern of alterations that may distinguish them in terms of therapeutic approach.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Adhesion capacity of Enterococcus faecium (SF 68) and Enterococcus faecalis to various substrates].

The author's studied the adherence ability of Enterococcus faecium SF 68 compared to that of Enterococcus faecalis IM 11f, on various substrates: vascular catheters and cardiac valves of rabbit, immunodepressed rats and diabetic rats. The bacterial adherence test was calculated by the number of bacteria adhered for microscopic field enlarged to 2000. The data obtained by scanning electron microscope SEM (Cambridge Stereoscan 150 MK2) revealed a different adherence action of the two germs on the various substrates. All the adherence tests showed a higher and uniform adherence activity of E. faecalis compared to that of E. faecium.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Role of Enterococcus faecium SF 68 in experimental infection in mice].

The normal intestinal flora is an important defence against various infectious agents. It also allows important metabolic stages in the host. The Authors studied the ability of Enterococcus faecium SF 68 to protect the mice (Swiss strain) from infection by Salmonella typhi and its role when used with penicillin in infection by Staphylococcus aureus. Our results showed that SF 68, determined a good protection against infection. Moreover the association E. faecium SF 68-antibiotic lowers the mortality rate in the infected mice compared with the control group.

Animals↗