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Biomedical subjects

R Colapinto

Publications and source records attributed to R Colapinto.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Helicobacter pylori infection and infertility.

OBJECTIVE: To determine (1) the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in male and female patients with reproductive disorders and controls; (2) the presence of anti-H. pylori antibodies in samples of follicular fluid, vaginal secretions and sperm; and (3) the existence of a structural homology between a major spermatozoa protein, tubulin, and H. pylori proteins. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum samples from 167 patients with infertility and 837 age- and gender-matched controls (blood donors) were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blotting to determine the seropositivity for H. pylori infection. The presence of anti-H. pylori antibodies in samples of follicular fluid, vaginal secretions and sperm was determined using the same techniques. The possible cross-reactivity with spermatozoa of anti-H. pylori hyperimmune sera and human antibodies was studied by immunofluorescence. The N-acid homology of human tubulin with the principal H. pylori proteins was assayed by the WU-blastp program available on the Internet. RESULTS: The prevalence of infection was significantly higher in patients than controls (49.1% v. 33.5%, P < 0.001). Follicular fluids from infected patients contained specific antibodies in all cases, sperm samples in about 50% of cases, and vaginal secretions in a minority of cases. Sera to H. pylori whole antigens and VacA reacted with the tails and the pericentriolar area of human spermatozoa (which are rich in tubulin); sera to urease and heat-shock protein (Hsp) did not. Follicular fluids with anti-H. pylori antibodies immune reacted with spermatozoa. A linear homology was found between beta-tubulin and three H. pylori proteins, flagellin, VacA and CagA. CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori infection may increase the risk of developing reproductive disorders or worsen the clinical expression of this syndrome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Risk factors for acquiring Helicobacter pylori infection in a group of Tuscan teenagers.

Risk factors for acquiring Helicobacter pylori infection include hygienic, social, and environmental conditions. Some of these conditions usually change over time. We therefore investigated the existence of risk factors in a group of teenagers living in a place with the same environmental characteristics, in which hygienic and crowding conditions have not changed significantly in the last 20 years. A group of 164 students, mostly borne in 1977, attending four different schools, were examined serologically for H. pylori infection and CagA status. The importance of the risk factors for the transmission of the infection were evaluated by the chi2 test. P values <0.05 were considered significant. Twenty-two students (13.4%) were H. pylori seropositive. Students attending teachers' college and high school of arts were infected significantly more often than those attending high school (P = 0.011 and P = 0.012, respectively). Students who smoked and students whose parents had a manual job had an increased risk of acquiring the infection (P = 0.002, and P = 0.036, respectively). Crowding conditions and the presence of domestic animals were close to being statistically significant. Other factors, such as gender, number of bathrooms and bedrooms, sharing the bed with adults as a child, presence of a sexual partner, and a family history of peptic ulcer and gastric cancer, did not increase the risk of infection. The prevalence of seropositivity for CagA was similar in the various risk groups. Manual job of parents and smoking were the most important factors for acquiring H. pylori infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Successful treatment of a traumatic hepatic artery-portal vein arteriovenous fistula by interpositional mesocaval shunting.

Hepatic artery-portal vein fistula is an occasional sequel to invasive procedures on the liver, such as biopsy and transhepatic cholangiography. When the fistula is large it may result in portal hypertension, gastrointestinal bleeding and histologic and functional changes in the liver. Treatment is usually directed at the fistula, either embolizing, dividing or resecting it. Portal decompression has been discouraged in the past. The authors describe a case in which recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding, uncontrolled by attempts at embolization, was subsequently managed successfully by portosystemic shunting. They suggest that when the primary symptom related to the fistula is variceal bleeding, portal decompression is a reasonable therapeutic option.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Angiographic arterial embolization in the management of postoperative vaginal hemorrhage.

Recently great success was achieved at the Toronto General Hospital in treating patients with postoperative vaginal hemorrhage by angiographic methods. A retrospective review was performed from 1975 to 1984 on eight patients treated by this technique for nine separate episodes of hemorrhage with a mean estimated blood loss in excess of 5000 ml. Success was achieved in seven episodes despite failure of various vaginal and abdominal approaches. One of the failures was due to previous bilateral hypogastric artery ligation that made the bleeding branch inaccessible to the angiography catheter. The other patient developed bleeding following cesarean section which did not respond to angiographic embolization due to faulty technique. Both of these patients were eventually cured by abdominal surgery. We feel that angiographic embolization is the procedure of choice in the management of postoperative vaginal hemorrhage when conservative management has failed or is inappropriate; it can be lifesaving when all other attempts to stop the hemorrhage have failed.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Management of postoperative vaginal hemorrhage.

The authors' experience in the management of postoperative vaginal hemorrhage from 1975 to 1980 was reviewed. Recently, success has been achieved using angiographic arterial embolization with the Gianturco minicoil. The results of embolization are compared with those achieved through other more conventional methods. The authors have found angiographic embolization to be safe, simple, and effective, and they recommend that the procedure be performed before laparotomy for intractable postoperative vaginal bleeding.

Adult↗
PubMed1966

Scanning with macroaggregates of radioiodinated human serum albumin as an adjunct to celiac arteriography: a preliminary communication.

When macroaggregates of radioiodinated human serum albumin are injected into the celiac axis at the conclusion of celiac arteriography, satisfactory scans in which hepatic, splenic and pancreatic-duodenal out-lines are present can be obtained. Following preliminary experiments in dogs, five patients were scanned after celiac arteriography and injection of macroaggregates. No adverse reactions were noted and good delineation of upper abdominal viscera was possible. One case demonstrated good clinical-pathological correlation, in that tumour site and extent, and cirrhosis were predictable from the antemortem scan.

Angiography↗