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Biomedical subjects

S Baldi

Publications and source records attributed to S Baldi.

85 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Clinical significance of tumor necrosis factor in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma and benign lung diseases: a comparative study.

Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) was determined in the serum of 72 lung carcinoma patients. Twenty-four healthy subjects younger than 50 years and 10 healthy subjects older than 70 years were considered as control group. TNF was also measured in 20 patients with stage I sarcoidosis and in 15 patients with pulmonary fibrosis. The marker was detected in 32% of cases in the neoplastic group, in 37.5% of disease confined to the chest and in 25% of advanced disease cases. A large proportion of TNF-positive samples was found in sarcoidosis (30%), and even larger in pulmonary fibrosis (66.6%). TNF was also present in healthy subjects older than 70 (40%). We conclude that TNF is not specific of malignancy, being demonstrable in other benign pulmonary diseases and even in the course of physiological aging.

Adult↗

Pulmonary function in the patients submitted to lung exeresis.

The effects of lung surgery on respiratory function were investigated in 80 patients; 17 patients were submitted to left pneumonectomy (LPN); 11 patients were submitted to right pneumonectomy (RPN); 7 patients underwent a left upper lobectomy (LUL); 16 patients a left lower lobectomy (LLL); 17 patients were submitted to right upper lobectomy (RUL); 12 patients underwent right lower lobectomy (RLL). All patients were submitted to spirometry and arterial blood gas analysis. The effects of lung surgery on respiratory function depends upon the extent of the resected tissue.

Adult↗

Pulmonary function in patients with pleural effusion of varying magnitude and fibrothorax.

Pulmonary function was studied in sixty patients with pleural effusion and seventy patients with fibrothorax. The patients with pleural effusion were divided into three groups according to the extent of the effusion. The patients were submitted to spirometry and arterial blood gas analysis. The effects of pleural effusion on pulmonary function is evaluated with regards to the size of effusion. Small-size pleural effusion little affects arterial oxygen tension. Pleural effusion and fibrothorax have a similar pattern of pulmonary function.

Adult↗

Reversibility of complete unperfusion in a patient with recurrent hemoptysis.

We present a case of a 68-year-old woman with a history of mild smoking and chronic bronchitis who showed recurrent hemoptysis. She presented with a nearly normal chest roentgenogram, a non-diagnostic fiberoptic bronchoscopy and a computed tomography and lung scanning both of which were highly suggestive for malignancy. In fact, the former showed obstruction of the main left bronchus, of the superior bronchus for the left upper lobe and of the apical bronchus for the left lower lobe, the latter showed a total cessation of blood flow through the left lung. Pulmonary angiography, however, was normal and aortography showed dilatated and twisted left bronchial arteries. Computed tomography and lung scanning came back to normal after bronchoscopic aspiration of endobronchial clots and a nonspecific antibiotic therapy were carried out. Although very infrequent, bronchial stenosis on CT and complete monolateral unperfusion on lung scintigraphy may occur in patients with hemoptysis of benign origin. We recommend the use of pulmonary arteriography in patients with the above pattern when diagnostic doubt remains after bronchoscopy.

Aged↗

Respiratory function during oxygen administration in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Patient with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can develop respiratory muscle weakness and fatigue. Arterial hypoxemia can predispose to this condition. To assess whether O2 administration improved respiratory muscle function and respiratory pattern in COPD 11 patients with chronic hypoxemia were examined. Each patient was first submitted to respiratory function studies, including lung volumes, in normal and recumbent position, respiratory frequency, Ti/Te, Ti/Tot, maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (Pimax, Pemax) and arterial gas analysis breathing room air. All these tests were repeated during oxygen Administration through a nasal cannula. The arterial PO2 improved from 50 +/- 7 mmHg to 81 +/- 28 mmHg but the breathing pattern, Pimax and Pemax as well as lung volumes remained unchanged. It is concluded that oxygen, in short term administration, doesn't influence respiratory pattern and muscle function.

Aged↗

Effect of lung resection on pulmonary function. A comparative study in different surgical procedures.

The effect of lung surgery on respiratory function has been investigated in 40 patients considering separately the three main procedures (pneumonectomy, lobectomy and thoracotomy alone) to ascertain if the resected lung and the volume removal can influence this function in the immediate postoperative period. The patients were submitted to spirometry and arterial gas analysis preoperatively and during 9 days postoperation; the tests controlled were VC, FEV1, TV and RR. No significant difference has been noticed among various surgical procedures.

Adult↗

Cardiac arrhythmias following lung resection in patients treated and untreated with digitalis prophylaxis.

Cardiac arrhythmias and failure following lung resection in patients treated and untreated with digitalis prophylaxis have been evaluated. In 82 patients without digitalis (1st group) 11% tachyarrhythmias and 5.7% cardiac failures were noted. In 100 patients treated with digitalis (2nd group) 7% arrhythmias and no cardiac failures were registered. Among cardiac complications only one death in the first group was observed. The mean period of incidence of arrhythmias appears dilated in the digitalis group (3rd vs. 5th postoperative day) and this could be attributed to the early suspension of the drug.

Aged↗

Clinical utility of tissue polypeptide antigen determination in lung cancer management.

In view of the fact that pulmonary malignancies still represent an important cause of tumor death and that the high rate of unsuccessful treatment may be partly due to the late clinical presentation, efforts should be spent not only to develop new and effective treatments but also to improve early diagnosis and to identify prognostic factors and parameters useful for the monitoring of the treatment. Tumor markers, if used properly, can provide a useful support for the management of patients suffering from various malignancies, including lung cancer patients. The clinical significance of one of the most widely used tumor markers, Tissue Polypeptide Antigen (TPA), has been reviewed and showed this marker to be useful to the clinician for the management of patients with pulmonary malignancy, as a complementary tool for diagnosing and staging the tumor as well as for monitoring treatment response or relapse occurrence.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗