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S Musumeci

Publications and source records attributed to S Musumeci.

193 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[The echocardiography in thalassemia major (author's transl)].

Echocardiographic findings were studied in seventeen subjects with beta-Thalassemia major in order to see whether cardiac lesions caused by iron were related to the age and chelating therapy. The results demonstrate that the alterations of the heart can be early detected by echocardiography. In fact no patient with echocardiographic alterations showed clinical signs of cardiac dysfunction and only four patients showed E.C.G. alterations. Moreover the thickening of posterior wall and left ventricular diastolic diameter were related to iron overload, as demonstrated by urinary excretion after desferrioxamine. Since the patients regularly treated with desferrioxamine were few and younger aged it is not possible in this study to show the positive effect of desferrioxamine treatment in preventing cardiac lesions due to iron overload.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Alpha 1-antitrypsin in thalassemia major].

The authors investigated a possible relationship between alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) phenotypes, serum levels of alpha 1AT and liver disease in transfusion dependent thalassemia major subjects. The distribution of alpha 1AT phenotypes suggest the absence of association between alpha 1AT variants and thalassemic genes and underlines again the low incidence of pathologic variants in Italian population. Mean concentration of alpha 1AT was significantly increased in thalassemic patients and was not related to transaminase levels. These results show that other factors are responsible for the development of liver disease in transfusion dependent thalassemic subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Chelating therapy in beta-thalassemia].

The iron overload is the most common cause of death among transfusion dependent subjects affected by thalassemia major and other congenital anemias. The lesions caused by iron overload are found especially in liver, endocrine glands and heart. Among the various drugs able to remove the iron excess from the organs, desferrioxamine (DF) remains the only one used. The Authors report their experience with this drug in beta-thalassemia major and in beta-thalassemia intermedia patients. The results demonstrate that the subcutaneous administration of DF (40 mg/kg/die) is able to take the patients with thalassemia major in iron negative balance since their third year of life. No important untoward effects are reported. Periodic check with slit lamp has revealed no ocular alteration in 35 subjects. In thalassemia intermedia there is also iron overload due to increased iron absorption. It is probable that these patients too can present the same alterations observed in transfusion dependent beta-thalassemia omozygotes. In order to prevent these lesions it will be necessary to reduce iron absorption since early childhood.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Kawasaki disease in Sicily: description of the first case with giant coronary aneurysm].

A case of Kawasaki disease with early development of giant coronary artery aneurysm is reported. The delay in the diagnosis and consequently in the use of correct therapy has conditioned the outcome of the illness. We don't know the predictive factors of cardiac complications, but steroid treatment in our patient probably had an important role in the cardiac damage. The use of echocardiography in the evaluation of coronary aneurysm has confirmed the sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of this technique in detecting cardiac lesions.

Coronary Aneurysm↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hepatitis B vaccination in young nurses of a general hospital.

Several reports have clearly demonstrated that intradermal way of administration of hepatitis B vaccine represent a valid alternative to the intramuscular route, producing an high percentage of seroconversion. The characteristics of the intradermal way, short time of immunization and lower cost, have induced us to conduct a clinical trial among 116 healthcare workers in a hospital setting, which represent an high risk group especially at their first admission to the hospital. 99 selected participants (average age 22 years, range 17-27) received, after screening for HBV markers, 5 mcg of vaccine intradermally on the volar surface of the forearm, according to the schedule 0, 15, 30 and 45 days. Serum samples were collected after one month from the last inoculation of vaccine. The percentage of seroconversions obtained was significantly high (93.9%) confirming that intradermal vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine may be appropriate in providing a rapid protection for certain population subgroups.

Adolescent↗