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Biomedical subjects

S Pustorino

Publications and source records attributed to S Pustorino.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Thyroid-intestinal motility interactions summary].

Thyroid diseases may be related to gastrointestinal motility symptoms. Such symptoms can vary in degree and, sometimes, are the only clue of a thyroid disease or, at least, the first. The mechanism by which the thyroid hormones can influence gastrointestinal motility, even if not still completely elucidated, can be found in a synergism between a direct effect of the thyronins and an indirect effect mediated by cathecolamines on the muscle cell receptors. Neck discomfort and dysphagia are common findings in patients with thyroid diseases. Hyper- and hypothyroidism can impair esophageal motility, modifying pharyngo-esophageal structure and/or muscular function and interacting with the neuro-humoral regulation of the esophageal peristalsis. Oesophageal motility alterations, observed in patients affected by small non-toxic goiter, are less understandable. At the gastro-duodenal level, basic and postprandial electric rhythm alterations have been observed in hyperthyroid patients, often associated with delayed gastric emptying, too. In such patients, the autonomous nervous system dysfunction may even modify the neuro-hormonal mutual regulation (vagal influence decrease) of the gastro-duodenal myoelectric activity. Hypothyroidism may cause a delay of the gastric emptying too, but such pattern may also be related to an associated autoimmune disease or to an independent chronic modification of the gastric mucosa. Diarrhoea and malabsorption are common findings together with hyperthyroidism, whereas constipation is frequently observed in hypothyroidism. The clinically most demanding situation is certainly the secondary chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction syndrome, which involves the bowel in most cases, but may also show up by means of a mega-small bowel or a mega-duodenum, or even all of the above. In conclusion it may be stated that: 1) thyroid diseases may be related to symptoms due to digestive motility dysfunction. 2) Any segment of the gastrointestinal trait may be involved. 3) The typical clinical manifestations of the thyroid illnesses may be borderline, missing or concealed by other intercurrent illnesses, especially in the elderly patients. 4) Motility-related digestive symptoms may conceal an underlying, easily misdetected, thyroid disease and must be therefore carefully analyzed.

Esophageal Motility Disorders↗

[Bile dynamics in patients with postcholecystectomy syndrome].

BACKGROUND: Twenty-three cholecystectomized patients, asymptomatic or with recurrent biliary pain, were studied. METHODS: Six patients were asymptomatic without organic complications of the biliary tree and negative cholestasis laboratory tests; six were symptomatic with gallstones or stenosis of the main biliary tree; eleven patients were symptomatic without organic diseases. All the groups of patients were matched for age and sex. The filling and emptying kinetics of the biliary tree were studied by sequential cholescintigraphy with trimetil-Br-IDA 99mTc and computized gamma-camera. The exam was performed for sixty minutes during fast and for sixty minutes after a standard cholecystokinetic meal. RESULTS: Hepatic clearance time of the compound, filling and emptying of the biliary tree were significantly longer in patients with organic obstruction than in the other groups. The differences between controls and patients with anorganic diseases were otherwise not significative. CONCLUSIONS IN CONCLUSION: 1) in cholecystectomized patients the recurrent biliary pain is likely present independently of alterations of the biliary wash-out; 2) sequential cholescintigraphy is a very good method, as well as endoscopic procedures, to identify organic obstruction of the main biliary tree. However, it is not sufficiently sensitive to demonstrate functional alterations of the biliary tract.

English Abstract↗

[Effects of intravenous administration of clarithromycin on plasma levels of gastrin and group I pepsinogen].

Erythromycin and some of its derivatives have prokinetic gastrointestinal properties. In addition, erythromycin has been shown to stimulate isolated chief cells of the gastric mucosa, and to activate pepsin secretion. The above study was aimed at ascertaining in a group of dyspeptic patients whether clarithromycin, a structural analogue of erythromycin, is apt to modify certain functional parameters of gastric secretion, above all the patterns of gastrin and PG-I secretion. A 20-minute intravenous clarithromycin infusion (1.5 mg/kg) in fasting subjects has brought about a significant reduction (at 20 and 45 minutes from the start of infusion) of circulating gastrin (about 23%) and, after a meal, a 69% increase. No change of plasma PG-I level was observed either after placebo or after the active substance. These findings suggest that in vivo and at the doses used in our experiment clarithromycin has no influence on plasma PG-I release and is apt to modify the fasting and postprandial gastrin releasing pattern.

Adult↗

[Chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction associated with volvulus of the transverse colon. The identical mode of clinical presentation and of the intestinal manometric pattern in monozygotic twins].

Two monozygotic female twins with chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction associated with transverse colon volvulus are described. Quite similar clinical events and temporal coincidences characterized the symptoms which has preceded and followed right colectomy undergone by both of them due to intestinal volvulus. The esophageal, gastroduodenal, colonic and anorectal manometric investigation revealed very similar alterations in both girls. Increased amplitude of distal contractions of the esophagus, a depressed fasting antro-duodenal motility, with absence into antrum and oro-aboral non-propagation in the duodenum of the phase III activity of the interdigestive motor complex were the main findings along with a state of pronounced colonic hypomotility and an hypoesthesia of the rectal ampulla to the volumetric stimulus. This report indicates the association between chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction and transverse colon volvulus in monozygotic female twins, and it points out the rarity both of the specific symptomatic coincidences and the similar clinical events and of the almost absolute identity of the intestinal motor patterns.

Adult↗

[The role of esophageal sphincter tonus and of gastric motility in the extent of reflux esophagitis].

Thirty-two patients with symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease were investigated by esophagogastroduodenoscopy, 24 h pH monitoring, esophageal manometry and measurement of gastric emptying of solids, in order to elucidate the relative importance of lower esophageal sphincter tone, amount of acid reflux and gastric emptying on the degree of esophagitis. The mechanical competency of lower esophageal sphincter was significantly deranged in patients with moderate/severe esophagitis than in patients with mild esophagitis. The gastric emptying time was significantly delayed in patients with moderate/severe esophagitis than in patients with mild esophagitis. No relationship was observed between amount of acid reflux, lower esophageal sphincter function and gastric emptying time. Our results suggest that resting pressure of lower esophageal sphincter and the gastric motor function play a major role in severity of reflux esophagitis.

Adolescent↗

[Changes in mechanical and functional processes of the lower esophageal sphincter in patients with reflux esophagitis].

The present study was performed to establish eventual inferences of functional and mechanical alterations of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) in determining reflux esophagitis. The LES basal pressure, the percentual incidence of the incoordinate LES relaxations swallowing-induced, the LES overall and abdominal length, with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), with and without endoscopic evidence of esophagitis, were manometrically evaluated in 117 consecutive patients. In patients with symptomatic GERD, a significant LES pressure reduction, which is inversely related to the severity of the endoscopic mucosal damage, an increased prevalence of the incoordinate LES relaxations swallowing-induced and, only in patients with esophagitis, a significant reduction of the LES overall and abdominal length of the LES, were showed. Two or three alterations of the LES antireflux devices can occur in the same patient, thus increasing the risk of esophagitis.

Adolescent↗

[A case of severe recurrent transient granulocytopenia during hemofiltration: possible pathogenetic interpretations].

The authors report a case of severe granulocytopenia without increased susceptibility to infections in a patient with IRC (chronic renal failure) on hemofiltration treatment. The possible pathogenetic mechanisms are examined. The phenomenon is probably due to an altered compartmentation of neutrophils; the temporariness and the quick correction of the granulocytopenia explain the lack of clinical manifestations.

Adult↗

Failure to find evidence of immunoglobulin inhibitor(s) of thyroid hormone binding to serum proteins in non-thyroid illnesses.

In order to verify the hypothesis of the presence of IgM (or an IgM-like substance) capable of inhibiting thyroid hormone binding to serum proteins and, therefore, capable of enhancing serum free thyroid fractions in non-thyroid illnesses (NTI), we measured TBG and TBPA maximum binding capacities and TBG concentration by an immunoradiometric system in normal pooled sera (NPS) before and after enrichment with purified immunoglobulins (IgM and IgG) from euthyroid NTI sera (free T4, free T3 and TSH levels were normal). A known amount of TBG was diluted 1:2-1:6 with deionized water or with IgM from NPS or from each of 6 NTI sera; the measured values were not different from these expected on theoretical grounds. Likewise, IgM or IgG from normal or from each of 7 NTI sera failed to modify both TBG and TBPA capacities of different NPS, and NTI immunoglobulins showed no binding activity directed to [125I]T4, [125I]T3 or [125I]TBG. In addition, no inhibitory influence of TBG and TBPA capacities was observed when the whole euglobulin fraction obtained by precipitating the same 7 NTI sera by PEG was mixed with NPS. On the other hand, a significant IgM inhibitory effect on the binding of labelled T4 to TBG was found, only when IgM concentrations were experimentally rendered 41 times greater than that requested in the working mixtures. We conclude that no immunoglobulin inhibitor of thyroid hormone binding to transport proteins was evident in the NTI sera investigated.

Adolescent↗