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Biomedical subjects

S Putinati

Publications and source records attributed to S Putinati.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Pulmonary infections in lung cancer patients at diagnosis.

We carried out a prospective study involving 96 consecutive lung cancer patients at diagnosis, in order to determine through quantitative cultures of the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, the prevalence of pulmonary infections; we also evaluated the relationship between a patient's performance status, immunocompetence, lung cancer stage, histotype and the occurrence of respiratory infections. The patients (81 males, 15 females) had a mean age of 64 +/- 9 years. Of these, 62 were smokers, 30 were ex-smokers and four had never smoked. Sixty-seven patients had a prior history of chronic bronchitis. A total of 42 micro-organisms were cultured from the BAL fluids of 33 patients (34.3%). Fifty percent of these micro-organisms were gram-negative, 33.3% were gram-positive and the remaining 16.7% were other micro-organisms. The bacilli most often isolated were the Haemophilus species, accounting for 38.8% of all gram-negative bacilli. The most frequently isolated gram-positive pathogen was the Staphylococcus aureus. We have not found a significant relationship between the presence of a respiratory infection and the different cell types separately analyzed, nor with SCLC and NSCLC patient groups, nor with the stage of the disease. The performance status, the immunoregulatory ratio and the lymphocyte subsets were not significantly different in patients with or without a pulmonary infection. We think that the identification of a definite etiologic agent is of great importance for a rational anti-microbial treatment of pulmonary infections.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Structural characterization of the bronchial epithelium of subjects with chronic bronchitis and in asymptomatic smokers.

A morphometric study was carried out on biopsy specimens taken from 40 smokers (27 with chronic bronchitis and 13 asymptomatic) submitted to bronchoscopy to identify and quantify the possible structural differences between the two groups. The chronic bronchitic group had a mean age of 65.67 years and 57.04 pack-years of smoking, the asymptomatic group had a mean age of 44.69 years and 22.62 pack-years of smoking. 70 biopsy specimens (45 from chronic bronchitics and 25 from asymptomatic smokers), in which large areas of best-preserved and perpendicularly cut epithelium were present, were considered suitable for the study and examined by light and transmission electron microscopy. The mean thickness of surface epithelium (p < 0.001), the number of layers of basal cells (p < 0.001), the intercellular space of the superficial zone of the epithelium (p < 0.05) and the percentage of abnormal bronchial cilia (p < 0.05) were significantly greater in patients with chronic bronchitis than in asymptomatic smokers. No significant difference between the two groups was observed in the thickness of the lamina reticularis of the basement membrane. Goblet cell hyperplasia was more marked in chronic bronchitics than in the asymptomatic smokers (p < 0.001), whereas the frequency of epidermoid metaplasia did not show a significant difference. The morphological study of the bronchial epithelium has allowed the identification of transitional cells, which gives rise to the concept that epidermoid metaplasia may result from conversion of mucous cells. This finding suggests that the different histologic types appearing in lung tumours may originate from one undifferentiated pluripotential stem cell, which is able to differentiate into different histogenetic types.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Usefulness of microbial investigations in community-acquired pneumonia].

Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common and well known disease, however there is no definite agreement on a common diagnostic-therapeutic strategy. To evaluate the usefulness of microbial investigations in the clinical practice we performed a prospective study on 93 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of CAP. Group I consisted of 46 patients that underwent a diagnostic protocol including sputum, blood cultures and detection of specific antibodies against M. pneumoniae, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and L. pneumophila. Group II consisted of 47 patients, in which only sputum samples were collected and cultured. No significant differences concerning the aetiologic diagnosis, the outcome and the length of hospitalization were observed in the two groups. The aetiological diagnosis was obtained in 17 patients (18.3%). As result of information obtained from microbiol tests, antibiotic therapy was changed only in 6 patients. Among the prognostic factors only a low albumin level was correlated with the length of hospitalization (p less than 0.01). From our data, the detection of microbial aetiology should not be routinely performed in patients with CAP, but should be reserved only to the severe forms.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Clinical importance of echographic screening of the entire abdomen].

Unsuspected abnormalities are occasionally detected during real-time examinations. To determine the frequency of such findings detected during the standard ultrasound examination of the entire abdomen, the records of 765 consecutive patients were reviewed. A significant number of occult abnormalities were detected: approximately one-fourth of all abnormalities were found in the abdominal survey. The influence of the abdominal survey on the clinical management and improved radiological consultation are discussed.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1989

[The effect of age and sex on gallbladder motor dynamics. An echographic study].

Aging and female sex are major risk factors for cholesterol gallstones: in addition to hepatic secretion of lithogenic bile, decreased gallbladder contractility may play a role in such physiological conditions. This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of age and sex on gallbladder kinetics in healthy subjects. Gallbladder volume was measured on the US images of 157 fasting subjects using the sum-of-cylinders method. No significant difference was observed between males and females. On the contrary, age was shown to have a significant positive correlation with fasting gallbladder volume, particularly in males. In a second group of 63 healthy volunteers gallbladder volumes were evaluated both before and after a standard meal. The subjects were grouped according to age, and fasting gallbladder volume appeared to be significantly greater in the groups formed by older people. Gallbladder volumes were compared in younger groups (under 35), and gallbladder emptying resulted to be much more complete in males than in females. On the contrary, no significant difference was observed between males and females over 50--which suggests a possible role of sex- and age-related hormonal factors. The above changes in gallbladder function may facilitate bile stasis which might in turn contribute to the increased risk for cholesterol gallstones notoriously associated with advanced age and female sex.

Adolescent↗