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S Savastano

Publications and source records attributed to S Savastano.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

[Mottled hyperpigmentation of the fundus oculi associated with angioid streaks in pseudoxanthoma elasticum].

The Authors report mottled fundus in association with pseudoxanthoma elasticum in 8 of 9 patients. The mottled hyperpigmentation is an early uncommonly described finding, consisting of a speckled, yellowish mottling of the posterior pole temporal to the macula at ophthalmoscopic examination; this appearance, called "peau d'orange", is believed to be caused by changes in the retinal pigmented epithelium overlying a calcified and degenerating Bruch's membrane. This finding is virtually pathognomonic of pseudoxanthoma elasticum and may be present even in the first decade of the disease, prior to the appearance of the angioid streaks. The Authors emphasize the significance of the retinal finding, that may represent an incomplete genetic expression of an autosomal recessive carrier state.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Renal aneurysm and arteriovenous fistula. Management with transcatheter embolization.

Embolization was performed in six patients with renal artery aneurysms (n = 2) and arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) (n = 5). The aneurysms were observed in one patient with fibromuscular dysplasia and in another with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. All the AVFs were intraparenchymal and secondary to iatrogenic trauma. Elective embolization was performed in five patients with good clinical results at follow-up between 1 and 9 years. Because of rupture of the aneurysm emergency embolization was attempted without success in the patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and nephrectomy was carried out. A postembolization syndrome complicated three procedures in which Gelfoam and polyvinyl alcohol were used; in two of these cases unexpected reflux of the particulate material occurred, resulting in limited undesired ablation of the ipsilateral renal parenchyma. Embolization is the most reliable and effective treatment for intrarenal vascular abnormalities since it minimizes the parenchymal damage.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Lipid peroxidation and human cataractogenesis in diabetes and severe myopia.

To investigate the role of lipid peroxidation in human cataract, malondialdehyde, a breakdown product of lipid peroxidation, was measured in clear and cataractous lenses from normal subjects, and in cataractous lenses from diabetics and from subjects with severe myopia. The cataractous lenses contained more malondialdehyde than did clear lenses and the level was higher in diabetes and severe myopia than in the idiopathic forms. This indicates that lipid peroxidation may be involved in the development of senile cataract and, as a direct consequence of retinal damage, also in the pathogenesis of cataract in diabetes and in severe myopia.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Antiemetic effect of the levo isomer of sulpiride (L-sulpiride) in humans].

Vomiting represents one of the most dangerous complications of general anesthesia. L-sulpiride has been able to control this complication very effectively. We studied the effect on vomiting of two doses of L-sulpiride (50/100 mg). Both these doses have been effective in reducing the episodes of vomiting other than in preventing nausea and retching if considered versus controls and also versus droperidol at the doses of 5 mg (50 mg L-sul = 12%, 100 mg = 4%, droperidol = 20%, controls = 28%). L-sulpiride is an antagonist of dopamine on D2 receptors therefore inhibits the action of dopamine increasing the secretion of prolactin. During the surgical distress per se prolactin levels are increased. Together with the increment of catecholamines, high concentration of prolactin can evoke arrhythmias. In view of this possibility we studied the time course of the administration of the two doses of L-sulpiride and of droperidol on prolactin secretion. Both of the drugs increased the plasma levels of prolactin. Droperidol-induced increase in prolactin secretion was significant already at ten minutes after the administration reaching the peak after 20 minutes. L-sulpiride increased prolactin secretion reaching the maximum increase 20 minutes after the administration of 50 mg of the drug, and 30 minutes after the administration of 100 mg doses. The hyperprolactinemizing action of droperidol lasts for at least 8 hours, whereas L-sulpiride action lasts 4 hours.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Value of plain chest film in predicting traumatic aortic rupture.

Plain chest film performed after blunt chest trauma showed blurring of the left pulmonary hilum in 53% of cases of traumatic aortic rupture (Group A, n = 15), and in no cases with negative aortography (Group B, n = 10). This sign can be explained by diffusion of mediastinal hemorrhage through the peri-bronchovascular connective tissue; the close relationship between aortic isthmus, the side of most frequent rupture, and the left pulmonary hilum is the anatomical basis for this asymmetrical finding. Review of all radiological alterations of the plain chest film shows a statistically significant difference between groups A and B only for mediastinal widening and aortic knob alterations (p less than 0.05). A combination of some findings due to aortic injury (mediastinal widening, aortic knob alterations, shift of trachea and left main bronchus, left apical cap, left hilar blurring, obscuring of descending aorta) was typical of aortic rupture when four or more signs were found (33%); these findings were absent only in patients with negative aortogram (8%). In the remaining cases (60%), the plain chest film showed two or three of these signs in both groups, making it impossible to differentiate between patients with and without aortic injury.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Cataract formation in diabetic patients and galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase deficiency.

We have evaluated the levels of red blood cell galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase in 20 patients with cataract and in 15 subjects without cataract, suffering from compensated, noninsulin-dependent, type II diabetes. The diabetic patients were compared with a previously examined group of 65 age-matched nondiabetic subjects (25 of whom suffered from bilateral idiopathic cataract). In diabetic patients, the average galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase levels tended to be lower and the percentage of cases of reduced enzymatic activity tended to be higher than in the corresponding nondiabetic subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Hyperthyroidism due to a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)-secreting pituitary adenoma associated with functional hyperprolactinaemia. A case report.

This paper reports the case of a 31-year-old woman with hyperthyroidism, increased TSH and thyroid hormone levels, evidence of a pituitary adenoma, hyperprolactinaemia, amenorrhoea, and galactorrhoea. Following trans-sphenoidal pituitary adenomectomy, mild hyperthyroidism and increased TSH and alpha subunit levels persisted, whereas hyperprolactinaemia, amenorrhoea, and galactorrhoea disappeared. Serum TSH levels were not affected by administration of TRH, metochlopramide, domperidone, l-dopa or somatostatin. Serum TSH chromatography showed a normal pattern. Following a second trans-sphenoidal pituitary adenomectomy and radiotherapy, hyperthyroidism disappeared, and the TSH and alpha subunit levels returned to normal. Light microscopy showed no specific TSH immunostaining although electron microscopy revealed numerous secretory granules alined along the plasma membrane. The post-operative follow-up confirmed the presence of a TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma associated to functional hyperprolactinaemia.

Adenoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Excess prevalence of supraaortic artery lesions in renovascular hypertension: an arteriographic study.

PURPOSE: High renin or renovascular hypertension (RVH) has been associated with a higher risk of stroke than low-to-normal renin hypertension. Our present purpose was to investigate the angiographic prevalence and distribution of lesions of the supraaortic arteries in a series of consecutive patients with RVH compared with control patients with low-to-normal renin primary hypertension (PH). METHODS: Thirty-two consecutive hypertensives (21 females, 11 males, aged 23-72 years) were investigated by renal and aortic arch digital subtraction arteriography (DSA). None of them had any history or symptoms of cerebrovascular disease. In each, the presence and severity of lesions at 17 different segments of the supraaortic arteries were evaluated and a score for supraaortic lesions was then calculated based on the number and severity of lesions. RVH was diagnosed in 16 patients with renal artery stenoses and normalization of blood pressure after percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) (n = 12) or surgery (n = 4). The cause of renal artery obstruction was fibrodysplasia in 5 patients (31%) and atherosclerosis in 11 (69%). PH was diagnosed in 16 patients based on a normal renal DSA and exclusion of all other possible causes of hypertension. RESULTS: The RVH and PH groups were similar with respect to age, sex, body mass index, diabetes, smoking habits, serum triglycerides, cholesterol, and blood pressure values, and differed only in plasma renin activity (6.0 +/- 1.7 ng AngI/ml/h in RVH vs. 1.4 +/- 0.3 in PH, mean +/- SEM, p = 0.008). The score for supraaortic arterial lesions was significantly higher in RVH than in PH (181 +/- 32 vs. 17 +/- 9, p = 0.001). This difference was also evident when the five patients with fibrodysplasia were compared with five age- and sex-matched PH patients. The sites most frequently involved were the carotid artery bulb and the internal carotid artery sinus. At each affected site the score was higher for RVH than for PH. CONCLUSION: For the same demographic features and risk profile, RVH was associated with a higher prevalence and severity of supraaortic artery lesions than PH.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Functional hyperandrogenism detected by corticotropin and GnRH-analogue stimulation tests in women affected by apparently idiopathic hirsutism.

The etiologic diagnosis of hirsutism is often difficult. Previous studies have reported normal basal androgen and SHBG concentrations in 33-50% of hirsute women, suggesting the presence of an "idiopathic" form of hirsutism as the most frequent cause of this problem. The recent use of GnRH-analogues together with the corticotropin stimulation test allows better understanding of whether the cause of hirsutism is androgen excess and, if so, whether the origin of the latter is ovarian, adrenal or both. The present study evaluated adrenal and ovarian function in 48 young hirsute women as well as in 78 normal women matched for body mass index and age, who acted as control group. To determine ovarian function, a single 100-microg dose of GnRH analogue triptorelin was injected s.c.; thereafter, gonadotropins, 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), delta4-androstenedione (delta4), total testosterone (T) and estradiol were determined. To better understand the adrenal function, 250 microg of 1,24 ACTH were administrated as i.v. infusion for 5 h, and plasma cortisol (F), 17-OHP, A4, DHEAS, T, 11-desossicortisol were measured. The combined use of these two stimulation tests was able to detect mild to moderate abnormalities in the steroidogenesis of ovaries alone (23%), adrenals alone (16.6%), or both (35.4%) in most hirsute women (75%) with otherwise normal baseline androgen concentrations. In particular, patients showed significantly increased responses of 17-OHP, delta4, total T, 11-desossicortisol, and F to 1,24-ACTH administration. Moreover, they also had significantly higher 17-OHP and T responses to triptorelin. In conclusion, milder forms of functional ovarian and/or adrenal hyperandrogenism, similar to those found in clearly hyperandrogenic women, were observed and could be an underlying mechanism of idiopathic hirsutism.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Early rupture of subclavian vein catheter: a case report and literature review.

Prolonged venous access devices (PVADs) have become indispensable in antiblastic protocols for the treatment of cancer patients, in anti-infection protocols for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients and in the management of chronic malabsorption syndromes. Using these catheters carries the risk of several complications, and some are potentially lethal, for example, cardiac embolization of catheter fragments. Rupture is a complication almost exclusive to catheters positioned percutaneously: after using this technique, device malfunction can occur due to catheter kinking after its excessively medial introduction in the subclavian vein. The early recognition of any pinch-off sign (POS) is fundamental in preventing catheter rupture that frequently follows this complication. Other factors can be involved in early rupture, for example, excessive force on a syringe used to clear a catheter that shows early signs of malfunction, or a strength defect in the materials used in the catheter construction. This report describes an early rupture case of an initially correctly positioned catheter and reviews 20 such cases in the recent literature.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Multislice CT angiography of the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries: comparison with arteriographic findings.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the feasibility of multislice computed tomography (MSCT) angiography of the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries with a non tailored protocol. Sixteen patients underwent both MSCT of the upper abdomen and digital subtraction celiac and superior mesenteric angiography. CT examinations included unenhanced scanning and dual-phase (arterial and portal) scanning of the upper abdomen. Retrospective 2.5 mm thick slices with 50% overlap were used for CT angiography reformations with volume rendering (VR), high density maximum intensity projection (HD-MIP) and subvolume MIP technique; normal arterial anatomy, variants, stenoses and aneurysms were assessed and compared with findings of digital subtraction angiography. RESULTS: All VR and HD-MIP reconstructions were considered satisfactory, except in two cases because of inappropriate setting of scan parameters; subvolume MIP reformations were considered satisfactory in all cases, and superior in the depiction of small arteries. Aneurysms and stenoses were always detected, whereas a case of replaced right hepatic artery in a patient with complex vascular anatomy was misdiagnosed by MSCT angiography. The overall accuracy of VR, HD-MIP and MIP CT angiographic reconstructions was 71.9%, 81.8% and 94.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In our preliminary report, CT angiography with multidetector CT has proved effective in depicting splanchnic arterial anatomy, and can replace diagnostic invasive angiography in most cases. Good quality of axial images is necessary for reformations with VR and MIP techniques.

Adult↗