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Biomedical subjects

U Baicchi

Publications and source records attributed to U Baicchi.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

The measurement of plasma D-dimer in the follow-up after thyroidectomy for cancer: preliminary data.

Plasma concentration of fibrinopeptide A (FpA) and D-dimer (DD), sensitive indicators of coagulation and fibrinolysis activation, were measured in 21 patients thyroidectomized for differentiated cancer (4 had distant metastases) and in 27 control subjects. Only two patients (one with distant metastases) presented elevated FpA values. All the four patients with distant metastases showed elevated DD levels. In three patients who developed distant metastases the time course of the circulating levels of plasma DD and serum thyroglobulin (Tg) was monitored. Monitoring of plasma DD concentration correctly indicated the time course of all the 3 metastatic patients while serum Tg levels failed to adequately describe the outcome of one metastatic patient. These data suggest that fibrinolysis is enhanced in thyroid cancer patients with distant metastases and that plasma DD levels are useful in the monitoring of this condition.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1990

Evaluation of some hemostatic parameters in patients with cervical carcinoma.

It is well known that cancer induces changes in hemostasis. Plasma levels of Fibrinopeptide A (FPA), D-Dimer (DD), von Willebrand Factor (FvW) and fibrinogen were-assayed at diagnosis in 66 patients with cervical carcinoma and in 67 healthy women as controls. FPA, DD and fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in patients with FIGO stage I b-IIa cervical carcinoma than in controls (2.25 +/- 0.25 vs 1.19 +/- 0.15 p less than 0.001; 307 +/- 35 vs 112 +/- 8 p less than 0.001; 375 +/- 23 vs 280 +/- 17 p less than 0.001 respectively). A further increase of DD, FPA but not of fibrinogen concentrations was observed in advanced stages of disease (3.52 +/- 0.81 vs 2.25 +/- 0.25 p less than 0.1; 943 +/- 98 vs 307 +/- 35 p less than 0.001; 407 +/- 26 vs 375 +/- 23 p = NS respectively). FvW levels in patients with early stage cervical carcinoma were in the normal range, while in patients with advanced cancer, they were significantly higher (175 +/- 8 vs 104 +/- 2 p less than 0.001). A significant correlation was found between plasmatic levels of FPA and DD, FPA and FvW, DD and FvW (r = 0.57 p less than 0.01; r = 0.76 p less than 0.01; r = 0.54 p less than 0.01 respectively). Our data seem to indicate that in patients with cervical carcinoma, and in particular in those with advanced cancer, there is an activation of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Phytohaemagglutinin-induced neutrophil aggregation in patients affected by chronic myeloproliferative diseases.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the phytohaemagglutinin-induced aggregation of circulating neutrophils isolated from 25 patients affected by chronic myeloproliferative syndromes (polycythaemia vera, chronic myeloid leukaemia in chronic phase, and essential thrombocythaemia). The results showed a lesser aggregating capacity in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and an opposite behaviour in polycythaemia vera and essential thrombocythaemia. Patients with polycythaemia vera whose neutrophils showed a greater aggregating capacity were shown to have had various vascular complications.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Factor VIIIR:Ag plasma levels in patients with cervical and ovarian carcinoma.

The Authors measured Factor VIII Related Antigen (FVIIIR:Ag), Factor VIII Coagulant Activity (FVIII:C) and fibrinogen plasma levels in 21 patients with cervical carcinoma and in 14 ones with ovarian carcinoma. In the women with cervical cancer, FVIIIR:Ag was significantly higher than controls only in advanced stages. No significant variation of fibrinogen according to stage and no correlation between FVIIIR:Ag and fibrinogen plasma levels were observed. In the patients with ovarian cancer FVIIIR:Ag was significantly increased in stage III-IV and not significantly in stage I. In these subjects too there was a lack of correlation between FVIIIR:Ag and fibrinogen plasma levels. These results seem to indicate that FVIIIR:Ag increase in advanced stages is due to its major release in circulation resulting from invasion of vascular endothelium and not to an aspecific reactivity. These data could suggest a role of FVIIIR:Ag as an aspecific marker of vascular involvement by cervical and ovarian neoplasms.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-cell) in the course of polycythemia vera. Description of a case with an unusual chromosomic anomaly.

The present paper describes the case of a patient who developed a B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) 15 months after the diagnosis of polycythemia vera, which had been treated only with phlebotomies. In spite of lymphocytosis and the clinical signs and symptoms of leukemia, the patient exhibited at the same time presumptive elements of polycythemia (high LAP index levels, a high number of neutrophils). Cytogenetic investigations, carried out after the appearance of B-CLL, revealed the presence of an unusual abnormality (18 p+) both in bone marrow not stimulated by mitogens and in PWM-stimulated circulating lymphocytes. This case, which is the ninth of its kind described in the literature, offers some interesting observations about the association between myeloproliferative and lymphoproliferative syndromes.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Plasma levels of fibronectin in polymyalgia rheumatica giant cell arteritis.

In order to verify whether measurement of plasma fibronectin (Fn) could represent a useful tool in acute-phase-response assessment, Fn was measured in 16 previously untreated patients (group A) affected by polymyalgia rheumatica giant cell arteritis (PMR-GCA), both before, during, and after 45 days of steroid therapy, and its course was compared with the behavior of some acute-phase reactants such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), fibrinogen (Fng), and prealbumin (Preal). No difference was detected between the baseline Fn levels found in patients and those registered in a control group composed of 15 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects; no correlation was found with the other acute-phase parameters considered, and no significant variation of plasma Fn levels was registered as a result of the steroid therapy administered. On the contrary, all the other parameters revealed a good degree of correlation and tended progressively and homogeneously towards normalization as a result of the therapy administered. Plasma Fn was also measured in another group of 16 PMR-GCA patients (group B), all of whom had pathological retinal fluoroangiographic findings, and its levels were compared with those of the von Willebrand factor antigen (vWfAg), a biochemical index of vascular damage. While the levels of Fn continued to be the same as those detected in the control group, the values of vWfAg registered in group B proved to be significantly different from those found in another homogeneous control group of 25 healthy subjects. Finally, no correlation could be detected between Fn and vWfAg, and neither of them showed any significant correlation with the ESR.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute-Phase Reaction↗
PubMed1976

Evaluation of prophylactic replacement therapy in haemophilia B.

Prophylaxis replacement therapy has been assessed for a period of 12 months in 10 patients with severe haemophilia B showing a high incidence of spontaneous bleeding episodes. Two different schedules of administration of a freeze-dried factor IX concentrate were randomly evaluated: according to scheme A, 7.5 U/kg were administrated biweekly, whereas scheme B was based on the weekly infusion of 15 U/kg. On prophylaxis the frequency of bleeding episodes was significantly reduced (P less than 0.005) when compared with that observed in one-year period preceding the trial. Biweekly infusions were superior to weekly infusion (P less than 0.01), and the benefit appeared to be related to the higher number of days in which measurable levels of factor IX were attained in plasma. Range of motion, which was redeced at the start of the trial in 26 joints, was found to have improved in 23. Favourable changes of the joint radiological picture were observed in 6 cases. Hepatitis and factor IX inhibitors did not develop during the trial period. Side effects were rare and mild.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Decrease and rapid recovery of protein C after plasma exchange.

The anticoagulant protein, protein C (PC), was measured after 40 plasma exchanges (PEs) in 26 patients treated for a variety of disorders, most of which were immunological in nature. After 27 PEs involving exchange of 50 percent of the plasma volume with albumin and saline, mean PC activity and antigen decreased in parallel to about one-half normal levels, with good correlation between the two assays. Antithrombin III and prothrombin decreased to about the same levels as PC, with no significant differences between the percentage changes for either protein. After five PEs, during which exchange of larger plasma volumes was performed (86%), the percentage change of PC was greater than after the 50 percent exchange (38 +/- 22 vs. 55 +/- 24). To study postexchange recovery, PC was also measured serially for up to 24 hours after eight PEs (50% exchange). At 24 hours postexchange, PC levels did not differ significantly from pre-exchange levels. This study demonstrates that decreases in PC are in proportion to the volume of plasma exchanged during PE. However, PC levels returned to normal within 24 hours after PE, so that any hemostatic imbalance induced by low PC should be transient.

Antithrombin III↗