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V Perri

Publications and source records attributed to V Perri.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Pancreatic juice 90K and serum CA 19-9 combined determination can discriminate between pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVES: Differential diagnosis of pancreatic cancer versus chronic pancreatitis may be difficult. The aim of this study is to determine whether a group of tumor-associated antigens could differentiate between the two pathologies. METHODS: CA 19-9, TAG-72, CAR-3, and a newly discovered antigen termed "90K" were determined in the serum and in the pancreatic juice of 19 patients with pancreatic cancer, 20 patients with chronic pancreatitis, and seven controls with lithiasis of extrapancreatic bile ducts. RESULTS: The serum antigen levels of all three markers except 90K were significantly higher in pancreatic cancer than in chronic pancreatitis. High correlations were found between serum CA 19-9 and both TAG-72 and CAR-3. 90K did not correlate with other markers. In pancreatic juice, only 90K values were significantly higher in chronic pancreatitis than in pancreatic cancer, and only 90K and CA 19-9 were significantly correlated. At the stepwise discriminant analysis, serum CA 19-9 and pancreatic juice 90K had independent diagnostic roles. Used in combination, they correctly identified 84.2% of pancreatic cancer and 90% of chronic pancreatitis. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that pancreatic juice 90K and serum CA 19-9 can discriminate between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. The data further support the complementary use of tumor-associated antigens along with other diagnostic tools.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

[Results of endoscopic biliary drainage in primary tumors of the common bile duct (cholangiocarcinoma)].

Endoscopic drainage is an effective therapy for palliation of patients with bile duct carcinoma. From November 1987 to November 1994 112 patients with cholangiocarcinoma were observed. The success rate of the procedure was 94.5%. The biliary drainage was successful in 99% of patients (in 4% of patients the complete biliary drainage was obtained with the aid of a transhepatically inserted guide-wire with the "rendez-vous" procedure). In 15 patients an intraluminal radiation therapy with Iridium-192 was associated. The morbility was 13% and the 30-days mortality 11%. A surgical operation was performed in 26% of patients with radical intent. The mean survival time in patients treated only endoscopically was 208 days for patients with lesions of the distal and middle third of the bile duct and 281 days for patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. In patients with intraluminal radiation therapy the mean survival time was 357 days, with a significative difference with the only endoscopically treated group (357 vs 238 days, p < 0.05). We conclude that endoscopic drainage is a safe and effective management for patients with cholangiocarcinoma and it does not preclude definitive surgical treatment in appropriate candidate.

Adult↗

Effects of surgical treatment in thymoma with myasthenia gravis: our experience in 103 patients.

A retrospective study of 103 thymectomies examines the effects of the integration of surgical and medical therapy in patients affected by myasthenia gravis accompanied by thymoma. An extended thymectomy via a median longitudinal sternotomy was used in 102 patients. The operative mortality was 4.85% (5/103 patients), the 10-year survival rate was 78% with a recurrence rate of 3.06% (3/98). Neoplastic infiltration and postoperative radiotherapy did not influence the survival rate. There was no correlation between a preoperative Osserman's class better than III and postoperative outcome. The improvement of medical treatment, and anaesthesiological and intensive care techniques resulted in a decrease of the operative mortality and long-term death rate during the last 10 years of our 20-year series. Extended thymectomy via sternotomy is the best intervention in patients with myasthenia gravis associated with thymoma judged by the low operative mortality and the favorable 10-year survival rates.

Adolescent↗

Risk factors in relation to postoperative complications and mortality after total gastrectomy in aged patients.

To clarify the risk factors contributing to postoperative complications in elderly patients undergoing total gastrectomy, 84 patients with primary gastric cancer were evaluated. Twenty-seven patients were older than 65 years of age; they had much more preoperative cardiac (P = 0.00003), respiratory (P = 0.0008), and multiorgan impairment (P = 0.009) than did the control group (age less than 65 yrs). Although overall morbidities (44.4% vs. 19.2%; P = 0.01) and overall septic complication rates (33.3% vs. 12.2%; P = 0.02) were higher in aged patients, no significant differences between the two groups were found in the incidence of major surgical complications (18.5% in aged patients vs. 10.5% in control groups; P = NS), serious septic (sepsis score greater than 10) complications (18.5% vs. 7.0%; P = NS) and hospital mortalities (11.1% vs. 3.5%; P = NS). In older patients the occurrence of multiorgan impairment and malnutrition was significantly related to postoperative complication rates. These results suggest that the degree of organ impairment rather than age is predictive of postoperative difficulty and should be used in assessing preoperative risk.

Adult↗

Quantitative evaluation of alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor modulation of [3H]choline release in guinea pig superior cervical ganglia.

[3H] Overflow evoked by 5 min supramaximal preganglionic stimulation at 1 pps has been studied in isolated guinea pig superior cervical ganglion preparations preincubated with [3H]choline. At 15 microM norepinephrine (NE) reduced both the [3H]choline overflow and endogenous acetylcholine release by 59.4 and 54.1% respectively; the dose-response curve for NE inhibitory action is described. Evidence is given that endogenous catecholamines effectively reduce ACh release from the ganglia. After blocking the inhibitory action of endogenous NE, a significant beta-adrenoceptor-mediated facilitatory effect on ACh release could be observed. Preincubation of the ganglia with different combinations of alpha 1 and alpha 2 agonists (phenylephrine, 10 microM and clonidine, 1 microM respectively) and antagonists (prazosin, 10 microM and yohimbine, 3 microM) showed that the adrenoceptors involved in alpha-mediated NE inhibition of ACh output are exclusively of the alpha 2-type.

Acetylcholine↗

[Mechanical sutures in surgery of cancer of the rectum (a personal contribution)].

The EEA Stapler is widely employed in the rectal cancer surgery, particularly allowing a more frequent sphincteric preservation after low anterior resection. The authors rather employ the manual suture whenever possible and report their own experience on EEA Stapler employment in the surgical management of rectal cancer located 12 to 6 cm. from the anal verge. They emphasize this technique pointing out the necessity of further investigations which may confirm the possibility of obtaining a curative complete surgical removal as well as by abdomino-perineal resection.

Aged↗

Evidence for increased release of prostaglandins of E-type in response to orthodromic stimulation in the guinea-pig superior cervical ganglion.

Prostaglandins of the E type (PGEs) stimulate cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) biosynthesis both in isolated preparations of rat, guinea-pig and rabbit superior cervical ganglia (SCG) and in calf SCG slices. Electrical stimulation of preganglionic nerve fibers of the guinea-pig SCG remarkably increased PGE release and cAMP biosynthesis. These effects were blocked by reducing the Ca2+ to Mg2+ ratio in the incubation medium. Atropine (1 microM) and phentolamine (10 microM) inhibited PGE biosynthesis and significantly reduced cAMP levels.

Animals↗

[Presynaptic inhibitory action of type E prostaglandins on the cholinergic endings of the superior cervical ganglion in the guinea pig].

PGE1 10(-7) M reversibly inhibits impulse transmission at the synapses of the guinea-pig isolated superior cervical ganglion. Neither resting potential nor membrane resistance of the sympathetic neurons were affected by PGE treatment. Quantal analysis of transmitter release shows that in the presence of PGs the quantum size is not significantly changed while the quantum content appears to be consistently reduced. It is suggested that PGE modulates synaptic transmission in the guinea-pig superior cervical ganglion by inhibiting acetylcholine release from presynaptic terminals.

Animals↗

Storage and release of acetylcholine in the isolated superior cervical ganglion of the rat.

The storage and release of acetylcholine and choline were studied in the isolated superior cervical ganglion of the rat by a radioenzymic method. The acetylcholine and choline contents were 202.2 +/- 5.1 and 624.7 +/- 20.2 pmole/ganglion, respectively. The transmitter tissue store was unaffected during 1 h of superfusion in choline--Krebs solution, while a 20% decrease was exhibited after 2 h and then remained approximately stable. Conversely, choline content declined to 50% within 1 h and further to 37% of the original level by 4 h. About 24% of the choline assayed in the intact preparation is located in the connective sheath. Preganglionic nerve stimulation at 10--20/sec or potassium stimulation (40 mM KCl) invariably decreased the transmitter tissue stores by 25--45%; such a depletion is independent of the presence or absence of external choline. By contrast, the presence of choline proved to be a prerequisite for the efficient release of acetylcholine from eserinized ganglia during continuous 10/sex stimulation. A drastic depression in the acetylcholine release is described which is related to the time of preincubation of the ganglia with eserine prior to stimulation. Indeed, a 30 min exposure to eserine, compared with a 5 min period, resulted in a 4-fold decrease in the steady output rate. Under optimal conditions, the initial volley output at 10/sec was 1.3 X 10(-4) of the releasable transmitter pool and 1.9 X 10(-4) during the steady-state output. These results are discussed in the light of the electrophysiological knowledge of the quantal release process at the ganglionic synapse.

Acetylcholine↗

Post-tetanic spontaneous spike activity in rat sympathetic neurons exposed to low potassium ion concentration.

Preganglionic tetanic stimulation (30 sec at 50/sec) of rat superior cervical ganglia, performed in the presence of reduced external potassium concentration (0-1 mM), is followed by a long-lasting postganglionic afterdischarge which fails to appear if stimulation is repeated in normal (5.6 mM) postassium solution. Intracellular recordings revealed that tetanus is followed by 15-30 mV membrane hyperpolarization when the neuron is exposed to normal concentrations of potassium. Conversely, after the ganglion is soaked in low potassium, stimulation results in long-lasting depolarization of the nerve cell with the consequent appearance of spontaneous spikes. This effect is reversed on returing to normal external potassium. Spontaneous activity also occurs after antidromic activation of the cell. It is suggested that tetanus causes sodium loading of the neuron, which leads to stimulation of an electrogenic sodium pump. If potassium is available, the membrane will hyperpolarize, whereas depolarization and pacemaker activity ensues if external potassium is removed. The electrogenic sodium pump thus endows. the rat sympathetic neuron with a mechanism which enables it excitability to be controlled.

Animals↗