[Neuroendocrine response in surgery: comparison between inhalation anesthesia (isoflurane) and intravenous anesthesia (propofol)]. / Risposta neuroendocrina in chirurgia: confronto fra anestesia inalatoria (isoflurane) ed anestesia endovenosa (propofol).

The objectives of the study: 1) comparison between the two anesthesiological techniques both of which were applied to the various surgical groups (patients undergoing emergency surgery for abdominal pathologies and patients undergoing bone marrow biopsy); 2) a comparison between pre- and intraoperative stress levels. The experimental design consists of a comparative survey aimed at ascertaining the existence of statistically significant differences in pre- and intraoperative hormone levels (objective 1) and differences in hormone profiles depending on the anesthesiological technique used (objective 2). Patients were artificially ventilated; intraoperative monitoring included: automatic non-invasive AP every 3 minutes; cardiac monitoring; ETCO2; SaO2; all patients showed a normal postoperative evolution. A total of 30 patients were included in the study (mean age 34 years; ASA 1-3) 14 of which underwent bone marrow biopsy and 16 emergency surgery for abdominal pathologies; patients with hormonal pathologies or receiving treatment with drugs capable of influencing hormone response were excluded from the study.

[Strychnine poisoning. A clinical case]. / Avvelenamento da stricnina. Un caso clinico.

A patient was admitted following ingestion of 300 mg of strychnine. Early diagnosis and timely reanimation treatment led to his full recovery though he had swallowed a quantity of strychnine greater than the medium lethal dose (50-100 mg for adult).

[Horton arteritis and Kaposi's sarcoma: description of a case]. / Arterite di Horton e sarcoma di Kaposi: descrizione di un caso.

Occurrence of Kaposi's sarcoma was observed in a 70-years-old patient with Horton's temporal arteritis after one year of corticosteroid therapy. The possibility that Kaposi's disease may be related to the steroid therapy is discussed.

[Bronchiolitis. Our clinical experience in the 4 years from 1981 to 1984]. / La bronchiolite. La nostra esperienza clinica nel quadriennio 1981-1984.

The clinical experience of 661 children with bronchiolitis is reported in four-years period to gain a better understanding of diagnosis and pathogenesis of bronchiolitis. Upper airways infections, expiratory dyspnea, clear sound by chest percussion, vesicular rales and whistling by chest auscultation, air trapping on the chest radiography were considered as essential data of diagnosis. It was found in 595 patients: expiratory dyspnea, air trapping, vesicular r. and whistling in 85% and whistling only in 15%; hypoxemia in 20% combined with hypercapnic acidosis in 10%; normoxemia in 80% combined with hypocapnia in 54%; hyperlactemia in 64% combined with an increment in the serum of CPK in 50% and of GPT in 30%; virus were cultured in 27%, adenovirus and RSV were identified in 90%. Instead it was found in 66 patients: air trapping but no difficult breath, with normal chest auscultation; crisis of cyanosis or paleness-cyanosis chilly sweat in 80% were motive of admission. The clinical and/or radiological features of "air trapping" were considered as essential symptoms and signs of bronchiolitis. The insufficient systemic perfusion was considered as a frequent occurrence and as cause for sudden respiratory and circulatory emergency.

["Minimal" viral pneumopathies and respiratory virosis in Campagna in 1978: pathology for research]. / Pneumopatie virali "minime" e virosi respiratoria campana del 1978: patologia da ricercare.

High frequency of bronchilitis, 70% of 1117 infants with respiratory infections, and clinical, radiological and laboratory features concerning partial tension of haematic gases, haematic lactate, enzymic activities of serum (CK, GPT, GOT) in 31 infants hospitalized with symptoms of shock in course of respiratory infections apparently affecting the upper respiratory tracts, are reported. This minimal respiratory pathology, evidenced in 3% of 1117 infants, defined as "minimal" viral pneumopathy, can be brought out trough a shock: lactacidosis, combined in half the cases with an increase of serum levels of CK and GPT and with normal PaO2 was ascertained in 87% of the cases. Three groups of bronchiolitis can be differentiated by haemogasanalytic monitoring: 1st group with a "serious" respiratory functional damage (hipercapnia hypoxemia), 14%. 2nd group with a "moderate" damage (normocapnia-hypoxemia), 20%. 3rd group with a "sligth" damage (hypocapnia-normoxemia), 66%. Decompensated shock is considered as a frequent occurrence and it is referred to the widespread involvement of the pulmonary circulation caused by the immunity-flogistic process.