Characterizing individual differences in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: a descriptive study.

Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a higher prevalence in male than in female participants. Recent studies have hypothesized the presence of different phenotypes in male and female participants with ASD. The present study aims to assess possible sex differences in cognitive and adaptive functioning, symptomatology of ASD, and psychopathological comorbidities in a large sample of children and adolescents with ASD. Methods: The study included a total of 2,146 children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD, comprising 1785 boys (mean age 7.12 ± 3.69 years) and 361 girls (mean age 6.25 ± 3.30 years). The age of the participants ranged from 1.35 to 19.05 years (mean age 9.98 ± 3.64). The study sought to include all children and adolescents diagnosed with Autism or ASD. Results: Present results showed that girls with ASD had lower IQs than boys but similar adaptive functioning. The severity of symptoms of ASD was greater in boys than in girls, as were scores on psychopathological measures. With increasing age, boys with ASD showed greater impairment in social communication skills than girls and increased psychopathological comorbidities. Older girls showed fewer restricted and repetitive behaviors. Discussion: Exploring phenotypic differences in children and adolescents with ASD fosters an understanding of subtle diagnostic facets that may go unrecognized, allowing for increasingly individualized and tailored interventions.

Use of electrical field for biofilm implant removal.

OBJECTIVE: New methods for biofilm removal are being investigated. A recent new one involves the use of the electric field for biofilm removal. In particular, electrolytic cleaning works on the adhesion forces of the biofilm on the surfaces, with few studies showing promising results in decontamination and implant re-integration in the bone. This study aims at assessing the effect of a new decontamination device that implies the electric field for implant-biofilm removal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three implants affected by peri-implantitis were selected for the study. After the treatment, the implants were observed by the Scanning Electron Microscopy. RESULTS: All three samples showed no microbial biofilm in the application area, while the rest of the surface observed was covered with microbial biofilm, with an intensely thickened bacterial population. CONCLUSIONS: Peri-mucositis and peri-implantitis prevention and early treatments are essential for implant maintenance, thus saving the surrounding hard and soft tissues. The technological innovation is providing electrolytic devices which act not only on the microbial population but on the biofilm adhesion to the implant surface, with promising results for a new and valid therapeutic option.

Interaction of acenocoumarol and sitaxentan in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Sitaxentan inhibits the metabolism of warfarin, resulting in a need for adjustment of warfarin dose when both drugs are coadministered. We report the long-term effects on bleeding of acenocoumarol co-administered as part of conventional therapy for pulmonary hypertension with sitaxentan in a subset of patients enrolled in the Sitaxentan To Relieve ImpaireD Exercise-3 (STRIDE-3) study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: STRIDE-3 is an ongoing, long-term, open-label trial, evaluating the safety and efficacy of sitaxentan, 100 mg once daily, in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Information on bleeding events was collected prospectively, including the type of event, severity, anticoagulant use and investigator attribution of causality. Coagulation tests were performed on a monthly basis. A clinically significant interaction was defined as an international normalized ratio (INR) >/= 5.0, or any minor bleeding event plus an INR > 2.0 and < 5.0. RESULTS: Of 55 patients enrolled in STRIDE-3, 50 received acenocoumarol. Average follow-up was 158.6 +/- 57.6 weeks. The average dose of anticoagulant therapy was 3.9 +/- 1.3 mg week(-1) (range, 1.5-7.0 mg week(-1)). Following treatment, an INR >/= 5 in at least one INR determination was observed in 13 patients, although none of these patients had a clinically significant bleeding event. Dose reductions in acenocoumarol were performed to adjust target INR to 1.5-2.0. Two patients died of massive haemoptysis, but these episodes were not attributed to a drug interaction. Four patients with an INR > 2.0 and < 5.0 experienced a minor bleeding event (nosebleeds/gingivitis). CONCLUSIONS: No clinically significant bleeding events were recorded with coadministration of sitaxentan and acenocoumarol in this patient subgroup. These results suggest that coadministration of sitaxentan and acenocoumarol is clinically manageable and well tolerated.

Salivary glands tumours: a retrospective study of 454 patients.

AIM: Salivary glands tumors constitute a highly heterogeneous group in human oncological pathology. They show different clinical, epidemiological, histopathological and evolutionary characteristics. METHODS: In this paper we have analysed their epidemiological aspects in 454 patients with salivary glands tumors surgically treated at the Maxillofacial Surgical Unit of the Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria ''Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I-G.M. Lancisi-G. Salesi'', Ancona, Italy, from 1990 to 2002, to evaluate the incidence of the different types of neoplasia and their age and sex distribution. RESULTS: Our results show that 63.22% of salivary glands tumors occur in the parotid gland, with a predominance of benign tumours, pleomorphic adenoma being the most prevalent histological type. A higher prevalence was observed in the female sex. CONCLUSIONS: Malignant tumors were more common in the elderly than in young patients and the most common histological types were mucoepidermoid carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma.

Autoantibodies to chromatin: prevalence and clinical significance in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of anti-chromatin antibodies (Abs) in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and to assess any association between the presence of anti-chromatin Abs and clinical subsets of the disease. METHODS: IgG anti-chromatin Abs and anti-extractable nuclear antigens (ENA) Abs were detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and antinuclear Abs (ANA) by indirect immunofluorescence in sera of 89 children with JRA. Ten children with systemic, 32 with polyarticular and 47 with pauciarticular disease onset (uveitis occurred in 17/47 children) were studied. As a control group, 12 sera of patients suffering from idiopathic uveitis and 31 age- and-sex-matched healthy children (HC) were examined. RESULTS: Abs to chromatin were detected in 14/47 (29.8%) of children suffering from pauciarticular onset JRA and in this group the higher prevalence of anti-chromatin Abs has been found in children with chronic uveitis (p = 0.002). Anti-chromatin positivity was observed in 2/10 (20%) of systemic and in 3/32 (9.3%) of polyarticular onset JRA. Furthermore, none of the patients with idiopathic uveitis and HC had Abs to chromatin. anti-chromatin Abs titers remained relatively stable over a 6-month control period. CONCLUSION: Our results confirm previous data about the presence of circulating anti-chromatin Abs in juvenile arthritis. Interestingly, anti-chromatin Abs were significantly higher in the group of patients with pauciarticular onset with past or present history of uveitis, than in patients without ocular involvement. A long-term follow-up study could be useful to demonstrate the potential utility of these autoantibodies in diagnosing, classifying and treating children affected.

[Anti-chromatin antibodies in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis]. / Anticorpi anti-cromatina in corso di artrite reumatoide giovanile.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the prevalence and clinical significance of anti-chromatin antibodies (Abs) in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). METHODS: IgG anti-chromatin Abs were detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), in sera of 94 children with JRA (10 children with systemic, 38 with polyarticular and 46 with oligoarticular disease onset). As control group, 33 age- and-sex-matched healthy children (HC) were also examined. RESULTS: Abs to chromatin were detected in 24/94 (25.5%) of children suffering from JRA. Particularly, the higher prevalence of anti-chromatin Abs has been found in children with oligoarticular (30,4%) and polyarticular (23.7%) onset JRA. In these groups Abs titers were significantly higher compared to systemic JRA and HC (p=0.003). Anti-chromatin Abs were observed more frequently in patients with oligoarticular disease and chronic uveitis (21.7%). Furthermore, higher levels of anti-chromatin Abs has been found in all the patients treated with anti-TNF-alpha therapy (p< 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: our results confirm previous data about the prevalence of anti-chromatin Abs in JRA. These Abs were significantly higher in the group of patients with oligoarticular onset with past or present history of ocular involvement and in the group with polyarticular JRA treated with biologic therapy. A long-term follow-up study could be useful to evaluate the potential utility of these autoantibodies.

[Efficacy of clopidogrel as ADP-dependent platelet aggregation inhibitor. Study on individuals with coronary artery disease]. / Eficacia del clopidogrel como inhibidor de la agregación plaquetaria dependiente de ADP. Un estudio en individuos con enfermedad arterial coronaria.

Acetyl-salicylic acid inhibits thromboxane A2 production and reduces the risk of vascular occlusive events by 20 to 25%. Ticlopidine inhibits ADP-dependent platelet aggregation and reduces the same risk by 30 to 35%, but produces some adverse effects. Clopidogrel is a ticlopidin-derived antiplatelet-drug, with the same mechanism of action; reduces the expression of the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa, the fibrinogen receptor on the platelet surface. Clopidogrel has the same clinical efficacy of ticlopidin and lowers the incidence of adverse effects. In this study, we evaluated the effects of one daily dosis of 75 mg of clopidogrel on platelet function in 33 subjects with coronary artery disease. Before treatment and after the 6th and 12th week, the following parameters were evaluated: 5 microM-ADP and 20 micrograms/mL collagen-induced platelet aggregation, bleeding time and fibrinogen concentration. In basal and in the 6th and 12th week samples, ADP-induced platelet aggregation was 90.7% +/- 13.2, 54.6% +/- 23.2 and 49.2% +/- 23.7 respectively, that represents a significant reduction of 38.6% and 44.4%. Reduction of collagen-induced platelet aggregation was not significative. Plasmatic fibrinogen did not suffer variation during treatment. Bleeding time was significant prolonged from 4.1 minutes to 15.4 and 14.6 minutes (3.7-3.5 times compared with the test before treatment). There were no haemorrhagic complications, only digestive discomfort in fewer than 3% of patients. We concluded that clopidogrel is a safe and efficacious drug for patients, it efficiently reduces ADP-induced platelet aggregation and prolongs bleeding time.

Single-bolus tenecteplase compared with front-loaded alteplase in acute myocardial infarction: the ASSENT-2 double-blind randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Bolus fibrinolytic therapy facilitates early efficient institution of reperfusion therapy. Tenecteplase is a genetically engineered variant of alteplase with slower plasma clearance, better fibrin specificity, and high resistance to plasminogen-activator inhibitor-1. We did a double-blind, randomised, controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of tenecteplase compared with alteplase. METHODS: In 1021 hospitals, we randomly assigned 16,949 patients with acute myocardial infarction of less than 6 h duration rapid infusion of alteplase (< or = 100 mg) or single-bolus injection of tenecteplase (30-50 mg according to bodyweight). All patients received aspirin and heparin (target activated partial thromboplastin time 50-75 s). The primary outcome was equivalence in all-cause mortality at 30 days. FINDINGS: Covariate-adjusted 30-day mortality rates were almost identical for the two groups--6.18% for tenecteplase and 6.15% for alteplase. The 95% one-sided upper boundaries of the absolute and relative differences in 30-day mortality were 0.61% and 10.00%, respectively, which met the prespecified criteria of equivalence (1% absolute or 14% relative difference in 30-day mortality, whichever difference proved smaller). Rates of intracranial haemorrhage were similar (0.93% for tenecteplase and 0.94% for alteplase), but fewer non-cerebral bleeding complications (26.43 vs 28.95%, p=0.0003) and less need for blood transfusion (4.25 vs 5.49%, p=0.0002) were seen with tenecteplase. The rate of death or non-fatal stroke at 30 days was 7.11% with tenecteplase and 7.04% with alteplase (relative risk 1.01 [95% CI 0.91-1.13]). INTERPRETATION: Tenecteplase and alteplase were equivalent for 30-day mortality. The ease of administration of tenecteplase may facilitate more rapid treatment in and out of hospital.

[Comparative analysis of reperfusion time in primary angioplasty vs thrombolysis. Success vs time]. / Análisis del tiempo de reperfusión entre angioplastía primaria y trombolisis: éxito vs tiempo.

UNLABELLED: We studied 398 patients with diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction who arrived within the first six hours of symptom onset that were treated with thrombolysis or primary angioplasty, they were divided in two groups: Group 1 (n = 198), those treated with 1.5 million U of streptokinase over 60 min and Group 2 (n = 200), those treated with primary angioplasty. In Group 1 the "pain-door" time was 3.7 +/- 1.7 hs vs 3.8 +/- 2.4 hs in group 2 (p = NS). The "door-needle" time was 48 +/- 12 min. compared with the "door-balloon" time of 84 +/- 30 min (p < 0.001). In Group 1, 154 (77.6%) of the patients had clinical of reperfusion after thrombolysis, 58 of them underwent coronary angiography and had an infarct related artery (IRA) patency rate of 45.3%. In Group 2 the IRA patency rate was 85.5% (p < 0.005). CONCLUSION: Thrombolysis was achieved in a lesser period of time but our findings showed that primary angioplasty was more effective obtaining a TIMI 3 flow.

[Hemodynamic effects of oral captopril in patients with critical aortic stenosis]. / Efectos hemodinámicos del captopril oral en pacientes con estenosis aórtica crítica.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the hemodynamic and ventricular function effects of oral captopril in severe aortic stenosis. PATIENT POPULATION: inclusion criteria: patients older than 18 years with critical aortic stenosis. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor used previously contraindication to right catheterisation aortic insufficiency, valvular prosthesis in aortic position, or other valvulopathy. As well as the need for immediate valvular aortic replacement arrhythmia, A-V conduction alterations, or ventilatory support. PROTOCOL: prospective, no randomized. Swan-Ganz catheter was used. Basal hemodynamic measurements were made on 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours during 48 hours. Captopril was administered 12.5 mg first and then 8 mg tid (6 doses). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Neuman-Keuls test was used for multivariate comparisons. Statistical significance was determined with P < 0.05. RESULTS: 22 patients were analyzed. Systemic vascular resistance fell from 1750 Dyn/seg/cm-5 to 1200 (P-0.001), cardiac output increased from 4.1l/min to 5.8 (P-0.001), cardiac index increased from 2.4 l/min/m2 to 2.9 (P-0.009), stroke volume from 47 ml to 64 (P-0.04) and stroke volume index from 27 ml/m2 to 36 (P-0.002). In patients with heart failure (n = 7) the systemic vascular resistance fell from 2050 Dyn/seg/cm-5 to 1463 (P-0.04), cardiac output increased from 2.8l/min to 4.1 (P-0.04), cardiac index from 2.07 l/min/m2 to 2.75 (P-0.04), stroke volume from 46 ml to 64 (P-0.03), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure fell from 19 mmHg to 16 (0.04) and the systolic pulmonary arterial pressure fell from 63 mmHg to 42 (P-0.009). CONCLUSIONS: captopril improves the hemodynamic parameters in patients with critical aortic stenosis, principally in those with heart failure.

[Acute myocardial infarction related to cocaine use. Report of a case]. / Infarto agudo del miocardio relacionado con el consumo de cocaína. Informe de un caso.

Cocaine use has been associated with ischemic syndromes, especially angor pectoris, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death. A significant number of persons suffering from myocardial infarction associated with cocaine abuse do not have significant coronary atherosclerosis, and the mechanism for infarction in these patients have remained obscure. This report describes a young man with angiographically normal coronary arteries in whom cocaine abuse probably produced coronary artery spasm leading to coronary thrombosis and infarction.

[Detection of early occlusion of aortocoronary by-passes. Usefulness of a non-angiographic method]. / Detección de la oclusión temprana de puentes aortocoronarios. Utilidad de un método no angiográfico.

A total of 83 bypasses were studied. Angiographic results demonstrated occlusion in 3 of 24 bypass of internal mammary artery placed in the anterior descending artery, 2 in the right coronary artery, 1 in the posterolateral of the circumflex and 1 in the first diagonal branch, with a total occlusion average of 8.4% within the first 8 days. We found a good correlation between the coronarographic angiograms and the positivity or negativity of the echo-electrocardiographic tests, during atrial pacing. We believe that this simple method could be done routinely in all the patients after coronary surgery, to decide the need of a new coronary angiogram. Furthermore, this study shows that the occlusion of a single coronary bypass does not produce myocardial infarction, detectable by enzymatic measures or by resting EKG. This method also detects the early post-operatory sinus sick syndrome.

[Description of a case of pyogenic spondylodiscitis with bacterial metastatic colonization]. / Descrizione di un caso di spondilodiscite piogenica con colonizzazioni batteriche metastatiche.

A case of staphylococcus spondylodiscitis with vertebral collapse and recurrent bacterial colonizations at pulmonary and gluteal level consequent on a septicaemic condition that arose as a result of a missed diagnosis is reported. The misleading factor was the pre-existing spondylarthrosis and marked osteoporosis.

[Hydralazine and oxygen transport in interstitial and chronic obstructive pneumopathies]. / La hidralazina y el transporte de oxígeno en la neumopatía intersticial y obstructiva pulmonar crónica.

We studied the effect of hydralazine (HDL) on peripheral oxygen transport (TO2) in 8 patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (EPOC, group I) and 11 patients with chronic interstitial lung disease (NI, group II) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (HAP). Mean pulmonary artery pressure (Pp) at basal conditions were 31 +/- 3 mmHg for the EPOC group and 26 +/- 9 mmHg for NI patients. After HDL, pulmonary vascular resistance (Rp) decreased significantly only in NI patients (Rp basal = 7.1 +/- 4, Rp post HDL = 5.9 +/- 3u m2). In EPOC patients Pp increased after HDL (Pp basal = 31 +/- 3, Pp post HDL = 36 +/- 4 mmHg, p less than 0.05). This was not the case for NI patients in whom Pp did not change. Both groups showed reduction in systemic vascular resistance after HDL. PaO2, PvO2, SaO2, CvO2 and TO2 were significantly increased in both groups after HDL. TO2 change was correlated with the increasing cardiac index in both diseases and with arterial oxygen content in group II only. Our study suggest that TO2 improves in EPOC and NI patients after HDL, however only in NI was associated with a reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance.

[Effects of hydralazine in hypoxic vasoconstriction. Its study in a canine model of lobar atelectasis]. / Efecto de la hidralazina en la vasoconstricción hipóxica. Su estudio en un modelo canino de atelectasia lobar.

To determine whether hydralazine (H) a systemic vasodilator, inhibits hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) we studied in a canine model of lobar atelectasis (LA) the circulatory changes during the following interventions: a) control 1 (LA = HPV), b) during the acute effect produced by opening bilateral arteriovenous fistulas (OF), c) after the closure of the fistulas (CF) (control 2), d) after infusing H (0.33 mg/kg) and e) bleeding the animal at the end of the experiment (control 3). Once HPV was stabilized (control 1), both opening the fistulas and infusing H produced a similar and significant increase in cardiac output and a decrease in resistance (p less than 0.05). Mixed venous oxygen tension (PvO2) closely followed the changes in cardiac output (Qt). Intrapulmonary shunt (Qs/Qt) significantly increased (p less than 0.05) with the fistulas open and with H infusion. CF and bleeding the animal at the end of the experiment reversed the changes in Qt and Qs/Qt. The similar increases in Qt and Qs/Qt by OF or infusing H seems to be related to the levels of pVO2. Our data suggest that hydralazine inhibits pulmonary vasoconstriction probably by raising the level of pVO2 although a direct pulmonary vasodilatory effect of the drug could not be ruled out.

[Effects of nifedipine in patients with unstable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]. / Efectos de la nifedipina en pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica inestable.

The hemodynamic and gas exchange effects of 20 mg of nifedipine (NFD), at rest and exercise were evaluated in seven patients with unstable COPD and pulmonary hypertension. The cause of instability was pulmonary infection (n = 6) and pulmonary emboli (n = 1). At rest, pulmonary hypertension (Pp = 40 +/- 3 mmHg), severe hypoxemia (PaO2 +/- 2 mmHg) and elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (Rp) = 9 +/- .6 u.sq.m, were found. At exercise, Pp raised to 52 +/- 5 mmHg with no change in cardiac index (CI), Rp or gas exchange. After NFD at rest, significant (p less than 0.05) increases in CI, oxygen transport and venous admixture occurred. Also, Rp and systemic arterial pressure and resistance decreased significantly. Pp and blood gas exchange did not vary. Rp and systemic resistance were lower at exercise after NFD than without the drug with no change in blood gas exchange. The pulmonary flow pressure relationship showed a right shift after NFD in both, rest and exercise conditions. We conclude that NFD can be of value for the management of pulmonary hypertension that aggravates COPD.

[Active and passive factors in the genesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension in various cardiopathies and pneumopathies]. / Factores activos y pasivos en la génesis de la hipertensión arterial pulmonar algunas cardiopatías y neumopatías.

The role of active and passive factors involved in the genesis of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is analyzed in a group of eighty patients with several cardiopathies and pneumopathies. The group include: 20 patients with Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (NODC), 20 with Diffuse intersticial pneumopathy (NI), 12 with Cardiorespiratory Syndrome of the grossly obese (OB), 6 with Pulmonary Embolism (TEP), 6 with Mitral Stenosis (CRI), 5 with Hypertensive Ventricular Septal Defect (CIV + HAP) and 11 patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension of Unknown etiology (HAP-ED). For the analysis, the Harvey and Enson's formulas were used. The conclusions of the study are: 1) The compliance of the elastic arteries of the lung in the groups of NOC, NI and OB is normal but in the other groups seems to be modified. 2) In the groups of NI and OB the interrelationship of factors such as alveolar hypoxia and pulmonary wedge pressure (PWP) play the major role in the genesis of PAH, although the role of the PaCO2 in the OB group remains to be established. 3) In the groups of NOC, CRI and TEP the PWP is not determinant. The absence of a significant correlation between arterial oxygen unsaturation and pulmonary diastolic pressure in the NOC group suggests other factors. 4) The vascular structural damage seems to be the most important factor in the genesis of PAH in the HAP-ED and CIV + HAP groups.

Hemorragia pulmonar y nefritis por complejos inmunes / Pulmonary hemorrhage and immune complex nephritis

Se informa la experiencia obtenida del estudio clinico, histologico e inmunologico de 2 pacientes, quienes sin causa identificable desarrollaron hemorragia intrapulmonar anemia ferropenica y glomerulonefritis. El diagnostico de Sindrome de Goodpasture se descarto al encontrar depositos granulares de inmunorreactantes en la biopsia renal y ausencia de anticuerpos a la membrana basal glomerular en rinon y en la sangre. Em ambos se identifico una nefritis por deposito de complejos inmunes (CI) con hemosiderosis pulmonar. El diagnostico diferencial clinico con el Sindrome de Goodpasture es dificil y se requiere de los estudios inmunoquimicos de las biopsias de pulmon y de rinon, y del estudio del suero para diferenciar estas condiciones cuyo pronostico y manejo es diferente