[Comparison of the leukaemia incidence in two cohorts of farmers and traders in the Vercelli province of Italy, 2002-2009]. / Confronto delle incidenze di leucemia di due coorti d'agri- coltori e di commercianti della provincia di Vercelli dal 2002 al 2009.

This study aims to investigate the incidence of leukaemia between 2002 and 2009 (ICDIX 204-208) among farmers active in the Vercelli province (North West Italy), during the period: 1962-1991. The farmer cohort (14397 subjects, 78 cases) was compared with a retail trader cohort (4565 subjects, 11 cases) who were Vercelli province residents as well, but not exposed to the risk factors associated with professional farming. A proportional hazard Cox model shows among the farmers, an approximately double leukaemia incidence with respect to traders (Hazard Ratio = 1,90 P-value 0,043 IC95% 1,00-3,60). Moreover men's incidence appears approximately to double that of women (Hazard Ratio = 1,92 P-value 0,003 IC95% 1,25-2,95).

[Autoantibodies in chronic hepatitis C. Markers of autoimmunity or non-specific events?]. / Autoanticorpi nell'epatite cronica da virus C. Marcatori di autoimmunità o eventi aspecifici?

In the light of the high prevalence of non organ-specific autoantibodies in chronic hepatitis C, the possibility that such a finding may represent the consequence of a viral, autoimmune or overlapping disease should be considered, which may in turn require a different therapeutical approach. It is known, anyway, that the diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis is based on a set of epidemiological, clinical, biochemical, histological criteria and autoantibody pattern. In 113 cases of chronic hepatitis with HCV infection, we determined the presence of non organ-specific autoantibodies [anti-nuclear (ANA), anti-smooth muscle (SMA), anti-liver-kidney microsomal antibodies (LKM), anti-mithocondrial antibodies (AMA)] and described the epidemiological, clinical, biochemical, histological characteristics and therapeutic response to interferon. 40 patients (35%) exhibited non organ-specific autoantibodies: 25 patients were SMA positive (Vasal pattern), 4 ANA positive (Speckled pattern), 7 ANA (Speckled pattern) + SMA (Vasal pattern) positive and 4 LKM positive. All subjects with HCV infection and autoantibodies did not display additional criterias of autoimmunity, including the same outcome to interferon therapy when compared to HCV positive patients without autoantibodies. The failure to determine clinical features, associated to autoimmunity in HCV positive patients with autoantibodies, suggests that autoantibody occurrence may represent a fortuitous event during the course of HCV infection.

Naltrexone treatment of dementia with severe self-injurious behaviors: a single case study.

The results of studies of the opiate antagonist Naltrexone (NLTX) in the treatment of self-injurious behavior (SIB) in various psychiatric populations have been equivocal. The majority of studies has relied on small samples, many of which lacked scientific rigor and none of which occurred in a nursing facility. The present study investigates the use of NLTX on a patient with severe SIB who resides in a nursing facility. The patient is a 38-year-old male with a history of heavy drug and alcohol abuse. He has been in either a state hospital or nursing facility since age 21. The patient overdosed on alcohol and drugs in 1990, which led to a prolonged coma with organic brain damage.

A persisting outbreak of hepatitis A in Puglia, Italy, 1996: epidemiological follow-up.

In early 1996, an increase in the notifications of hepatitis A cases was identified in the region of Puglia, in the south east of Italy. An outbreak investigation conducted in May 1996 showed a strong association between illness and consumption of raw sea

[Sulfasalazine: side effects and duration of therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis]. / La sulfasalazina: effetti collaterali e durata della terapia in pazienti affetti da artrite reumatoide.

Sulphasalazine (SSZ) is now recognised to be a useful agent in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We studied SSZ toxicity (2 g/die) and duration of therapy in 102 patients with RA. Adverse events occurred in 25.4% of all patients. In all patients the reactions subsided on either discontinuation of the drug or decrease of the dose. Gastrointestinal was the most common. At 5 years of follow-up the percentage of patients treated with SSZ still on drug was 29%, the inefficacy was 40% of the total drop-out.

An outbreak of hepatitis A in Puglia, Italy, 1996.

In the region of Puglia, in the south east of Italy (population: 4 million), the number of notifications of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection increases in a two yearly cycle. In 1992 a very large outbreak was observed, but no epidemiological investigation

Pharmacotherapy of depression in children.

Depression can interfere with the overall functioning of children and adolescents. It can impair normal cognitive and social development. The use of antidepressant medications in children and adolescents has grown in the past decade. Newer antidepressant agents, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, appear very promising, but their safety and efficacy have not been established for children. This review focuses on depression and the design of studies for its treatment with newer antidepressant drugs in children.

Effect of blood cooling on cuprophan-induced anaphylatoxin generation.

We investigated whether cooling of the extracorporeal blood during hemodialysis could prevent anaphylatoxin generation and leukopenia caused by blood-cuprophan contact. After preliminary in vitro studies confirming the temperature dependence of C5a generation, we carried out hypothermic dialysis on nine patients by manipulating blood and dialysate temperature in such a way that blood temperature within the dialyzer averaged 25 degrees C. In comparison with the control procedure (blood temperature within the dialyzer 35 degrees C) hypothermic dialysis reduced peak C5a generation from 41.7 +/- 17 ng/ml to 9.7 +/- 3.4 ng/ml (P less than 0.01), and white blood cell fall from 72 +/- 15 to 25 +/- 20% (P less than 0.01). Arterial PO2 decreased less in hypothermic dialysis (-19 +/- 9% of pre-HD value) than in the control procedure (-30 +/- 11%) (P less than 0.05). We conclude that blood cooling attenuates cuprophan-induced anaphylatoxin generation and leukopenia.

The effect of dialysate temperature on haemodialysis leucopenia.

We assessed the influence of dialysate temperature on intra-dialytic leucopenia. Lowering dialysate temperature from 38 degrees C to 20.5 degrees C caused a decrease in the dialysis associated white blood cell reduction from 82 +/- 6 per cent to 32 +/- 19 per cent. The degree of leucopenia bore a highly significant relationship with dialyser blood temperature suggesting that a further lowering of blood temperature (to about 20 degrees C) would almost entirely prevent intra-dialytic leucopenia.