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1.
J Mycol Med ; 34(3): 101490, 2024 Jun 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38852225

ABSTRACT

Due to large outbreaks observed worldwide, Candida auris has emerged as a major threat to healthcare facilities. To prevent these phenomena, a systematic screening should be performed in patients transferred from regions where the pathogen is highly endemic. In this study, we recorded and analyzed French mycologists' current knowledge and practice regarding C. auris screening and diagnosis. Thirty-six centers answered an online questionnaire. Only 11 (30.6 %) participants were aware of any systematic screening for C. auris for patients admitted to their hospital. In the case of post-admission screening, axillae/groins (n = 21), nares (n = 7), rectum (n = 9), and mouth (n = 6) alone or various combinations were the body sites the most frequently sampled. Only six centers (8.3 %) reported using a commercially available plate allowing the differentiation of C. auris colonies from that of other Candida species, while five laboratories (13.8 %) had implemented a C. auris-specific qPCR. Considering the potential impact on infected patients and the risk of disorganization in the care of patients, it is crucial to remember to biologists and clinicians the utmost importance of systematic screening on admission.

2.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother ; 65(11): e0109321, 2021 10 18.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34370582

ABSTRACT

Susceptibility testing is an important tool in the clinical setting; its utility is based on the availability of categorical endpoints, breakpoints (BPs), or epidemiological cutoff values (ECVs/ECOFFs). CLSI and EUCAST have developed antifungal susceptibility testing, BPs, and ECVs for some fungal species. Although the concentration gradient strip bioMérieux Etest is useful for routine testing in the clinical laboratory, ECVs are not available for all agent/species; the lack of clinical data precludes development of BPs. We reevaluated and consolidated Etest data points from three previous studies and included new data. We defined ECOFFinder Etest ECVs for three sets of species-agent combinations: fluconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole and 9 Candida spp.; amphotericin B and 3 nonprevalent Candida spp.; and caspofungin and 4 Aspergillus spp. The total of Etest MICs from 23 laboratories (Europe, the Americas, and South Africa) included (antifungal agent dependent): 17,242 Candida albicans, 244 C. dubliniensis, 5,129 C. glabrata species complex (SC), 275 C. guilliermondii (Meyerozyma guilliermondii), 1,133 C. krusei (Pichia kudriavzevii), 933 C. kefyr (Kluyveromyces marxianus), 519 C. lusitaniae (Clavispora lusitaniae), 2,947 C. parapsilosis SC, 2,214 C. tropicalis, 3,212 Aspergillus fumigatus, 232 A. flavus, 181 A. niger, and 267 A. terreus SC isolates. Triazole MICs for 66 confirmed non-wild-type (non-WT) Candida isolates were available (ERG11 point mutations). Distributions fulfilling CLSI ECV criteria were pooled, and ECOFFinder Etest ECVs were established for triazoles (9 Candida spp.), amphotericin B (3 less-prevalent Candida spp.), and caspofungin (4 Aspergillus spp.). Etest fluconazole ECVs could be good detectors of Candida non-WT isolates (59/61 non-WT, 4 of 6 species).


Subject(s)
Amphotericin B , Candida , Amphotericin B/pharmacology , Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Aspergillus , Caspofungin , Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests , Drug Resistance, Fungal , Kluyveromyces , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Pichia , Saccharomycetales , Triazoles/pharmacology
3.
Clin Nutr ESPEN ; 37: 226-232, 2020 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32359748

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The risks of the histological evaluation for metabolic liver disease in severe obese subjects led to the development of the Fibroscan® device. The main objective of our study is to evaluate the diagnostic performance of XL probe for the measurement of hepatic fibrosis compared to histological examination, in obese subjects operated from bariatric surgery. METHODS: We included patients free from chronic liver diseases. Liver measurement and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) were carried out using the Fibroscan®. Liver biopsies were performed during bariatric surgery and evaluated by two pathologists. Correlation between vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) and fibrosis stage was assessed using the Kendall correlation coefficient. Diagnosis performance was assessed using receiver-operating-characteristic curve analysis together with its 95% confidence interval. Cut-off value maximizing the Youden index was computed together with specificity, sensitivity, positive and negative predictive values. RESULTS: The average age and body mass index were 41 years and 43 kg/m2, respectively (n = 108). Forty-one percent of patients presented fibrosis on the histological results. The Kendall correlation coefficient between fibrosis stage and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) was κ = 0.33, p<10-5. ROC analysis for the detection of fibrosis indicated the following values: 0.70 [0.60-0.79] for F≥1, 0.83 [0.72-0.92] for F≥2, 0.90 [0.83-0.97] for F≥3. Optimal cut-offs maximizing the Youden index were 7.0 kPa for F≥1, 8.1 kPa for F≥2 and 8.7 kPa for F≥3. CONCLUSION: Fibroscan® appears to be reliable for detection of significant and severe fibrosis in severe obese patients such as candidates for bariatric surgery. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NCT03548597.


Subject(s)
Bariatric Surgery , Elasticity Imaging Techniques , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease , Biopsy , Humans , Liver Cirrhosis/diagnostic imaging , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/diagnostic imaging
4.
J Mycol Med ; 30(2): 100970, 2020 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32334948

ABSTRACT

A survey of mycology laboratories for antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST) was undertaken in France in 2018, to better understand the difference in practices between the participating centers and to identify the difficulties they may encounter as well as eventual gaps with published standards and guidelines. The survey captured information from 45 mycology laboratories in France on how they perform AFST (number of strains tested, preferred method, technical and quality aspects, interpretation of the MIC values, reading and interpretation difficulties). Results indicated that 86% of respondents used Etest as AFST method, with a combination of one to seven antifungal agents tested. Most of the participating laboratories used similar technical parameters to perform their AFST method and a large majority used, as recommended, internal and external quality assessments. Almost all the participating mycology laboratories (98%) reported difficulties to interpret the MIC values, especially when no clinical breakpoints are available. The survey highlighted that the current AFST practices in France need homogenization, particularly for MIC reading and interpretation.


Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , Laboratories , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Mycology , Professional Practice/statistics & numerical data , Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests/methods , Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests/standards , Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests/statistics & numerical data , Drug Resistance, Fungal , France , History, 21st Century , Humans , Laboratories/standards , Laboratories/statistics & numerical data , Laboratory Proficiency Testing/methods , Laboratory Proficiency Testing/statistics & numerical data , Microbial Sensitivity Tests/methods , Microbial Sensitivity Tests/standards , Microbial Sensitivity Tests/statistics & numerical data , Mycology/history , Mycology/methods , Mycology/standards , Mycology/statistics & numerical data , Professional Practice/standards , Quality Control , Surveys and Questionnaires
5.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32312779

ABSTRACT

Aspergillus niger, the third species responsible for invasive aspergillosis, has been considered as a homogeneous species until DNA-based identification uncovered many cryptic species. These species have been recently reclassified into the Aspergillus section Nigri However, little is yet known among the section Nigri about the species distribution and the antifungal susceptibility pattern of each cryptic species. A total of 112 clinical isolates collected from 5 teaching hospitals in France and phenotypically identified as A. niger were analyzed. Identification to the species level was carried out by nucleotide sequence analysis. The MICs of itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, isavuconazole, and amphotericin B were determined by both the EUCAST and gradient concentration strip methods. Aspergillus tubingensis (n = 51, 45.5%) and Aspergillus welwitschiae (n = 50, 44.6%) were the most common species while A. niger accounted for only 6.3% (n = 7). The MICs of azole drugs were higher for A. tubingensis than for A. welwitschiae The MIC of amphotericin B was 2 mg/liter or less for all isolates. Importantly, MICs determined by EUCAST showed no correlation with those determined by the gradient concentration strip method, with the latter being lower than the former (Spearman's rank correlation tests ranging from 0.01 to 0.25 depending on the antifungal agent; P > 0.4). In conclusion, A. niger should be considered as a minority species in the section Nigri The differences in MICs between species for different azoles underline the importance of accurate identification. Significant divergences in the determination of MIC between EUCAST and the gradient concentration strip methods require further investigation.


Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents , Itraconazole , Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Aspergillus , France , Microbial Sensitivity Tests
6.
Clin Microbiol Infect ; 25(12): 1546-1552, 2019 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31082487

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To determine the Etest-based epidemiological cut-off values (ECVs) for antifungal agents against the most frequent yeast and Aspergillus fumigatus species isolated in 12 French hospitals. METHODS: For each antifungal agent, the Etest MICs in yeast and A. fumigatus isolates from 12 French laboratories were retrospectively collected from 2004 to 2018. The ECVs were then calculated using the iterative statistical method with a 97.5% cut-off. RESULTS: Forty-eight Etest ECVs were determined for amphotericin B, caspofungin, micafungin, anidulafungin, fluconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole and itraconazole, after pooling and analysing the MICs of 9654 Candida albicans, 2939 Candida glabrata SC, 1458 Candida parapsilosis SC, 1148 Candida tropicalis, 575 Candida krusei, 518 Candida kefyr, 241 Candida lusitaniae, 131 Candida guilliermondii and 1526 Aspergillus fumigatus species complex isolates. These ECVs were 100% concordant (identical or within one two-fold dilution) with the previously reported Etest-based ECVs (when available), and they were concordant in 76.1% of cases with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute ECVs and in 81.6% of cases with the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing ECVs. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of these and other previous results, we recommend the determination of method-dependent ECVs. Etest ECVs should not be used instead of breakpoints, but may be useful to identify non-wild-type isolates with potential resistance to antifungal agents, and to indicate that an isolate may not respond as expected to the standard treatment.


Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Aspergillus fumigatus/drug effects , Candida/drug effects , Aspergillus fumigatus/isolation & purification , Candida/isolation & purification , Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests , Drug Resistance, Fungal , Endpoint Determination , France/epidemiology , Humans , Microbial Sensitivity Tests/standards , Microbial Sensitivity Tests/statistics & numerical data , Mycoses/epidemiology , Mycoses/microbiology , Retrospective Studies
7.
J Mycol Med ; 28(2): 320-326, 2018 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29580647

ABSTRACT

The objective of our study was to assess the DiversiLab® automated repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) system for typing C. albicans and C. glabrata isolates and to compare it with two proven and routinely used typing methods. A total of 39 isolates from 11 patients with candidaemia or tissue candidiasis (two to six isolates per patient) were analyzed with three typing methods: DiversiLab® rep-PCR, multilocus sequence typing and multilocus microsatellite typing. DiversiLab® rep-PCR results were consistent with those obtained using the two other typing methods for C. albicans, but not for C. glabrata. Thanks to its simplicity of use, rapidity, standardization and reproducibility, the DiversiLab® rep-PCR system is an interesting tool to investigate C. albicans infections.


Subject(s)
Candida albicans/classification , Candida glabrata/classification , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid , Automation , Candida albicans/isolation & purification , Candida glabrata/isolation & purification , Candidiasis/diagnosis , Candidiasis/microbiology , Genotype , Humans , Microsatellite Repeats , Multilocus Sequence Typing , Mycological Typing Techniques , Polymerase Chain Reaction/standards , Reproducibility of Results
8.
Aliment Pharmacol Ther ; 47(7): 989-1000, 2018 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29446106

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Liver fibrosis is often accompanied by steatosis, particularly in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and its non-invasive characterisation is of utmost importance. Vibration-controlled transient elastography is the non-invasive method of choice; however, recent research suggests that steatosis may influence its diagnostic performance. Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP) added to transient elastography enables simultaneous assessment of steatosis and fibrosis. AIM: To determine how to use CAP in interpreting liver stiffness measurements. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of data from an individual patient data meta-analysis on CAP. The main exclusion criteria for the current analysis were unknown aetiology, unreliable elastography measurement and data already used for the same research question. Aetiology-specific liver stiffness measurement cut-offs were determined and used to estimate positive and negative predictive values (PPV/NPV) with logistic regression as functions of CAP. RESULTS: Two thousand and fifty eight patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria (37% women, 18% NAFLD/NASH, 42% HBV, 40% HCV, 51% significant fibrosis ≥ F2). Youden optimised cut-offs were only sufficient for ruling out cirrhosis (NPV of 98%). With sensitivity and specificity-optimised cut-offs, NPV for ruling out significant fibrosis was moderate (70%) and could be improved slightly through consideration of CAP. PPV for significant fibrosis and cirrhosis were 68% and 55% respectively, despite specificity-optimised cut-offs for cirrhosis. CONCLUSIONS: Liver stiffness measurement values below aetiology-specific cut-offs are very useful for ruling out cirrhosis, and to a lesser extent for ruling out significant fibrosis. In the case of the latter, Controlled Attenuation Parameter can improve interpretation slightly. Even if cut-offs are very high, liver stiffness measurements are not very reliable for ruling in fibrosis or cirrhosis.


Subject(s)
Elasticity Imaging Techniques/methods , Liver Cirrhosis/diagnosis , Liver/diagnostic imaging , Adult , Biopsy , Elasticity , Female , Humans , Liver/pathology , Liver Cirrhosis/pathology , Liver Cirrhosis/physiopathology , Liver Function Tests/methods , Liver Function Tests/standards , Male , Middle Aged , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/diagnosis , Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/pathology , Retrospective Studies , Sensitivity and Specificity
9.
Transl Med UniSa ; 16: 1-10, 2017 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28775963

ABSTRACT

Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is a relativelyrecent a2-adrenergic agonist which provides sedation, anxiolysis and analgesia with much less respiratory depression than other sedatives. These characteristics have implemented the use of the drug in the ICUs in order to achieve the target of a "arousable sedation", thanks to its significant manageability. Its sedative-analgesic properties are also particularly suitable for use in burn ICUs, both adult and pediatric, which is why the current Guidelines have recognized a central role in the management of these categories of patients. Finally, DEX has showed significant anti-inflammatory effect both in animal models and in preliminary clinical trials, reducing vasopressor requirements and main mediators levels of the systemic inflammatory response involved in sepsis and similar processes, suggesting its use for improved outcome in ICU septic patients.

10.
J Mycol Med ; 27(4): 514-518, 2017 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28827018

ABSTRACT

Fungi are widely implicated in chronic rhinosinusitis. Direct microscopic examination (DME) is used to confirm the biological diagnosis of fungal rhinosinusitis (FRS). Diagnostic sensitivity of DME is better than culture, however DME does not allow fungal species identification. In this study, we included 54 sinus samples demonstrating hyphae on DME. Direct sequencing was compared to culture for the identification of the fungal species. Sequence analysis identified fungi in 81.5% of cases while culture was positive in only 31.5%. The most common genus was Aspergillus and the identified species belonged to section Fumigati or to section Flavi. Among other fungi identified by sequence analysis, Schizophyllum commune was present in three samples attesting to the importance of this Basidiomycetes in FRS. Our results clearly demonstrate the superiority of sequencing compared to culture when performed on specimens with hyphal elements at DME, and contributes to the epidemiological knowledge of fungi involved in FRS.


Subject(s)
Fungi/classification , Fungi/isolation & purification , Rhinitis/microbiology , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Sinusitis/microbiology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Aspergillus/genetics , Aspergillus/isolation & purification , Chronic Disease , DNA, Fungal/genetics , Female , Fungi/genetics , Humans , Hyphae/genetics , Hyphae/isolation & purification , Male , Middle Aged , Mycoses/microbiology , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Rhinitis/diagnosis , Sinusitis/diagnosis , Young Adult
11.
J Vet Pharmacol Ther ; 38(1): 48-54, 2015 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25066541

ABSTRACT

Activated neutrophils (PMNs), the ROS/RNS released by PMNs and the derived inflammatory processes are involved in the pathogenesis and progression of human inflammatory airway diseases. Similar diseases are also present in horses which suffer from recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) and inflammatory airway diseases (IAD). Hyaluronic acid (HA) plays numerous roles in modulating inflammatory processes. The aim of this study was to examine whether a preparation of HA (MW 900 000 Da) interferes with ROS/RNS during the course of equine PMN respiratory bursts, and to establish the lowest concentration at which it still has antioxidant activity by means of luminol-amplified chemiluminescence (LACL). Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was also used to investigate the direct antiradical activity of HA. The hydroxyl radical was significantly scavenged in a concentration-dependent manner at HA concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 0.16 mg/mL. Superoxide anion, Tempol radical and the ABTS(•+) were significantly inhibited at concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 0.62 mg/mL. The LACL of stimulated equine neutrophils showed that HA induced a statistically significant concentration-effect reduction from 5 mg/mL to 1.25 mg/mL. These findings were confirmed also when l-Arg was added to investigate the inhibition of the resulting peroxynitrite anion. Our findings indicate that, in addition to the human use, HA can also be used to antagonize the oxidative stress generated by free radicals in horses peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In order to achieve therapeutic concentrations, a direct aerosol administration to horses with horse respiratory diseases can be considered, as this route of application is also recommended in human medicine.


Subject(s)
Antioxidants/pharmacology , Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy/veterinary , Horses/physiology , Hyaluronic Acid/pharmacology , Luminescent Measurements , Neutrophils/drug effects , Animals , Arginine/pharmacology , Cells, Cultured , Neutrophil Activation/drug effects , Neutrophils/metabolism , Reactive Nitrogen Species , Reactive Oxygen Species , Respiratory Burst/drug effects , Respiratory Burst/physiology
12.
Drug Res (Stuttg) ; 65(5): 244-51, 2015 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24918344

ABSTRACT

A new diclofenac salt called diclofenac-choline (DC) has recently been proposed for the symptomatic treatment of oropharyngeal inflammatory processes and pain because its greater water solubility allows the use of high concentrations, which are useful when the contact time between the drug and the oropharyngeal mucosa is brief, as in the case of mouthwashes or spray formulations. The antioxidant activity of DC has not yet been investigated, and so the aim was to use luminol-amplified-chemiluminescence (LACL) to verify whether various concentrations of DC (1.48, 0.74 and 0.37 mg/mL for incubation times of 2, 4 and 8 min) interfere with oxygen and nitrogen radicals during the course of human neutrophils respiratory bursts; electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was used to investigate its direct antiradical (scavenger) activity. The EPR findings showed that DC has concentration-dependent scavenging activity against the ABTS, the DPPH, and the hydroxyl radicals, but no activity on superoxide anion, as has been previously reported in the case of other NSAIDs. LACL revealed an inhibitory effect that was statistically significant after only 2 min of incubation, and similar after 4 and 8 min. The effects on the peroxynitrite radical paralleled those observed in the previous test. High concentrations and short incubation times showed that there is no interference on PMN viability, and so the inhibitory findings must be attributed to the effect of the drug. The anti-inflammatory effects of DC cannot be attributed solely to the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis, but its effects on free radicals and neutrophil bursts suggest that they may contribute to its final therapeutic effect.


Subject(s)
Antioxidants/pharmacology , Choline/pharmacology , Diclofenac/pharmacology , Neutrophils/drug effects , Respiratory Burst/drug effects , Cell Count , Cell Survival , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy , Humans , Luminescent Measurements , Neutrophils/metabolism
13.
J Mycol Med ; 24(4): 279-86, 2014 Dec.
Article in French | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25458368

ABSTRACT

Confirmation of fungal origin of onychopathy by mycological examination is essential. For that purpose, in parallel to the cultivation of biological samples, achieving a sensitive and informative direct examination of nail fragments and subungual material is primordial. Among the direct examination techniques, and inspired from a technique of reference in histo-pathology (the "periodic acid-Schiff reagent" reaction), the simplified technique of PAS staining according to Hotchkiss and MacManus is the technique of choice. Easy to implement and very sensitive, it can immediately and formally confirm the diagnosis of onychomycosis, mention the type of fungus (yeast, dermatophyte, Hyphomycete opportunistic) and suspect a possible multiple involvement.


Subject(s)
Onychomycosis/diagnosis , Periodic Acid-Schiff Reaction , Physical Examination/methods , Diagnosis, Differential , Humans , Onychomycosis/pathology
15.
Breast Cancer Res Treat ; 141(1): 101-10, 2013 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23942848

ABSTRACT

Clinical trials have shown the efficacy of trastuzumab-based adjuvant therapy in HER2-positive breast cancers, but routine clinical use awaits evaluation of compliance, safety, and effectiveness. Adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy in routine clinical use was evaluated in the retrospective study GHEA, recording 1,002 patients treated according to the HERA protocol between March 2005 and December 2009 in 42 Italian oncology departments; 874 (87.23 %) patients completed 1-year trastuzumab treatment. In 128 patients (12.77 %), trastuzumab was withdrawn due to cardiac or non-cardiac toxicity (28 and 29 patients, respectively), disease progression (5 patients) or the clinician's decision (66 patients). In addition, 156 patients experienced minor non-cardiac toxicities; 10 and 44 patients showed CHF and decreased LVEF, respectively, at the end of treatment. Compliance and safety of adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy in Italian hospitals were high and close to those reported in the HERA trial. With a median follow-up of 32 months, 107 breast cancer relapses were recorded (overall frequency, 10.67 %), and lymph node involvement, estrogen receptor negativity, lymphoid infiltration, and vascular invasion were identified as independent prognostic factors for tumor recurrence, indicating that relapses were associated with advanced tumor stage. Analysis of site and frequency of distant metastases showed that bone metastases were significantly more frequent during or immediately after trastuzumab (<18 months from the start of treatment) compared to recurrences in bone after the end of treatment and wash-out of the drug (>18 months from the start of treatment) (35.89 vs. 14.28 %, p = 0.0240); no significant differences were observed in recurrences in the other recorded body sites, raising the possibility that the protection exerted by trastuzumab is lower in bone metastases.


Subject(s)
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/therapeutic use , Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy , Carcinoma/drug therapy , Chemotherapy, Adjuvant , Adult , Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/adverse effects , Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Biomarkers, Tumor , Breast Neoplasms/chemistry , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Carcinoma/chemistry , Carcinoma/secondary , Combined Modality Therapy , Disease-Free Survival , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Genes, erbB-2 , Heart Diseases/drug therapy , Humans , Italy , Medication Adherence , Middle Aged , Neoadjuvant Therapy , Neoplasm Invasiveness , Neoplasm Metastasis , Neoplasm Proteins/analysis , Neoplasm Staging , Prognosis , Receptor, ErbB-2/analysis , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Trastuzumab
16.
Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci ; 17(15): 1987-99, 2013.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23884818

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The Vaccinium (V.) spp. berries are considered a source of antioxidants, mainly belonging to polyphenols, specifically flavonoids and anthocyanins. Wild genotypes generally contain more antioxidants than cultivated counterparts. So, seven different antioxidants assays on extracts from cultivated and wild Vaccinium berries were performed, to evaluate their difference in terms of bioactivity on oxidative protection and minimum dosage to have a significant action. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four cell-free antioxidant assays (ABTS radical scavenging and electronic paramagnetic resonance using Fremy's salt, superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical), and three assays on human cells (two luminol amplified chemiluminescence, LACL, one on DNA damage, COMET) were used to measure the effects of cultivated blueberry (V. corymbosum) and wild bilberry (V. myrtillus) on the differently induced oxidative stress. Concentrations vs activity patterns were obtained by successive dilutions of extracts in order to identify both EC50 and minimum significant activity (MSA). RESULTS: All the assays (except for the hydroxyl radical scavenging) showed a good relationship mainly with anthocyanin and polyphenol content and the significant greater activity of wild Vaccinium extracts. In fact, LACL data gave an EC50 of 11.8 and an MSA of 5.2 g were calculated as fresh weight dosage in cultivated berries, compared with lower doses in wild berries, EC50 of 5.7 g and MSA of 3.4 g. CONCLUSIONS: Wild Vaccinium extracts averaged 3.04 and 2.40 fold more activity than cultivated extracts by EC50 and MSA, respectively. COMET assay confirmed the stronger action on DNA protection in wild samples.


Subject(s)
Antioxidants/pharmacology , Neutrophils/drug effects , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Vaccinium , Adult , Antioxidants/chemistry , Benzothiazoles/chemistry , Cell Line, Tumor , Cells, Cultured , Comet Assay , DNA Damage , Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy , Fruit , Humans , Hydroxyl Radical/chemistry , Luminescence , Neutrophils/metabolism , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Respiratory Burst/drug effects , Sulfonic Acids/chemistry
17.
Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci ; 16 Suppl 3: 1-9, 2012 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22957412

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Oxidative stress is increasingly recognised as a pivotal factor that plays a number of roles in the inflammatory response to environmental signals. It has been claimed that Aesculus hippocastanum extracts have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, but these claims are mainly based on the results of chemical reactions and folk-medicine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The aim of this study was to examine whether a bark extract of Aesculus hippocastanum interferes with reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) during the course of human neutrophil respiratory bursts, and to establish the lowest concentration at which it still has antioxidant activity by means of luminol amplified chemiluminescence (LACL). We also studied its ability to counteract lipid peroxidation (LPO) in human cells. Before investigating its antioxidant effects on human cells, we analysed its scavenging activity against ABTS*+, hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion, and Fremy's salt (those last three by means of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometry). RESULTS: The extract of Aesculus hippocastanum exerted its anti-ROS/RNS activity in a concentration-dependent manner with significant effects being observed for even very low concentrations: 10 microg/ml without L-Arg, and 5 microg/ml when L-Arg was added to the fMLP test. The LPO assay confirmed these results, which were paralleled by the EPR study. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are interesting for improving the antioxidant network and restoring redox balance in human cells, and extend the possibility of using plant-derived molecules to antagonise the oxidative stress generated in living organisms when the balance is in favour of free radicals as a result of the depletion of cell antioxidants.


Subject(s)
Aesculus/chemistry , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Free Radical Scavengers/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Antioxidants/administration & dosage , Antioxidants/isolation & purification , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy , Free Radical Scavengers/administration & dosage , Free Radical Scavengers/isolation & purification , Humans , Lipid Peroxidation/drug effects , Luminescence , Neutrophils/drug effects , Neutrophils/metabolism , Plant Bark , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism
18.
J Viral Hepat ; 19(4): 244-53, 2012 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22404722

ABSTRACT

A novel controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) has been developed for Fibroscan(®) to assess liver steatosis, simultaneously with liver stiffness measurement (LSM). We assessed CAP diagnostic accuracy in a large cohort of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) virus. A total of 615 patients with CHC, who underwent both Fibroscan(®) and liver biopsy, were analysed. Fibrosis was graded using METAVIR score. Steatosis was categorized by visual assessment as S(0) : steatosis in <10% of hepatocytes, S(1) : 11-33%, S(2) : 34-66% and S(3) : 67-100%. Performances of CAP and liver stiffness were determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and cross-validated using the bootstrap method. The Obuchowski measure was used to assess overall accuracy of CAP and to differentiate between steatosis grades. In multivariate analysis, CAP was related to steatosis (P < 10(-15) ) independently of fibrosis stage (which was related to LSM). The areas under ROC curves using CAP to detect steatosis were 0.80 (95% CI, 0.75-0.84) for S ≥ S(1) , 0.86 (0.81-0.92) for S ≥ S(2) and 0.88 (0.73-1) S = S(3) . CAP exhibited a good ability to differentiate steatosis grades (Obuchowski measure = 0.92). Performance of LSM for fibrosis assessment confirmed results from previous studies. CAP is a novel tool to assess the degree of steatosis and both fibrosis and steatosis can be evaluated noninvasively during the same procedure using Fibroscan(®) , in patients with CHC.


Subject(s)
Clinical Laboratory Techniques/methods , Fatty Liver/diagnosis , Fatty Liver/pathology , Hepatitis C, Chronic/complications , Hepatitis C, Chronic/pathology , Adult , Biopsy , Elasticity Imaging Techniques , Female , Humans , Liver/pathology , Male , Middle Aged , ROC Curve , Severity of Illness Index
19.
Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol ; 36(1): 13-20, 2012 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21920839

ABSTRACT

Steatosis is a reversible and benign condition. However, in a few cases, steatosis is associated with inflammation and hepatocyte changes, and is then defined as steato-hepatitis. Steatosis can also be a co-factor in many chronic liver diseases that can lead to fibrosis and cirrhosis. Although an important parameter, until now, evaluation of steatosis by non-invasive methods has remained challenging. In this paper, we report on the use of a novel non-invasive methodology called a controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). This is based on signals acquired by the Fibroscan, which was developed to specifically assess liver steatosis concomitant to liver stiffness measurements (LSM). CAP's performance from published articles and communications is also reported.


Subject(s)
Elasticity Imaging Techniques/methods , Fatty Liver/diagnostic imaging , Liver Cirrhosis/diagnostic imaging , Disease Progression , Fatty Liver/complications , Fatty Liver/pathology , Humans , Liver Cirrhosis/complications , Liver Cirrhosis/pathology , Predictive Value of Tests , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and Specificity , Severity of Illness Index , Statistics, Nonparametric
20.
Med Trop (Mars) ; 70(2): 203-4, 2010 Apr.
Article in French | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20486365

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this report is to describe a case involving severe anemia in a patient from New Caledonia. Endoscopic discovery of adult hematophagic hookworms in mainland France is novel because it is exceptional. However, this case also reminds us that hookworm disease is extremely widespread in the world. It often goes unrecognized causing progressive, insidious anemia that can be severe though long-term tolerance is good.


Subject(s)
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/etiology , Hookworm Infections/diagnosis , Aged , Ancylostomatoidea , Animals , Antinematodal Agents/therapeutic use , Dietary Supplements , Female , Hookworm Infections/drug therapy , Humans , Iron/administration & dosage , Pyrantel Pamoate/therapeutic use , Treatment Outcome
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