[Clinical aspects of respiratory pathology in scleroderma. Case reports]. / Aspetti clinici della patologia respiratoria nella sclerodermia. Contributo casistico.

Six cases of scleroderma with pulmonary involvement, either isolated or accompanied by other visceral signs, observed between 1985 and 1987 have been examined. Patients were undergoing treatment with cortisone drugs in 4 cases and azathioprine in 2. Chest X-ray documented a picture of nodular opacities in 3 cases, reticular in 2 and miliariform in 1. B.A.L. revealed a picture of prevalently neutrophil alveolitis in all subjects, while transbronchial biopsy showed a finding of macrophagic infiltration in 2 cases, and one of fibroblastic proliferation in 4. The anatomoclinical damage was reflected adequately by spirometric tests and above all by the DLCO, while Gallium 67 scan and measurement of the A.C.E. were not very sensitive.

[Lung diseases associated with silicosis. Study of 618 cases]. / Pneumopatie associate a silicosi. Indagine su 618 casi.

Retrospective research has been carried out on the clinical reports of 618 cases of patients suffering from silicosis admitted to the S. Luigi Gonzaga Hospital in 1973-1987 (1.4% of all pneumopathy admittances). A comparative evaluation of the five-year periods 1973-77, 1978-82, 1983-87 showed a steady reduction in the percentage of silicosis to total cases (from 1.62% to 1.55% and 1.16%). Among the 618 cases assessed, the following pneumopathies were associated with silicosis either alone or in combination: chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathy (89.4%), pulmonary tuberculosis (22.2%), bronchogenic carcinoma (8.4%), acute aspecific infections (26.1%), mycosis (0.6%), sarcoidosis (0.3%), other pneumopathies (1.1%). Comparison between the three five-year periods shows an increase in the frequency of the silicosis-carcinoma association and a fall in the silicosis-tuberculosis and silicosis-COLD associations.

Examination of 41 cases of laryngeal tuberculosis observed between 1975-1985.

Forty one cases of laryngeal tuberculosis, accounting for 0.8% of all cases of tuberculosis observed in 1975-1985, are evaluated. The mean age was 53 yrs, the male/female ratio 9:1. In all cases current or earlier pulmonary tuberculosis was noted. The laryngeal sites affected were, in order of frequency: true vocal cords, epiglottis, false cords and laryngeal ventricles, arytenoid and interarytenoid area, subglottic area. The patients were usually treated with isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol for 6-12 months. Two cases required excision of laryngeal lesions. The results of chemotherapy were good.

[Comparison of protective effects induced by the ultrasonic mist of nicardipine + fenoterol versus nicardipine + fenoterol + ipratropium bromide]. / Raffronto tra la protezione nei confronti della nebbia ultrasonica indotta dalla nicardipina + fenoterolo versus quella indotta da nicardipina + fenoterolo + ipratropium bromuro.

A comparison is presented of the protective effect of ultrasound mist induced by nicardipine + fenoterol and nicardipine + fenoterol + ipratropium bromide in a group of 11 patients with chronic bronchial asthma in a phase of relative clinical stability. The data collected show that the three-drug combination was more effective than the use of nicardipine and fenoterol.

[Double-blind study on the effects of famotidine on bronchial tone and on expectoration]. / Studio in doppio cieco sugli effetti della famotidina sul tono bronchiale e sull'espettorazione.

A double blind test using famotidine and a placebo was conducted on 14 patients with hypersecretory, chronic bronchitis. No other drug treatment was given during the test or in the ten days preceding it. VC, FEV1, Sgaw and daily excrete volume were measured before the test and 7, 14 and 21 days after it began. The data collected indicate that H2 receptors have no influence on bronchial calibre or secretions.

[Ultrasonic spray protection against bronchospasm. Comparison of fenoterol and a combination of salbutamol and ipratropium bromide]. / La protezione verso il broncospasmo da nebbia ultrasonica. Confronto tra fenoterolo e associazione di salbutamolo ed ipratropium bromuro.

Nine patients with clinically stable bronchial asthma who had received no drug treatment in the preceding 48 hours were examined. The patients were subjected to 5 minutes ultrasound spray after the double blind administration of either fenoterol or salbutamol + ipratropium bromide. Respiratory function was assessed before and 30, 60 and 90 minutes after cessation of the stimulation. The results showed no significant difference in the protection against the ultrasound spray provided by fenoterol and the combination of salbutamol + ipratropium bromide.

[Scintigraphic findings with a positive marker in generalized lymphadenopathy syndrome (L.A.S.)]. / Rilievi scintigrafici con marcante positivo nella sindrome linfoadenopatica generalizzata (L.A.S.).

The behaviour of gallium scintigraphy in a group of 15 drug addicts suffering from LAS is examined. The examination was positive in 11 patients with no pleuro-pulmonary lesions that could be demonstrated by clinical or radiological examination. This is in line with similar observations in AIDS cases and may reflect the preactivation of monocytes and macrophages documented in HIV infection.

[Use of miocamycin in the acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathy. Case material contribution]. / L'impiego della miocamicina nelle riacutizzazioni della broncopneumopatia cronica ostruttiva. Contributo casistico.

18 patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis were treated with 900 mg myomycin a day. The clinical parameters examined were the quantity and organoleptic characteristics of the expectoration, coughing, and body temperature. These parameters were studied immediately before and 7.14 and 21 days after the start of treatment. Myomycin was found to be satisfactorily effective with minimal toxicity and well tolerated.

[Radioscintigraphic correlation in interstitial pneumopathy. Case presentations]. / Correlazioni radioscintigrafiche nelle pneumopatie interstiziali. Contributo casistico.

Radiological and scintigraphic findings in 82 patients (58 male, 24 female) were compared. The patients were hospitalised in 1981-86 with sarcoidosis (43 cases), silicosis (26), asbestosis (9) extrinsic allergic alveolitis (3), lung disease caused by hard metals (1). Gallium scintigraphy was positive in 61 patients (74.39%). More precisely, the response was positive in 57 cases in both analogic and quantitative terms and in 4 only quantitatively. The radiological (radiography and stratigraphy) finding was significant in 42 of the 61 gallium-positive cases and negative in the remaining 19. In the 21 gallium-negative cases (25.61%) the radiological finding was significant in 9, negative in 12. The study confirms the real value of gallium scintigraphy in the diagnosis and follow-up of interstitial lung disease in line with views presented in the recent literature.

[Clinico-pathological aspects of farmer's lung. Review of the literature and personal cases]. / Aspetti clinico-patologici del farmer's lung. Revisione della letteratura e casistica personale.

Data are presented on 9 subjects with Farmer's lung encountered in 1981-85. In all cases dyspnea arose within several hours after exposure to the allergen and in 4 cases only a few minutes after exposure. The radiological picture was altered in 7 cases (6 miliary pictures and 1 case of medial and basal nodulation). In functional terms 6 restrictive and 3 mixed forms were identified. The specific bronchial provocation test was positive wherever it was performed. Bronchoalveolar lavage revealed predominantly lymphocytic alveolitis in the most recent cases. Transbronchial biopsy also revealed the presence of pulmonary granulomatosis in various stages of development. Finally skin tests were positive to various antigens in several cases while specific precipitin were found in all cases. These data are compared with reports in the literature.

[Potential use of indenolol in hypertensive patients with chronic bronchial asthma]. / Possibilità di impiego dell'indenololo negli ipertesi affetti da asma bronchiale cronica.

The data are reported on a double blind clinical experiment using indenolol on a group of asthmatic hypertensives. The drug revealed a satisfactory anti-hypertensive action in the absence of any significantly bronchoconstrictive effect. The orciprenaline test performed at the end of the experiment showed that the drug does not reduce the availability of beta 2 bronchial receptors vis-à-vis the beta 2 stimulants.

[Efficacy of the simultaneous aerosol administration of fenoterol and 2(alpha-thenoylthio)propionylglycine]. / Efficacia della somministrazione aerosolica contemporanea del fenoterolo e della 2(alfa-tenoiltio)propionilglicina.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of a new mucolytic drug 2-alpha-tenoiltium-propionylglycine (2-alpha-TPG) administered in spray form together with a selective beta 2 stimulant, fenoterol. A double blind test was conducted on 26 patients to whom 2-alpha-TPG-fenoterol and placebo-fenoterol were given in spray form in two daily doses for 15 days at 10 day intervals. The data suggest the existence of an additive effect between the mucolytic drug (2-alpha-TPG) and the beta 2 stimulant (fenoterol) that would justify the use of the combination in the treatment of such patients.

[Possibilities of using cardioselective beta blocking agents in patients with chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathies]. / Possibilità d'impiego dei beta-bloccanti cardioselettivi nei pazienti affetti da broncopneumopatia cronica ostruttiva.

The use of four cardioselective beta-blockers in a group of patients with chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathies was examined. Of the 4 drugs the only possible one for use in this patient category was atenolol which produced significant bronchial dilation after spray treatment, thus demonstrating the responsiveness of beta 2-receptors to pharmacological stimulus.

[Double-blind study of the bronchodilating action of the aminophylline-clenbuterol combination in asthmatic patients]. / Studio in doppio cieco dell'attività broncodilatatrice dell'associazione aminofillina-clenbuterolo nei pazienti asmatici.

The results obtained with the administration of aminophylline and clenbuterol either separately or in association, to a group of patients with chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathies are reported. The two drugs had a more or less identical broncho-dilatory effect with the beta 2-stimulant acting earlier but for a shorter time. The simultaneous administration of both drugs gave distinctly better results.