[Lombardy regional project: prevention of occupational tumors]. / Progetto regione lombardia: prevenzione dei tumori professionali.

In Lombardy, the regional project "Prevention of occupational cancers" is ongoing. The main objectives of this project are to identify work environments in which there might be a possible exposure to carcinogenic substances and to elaborate preventive measures. A casual sample of 250 working settings representing the different economic activities has been selected and evaluated. The 10% of the examined workplaces showed a possible exposure to chemical carcinogens. The most common carcinogens were trichloroethylene, preparation of plastics materials containing acrylonitrile-butadiene-stirene, formaldehyde, wood dust, hexavalent chromium, silica and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Galvanic industries, Bitumen production and placing companies and Plastics processing plants will be studied for environmental and biological monitoring and for the development of preventive measures.

[Traumatic lesions of the hand extensor system: epidemiology and surgical considerations]. / Le lesioni traumatiche dell'apparato estensore della mano: epidemiologia e considerazioni chirurgiche.

AIMS: To investigate demographics, modalities and type of injuries among a population of isolated traumatic injuries of extensor tendons in order to evaluate the consequences on health service and on prevention. METHODS: Retrospective study of injuries treated at the divisions of Plastic Surgery and Orthopedics in a third level referral center among the years 1993-1999. MAIN RESULTS: Data from 173 patients were analyzed, a prevalence of males (81%) and injuries at home (55%) has been observed. Especially young adults (46.88%) have been involved, the thumb has been most interested finger and the middle finger the least, with two peaks of incidence in spring and autumn. The lesions, exposed through an extension of the existing wound, have been usually sutured according to Kessler, adding an early protected motion protocol. CONCLUSIONS: We discuss the possible causes and consequences of data observed, with special reference to the possibility of treating isolated extensor tendon injuries at district hospitals by non-hand surgeons, and primary actions of prevention.

[Evaluation of latent changes in blood coagulation by the determination of plasma thrombin-antithrombin complex in gastrointestinal neoplasms]. / Valutazione di alterazioni latenti della coagulazione mediante il dosaggio plasmatico del complesso trombina antitrombina nelle neoplasie gastrointestinali.

The relationship between cancer and coagulation disorders is widely accepted. Such disorders can contribute to the metastatic spreading of the primary tumor. Aim of our study was to evaluate the alterations of thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT) measured by an ELISA plasma assay in a population of 78 patients suffering from various gastrointestinal tumors. We found high levels of TAT in 68.6% of the patients. Our data show that assay of TAT plasma levels may be a useful test in detecting early coagulation disorders in cancer patients.

Efficacy and gastrointestinal tolerability of beta-cyclodextrin-piroxicam and tenoxicam in the treatment of chronic osteoarthritis.

Thirty patients aged 26 to 70 years with a history of chronic osteoarthritis of at least eight years were randomly assigned to receive 20 mg daily of beta-cyclodextrin-piroxicam (beta-CDP) or tenoxicam for eight weeks. Both drugs effectively reduced pain, inflammation, and functional limitations of the affected joints. Endoscopy revealed minor posttreatment hemorrhagic lesions and erosions; these tended to be less severe in the group treated with beta-CDP than with tenoxicam. Slight to moderate gastrointestinal symptoms were reported by one patient treated with beta-CDP and three patients treated with tenoxicam; the symptoms were poorly correlated with endoscopic findings. It is concluded that both drugs are safe and effective in the control of symptoms in patients with chronic osteoarthritis.

Impaired growth hormone response to clonidine in obesity.

Clonidine, an imidazoline derivative, is an antihypertensive agent which reduces sympathetic tone by acting in the central nervous system to stimulate alpha-2 adrenoceptors. There is evidence that dopamine and norepinephrine modulate the secretion of GH. Stimulation of GH release is a well-known effect of clonidine in man. Obesity is characterized by an impairment of GH release in response to various stimuli. The aim of this work is to study GH release in response to alpha-2 adrenoceptors stimulation by clonidine in obesity. 12 volunteer obese subjects were studied. 10 normal weight subjects, sex and age matched, were controls. The GH responsiveness was tested with a single oral dose of clonidine (0.15 mg). Blood was sampled for GH radioimmunoassay at 0', 30', 60', 90', 120', 150', 180'. Serum GH basal levels were not significant different in obese subjects compared to controls. In obese subjects, no significant changes occurred in blood GH concentration after clonidine. In normal weight controls, instead, a significant increase of GH values was reached at 90' (P less than 0.05) and at 120' (P less than 0.05) after clonidine. The impairment of GH release after clonidine in obese subjects might be in a reduced serotonin release or in a failure of the hypothalamic-pituitary system to stimulate plasma GH caused by a diminished GH releasing factor stimulatory effect or by an excessive endorphin or somatostatin secretion in obesity.