Lamivudine and alpha-interferon in combination long term for precore mutant chronic hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) and lamivudine are the two licensed drugs for patients with chronic hepatitis B, however, their efficacy in precore mutant chronic hepatitis B is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of 1 year alpha-IFN-lamivudine combination therapy for anti-HBe/hepatitis B virus- (HBV)-DNA positive patients. METHODS: Between 1997 and 1999, 29 consecutive anti-HBe/HBV-DNA positive patients entered this prospective pilot study. Patients received 100mg lamivudine orally daily and alpha-IFN 6 million units (MU) three times weekly for 52 weeks. All patients were followed-up for 12 months after stopping therapy. Primary end points were loss of serum HBV-DNA and alanine transaminase normalization at week 52. RESULTS: Overall, the end-treatment biochemical and virological response was 93% while the sustained response at week 104 was 14%. HBV-DNA negative patients did not experience a viral breakthrough during treatment; no tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate amino acid motif of HBV polymerase (YMDD) variant emerged. At week 52, 46% of patients with paired liver biopsies slides available, showed an histological improvement (histological activity index > or =2). CONCLUSIONS: Combination of lamivudine and interferon for 1 year is followed by high end-treatment virological and biochemical response rates, by improvement of liver histology and by the prevention of the emergence of YMDD mutation; however, the sustained response rate remains low.

[Intra-cavernous injections of vasoactive drugs. A 10-year experience at an andrologic center]. / Le iniezioni intracavernose con farmaci vasoattivi. Esperienza decennale di un centro di andrologia.

The clinical experience of an andrological center in the use of the intra cavernous injections of vaso-active drugs is revisited. Clinical data concerning 1513 ICIs performed, in the last ten years, in 1038 patients have been considered. Various vasoactive drugs have been utilized. Mainly papaverine and prostaglandin E1 are usually employed. The experience and the establishment of the modalities of use both as diagnostic tool and as therapeutic procedure of this particular type of stimulation of the intracavernous vascular system has greatly reduced the possibility of complications and collateral side effects.

[In vitro growth of skin fibroblasts of patients with atypical ductal hyperplasia of the breast: effects of 17 beta-estradiol]. / Crescita in vitro di fibroblasti cutanei di pazienti affette da iperplasia duttale atipica della mammella: effetti del 17-beta-estradiolo.

In this work we investigated the growth of skin fibroblasts, in vitro cultured, drawn from women suffering Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia (I.D.A.) and from healthy women (controls). Whether in basic conditions or after administration of 17, beta-estradiol, in single of repeated dose, cellular growth was valued. The results obtained show that skin fibroblasts drawn from women suffering I.D.A. treated with 100 microliters/ml of estradiol (effective dose), have an increase of the growth. Moreover the increase of the growth seems to be bequest to "effective dose" but not to the number of administrations.

[Different proliferative capacity of human fibroblasts after 17 beta-estradiol administration]. / Differenti capacità proliferative di fibroblasti umani in seguito a somministrazione di 17, beta-estradiolo.

In this study the authors examined the influence of 71, beta-estradiol on cutaneous fibroblasts taken off either from healthy patients with no family history for cancer, or from patients with breast cancer. Fibroblasts were taken from the subcutaneous tissue of the mammary gland by a biopsy carried out in each patients on the same quadrant of the granular surface. Soon after biopsy, the tissue fragments have been washed, dished ed incubated in RPMI at 37 degrees C in a humidified atmosphere of 5% CO2 and 95% air. The action of the hormone was evaluated by the means of cells count for field, in 20 fields in each dish with an inverted microscope (20 x magnification). The results demonstrated that cutaneous fibroblasts from patients with breast cancer show higher values of cell density than those from healthy one. This phenomenon is present both in basal conditions and after hormonal treatment. Two different dosages were used, but only the highest (100 microliters/ml of 17, beta-estradiol) was responsible for an increase of the cell density in all of the treated patients as compared the control groups. These data suggests the presence of a threshold dosage for the estrogens. Below such a dosage there are no effects on cellular growth.

[Action of infrared laser on in vitro culture of fibroblasts: effects of the exposure time parameter]. / Applicazione del laser infrarosso a colture in vitro di fibroblasti: effetti del parametro tempo di esposizione.

We have evaluated the effects of low dose laser radiation on in vitro grown fibroblasts. We have observed no differences between treated plates and no treated plates after modification of exposure time.

[Application of infrared lasers on in vitro culture of fibroblasts: effects of the duration of treatment parameter]. / Applicazione del laser infrarosso a colture in vitro di fibroblasti: effetti del parametro durata di trattamento.

We have evaluated the effects of low dose laser radiation on in vitro grown fibroblasts. We have seen after twelve days of plates exposure at low doses of laser radiation a remarkable increment of cellular density. We conclude that the stimulating action on cellular mitosis are directly correlated at the length of the sample treatment with I.R. laser.