[Use of clonidine in the prevention of alcohol withdrawal syndrome]. / L'impiego della clonidina nella prevenzione della sindrome da astinenza alcolica (S.A.A.).

Clonidine, an effective antihypertensive drug acting on central presynaptic alpha 2-adrenoreceptors, is commonly used in opiate withdrawal. There is recent evidence of advantages in using clonidine also in alcohol withdrawal. The results of a randomized study on 44 alcoholics, admitted without withdrawal symptoms, are shown. The alcohol withdrawal syndrome appeared in 50% of the patients in the placebo group and in 9% of the clonidine treated patients. Clonidine is an effective tool in the hospital preventive treatment of alcohol withdrawal.

[Pseudohypoparathyroidism. Analysis of a clinical case with late development]. / Pseudoipoparatiroidismo. Analisi di un caso clinico ad evoluzione tardiva.

A case of pseudohypoparathyroidism of characteristic phenotype and metabolism is described. The condition was diagnosed at over 50 years of age following the appearance of hypocalcaemia and calcification of basal ganglia which responded quickly to treatment with vitamin D and orally administered calcium. This case gives the opportunity to describe a rare hereditary disease and discuss which mechanisms triggered off the symptomatology: mechanisms which involve PTH, the action of which is still not fully known.

[The natural history of Still's disease. Description of a clinical case with repeated recurrences and long remission periods]. / La storia naturale della malattia di Still. Descrizione di un caso clinico a decorso policiclico e con lunga remissione.

A case of Still's disease is presented that demonstrates the uncertain prognosis and the duration of the treatment required to prevent recurrences. The importance of frequent check-ups is also emphasised.

[Nonketotic hyperosmolar coma. Clinical aspects and treatment in 12 cases]. / Il coma iperosmolare non chetosico. Aspetti clinici e trattamento in 12 casi.

Non-ketotic hyperosmolar diabetic coma is a complication of diabetes characterised by extreme dehydration, plasmatic hyperosmolarity and the absence of ketosis. The mortality rate is very high, especially in elderly subjects with type II diabetes. A personal series of 12 cases is reported with an assessment of general features, triggering factors, biochemical parameters at onset and treatment given. The data confirm reports in the literature and the results show the therapeutic superiority of continuous endovenous infusions of insulin at 3-10 mu/hour over other treatment protocols.

[Doppler flowmetry in temporal arteritis. Indications and limitations]. / La flussimetria Doppler nell'arterite temporale. Indicazioni e limiti.

Doppler test in temporal arthritis. Prescriptions and limits The paper describes the Authors' personal experience in using the Doppler test for the diagnosis of temporal arthritis in a small group of patients clinically suspected of the pathology. The method has proved useful in the diagnosis and follow-up of the disease, but the diagnosis is confirmed by a biopsy of the temporal artery which still plays an important role.

[Evaluation of the effect of cloxacillin on human lymphocyte chromosomes through the study of karyotypic changes and sister chromatid exchanges]. / Valutazione dell'effetto della cloxacillina sui cromosomi di linfociti umani attraverso lo studio delle alterazioni cariotipiche e degli sce (sister chromatid exchanges).

The aim of this work was the evaluation of the possible mutagenic effect of an antibiotic, the Cloxacillin. Therefore the authors have performed the analysis of the chromosomal alterations and the study of the SCE (Sister Chromatid Exchanges) induced with the exposition of cultures of lymphocytes to different concentrations of this drug. The work reveals that Cloxacillin induces chromosomal alterations at high concentrations, while at concentrations similar to its therapeutic levels the drug does not seem to interfere with human DNA.