[Capillaroscopy and diabetic microangiopathies]. / Capillaroscopie et microangiopathie diabétique.

Using conjunctival capillaroscopy, the authors studied 40 diabetic patients during glycemic decompensation. The capillaroscopic test, after all metabolic control tests, was repeated 1 and 3 months later and demonstrated improved microcirculation in 10 patients, and proved that therapeutic control is possible during the progression of diabetic microangiopathy.

[Blood filterability in cerebral vascular disease]. / La filtrabilita' ematica nelle vasculopatie cerebrali.

The aim of this paper is to test whether an alteration of blood flow in microcirculation and in particular of red cell deformability is present in cerebrovascular insufficiency. To this end we determined by the method proposed by Reid and Dormandy (J. Clin. Pharmacol. 1976, 29, 855) whole-blood filterability in 31 patients with cerebrovascular disease, in 15 clinically healthy subjects and in 99 subjects without clinical evidence of ischemic pathology displaying one or more vascular risk factors. Blood filterability turned out to be significantly lower in cases of cerebrovascular disease than in the controls (p less than 0,001), while data about presence of risk factors in cerebrovascular insufficiency and in controls are almost overlapping. Reduction of blood filterability in cerebrovascular disease may therefore be attributed directly to the risk factors associated to the disease, which can significantly reduce red cell deformability. Further we didn't find any significant correlation between blood filterability and levels of fibrinogen, platelets, triglycerides and cholesterol in blood.

[Blood filterability in peripheral obstructive arterial disease]. / La filtrabilita' ematica nelle arteriopatie ostruttive periferiche.

The aim of this paper is to test whether an alteration of blood flow in microcirculation and in particular of red cell deformability is present in chronic arterial occlusive disease. To this end we determined by the method proposed by Reid and Dormandy (J. Clin. Pharmacol. 1976, 29, 855) whole-blood filterability in 18 patients with peripheral vascular disease, in 15 clinically healthy subjects and in 99 subjects without clinical evidence of ischemic pathology displaying one or more vascular risk factors. Blood filterability turned out to be significantly lower in cases of arterial disease that in the controls (p less than 0,001), and we found a constant reduction of blood filterability with the increase of number of risk factors. Comparison of the results obtained in arteriopatics and in controls displaying risk factors shows that though risk factors have an important impact on blood filterability, their presence alone is not enough to explain the reduction of blood filterability which, risk factors being equal, in vascular disease is always significantly lower than in controls. We also found a significant correlation between levels of fibrinogen and reduction of blood filterability.

[Blood filterability in ischemic heart disease]. / La filtrabilita' ematica nella cardiopatia ischemica.

The aim of this paper is to test whether an alteration of blood flow in microcirculation and in particular of red cell deformability is present in myocardial ischaemia. To this end we determined by the method proposed by Reid and Dormandy (J. Clin. Pharmacol. 1976, 29, 855) whole-blood filterability in 23 patients with myocardial ischaemia, in 15 clinically healthy subjects and in 99 subjects without clinical evidence of ischemic pathology displaying one or more vascular risk factors. Blood filterability turned out to be significantly lower in cases of coronary diseases than in controls (p less than 0,001), while it was lower but not significantly so, than in subjects displaying risk factors. We conclude therefore that the presence of risk factors is enough important to be considered one of the fundamental elements (though non the only one) in causing the reduction of blood-filterability encountered in ischemic cardiopathology.

[Changes in blood filterability induced by risk factors for cardiovascular disease]. / Modificazioni della filtrabilita' ematica indotte dai fattori di rischio per cardiovasculopatie.

Our research was aimed at testing the role of the main cardiovascular risk factors in modifying the blood flow in microcirculation and in particular red cell deformability. To this end we determined by the method proposed by Reid and Dormandy (J. Clin. Pharmacol. 1976, 29, 855) whole-blood filterability in 15 smokers, 18 diabetics, 14 hypertensives, 16 dislipidemics, without clinical evidence of ischemic pathology and with negative vascular pathology anamnesis. In diabetics, hypertensives and dislipidemics blood filterability turned out to be significantly lower (p less than 0,001) that in 15 controls. In smokers it was also lower, although in a less significant way.

[Hyperlipemia and erythrocyte filterability]. / Iperlipemia e filtrabilità eritrocitaria.

The erythrocyte filterability was examined in 30 patients presenting identical values of fibrinogen and polymorphonuclear leucocytes (10 patients had normal values of lipemia, cholesterol and triglycerides and in the other 20 patients one or more of these parameters were altered). In the first group filterability values were homogeneous, while in the second group they were higher and widely dispersed. A close proportionality between the reduced filterability rate and cholesterolemic values was also found.

[Preliminary clinical and experimental data on a new anti-arrhythmic drug: lorcainide]. / Primi rilievi clinici e sperimentali su un nuovo antiaritmico: la lorcainide.

A first series of personal results in the treatment of arrhythmia with lorcainide is presented. Findings were obtained by recording for 24 hr with Holter and compared with those observed in patients treated with quinidine. An ECG study was also made of the atrial and nodal refractory periods. The conclusion is drawn that lorcainaide possesses an undoubted and protracted anti-arrhythmic effect, and does not exert a significant influence on refractory period values.

[Importance of digitalemia for a correct therapeutic attitude using cardioactive glycosides]. / Importanza della digitalemia per una corretta impostazione terapeutica con i glucosidi cardioattivi

Recent advances in the quantitation of plasma or serum levels of cardiac glycosides promise to add a new dimension to pharmacologic studies and to the evaluation of clinical problems involving these drugs. A rapid radioimmunoassay technique has been described for the determination of serum digoxin and beta-metyldigoxin concentration in the range encountered clinically. Patients judged clinically to show digitals toxicity in general had higher levels. A relable estimate of serum digoxin and beta-metyldigoxin concentration, considered in the clinical context, has been found to be useful in arriving at acute management decisions.