[Primary prophylaxis of esophageal variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients].

During 2004 and 2005 we selected ten motivated and well informed patients affected by hepatic cirrhosis and medium-large esophageal varices; we performed endoscopic band ligation to prevent the first bleeding episode in these patients because not eligible for non selective beta-blockers full dose therapy. After over 3 years' follow-up we have no found fatal or not varices related complications. Five patients died from hepatic failure.

[Usefulness of the follow-up in outpatients affected by liver cirrhosis].

Since 2000 to 2004 we enrolled 80 patients affected by liver cirrhosis: after two year's follow-up in our Outpatients' Department we gained a survival rate of 23%. These data are remarkable because we took care of aged patients (mean age 70 years) with comorbidity (diabetes mellitus, gallstones, hypertension, etc.).

Anaphylactoid syndrome of pregnancy after intracervical dinoprostone for cervical ripening: a report of 3 cases.

Background: Three cases of anaphylactoid syndrome of pregnancy developed in association with the use of intracervical dinoprostone for cervical ripening.

Cases: All cases occurred at our institution between October 1996 and February 2001. The patients developed respiratory symptoms shortly after placement of 0.

Transforming growth factor beta1 and soluble Fas serum levels in hepatocellular carcinoma.

In this study we assessed the usefulness of serum Transforming Growth Factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and soluble Fas (sFas) in distinguishing liver cirrhosis (LC) with and without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as compared with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Serum TGF-beta1 and sFas levels were measured by ELISA in 51 LC patients, 54 patients with HCC and 30 healthy donors. Considering as a cut-off limit (mean+1SD of controls) 74 pg/ml and 637 pg/ml for TGF-beta1 and sFas, respectively, we computed serum concentrations of TGF-beta1 and sFas as a score (mean+/-SD).

[Cutaneous vasculitis, mixed cryoglobulinemia in a patient with non-secreting monolateral pheochromocytoma. A likely paraneoplastic syndrome].

We describe a patient who presented with purpuric lesions over his legs, asthenia and arthralgias. The patient was diagnosed as having cryoglobulinemia and no secreting monolateral pheochromocytoma. Two months after the removal of the tumour, the vasculitic lesions disappeared but the cryoglobulins were still present in the patient's serum.