Risk of mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory causes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease submitted to follow-up after lung resection for non-small cell lung cancer.

Aim: Considerable controversy surrounds mortality from non-neoplastic diseases during the postoperative follow-up of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study investigated the incidence of mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory (CVR) causes in patients with COPD submitted to follow-up after lung resection for NSCLC, and identified preoperative and postoperative risk factors.

Methods: A total of 398 patients with mild or moderate COPD were followed up in our department after lung resection for NSCLC (median follow-up 61 months).

Immunologic evidence of no harmful effect of oats in celiac disease.

Background: It was recently shown that antiendomysial antibodies (EMAs), which are highly sensitive and specific for celiac disease, are produced by intestinal mucosa. Furthermore, EMAs were detected previously in supernatant fluid from cultured duodenal mucosa specimens collected from untreated celiac disease patients and in culture media of biopsy specimens collected from treated celiac disease patients after an in vitro challenge with gliadin. Moreover, it was recently shown in vivo that oats are not toxic to celiac disease patients, suggesting the safety of oats in a gluten free-diet.

Identification of a new coeliac disease subgroup: antiendomysial and anti-transglutaminase antibodies of IgG class in the absence of selective IgA deficiency.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to increase the sensitivity of the antiendomysial antibody (EMA) test by evaluating also EMAs of IgG1 isotype.

Design And Subjects: Over the last 2 years, serum EMAs IgA and IgG1 were determined in 1399 patients, referred to our gastrointestinal unit due to clinical suspicion of malabsorption. Serum anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibodies IgA and IgG, as well as total IgA levels, were also investigated.

Celiac disease diagnosis in misdiagnosed children.

Antiendomysial antibodies (EMA) are today considered the most sensitive and specific serological marker of celiac disease (CD). The aim of the present study was to assess the occurrence of EMA of IgG isotype in EMA IgA negative children with clinical suspicion of malabsorption and their relationship with CD. Serum EMA IgG1 determination was performed on 30 EMA IgA negative children with clinical suspicion of CD.

31-43 amino acid sequence of the alpha-gliadin induces anti-endomysial antibody production during in vitro challenge.

Background: Wheat gliadin is the culprit antigen of coeliac disease (CD). Two short sequences of NH2-terminal portion of gliadin seem to be responsible for CD. Antiendomysial antibodies (EMA), highly sensitive and specific for CD, are detectable in the culture media from treated CD patients, after in vitro challenge with peptic-tryptic (PT) digest of gliadin.