1,721,001 research outputs found
Pharmacogenetics of statins therapy
No full textCardiovascular disease has become the global leading cause of death worldwide, representing the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed world. Statins, the most widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs, are considered to be first-line therapeutics for the prevention of coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis. Meta-analyses from several primary and secondary intervention studies have clearly shown that cholesterol-lowering medication, significantly reduces cardiovascular events, mortality, and morbidity, but considerable interindividual variation exists in response to statin therapy. Pharmacogenomics can provide important insights into statins therapy through elucidation of the genetic (or genomic) contribution to variable response for these drugs. The search for genetic polymorphisms may enable us to identify novel determinants of drug responsiveness by means of the study of three candidate genes groups: (1) genes encoding proteins involved in metabolism or drug transport, or both, that influence drug pharmacokinetics; (2) genes encoding proteins involved in mechanism of action and/or metabolic pathways on which drugs operate (that influence pharmacodynamics); (3) genes encoding proteins involved in the underlying disease condition or intermediate phenotype. This review briefly summarizes the recent pharmacogenomic and pharmacogenetic patents and the potential contributions of genetic variations in candidate genes related to lipid and lipoprotein metabolism and statins efficacy. © 2007 Bentham Science Publishers Ltd
New trends in docimology. Multiple-choice test using automated procedures [Nuove acquisizioni di docimologia. L'utilizzo di test a scelta multipla mediante una procedura automatizzata]
No full textMEDICAL TREATMENT OF CRVO
No full textPurpose:
A disorder of fibrinolytic power is a risk factor for both venous and arterial thrombosis. An hypofibrinolytic state has been described as a common feature in Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO) affected subjects. Aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of a thrombotic-risk assessement related therapy either in acute phase treatment or secondary prophylaxis in CRVO affected patients.
Methods:
Phase A: 60 subjects (28 female, 22 male) were respectively treated with ASA 325 mg/die (19), heparin 12500 to 25000 U/die (16) , and mesoglycan 100 mg/die (25) for one month. Phase B: 35 subjects were treated with ASA 325 mg/die for 6 months and 29 patients with mesoglycan 100 mg/die. The development of new thrombotic events was assessed by fundoscopy at one and six months.
Results:
In phase A 5/19 (26%) subjects in the ASA, 6/16 (37%) in the heparin and 2/25 (8%) (p< 0.001) in the mesoglycan group experienced a new thrombotic event. In phase B 13/35 (37%) in the ASA and 3/29 (10%) (p< 0.001) in the mesoglycan group showed new thrombotic signs.
Conclusions:
Our data suggest that a profibrinolytic treatment in thrombotic risk-profile selected subjects is safe and effective for the therapy and prophylaxis of CRVO when compared to other antithrombotic agents
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Activity of citalopram on adenosine and serotonin circulating levels in depressed patients
No full textCitalopram is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor used in the treatment of depression. Recent investigations have shown that it reduces in rat brain the release of excitatory amino neurotransmitters acid glutamate and aspartate by the involvement of the inhibitory neuromodulator adenosine. In this study, we described citalopram and serotonin levels in plasma and platelets, as well as plasma adenosine levels, in depressive patients during acute and chronic administration of citalopram. Twelve patients affected by Major Depression (DSM-IV) received a single oral dose of citalopram in the morning, 5 mg in the first 5 days, 10 mg from the 6th to the 10th day, and 20 mg from the 11th to the 40th day. Blood samples for citalopram, serotonin, and adenosine were collected at Time 0 and 4, 12 and 24 hours after drug administration on the first day of citalopram 5 mg, and on the first and the last day of citalopram 20 mg. Citalopram, serotonin, and adenosine concentrations in plasma increased after citalopram administration, and the highest levels were observed on the last day of treatment. Citalopram was detectable in platelets with concentrations showing a time variation similar to plasma values. Serotonin levels in platelets decreased after drug administration, reaching the lowest values on the last day of treatment
Transmitral and pulmonary venous flow study in elite male runners and young adults
No full textBackground: Even if diastolic function has been assessed in athletes by analysis of transmitral Doppler flow, no one has studied pulmonary venous flow in this population. The aim of this study was to establish if the physiological adaptations following a prolonged physical training could influence the diastolic function in a professional Olympic male runner group. Methods: From February to December 1999 we studied 25 athletes (Group 1) during the period of maximal training compared with 18 age- and sex-matched healthy sedentary subjects (Group 11). We used mono- and bidimensional Echocardiography to assess left ventricular structure and systolic function. The diastolic function was evaluated by Doppler method assessing transmitral and venous pulmonary flow. Results: From the comparison between the two groups, we found great differences in the interventricular septum and the posterior wall thickness; the analysis of the systolic function demonstrated a significant increase in ejection fraction, stroke volume, left ventricular mass, and end diastolic volume in the athletes' population. Fluximetric study showed that ventricular diastolic function is not influenced by hypertrophy: indeed, Doppler evaluation of the transmitral flow showed a bigger velocity of the E wave, similarly, when we assessed pulmonary venous flow, we found faster retrograde Ar wave in group 1. Conclusions: Our data indicate that diastolic function remains normal or improves in some cases after physical training; left ventricular hypertrophy and concentric remodeling do not involve diastolic changes like hypertrophic and hypertensive heart diseases. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
Jessner's lymphocytic infiltrate of the skin and autoimmune thyroiditis coexistence in a single case
No full textNimodipine:drug pharmacokinetics and plasma adenosine levels in patients affected by cerebral ischemia
No full textEffect of iloprost on plasma levels of serotonin and asymmetrical dimethylarginine, and on platelet levels of serotonin in patients affected by peripheral arterial occlusive disease
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