31 research outputs found
Citomegalovirus nei pazienti trapiantati d’organo
No full textaim of the work Calprotectin (CalP) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) are biochemical markers in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). Their increased concentration indicates the onset of an inflammatory process. The aim of this study was to valuate the correlation between the levels of calprotectin and myeloperoxidase detected in the crevicular fluid (GCF) at different probing depth (PPD).
Materials
and methods In a total of 11 subjects with chronic periodontitis, non smokers enjoying good health and who had not undergone periodontal nor antibiotic therapy in the 6 months prior the study, 60 sites were randomly selected and bleeding on probing (BOP), PPD, quantity of GCF and concentration of MPO and CalP were recorded. The volume of GCF was assessed through inserting PerioCol paper strips in the periodontal pockets for 10 seconds, then analyzed with a micro-moisture meter electronic instrument (Periotrom 6000, Siemens). The determination of the CalP was performed by enzyme immunoassay. The determination of MPO in the crevicular fluid was performed using the spectrophotometric reading of optical density. The results were statistically analyzed (SPSS16).
Results
PPD 5 mm (GCF=0,72 μg/μl; CalP=10,06 μg/μl; MPO=3,69 μg/μl); PPD 6 mm (GCF=0,78 μg/μl; CalP=10,64 μg/μl; MPO=5,45 μg/μl); PPD≥7 mm (GCF=1,32 μg/μl; CalP=7,20 μg/μl; MPO=5,55 μg/μl). There were no statistically significant differences in the concentrations of MPO and CalP in the deeper periodontal pocket.
Conclusion
The concentration ofmyeloperoxidase seems significantly related to the increased presence of neutrophils into the deepest pockets
Vitamin D and Cardiovascular Diseases
No full textVitamin D is a hormone with pleiotropic effects; it controls calcium homeostasis, immune response, hemodynamic wall stress (by inhibiting Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System, RAAS, and modulating the endothelial function) and inflammation. In the last decade, numerous studies have focused on the role of vitamin D levels in the setting of cardiovascular disease. In particular, it has been shown that insufficient Vitamin D levels are frequently observed among patients with cardiovascular disease.
Hypovitaminosis D activates the renin angiotensin system, causes endothelial dysfunction, reduces cardiomyocyte contractility and is associated with adverse left ventricular remodelling after myocardial infarction. Also, low Vitamin D levels are associated with worse outcome.
However, there is still no evidence in supporting an extended use of oral hormone supplementation. Two big epidemiological studies including patients from general practice suggested a U-shape correlation between Vitamin D levels and survival; furthermore, we observed similar results in survivors after myocardial infarction; the prognosis of patients with Vitamin D -i.e., 25-(OH) D- levels 30 ng/mL was markedly worse than the prognosis of patients with levels between 10 and 30 ng/mL. Probably, the new therapeutic strategy should consider the non-linear relationship that exists between Vitamin D levels and the prognosis and should provide careful measurements of the blood levels of this hormone
PROGNOSTIC ROLE OF TUMOR INFILTRATING LYMPHOCITES (TILS) IN EPITHELIOID PLEURAL MESOTHELIOMA
No full textObjective. The inflammation is known to be essential in the neoplastic progression, nevertheless this host-tumor interaction has not been yet clarified. Whilst neoangiogenesis might stimulate the tumor progression, simultaneously this process could interfere with tumor growth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of intra- and peri- tumor infiltrating lymphocites (TILs) and correlate this parameter with the overall survival.
Material and Methods. We retrospectively collected 50 cases of epithelioid pleural mesthelioma analyzed from 2005 until 2016 by UCO di Anatomia e Istologia Patologica di Trieste. Immunohistochemistry staining of CD3 was performed to define intra-tumor lymphocites count. Intraepithelial, stromal and peritumoral TILs was assessed using the following scoring system: score 1 when TILs percentage ranges between 6 and 25%; score 2 when TILs percentage ranges between 26 and 50% and score 3 between 51% and 75%. Data were statistically analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method using a dedicated software (Statistical Package for Social Sciences, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). The level of significance was p < 0.05.
Results. In this sample the average and median age were 70 and 71 respectively. The 4-years OS was 16% (n=8) with 42 deaths due to mesothelioma and the event occurred after an average period 14.97 months long. Neither intraepithelial nor stromal TILs scores correlated with OS (p>0.05). On the contrary, high scores (2+3 score) of peritumoral TILs significantly correlates with improved OS (p=0.02).
Conclusions. In our experience, peritumoral TILs was a positive prognostic factor in epithelioid pleural mesothelioma. This result suggests to include an immunological analysis in the therapeutical approach to mesothelioma because it has to be clarify how immune elements take part in the tumor progression. Aiming to stimulate a specific antitumor immune response,further studies are needed to optimize the immunotherapy
Ruolo dell'Infezione da Poliomavirus nel cancro del colon in un'area del Nord Est d'Italia
No full textEfficacy of zinc supplementation in preventing acute hepatitis in Long-Evans Cinnamon rats
No full textObjectives: Long-Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rats are characterized by an abnormal hepatic deposition of copper (Cu) due to a lack of the Cu-transporter P-type adenosine triphosphatase: accordingly, the strain is a good animal model of Wilson's disease. The effect of oral zinc (Zn) acetate treatment on the development of acute hepatitis and the biochemical parameters of Cu-induced liver damage was studied in 5-week-old LEC rats (n=52). Methods: Rats receiving 50 or 80 mg/ml/day Zn acetate by gavage and control rats receiving a daily dose of glucose solution 0.02 g/ml by gastric intubation were killed at 1, 2 or 8 weeks after the start of treatment. Results: Treatment with Zn acetate resulted in the prevention of acute hepatitis: 10 of the 13 untreated rats developed signs and symptoms compatible with acute hepatitis between the 6th and 7th week of treatment. Tissue metallothionein (MT) significantly increased in the treated rats and positively correlated with Zn concentrations within the liver. Control rats had a significantly higher iron concentration in the liver and kidneys compared with supplemented rats, after both short- and long-term experiments. 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine amounts were significantly lower in untreated rats. Conclusions: Zn acetate prevents acute hepatitis, by increasing tissue MT concentrations, reducing Cu absorption and interfering with Fe metabolism
PREVALENZA DI TBEV IN IXODES RICINUS RACCOLTE IN FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA NEL PERIODO 2005-2009
No full textIl virus della Encefalite da zecche (TBEV), dalla metà degli anni ’90 del secolo scorso, costituisce un problema importante di sanità pubblica nelle regioni nord-orientali del paese; in particolare nella regione alpina del Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) l’incidenza di TBE nell’ultimo quinquennio ha raggiunto il valore di 15.8/100.000. L’UCO di Igiene dell’Università di Trieste, in collaborazione con il Dipartimento di Biologia Applicata alla Difesa delle Piante dell’Università di Udine e il Dipartimento di Prevenzione, ASS3 Alto Friuli, ha condotto, tra il 2005 e il 2009, un esteso studio sulla prevalenza dell’infezione da TBEV nel vettore Ixodes ricinus in diversi siti della regione FVG.
I risultati dello studio evidenziano un progressivo incremento della prevalenza di TBEV nel vettore che passa dallo 0.27% del 2005 al 0.58% del 2009 ed un allargamento dell’area interessata alla fascia prealpina della regione. I dati relativi alla caratterizzazione molecolare dei campioni positivi confermano la circolazione nell'area studiata di virus appartenenti al sottotipo europeo occidentale. Le differenze nucleotidiche riscontrate tra i diversi campioni confermano la validità dei risultati e si raggruppano in cluster evolutivi in parte riconducibili alle varianti Hypr e Neudoerfl circolanti nei paesi vicini
EPIDEMIOLOGIA MOLECOLARE DEI NOROVIRUS IN FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA NEGLI ANNI 2005-2011
No full textOBIETTIVI: I Norovirus sono virus a RNA responsabili di epidemie di gastroenteriti di origine alimentare o nosocomiale e sono caratterizzati da una notevole variabilità genetica legata a fenomeni di drift e shift antigenico. La variabilità genetica è responsabile
di una diversa sensibilità dei test diagnostici convenzionali nell’identificazione delle diverse varianti del virus e rende quindi necessario l’impiego combinato di tecniche immunoenzimatiche e molecolari. A partire dal 2005 l’UCO Igiene dell’Università
di Trieste collabora con i Dipartimenti di Prevenzione allo studio delle epidemie di gastroenteriti virali (GeV) nel Friuli Venezia Giulia. Inoltre dalla stagione 2010/2011 ha attivato un progetto di sorveglianza
virologica delle GeV nella città di Trieste in collaborazione con alcuni pediatri di libera scelta e con il Pronto Soccorso dell’Ospedale Infantile
IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”.
METODI: Le indagini di laboratorio comprendono un test immunoenzimatico (R-Biopharm) e tecniche di amplificazione genica (Argene; home made RTPCR). I campioni positivi sono stati tipizzati mediante sequenziamento parziale delle regioni genomiche
ORF1 e ORF2.
RISULTATI: Tra il 2005 ed il 2011 sono state studiate 7 epidemie da Norovirus: tre nosocomiali e quattro alimentari. Dal 2007 il sottotipo più frequentemente identificato è stato il GII.; nel 2005/2006 sono
stati isolati i genotipi GII.7 e GII.2 mentre il genotipo GII.14 è stato riscontrato in maniera episodica. Nella stagione 2010/2011 dalla rete della sorveglianza sono stati analizzati 65 campioni. 14
campioni sono risultati positivi mediante real time PCR, di questi soltanto 6 sono risultati positivi al solo test EIA. Il sequenziamento ha permesso di identificare 3 genotipi circolanti: GII.1, che non era stato
precedentemente rilevato nella nostra area, GII.3 e GII.4, cui apparteneva la metà dei virus identificati.
CONCLUSIONI: I risultati emersi dallo studio sottolineano l’importanza dell’impiego simultaneo di diverse tecniche diagnostiche nei casi di sospetta infezione da Norovirus per la possibilità di ottenere risultati falsi negativi anche con test ad elevata sensibilità. Inoltre la sorveglianza virologica delle infezioni da Norovirus sia in ambito istituzionale che territoriale è importante per individuare precocemente le varianti circolanti per conoscere la predittività dei test in uso e per potenziare le misure di prevenzione delle epidemie nelle strutture a rischio
Intra-hospital variation of gut microbiota product, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) predicts future major adverse cardiovascular events after myocardial infarction
No full textBackground and aims: Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) has been associated with atherosclerosis and poor outcome. We evaluated the prognostic impact of intra-hospital TMAO variation on patient outcome. Methods and results: Blood samples from 149 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were taken on admission and discharge. Plasma TMAO was determined by HPLC-MS. The endpoint was a composite three-point MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events) including all-cause mortality, re-infarction or the heart failure (HF) development. Median TMAO concentration on admission was significantly higher than on discharge, (respectively, 7.81 [3.47 - 19.98] vs 3.45 [2.3 - 4.78] μM,p<0.001). After estimating the 3.45 μM TMAO cut-off with the analysis of continuous hazard ratio, we divided our cohort into two groups. The first group included 75 (50.3%) patients whose TMAO levels remained below or decreased under cut-off (low-low/high-low; LL/HL), while the second group included 74 (49.7%) patients whose TMAO levels remained high or increased above the cut-off during hospitalisation (high-high/low-high; HH/LH). During the median 30-month follow-up, 21.5% patients experienced the composite endpoint. At Kaplan-Meier analysis, a trend of increasing MACE risk was observed in patients in the HH/LH group (p=0.05). At multivariable Cox analysis, patients from HH/LH group had more than two times higher risk of MACE during the follow-up than LL/HL group (HR=2.15 [95% CI, 1.03 - 4.5], p=0.04). Other independent predictors of MACE were older age and worse left ventricular systolic function. Conclusions: In patients with AMI, permanently high or increasing TMAO levels during hospitalisation are associated with a higher risk of MACE during long-term follow-up
Diabetes Mellitus and Vitamin D Deficiency: Comparable Effect on Survival and a Deadly Association after a Myocardial Infarction
No full textSurvivors after a myocardial infarction (MI), especially those with diabetes mellitus (DM),remain at high risk of further events. Identifying and treating factors that may influence survivalmay open new therapeutic strategies. We assessed the impact on prognosis of DM andhypovitaminosis D (hypovitD), alone or combined. In this prospective, observational study, 1081patients were enrolled surviving an MI and divided into four groups according to their diabetic andVitD status. The primary end-point was composite of all-cause mortality, angina/MI and heartfailure (HF). Secondary outcomes were mortality, HF and angina/MI. During a follow-up of 26.1months (IQR 6.6-64.5), 391 subjects experienced the primary end-point. Patients with DM orhypovitD had similar rate of the composite end-point. Patients with only hypovitD or DM did notdiffer regarding components of composite end-point (angina p = 0.97, HF p = 0.29, mortality p = 0.62).DM and VitD deficiency had similarly adjusted risks for primary end-point (HR 1.3, 95%CI 1.05-1.61; HR 1.3, 95% CI 1.04-1.64). The adjusted HR for primary composite end-point for patients withhypovitD and DM was 1.69 (95%CI 1.25-2.29, p = 0.001) in comparison to patients with neitherhypoD nor DM. In conclusion, DM and hypovitD, individually and synergistically, are associatedwith a worse outcome after MI
