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Biomedical subjects

Andrea Poli

Publications and source records attributed to Andrea Poli.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

O3-DPACS Open-Source Image-Data Manager/Archiver and HDW2 Image-Data Display: an IHE-compliant project pushing the e-health integration in the world.

After many years of study, development and experimentation of open PACS and Image workstation solutions including management of medical data and signals (DPACS project), the research and development at the University of Trieste have recently been directed towards Java-based, IHE compliant and multi-purpose servers and clients. In this paper an original Image-Data Manager/Archiver (O3-DPACS) and a universal Image-Data Display (HDW2) are described. O3-DPACS is also part of a new project called Open Three (O3) Consortium, promoting Open Source adoption in e-health at European and world-wide levels. This project aims to give a contribution to the development of e-health through the study of Healthcare Information Systems and the contemporary proposal of new concepts, designs and solutions for the management of health data in an integrated environment: hospitals, Regional Health Information Organizations and citizens (home-care, mobile-care and ambient assisted living).

Data Display↗
PubMed2006

Levels of the n-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid in addition to those of alpha linolenic acid are significantly raised in blood lipids by the intake of four walnuts a day in humans.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ingestion of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), with the richest source among dry fruits such as walnuts, is associated with cardiovascular prevention. The aim of this study was to selectively evaluate the effects of moderate walnut consumption on the levels of ALA and its metabolic derivatives in human blood. METHODS AND RESULTS: After a 2-week run-in period, 10 volunteers consumed 4 walnuts per day (in addition to their habitual diet) for 3 weeks. Fatty acid profiles, with special attention to levels of ALA and long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), were assessed in blood drops collected from fingertips. The data indicate that the administration of a few walnuts a day for 3 weeks significantly increases blood levels, not only of ALA (from 0.23+/-0.07 SD to 0.47+/-0.13 SD), but also of its longer chain derivative eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA) (from 0.23+/-0.37 to 0.82+/-0.41) with levels remaining elevated over basal values after washout. CONCLUSION: The findings of this pilot study indicate that plant ALA in appropriate food items favourably affects the n-3 LC-PUFA status.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

The emerging link between nutrition, inflammation and atherosclerosis.

A number of dietary components modulate the inflammatory response in humans, thereby affecting cardiovascular risk. As basic research provides a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of vascular function regulation by nutrients, clinical investigation and outcome studies demonstrate the relevance of dietary factors to the prevention and treatment of vascular disease. Benefits of dietary interventions may be attributable to weight loss or to more specialized mechanisms in which inflammation is targeted directly. Available evidence indicates that dietary intervention should be an integral part of therapeutic approaches for treating conditions such as the metabolic syndrome and, ultimately, for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed2003

Plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and bone mass densitometry in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence and the clinical and social importance of osteopenia and osteoporosis are increasing in western societies. To improve knowledge of the risk factors associated with these conditions, we assessed the relationship between bone mass density and plasma lipid profile in a cohort of postmenopausal women. METHODS: We studied 1303 postmenopausal women who attended a menopause outpatient clinic. All women underwent bone mineral density determination at the level of the lumbar spine. Plasma lipids and lipoproteins and bone metabolic markers were assessed on a blood sample obtained after a 12-hour fast. RESULTS: Statistically significant associations were found by univariate analysis between prevalence of osteopenia and age, time since menopause, body mass index, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Specifically, women with plasma LDL cholesterol levels of at least 160 mg/dL had a more than doubled probability of being osteopenic compared with women with lower LDL cholesterol (47.9% versus 21.2%, respectively). Time since menopause, body mass index, and LDL cholesterol were the only variables significantly associated with the prevalence of osteopenia, by multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: Postmenopausal women with increased plasma LDL cholesterol levels had a greater probability of being classified as osteopenic than women with normal plasma LDL cholesterol levels. Our data, if confirmed, suggest that elevated levels of plasma LDL cholesterol should be regarded as an additional risk factor for reduced bone mineral density.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

[Achievement of the therapeutic goals for dyslipidemia in clinical practice: results of a survey among general practice physicians from Lombardy].

BACKGROUND: Currently available guidelines suggest that hypolipidemic drugs should be used in subjects at high risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). Very often, however, physicians fail to comply with the targets (total or LDL cholesterol) that are proposed by the Consensus Panels. The aim of this survey was to evaluate the efficacy of a hypocholesterolemic treatment in achieving the therapeutic target according to Adult Treatment Panel II guidelines in a sample of general practitioners from Lombardy, a region of northern Italy. METHODS: Eighty-five general practitioners reported in a standardized manner data on the presence of major and minor coronary risk factors from at least 15 patients from their database for a total of 1275 patients. Treatment targets for LDL cholesterol were 100 mg/dl in patients with existing cardiovascular disease (class I), 130 mg/dl for patients with > or = 2 CHD risk factors (class II), and 160 mg/dl for the others (class III). Results on the efficacy of the therapy were divided into the following categories: 1) to target, 2) failure to reach the target by < or = 30 mg/dl, 3) failure to reach the target by > 30 mg/dl. Data were analyzed by means of the CSS statistical software. RESULTS: Overall 58.2% of the patients were males and the average age of the population was 59.2 +/- 10.1 years; 20.4% were diabetics, 34.5% smokers, 48.8% hypertensives, 16.9% had a previous myocardial infarction, 14.9% were suffering of stable angina, and 8.1% had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting and/or coronary angioplasty. Moreover 33.9% had a positive family history for CHD. Class I patients were 31.7% of the population, class II 52.9%, and class III 15.4%. Plasma lipid levels before treatment were on average 294 +/- 37 mg/dl for total cholesterol, 211 +/- 37 mg/dl for LDL cholesterol, 45 +/- 16 mg/dl for HDL cholesterol, and 195 +/- 104 mg/dl for plasma triglycerides. Of the patients 78.8% received dietary counseling, while 94.7% received hypolipidemic treatment (89.9% were only on statins). The average post-treatment value for total cholesterol was 225 +/- 33 mg/dl (-23%), LDL cholesterol 145 +/- 34 mg/dl (-31%), HDL cholesterol 50 +/- 15 (+15%), and plasma triglycerides 151 +/- 55 (-17%). When patients were stratified according to their LDL cholesterol target, 29.9% were on target, 34.0% missed it by < or = 30 mg/dl, and 36.1% by > 30 mg/dl. In class I only 14.9% achieved the target, in class II 31.2%, in class III 61.8%. CONCLUSIONS: These data show that general practitioners do not aim at an aggressive lipid lowering in patients at high risk, perhaps because of the limited knowledge of the need for modulating treatment according to the global CHD risk.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Smoking and gender.

Smoking is a major cause of coronary heart disease for both men and women and a positive correlation between tobacco use and cerebrovascular disease has been also described. In addition, cigarette smoking is the most powerful risk factor predisposing to atherosclerotic peripheral artery disease. More recently, passive smoking has been also shown to represent an important risk factor for coronary artery disease. Moreover, the incidence of coronary artery and cerebrovascular diseases in ex-smokers consistently decreases after cessation, further underlying the relevance of smoking as a risk factor for these pathological conditions. The effects of cigarette smoking on atherosclerosis initiation and progression as well on its complications are mostly responsible for the enhanced cardio- and cerebrovascular risk observed in smoking compared to non-smoking subjects. Since hormonal status may also play a role in the development and stability of the atherosclerotic plaque, smoking habits could influence the clinical complications of atheroclerosis in a gender dependent manner. Up to now, however, few studies have investigated the relative importance of smoking as a risk factor for fatal and non-fatal diseases in the two sexes within the same study population. On the basis of available clinical data, this review will discuss the risk of fatal and non-fatal diseases among smoking men and women with special emphasis on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease which also represents the most common cause of death among smokers. A description of the mechanisms involved in the tobacco-induced atherosclerotic damage will be also given in order to underline possible gender-related differences.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed2002

Antioxidant and other biological activities of phenols from olives and olive oil.

Olive oil is the principal source of fats in the Mediterranean diet, which has been associated with a lower incidence of coronary heart disease and certain cancers. Phenolic compounds, e.g., hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein, in extra-virgin olive oil are responsible for its peculiar pungent taste and for its high stability. Recent findings demonstrate that olive oil phenolics are powerful antioxidants, both in vitro and in vivo, and possess other potent biological activities that could partially account for the observed healthful effects of the Mediterranean diet.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2002

Novel statins: pharmacological and clinical results.

Rosuvastatin (ZD4522) and pitavastatin (NK-104) are novel HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors with a peculiar pharmacological profile. In particular, they show a high potency in decreasing LDL-C and their catabolism is not mediated by the cytochrome P-450 3A4, thus reducing the potential for drug-drug interaction and improving the management of blood cholesterol. As the magnitude of LDL-C reduction is directly associated with the decrease in the incidence of myocardial infarction and mortality for CAD, statins with increased LDL-C lowering potency may ensure the achievement of target LDL-C levels and offer a more aggressive cholesterol control, further improving CAD morbidity and mortality.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Cerebrovascular disease in Italy and Europe: it is necessary to prevent a 'pandemia'.

In Italy and Europe, strokes are the third most common cause of death and resulting invalidity. In the ever-increasing 80-years-old-and-over people, strokes become more serious due to the clinical presentation during the acute phase and the ten-times higher mortality, but also in relation to the twice as high resulting disability as for younger subjects. However, stroke prevention is possible both through correct behavioural habits and pharmacological means. Besides the well-known preventive effects of an adequate anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic and/or anti-aggregant/anti-coagulant therapy, there are increasing evidences of the effectiveness of the anti-hypercholesterolemic therapy in stroke prevention. Moreover, a great part of the risk factors for the cerebrovascular disease coincides with those for cardiovascular disease, for which the correction of the former automatically involves a reduction in incidence of both pathologies. In this context, a statin's rational use can therefore represent an important tool for the combined prevention of the two pathologies. Finally, different hypotheses link the origin of Alzheimer's disease to that of progressive cerebrovascular dementia caused by cerebral microcirculation damage. It is plausible that the application of a suitable early prevention of the cerebrovascular pathology could bring to a more late slatentisation and less serious demonstrations of Alzheimer's disease, when this is destined to develop.

Age Distribution↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cerebrovascular disease in Italy and Europe: it is necessary to prevent a 'pandemia'.

In Italy and Europe, strokes are the third most common cause of death and resulting invalidity. In the ever-increasing 80-years-old-and-over population, strokes become more serious due to the clinical presentation during the acute phase and the ten times higher mortality, but also in relation to the twice as high resulting disability as for younger subjects. With the growing number of ailing and not-self-sufficient elderly, other resources will have to be relocated to this field of public health. Then, the dependence index and the ensuing equivalence based on estimates for the first decades of 2000 will create more difficulties in retrieving the funds for social policies. However, stroke prevention is possible both through correct behavioural habits and pharmacological means. Besides the well-known preventive effects of an adequate antihypertensive, antidiabetic and/or antiaggregant/anticoagulant therapy, there is increasing evidence of the effectiveness of statin therapy in stroke prevention. Subjects with a personal history of cerebrovascular events have an increased coronary risk and vice versa. The greatest part of the risk factors for the cerebrovascular disease coincides with those for cardiovascular disease, for which the correction of the former automatically involves a reduction in incidence of both pathologies. In this context, a statin's rational use can therefore represent an important tool for the combined prevention of the two pathologies. Finally, different hypotheses link the origin of Alzheimer's disease to that of progressive cerebrovascular dementia caused by cerebral microcirculation damage. The aim of this review is to resume the actual knowledge about the epidemiology of cerebrovascular disease in Italy and Europe, and about the means available to prevent this phenomenon.

Aged↗