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C Azzini

Publications and source records attributed to C Azzini.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Evaluation of acute perihematomal regional apparent diffusion coefficient abnormalities by diffusion-weighted imaging.

In this study, we investigated 40 patients (18 male, 22 female; mean age = 64.5 +/- 11.0; GCS = 9 to 14) with acute supratentorial spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) at admission by using a 1-tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit equipped for single-shot echo-planar spin-echo isotropic diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences. All DWI studies were obtained within 48 hours after symptom onset. Regional apparent diffusion coefficient (rADC) values were measured in 3 different regions of interest (ROIs) drawn freehand on the T2-weighted images at b 0 s/mm2 on every section in which hematoma was visible: 1) the perihematomal hyperintense area; 2) 1 cm of normal appearing brain tissue surrounding the perilesional hyperintense rim; 3) an area mirroring the region including the clot and perihematomal hyperintense area placed in the contralateral hemisphere. rADC mean values were higher in perihematomal hyperintense and in contralateral than in normal appearing areas (p < 0.001), with increased rADC mean levels in all regions examined. Our findings show that rADC values indicative of vasogenic edema were present in the perihematomal area and in normal appearing brain tissue located both ipsilateral and contralateral to the hematoma, with lower levels in non-injured areas located in the T2 hyperintense rim around the clot.

Cerebral Hemorrhage↗
PubMed2005

Elevated plasma homocysteine in acute stroke was not associated with severity and outcome: stronger association with small artery disease.

Homocysteine increases in the acute phase of ischaemic stroke and from the acute to the convalescent phase, suggesting that hyper-homocysteinaemia may be a consequence rather than a causal factor. Therefore we measured homocysteine plasma levels in stroke patients in order to investigate possible correlations of homocysteine with stroke severity and clinical outcome. Further we looked for eventual differences in stroke subtypes. We prospectively studied plasma homocysteine levels in acute stroke patients admitted to the stroke unit of our department. Seven hundred and seventy-five ischaemic stroke patients, 39 cerebral haemorrhages and 421 healthy control subjects have been enrolled. Stroke severity and clinical outcome were measured with the Scandinavian Stroke Scale, the Rankin Scale and the Barthel Index. Stroke severity by linear stepwise regression analysis was not an independent determinant of plasma homocysteine levels. Homocysteine was not correlated with outcome measured by the Barthel Index. Mean plasma homocysteine of both ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke was significantly higher than controls (p<0.05). Homocysteine had an adjusted odds ratios (OR) of 4.2 (95% CI 2.77-6.54) for ischaemic stroke and of 3.69 (95% CI 1.90-7.17) for haemorrhagic stroke. Compared with the lowest quartile, the upper quartile was associated with an adjusted OR of ischaemic stroke due to small artery disease of 17.4 (95% CI 6.8-44.3). Homocysteine in the acute phase of stroke was not associated with stroke severity or outcome. Elevated plasma homocysteine in the acute phase of stroke was associated with both ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke. Higher levels are associated with higher risk of small artery disease subtype of stroke.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Assessment of acute spontaneous intracerebral hematoma by CT perfusion imaging.

A single-section deconvolution-derived computerized tomographic perfusion imaging was performed in 45 patients (22 male and 23 female; mean age=69.89+/-10.07 years) with acute supratentorial spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. Mean rCBF and rCBV were lower in the hemorrhagic core than in the perihematomal low density area (p<0.001), and in the perihematomal low density area than in normal appearing brain parenchyma (p<0.001). Mean rMTT values were higher in perihematomal low density area than in normal appearing area (p<0.01) and in both hemorrhagic and perihematomal area than in controlateral ROI (p<0.001). There were no differences in rMTT mean values between hemorrhagic core and perihematomal area, as well as between normal appearing and controlateral areas. We found a concentric distribution of all CT perfusion parameters characterized by an improvement from the core to the periphery, with low perihematomal rCBF and rCBV values suggesting edema formation.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2004

Incidence of myasthenia gravis in the province of Ferrara: a community-based study.

BACKGROUND: The reported annual incidence of myasthenia gravis (MG) ranges from 0.25 to 15 per million. The sex- and age-related pattern of disease incidence is still debated. METHODS: An intensive descriptive study was performed in the province of Ferrara (mean population 360,950 people) over the period 1985 through 2000. RESULTS: The average crude annual incidence rate was 2 per 100,000. We confirm a female preponderance in the total population, particularly in the youngest age groups. CONCLUSIONS: We observed an early increase in incidence in females, partly due to thymoma-associated MG, while MG without thymoma showed increasing incidence with age nonsignificantly different in the two sexes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Posatirelin for the treatment of late-onset Alzheimer's disease: a double-blind multicentre study vs citicoline and ascorbic acid.

INTRODUCTION: Posatirelin (L-pyro-2-aminoadipyl-L-leucil-L-prolinamide) a new synthetic tripeptide with cholinergic, catecholaminergic and neurotrophic properties, was investigated in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A multicentre, double-blind study vs citicoline (reference drug) and ascorbic acid (inactive drug) was carried out in elderly patients suffering from late-onset Alzheimer's disease. The once daily intramuscular treatment lasted for three months followed by one-month oral treatment with a placebo. Subscales and factors of GBS (Gottfries-Bråne-Steen) Rating Scale were identified as primary measures for efficacy assessment. RESULTS: At the end of the treatment, GBS subscale and factor scores assessing intellectual and emotional impairments, orientation and memory, ability to perform activities of daily living, depression-anxiety, attention and motivation were improved in the postatirelin group, showing significant differences with respect to the citicoline and/or ascorbic acid groups. Tolerability was good in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: The improvement in the GBS Rating Scale score observed in the posatirelin group is clinically relevant. It is worth verifying the drug-induced functional improvements, in further studies with large samples.

Aged↗