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F Cipriani

Publications and source records attributed to F Cipriani.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease over a 10-year period in Florence (1978-1987).

The epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in southern Europe is still not well-known. Sporadic reports have suggested a lower incidence and a milder course of the disease in Italy, but conclusive data are still lacking. To shed light on this issue, we conducted a retrospective study of IBD incidence (from January 1978 to December 1987) in the metropolitan area of Florence (650,000 inhabitants). We also estimated IBD prevalence at December 31, 1987. Our study included both in-patients and out-patients referred to the Gastroenterological and Surgical Departments of the area. The diagnosis was based on well-established clinical, endoscopical, radiological, histological and surgical criteria. Overall, nine-hundred IBD patients were identified, but only 359 (195 males, 164 females) met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the incidence study (area of residence and period of diagnosis); of these, 263 had ulcerative colitis (UC), 96 had Crohn's disease (CD), and 6 had IBD. The average incidence rate of CD was 1.5/100,000 per year while its prevalence was 17.3/100,000. The average incidence rate of UC was 4.0/100,000 per year and the prevalence was 49.6/100,000. Both the incidence and the prevalence rates for UC and CD were higher in males than in females. This retrospective, hospital-based study shows that, in this area, the incidence rate of IBD has steadily increased over the period considered. Further studies specifically focused on risk factors are needed.

Adult↗

A case-control study of gastric cancer and diet in Italy: II. Association with nutrients.

A case-control study involving interviews with 1,016 gastric cancer (GC) patients and 1,159 population-based controls in high- and low-risk areas was conducted to evaluate dietary factors and their contribution to the marked geographic variation in mortality from this cancer within Italy. Risks of GC were found to vary significantly with estimated nutrient intake. Risk rose with increasing consumption of nitrites and protein, and decreased in proportion to intake of ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, and vegetable fat. The associations with nitrite and beta-carotene tended to fade, however, in multivariate analyses adjusting for intake of other nutrients. Ascorbic acid showed the strongest geographic gradient, with highest consumption in low-risk areas. The findings suggest that the protective effects we previously reported for consumption of fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and olive oil may be linked to the vitamins C and E contained in these foods. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that N-nitroso compounds are involved in GC risks, since elevated risks were apparent for agents (nitrites, protein) that promote nitrosation, while decreased risks were found for nutrients (ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol) which inhibit the process.

Case-Control Studies↗

Methodological issues in a multicentric study of gastric cancer and diet in Italy: study design, data sources and quality controls.

The authors examine the problems of planning and conducting a multicentric case-control study on diet and gastric cancer in Italy. The solutions chosen for the study design, cases and controls identification, dietary interview, production of a common protocol for the field work are discussed. Results on the evaluation of the quality and comparability of collected data are presented. Further, compliance of cases and controls to the interview and to the blood and urine sampling with reasons of non-response are shown. Finally, the phases of the study and the methods for improving and controlling homogeneity among Centers are summarized.

Aged↗

A case-control study of gastric cancer and diet in Italy.

A case-control study was conducted in high- and low-risk areas of Italy to evaluate reasons for the striking geographic variation in gastric cancer (GC) mortality within the country. Personal interviews with 1,016 histologically confirmed GC cases and 1,159 population controls of similar age and sex revealed that the patients were more often of lower social class and resident in rural areas and more frequently reported a familial history of gastric (but not other) cancer. After adjusting for these effects, case-control differences were found for several dietary variables, assessed by asking about the usual frequency of consumption of 146 food items and beverages. A significant trend of increasing GC risk was found with increasing consumption of traditional soups, meat, salted/dried fish and a combination of cold cuts and seasoned cheeses. The habit of adding salt and the preference for salty foods were associated with elevated GC risk, while more frequently storing foods in the refrigerator, the availability of a freezer and use of frozen foods lowered risk. Reduced GC risk were associated with increasing intake of raw vegetables, fresh fruit and citrus fruits. Lowered risk was also related to consumption of spices, olive oil and garlic. Neither cigarette smoking nor alcoholic beverage drinking were significantly related to GC risk. The case-control differences tended to be consistent across geographic areas, despite marked regional variations in intake levels of certain foods. The high-risk areas tended to show higher consumption of food associated with elevated risk (traditional soups, cold cuts) and lower consumption of foods associated with reduced risks (raw vegetables, citrus fruits, garlic). Our findings indicate that dietary factors contribute to the regional variation of stomach cancer occurrence in Italy, and offer clues for further etiologic and prevention research.

Age Factors↗

Gastric cancer in a high-risk area in Italy. Histopathologic patterns according to Lauren's classification.

Two thousand five hundred forty cases (1628 males and 912 females) of primary gastric cancer (GC) histologically diagnosed in gastroscopic biopsy or resected specimens, occurring from 1973 to 1982 in a high risk area in Italy (Florence), were reviewed. According to Lauren's criteria, 1587 (62.5%) were classified as intestinal type, 624 (24.6%) as diffuse type and 329 (12.9%) as mixed unclassified. The intestinal type is more frequent in males and increases in both sexes with advancing age; conversely for the diffuse type. In the two 5-year periods (1973-1977 and 1978-1982) the intestinal type shows a reduction over time more evident in females than in males, in contrast to the increasing trend for the diffuse type. In males, the distribution of Lauren's histologic types is stable over time for resected specimens, whereas there is a significant reduction of intestinal type for biopsy specimens. In females, both for resected and biopsy specimens there is a reduction of the intestinal type and an increase of the diffuse type from the first to the second period. For a subgroup of 297 subjects two different specimens were available (gastroscopic biopsy and surgical); sensitivity and positive predictive value, for biopsy specimen as compared with the resected one, in the diagnosis for Lauren's histologic types were calculated. An excess of diagnoses in the mixed/unclassified category for biopsy material was evident (positive predictive value = 44.3%). However, for the two main histologic types, the biopsy appears a quite reliable indicator of the final diagnosis on surgical material (intestinal: ppv = 88.6%; Diffuse: ppv = 87.0%). The study supports the hypothesis that the reduction in GC mortality in the Province of Florence in recent years may be associated with a moderate reduction in the frequency of the intestinal type.

Adult↗

[Diabetes insipidus after selective pituitary adenomectomy. A case with late appearance].

Diabetes insipidus is a well-known complication of hypophyseal surgery. The case is described of a women presenting with evident polyuropolydipsic syndrome arising 9 years after transphenoidal hypophyseal adenectomy. The diagnosis insipidus diabetes was secondary to intrasellar scars revealed by a hypophyseal CAT scan. The unusually long interval between surgery and the onset of the syndrome is emphasised.

Adult↗

[Mortality in a cohort of alcoholics from Arezzo in 1979-1997].

This study evaluates the risk of mortality in a cohort of Italian alcoholics resident in a rural area characterised by traditional drinking habits. Individual vital status of the 1,037 patients enrolled at the Centro Alcologico in Arezzo during the 1979-1997 period has been traced. Causes of death (ICD-IX) have been retrieved from the Regional Mortality Register. Standardised mortality ratios (SMR) have been computed according to gender and 5-year age group mortality rates of the general population resident in Tuscany during the same period. This cohort is representative of the traditional rural alcoholism of the Tuscany region based on wine consumption. Among the 9,190 person-years followed-up, 333 deaths have occurred, corresponding to approximately 2.6 fold the expected number of deaths (SMR males: 2.6; females: 2.4). In both genders, significantly high SMRs for liver cirrhosis, oesophagus and liver cancer are reported, while SMRs of cancers at all sites, oral and respiratory cancers, injuries as a whole, road and traffic accidents, and suicides are significantly elevated only among males. No relevant variation between expected and observed deaths for pancreatic diseases, colon cancer, female breast cancer, and, despite a large proportion of heavy smokers, for cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, cerebrovascular diseases, coronary heart diseases) has been recorded. This research confirms the high mortality among a cohort of Italian alcoholics. However, causes of death related with violence and trauma are proportionally less represented, in accordance with the social pattern of Mediterranean alcoholism. The absence of cardiovascular mortality risk in a wine-based cohort of alcoholics is an unexpected finding that requires to be further examined. Finally, to prevent smoking related deaths, alcohol addiction services should begin to introduce smoking cessation practices among treatment protocols.

Adult↗

Gastric cancer in Italy.

Although Gastric Cancer (GC) death rates are decreasing worldwide, in high risk areas GC is still a major public health problem. Italy is one of the European countries with the highest mortality rates for GC (males: 17.3; females: 8.2 x 100,000 inhabitants in 1987) which represents the third cause of death due to cancer in 1987, accounting for over 14,000 deaths per year (10% of cancer deaths). Reasons for the geographic variability in GC occurrence within the country are reviewed, discussing the results of two recent analytical epidemiological studies carried out in Italy. These large case-control studies focused on dietary factors, involving high and low-risk areas for GC (Florence, Siena, Forlì, Imola, Cremona, Genoa, Cagliari, and Milan). Low socio-economic status, family history of GC, residence in rural areas were associated to GC risk, while migration from southern areas and body mass index were inversely related to GC. Consumption of traditional soups, meat, salted and dried fish, cold cuts and seasoned cheeses, as well as the intake of animal proteins and nitrites were related to an increased GC risk. On the contrary consumption of fresh fruit, citrus fruit, raw vegetables, spices, garlic and olive oil, and vitamin C, E and beta-carotene intake were found to be protective factors. Among diet-related factors, preference for salty foods and frequent broiling were positively related to GC, while the longstanding availbility of a refrigerator or freezer and the habits of consuming frozen foods were associated with decreased GC risk. These results are discussed in detail, considering the main hypotheses on GC carcinogenesis.

Case-Control Studies↗

Plasma pepsinogens, nutrients, and diet in areas of Italy at varying gastric cancer risk.

In a survey of 930 adults aged 35-74 years randomly sampled from the general population of four areas of Italy at different risks for gastric cancer (GC), plasma levels of pepsinogens (PGI and PGII) and fat-soluble vitamins were assayed. Pepsinogen levels were used to identify individuals with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG). Severe CAG (PGI < or = 20 pg/liter) affected 5.8% of the population, but the prevalence rose with increasing age and declining social class. Severe CAG was 5 times more common in areas with high compared to low rates of GC. Risk also rose with increasing consumption of salted/dried fish but was inversely related to dietary intake of beta-carotene and to plasma retinol and cholesterol levels. The prevalence of moderate CAG (PGI > 20 pg/liter, but PGI/PGII < or = 2.9) was 6.3%. Moderate CAG was also related to age and social class and increased 1.8-fold in areas where GC rates were high, but was not strongly associated with diet or plasma nutrients. The authors discuss these findings in relation to those from a previous case-control study of GC in the same areas.

Adult↗

Family history and risk of stomach cancer in Italy.

One thousand sixteen gastric cancer (GC) patients and 1623 population controls, interviewed in a multicentric study in Italy, reported their family history for gastric, esophageal, and colorectal cancer. A significant association was found only with a history of GC in a sibling or in a parent [odds ratio (OR), 2.6 and 1.7, respectively], which persisted after adjusting for potential confounders including nutrient intake. Adjusted GC risk was higher for subjects having an affected mother than an affected father (OR, 2.3 and 1.3) and showed a further increase for subjects reporting both parents (OR, 3.0) or two or more siblings affected with GC (OR, 8.5). The proportion of patients with an affected first-degree relative was higher among females, in the elderly, and in high-risk areas. Among adult siblings of controls and cases, GC prevalence reported at interview was 1 and 2.7%, respectively; a further increase was shown in families with at least one parent affected (1.4 and 5.7%). GC risk associated with a positive family history was greater among residents of low-risk areas where risks were increased about two-fold. Among cases, family history of GC was not related to blood group A or to histological type according to the Lauren classification. These findings are discussed in terms of the contributions of genetic and environmental risk factors and their possible interactions.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Helicobacter pylori antibodies in areas of Italy at varying gastric cancer risk.

In a survey of 930 adults aged 35-74 years randomly sampled from the general population of four areas of Italy, two at low and two at high risk for gastric cancer, plasma levels of Helicobacter pylori IgG antibodies were assayed in order to investigate associations with the geographical distribution of gastric cancer and other dietary and life-style factors, as assessed by personal interview. H. pylori positivity (antibody titer above or equal to 10 micrograms/ml), 45% overall, increased with age and was inversely associated with social class but showed little geographical variation or association with dietary variables and blood nutrients. H. pylori positivity was also associated with increased blood levels of pepsinogens, particularly pepsinogen II. The authors discuss these findings in relation to those from a previous case-control study of gastric cancer in the same areas.

Adult↗

[Geographic variability of alcohol-related mortality in Italy in the period 1980-1990].

From the original records of the Italian Central Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) alcohol-related deaths in Italy during the 1980-1990 period were estimated applying alcohol-attributable fractions (AAFs), derived from the national and international literature, to a list of alcohol-related diagnoses. Age-adjusted mortality rates direct method) were computed for each year sex and geographic region. Alcohol-related years of potential life lost (YPLL) to age 70 were estimated only for 1990. In 1990 overall alcohol-related deaths were 18,033 (males: 12,937; females: 5,096), accounting for 3.3% of all deaths in Italy (males: 4.6%: females 2.0%. Over 200,000 YPLL (males: 162,318; females 38,367) to age 70 were attributable to alcohol-related causes each death contributing on average with 11.1 YPLL (males: 12.5; females: 7.5). Among individual causes of death, chronic disease (malignant neoplasms and liver diseases) represent 65% of ARM, while intentional and unintentional injuries account for almost 35% of ARM According to the decreasing temporal trend of alcohol intake in Italy, during the 1980-1990 period, ARM decreased by 17% in both sexes (from 51.3 x 100,000 to 42.4 in males from 18.1 to 15.2 in females). Geographic variability of ARM in Italy suggests that in Central regions some protection factors concomitant with alcohol and hepatitis viruses exposure (diet, type of alcoholic beverage, pattern of alcohol make genetic factors) could account for the reduced risk of alcohol-induced biologic damage.

Adolescent↗