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Biomedical subjects

G Barba

Publications and source records attributed to G Barba.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Total fat, fat distribution and blood pressure according to eating frequency in children living in southern Italy: the ARCA project.

The relationships between eating frequency and adiposity and cardiovascular risk factors have been poorly investigated in children. To evaluate this issue, anthropometric indices and blood pressure (BP) were measured in 3668 children, aged 6-11 years. Meals/snack frequency, assessed by a questionnaire, was 'Low' in 332 ( or=5/day) children. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference significantly decreased going up across meals/snacks categories (BMI=20.5+/-0.2, 19.7+/-0.1 and 18.8+/-0.1 kg/m2; waist=68.0+/-0.6, 66.6+/-0.3, 63.9+/-0.2 cm, for Low, Intermediate and High groups, respectively; M+/-s.e.; P<0.001 by ANCOVA trend analysis adjusted by age, sex, birth weight, physical activity, parental overweight and education level). BP decreased from Low to High group but differences were no longer significant after adjustment for BMI. In our sample of school children, the daily eating frequency was inversely associated with the degree of both total adiposity and central fat deposition.

Adiposity↗
PubMed2005

[Parvovirus B19 thrombocytopenic purpura complicated with a cerebral hemorrhage].

UNLABELLED: Severe hemorrhage complications are rare in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. This pathology is often considered as benign. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a four-year-old boy presenting a parvovirus B19 idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Despite early and repeated use of intravenous immunoglobulin, the evolution was characterized by the secondary apparition of a cerebral hemorrhage. It was lethal seven days after the initial diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Parvovirus B19 should be investigated as an etiologic agent of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, using PCR. The unpredictive aspect of severe hemorrhage complications, especially cerebral hemorrhages, explains the potential severity of this disease.

Cerebral Hemorrhage↗
PubMed2004

Nutrition and prevention of ischemic stroke: present knowledge, limitations and future perspectives.

Stroke, particularly ischemic stroke, has a major impact on public health due to its high incidence, prevalence and rate of subsequent disability in Italy as in most industrialised countries. Apart from age, many modifiable factors, such as hypertension, smoking, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, physical inactivity, alcohol abuse and hyperhomocysteinemia, have been recognised as playing a role in the pathogenesis of this disease. While appropriate pharmacological therapy has proven effective in the prevention of stroke in particular categories of patients, most of the above mentioned predisposing conditions are amenable to be affected by nutrition. Unequivocal demonstration of a protective or adverse role of single foods and nutrients against the risk of stroke has been however difficult to achieve due to confounding by biological variability, methodological inadequacies in the assessment of individual nutritional habits and difficulty to carry out long-term randomised controlled trials in the nutritional area. Notwithstanding, in several cases, causal relationships could be inferred from case-control and cohort studies in the presence of plausible and reproducible associations, evidence of dose-dependent effects and consistency in the results of different studies. The aim of this paper was to review present knowledge and highlight limitations and future perspectives about the role of nutrition in the prevention of ischemic stroke.

Brain Ischemia↗
PubMed2002

[Recurrent pancreatitis revealing Crohn's disease].

UNLABELLED: Crohn's disease may exceptionally be revealed by recurrent pancreatitis. CASE REPORT: A 12-year-old boy presented with recurrent pancreatitis without recognized etiology. At the fourth episode, abdominal pain and abscess of the anus led to the diagnostic of Crohn's disease. Corticotherapy was successful on pancreatic and intestinal manifestations. CONCLUSION: Recurrent pancreatitis may reveal Crohn's disease. Endoscopic examination of the duodenum and the colon is recommended in patients with recurrent pancreatitis and negative etiologic investigations.

Abdominal Pain↗
PubMed2001

Altered renal sodium handling and hypertension in men carrying the glucagon receptor gene (Gly40Ser) variant.

A higher prevalence of hypertension has been associated with the G-->A/GT (Gly40Ser) polymorphism of the glucagon receptor gene (GCGR) in two population studies. As the mutated receptor is less responsive to glucagon, it has been speculated that the increased susceptibility to hypertension is due to deprivation of the recognized natriuretic effect of the hormone. To test this hypothesis we determined the frequency of the polymorphic variant and evaluated the segmental renal sodium handling by the clearances of uric acid and of exogenous lithium in the Olivetti Heart Study participants (n=971). The polymorphic variant was present only in heterozygous form in 37 individuals (3.8%). After controlling for age and body mass index, the carriers of the variant were twice more likely to be hypertensive and almost three times more likely to be on antihypertensive treatment at the time of examination. Compared to participants carrying the wild type, those carrying the Gly40Ser allele had higher serum uric acid and lower fractional excretion of uric acid and exogenous lithium, independently of age, body mass, and current pharmacological treatment. We conclude that the Gly40Ser polymorphism of the GCGR gene is associated with higher risk of hypertension and with enhanced proximal tubular sodium reabsorption, a factor possibly contributing to hypertension in this group.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Gly40Ser polymorphism of the glucagon receptor gene is associated with central adiposity in men.

OBJECTIVE: To study the association between the Gly40Ser polymorphism of the glucagon receptor gene (GCG-R) and central adiposity. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Data from 985 working men (The Olivetti Heart Study) examined in 1994 were used in a cross-sectional design. A complete anthropometry was performed; body mass index and waist circumference were taken as measures of total and central adiposity, respectively. The GCG-R Gly40Ser polymorphism was characterized. Biochemical variables linked to energy metabolism were measured. RESULTS: The GCG-R Gly40Ser variant was present in 37 individuals only in heterozygous form and was significantly associated with anthropometric indices of central adiposity, accounting for age and body mass (odds ratio for waist circumference > 94 cm; 95% confidence interval: 3.14, 1.26 to 7.81), whereas no difference between the two groups was found with regard to biochemical indices of insulin resistance or plasma leptin levels. DISCUSSION: The Gly40Ser polymorphism of the GCG-R gene is associated with central adiposity independently from total body mass in men.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2001

Past history of nephrolithiasis and incidence of hypertension in men: a reappraisal based on the results of the Olivetti Prospective Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: We have previously reported that in the Olivetti Prospective Heart Study cohort the incidence of nephrolithiasis was higher in hypertensive participants than in normotensive ones. As the time sequence and the mechanisms underlying the association between nephrolithiasis and hypertension remain controversial, we further tested the hypothesis that in a cohort of normotensive males a history of nephrolithiasis predicts the development of future hypertension. METHODS: The analysis was conducted in 381 male workers at Olivetti who were normotensive at the baseline examination and who were re-examined 8 years later. RESULTS: A past history of nephrolithiasis is associated with an increased risk of hypertension of 1.96 (95% CI=1.25-3.07) relative to subjects with a negative history, after adjusting for age. CONCLUSION: In this 8-year follow-up study, a history of nephrolithiasis resulted in an increased risk of developing hypertension in the future. As the reverse was also true, as previously reported, a clear-cut time sequence, as well as the mechanisms linking these two conditions, remain to be identified.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Relationship of the Trp64Arg polymorphism of the beta3-adrenoceptor gene to central adiposity and high blood pressure: interaction with age. Cross-sectional and longitudinal findings of the Olivetti Prospective Heart Study.

METHODS: The association of the Trp64Arg polymorphism of the beta3-adrenoceptor (beta3-AR) gene with high blood pressure, central adiposity and other features of the metabolic syndrome was investigated in a large unselected sample of a white male working population in Southern Italy (n = 979). RESULTS: In the whole population, subjects heterozygous for the Trp64Arg mutation (11.2%) were not different from the homozygous Trp64Trp for any of the variables investigated. However, upon stratification for age, among men in the upper tertile of age (> 53 years), the Trp64Arg genotype was associated with higher waist: hip ratio (0.992 +/- 0.021 versus 0.982 +/- 0.037, P< 0.05), serum uric acid (6.34 +/- 1.50 versus 5.75 +/- 1.30 micromol/l, P < 0.05) and systolic blood pressure (144.3 +/- 19.4 versus 136.9 +/- 18.9 mmHg, P< 0.05) compared with the wild-type homozygotes. Accordingly, in the same age group, the carriers of Trp64Arg genotype were more often in the upper tertile of abdominal adiposity (69.7 versus 43.7%, P< 0.02) and serum uric acid (56.3 versus 34.8%, P < 0.02) and were more often hypertensive (68.6 versus 57.6%, P< 0.058) than the Trp64Trp homozygotes. No such differences were observed in younger age groups. No association was found with fasting serum insulin and the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index of insulin resistance. Furthermore, in a subgroup of 457 men for whom retrospective 20-year follow-up data were available, the variant genotype was associated with a higher probability of developing overweight (44.7 versus 27.0%, P < 0.05) and a trend to higher blood pressure (52.6 versus 38.4%, P = 0.09) over 20 years. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the Trp64Arg variant of the beta3-AR receptor predicts a greater tendency to develop abdominal adiposity and high blood pressure with advancing age.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2001

Altered renal sodium handling in men with abdominal adiposity: a link to hypertension.

OBJECTIVES: Central adiposity, insulin resistance and hypertension are clearly interrelated but the mechanisms underlying this association have not been thoroughly elucidated. As renal sodium handling plays a central role in salt-sensitive forms of hypertension, we investigated the relation of renal tubular sodium handling to abdominal adiposity, blood pressure and insulin sensitivity. DESIGN: Population-based study. PARTICIPANTS: Five hundred and fifty-five untreated Olivetti male workers, aged 25-75 years. SETTING: Olivetti factory medical centers in Pozzuoli and Marcianise (Naples, Italy) MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Anthropometric indices, serum insulin, homeostatic model assessment index of insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, fractional excretions of uric acid and exogenous lithium (as markers of renal tubular sodium handling). RESULTS: In univariate analysis, measures of central adiposity (i.e. sagittal abdominal diameter and umbilical circumference) were directly correlated with serum insulin (P < 0.001) and blood pressure levels (P < 0.001) and inversely associated with the fractional excretions of uric acid and lithium (P = 0.01-0.001). In multiple linear regression analysis, the same anthropometric indices but not the measures of peripheral adiposity (arm circumference and tricipital skinfold thickness), were significant predictors of the fractional excretion of uric acid and lithium, independently of age, blood pressure and serum insulin levels (P = 0.01-0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal adiposity was associated with altered renal tubular sodium handling apart from insulin resistance and high blood pressure. The data indicate that men with prevalent abdominal adiposity have an enhanced rate of tubular sodium reabsorption, mainly at proximal sites. These findings provide a possible mechanistic link between central adiposity and salt-dependent hypertension.

Abdomen↗
PubMed2001

Role of diet and lifestyle in the prevention of cardiovascular disease: knowledge and attitude of physicians and patients in Southern Italy.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to investigate the knowledge and attitude of family physicians and their patients respectively in prescribing and adopting lifestyle and dietary changes in order to prevent cardiovascular disease which is the main cause of mortality in the industrialized Western countries. METHODS: All physicians working in two suburban areas of Naples and in the city of Avellino were invited to participate in the study and 63% accepted (n = 218). A sample of lay people living in the same areas was randomly selected and 59% accepted (n = 267). Two different questionnaires were used to assess the knowledge and attitudes of physicians and lay people about the role of nutrition and lifestyle in the prevention of cardiovascular risk. RESULTS: Physicians showed satisfactory knowledge and a good attitude to non-pharmacological prevention--particularly secondary prevention--of cardiovascular disease. The opinions of the lay people interviewed on the impact of lifestyle changes on cardiovascular disease prevention were similarly satisfactory although some inconsistencies were noted. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of the good propensity of both physicians and their patients to the implementation of lifestyle changes, it appears that dietary modifications prescribed by physicians are not accurately followed or even misunderstood by their patients. This suggests the need of implementing further educational programs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

The BRAVO project: screening for childhood obesity in a primary school setting.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing worldwide, raising a number of public health concerns. First, childhood obesity is a strong predictor of adult obesity; second, the low long term success rate and the high social cost of the treatment of obesity suggest that attention should be paid to the prevention of obesity early in childhood. The objective of the present study was to evaluate dietary habits and anthropometric factors in a sample of schoolchildren aged 6-12 years living in Southern Italy in the framework of an ongoing prospective study aimed at childhood obesity prevention. METHODS AND RESULTS: The BRAVO Project is carried out in co-operation with the school staff and is a part of an educational program on nutrition for the schoolchildren and their families. During the first phase of the study, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was evaluated in 363 children adopting the criteria for definition of childhood obesity recently proposed by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF). The main result of this study was that in our cohort an exceedingly high risk of becoming overweight in adult age was observed for any one-year age class. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study confirmed the trend toward an increasing prevalence of childhood obesity observed in other Western countries. Moreover, out data--though preliminary--suggest that the large scale involvement of primary school in screening programs could represent an effective preventive strategy against the increased risk of childhood obesity.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed2000

[Self-healing Hashimoto-Pritzker histiocytosis].

UNLABELLED: Congenital 'self-healing' Langerhans' cell histiocytosis of Hashimoto-Pritzker is a rare disease occurring mainly in the neonatal period. CASE REPORT: We report on the case of a newborn with widespread eruption since birth, consisting of nodules, papulonodules, sometimes with ulcerations and scabs, concerning all the body, with a predilection for the cephalic area and the scalp, without general abnormalities. The clinical examination, histopathological data, immunohistochemistry, and the benign evolution in nine-, 18- and 24-month periods without particular treatment define the diagnosis of congenital self-healing Langerhans' cell histiocytosis of Hashimoto-Pritzker. CONCLUSION: The position of this disease among the Langherans' cell histiocytoses is probably situated at the benign pole. This is a benign self-healing disease restricted to the skin and the prognosis is good (self-involution). It is important to eliminate a malignant form of other Langerhans' cell histiocytosis such as Letterer-Siwe disease by a checkup searching for a visceral disease. The good prognosis should not lead to forget the possibility of error or forms of relapses; it is therefore imperative to have a rigorous, regular and especially long-term follow-up.

Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell↗
PubMed2000

Effects of sodium intake on the pressor and renal responses to nitric oxide synthesis inhibition in normotensive individuals with different sodium sensitivity.

OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluated the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the systemic vascular and renal adaptation to changes in dietary sodium intake. DESIGN AND METHODS: Seven healthy normotensive male subjects were randomized to high or low sodium diets in a double blind crossover design (7 days on each diet). The NO synthesis inhibitor, NGmonomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) was infused systemically (1.8 mg/kg over 30 min) at the end of each dietary period and its effects on blood pressure, renal plasma flow, glomerular filtration rate, urinary flow rate and sodium excretion were measured. RESULTS: Blood pressure increased in response to L-NMMA on a high sodium diet only (area under time curve percentage change in mean blood pressure, low sodium = -94.5 +/- 164.3; high sodium = 391.1 +/- 228.6; P < 0.05 low versus high). The increase in blood pressure was directly and significantly associated with the individual salt sensitivity, defined by the difference in systemic mean blood pressure between high and low sodium diets (r = 0.756; P < 0.05). L-NMMA also reduced renal plasma flow and urinary flow rate in subjects on high sodium diet. CONCLUSIONS: The data support a significant influence of endogenous NO in the systemic and renal vascular adaptation to a high sodium diet in normotensive men. In addition, the direct association between the individual sodium-sensitivity and the pressor response to L-NMMA suggests that there is increased dependence of vascular tone on NO in normotensive subjects whose blood pressure is more sodium sensitive.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Permissiveness of human biliary epithelial cells to infection by hepatitis C virus.

The cellular tropism of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important but much debated issue. Permissivity to HCV of biliary cells has never been demonstrated. In this context, we used gallbladder epithelial cells (GBEC) as a model of the more proximal biliary epithelium. These cells were isolated from HCV-positive and -negative individuals and cultured for up to 40 days. Biliary cells from HCV-negative subjects were infected in vitro with various inocula. The retention of GBEC functional characteristics was assessed by the expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). All 12 GBEC tested from HCV-negative patients were successfully infected by HCV. This was assessed by: 1) the detection of HCV-RNA positive and negative strands; 2) the detection of the viral capsid by immunofluorescence; and 3) the combination of single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and HVR1 sequence analysis demonstrating the distinct majoritary HCV genomes in serum and in GBEC. The level of HCV RNA in cell extracts and supernatants was low, but HCV infection was highly reproducible. Our results expand those showing the cellular tropism of HCV, and demonstrate the sensitivity of biliary cells to HCV infection. This might have an important impact in terms of pathogenesis and pathological features of HCV infection. In addition, given the easy access to these cells and the high reproducibility of in vitro infection, they should constitute an important tool for studies aimed at analyzing the issue of HCV penetration and neutralizing antibodies.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Hepatitis C virus core protein binds to apolipoprotein AII and its secretion is modulated by fibrates.

Several lines of evidence suggest that hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein may modulate cellular transduction signals and alter lipid metabolism. We have investigated the binding of HCV core protein to cellular proteins by combining 2 yeast hybrid, confocal, and surface plasmon resonance assays. Our results show the direct binding of the viral protein to apolipoprotein AII (apoAII) and map the interaction domain to the C-terminal of HCV core protein. To investigate the biological relevance of the interaction between HCV core and lipid metabolism, we took advantage of the well-established increase in apoAII expression caused by fibrates in HepG2 cells. After fenofibric acid treatment, we show a parallel increase in apoAII and core protein secretion, this effect being abolished by brefeldin A. Our study identifies apoAII as one of the cellular targets for HCV core protein. We also show that the intervention of fenofibric acid in cellular lipid metabolism directly affects the expression pattern of HCV core protein.

Apolipoprotein A-II↗