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Biomedical subjects

G Morisi

Publications and source records attributed to G Morisi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

High density lipoprotein cholesterol distribution and predictive power in some Italian populations studies.

Nine Italian population samples, for a total of 12,365 males and 8,043 females aged 11 to 84, were examined. The age and sex distribution of HDL-cholesterol levels were calculated for studying its relationship with major cardiovascular risk factors, and for estimating its predictive power on coronary events and on all causes of mortality. Mean values of HDL-cholesterol in the pool of the samples ranged, according to different age groups, from 46.4 to 56.8 mg/dl in males and from 53.7 to 55.8 mg/dl in females. The linear correlation coefficients between HDL-cholesterol and 10 risk factors did not show high levels except those with triglycerides in men aged 20-34 (-0.33) and 35-64 (-0.34). Using the multiple linear regression model the levels of HDL-cholesterol were estimated as a function of the 10 risk factors solving 4 equations (for males, females and for two age groups, 20-34 and 35-64). The factors showing significant coefficients were body mass index (negative), triglycerides (negative), cigarette smoking (negative), alcohol consumption (positive), physical activity (positive), and non-HDL-cholesterol (negative). The Cox model was used for the prediction of coronary death and all causes of death and the logistic function for the prediction of coronary incidence in two of the studies on men aged 46-65 (6 year follow-up) and aged 60-79 (5 year follow-up), and including 5 other factors as possible confounders. Only the univariate prediction of coronary deaths in one study (men aged 46-65) provided a significant coefficient for HDL-cholesterol (t = -2.7624).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Age and sex specific reference serum selenium levels estimated for the Italian population.

The association between the concentration of selenium in serum and the risk of degenerative processes of the cardiovascular apparatus or of neoplastic disease remains still uncertain. An inaccurate selection of the study populations, and above all the lack of age, sex and area of residence specific reference values could have contributed to create confusion on the biological relevance of selenium in human diseases. In our present work the serum selenium levels for the Italian population have been studied, adopting standardized methods. The study population (4201 adult subjects and 1217 children) was derived from samples of populations previously enrolled in epidemiological preventive programs. The mean observed values for the various adult populations examined varied between 87 and 93 micrograms/l and resulted approximately 5 micrograms/l higher than the mean observed values in ten European countries. The mean observed values for the paediatric population (less than 15 years of age) were slightly lower (78-83 micrograms/l). A decreasing trend of the values with age, above 60 years, especially in males, has been observed. No significant difference has been observed for sex and geographic area of residence. A preliminary study of the variations of the serum selenium levels during certain diseases has shown a sharp reduction in children with phenylketonuria and undergoing dietary restrictions, in subject with active systemic Lupus erythematosus, and in certain neoplasias.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

The interlaboratorial quality assurance program for blood lead determination. An evaluation of methods and results.

For over five years a national program, promoted by a working group of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Italian National Institute of Health), has been active in Italy for the quality control of the blood lead levels determination. The program is based on the adoption, by the laboratories, of the same known-titre materials, for the internal quality control, and on the participation in periodical collaborative exercises for the external quality evaluation. The promoting laboratory prepared the control samples, verified their homogeneity and stability and distributed them to the laboratories following a randomized procedure; then, it provided a preliminary elaboration of the results (precision, difference from the median, distribution) after each exercise, and carried out the global evaluation of the performances of each laboratory after at least one year of activity in the program using parametric (regression analysis) and non-parametric (evaluation of the results according to pre-determined acceptability criteria) statistical methods. After four years of activity, the results obtained show that the adopted scheme and the procedures used turned out to be adequate. The study of the regression parameters between the results of each laboratory and the medians of the results of all the laboratories has confirmed the validity of the graphic criterion adopted, also yielding specific information on the relative contribution of the different kinds of error (systematic, constant and/or proportional and casual) to the global error. Furthermore, the proportion of the laboratories with "good level" performances (i.e., acceptable results in at least 80% of the examined samples) has increased from approximately 30% in the first phase to approximately 50% in the fourth phase.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Comparable laboratory performances in the analysis of lead in control samples and in fresh human blood.

The validity of quality control programs is based on the assumption that the control samples can be commuted with the real samples, so that, according to the results obtained by a given laboratory on control samples, it is possible to produce reasonable predictions about the reliability of results obtained on real samples. During the implementation of a program of biological monitoring of the general population against the risk of saturnism, a great number of data have been collected allowing the evaluation--as far as blood lead determination is concerned--of the real predictive power of the results obtained by a laboratory during a quality control program, according to its specific level of analytical reliability. The results obtained by eleven laboratories in the analysis of control samples have been compared, by regression analysis, with the results obtained on the same samples by the reference laboratory. The same procedure has been adopted for the results obtained by each laboratory and by the reference laboratory in the duplicate analysis of about 10% of the real samples collected by each center during the biological monitoring program. The comparison between the regression parameters obtained, in both cases, for each laboratory has not produced evidence of systematic differences. Furthermore, a non-parametric evaluation of the data (based on the magnitude of the differences between the results of the laboratories and the results of the reference center) shows, in most cases, similar laboratory performances in the analysis of control samples and of real samples.

Blood Chemical Analysis↗
PubMed1989

Lead exposure: assessment of the risk for the general Italian population.

According to the regulations contained in the presidential decree DPR 496/82 certain Italian regions have carried out investigations--based on the blood lead level measurement--for the biological surveillance of the general population against the risk of saturnism. A work-group from the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Italian National Institute of Health) coordinated the activity of the various centers and organized an appropriate quality control program to guarantee the quality of the analytical data collected. A total of 8635 subjects (4864 females and 3771 males) have been examined, 1968 of which (1058 females and 910 males) were under 14 years of age. The median values of the observed blood lead levels were, for the adults, 153 micrograms/l in males and 100 micrograms/l in females; and, for the children, 94 micrograms/l in males and 86 micrograms/l in females. The reference limit decreed by law for the 98th percentile is exceeded by the adult-males group, while both limits, at the 90th and 98th percentiles are exceeded by the population residing in the Portoscuso (CA) municipality. Our investigation confirms the correlation between blood lead levels, alcohol consumption, and cigarette smoking; in both sexes and in all age groups (except for females 15-25 years of age) a positive correlation of blood lead levels with alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking is clearly evident. The association of blood lead levels with alcohol seems to be stronger than that with cigarette smoking. The comparison with the results of previous investigations shows a 25% reduction of blood lead levels in the general Italian population during the 1979-1985 period.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Evaluation of the performance of Italian laboratories in the determination of cadmium levels in blood.

The measurement of the blood cadmium level is necessary for the biological monitoring of workers or of general populations that are thought to be professionally or environmentally exposed to cadmium. However, since the levels of interest are exceedingly low, the analytical determinations involve considerable problems. With the aim of comparing the performances of the Italian laboratories in the blood cadmium levels determination, a working group of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Italian National Institute of Health) promoted in 1983 a quality control program including the provision of materials for the internal quality control and the performance of bi-monthly or quarterly exercises for the external quality control. The promoting laboratory provided the preparation and distribution of the samples to the laboratories and the processing of the data at the end of each exercise. A global and more thorough evaluation of the performances of each laboratory was carried out at the end of each phase (lasting at least one year), including a graphical evaluation of the results of each laboratory according to a predetermined acceptability criterion and the linear regression analysis. Of the 20 participating laboratories, approximately 50% obtained acceptable results for at least 80% of the examined samples. The mean relative inaccuracy decreased from 36% in the first phase to 20% in the last one. To improve analytical performances, both technologically advanced instrumentations and experienced personnel seem to be necessary.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Serum thiocyanate levels as an objective measure of smoking habits in epidemiological studies.

The relationship between smoking habits and plasma thiocyanate levels has been evaluated in four adult samples of the general population containing men and women aged 20-84 and in a sample of 11-year-old non-smoking children of both sexes, for a total of 7577 individuals. Mean levels of plasma thiocyanate was found be approximately 20 mumol/l in children, 30 mumol/l in non-smoking adults and increasingly higher in smoking adults. The slopes of the regression equations of thiocyanate on cigarettes smoked per day range from 3.041 to 5.740, with correlation coefficients of from 0.638 to 0.809. In another occupational sample of 2802 men aged 46 to 65, where the correlation coefficient (between cigarette consumption and thiocyanate) was only 0.49, plasma thiocyanate was a better predictor of 4 year fatal events than cigarette consumption, 4 other covariates being considered in the same multivariate model.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Improved determination of selenium in serum by Zeeman atomic absorption spectrometry.

We have improved Zeeman atomic absorption spectrometric determination of selenium in serum by using an acidic solution of Ag + Cu + Mg as a matrix modifier and performing the charring step in flowing O2. Under these conditions, we could calibrate serum results with selenium standards in bovine albumin solutions. Mean analytical recovery was 98%, and the CV was 1.8% within runs, 2.9% between runs. Analysis of Reference Materials from the U.S. National Bureau of Standards (SRM 909 and RM 8419) yielded the values of 106 (SD 2.4) and 15 (SD 1.6) microgram/L, respectively, in good agreement with the expected values (106 and 16, respectively). The method--being reliable and relatively simple and rapid--is suitable for use in epidemiological screenings. Mean selenium concentrations in serum sampled from 274 adults in central Italy were 90 (SD 15) microgram/L. For 11-year-old children, these values were lower and showed a tendency to sex-related difference: 82 (SD 9.9) microgram/L for 97 boys, 78 (SD 9.3) microgram/L for 90 girls.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

The prediction of future health in healthy middle-aged men.

Two cohorts of men aged 49-59 at entry, representing cluster samples of two rural areas in Northern and Central Italy, for a total of 1712 subjects have been followed-up for 20 years within an epidemiological study originally designed for cardiovascular disease. After 20 years, only 41 men have been judged to have remained substancially healthy throughout the observation period, i.e. free from a number of major diseases. Univariate and multivariate analyses trying to predict the maintenance of health status showed that among 21 selected characteristics only the following one had a significant power: age, cigarette smoking (adverse effect) and vital capacity (favourable effect). A minor role was also played by the body mass index (adverse effect) and forced expiratory volume (favourable effect). Those who did not remain healthy exibited a greater increase in blood pressure and body mass index.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Lead levels in whole blood of an adult population group from Rome.

Pb-blood levels of 801 adult non-occupationally exposed subjects from Rome are reported. The investigation was carried out according to EEC Directive No. 77/312 with acceptable quality control of analytical data. A mean Pb-blood level of 173 micrograms/l (198 micrograms/l for males and 150 micrograms/l for females) was found; good correlations were found between Pb-blood levels and age, sex and smoking habits but no correlation was found in relation to drinking habits, residence and other variables which were examined. In the present survey all the three EEC reference levels were observed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Further considerations on alcohol intake and coronary risk factors in a Rome working population group: HDL-cholesterol.

A study on the relationships between habitual alcohol consumption and the main coronary risk factors was carried out in 520 consecutive high-risk men examined during an annual rescreening of a working population group within the Rome Project of Coronary Heart Disease Prevention. Alcohol intake was determined by means of a semiquantitative questionnaire. The mean daily wine intake was about 0.5 liter, the consumption of other alcoholic beverages being negligible. No statistically significant correlations were found between average daily wine consumption and the main coronary risk factors, while a strongly positive correlation (p less than 0.001) was observed with plasma HDL-cholesterol levels. Also differences in HDL-cholesterol between occasional drinkers and moderate drinkers were statistically significant. No differences were observed in total cholesterol and triglycerides. The findings suggest that habitual moderate amounts of alcohol may increase HDL-cholesterol between occasional drinkers and moderate drinkers were statistically significant. No differences were observed in total cholesterol and triglycerides. The findings suggest that habitual moderate amounts of alcohol may increase HDL-cholesterol levels.

Adult↗