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G Zullo

Publications and source records attributed to G Zullo.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Chronic anorexia nervosa: enteral nutrition via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and liaison psychiatry.

Anorexia nervosa is a complex mental disorder characterized by altered eating behaviour often resulting in life-threatening weight loss (<85% of expected body weight) associated with amenorrhea and a disturbance of body image. Although classified as mental health disorders, they may lead to serious medical consequences and have the highest rate of premature death of any mental health diagnosis. We report our experience with the use of enteral feeding via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in a 39-year-old woman with chronic restricter anorexia nervosa treated in liaison psychiatry and psychotherapy. On admission to psychiatry unit, the patient presented seriously deteriorated general condition and a body mass index (BMI) of 10 (BMI = weight kg/height m(2)). She refused oral feeding, but eventually accepted nasogastric feeding. In preparation for her continuing long-term (>1 month) enteral feeding at home, a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was performed and a home nutrition support regimen that met her energy-protein intake requirements was prescribed. During the follow-up period, an overall improvement in nutritional status, general condition, mood and cognitive functioning was observed. Patient compliance with refeeding is notoriously problematic; however, enteral feeding interventions may be feasible in the long-term treatment of selected anorexia nervosa patients when closely followed-up by a multidisciplinary medical team.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus infection in health care workers: a multiple regression analysis of risk factors.

A seroprevalence survey of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), was conducted using serum samples obtained from 5813 health care workers (HCWs) in five public hospitals in the Latium region of Italy, during the 1985 vaccination campaign against HBV. The seroprevalences of HBV, HCV and HIV were 23.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 22.3-24.4%], 2% (95% CI = 1.6-2.4%) and 0.07% (95% CI = 0.001-0.13%), respectively. In a logistic regression model, sex, increasing age, all job categories vs. physicians, dental treatment in the previous six months, and needlestick injury during the previous year were significantly associated with HBV. Conversely, no occupational and community risk factors, but only history of blood transfusion were significantly associated with HCV. Nevertheless, the documented risk of HCV as well as of HIV transmission through percutaneous and mucocutaneous exposure to blood and body fluids should lead to continued efforts to minimize risks of infection by enhancing the compliance of HCWs with vaccination against HBV and adherence to infection control measures, and by introducing safer devices and techniques.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Needlestick injury in hospital personnel: a multicenter survey from central Italy. The Latium Hepatitis B Prevention Group.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the rate of needlestick injury in hospital personnel in an Italian region. To identify risk factors potentially amendable to correction. DESIGN: Hospital workers undergoing hepatitis B prevaccination testing in 1985 through 1986 were interviewed regarding needlestick injury in the previous year, job category, area of work, years of employment, and other pertinent information. SETTING: Of the 98 public hospitals of the Latium region, 68 participated in the survey: 32 of 55 with less than 200 beds, 20 of 25 with 200 to 300 beds, 11 of 13 with 400 to 900 beds, and all of the 5 with more than 1,000 beds. PARTICIPANTS: All healthcare workers providing direct patient care or environmental services as well as student nurses were invited by the hospital directors to undergo hepatitis B prevaccination testing and vaccination, if eligible. RESULTS: Of 30,226 hospital workers of the 68 participating hospitals, 20,055 were interviewed (66.3%): 47.7% of the 7,172 doctors, 71% of the 14,157 nurses, 55.9% of the 2,513 technicians, and 71.9% of the 6,384 ancillary workers. Needlestick injury was recalled by 29.3%; the rates were 54.9%, 35.3%, 33.8%, 26.5%, 18.7%, and 14.7% in surgeons, registered and unskilled nurses, physicians, ancillary workers, and technicians, respectively. The recalled injury rate was 39.7% and 34.0% in surgical and intensive care areas; in infectious diseases, it was 16.7%. Rates were lower in hospitals with 200 to 300 beds (25.6%). The needlestick injury rate declined from 32% in those with less than 5 years of employment to 28% in those with more than 20 years (p less than .01). Prevalence of HBV infection was higher in student nurses and young workers recalling a needlestick exposure (14.3% and 15.8%, respectively), versus 10.1% and 12.8% in those not exposed (p less than .01 and less than .05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Parenteral exposure to blood-borne infectious agents is a relevant risk among healthcare workers in our region, particularly in defined job categories and hospital areas (surgeons, nurses, surgical, and intensive care areas). Immunization and educational efforts should be made along with better designs of devices to reduce the risk of infection.

Hepatitis B↗
PubMed1986

Value of echocardiographic measurement of left ventricular mass in predicting cardiovascular morbid events in hypertensive men.

To assess whether echocardiographic and electrocardiographic detection of left ventricular hypertrophy could predict cardiovascular morbid events in patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension, we followed 140 men for a mean of 4.8 years. Initial echocardiographic measurements of left ventricular mass were normal (less than 125 g/m2 body surface area) in 111 patients and revealed hypertrophy in 29 patients. Morbid events occurred in more patients with hypertrophy on echocardiography (7 of 29, 4.6/100 patient-years) than with normal ventricular mass (7 of 111, 1.4/100 patient-years; p less than 0.01). Electrocardiography showed hypertrophy in too few patients to be of predictive value. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that left ventricular mass index had the highest independent relative risk for future events and that systolic and diastolic pressures and age had slightly lower relative risks. In men with mild uncomplicated hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy detected by echocardiography identifies patients at high risk for cardiovascular morbid events and is a significant risk factor for future morbid events independent of age, blood pressure, or resting ventricular function.

Adolescent↗