Biomedical subjects

L Spazzafumo

Publications and source records attributed to L Spazzafumo.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

The influence of age and sex on nutritional parameters in subjects aged 60 years and over.

The nutritional assessment of the elderly shows several interpretative difficulties due to the lack of standard parameters. Moreover chronic age-related diseases can interfere with the physiological nutritional status. Anthropometric (triceps skinfold, arm muscle area, total body muscle mass, fat mass and Body Mass Index (BMI)), biochemical (serum prealbumin, transferrin, ceruloplasmin, total protein and albumin) and immunological (serum lymphocytes) parameters were measured in 583 out-patients aged 60 years or over selected on the basis of clinical and biochemical criteria and with BMI </= 30. The subjects were classified into four age-groups (60-64, 65-69, 70-74, >/= 75) for each sex. The F-test analysis for all anthropometric parameters except BMI showed significant differences with respect to age (P < 0.05) and sex (P < 0.05). Among biochemical parameters, prealbumin showed a significant difference for age (P < 0.05) and sex (P < 0.05) (males, 30.3 +/- 8.2; females, 29.1 +/- 7.5) while ceruloplasmin showed a significant difference for sex only (P < 0.05) (males, 40.9 +/- 9.3; females, 43.8 +/- 8.2). When the biochemical mean values obtained in this study were compared with those utilized in the daily routine of the hospital central laboratory, ceruloplasmin and prealbumin resulted in significantly higher (P < 0.05) while total protein and albumin were significantly lower values (P < 0.05).

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Outdoor mobility and social relationships of elderly people.

Social relationships and activities are important elements in the quality of life of older people. With advancing age, they are made more difficult through the possible loss of physical functions, through societal processes of differentiation, and through unfavourable environmental and technological conditions. Therefore, mobility becomes a fundamental prerequisite for the participation in social relations and activities. This article presents some initial findings of a project which investigates the mobility needs of the elderly and the main factors hindering their desired mobility in three European countries. It became apparent that there is a clear connection between the social situation of elderly persons and specific mobility patterns: if they are tied into a closely meshed network of family or friends, then they are away from home more frequently than when this is not the case. In addition, individual factors like the age, the health situation and the driving ability of a person are important influences. External factors which restrict the mobility can be found in the respective spatial or technical conditions, on the one hand, and in affecting social interactions in the public sphere on the other hand.

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Permanent ventricular and dual chamber cardiac stimulation: role of pacing mode in relation to chronic atrial fibrillation risk and stroke development.

Ventricular single chamber permanent cardiac pacing undoubtedly eliminates symptoms related to extremely low cardiac rate, but also contributes to increased morbidity due to onset of permanent atrial fibrillation (PAF). Many studies have shown the superiority of atrial and dual chamber cardiac pacing in reducing atrial fibrillation risk and in preventing correlated embolic complications. It is not known, however, if this advantage is maintained in the elderly and in particular in the oldest old people. From 1986 onwards, we analyzed 690 chronically paced patients, 472 received a single chamber ventricular pacemaker (VP), while 218 received a dual chamber pacemaker (DP). All patients underwent regular controls every 6 months. End points of the study were the onset of atrial fibrillation, embolic events and death. Life table analysis of the incidence of all the events during a follow-up of 120 months was carried out, distinguishing two groups (VP and DP) homogeneous in mean age and type of cardiopathy. The total incidence of PAF was 51.4% in the VP and 11.4% in the DP group (P<0.05). After 7 years from implant, PAF was present in 90% of VP and 20% of DP patients (P<0.001). We found a significantly higher occurrence of cerebral ischemic events (stroke or transient ischemic attacks) in the VP group (P<0.05). Even if no great difference in mortality was found between the two groups, a significant reduction of cardiovascular mortality associated with DP has been observed in the subgroup of patients with sick sinus syndrome.

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Profile of thyroid hormones in aging: evaluation of a hospitalized elderly population].

The aim of the study is to evaluate thyroid serum levels in a geriatric community to confirm the presence of a low T3 syndrome during normal ageing. The authors consider 413 subjects (125 male and 288 female) admitted to our Geriatric Division. The group affected by thyroid and extrathyroid disease (such us malnutrition, diabetes mellitus, renal failure, etc.) was withdrawn. In the selected patients (271) was operated a statistical evaluation to correlate the hormonal parameters (T3, T4, TSH, FT3, FT4) with age and sex. According to international literature, we confirm a progressive T4 and FT4 reduction (p less than 0.05) during ageing, both in male and in female. These data range within normal values. On the contrary, TSH shows no modifications with age and sex. Unlike all other parameters, T3 presents a more evident decrement with age, confirming a low T3 syndrome.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Defecography in the diagnosis of fecal incontinence: an analysis of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC)].

Two groups of patients with altered bowel habit and pelvic floor dysfunction, but comparable epidemiologic characteristics (i.e. n = 105 each; mean age and SD 47.3 +/- 15.8 yrs vs. 54.9 +/- 16.7 yrs; range 15-80 yrs vs. 9-88 yrs; F/M ratio 28:1 vs. 2.6:1) with the exception of the absence (or presence) of fecal incontinence, were examined with defecography, taking into account criteria other than anorectal angle values and anorectal junction mobility. At the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis a "barium leak sign", occurring either at rest or on straining was found to be a highly reliable index of fecal incontinence (specificity: 100% and 92-93%, respectively, intraobserver agreement K value = 0.82, Z = 21.58, p < 0.001). A false negative rate of 14.2% was limited to "minor" incontinence only, i.e., incontinence to gas and/or occasional staining episodes. In the search for an etiologic diagnosis, useful adjunctive criteria included (a) anal diameter > 10 mm at rest; (b) poor stop test (inability to interrupt the barium stream); (c) rectal diameter > 6.5 cm and < 4 cm (abnormally increased and reduced compliance, respectively). Defecography is a useful diagnostic tool in fecal incontinence and should precede anal endosonography, manometry and electromyography for proper therapeutic decision-making and in risk conditions, e.g., in the patients about to undergo elective pelvic surgery.

Adolescent↗