PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Gallerani

Publications and source records attributed to M Gallerani.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Circadian and circannual rhythmicity in the occurrence of subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Inconsistent data are available on the temporal pattern of onset of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). We investigated the possible influence of vascular risk factors. METHODS: Of a consecutive series of 217 cases of SAH, precise determination (within 30 minutes) of the time of symptom onset was possible in 199 (91.7%). Partial Fourier series with up to six harmonics were applied to hourly and monthly data, and the best-fitting curves for circadian and annual rhythmicity were calculated. The amplitude-MESOR (rhythm-adjusted mean over the time period analyzed) ratio was used as a measure of temporal variability. RESULTS: In the total population, a significant circadian pattern of occurrence was demonstrated with major peaks in the morning (approximately 9 AM) and evening (approximately 9 PM) hours and a nocturnal trough (approximately 3 AM). Younger, male, and hypertensive subjects had lower amplitude-MESOR ratios; smokers had no significant rhythmicity. The annual pattern showed a 6-month periodicity with two major peaks in March and September and minor differences in the subgroups studied. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that the temporal distribution in onset of SAH may be influenced by variable combinations of environmental and vascular risk factors.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1996

Chronobiologic aspects of ischemic coronary artery disease.

Convincing evidence is now available suggesting that several unfavorable cardiovascular events respect a well-defined diurnal pattern in their occurrence. In particular, ischemic heart disease has been widely investigated, and many data indicate a constellation of underlying risk factors whose temporal coincidence might act as triggering factors in the occurrence of acute events. In this paper, the recent knowledge concerning both epidemiology of ischemic heart disease and potentially favoring factors are reviewed from a chronobiological point of view.

Angina Pectoris↗
PubMed1995

Chronobiological aspects of pulmonary thromboembolism.

A growing body of evidence has recently accumulated suggesting that several unfavorable cardiovascular events, e.g., myocardial angina and infarction, sudden cardiac death, and stroke, present a specific temporal pattern in their occurrence. This has also been shown to be true for fatal pulmonary thromboembolism, with a high frequence peak in winter and in the morning hours. The authors report the circannual and circadian aspects of pulmonary thromboembolism, analysing both the temporal patterns of the underlying favouring or precipitating factors, and the possible therapeutic implications.

Anticoagulants↗
PubMed1995

Serum cholesterol concentrations in parasuicide.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether people who have committed parasuicide have low serum cholesterol concentrations. DESIGN: Results of blood tests in subjects admitted to hospital for parasuicide compared with those of a control group of non-suicidal subjects; comparison in subgroup of parasuicide subjects of two sets of blood test results (one set from admission for parasuicide and the other from admission for some other illness). SETTING: General hospital, Ferrara, Italy. SUBJECTS: 331 parasuicide subjects aged 44 (SD 21) years (109 with two sets of blood test results) and 331 controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum cholesterol concentrations and possible association with parasuicide, considering sex, violence of method of parasuicide, and underlying psychiatric disorder. RESULTS: Lower serum cholesterol concentrations (4.96 (SD 1.16) mmol/l) were found in the parasuicide subjects than in the controls (5.43 (1.30); P < 0.001), regardless of sex and degree of violence of parasuicide method. Both men and women with two sets of blood test results had lower cholesterol concentrations after parasuicide. Linear regression analysis showed that the difference in cholesterol concentrations was significantly related to the length of time between the taking of the two sets of blood samples. CONCLUSION: The study showed low cholesterol concentrations after parasuicide. This finding agrees with previous studies, which suggest an association between low cholesterol concentration and suicide.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Non-haemorrhagic adverse reactions of oral anticoagulant therapy.

Oral anticoagulants are extensively used in everyday medical practice, especially for the prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism. Bleeding is the major risk of such therapy. Although infrequent, however, non-haemorrhagic complications may also play a considerable role. The purpose of this paper is briefly to review the most important non-haemorrhagic adverse reactions and their clinical signs. Moreover, the pathogenetic hypotheses, the relationships with protein C and S levels, and the possibility of prevention and treatment are also discussed.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1995

Circadian variation in the occurrence of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in clinically healthy subjects.

The purpose of this study was to assess prospectively the circadian distribution of spontaneous paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) in drug-free subjects with no previous history or symptoms and signs of concomitant heart or lung disease. Of 112,424 presumably diurnally active patients admitted to the Emergency Department of a city hospital during a 2-year period (1990-1991), a total of 185 patients were screened with these characteristics. Time of symptom onset was exactly recordable in 177 (75 men and 102 women). Analysis of variance documented a higher incidence in the morning-afternoon hours. Cosinor analysis, although not a perfect method for the time series analysis, verified circadian rhythmicity with afternoon peak times. Our findings suggest that a circadian pattern in intrinsic electrical instability of the heart conduction system exists irrespective of the circadian fluctuations in the pathophysiologic mechanisms of the cardiovascular or lung diseases most frequently associated with PSVT itself.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

An experimental comparison of different methods of measuring wave propagation in viscoelastic tubes.

In this work the values of wave attenuation and phase velocity in a 6 x 9 latex rubber tube closed at the distal end were measured by means of different equations, and varying the distance between transducers. Three equations are based on two simultaneous pressure measurements and on the knowledge of the terminal reflection coefficient (two-point methods). The fourth equation is based on three simultaneous pressure measurements (three-point method). In all cases small amplitude pressure signals (20 mmHg peak-to-peak) were employed. The results of our experiments were then compared with those computed using a classic linear model of wave propagation, and with the high-frequency asymptotic values obtained experimentally using an original method recently developed by the authors. The results obtained with 40 cm between transducers demonstrate that phase velocity (about 15 m/s) and wave attenuation (about 0.003 Neper/cm at 10 Hz) are in agreement with the predictions of classic linear theories in the frequency range 1-15 Hz, provided wall tethering and viscoelasticity are taken into account. Only at certain critical frequencies, which depend on the particular equation employed, does the estimation of wave attenuation become inaccurate owing to an insufficient signal-to-noise ratio. Moreover, wave propagation measurements become inaccurate also at very low frequencies (< 1 Hz). The results obtained using a small distance between transducers (10 cm) demonstrate that the two-point methods maintain greater accuracy than the three-point one. In particular, when reducing the separation between transducers, the three-point attenuation values become 3-4 times greater than the attenuation obtained using the two-point equations. This finding might explain the large differences between propagation values observed in recent in vivo experiments. Finally, asymptotic estimations of the high-frequency phase velocity and attenuation per wave-length turn out rather robust and insensitive to a reduction in the transducer distance. These estimations might, therefore, be usefully adopted during in vivo experiments performed in difficult conditions.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1994

Emergency admissions of opioid drug abusers for overdose: a chronobiological study of enhanced risk.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is a specific temporal risk for opioid drug overdose. DESIGN: To study patients presenting to the ED in a comatose state from accidental drug opioid overdose. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred seventy-four patients were admitted to the ED of the Hospital of Ferrara, Italy, from 1988 to 1990, 225 men (82.1%; mean age, 25 +/- 3.4 years) and 49 women (17.9%; mean age, 23.5 +/- 2.8 years). INTERVENTIONS: Month, day, and hour and minute of admissions were recorded, and time-qualified frequency data were analyzed by the single cosinor method. RESULTS: Cosinor analysis demonstrated a significant circadian rhythm for both the total number of observations and the separate male and female subgroups with an early evening peak ("acrophase") at about 7:00 PM. No significant circannual rhythm was evident, but for the total group a significant 6-month rhythm was demonstrable with peaks in late November and late May. CONCLUSION: There is a distinct "chronorisk" of opioid drug overdose in the early evening hours.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Acute intracerebral haemorrhage: circadian and circannual patterns of onset.

Hypothesis of the circannual and circadian variation in onset of intracerebral haemorrhage (CH) was verified, by means of single cosinor method and chi-square test for goodness of fit, in 161 consecutive patients (94 men and 67 women) admitted into the Institute of Neurosurgery of Ferrara Hospital, Italy, over 9 years. The majority of CH occurred in the morning between 06.00 AM and 12.00 noon (36.7% of cases, p < 0.001); when considering the specific anatomical sites, typical supratentorial haemorrhages showed a similar pattern (37.4%, p = 0.01). A similar morning behavior was found when considering subgroups by sex (men 36.2%, women 37.3%), age > or = 60 years (42.5%), no presence of hypertension (39.7%), no presence of diabetes mellitus (33.3%) and non-smokers (30.4%). The results by cosinor analysis yielded a circadian rhythmicity both for total sample and, for the men's subgroup, with a morning peak at 11.44 and 11.25, respectively. For women, however, spectral analysis found a significant ultradian cycle, having a period of 12 h (p = 0.01). A circannual periodicity, with a prevalent peak in February, was found for total sample and males subgroups, too. The results of this study confirm that intracerebral haemorrhages present a characteristic circadian and circannual pattern in onset.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Circadian variation in the occurrence of fatal pulmonary embolism. Differences depending on sex and age.

Published studies have indicated a circadian variation in the occurrence of several acute cardiovascular events, e.g., myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death and cardiac arrest. The aim of this study was to determine if there is a circadian variation in the occurrence of fatal pulmonary embolism, and to evaluate possible differences in the temporal pattern in relation to sex and age. 230 cases of fatal pulmonary embolism (74 out-of-hospital and 156 hospitalized) observed in a general hospital over a 9-year period were considered. The total sample was stratified both by sex and into four groups by age including, respectively, subjects aged less than 60 years (group A), between 60 and 69 (group B), between 70 and 79 (group C) and 80 years and over (group D). The data were analyzed by the single cosinor method. A significant morning pattern was found for the total population (p = 0.011), females (p = 0.033), and age subgroups C and D (p = 0.015 and 0.008), with respective acrophases at 11.57, 11.23, 10.54 and 13.24. A morning pattern in the onset of fatal pulmonary embolism is confirmed for the total population, although sex and age seem also to play an important role.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1994

Sudden death in diabetic subjects: evidence for a peculiar circadian variation in occurrence.

Anatomo-physiopathological and chronobiological features of 59 diabetic subjects out of 610 non hospitalized individuals observed for sudden death (SD) in an Emergency Room, over an 8-year period, were studied. Mean age and anatomopathological causes of SD were not different between diabetic (DMs) and non-diabetic subjects (NDs). However the frequency of DMs was higher among subjects who died from circulatory failure death (CFD), rather than from arrhythmic death (AD). Diabetics presented a prevalent peak incidence of SD in the afternoon-late evening; whereas in NDs two peaks were present, respectively in the morning and in the afternoon. According to anatomo-physiopathological causes, DMs presented a higher incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and CFD between 21:01 and 24:00, whereas in NDs the prevalent peak of AMI was observed in the early afternoon (13:01 to 16:00). Moreover, in DMs SD from acute myocardial failure prevalently occurred in the early afternoon (13:01 to 16:00), whereas in NDs it was uniformly distributed throughout the day. The present study seems to indicate that different anatomo-physiopathological causes of SD may present specific temporal patterns in diabetics.

Circadian Rhythm↗