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Nicola Fiotti

Publications and source records attributed to Nicola Fiotti.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

MMP-9 microsatellite polymorphism and susceptibility to carotid arteries atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to compare a microsatellite polymorphism (PM) of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 in patients with carotid atherosclerosis and control population, and to assess the relationship between this PM and plaque structure. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred fifty patients referring to vascular diagnostic centers for suspected carotid atherosclerosis (at ultrasound examination: 110 positive, 40 negative) and controls (n=110) have been genotyped for MMP-9 PM. After controlling for risk factors, allelic and genotype frequencies were significantly different among the groups, with significant prevalence of long microsatellites in patients with carotid atherosclerosis. Long microsatellites (settled as 22 to 27 repeats) were associated with carotid atherosclerosis (odds ratio [OR], 5.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.9 to 9.2), compared with controls; an independent case control study on patients with coronary atherosclerosis confirmed such result. Binary logistic regression showed that hypertension, long microsatellites in MMP-9 PM and smoking habits were variables accounting for the difference between ultrasound-positive patients and controls. Long microsatellites were also associated to plaques with thin fibrous cap and echolucent core (OR, 13.1; 95% CI, 1.6 to 100). These alleles were slightly more represented in female patients (chi2 test=0.019; OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.2 to 6) but not associated with other risk factors. Plasma MMP-9 levels were related neither to MMP-9 PM nor to plaque type, and were related to gender and extension of atherosclerosis in carotid arteries. CONCLUSIONS: The number of repeats (> or =22 CA) in the microsatellite of MMP-9 promoter, but not MMP-9 plasma levels, is associated to carotid atherosclerosis and particularly to plaques with a thin fibrous cap.

Carotid Artery Diseases↗
PubMed2006

Photodynamic therapy of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to reticular pattern dystrophy: three-year results of an uncontrolled, prospective case series.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) on subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to reticular pattern dystrophy (RPD) of the retinal pigment epithelium. DESIGN: Open-label, prospective, interventional case series. METHODS: Thirteen eyes diagnosed with subfoveal CNV associated with RPD were considered. Complete ophthalmic examinations were performed at baseline and thereafter at three-month intervals for three years. Primary outcome measure was the number of eyes with <15 letters loss (approximately <3 lines) at 12, 24, and 36 months, compared with baseline. Secondary outcome measures included CNV progression and number of PDT sessions. RESULTS: Seven eyes showed a decrease in best-corrected visual acuity of at least three lines at three-year examination. Each eye received a median number of treatments of two, zero, and zero in years one, two, and three, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: PDT does not appear to guarantee long-term vision stabilization in RPD-related subfoveal CNV, and alternative therapies should be investigated.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

MMP-9 microsatellite polymorphism: association with the progression of intima-media thickening and constrictive remodeling of carotid atherosclerotic plaques.

Intima-media thickening (IMT) of carotid arteries and constrictive remodeling (CR) of atherosclerotic plaques are vascular pathologic characteristics that precede the onset of vascular events. SMC migration and proliferation are linked both to IMT and CR and are matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) dependent. A genetic polymorphism (PM) of MMP-9, a CA (13-27) microsatellite in the promoter region, which accounts for differential expression of MMP-9, could be linked to progression of IMT and CR. Progression of IMT and CR of plaques in carotid arteries were studied in 55 consecutive patients with a 12-18 months follow-up. All patients were genotyped for MMP-9 PM. A positive linear relationship between the number of repeats and the progression of IMT (P=0.028) as well as of CR (P=0.018) was found. The analogous relationship was obtained when only the allele with longer microsatellite was considered. Carriers of more than 20 repeats in one allele showed faster both IMT growth (P=0.045) and stenosis progressions of plaques (P=0.019). In multivariate analysis, age, dyslipidemia, and MMP-9 PM were determinants of IMT progression, while MMP-9 PM was the only one of CR. In conclusion, the high number of CA repeats in MMP-9 promoter is positively correlated with faster IMT and CR progression.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

MMP-9 microsatellite polymorphism and susceptibility to exudative form of age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: To assess if a polymorphism (PM) of the microsatellite (CA(13-27)) in the promoter region of Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) was associated with the exudative form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and to its risk factors. METHODS: In 107 patients with AMD (AMD Group) and 223 age- and gender-matched controls (Control Group) with cataract, demographic, clinical data, and MMP-9 PM have been compared. RESULTS: The comparison of allelic frequencies showed a different pattern of CA repeats between AMD and Control Group (P < 0.00005), in particular the prevalence of longer microsatellites (> or = 22 CA repeats) was higher in AMD than in Control Group (O.R. 2.49, 95% CI 1.71-3.37, P < 0.001). Analyses of genetic frequencies gave similar results. Logistic regression confirmed that 22 or more CA repeats are associated to AMD. The only association between MMP-9 PM and other risk factors for AMD was with BMI (Spearman's R = 0.298, P < 0.00005): all patients with both microsatellites > or = 22 CA repeats were overweight or obese (chi2 test P < 0.0005, compared to other genotypes). CONCLUSIONS: Longer microsatellites in the promoter of MMP-9 are associated to the exudative form of AMD and to body mass index, a well-known risk factor for the disease.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

MMP-9 microsatellite polymorphism and multiple sclerosis.

A polymorphism (PM) in the microsatellite of the promoter region of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), modulating its expression, could play a role in susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS). MMP-9 PM was determined in 95 patients with MS (MS Group) and 95 age- and sex-matched controls (Control Group). Comparison of allelic frequencies showed that a higher number of CA repeats characterized the MS group (P<0.0001) and prevalence of carriers of > or =22 CA repeats was higher in the MS than in the Control Group (OR 3.4, 95% CI: 1.7-6.8, P<0.0001). An earlier age at disease onset was a characteristic of patients with >22 CA repeats (33+/-10 vs. 28+/-10, P=0.027). No differences were found in the main MRI parameters.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist: a sensitive marker of instability in patients with coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Increased plasma levels of acute phase reactants are correlated with acute coronary syndromes and increased risk of in-hospital events. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) modulates the activity of IL-1, a cytokine associated with inflammatory response; we have prospectively investigated whether detection of increased levels of IL-1Ra in patients may be useful in the characterization of coronary syndromes. METHODS: Plasma levels of IL-1Ra were measured in 118 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography with a clinical diagnosis of recent unstable angina (N = 57), chronic stable angina (N = 49) or atypical chest pain (N = 12). RESULTS: Angiography showed significant coronary disease in the first two groups and was normal in the latter group. Patients with unstable angina had significantly higher levels of IL-1Ra than stable patients [158 (110-224) vs 108 (95-154) pg/ml, P = 0.002] and individuals with chest pain and normal coronary angiogram [110 (97-123) pg/ml, P: = 0.038]. In contrast, while C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher in patients with stable and unstable angina vs those without coronary disease (0.29 vs 0.06 mg/dl, P: = 0.022), they did not discriminate between stable and unstable angina patients (0.22 vs 0.32 mg/dl, P: = 0.66). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that IL-1Ra may be a sensitive marker of clinical instability in patients with coronary artery disease.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 work in concert to produce aortic aneurysms.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 9 and 2 are increased in human abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) tissue, but their precise role and potential interaction remain unclear. Experimental induction of aortic aneurysms in mice genetically deficient in these peptidases could provide new insight into AAA pathogenesis. Mice deficient in the expression of MMP-9 (MMP-9KO) or MMP-2 (MMP-2KO) and their corresponding wild-type background mice (WT) underwent AAA induction by abluminal application of calcium chloride (CaCl(2)). No aneurysm formation was observed at 10 weeks after treatment in either the MMP-9KO or the MMP-2KO mice, whereas the corresponding WT mice showed an average 74% and 52% increase in aortic diameter, respectively. Reinfusion of competent macrophages from the corresponding WT strains into knockout mice resulted in reconstitution of AAA in MMP-9KO but not MMP-2KO mice. These findings suggest that macrophage-derived MMP-9 and mesenchymal cell MMP-2 are both required and work in concert to produce AAA.

Animals↗