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Biomedical subjects

S Giovannetti

Publications and source records attributed to S Giovannetti.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

A special, supplemented 'vegan' diet for nephrotic patients.

High dietary protein intake, in the past recommended for nephrotic syndrome, does not improve hypoproteinemia and may accelerate progressive renal damage. In contrast, low-protein diets reduce proteinuria and preserve renal function in experimental renal models of nephrotic syndrome. In this study, 20 steroid-resistant, nephrotic patients were treated with a pure vegetarian, low-protein diet, supplemented with essential amino acids and ketoanalogues (supplemented vegan diet, SVD) for 4.6 +/- 3.1 months. Before the study, these patients followed an unrestricted protein, low-sodium diet (LSD). Proteinuria, daily urea nitrogen excretion and creatinine clearance decreased significantly on SVD. A similar lowering effect of SVD was observed on serum total cholesterol. Seven of the 20 patients changed from LSD to SVD and vice-versa on 3 occasions, and in all cases, we found an increase of proteinuria during the LSD period. Serum albumin, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and anthropometric measurements did not change on SVD. Our data suggest that SVD exerts a favorable effect on proteinuria and hypercholesterolemia in nephrotic patients, without inducing clinical or laboratory signs of malnutrition.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

In defense of creatinine clearance.

The ratios creatinine clearance (Crcl)/inulin clearance (INcl) obtained in 523 measurements and reported in 14 papers have been analyzed and the values of CRcl corresponding to those of INcl have been evaluated. The day-to-day coefficient of variation of CRcl has also been measured in 123 persons, including patients with stable chronic renal failure and patients with normal renal function. The data obtained indicate that CRcl is not less sensitive than INcl, and that its changes are not blunted, if compared with similar changes of INcl. The day-to-day coefficient of variation has been found not to be greater than that of INcl. In conclusion, CRcl is not a misleading method to obtain approximate information on renal function, if it is correctly executed and interpreted.

Creatinine↗
PubMed1990

Vegan supplemented diet in nephrotic syndrome.

Thirteen patients (7 males, 6 females, aged 17-68 years) affected by primary, steroid-resistant, nephrotic syndrome and normal renal function were treated with a vegan, low-protein (0.7 g/kg per day) diet supplemented with essential amino acids and Ketoanalogues (VSD) for 3.9 +/- 2.9 months. These patients were studied at the beginning (following an unrestricted protein diet (UPD) supplying about 1 g/kg per day of mixed proteins) and at the end of VSD period. Urinary protein excretion decreased from 8.7 +/- 2.6 to 5.6 +/- 2.4 g/day (P less than 0.01), serum total cholesterol from 334.6 +/- 97.1 to 275.6 +/- 49.4 mg/dl (P less than 0.05). Serum albumin, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and anthropometric measurements (triceps skinfold thickness and middle arm muscle circumference) did not change. Urinary urea nitrogen decreased from 7.5 +/- 1.8 to 3.8 +/- 1.2 g/day (P less than 0.005), according to dietary prescriptions. Creatinine clearance changed from 104.4 +/- 28.7 to 89.3 +/- 16.7 ml/min (n.s.) and no correlation was found with the changes in urinary protein excretion. This data suggest that VSD reduces proteinuria and exerts favourable effects on hypercholesterolaemia. Protein malnutrition was absent in these patients, probably because of the essential amino acids and ketoanalogues supplementation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Protection of renal function and of nutritional status in uremic rats by means of a low-protein, low-phosphorus supplemented diet.

A low-protein, low-phosphorus diet supplemented with essential amino acids and keto analogues was given to 12 rats, starting from the 90th day after subtotal nephrectomy. The purpose was to assess its effect on the residual renal function and on the nutritional status in rats with already established severe renal failure. Ten control rats in the same conditions, following a standard diet supplying normal amounts of protein and phosphorus were also studied. The supplemented diet exerted a well-evident protection of residual renal function and structure: lower rate of decline of creatinine clearance, lower mortality, significant decrease of proteinuria and almost total absence of histological signs of activity. The nutritional status was also well protected by the dietary therapy: increase of body weight, normal values of total serum protein, and low-constant values of urea appearance. In the control rats body weight decreased, total serum protein was lower than normal and the values of urea appearance were increasing simultaneously with a decreasing food intake and body weight.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Nutritional treatment of renal failure in type 1 diabetic nephropathy.

This study reports the effects of a low-protein, low-phosphorus, supplemented diet in 8 type 1 diabetics with renal failure. The rate of decline of creatinine clearance, the changes of the urinary protein loss, of total serum protein, of the daily insulin requirement, of the nutritional status and of some hormonal derangements were examined. The rate of decline of creatinine clearance decreased from 1.38 +/- 0.27 ml/min/month during a previous 15.9-month period of unrestricted protein diet, to 0.03 +/- 0.37 ml/min/month during the 17.4 months on supplemented diet. Urinary protein loss significantly decreased, and total serum protein increased. The daily insulin requirement decreased and no deterioration of the nutritional status occurred. Secondary hyperparathyroidism was partially reversed and the mild hypothyroidism corrected. A restricted protein and phosphorus diet supplemented with essential amino acids and ketoanalogs seems to exert several beneficial and no unwanted side effects in type 1 diabetics with renal failure.

Adult↗