Biomedical subjects

Salvatore Alberico

Publications and source records attributed to Salvatore Alberico.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Lipodystrophy is an independent predictor of hypertriglyceridemia during pregnancy in HIV-infected women.

Lipid values were measured during pregnancy in HIV-infected, treatment-experienced women. A previous history of lipodystrophy was associated with significantly higher triglyceride values at all pregnancy trimesters. In multivariate analyses lipodystrophy independently increased the risk of hypertriglyceridemia by threefold at the first trimester, and by eightfold at the second and third trimesters. Protease inhibitor treatment was also independently associated with hypertriglyceridemia.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

DEFB-1 genetic polymorphism screening in HIV-1 positive pregnant women and their children.

OBJECTIVE: In our study we evaluated the frequency of three SNPs (-52 G/A, -44 C/G; -20 G/A) in the 5' UTR of DEFB-1 gene, in a cohort of 130 HIV-1 infected mothers and their children, collected by the Italian group SIGO in Obstetrics and Gynecology. METHODS: The three SNPs (-52 G/A, -44 C/G; -20 G/A) in the 5' UTR of DEFB-1 gene were genotyped by direct sequencing of PCR products. RESULTS: The C allele at position -44 was shown to be significantly different in both HIV-1 positive mothers and their children when compared to the healthy controls. The odds ratio for -44 C allele in children born to HIV-1 infected mothers is 7.09 (confidence interval 3.38-15.3) while the odds ratio for this allele in HIV-1 infected mothers is 6.42 (confidence interval 3.14-13.4). CONCLUSIONS: Our results evidence a high frequency of the -44 CC allele in HIV-1 infected mothers and their children with augmented potential risk of maternal fetal transmission. This potential vertical transmission risk has been successfully prevented by antiretroviral drug treatment and cesarian section of the HIV-1 positive mothers.

Case-Control Studies↗

PubMed2005

Early invasive diagnostic techniques in pregnant women who are infected with the HIV: a multicenter case series.

OBJECTIVE: Studies that mostly were conducted before the widespread use of combination antiretroviral treatments have reported that antenatal invasive procedures markedly increase the risk of human immunodeficiency virus vertical transmission. We aimed to evaluate the vertical transmission rate and other maternal and neonatal complications among women who were infected with human immunodeficiency virus who underwent antenatal invasive procedures during the second trimester of pregnancy and who were delivered after the advent of antiretroviral regimens. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a multicenter case series of women who were infected with human immunodeficiency virus who underwent amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling or cordocentesis during the second trimester of pregnancy and who were delivered after January 1, 1997. RESULTS: Sixty-three of 775 recruited women (8.1%) had performed early invasive diagnostic techniques . This rate has improved progressively from 4% in 1997 to 14%. Two of 60 viable infants (3.3%; 95% CI, 0.6%-10.1%) were infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. This rate did not differ significantly from the transmission rate that was observed in women who did not undergo antenatal invasive techniques (1.7%; P = .30). CONCLUSION: The current risk of human immunodeficiency virus vertical transmission that is associated with early invasive diagnostic techniques is lower than previously reported.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Italian multicentric pilot study on MBL2 genetic polymorphisms in HIV positive pregnant women and their children.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated genetic polymorphisms of MBL2 gene, in a cohort of 90 Italian HIV-1 pregnant seropositive women and their children in order to understand whether the MBL2 genotype of HIV-1 positive mothers might be related to their ability to transmit the virus to their children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DNA was extracted from Iso Code Stix cards, and MBL2 genotyping was performed by Melting Temperature Assay. RESULTS: The frequency of the MBL2 0/0 homozygotes was higher in HIV-1 positive mothers than in healthy controls, the MBL2 0/0 genotype was more frequent in children born from HIV positive mothers than healthy subjects. CONCLUSIONS: We have confirmed the association of polymorphisms involving a gene of the innate immunity with an increased risk of being infected by HIV. These polymorphisms were also evidenced in children born from HIV+ mothers, but the risk of infection was strongly reduced by cesarean delivery and by antiretroviral treatment.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Gestational diabetes: universal or selective screening?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence of gestational diabetes in our population and verify costs of universal screening. To assess neonatal and obstetrical outcomes with respect to maternal epidemiological characteristics. METHODS: Eight hundred and fifty-six pregnant women between 24th and 28th weeks of gestation were examined in this observational study. Universal screening with glucose challenge test was used to screen the group for gestational diabetes. History, obstetrical and neonatal outcomes were collected and then analyzed. RESULTS: Gestational diabetes was diagnosed in 6.6% of cases. Patients with at least one risk factor had a cesarean section in 50% of cases and a spontaneous vaginal delivery in 23.59% of cases (p < 0.001). The absence of any risk factor was found in 73.7% of positive glucose tolerance test and in 62.5% of affected patients. The cost of universal screening in our study, was 57,60 Euros per case identified. CONCLUSIONS: Given the high prevalence of diabetes, the high proportion of patients potentially not identified with a selective screening in this study and the relatively low cost, universal screening for gestational diabetes seems the best way to identify patients and prevent adverse obstetrical and neonatal outcomes.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis C virus: rate of infection and assessment of viral load and IgM anti-HCV as risk factors.

One hundred twenty-six mother-infant couples were studied and 105 exposed babies were monitored for at least 12 months to define the risk of mother-to-infant HCV transmission. Infection occurred in 5 out of 76 infants (6.6%) born to 69 viraemic mothers and in none of 29 born to 26 non-viraemic mothers. Only one child was HCV RNA positive one month after birth, while the remaining children became positive at the 3rd to 4th month. HCV genotypes of the babies matched those of their mothers. No difference was found between women who transmitted the virus and those who did not with regard to age, history of drug abuse, HIV infection, ALT abnormal values, HCV genotype, type of delivery, and breast-feeding. Four out of 5 infected infants were born to mothers with IgM anti-HCV (P = 0.04). The mean viral titre in transmitting women (10(7.2)) was higher than in non-transmitting (10(6.5)), and the proportion of mothers with viral load > or = 10(7) was statistically higher in transmitting than non-transmitting women (P = 0.03). These data show that HCV perinatal infection is a rare event and suggest that IgM positivity and high viral load (> or = 10(7)) in the mother are independent variables correlated with HCV transmission (O.R. = 14.5; 95% CI: 1.3-160.7 and O.R. = 16.3; 95% CI: 1.5-179.9, respectively).

Adult↗