Semaglutide reduces fat accumulation in the tongue: A randomized single-blind, pilot study

2021

Abstract Aim We evaluated the effect of the latest GLP-1 RA semaglutide on tongue fat storage in obese women. Design. We conducted a randomized single-blind, pilot study. Methods Twenty-five obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (33.7 ± 5.3 years, body mass index (BMI) 36.1 ± 3.9 kg/m2, mean ± SD) were randomized to semaglutide 1.0 mg or placebo for 16 weeks. We quantified tongue volume and its fat tissue and fat proportion by magnetic resonance imaging. Results Tongue fat tissue and fat proportion significantly reduced after semaglutide vs placebo (-1.94 ± 5.51 vs. + 3.12 ± 4.87 cm3, p = 0.022, and −0.02 ± 0.07 vs. 0.04 ± 0.06, p = 0.010, respectively). Correlation analysis rev…

Association between use of novel glucose-lowering drugs and COVID-19 hospitalization and death in patients with type 2 diabetes: a nationwide registr…

2022

Abstract Aims Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in patients with coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is associated with a worse prognosis. We separately investigated the associations between the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA), and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i), and the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization and death. Methods and results Patients with T2DM registered in the Swedish National Patient Registry and alive on 1 February 2020 were included. ‘Incident severe COVID-19’ was defined as the first hospitalization and/or death from COVID-19. A modified Poisson regression approach was applied to a 1:1 propensity sc…

Atherogenic dyslipidemia and oxidative stress: a new look

2009

Although results from in vitro studies and clinical trials demonstrate strong associations between oxidative stress and cardiovascular risk, to date still no convincing data are available to suggest that treatment with antioxidants might reduce vascular events. Oxidative modifications of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) represent an early stage of atherosclerosis, and small, dense LDL are more susceptible to oxidation than larger, more buoyant particles. Oxidized LDL are independent predictors of subclinical and clinical atherosclerosis. Recent studies suggested that novel therapeutic strategies may take into account the removal of such particles from circulation. Future research is required …

Pharmacotherapy for gestational diabetes

2018

Introduction: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) represents impaired carbohydrate metabolism during pregnancy and is characterized by progressive insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinaemia. If inadequately treated, it may lead to fetal macrosomia and other adverse outcomes. Areas covered: In this review, the authors summarize the current evidence from studies on the use of insulin and other agents for the treatment of women with GDM. Expert opinion: Lifestyle management is of paramount importance for the treatment of GDM. In pharmacotherapy, insulin remains the long-established mainstay of treatment. NPH (Neutral Protamine Hagedorn) and soluble human insulin have long been estab…

Treatment of diabetes and heart failure: Facts and hopes.

2022

Less but better: cardioprotective lipid profile of patients with GCK-MODY despite lower HDL cholesterol level

2014

Patients with diabetes caused by single-gene mutations generally exhibit an altered course of diabetes. Those with mutations of the glucokinase gene (GCK-MODY) show good metabolic control and low risk of cardiovascular complications despite paradoxically lowered high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. In order to investigate the matter, we analyzed the composition of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and HDL subpopulations in such individuals. The LipoPrint(©) system (Quantimetrix, USA) based on non-denaturing, linear polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to separate and measure LDL and HDL subclasses in fresh-frozen serum samples from patients with mutations of glucokinase or …

Diabetes, family history and extension of coronary atherosclerosis are strong predictors of adverse events after PTCA: a one year follow-up study

2004

A potential link between serum low-density lipoproteins and asthma

2015

Beyond cholesterol reduction, the pleiotropic effects of statins: is their use in cancer prevention hype or hope?

2013

ISSN 1758-4299 10.2217/CLP.13.29 © 2013 Future Medicine Ltd Clin. Lipidol. (2013) 8(3), 273–277 Pleiotropic effects of statins Millions of patients worldwide are currently tak­ ing prescribed statins. Clinical trials have dem­ onstrated that statins reduce the risk of cardio­ vascular disease [1]. Statins are well known to reduce cholesterol levels through the inhibition of 3­hydroxy­methylglutaryl CoA reductase [2]. However, great interest has recently been paid to the mechanisms beyond cholesterol reduc­ tion (pleiotropic effects) by which statins exert their action. Indeed, statins are associated with plaque stabilization and improvement of endo­ thelial function, as well as anti­inflamm…

L’uso di stent con sirolimus e’ significativamente associate alla riduzione della mortalita’ totale e della morbidita’ cardiovascolare sia a 6 mesi c…

2006

Low-density-lipoprotein peak particle size in a Mediterranean population

2003

Background The predominance of small, dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles (‘LDL phenotype B’) has been associated with a three-fold increased risk of myocardial infarction, but the feasibility of the identification of small, dense LDL as independent predictors of coronary artery disease risk in population studies remains questioned. Design We evaluated the LDL peak particle size and its relation with other established risk factors for coronary heart disease in a group of 156 randomized subjects living on the Mediterranean island of Ustica (71 males and 85 women, range of age 20–69 years), representing approximately 30% of the total population. Results The prevalence of LDL phenoty…

Translating results from the cardiovascular outcomes trials with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists into clinical practice: Recommendations fr…

2022

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists mimic the action of the endogenous GLP-1 incretin hormone, improving glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by increasing insulin secretion and decreasing glucagon secretion in a glucose-dependent manner. However, as cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality is common in patients with T2DM, several trials with the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (RAs) have been performed focusing on endpoints related to cardiovascular disease rather than metabolic control of T2DM. Following the positive cardiovascular effects of liraglutide, dulaglutide and semaglutide observed in these trials, major changes in T2DM management guidelines have …

Effects on lipoprotein subclasses of combined expression of human hepatic lipase and human apoB in transgenic rabbits

2003

Objective— The effects of combined expression of human hepatic lipase (HL) and human apolipoprotein B (apoB) on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) subclasses were examined in rabbits, a species naturally deficient in HL activity. Methods and Results— In apoB-transgenic rabbit plasma, >80% of the protein was found in the 1.006- to 1.050-g/mL fraction. Gradient gel electrophoresis (GGE) of this fraction revealed two distinct species, designated large and small LDL. A denser fraction (d=1.050 to 1.063 g/mL) contained small LDL as well as another discrete LDL subspecies, designated very small LDL. Expression of HL resulted in reductions in protein concentrations in the 1.006- to 1.050-g/mL densi…

The role of plasma triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio to predict cardiovascular outcomes in chronic kidney disease.

2015

Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is substantially increased in subjects with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The Triglycerides (TG) to High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio is an indirect measure of insulin resistance and an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk. No study to date has been performed to evaluate whether the TG/HDL-C ratio predicts CVD risk in patients with CKD. Methods A total of 197 patients (age 53 ± 12 years) with CKD Stages 1 to 5, were enrolled in this longitudinal, observational, retrospective study. TG/HDL-C ratio, HOMA-IR indexes, serum asymmetric dimethyl arginine (ADMA), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), parathyroid hormone (PT…

Post-prandial alterations in LDL size and subclasses in patients with growth hormone deficiency

2008

Abstract Objective Several studies have suggested that lipoproteins generated during the post-prandial phase are highly atherogenic, with modifications in low-density lipoproteins (LDL) size and density. In the present study we assessed post-prandial variations in LDL size and subclasses in patients with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). Design We studied in 12 hypopituitary patients with GHD and 10 healthy control subjects matched for gender, age and body mass index (BMI) post-prandial variations after a standardized meal consisting of 35% fat, 45% carbohydrate and 20% of protein (Clinutren Mix ® , Nestle) and containing calories corresponding to 1/3 of estimated basal metabolic rate. Blood…

Ultrasound measurement of detrusor thickness in bladder instability in women

1997

– Ultrasound was used to measure the detrusor thickness in 20 women with urodynamically-proved detrusorial instability. In 95% of the cases, detrusor thickness is greater than or equal to 5 mm. Comparison with a control group confirms the reliability of these results.

Oxidative stress markers at birth: Analyses of a neonatal population

2015

In order to further understand neonatal stress and, thus, control it efficaciously, there is a need for more information on the manifestations of stress at the molecular level in the newborn, with particular regard to oxidants, and anti-oxidant and anti-stress mechanisms, including mitochondrial heat shock protein-chaperones such as Hsp60. We investigated patterns of anti-oxidants, biomarkers of oxidative stress, and Hsp60 levels in sera from newborns and found significant associations between glutathione (GSH) levels and gestational age, delivery modality, and lipid hydroperoxydes (LOOH) level. LOOH levels and spontaneous (vaginal) delivery were independently associated with increased GSH …

Anti-cytokine therapy for prevention of atherosclerosis

2015

Abstract Background Currently a chronic inflammation is considered to be the one of the most important reasons of the atherosclerosis progression. A huge amount of researches over the past few decades are devoted to study the various mechanisms of inflammation in the development of atherosclerotic lesions. Purpose To review current capabilities of anti-inflammatory therapy for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and its clinical manifestations. Methods Appropriate articles on inflammatory cytokines in atherosclerosis and anti-inflammatory prevention of atherosclerosis were searched in PubMed Database from their respective inceptions until October 2015. Sections “The role of infl…

Effects of Rosiglitazone on Fasting and Postprandial Low- and High-Density Lipoproteins Size and Subclasses in Type 2 Diabetes

2010

Rosiglitazone may increase cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes. Yet, its effects on atherogenic dyslipidemia are still not fully elucidated. In a prospective open-label study rosiglitazone (4 mg/day for 12 weeks) was added to a maximum of 2 oral antidiabetic drugs in 18 diabetic patients. We evaluated the effects on plasma lipids before and after an oral fat load. The size and subclasses of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were also determined (by gradient gel electrophoresis). Rosiglitazone improved glycosylated hemoglobin ([HbA1c] P = .0023), without significant effects on fasting and postprandial plasma lipids. Fasting LDL size increased …

Elevated levels of non-HDL-cholesterol are relatively uncommon in women with PCOS and generally reflect LDL-cholesterol levels.

2009

GLP-1 receptor agonists and reduction of cardiometabolic risk: Potential underlying mechanisms

2018

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic condition with an elevated impact on cardiovascular (CV) risk. The innovative therapeutic approaches for T2DM - incretin-based therapies (IBTs), including glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, have become popular and more widely used in recent years. The available scientific data from clinical studies and clinical practice highlights their beyond glucose-lowering effects, which is achieved without any increase in hypoglycaemia. The former effects include reduction in body weight, lipids, blood pressure, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and subclinical atherosclerosis, thus reducing and potentially pr…

Crispr gene editing in lipid disorders and atherosclerosis: Mechanisms and opportunities

2021

Elevated circulating concentrations of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) have been conclusively demonstrated in epidemiological and intervention studies to be causally associated with the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Enormous advances in LDL-C reduction have been achieved through the use of statins, and in recent years, through drugs targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a key regulator of the hepatic LDL-receptor. Existing approaches to PCSK9 targeting have used monoclonal antibodies or RNA interference. Although these approaches do not require daily dosing, as statins do, repeated subcutaneous injections are nevertheless neces…

Lipoprotein alterations and reduced growth hormone secretion: relationships with obesity and cardiovascular risk1

2012

Enhanced oxidative susceptibility and reduced antioxidant content of metabolic precursors of small, dense low-density lipoproteins.

2001

Abstract PURPOSE: Elevated plasma concentrations of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) increase risk for coronary heart disease. However, lipoprotein profiles rich in small, dense LDL particles confer greater risk than those that mainly consist of large, buoyant LDL. This may be due, in part, to the greater oxidative susceptibility of small, dense LDL. In the current studies, we tested whether differences in the oxidative behavior of buoyant and dense LDL arise from differences in their immediate metabolic precursors, intermediate-density lipoproteins. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We compared the properties of intermediate-density lipoproteins and buoyant and dense LDL subfractions in 9 subjects with …

Endocrinology in the time of covid-19: A rapid evolution of knowledge and care

2021

American singer-writer and visual artist Bob Dylan produced the song “The Times They Are a-Changin” in the 1960s, which became a rallying cry for the civil rights and anti-war movements in that decade [...]

Post-acute COVID-19 neurological syndrome: A new medical challenge

2021

In December 2019, in Wuhan (China), a highly pathogenic coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2, dramatically emerged. This new virus, which causes severe pneumonia, is rapidly spreading around the world, hence it provoked the COVID-19 pandemic. This emergency launched by SARS-CoV-2 also had, and still has, devastating socio-economic aspects. Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups of people is crucial for the adaptation of governments’ responses. Growing scientific evidence suggests that it is essential to keep the attention on people after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection; indeed, some clinical manifestations are frequently present even after recovery. There is consensus on the need to defi…

Low circulating levels of HDL-cholesterol in women with PCOS and no other lipid abnormalities are associated to increased carotid intima media thickn…

2009

Saturated and unsaturated free fatty acids (FFA) modulate differently HDL uptake in hepatoma HEPG2 cells

2003

Combined Dyslipidemia: Should the Focus be LDL Cholesterol or Atherogenic Dyslipidemia?

2012

As the population becomes more obese and the prevalence of diabetes and the metabolic syndrome increases, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) may lose its value as a sole predictor for cardiovascular risk among lipids. Combined dyslipidemia is typically characterized by elevations in LDL-C and triglyceride levels, often accompanied by decreased high-density lipoproteincholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations and increased levels of small, dense LDL. This common disorder results from overproduction of hepatically synthesized apolipoprotein B in very low-density lipoproteins. In the last few years most of the international scientific guidelines as well as several expert panels have confirme…

Older age and markers of inflammation are strong predictors of clinical events in women with asymptomatic carotid lesions.

2009

PREDICTION OF CEREBROVASCULAR AND CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS IN PATIENTS WITH SUBLINICAL CAROTID ATHEROSCLEROSIS: THE ROLE OF C-REACTIVE PROTEIN

2008

Background Several studies have suggested that inflammation and infection may be important for accelerated progression of atherosclerosis, but few data are available on subjects with early stages of atherosclerosis. Methods and Results We included, in a prospective 5-year follow-up study, 150 patients with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis, evaluating at baseline all established traditional cardiovascular risk factors (eg, older age, male sex, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, family history of coronary artery disease, and dyslipidemia); 2 markers of inflammation, fibrinogen, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP); and the seropositivity to Helicobacter pylori, Chlamydia pn…

The clinical relevance of low-density-lipoproteins size modulation by statins.

2006

The predominance of small, dense low density lipoproteins (LDL) has been accepted as an emerging cardiovascular risk factor by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III; in fact, LDL size seems to be an important predictor of cardiovascular events and progression of coronary heart disease. Several studies have also shown that the therapeutical modulation of LDL size is of great benefit in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events. Hypolipidemic treatment is able to alter LDL subclass distribution and statins are currently the most widely used lipid-lowering agents. Statins are potent inhibitors of hydroxy-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, the rate-limiting en…

Lipoprotein remnants accumulation in end-stage renal disease: evidence of an active role of heparin administration during hemodialysis

2003

Infection and inflammation influence the outcome of patients with asymptomatic carotid lesions. Int Angiol. 2004. 23(suppl.1)

2004

Drug eluting stents's use in patients with anatomical or clinical patterns favouring restenosis: a 6-months follow-up study. Atherosclerosis. 2005. 6…

2005

A systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of statins on plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine concentrations

2015

LE VESCICOLE EXTRACELLULARI VEGETALI PER LO SVILUPPO DI NUOVI NUTRACEUTICI: STUDIO PRE-CLINICO E CLINICO DELLE PROPRIETÀ BIOLOGICHE DELLE VESCICOLE I…

2021

Razionale dello studio: Le vescicole extracellulari (EVs) sono strutture lipoproteiche rilasciate dalle cellule animali e vegetali, che veicolano sostanze bioattive tra cui lipidi, proteine, acidi nucleici e altri metaboliti, rendendole più stabili e biodisponibili. EVs isolate da semi, foglie e frutti di svariate specie vegetali presentano attività anti-tumorale, anti-infiammatoria ed anti-ossidante. Metodi e Risultati: Il nostro gruppo di ricerca si occupa da anni della caratterizzazione strutturale e funzionale delle EVs da succo di limone (LEVs). Le LEVs esercitano effetti antinfiammatori sia in vitro, su linee di macrofagi murini, che ex vivo, su linfociti T, attraverso l’inibizione de…

Livelli plasmatici di fibrinogeno in soggetti con infarto miocardico acuto: relazione con gli eventi nel follow-up a 42 mesi

2002

Absolute Hyperglycemia versus Stress Hyperglycemia Ratio for the Prognosis of Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 in the First Months of the Pandemic…

2022

Diabetes is a risk factor for greater severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) is an independent predictor of critical illness, and it is reported to have a stronger association than absolute hyperglycemia. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship of absolute hyperglycemia and SHR with the severity of COVID-19, since there are no studies investigating SHR in patients with COVID-19. We conducted a retrospective observational study on hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in the first months of the pandemic, regarding absolute hyperglycemia, SHR, and severity outcomes. Of the 374 patients, 28.1% had a previous diagnosis of type 2 diabetes…

Metabolic Syndrome: From Molecular Mechanisms to Novel Therapies

2021

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) consists of a cluster of metabolic abnormalities including central obesity, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, hypertension, and atherogenic dyslipidemia [...]

Safety of red yeast rice supplementation: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

2019

International audience; Recently, concerns regarding the safety of red yeast rice (RYR) have been raised after the publication of some case reports claiming toxicity. Since the previous meta-analyses on the effects of RYR were mainly focused on its efficacy to improve lipid profile and other cardiovascular parameters, we carried out a meta-analysis on safety data derived from the available randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs). Primary outcomes were musculoskeletal disorders (MuD). Secondary outcomes were non-musculoskeletal adverse events (Non-MuD) and serious adverse events (SAE). Subgroups analyses were carried out considering the intervention (RYR alone or in association with oth…

Lipid subclasses profiles and oxidative stress in aggressive periodontitis before and after treatment

2015

Background and Objective: Associations between dyslipidaemia, oxidative stress and periodontitis have emerged in recent years. However, there is a lack of studies investigating these associations in aggressive periodontitis (AgP) cases. The aim of this study was to investigate the lipid and oxidative stress profiles in patients with AgP, and to relate them to clinical variables and interleukin (IL)-6 genetic variants. Material and Methods: Twelve non-smoking Caucasian patients with AgP selected based on their IL6 haplotypes underwent periodontal non-surgical and surgical treatment. Peripheral blood samples taken at baseline and at six different time-points after treatment were processed to …

Short-Term Effects of a Combined Nutraceutical on Lipid Level, Fatty Liver Biomarkers, Hemodynamic Parameters, and Estimated Cardiovascular Disease R…

2017

Introduction: There is a growing interest in nutraceuticals improving cardiovascular risk factor levels and related organ damage. Methods: This double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial aims to compare the effect of a combined nutraceutical containing red yeast rice (10 mg), phytosterols (800 mg), and l-tyrosol (5 mg) on lipid profile, blood pressure, endothelial function, and arterial stiffness in a group of 60 patients with polygenic hypercholesterolemia resistant to Mediterranean diet. Results: After 8 weeks of treatment, when compared to the placebo group, the active treated patients experienced a more favorable percentage change in total cholesterol (−16.3% vs 9.9…

Pharmacotherapy for gestational diabetes mellitus: still insulin, or what about sulfonylureas?

2018

Randomized trials have not focused on neonatal complications of glyburide for women with gestational diabetes.To compare oral glyburide vs subcutaneous insulin in prevention of perinatal complications in newborns of women with gestational diabetes.The Insulin Daonil trial (INDAO), a multicenter noninferiority randomized trial conducted between May 2012 and November 2016 (end of participant follow-up) in 13 tertiary care university hospitals in France including 914 women with singleton pregnancies and gestational diabetes diagnosed between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation.Women who required pharmacologic treatment after 10 days of dietary intervention were randomly assigned to receive glyburide …

Atherogenic forms of dyslipidaemia in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

2009

OBJECTIVE: Dyslipidaemia is very common in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) but, beyond plasma lipids, atherogenic lipoprotein (Lp) and apolipoprotein (apo) alterations are still ill defined. DESIGN: We measured concentrations of apoB, Lp(a) and small, dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in 42 patients with PCOS [age: 28 +/- 7 years, body mass index (BMI): 27 +/- 5 kg/m(2)] vs. 37 age- and BMI-matched healthy controls. METHODS: Elevated Lp(a) levels considered were those > 30 mg/dl while elevated apoB concentrations were those > 100 g/l. RESULTS: Polycystic ovary syndrome showed increased triglycerides levels (p = 0.0011) and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol co…

Statins and angiogenesis in non-cardiovascular diseases.

2022

Statins inhibit HMG-CoA reductase by competitively inhibiting the active site of the enzyme, thus preventing cholesterol synthesis and reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Many pleiotropic effects of statins have been demonstrated that can be either related or unrelated to their cholesterol-lowering ability. Among these effects are their proangiogenic and antiangiogenic properties that could offer new therapeutic applications. In this regard, pro- and anti-angiogenic properties of statins have been shown to be dose dependent. Statins also appear to have a variety of non-cardiovascular angiogenic effects in many diseases, some examples being ocular disease, brain disease, …

A New Look at Novel Cardiovascular Risk Biomarkers: The Role of Atherogenic Lipoproteins and Innovative Antidiabetic Therapies.

2022

The presence of residual cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is a current dilemma in clinical practice; indeed, despite optimal management and treatment, a considerable proportion of patients still undergo major CV events. Novel lipoprotein biomarkers are suggested as possible targets for improving the outcomes of patients at higher risk for CVD, and their impact on major CV events and mortality have previously been investigated. Innovative antidiabetic therapies have recently shown a significant reduction in atherogenic lipoproteins, beyond their effects on glucose parameters; it has also been suggested that such anti-atherogenic effect may represent a valuable mechanistic explanation for th…

Adoption of the ADA/EASD guidelines in 10 Eastern and Southern European countries: Physician survey and good clinical practice recommendations from a…

2021

Aims: Evidence from cardiovascular outcomes trials (CVOTs) of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors was reflected in the most recent guidelines from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). The aim of the present study was to assess the adoption of the ADA/EASD guidelines in a convenience sample of physicians from Eastern and Southern Europe, the barriers to the implementation of these guidelines and the measures needed to facilitate their implementation. Methods: Attendees at two international diabetes conferences could volunteer to respond to a fully anonymous survey. Responses …

Glucose Metabolism Disorders: Challenges and Opportunities for Diagnosis and Treatment.

2022

Alterations of glucose metabolism are recognized as one of the most important risk factors for the development and complications of cardiometabolic diseases [...]

A case of bowel schistosomiasis not adhering to endoscopic findings

2005

Schistosomiasis is a chronic worm infection caused by a species of trematodes, the Schistosomes. We may distinguish a urinary form from Schistosomes haematobium and an intestinal-hepatosplenic form mainly from Schistosomes mansoni characterized by nausea, meteorism, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, rectal tenesmus, and hepatosplenomegaly. These infections represent a major health issue in Africa, Asia, and South America, but recently S mansoni has increased its prevalence in other continents, such as Europe countries and North America, due to international travelers and immigrants, with several diagnostic and prevention problems. We report a case of a 24-year-old patient without HIV infecti…

Role of Chemerin in Cardiovascular Diseases.

2022

(1) Background: Obesity is closely connected to the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Excess fat accumulation is associated with metabolic malfunctions that disrupt cardiovascular homeostasis by activating inflammatory processes that recruit immune cells to the site of injury and reduce nitric oxide levels, resulting in increased blood pressure, endothelial cell migration, proliferation, and apoptosis. Adipose tissue produces adipokines, such as chemerin, that may alter immune responses, lipid metabolism, vascular homeostasis, and angiogenesis. (2) Methods: We performed PubMed and MEDLINE searches for articles with English abstracts published between 1997 (when the first re…

The Relationship between COVID-19 and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis: A Large Spectrum from Glucocorticoid Insufficiency to Excess-The CAPISCO I…

2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly heterogeneous disease regarding severity, vulnerability to infection due to comorbidities, and treatment approaches. The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis has been identified as one of the most critical endocrine targets of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that might significantly impact outcomes after infection. Herein we review the rationale for glucocorticoid use in the setting of COVID-19 and emphasize the need to have a low index of suspicion for glucocorticoid-induced adrenal insufficiency, adjusting for the glucocorticoid formulation used, dose, treatment duration, and underlying health problems. We a…

Overexpression of human hepatic lipase and ApoE in transgenic rabbits attenuates response to dietary cholesterol and alters lipoprotein subclass dist…

1999

Abstract —The effect of the expression of human hepatic lipase (HL) or human apoE on plasma lipoproteins in transgenic rabbits in response to dietary cholesterol was compared with the response of nontransgenic control rabbits. Supplementation of a chow diet with 0.3% cholesterol and 3.0% soybean oil for 10 weeks resulted in markedly increased levels of plasma cholesterol and VLDL and IDL in control rabbits as expected. Expression of either HL or apoE reduced plasma cholesterol response by 75% and 60%, respectively. The HL transgenic rabbits had substantial reductions in medium and small VLDL and IDL fractions but not in larger VLDL. LDL levels were also reduced, with a shift from larger, m…

Su un caso sospetto di schistosomiasi

2003

Lomitapide, a microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.

2010

The Role of Physicians' Digital Tools in Pharmacological Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

2022

Background and Objectives: The constantly increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the advent of new treatment options have made management of T2DM patients more demanding. We aimed to (a) estimate the familiarity of general practitioners with novel T2DM treatment options, (b) determine whether a digital tool can aid in their treatment decisions and (c) demonstrate that an evidence-based digital clinical support tool can be made using an existing digital platform. Materials and methods: This proof-of-concept study consisted of two parts: We first conducted a simple online survey among general practitioners of three European countries to estimate their familiarity with no…

An Update on the Role of the Quality of LDL in Cardiovascular Risk:The Contribution of the Universities of Palermo and Zurich

2007

Low density lipoproteins (LDL) size seems to be an important predictor of cardiovascular events and progression of coronary artery disease and the predominance of small dense LDL have been accepted as an emerging cardiovascular risk factor by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. We recently showed increased LDL size or higher levels of small, dense LDL in different categories of patients at higher cardiovascular risk, such as those with coronary (including acute myocardial infarction) and non-coronary (including carotid disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm and peripheral arterial disease) forms of atherosclerosis or metabolic diseases (including type-II diabet…

Associations of fructose and glucose consumption with LDL particle size in the diet of healthy swiss men

2010

L’eta’ e gli elevati livelli di proteina C-reattiva e fibrinogeno sono forti predittori di eventi clinici in una popolazione di donne con aterosclero…

2007

High-resolution computed tomography quantitation of emphysema is correlated with selected lung function values in stable COPD

2012

<b><i>Background:</i></b> The literature shows conflicting results when high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scores of emphysema were correlated with different indices of airflow obstruction. <b><i>Objectives:</i></b> We correlated HRCT scores of emphysema with different indices of airflow obstruction. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We performed HRCT of the chest in 59 patients, all smokers or ex-smokers, with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease of different severity [GOLD stages I–IV; mean age ± SD 67.8 ± 7.3 years; pack/years 51.0 ± 34.6; percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV<sub>1</su…

Complications of Diabetes 2017

2018

Use of the drug eluting stents with rapamicin in patients with anatomical or clinical patterns favouring restenosis: results of a 6-months follow-up …

2004

Targeting PCSK9 for therapeutic gains: Have we addressed all the concerns?

2016

Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) regulates the expression of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-receptors, through reducing their recycling by binding to the receptor along with LDL and targeting it for lysosomal destruction. PCSK9 also enhances the degradation of very-low-density-lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) and lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP-1) in a LDL-receptor independent manner. This role in lipid homeostasis presents PCSK9 as an attractive target for the therapeutic management of familial hypercholesterolemia as well as other refractory dyslipidaemias. However, PCSK9 mediates multifarious functions independent of its role in lipid homeostasis, which can be…

Fever of unknown origin in a mediterranean survey from a division of internal medicine: report of 91 cases during a twelve-year-period (1991-2002)

2008

New-Onset Diabetes and Statins: Throw the Bath Water Out, But, Please, Keep the Baby!

2015

Interleukin 6 plasma levels predict with high sensitivity and specificity coronary stenosis detected by coronary angiography

2007

SummaryIn recent years new biomarkers able to measure the coronary atherosclerotic burden have been investigated. The aim of the present study was: i) to measure plasma levels of four biomarkers: C reactive protein (CRP), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6), 8-isosprostane (8-ISO),in a series of patients undergoing coronary angiography; ii) to assess the power of the biomarkers to predict critical coronary stenosis detected by angiography. The study population consisted of a group of 438 subjects undergoing coronary angiography; 160 patients with 0, 1, 2, or 3 critical vessels were selected, and biomarkers plasma levels were measured in plasma samples o…

Andamento nel tempo dell’approccio alla coronarografia diagnostica in relazione ai progressi della PTCA

2001

Diabetes and COVID-19: What 2 Years of the Pandemic Has Taught Us

2022

As the world enters its third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals with diabetes have faced particular challenges from the virus. A deleterious bidirectional relationship exists between the two disorders, with heightened inflammatory, immunologic, and cellular mechanisms leading to a more severe illness and increased morbidity and mortality. Tight glucose control, though necessary, is hampered by physical restrictions and difficulty accessing health care. Novel glucose-lowering medications may provide unique benefits in this regard. It is imperative that multi-pronged efforts be prioritized in order to reduce adverse outcomes in patients with diabetes at risk for COVID-19.

Clinical importance of eosinophil count in nasal fluid in patients with allergic and non-allergic rhinitis

2009

Eosinophil count in nasal fluid (ECNF) was used to differentiate nasal pathologies. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and the area under the curve (AUC) were performed to evaluate the ECNF's accuracy in distinguishing allergic rhinitis (AR) from non-allergic rhinitis (NAR). We also evaluated the accuracy of ECNF in recognizing patients with mild and severe symptoms of rhinitis and patients with ineffective and effective clinical responses to antihistamines. 1,170 consecutive adult patients with a clinical history of rhinitis were studied. ECNF's median in AR was 6.0 and 2.0 in NAR and the best cut-off value was > 3.0, AUC = 0.75. ECNF's median in AR with mild nasal …

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists and Dual Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide/Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists in the Trea…

2022

The obesity pandemic is accompanied by increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS) and related conditions: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD). Lifestyle, as well as an imbalance of energy intake/expenditure, genetic predisposition, and epigenetics could lead to a dysmetabolic milieu, which is the cornerstone for the development of cardiometabolic complications. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (RAs) and dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP-1 RAs promote positive effects on most components of the “ cardiometabolic continuum” an…

Clinical anatomic, immunomorphologic and molecular anatomic data suggest interplay of thyroidal molecules, autoantibodies and Hsp60 in Hashimoto’s di…

2014

Hsp60 is, typically, a mitochondrial protein, but it also occurs in the cytosol, vesicles, and plasma membrane, and in the intercellular space and biological fluids, e.g., blood. Changes in the levels and distribution of Hsp60 are linked to several pathologies, including cancer and chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. What is the histopathological pattern of Hsp60 in the thyroid of Hashimoto’s patients? Are there indications of a pathogenic role of Hsp60 that may make Hashimoto’s thyroiditis a chaperonopathy? Experiments reported here provide information regarding those questions. We found by various immunomorphological techniques increased levels of Hsp60 in the thyroid from HT p…

Effects of obesity and estradiol on Na+/K+-ATPase and their relevance to cardiovascular diseases

2013

Obesity is associated with aberrant sodium/potassium-ATPase (Na+/K+-ATPase) activity, apparently linked to hyperglycemic hyperinsulinemia, which may repress or inactivate the enzyme. The reduction of Na+/K+-ATPase activity in cardiac tissue induces myocyte death and cardiac dysfunction, leading to the development of myocardial dilation in animal models; this has also been documented in patients with heart failure (HF). During several pathological situations (cardiac insufficiency and HF) and in experimental models (obesity), the heart becomes more sensitive to the effect of cardiac glycosides, due to a decrease in Na+/K+-ATPase levels. The primary female sex steroid estradiol has long been …

Elevati livelli di proteina C-reattiva sono predittivi di eventi clinici nei pazienti ipertesi con lesioni carotidee asintomatiche

2006

Stent nudi e stent medicati con sirolimus nel registro RESTEM

2004

Coronarografia diagnostica e conseguenti scelte terapeutiche dopo l’avvento degli stent alla rapamicina: approccio attuale ed evoluzione degli ultimi…

2003

Changes in plasma lipids and low-density lipoprotein peak particle size during and after acute myocardial infarction

2002

In summary, LDL peak particle size variations occur very early after AMI, and therefore this parameter, which may be considered a genetically determined risk factor, must be measured not before 2 to 3 months after the acute event.

An overview of statin-induced myopathy and perspectives for the future

2020

Introduction: Statins remain the most commonly prescribed lipid-lowering drug class for the treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Their well-recognized side effects are known as statin-associated muscle symptom (SAMS). Some advances in this field have been made in recent years, but the understanding of the mechanisms has lagged. Investigating the specific role of the anti-HMGCR autoantibody, pharmacokinetic genetic variants, characterization of the known phenotypes of statin toxicity, in relation to clinical markers of disease, is of high importance. Areas covered: We summarized currently available findings (on PubMed) related to SAMS and discussed the therapeutic approaches,…

Atorvastatin treatment increases plasma bilirubin but not HMOX1 expression in stable angina patients.

2015

In vitro and animal studies indicate that statins increase heme oxygenase-1 gene (HMOX1) expression, which then, presumably, increases plasma bilirubin concentration. However, clinical confirmation that statins concomitantly increase HMOX1 expression and plasma bilirubin concentration is lacking. We hypothesized that in patients with stable angina atorvastatin therapy (20 mg/day for 10 weeks) concomitantly increases total bilirubin concentration and HMOX1 expression, as assessed non-invasively by plasma analysis.In 44 patients with stable angina plasma concentrations of total bilirubin, HMOX1 mRNA and HMOX1 protein were measured before and after the statin treatment, as well as plasma conce…

Liraglutide Improved Cardiometabolic Parameters More in Obese than in Non-obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Real-World 18-Month Prospective Stud…

2022

Introduction The glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist (GLP1-RA) liraglutide is currently approved for the treatment of both obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We investigated whether the effect of this agent on cardiometabolic parameters in subjects with T2DM varied in relation to the concomitant presence of obesity. Methods One hundred thirty-five subjects (78 men and 57 women; age: 62 +/- 10 years) naive to incretin-based therapies were treated with low-dose liraglutide (1.2 mg/day) as an add-on to metformin for 18 months. Patients were divided into two subgroups based on their body-mass index (BMI): (a) obese (BMI >= 30) and (b) non-obese (BMI < 30). Clinical and laboratory analyses we…

Variations in plasma lipids and in the LDL peak particle size after acute myocardial infarction

2002

Gestational diabetes and the metabolic syndrome: Can obesity and small, dense low density lipoproteins be key mediators of this association?

2013

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) represents a condition of glucose intolerance with first appearance or recognition at the time of a pregnancy, associated with an inadequate pancreatic response to the advanced insulin resistance of the later stages of pregnancy, and accompanied by enhancing β-cell mass and secretion of insulin. Women who had GDM exhibit a higher risk for later advent of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Additionally, previous GDM has been proposed as independently correlated with higher risk for development of atherosclerosis in a healthy population, similar to the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and independently of the presence of established…

Should we measure routinely the LDL peak particle size?

2004

Low density lipoproteins (LDL) do not show in humans a normal distribution and comprise two different main fractions: large, buoyant (phenotype pattern A) and small, dense (phenotype pattern B) particles, that differ not only in size and density but also in physicochemical composition, metabolic behaviour and atherogenicity. The prevalence of small, dense LDL changes with age (30-35% in adult men, 5-10% in men <20 years and in pre-menopausal women, 15-25% in postmenopausal women) and is genetically influenced, with a heritability ranging from 35% to 45%. Small, dense LDL correlate negatively with plasma HDL levels and positively with plasma triglyceride levels and are associated with the me…

Inclisiran: a small interfering RNA strategy targeting PCSK9 to treat hypercholesterolemia

2022

Introduction: Inclisiran is a novel posttranscriptional gene silencing therapy that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) synthesis by RNA interference and has a potent, dose-dependent, durable effect in lowering LDL-C, and therefore is an effective drug to treat dyslipidemia, reducing the risk for acute cardiovascular (CV) events. It is safe and well-tolerated. Areas covered: This paper aims to review the mechanism of action of inclisiran while evaluating its efficacy and safety in the treatment of dyslipidemia from data of the clinical trials in the ORION program. Expert opinion: Data from the clinical trials in the ORION program demonstrated efficacy and safety o…

Markers of Inflammation and Infection Influence the Outcome of Patients With Baseline Asymptomatic Carotid Lesions

2005

Background and Purpose— It is still in debate whether the evaluation of markers of infection and inflammation may be of importance for cerebrovascular and cardiovascular prevention, and we aimed to investigate this field in a prospective 5-year clinical follow-up study in patients with early stages of atherosclerosis. Methods— We studied 668 subjects divided in 3 groups according to the results of carotid ultrasound examination: (1) normal subjects, if intima-media thickness (IMT) was &lt;0.9 mm; (2) with IMT, if IMT was between 0.9 and 1.5 mm; and (3) with asymptomatic carotid plaque, if IMT was &gt;1.5 mm. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors were investigated, and laboratory analysis…

Asymptomatic carotid lesion as marker of future cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events in the follow-up: correlation with markers of inflammation …

2002

Gli effetti extraglicemici di liraglutide: Focus sui marker cardiometabolici

2016

The purpose of innovative therapeutic approaches for type 2 diabetes mellitus is to customize the antidiabetic treatment to each patient's need, in order to intensify glucose-lowering effects without hypoglycemia, reduce adverse events, and prevent cardiovascular events. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogues are effective drugs in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, and they also seem to have beneficial effects on several risk factors for cardiovascular disease, leading to cardiovascular risk reduction independent of hypoglycemic effects. Among these new drugs, liraglutide, a GLP-1 analogue with a homology of 97% to native GLP-1, exerts an effect on body weight, lipid parameters, blood pr…

Is diabetes the cost to pay for a greater cardiovascular prevention?

2010

The recent JUPITER (Justification for the Use of statins in Primary prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin) trial is another study providing evidence about the effectiveness of statin therapy in reducing cardiovascular risk. Yet, in this study significantly higher glycated hemoglobin levels and incidence rates of diabetes were observed in persons treated with rosuvastatin than the placebo group. It should be noted that adverse effects on glucose metabolism have already been reported, albeit rarely, in previous trials with statins. Although the exact mechanisms involved are unknown, it seems that statins may deteriorate glycemic control by decreasing different metabolites,…

Effects of Liraglutide on Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Patients with Type-2 Diabetes and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: An 8-Month Prospecti…

2014

Milder forms of atherogenic dyslipidemia in ovulatory vs. anovulatory polycystic ovary syndrome phenotype.

2009

Relationship between endothelial dysfunction, intima media thickness, and other cardiovascular risk factors in asymptomatic subjects

2005

3100Effects of morning versus evening statin therapy on lipid profile: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2017

Phenotyping normal kidney function in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional multicentre study

2018

AimsType 2 diabetes (T2D) accelerates the decline in glomerular function; however, some individuals do not develop chronic kidney disease despite advanced age and long-lasting T2D. We aimed to phenotype patients with T2D aged 80years or older who presented with a fully preserved kidney function.MethodsFrom an Italian population of 281,217 T2D outpatients, we collected data on demographics, anthropometrics, diabetes duration, HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, lipids, liver enzymes, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), albumin excretion rate (AER), chronic complications, and medication use. We primarily compared patients with a fully preserved kidney function (eGFR>90ml/min/1.73m(2) and …

Livelli ridotti di cistatina C nell’infarto miocardico acuto vs. angina instabile, aneurisma aortico e controlli normali

2001

Oral manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease

2017

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, have important extraintestinal manifestations, notably in the oral cavity. These oral manifestations can constitute important clinical clues in the diagnosis and management of IBD, and include changes at the immune and bacterial levels. Aphthous ulcers, pyostomatitis vegetans, cobblestoning and gingivitis are important oral findings frequently observed in IBD patients. Their presentations vary considerably and might be well diagnosed and distinguished from other oral lesions. Infections, drug side effects, deficiencies in some nutrients and many other diseases involved with oral manifestations should also b…

Once-Daily Liraglutide Versus Lixisenatide as Add-on to Metformin in Type 2 Diabetes: A 26-Week Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

2016

OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy and safety of liraglutide versus lixisenatide as add-on to metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes not achieving adequate glycemic control on metformin alone. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In this 26-week, randomized, parallel-group, open-label trial, 404 patients were randomized 1:1 to liraglutide 1.8 mg or lixisenatide 20 µg as add-on to metformin. Liraglutide was administered once daily at any time of the day. Lixisenatide was administered once daily within 1 h prior to the morning or evening meal. RESULTS At week 26, liraglutide reduced HbA1c (primary end point) more than lixisenatide (estimated treatment difference −0.62% [95% CI −0.8; −0.4]; P &amp;…

Serological, immunomorphological and bioinformatics analyses suggest Hsp60 is involved in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis pathogenesis.

2013

Diabetes and the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Insights from Recent Experience Might Guide Future Management

2020

Clinical predictors of adverse events in a 1 year follow-up study post-PCI

2003

Impact of nutraceuticals on markers of systemic inflammation: Potential relevance to cardiovascular diseases - A position paper from the Internationa…

2021

Inflammation is a marker of arterial disease stemming from cholesterol-dependent to -independent molecular mechanisms. In recent years, the role of inflammation in atherogenesis has been underpinned by pharmacological approaches targeting systemic inflammation that have led to a significant reduction in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Although the use of nutraceuticals to prevent CVD has largely focused on lipid-lowering (e.g, red-yeast rice and omega-3 fatty acids), there is growing interest and need, especially now in the time of coronavirus pandemic, in the use of nutraceuticals to reduce inflammatory markers, and potentially the inflammatory CVD burden, however, there is still not en…

Post-acute COVID-19 neurological syndrome: a new medical 2 challenge

2021

In December 2019, inWuhan (China), a highly pathogenic coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2, dramatically emerged. This new virus, which causes severe pneumonia, is rapidly spreading around the world, hence it provoked the COVID-19 pandemic. This emergency launched by SARS-CoV-2 also had, and still has, devastating socio-economic aspects. Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups of people is crucial for the adaptation of governments' responses. Growing scientific evidence suggests that it is essential to keep the attention on people after acute SARSCoV- 2 infection; indeed, some clinical manifestations are frequently present even after recovery. There is consensus on the need to defin…

Quantitative and qualitative effects of rosuvastatin on LDL-cholesterol: what is the clinical significance ?

2009

Summary Background:  Statins have emerged as the global leader in pharmacologic therapy for dyslipidaemia, and rosuvastatin has demonstrated clinical efficacy as well as safety in several clinical trials and postmarketing analyses. Aim:  The present article reviewed the effects of rosuvastatin on the quantity and the quality of low-density lipoproteins (LDL). Methods:  We searched for and reviewed all the available evidence in a systematic way. A literature search (by Medline and Scopus) was performed using the following headings: ‘LDL-cholesterol’, ‘LDL size’, ‘LDL subclasses’, ‘small dense LDL’, ‘apolipoprotein B, apo B’ and ‘rosuvastatin’ up to 11 November 2008. The authors also manually…

NAFLD and Atherosclerosis Are Prevented by a Natural Dietary Supplement Containing Curcumin, Silymarin, Guggul, Chlorogenic Acid and Inulin in Mice F…

2017

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) confers an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. NAFDL is associated with atherogenic dyslipidemia, inflammation and renin-angiotensin system (RAS) imbalance, which in turn lead to atherosclerotic lesions. In the present study, the impact of a natural dietary supplement (NDS) containing Curcuma longa, silymarin, guggul, chlorogenic acid and inulin on NAFLD and atherosclerosis was evaluated, and the mechanism of action was examined. C57BL/6 mice were fed an HFD for 16 weeks; half of the mice were simultaneously treated with a daily oral administration (os) of the NDS. NAFLD and atherogenic lesions in aorta and carotid artery (histological analys…

Chilomicronemia transitoria causa di diabete di tipo I in assenza di markers umorali di autoimmunità in una bambina di nove anni

2001

Psoriasis and acute coronary syndrome risk

2019

Plasma heme oxygenase-1 is decreased in peripheral artery disease patients.

2016

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common manifestation of atherosclerosis. A number of emerging risk factors, including oxidative stress biomarkers, free radicals and heat shock proteins, may add to the established risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The present study assessed surrogate markers of oxidative stress, including total reduced glutathione (GSH), lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH), isoprostanes, heme oxygenase‑1 (HO‑1) and metabolic biomarkers, such as adiponectin and lactate, in PAD patients (n=27). Healthy age‑matched volunteers (n=27) served as controls. GSH and LOOH were evaluated by measuring total thiol groups and iron oxidation, respectively, by spectrophotometric a…

La simvastatina riduce le lipoproteine aterogene in pazienti con coronaropatia prematura: effetti delle statine “beyond-cholesterol”

2002

Glucose transporter 4 mRNA expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue of women with PCOS remains unchanged despite metformin withdrawal: is there a ce…

2021

Purpose: Metformin induces GLUT-4 mRNA expression in insulin target tissues in PCOS. It is unclear how long this impact is sustained after withdrawal of metformin. We aimed to compare the effect of metformin withdrawal on GLUT-4 mRNA expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue after prior short (ST, 1 year, N = 11) and long term (LT, at least 3 years, N = 13) treatment in obese PCOS women. Methods: At baseline and 6 months after withdrawal, biopsy of subcutaneous adipose tissue followed by quantitative PCR analysis was performed to determine GLUT-4 mRNA expression. Results: We found no time/effect differences in GLUT-4 mRNA expression in ST (2-dCt at baseline 0.42 (0.16–0.48) vs 2-dCt after 6…

Il polimorfismo genico CD14 C(-260)>T non e’ un fattore di rischio per infarto miocardico acuto

2002

Small, dense low-density lipoproteins are predictors of cardio- and cerebro-vascular events in subjects with the metabolic syndrome.

2008

Treatment of primary hypercholesterolemia: comparison of the effectiveness of different statins

2000

Associazione di più fattori di rischio e d’elevati livelli di fibrinogeno e PCR: ruolo predittivo di complicanze vascolari in una popolazione di sogg…

2003

Milder forms of atherogenic dyslipidemia in ovulatory versus anovulatory polycystic ovary syndrome phenotype

2017

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia is common in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) but its prevalence in different PCOS phenotypes is still largely unknown. METHODS: We measured plasma lipids and lipoproteins in 35 anovulatory PCOS (age: 25 ± 6 years, BMI: 28 ± 6 kg/m2), 15 ovulatory PCOS (age: 30 ± 6 years, BMI: 25 ± 3 kg/m2) and 27 healthy women (controls) age- and BMI-matched with ovulatory PCOS. PCOS was diagnosed by the presence of clinical or biologic hyperandrogenism associated with chronic anovulation and/or polycystic ovaries at ultrasound. In women with normal menses chronic anovulation was indicated by low serum progesterone levels (&lt;9.54 nmol/l) during midluteal phase (days 21…

Association of elevated fibrinogen and C-reactive protein levels with carotid lesions in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension or type II diabet…

2006

BACKGROUND: Inflammation may be important for accelerated progression of atherosclerosis in patients with hypertension or diabetes, but few studies included subjects with early stages of atherosclerosis such as those with asymptomatic carotid lesions. METHODS: We studied 100 patients with newly diagnosed hypertension and another 100 patients with newly diagnosed type II diabetes to evaluate in such groups the association of two markers of inflammation, fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP), with carotid atherosclerosis, beyond traditional cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., older age, male gender, obesity, smoking, family history of CAD, dyslipidemia). RESULTS: We found positive correlatio…

Effects of combined estrogen+progestin hormone therapy on hepatic lipase and lipoprotein lipase levels

2005

The Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Circulating Levels of Lipoprotein (a): A Meta-analysis.

2022

Background. Obesity, especially severe obesity, is associated with a higher risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) morbidity and mortality. Bariatric surgery is a durable and effective weight loss therapy for patients with severe obesity and weight-related comorbidities. Elevated plasma levels of lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) are causally associated with ASCVD. The aim of this meta-analysis was to analyze whether bariatric surgery is associated with Lp(a) concentrations. Methods. A literature search in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science was performed from inception to May 1st, 2021. A random-effects model and the generic inverse variance weighting method were used to compe…

Physical Exercise and DNA Injury

2017

Regular, low-intensity physical activity is currently advocated for lowering the risk of developing many acute and especially chronic diseases. However, several lines of evidence attest that strenuous exercise may enhance inflammation and trigger the generation of free radical-mediated damage, thus overwhelming the undisputable benefits of regular, medium-intensity physical activity. Since reactive oxygen species are actively generated during high-intensity exercise, and these reactive compounds are known to impact DNA stability, we review here the current evidence about strenuous exercise and DNA injury. Despite the outcome of the various studies cannot be pooled due to considerable variat…

In vivo triglyceride synthesis in subcutaneous adipose tissue of humans correlates with plasma HDL parameters

2016

Backgrounds and aims: Low concentrations of plasma HDL-C are associated with the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Here we aimed to explore the relationship between the in vivo fractional synthesis of triglycerides (fTG) in subcutaneous (s.q.) abdominal adipose tissue (AT), HDL-C concentrations and HDL particle size composition in non-diabetic humans. Methods: The fTG in s.q. abdominal AT was measured in 16 non-diabetic volunteers (7 women, 9 men; Age: 49 ± 20 years; BMI: 31 ± 5 kg/m; Fasting Plasma Glucose: 90 ± 10 mg/dl) after 2H2O labeling. HDL-C concentration and subclasses, large (L-HDL), intermediate (I-HDL) and small (S-HDL) were measured. Re…

Effects of rosiglitazone on fasting and postprandial low- and high-density lipoproteins size and subclasses in type-2 diabetes.

2010

Relationship Between the Apolipoprotein E Genotype and LDL Particle Size in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

2016

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with dyslipidemia and increased cardiovascular risk. We assessed the effects of apolipoprotein E ( APOE) genotype on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particle size and lipid subclasses (separated by gradient gel electrophoresis) in patients with OSA. Stable patients (n = 181) prospectively recruited underwent full polysomnography. Both LDL particle size and LDL I proportion were reduced from ∊3∊3 homozygotes to ∊2 carriers and to ∊4 carriers (analysis of variance: P = .024; P = .040, respectively); carriers of the ∊4 allele of the APOE genotype had significantly lower LDL particle size and LDL I proportion compared…

Use of stents with sirolimus is significantly associated with a reduction in mortality and cardiovascular morbidity at 6- and 12-months post-PTCA

2006

Diabetes, family history and extension of coronary atherosclerosis are strong predictors of adverse events post-PTCA: a 1 year follow-up study

2004

Effects of combined estrogen+progestin hormone therapy on hepatic lipase and lipoprotein lipase levels. Atherosclerosis. 2005. 6(suppl.1)

2005

Effects of Mediterranean Diet on Lipid Levels and Cardiovascular Risk in Renal Transplant Recipients

1999

&lt;i&gt;Background:&lt;/i&gt; Renal transplant recipients have an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease. These patients present abnormalities of lipoprotein profile which are persistent and involve an increasing number of individuals, suggesting the opportunity of an early therapeutic intervention. &lt;i&gt;Methods:&lt;/i&gt; We evaluated the effects of a 10- to 12-week diet based on the American Heart Association step-one diet criteria, modified with an increased intake of monounsaturated fats and alimentary fibers, on lipid profile and lipid-related cardiovascular risk in 78 normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic renal transplant recipients. &lt;i&gt;Results:&lt;/i&gt; Diet led to a s…

Trombosi portale mesenterica idiopatica in paziente con doppia mutazione eterozigote del gene C677T e del gene A1298C della MTHFR

2002

Prevalenza di fattori di rischio e variazione temporale dei parametri lipidici in una serie consecutiva di 350 infarti acuti del miocardio registrati…

2001

Effects of dialysis on the cardiovascular risk of uremic patients: increase in levels of remnant particles

2002

Filling the gap between Guidelines and Real World in the cardiovascular approach to the diabetic patients: the need for a call to action

2020

Who needs to care about small, dense low density lipoproteins?

2007

Background: Increasing evidence suggest that the ‘quality’ rather than only the ‘quantity’ of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) exerts a great influence on the cardiovascular risk. Small, dense LDL seem to be an important predictor of cardiovascular events and progression of coronary artery disease (CAD) and their predominance has been accepted as an emerging cardiovascular risk factor by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. Discussion: Some studies showed in past years that small, dense LDL are usually elevated in patients at very high cardiovascular risk, such as those with CAD and type 2 diabetes. More recently elevated levels of these particles have been fou…

Ethnic Differences in Serum Lipids and the Association with Insulin Sensitivity, Body Composition and Lifestyle Factors in South African Women

2009

Genetic and Epigenetic Biomarkers for Diagnosis, Prognosis and Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome.

2021

Background: Metabolic syndrome is a clinical condition that deserves special attention because it puts the individual at high cardiovascular risk, especially heart attack and stroke. Considering precision medicine, it would be advisable to evaluate the individual cardio-metabolic risk by estimating the coexistence of risk factors (abdominal obesity, low level of High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, and small dense Low-Density Lipoproteins sub-classes, hypertension, and elevated fasting glycemia), which could engrave on metabolism increasing cardiovascular mortality. Objective: To identify genetic and epigenetic biomarkers may assist in the possibility of helping follow…

THE ATHEROGENIC LIPOPROTEIN PHENOTYPE AS PREDICTOR OF CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS IN PATIENTS WITH NON-CORONARY FORMS OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS

2008

COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF ROSIGLITAZONE AND PIOGLITAZONE ON FASTING AND POSTPRANDIAL LDL-SIZE AND SUBCLASSES IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE-2 DIABETES

2008

New Sub-Phenotyping of Subjects at High Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: What Are the Potential Clinical Implications?

2021

Prediabetes is defined as a condition of abnormal glucose metabolism, characterised by plasma glucose above normal range but not as high as required for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (DM). It represents a heterogeneous entity of intermediate glucose metabolism, including impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, and borderline glycated haemoglobin. Prediabetes is being increasingly recognised as an important metabolic state not only predisposing to a higher probability of future progression to DM, but also to an increased risk of different micro- and macrovascular complications. The recently proposed sub-phenotyping of individuals at increased risk of type 2 DM, which disti…

Critical questions in diabetes management: What are the most compelling challenges and how can we handle them?

2022

Background: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is growing worldwide, showing almost a 10-fold increase in the last five decades. Despite advances in the understanding of the disease mechanisms, preventive measures, and treatment options, morbidity and mortality remain high. Moreover, the burden of uncontrolled glycemia and associated complications have a significant impact on healthcare costs. To be ready for the future and emerging issues in the management of diabetes and related disorders, a holistic approach is essential for the prevention of the next generations. So many challenges in the management of diabetes exist globally, which differ according to the health infrastructure, and cu…

Non-classic forms of atherogenic dyslipidemia in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

2008

Lipoprotein Subfractions in Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Clinical Significance and Therapeutic Approaches

2013

Small, dense low density lipoprotein (sdLDL) represents an emerging cardiovascular risk factor, since these particles can be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) independently of established risk factors, including plasma lipids. Obese subjects frequently have atherogenic dyslipidaemia, including elevated sdLDL levels, in addition to elevated triglycerides (TG), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and apolipoprotein-B, as well as decreased high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. Obesity-related co-morbidities, such as metabolic syndrome (MetS) are also characterized by dyslipidaemia. Therefore, agents that favourably modulate LDL subclasses may be of clinical value in t…

Periodontitis and mechanisms of cardiometabolic risk: Novel insights and future perspectives

2019

Periodontitis is an infectious and inflammatory disease of the tooth-supporting tissues caused by the accumulation of subgingival plaque and the action of specific periodontopathogenic bacteria. Periodontitis has been associated with cardiovascular diseases and considered a cardiovascular risk factor. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this association, such as the infection of atherosclerotic plaques by periodontal pathogens, the pro-atherogenic effect on the lipid profile, the systemic dissemination of pro-inflammatory mediators or the contribution to type 2 diabetes mellitus. Periodontal treatment has also been related to improvement in cardiometabolic risk variables, and o…

The Clinical Relevance of LDL Size and Subclasses Modulation in Patients with Type-2 Diabetes

2007

increasing evidence suggest that the "quality" rather than only the "quantity" of low density lipoproteins (LDL) exerts a great influence on the cardiovascular risk. Hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-cholesterol and increased levels of small dense LDL characterise diabetic dyslipidemia. in subjects with type-2 diabetes LDL size seems also to represent a good marker of clinical apparent and non-apparent atherosclerosis. Recently, the Coordinating Committee of the National Cholesterol Education Program stated that high-risk patients may benefit of stronger therapeutical approaches, a category of subjects that include those with type-2 diabetes. Screening for the presence of small, dense LDL may p…

La simvastatina riduce le lipoproteine aterogene in pazienti con coronaropatia prematura: effetti delle statine “beyond-cholesterol”

2002

Hepatic lipase and lipoprotein lipase are affected by combined estrogen+progestin hormone therapy

2004

Glycemic Variability, Glycated Hemoglobin, and Cardiovascular Complications: Still a Dilemma in Clinical Practice

2021

Changes in immunohistochemical levels and subcellular localization after therapy and correlation and colocalization with CD68 suggest a pathogenetic …

2011

In an earlier work, the role of heat shock protein (Hsp60) in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC) was suggested by its significant increase in the pathological mucosa parallel with an increase in inflammatory cells. More data in this direction are reported in this work. We analyzed by immunohistochemistry biopsies of colon tissue from 2 groups of patients with UC and treated with either 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) alone or in combination with a probiotic. We looked for inflammatory markers and Hsp60. Both the treatments were effective in reducing symptoms but the group treated with both 5-ASA and probiotics showed better clinical results. Amelioration of symptoms was associated wi…

The effects of statins on blood pressure: current knowledge and future perspectives.

2012

FIBRINOGEN AS PREDICTOR OF MORTALITY AFTER ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION: A 42-MONTHS FOLLOW-UP STUDY

2005

Background. Several studies suggest that fibrinogen may be considered an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease, but it is still on debate if we need its evaluation during an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) to prevent future fatal or non-fatal cardiovascular events. Therefore, we decided to investigate this field. Methods: We studied 92 male patients with AMI, evaluating at admission age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, cigarette smoking, ejection fraction, plasma levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, fibrinogen, glycemia, and white blood cell count. All patients were followed up for 42 months to evaluate total mortality and cardiovascular morbidity. Results: …

Assessing cardiovascular risk in Mediterranean women with polycystic ovary syndrome

2010

Background: Although dyslipidemia is common in the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), current diagnostic guidelines suggest to evaluate only plasma HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, assuming that, in this disorder, cardiovascular risk is mainly due to the presence of the metabolic syndrome (MS). In the US, MS has been found in up to 50% of PCOS, but in other countries its prevalence is lower. Methods: We compared the prevalence of MS with that of increased LDL- and non-HDL-cholesterol levels in 350 Mediterranean PCOS women (244 anovulatory and 106 ovulatory), and 95 normo-weight and 90 body mass index (BMI)-matched controls. Results: The prevalence of MS was 7.1% in PCOS, high…

Prediction of vascular events in subjects with subclinical atherosclerosis and the metabolic syndrome: the role of markers of inflammation.

2010

Inflammation and atherosclerosis: recent insights and future perspectives.

2008

Nutraceuticals as an Important Part of Combination Therapy in Dyslipidaemia

2017

Several risk factors such as abnormality of lipid metabolism (e.g. high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), elevated triglycerides and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)) play a central role in the aetiology of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Nutraceutical combination together with a cholesterol- lowering action, when associated with suitable lifestyle, should furnish an alternative to pharmacotherapy in patients reporting statin-intolerance and in subjects at low cardiovascular risk. The present review is focused on nutraceuticals and their synergetic combinations demonstrating a beneficial effect in the management of dyslipidaemia. Several nutraceu…

Association of elevated fibrinogen and C-reactive protein levels with carotid lesions in patiens with early onset of hypertension or type-2 diabetes

2006

La vitamina D in pazienti adulti affetti da talassemia major

2003

Drug Evaluation: The Combination of Fenofibrate and Simvastatin for the Treatment of Dyslipidemia: When and for Whom?

2015

Simvastatin and fenofibrate are the most frequently co-prescribed drugs for the treatment of dyslipidemia, manifesting beneficial effects on non-lipid parameters as well. The combination of these two drugs has been shown to increase success in the management of combined hyperlipidemia. Their different mechanism of action allows for the targeting of two types of lipid abnormalities: increased cholesterol and atherogenic dyslipidemia. Clinical studies have demonstrated that statin and fibrate combination therapy is effective in improving multiple lipid abnormalities, that may further decrease overall cardiovascular (CV) risk of patients with combined dyslipidemia. However, the clinical use of…

Liraglutide decreases carotid intima-media thickness in patients with type 2 diabetes: 8-month prospective pilot study.

2014

Background Liraglutide, a long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analog, has several non- glycemic properties, but its effect on carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a recognized marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, is still unknown. Methods A prospective study of 8 months duration in 64 patients with type-2 diabetes and no prior history of coronary artery disease evaluated whether adding liraglutide to metformin affects carotid IMT, measured by color doppler ultrasound. Results After 8 months, fasting glucose decreased by 2.1 mmol/l and HbA1c by 1.9% (p < 0.01 for all). Liraglutide reduced total-cholesterol and triglycerides by 10%, and LDL-cholesterol by 19%, whereas HDL-cholester…

A novel beneficial effect of liraglutide: the reduction in subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with type-2 diabetes.

2012

IMPROVE-IT: what have we learned?

2016

Purpose of review: Recent studies and dyslipidemia treatment guidelines indicate that combination lipid-lowering therapy is frequently needed and its use has increased in recent years. Ezetimibe and simvastatin as a fixed dose is an efficacious treatment choice based on positive results of the recent IMProved Reduction of Outcomes: Vytorin Efficacy International Trial (IMPROVE-IT). In this review, we discuss recent controversies surrounding ezetimibe and provide clinical perspective on the results of the IMPROVE-IT study. Recent findings: IMPROVE-IT is the first trial that demonstrates a significant clinical benefit of a nonstatin hypolipidemic agent (ezetimibe) used in combination with sta…

Vitamin D in the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetic Neuropathy.

2022

Neuropathy is one of the most important complications of diabetes. According to recent advances, vitamin D deficiency might play a role in the development and progression of diabetic neuropathy. Moreover, therapeutic vitamin D supplementation has the potential to improve this condition. The aim of the present review was to summarize new data available in this area.The PubMed database was searched for articles written in English and published through September 2021, using combinations of the following key words: vitamin D, diabetes, diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy, polyneuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, cardiac autonomic neuropathy, supplementation, and therapy.A number of studies hav…

The Role of Small, Dense LDL in Cardiovascular Risk: The Contributions of the Universities of Palermo and Zurich

2012

Low-density-lipoprotein peak particle size in a Mediterranean population.

2003

Background: The predominance of small, dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles ('LDL phenotype B') has been associated with a three-fold increased risk of myocardial infarction, but the feasibility of the identification of small, dense LDL as independent predictors of coronary artery disease risk in population studies remains questioned. Design: We evaluated the LDL peak particle size and its relation with other established risk factors for coronary heart disease in a group of 156 randomized subjects living on the Mediterranean island of Ustica (71 males and 85 women, range of age 20-69 years), representing approximately 30% of the total population. Results: The prevalence of LDL phen…

Risultati del follow-up di 6 mesi in 100 pazienti con stent medicato con rapamicina rispetto ad altri 100 con stent tradizionale

2004

Can the effects of gender, menopause and ageing on lipid levels be differentiated?

2016

The menopause, as well as ageing in both genders, can influence cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk1. An atherogenic lipoprotein profile, including small dense low density lipoprotein (sdLDL) particles, can be present even in normolipidaemic healthy young individuals (about 6%)2. If confirmed by larger studies, it will be necessary to consider different risk stratifications for those with atherogenic normolipidaemia and those with non-atherogenic hypercholesterolaemia. Furthermore, other changes associated with the menopause (increase in lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] levels, central obesity, endothelial dysfunction and systemic inflammation) may contribute to pro-atherogenic changes, while ethnicit…

Lipoprotein alterations and reduced growth hormone secretion: relationships with obesity and cardiovascular risk

2012

COVID-19 and diabetes management: What should be considered?

2020

Changes in levels of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein subfractions during dialysis in uremic patients

2002

Complicazioni intra-ospedaliere in pazienti ipertesi con infarto miocardico acuto: uno studio retrospettivo di tipo caso-controllo

2002

Statin intolerance – an attempt at a unified definition. Position paper from an International Lipid Expert Panel

2015

Statins are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in clinical practice. They are usually well tolerated and effectively prevent cardiovascular events. Most adverse effects associated with statin therapy are muscle-related. The recent statement of the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) has focused on statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS), and avoided the use of the term 'statin intolerance'. Although muscle syndromes are the most common adverse effects observed after statin therapy, excluding other side effects might underestimate the number of patients with statin intolerance, which might be observed in 10 - 15% of patients. In clinical practice, statin intolerance limits effecti…

Senescenza ed allergia respiratoria.

2009

Coronarografia diagnostica: evoluzione temporale in relazione ai progressi della PTCA

2002

Autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia in a Sicilian kindred harboring the 432insA mutation of the ARH gene

2003

Abstract We describe a Sicilian family presenting a recessive form of hypercholesterolemia harboring a mutation of the autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia (ARH) gene. In two of the three sibs, a 26-year-old male and a 22-year-old female, a severe hypercholesterolemia was diagnosed with very high levels of plasma cholesterol (15.9 and 12.2 mmol/l, respectively); tendon xanthomatas and xanthelasms were present and in the male proband was documented a diffuse coronary atherosclerotic disease with a rapid and fatal progression. Both the parents had normal or slightly increased levels of plasma cholesterol. All causes of secondary hypercholesterolemia were ruled out as well as an involvemen…

Statin intolerance: new data and further options for treatment

2021

Purpose of review Hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Administration of statins represents the cornerstone of the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, with demonstrated long-term safety and efficacy. This review aims to revisit statin intolerance mechanisms, as well as to discuss new data and therapeutic options. Recent findings Although statins are well tolerated, myopathy and other adverse effects are a challenging problem, being the main reason for poor adherence to treatment and failure in lowering cardiovascular risk. Statin intolerance is the subject of ongoing research, as these drugs are widely used. There are alternative options o…

The predictive role of C-reactive protein in patients with hypertension and subclinical atherosclerosis.

2009

Recent guidelines published by the joint European Society of Hypertension/European Society of Cardiology have suggested the inclusion of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the standard assessment of cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients, but little data is available on the role of CRP in patients with carotid lesions. We studied in 472 subjects, 236 with and 236 without hypertension, gender- and age-matched, with and without early stages of atherosclerosis (e.g. those with asymptomatic intima-media thickness >0.9 mm), the influence of all the other traditional cardiovascular risk factors (e.g. older age, male gender, obesity, diabetes, smoking habit, family history of coronary artery diseas…

Adipokines and lipoproteins: modulation by antihyperglycemic and hypolipidemic agents.

2014

Adipose tissue is an endocrine organ that secretes a number of hormones and metabolically active substances that impact energy metabolism and insulin sensitivity. These inflammatory markers are collectively referred to as adipocytokines, or adipokines. Adipose tissue's functional capacity and metabolic activity vary among individuals, thus partly explaining the incomplete overlap between obesity and the metabolic syndrome. The functional failure of adipose tissues results in changed energy delivery and impaired glucose consumption, triggering self-regulatory mechanisms to maintain homeostasis. Antihyperglycemic, hypolipidemic, antiobesity, and angiotensin II receptor blocker drugs influence…

The Consumption of Fast Food Favors Weight Increase in Young Hellenic Navy Personnel: A 10-Year Follow-Up Study

2020

Introduction: Dietary habits and physical exercise have independently been recognized as important contributors to weight loss. However, the relative effect of diet and exercise on body weight is s...

CD14 C(-260)>T gene polymorphism is not a risk factor for myocardial infarction

2002

Transient chylomicronemia preceding the onset of insulin-dependent diabetes in a young girl with no humoral markers of islet autoimmunity

2004

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the possible causes of diabetes in a young child who presented with hyperglycemia associated with severe hypertriglyceridemia (&gt;166 mmol/l), hypercholesterolemia (&gt;38 mmol/l) and fasting chilomicrons. RESULTS: The patient did not have any of the HLA and autoantibody markers typically associated with type 1 diabetes. A glucose clamp failed to demonstrate insulin resistance (peripheral glucose utilization rate (M)=4.3 mg/kg per min) and there was no family history of type 2 diabetes or maturity onset diabetes in youth. Both fasting and stimulated C-peptide levels, including those in response to i.v. glucagon, were below the limit of detection. This is consiste…

Cardiometabolic Alterations in the Interplay of COVID-19 and Diabetes: Current Knowledge and Future Avenues

2021

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) pandemic has raged for almost two years, with few signs of a sustained abatement or remission [...]

PPAR in Cardiovascular Disorders

2016

Peroxisome proliferation-activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand-inducible transcription factors that, upon binding their ligands, translocate into the nucleus, where they regulate transcription of numerous genes that have the peroxisome proliferator response element (PPRE) in the promoter region [1]. In humans, there are 3 PPAR isoforms: PPAR-α, PPAR-β/δ, and PPAR-γ. The isoforms have partially overlapping spectra of activity and are differently expressed in organs and tissues [2]. PPAR-α is expressed mostly in tissues characterized by high catabolic activity, including skeletal muscle, liver, proximal tubular cells in kidneys, and brown fat. This PPAR isoform regulates components of β-oxid…

Comparison between different mathematical methods to calcolate insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

2003

Low-density lipoprotein size and cardiovascular risk assessment

2017

A predominance of small, dense low-density lipoproteins (LDL) has been accepted as an emerging cardiovascular risk factor by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. LDL size seems to be an important predictor of cardiovascular events and progression of coronary heart disease and evidences suggests that both quality (particularly small, dense LDL) and quantity may increase cardiovascular risk. However, other authors have suggested that LDL size measurement does not add information beyond that obtained by measuring LDL concentration, triglyceride levels and HDL concentrations. Therefore, it remains debatable whether to measure LDL particle size in cardiovascular …

Increased plasma resistin concentrations are associated with atherogenic small, dense low-density lipoproteins in patients with type-2 diabetes

2010

Transient chylomicronemic syndrome: description of three cases

2004

Atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype and LDL size and subclasses in women with gestational diabetes.

2008

AIMS: Women with gestational diabetes are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease after pregnancy; however, the exact nature of the lipid alterations present is not clear. In Mediterranean women with gestational diabetes, we measured low-density lipoprotein (LDL) size and all seven subclasses, as well as the 'atherogenic-lipoprotein phenotype'[ALP, e.g. concomitant presence of elevated triglycerides, reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and increased small, dense LDL]. METHODS: In 27 women with gestational diabetes and 23 healthy pregnant women matched for age, weeks of gestation and body mass index, we measured plasma lipids and LDL size and subclass…

Gemfibrozil reduces small low-density lipoprotein more in normolipemic subjects classified as low-density lipoprotein pattern B compared with pattern…

2005

We tested the hypothesis that gemfibrozil has a differential effect on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subclass distributions and postprandial lipemia that is different in subjects classified as having LDL subclass pattern A or LDL pattern B who do not have a classic lipid disorder. Forty-three normolipemic subjects were randomized to gemfibrozil (1,200 mg/day) or placebo for 12 weeks. Lipids and lipoproteins were determined by enzymatic methods. The mass concentrations of lipoproteins in plasma were determined by analytic ultracentrifugation and included the S(f) intervals: 20 to 400 (very LDL), 12 to 20 (intermediate-density lipoprotein), 0 to 12 (LDL), an…

Small, dense LDL: An update

2017

Purpose of review In this review, we summarize the latest findings on small, dense LDL (sdLDL) atherogenic particles, including their associations with other biomarkers. Recent findings Increased sdLDL levels have been reported not only in different metabolic disorders such as diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome, but also in patients with rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis as well as hypothyroidism. A wide range of lipid-lowering, as well as other drug classes, including novel antidiabetic agents and nutraceuticals, exert favourable effects on these atherogenic particles. The 'gold standard' methodology for the assessment of sdLDL has not been established yet. However, the association …

Effect of liraglutide on carotid intima-media thickness in patients with type-2 diabetes: a 4-month prospective study

2012

Predective role of asymptomatic carotid lesions for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, fatal and non fatal, events in a 5-years follow-up study

2003

The atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype and LDL size and subclasses in women with gestational diabetes.

2008

Relazione tra il size delle LDL e l’estensione della malattia vasale coronarica in 72 pazienti maschi sottoposti a coronarografia diagnostica

2005

Atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype and LDL size and subclasses in patients with growth hormone deficiency before and after short-term replacement ther…

2007

Descrizione di una famiglia siciliana con iper-alfa-lipoproteinemia con deficit di CETP

2002

Accumulation of ApoE-containing triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in normolipidemic men with premature coronary artery disease

2000

Lipid pattern alterations in PCOS.

2009

Studio epidemiologico “Ustica”: bassa prevalenza delle LDL aterogene in una popolazione mediterranea

2002

ApoE polymorphism in a small Mediterranean island: Relationships with plasma lipids, lipoproteins and LDL particle size

2001

Polymorphisms of apoE gene are able to modulate lipoprotein metabolism at different steps and to influence LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and also other lipoproteins features. Population studies documented large differences in the frequency of apoE alleles which could be even related to the prevalence of cardiovascular disease. In this study we evaluated the apoE genotypes and allele frequency in 576 subjects living in a small island in the Tyrrhenian Sea and the relative contribution of apoE polymorphism on plasma lipid and lipoprotein profile, including LDL particle size. We found a cumulative frequency of 0.073, 0.866 and 0.061 for ε2, ε3 and ε4 alleles respectively. Moreover ε3 subjects…

Lifestyle recommendations for the prevention and management of metabolic syndrome: an international panel recommendation.

2017

The importance of metabolic syndrome (MetS) lies in its associated risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as other harmful conditions such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In this report, the available scientific evidence on the associations between lifestyle changes and MetS and its components is reviewed to derive recommendations for MetS prevention and management. Weight loss through an energy-restricted diet together with increased energy expenditure through physical activity contribute to the prevention and treatment of MetS. A Mediterranean-type diet, with or without energy restriction, is an effective treatment component. This dietary pattern should be built …

Natural approaches in metabolic syndrome management

2017

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized as a group of cardiometabolic risk factors that raise the risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes mellitus and stroke. Treatment strategies include pharmacologic interventions and supplementary (or "alternative") treatments. Nutraceuticals are derived from food sources (isolated nutrients, dietary supplements and herbal products) that are purported to provide health benefits, in addition to providing basic nutritional value. Nutraceuticals are claimed to prevent chronic diseases, improve health, delay the aging process, increase life expectancy, and support the structure and function of the body. The study of the benefici…

Il diabete, la familiarita’ per malattie cardiovascolari e l’estensione della malattia vasale quali predittori degli eventi clinici ad 1 anno di foll…

2004

Ezetimibe alone or in combination with simvastatin increases small, dense low-density lipoproteins in healthy men: a randomized trial

2010

Aims The predominance of small dense low-density lipoproteins (sdLDLs) has been associated with increased cardiovascular risk. The effect of ezetimibe on LDL subfraction distribution has not been fully elucidated. This study assessed by gradient gel electrophoresis the effects of ezetimibe alone, simvastatin alone, and their combination on sdLDL subfraction distribution. Methods and results A single-centre, randomized, parallel three-group open-label study was performed in 72 healthy men with a baseline LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) concentration of 111 ± 30 mg/dL (2.9 ± 0.8 mmol/L). They were treated with ezetimibe (10 mg/day, n = 24), simvastatin (40 mg/day, n = 24), or their combination ( n = …

3104Associations between cardiovascular disease, cancer and very low hdl cholesterol in the reasons for geographical and racial differences in stroke…

2017

AIMS: Relatively little is known about the health outcomes associated with very low plasma concentrations of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) mainly because of the small numbers of individuals with such extreme values included in clinical trials. We therefore investigated the association between low and very low HDL-C concentration at baseline and incident all-cause-mortality, death from malignant disease (i.e. cancer), and with fatal or non-fatal incident coronary heart disease (CHD) in individuals from the Reasons for Geographical And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. METHODS AND RESULTS: Analysis was based on 21,751 participants from the REGARDS study who were fre…

Gut microbiota and aging-A focus on centenarians.

2020

Gut microbiota (GM) is a dynamic organ throughout the lifespan. Aging is a complex process that comprises a plethora of mechanisms such as senescence, immunosenescence and inflammaging, representing important pathways of age-related diseases. GM structure could both influence and be influenced by aging occurring changes within the host. A unique category of long living individuals exists, namely centenarians that have the outstanding capacity to adapt to various challenges. Longevity seems to be associated with certain GM which, among other factors, might render individuals more resistant to age-related diseases and subsequently to long living. Diet, prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics ma…

Description of a sicilian family with hyper-alpha-lipoproteinemia with deficit of CETP activity

2002

Uso degli stent medicati con rapamicina in pazienti con situazioni anatomiche o cliniche che favoriscono la restenosi: risultati del follow-up di 6 m…

2004

PPAR Agonists, Atherogenic Dyslipidemia and Cardiovascular Risk.

2016

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) are implicated in the pathology of several metabolic diseases including obesity, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. PPAR agonists exert multiple lipid modifying actions which are beneficial to the prevention of atherosclerosis. Such benefits in lipid lowering actions include improvements in atherogenic dyslipidemia that seems to be particularly expressed in individuals at higher cardiovascular (CV) risk. In addition, the favorable effects of PPAR agonists on different cardio-metabolic parameters are established in several metabolic conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, and heightened systemic inflammation. The goal of this …

Febbre di origine sconosciuta (FUO): due casisitiche di una medesima divisione di medicina interna a confronto

2002

Fattori di rischio cardiovascolari, sindrome plurimetabolica e disfunzione endoteliale

2003

Future Perspectives in Nutraceutical Research

2021

Nutraceuticals are largely used by general population. During the last decades, academicians and industries are intensifying the research of new bioactive compounds in order to improve the quality of life and to prevent disease in humans. The quality of the published research is however not always based on the rules of the Good Clinical Practice nor finalized to create a new Evidence-Based nutraceutical sciences. This chapter will resume some basic rules that we will expect to be applied to nutraceutical research in the next years.

LDL peak particle size and the extension of coronary atherosclerosis in 72 patients that underwent an angiographic exam

2004

Personalized management of dyslipidemias in patients with diabetes-it is time for a new approach (2022)

2022

AbstractDyslipidemia in patients with type 2 diabetes (DMT2) is one of the worst controlled worldwide, with only about 1/4 of patients being on the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) target. There are many reasons of this, including physicians’ inertia, including diabetologists and cardiologists, therapy nonadherence, but also underusage and underdosing of lipid lowering drugs due to unsuitable cardiovascular (CV) risk stratification. In the last several years there is a big debate on the risk stratification of DMT2 patients, with the strong indications that all patients with diabetes should be at least at high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Moreover, we have finally lipid lowe…

Altilix® Supplement Containing Chlorogenic Acid and Luteolin Improved Hepatic and Cardiometabolic Parameters in Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome: A 6…

2019

The objective was to evaluate the effects of 6 months of supplementation with Altilix&reg

Gut Microbiota, Obesity and Bariatric Surgery: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives.

2019

Background::There is an urgent need for a better understanding and management of obesity and obesity- associated diseases. It is known that obesity is associated with structural and functional changes in the microbiome.Methods::The purpose of this review is to present current evidence from animal and human studies, demonstrating the effects and the potential efficacy of microbiota modulation in improving obesity and associated metabolic dysfunctions.Results::This review discusses possible mechanisms linking gut microbiota dysbiosis and obesity, since there is a dual interaction between the two of them. Furthermore, comments on bariatric surgery, as a favourable model to understand the under…

Promoting a Syndemic Approach for Cardiometabolic Disease Management During COVID-19: The CAPISCO International Expert Panel

2021

Efforts in the fight against COVID-19 are achieving success in many parts of the world, although progress remains slow in other regions. We believe that a syndemic approach needs to be adopted to address this pandemic given the strong apparent interplay between COVID-19, its related complications, and the socio-structural environment. We have assembled an international, multidisciplinary group of researchers and clinical practitioners to promote a novel syndemic approach to COVID-19: the CArdiometabolic Panel of International experts on Syndemic COvid-19 (CAPISCO). This geographically diverse group aims to facilitate collaborative-networking and scientific exchanges between researchers and …

Novel therapeutical approaches to managing atherosclerotic risk

2021

Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial vascular disease that leads to inflammation and stiffening of the arteries and decreases their elasticity due to the accumulation of calcium, small dense Low Density Lipoproteins (sdLDL), inflammatory cells, and fibrotic material. A review of studies pertaining to cardiometabolic risk factors, lipids alterations, hypolipidemic agents, nutraceuticals, hypoglycaemic drugs, atherosclerosis, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammation was performed. There are several therapeutic strategies including Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, inclisiran, bempedoic acid, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), and nutraceuticals t…

Novel molecular markers of cardiovascular disease risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus

2021

Diabetes represents the leading risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Chronic hyperglycemia and/or acute post-prandial changes in blood glucose determine an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), which play a fundamental role in endothelial dysfunction and in the nuclear transport of pro-atherogenic transcription factors that activate the "inflammasome". In addition, the glycemic alteration favors the formation and stabilization of atherosclerotic plaque through the mechanism of non-enzymatic glycation of different molecules, with the establishment of the so-called "advanced glycosylation end products" (AGE). Laboratory information provided by the level of bio…

Nutraceuticals as Lipid-Lowering Treatment in Pregnancy and Their Effects on the Metabolic Syndrome.

2015

Maternal nutrition and lifestyle before and during pregnancy influence both mother and offspring's health and can be correlated with the metabolic syndrome in later life. Findings from animal and human studies indicate that nutrition during pregnancy has an important role in microbiological, metabolic, physiologic and immunologic development and homeostasis. A low nutritional intake in early pregnancy may represent a risk for adverse effects during pregnancy as well as on birth outcome. It seems that dietary supplementation with probiotics in perinatal period may represent safe and practical approach in dealing with the most common adverse pregnancy outcomes such as obesity and gestational …

Effetti della dialisi sul rischio cardiovascolare nei pazienti uremici: aumento delle particelle remnants

2009

Le variazioni dei valori dell’assetto lipidico durante la risposta di fase acuta post-infarto miocardico acuto sono accompagnate da modifiche nel siz…

2001

Gender differences in the battle against COVID‐19: Impact of genetics, comorbidities, inflammation and lifestyle on differences in outcomes

2020

Abstract It has been over six months now since the entire globe was struck by the new Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19; aka severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 [SARS‐CoV‐2]), which has affected 215 nations. The medical and scientific communities continue to search for and study potential treatments for COVID‐19 as well as an effective vaccine. As of 21 June 2020, 11.4 million cases have been confirmed worldwide, with approximately 530,000 deaths. A large number of scientific papers have been produced, hundreds of thousands of patients have been hospitalized and studied, several treatments and vaccines are being tested in randomized clinical trials, social distancing regulation…

Significance of Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and Platelet Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) in Diabetic Foot Ulcer and Potential New Therapeutic Targets

2021

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a well-known complication of diabetes and a significant burden on the national health systems. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio are inexpensive and easily accessible biomarkers that have proved to be useful in several inflammatory, infectious and cardiovascular diseases. We carried out a comprehensive review examining the association of NLR and PLR with the onset and progression of DFU. PLR and NLR were significantly increased in patients with DFU, compared with a control group of T2DM patients without DFU, and correlate well with DFU severity, evaluated by Wagner and IWGDF grading scales. In patients with diabetic foot infect…

Utilità della citologia nasale.

2009

We-P11:264 Use of stents with sirolimus is significantly associated with a reduction in mortality and cardiovascular morbidity at 6- and 12-months po…

2006

Incretin-based therapies in 2021 – Current status and perspectives for the future

2021

Atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype and LDL size and subclasses in drug-naïve patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.

2009

Lipid lowering nutraceuticals in clinical practice: position paper from an International Lipid Expert Panel.

2017

1.1. Cardiovascular disease and dyslipidemia: prevalence and global economic impact Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality worldwide, reaching 31% of deaths in 2012 [1]. In particular, atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease (IHD) are the main causes of premature death in Europe and are responsible for 42% of deaths in women and 38% in men under 75 years old [2]. The global economic impact of CVD is estimated to have been US $906 billion in 2015 and is expected to rise by 22% by 2030 [3]. Cardiovascular diseases also represent the major cause of disability in developed countries. It has been estimated that their growing burden could lead to a global increase in…

Dati del follow-up di 6 mesi sui primi 100 pazienti con stent medicati con rapamicina, con situazioni anatomiche e cliniche favorenti la restenosi

2004

GLP-1 receptor agonists, carotid atherosclerosis and retinopathy

2017

It is known that diabetes is associated with the development of premature atherosclerosis and microvascular complications and consequently increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. In ...

Metabolic Syndrome and Vitamin D Levels in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

2018

Numerous studies have indicated that obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), may contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and diabetes. Moreover, OSAS has been associated with lowered vitamin D (Vit D) levels, but reports are inconclusive. Aim of the study was to compare Vit D levels according to the presence of MetS and its components in OSAS patients.The presence of MetS was evaluated and serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were measured in consecutive newly diagnosed, by polysomnography, subjects with OSAS.A total of 107 subjects (88 men) with OSAS were included in the study. Patients were divided into group A (OSAS with MetS group: 55 subjects) and group B (OS…

Death by SARS-CoV 2: a Romanian COVID-19 multi-centre comorbidity study

2020

AbstractEvidence regarding the relation between SARS-CoV-2 mortality and the underlying medical condition is scarce. We conducted an observational, retrospective study based on Romanian official data about location, age, gender and comorbidities for COVID-19 fatalities. Our findings indicate that males, hypertension, diabetes, obesity and chronic kidney disease were most frequent in the COVID-19 fatalities, that the burden of disease was low, and that the prognosis for 1-year survival probability was high in the sample. Evidence shows that age-dependent pairs of comorbidities could be a negative prognosis factor for the severity of disease for the SARS-CoV 2 infection.

LDL size, density and receptor affinity variation during an oral load in mild hyper-triglyceridemic and normal subjects

2003

The Dual Pandemics of COVID-19 and Obesity: Bidirectional Impact

2022

: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, has been shown to disrupt many organ systems in the human body. Though several medical disorders have been affected by this infection, a few illnesses in addition may also play a role in determining the outcome of COVID-19. Obesity is one such disease which is not only affected by the occurrence of COVID-19 but can also result in a worse clinical outcome of COVID-19 infection. This manuscript summarizes the most recent evidence supporting the bidirectional impact of COVID-19 and obesity. It highlights how the presence of obesity can be detrimental to the outcome of COVID-19 in a given …

Intensive LDL-cholesterol lowering therapy and neurocognitive function

2017

The key lipid-lowering target is to achieve guideline-recommended low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, usually by using statins. The new treatment strategies for lipid-lowering therapy include using proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors as an exciting approach to reduce residual risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). However, concerns about possible adverse effects, including neurocognitive disorders, were issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The current disputable evidence does not allow definite conclusions as to whether statins contribute to, or cause, clinically meaningful cognitive impairment. Some evidence indicates a high rate of…

When periods stop: cardiovascular consequences of PCOS.

2009

Fibrinogen as predictor of mortality in a 42-months follow-up after acute myocardial infarction

2002

Il fibrinogeno come predittore di mortalita’ in un follow-up di 42 mesi post-infarto miocardico acuto

2002

Who needs to care about small, dense low-density lipoproteins?

2007

Summary Background:  Increasing evidence suggest that the ‘quality’ rather than only the ‘quantity’ of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) exerts a great influence on the cardiovascular risk. Small, dense LDL seem to be an important predictor of cardiovascular events and progression of coronary artery disease (CAD) and their predominance has been accepted as an emerging cardiovascular risk factor by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. Discussion:  Some studies showed in past years that small, dense LDL are usually elevated in patients at very high cardiovascular risk, such as those with CAD and type 2 diabetes. More recently elevated levels of these particles hav…

Adipokines and Lipoproteins: Modulation by Antihyperglycemic and Hypolipidemic Agents

2014

Abstract Adipose tissue is an endocrine organ that secretes a number of hormones and metabolically active substances that impact energy metabolism and insulin sensitivity. These inflammatory markers are collectively referred to as adipocytokines, or adipokines. Adipose tissue's functional capacity and metabolic activity vary among individuals, thus partly explaining the incomplete overlap between obesity and the metabolic syndrome. The functional failure of adipose tissues results in changed energy delivery and impaired glucose consumption, triggering self-regulatory mechanisms to maintain homeostasis. Antihyperglycemic, hypolipidemic, antiobesity, and angiotensin II receptor blocker drugs …

Leukotriene receptor antagonists in monotherapy or in combination with antihistamines in the treatment of chronic urticaria: a systematic review

2008

Gabriele Di Lorenzo1, Alberto D&amp;rsquo;Alcamo1, Manfredi Rizzo1, Maria Stefania Leto-Barone1, Claudia Lo Bianco1, Vito Ditta1, Donatella Politi1, Francesco Castello1, Ilenia Pepe1, Gaetana Di Fede2, GiovamBattista Rini11Dipartimento di Medicina clinica e delle Patologie Emergenti; 2Dipartimento di Discipline Chirurgiche ed Oncologiche, Universit&amp;agrave; degli Studi di Palermo, ItalyAbstract: In vitro and in vivo clinical and experimental data have suggested that leukotrienes play a key role in inflammatory reactions of the skin. Antileukotriene drugs, ie, leukotriene receptor antagonists and synthesis inhibitors, are a class of anti-inflammatory drugs that have shown clinical efficac…

Liraglutide Increases Serum Levels of MicroRNA-27b, -130a and -210 in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Novel Epigenetic Effect

2020

Liraglutide has shown favourable effects on several cardiometabolic risk factors, beyond glucose control. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression, resulting in post-transcriptional modifications of cell response and function. Specific miRNAs, including miRNA-27b, miRNA-130a, and miRNA-210, play a role in cardiometabolic disease. We aimed to determine the effect of liraglutide on the serum levels of miRNA-27b, miRNA-130a and miRNA-210. Twenty-five subjects with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), na&iuml

Il polimorfismo genico del CD14 C(-260)>T non e’ un fattore di rischio per infarto miocardico acuto

2002

Abstract 18967: Analysis of Vitamin D Levels in Patients With and Without Statin-induced Myalgia - A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of 7 Studies…

2014

Introduction: Vitamin D (vit D) deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of statin-related muscle complaints, and symptomatic myalgia in statin-treated patients. Hypothesis: The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate whether subjects with statin-induced myalgia have lower serum vit D levels compared with those who are asymptomatic. Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus and EMBASE (up to March 2014) to identify studies that investigated the impact of vit D levels in statin-treated subjects with and without myalgia. Two independent reviewers extracted data on study characteristics, methods and outcomes. Results: The electronic search yielded 4…

Therapeutic patient education in oncology: pedagogical notions for women's health and prevention.

2007

Therapeutic patient education has been defined by the World Health Organization as a comprehensive approach to support patients and their families to better understanding of their diseases. In oncology, the contribution of therapeutic education may enable the patients to have adequate information of the illness, to actively participate in the management of the disease, to understand how to live with the illness, to learn how to face the critical moments of the clinical course, and to live in harmony with all health professionals. In addition, there may be several advantages for health professionals: a reduction in emotional labour, increased professional satisfaction, and a reduction in the…

Levels of b-sitosterol in a sicilian sample of hyper-cholesterolemic patients

2002

Investigating dysfunctional-hdl in selected groups of patients at high risk of cardiovascular events (dys-hdl study) - Protocol and organization

2014

The potential role of mitochondrial ATP synthase inhibitory factor 1 (IF1) in coronary heart disease: a literature review

2017

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, and so the search for innovative and accurate biomarkers for guiding prevention, diagnosis, and treatment is a valuable clinical and economic endeavor. Due to a recent findings that the serum concentration of mitochondrial ATP synthase inhibitory factor 1 (IF1) is an independent prognostic factor in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), we reviewed the role of this protein in myocardial ischemic preconditioning, its correlation to plasma high density lipoprotein (HDL), the predictive potential in patients with CHD, and its interplay with angiogenesis. IF1 has been positively correlated with plasma HDL-cholesterol, a…

Hydroxychloroquine, COVID ‐19 and diabetes. Why it is a different story

2020

Hydroxychloroquine has been proposed for the cure of the COVID-19 due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-viral action. People with diabetes are more prone to severe outcome if affected by COVID-19 and the use of Hydroxychloroquine might have some benefit in this setting. However, the use of Hydroxychloroquine in diabetes deserves particular attention for its documented hypoglycemic action.

Should we measure routinely oxidised and atherogenic dense low-density lipoproteins in subjects with type 2 diabetes?

2010

Beyond low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol concentrations, in recent years, several clinical studies have shown that both oxidised and small, dense LDL have a strong predictive role for the presence of vascular atherosclerosis. These two lipid parameters seem to have a synergistic impact on cardiovascular risk, with a greater importance in patients at higher-risk, such as those with type-2 diabetes. Increased levels of oxidised and small, dense LDL levels are a feature of diabetic dyslipidaemia, and small, dense LDL have been shown to be a good predictor of future cardiovascular events, at both univariate and multivariate analyses. On the other hand, although the association of oxidis…

Weight loss programmes using low carbohydrate diets to control the cardiovascular risk in adolescents (Review).

2020

Cardiovascular risk (CVR) is a broad term that includes traditional factors like hypertension, hyper lipidemia, abdominal obesity, hyperinsulinemia or overt type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and emerging ones such as hypothyroidism or inflammatory diseases. In epidemiologic studies, all of these factors are associated with atherogenesis and have complex interactions between them. They have in common an increased prevalence in the general population beginning in childhood, and are correlated with endothelial damage as demonstrated by echocardiographic modifications of the left ventricle or carotid intima-media thickness. Adolescence is a transition period where behavioural eating patterns dev…

Prediction of cardio- and cerebro-vascular events in patients with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis and the metabolic syndrome.

2009

Validita’ clinica dei marker ossei.

2003

Nutraceutical approaches to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): A position paper from the International Lipid Expert Panel (ILEP)

2023

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a common condition affecting around 10–25% of the general adult population, 15% of children, and even > 50% of individuals who have type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is a major cause of liver-related morbidity, and cardiovascular (CV) mortality is a common cause of death. In addition to being the initial step of irreversible alterations of the liver parenchyma causing cirrhosis, about 1/6 of those who develop NASH are at risk also developing CV disease (CVD). More recently the acronym MAFLD (Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease) has been preferred by many European and US specialists, providing a clearer message on the metabolic etiology of the dis…

Post-COVID syndrome, inflammation, and diabetes

2022

The raging COVID-19 pandemic is in its third year of global impact. The SARS CoV 2 virus has a high rate of spread, protean manifestations, and a high morbidity and mortality in individuals with predisposing risk factors. The pathophysiologic mechanisms involve a heightened systemic inflammatory state, cardiometabolic derangements, and varying degrees of glucose intolerance. The latter can be evident as significant hyperglycemia leading to new -onset diabetes or worsening of preexisting disease. Unfortunately, the clinical course beyond the acute phase of the illness may persist in the form of a variety of symptoms that together form the so-called "Long COVID" or "Post-COVID Syndrome". It i…

Low-density-lipoprotein heterogeneity and the metabolic syndrome.

2007

Low prevalence of the atherogenic small, dense LDL in a mediterranean population. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases

2002

Accumulo di particelle aterogene remnants dopo la dialisi in pazienti uremici

2002

La somministrazione di amphotericina B per via endoarteriosa rappresenta una valida e sicura terapia della mucormicosi

2003

La somministrazione di amfotericina B per via endoarteriosa rappresenta una valida e sicura terapia della mucormicosi

2003

Dati di mortalita’ e morbilita’ del follow-up condotto su 123 pazienti sottoposti ad angioplastica coronarica

2001

SUBFRACTIONS AND SUBPOPULATIONS OF HDL: AN UPDATE

2014

High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are classified as atheroprotective because they are involved in transport of cholesterol to the liver, known as "reverse cholesterol transport (RCT)" exerting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. There is also evidence for cytoprotective, vasodilatory, antithrombotic, and anti-infectious activities for these lipoproteins. HDLs are known by structural, metabolic and biologic heterogeneity. Thus, different methods are able to distinguish several subclasses of HDL. Different separation techniques appear to support different HDL fractions as being atheroprotective or related with lower cardiovascular (CV) risk. However, HDL particles are not always prote…

Clinical predictors of adverse events in a 1 year follow-up study post-PTCA.

2002

Correlazione in 309 pazienti coronaropatici tra i livelli di HDL-colesterolo e l’estensione della coronaropatia

2001

Cardiovascular and Cardioprotective Agents in 2021

2021

Fasting and postprandial effects of rosiglitazone on low- and high-density lipoproteins size and subclasses in type-2 diabetes.

2010

Ezetimibe with or without simvastatin increases small dense low-density lipoproteins in healthy men – a randomized trial

2010

The effects of anti-diabetic drugs on LDL subclasses: any role for colesevelam?

2014

Relative Prevalence of Different Androgen Excess Disorders in 950 Women Referred because of Clinical Hyperandrogenism

2006

Context: We undertook this study to estimate the prevalence of the various androgen excess disorders using the new criteria suggested for the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Setting: The study was performed at two endocrine departments at the University of Palermo (Palermo, Italy). Patients: The records of all patients referred between 1980 and 2004 for evaluation of clinical hyperandrogenism were reevaluated. All past diagnoses were reviewed using the actual diagnostic criteria. To be included in this study, the records of the patients had to present the following available data: clinical evaluation of hyperandrogenism, body weight and height, testosterone (T), free T, dehyd…

NLRP3 Inflammasome Biomarker-Could Be the New Tool for Improved Cardiometabolic Syndrome Outcome.

2020

Metabolomics, the research area studying chemical processes involving metabolites, finds its utility in inflammasome biomarker discovery, thus representing a novel approach for cardiometabolic syndrome pathogeny acknowledgements. Metabolite biomarkers discovery is expected to improve the disease evolution and outcome. The activation of abundantly expressed NLRP3 inflammasome represents the background process of the diabetes mellitus disturbances like hyperglycemia and insulin resistance, as well as for myocardial cell death and fibrosis, all of them being features characteristic for cardiometabolic syndrome. Many molecules like troponins, brain natriuretic protein (BNP), ST2/IL-33, C-reacti…

Cystatin C levels are decreased in acute myocardial infarction: Effect of cystatin C G73A gene polymorphism on plasma levels

2005

Background: Cystatin C is the most abundant protease inhibitor in the plasma. Low plasma levels have been found in patients with aortic aneurysms and they seem correlated with the extension of the aortic lesions in early aneurysms detected by ultrasonography. Methods: In this study, plasma levels of cystatin C have been investigated in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), unstable angina and controls. The effect on plasma levels of the G73A polymorphism of the CST3 gene has been also evaluated. Results: Patients with acute myocardial infarction showed significantly lower levels of cystatin C compared to unstable angina and controls, but levels were nearly normal in a week after …

Postmarketing nutrivigilance safety profile: a line of dietary food supplements containing red yeast rice for dyslipidemia

2021

IntroductionIn the absence of a European standardized postmarketing food supplement surveillance system (nutrivigilance), some member states and companies have developed their own approaches to monitoring potential adverse reactions to secure a high level of product safety. This paper describes the use of a nutrivigilance system in monitoring the incidence of spontaneously reported suspected adverse reactions associated with food supplements containing red yeast rice (RYR).Material and methodsWe report the data from a widely used product marketed under the trademark Armolipid/Armolipid Plus. Postmarketing information was collected in a voluntary nutrivigilance system established by the manu…

Endothelial dysfunction and carotid lesions are strong predictors of clinical events in patients with early stages of atherosclerosis: a 24 months fo…

2009

Nutraceuticals and Lipid Management

2020

Scientific data support the effectiveness of reducing total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in preventing atherosclerotic disease cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events. Current guidelines suggest the use of innovative nutritional strategies in lipid management based on consumption of nutraceuticals and functional foods. Nutraceuticals are products isolated or purified from foods (generally sold in medicinal forms), while a functional food is similar in appearance to, or may be, a conventional food. Both nutritional components promote health, lead to better well-being, and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, possibly by affecting plasma lipid levels. The m…

ASSOCIATION OF ELEVATED FIBRINOGEN AND C-REACTIVE PROTEIN LEVELS WITH CAROTID LESIONS IN PATIENTS WITH EARLY ONSET OF HYPERTENSION OR TYPE II DIABETE…

2006

Neurological Consequences, Mental Health, Physical Care, and Appropriate Nutrition in Long-COVID-19.

2022

SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused a collapse of the world health systems. Now, vaccines and more effective therapies have reversed this crisis but the scenario is further aggravated by the appearance of a new pathology, occurring as SARS-CoV-2 infection consequence: the long-COVID-19. This term is commonly used to describe signs and symptoms that continue or develop after acute infection of COVID-19 up to several months. In this review, the consequences of the disease on mental health and the neurological implications due to the long-COVID are described. Furthermore, the appropriate nutritional approach and some recommendations to relieve the symptoms of the pathology are presented. Data colle…

Effects “beyond-cholesterol” of statins: simvastatin reduces the levels of atherogenic lipoproteins in patients with premature coronary artery disease

2002

Bassa prevalenza delle LDL aterogene piccole e dense in una popolazione mediterranea

2002

Le LDL generate in fase post-prandiale dopo carico grasso presentano maggiore densita’, minore size e maggiore affinita’ per il recettore

2004

Markers of inflammation are strong predictors of subclinical and clinical atherosclerosis in women with hypertension

2009

Comparison of the effects of metformin and rosiglitazone in anovulatory women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

2003

Recent insights on atherogenic dyslipidemia and cardiovascular risk.

2009

The significance of low-density lipoproteins size in vascular diseases

2006

Low density lipoproteins (LDL) comprise in humans two different main fractions: large, buoyant and small, dense particles. Small, dense LDL particles correlate negatively with plasma HDL levels and positively with plasma triglyceride concentrations and are associated with the metabolic syndrome and increased risk for cardiovascular disease. LDL size seems to be an important predictor of cardiovascular events and progression of coronary heart disease (CHD). In addition, several studies have suggested that therapeutic modulation of specific LDL subclasses may be of great benefit in reducing the atherosclerotic risk. Therefore, LDL size measurement may be of potential value in the clinical ass…

Correlazione fra deficit di vit.D monoidrossilata e danno epatico in soggetti talassemici adulti

2002

Effect of pistachio on brachial artery diameter and flow-mediated dilatation: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, controlled-feeding…

2017

Background: Results of previous clinical trials evaluating the effect of pistachio supplementation on endothelial reactivity (ER) are controversial. Aims: We aimed to assess the impact of pistachio on ER through systematic review of literature and meta-analysis of available randomized, controlled-feeding clinical studies (RCTs). Methods: The literature search included SCOPUS, PubMed-Medline, ISI Web of Science and Google Scholar databases up to 1st August 2017 to identify RCTs investigating the impact of pistachio on ER. Two independent reviewers extracted data on study characteristics, methods and outcomes. Overall, the impact of pistachio on ER was reported in 4 trials. Results: The meta-…

Accumulo di VLDL/IDL contenenti ApoE in maschi normolipemici con cardiopatia ischemica precoce

2000

Effects “beyond-cholesterol” by statins: a 3-months therapy with simvastatin reduces the atherogenic lipoproteins in patients with premature coronary…

2004

Efficacy of a fasting-mimicking diet in functional therapy for depression: A randomised controlled pilot trial.

2020

Objective: This randomized controlled trial examined the efficacy of adding a fasting‐mimicking diet to a structured psychotherapy protocol for treating depression.Design: Of 20 patients with depression, 10 were randomly assigned to psychotherapy and dieting (i.e., experimental group) and the other 10 to psychotherapy only (i.e., control group). Patients in both groups received20 individual sessions of functional therapy along with nutrition consultation. Patients in the control group were instructed to maintain their usual daily diets. Results: Both treatments were effective in reducing depression as well as increasing self‐esteem and quality of life. The experimental group showed improved…

Current Pharmacological Treatment of Painful Diabetic Neuropathy: A Narrative Review.

2020

Background and Objectives: Distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (DSPN) is one of the most common chronic complications of diabetes mellitus. Although it is usually characterized by progressive sensory loss, some patients may develop chronic pain. Assessment of DSPN is not difficult, but the biggest challenge is making the correct diagnosis and choosing the right treatment. The treatment of DSPN has three primary objectives: glycemic control, pathogenic mechanisms, and pain management. The aim of this brief narrative review is to summarize the current pharmacological treatment of painful DSPN. It also summarizes knowledge on pathogenesis-oriented therapy, which is generally overlooked in many p…

Liraglutide Reduces Carotid Intima-Media Thickness by Reducing Small Dense Low-Density Lipoproteins in a Real-World Setting of Patients with Type 2 D…

2020

Introduction: Liraglutide has several non-glycemic effects, including those on plasma lipids and lipoproteins, contributing to its cardiovascular benefit; however, the exact underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated a novel anti-atherogenic effect of liraglutide in a real-world prospective study on patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods: Sixty-two patients with T2DM (31 men, 31 women; mean age ± standard deviation 61 ± 9 years) naïve to incretin-based therapies were treated with liraglutide (1.2 mg/day) as add-on therapy to metformin (1500–3000 mg/day) for 4 months. Laboratory analyses included the assessment of lipoprotein subclass profile by gel electrophoresis (Lipopri…

Simvastatin reduces the levels of ApoE-containing triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in men with premature coronary artery disease

2002

Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Coexistent Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Overlap Syndrome).

2020

Background: Evidence suggests that metabolic syndrome (MetS) is highly prevalent in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, ...

A novel therapeutic approach to colorectal cancer in diabetes: role of metformin and rapamycin

2019

International audience; The link between colorectal cancer (CRC), diabetes mellitus (DM) and inflammation is well established, and polytherapy, including rapamycin, has been adopted. This study is a novel approach that aimed at assessing the effect of a combination therapy of metformin and rapamycin on the control or prevention of CRC in diabetic animals, in presence or absence of probiotics. Fifty NOD/SCIDs male mice developed xenograft by inoculating HCT116 cells. They were equally divided into diabetics (induced by Streptozotocin) and non-diabetics. Metformin was given in drinking water, whereas rapamycin was administered via intra-peritoneal injections. Probiotics were added to the doub…

Incretin-Based Therapies Role in COVID-19 Era: Evolving Insights

2020

The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led the scientific community to breach new frontiers in the understanding of human physiology and disease pathogenesis. It has been hypothesized that the human dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) enzyme receptor may be a functional target for the spike proteins of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since DPP4-inhibitors are currently used for the treatment of patients with type-2 diabetes (T2DM), there is currently high interest in the possibility that these agents, or incretin-based therapies (IBTs) in general, may be of benefit against the new coronavirus infection. Diabetes is associated with increased COV…