0000000000668408
AUTHOR
M. Notarnicola
Integrated Small Dense Low-density Lipoprotein Profile in Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer: A longitudinal study
Background/Aim: Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are a heterogeneous class of particles that differ in size and density from each other. Small dense LDL (sdLDL) particles are considered more atherogenic than larger particles. The aim of the study was to evaluate serum levels of sdLDL in patients who died from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) or cancer in a cohort of patients followed up in the De Bellis Research Hospital for 20 years. Patients and Methods: A total of 75 participants who died of cancer and 87 who died of CVD were enrolled and they were matched for age and sex with 135 healthy controls, i.e. without CVD or cancer and are still alive. Results: Patients who died from cancer had the …
Dietary inflammatory index and mortality: a cohort longitudinal study in a Mediterranean area
Background: Higher Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) scores are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, little is known about the effects of DII on mortality in Mediterranean countries. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to investigate the potential association between DII scores and overall, cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in people living in a Mediterranean area. Methods: DII scores were calculated using a validated food-frequency questionnaire. DII scores were then categorised into tertiles. Mortality was ascertained via death certificates. The association between DII scores with overall and cause-specific mortality was assessed via a multivar…
Trends in adherence to the Mediterranean diet in South Italy: A cross sectional study
Background and aims: Increasing literature data show that adherence to the Mediterranean diet is undergoing profound changes in recent years, albeit with marked differences across nations. In Italy, one of the cradles of the Mediterranean diet, the literature regarding the trend for Mediterranean diet adherence is conflicting. Thus, we aimed to explore the trends of adherence to the Mediterranean diet in a large cohort of participants living in South Italy, over 20 years from 1985–86 to 2005–06. Methods and results: Cross-sectional study with two evaluations, one made in 1985–86 and another in 2005–06; all participants were adults aged 30–70 years of age. The adherence to the Mediterranean …
Coffee Intake and Liver Steatosis: A Population Study in a Mediterranean Area
Coffee drinking seems to have several beneficial effects on health outcomes. However, the effect on hepatic steatosis, depending on a high alcohol consumption (AFLD, alcoholic fatty liver disease) or on metabolic factors (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD), is still equivocal. Thus, we aimed to explore the potential association between coffee consumption and the presence and severity of hepatic steatosis in people with NAFLD or AFLD. In this cross-sectional study, coffee drinking was recorded using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and categorized as yes vs. no and as 0, 1, 2, ≥3. The degree of fatty liver was assessed through a standardized ultrasound examination (sc…
Nutrition and lipidomic profile in colorectal cancers
Background: Adherence to a healthy diet has been reported to be essential for the primary prevention of colorectal cancer, through a reduction of tissue inflammation, a low concentration of circulating lipoproteins and lower levels of serum cholesterol. Since an altered expression of the fatty acids pattern has been demonstrated to be a crucial event in colorectal carcinogenesis, lipidomic analysis is considered able to identify early diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of complex diseases such as colorectal cancer. Methods: cell membrane fatty acid profile and serum lipoproteins pattern were evaluated by gas chromatography and electrophoresis method respectively. Results: There is a close…
Reducing NAFLD-screening time: A comparative study of eight diagnostic methods offering an alternative to ultrasound scans.
Background & Aims: The use of ultrasound scan (US) in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) screening overloads US waiting lists. We hypothesized and tested a hybrid two-step method, consisting of applying a formula, to exclude subjects at low risk, before US. Methods: The sample included 2970 males and females (937 with NAFLD) diagnosed by US. We selected eight formulas: Fatty Liver Index (FLI), Hepatic Steatosis Index (HIS), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), Abdominal Volume Index (AVI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist/height0.5 (WHT.5R) and Body Roundness Index (BRI), and calculated their performance in the two-step method evaluating percentage reduction of the…