0000000001085628
AUTHOR
Angela Sciacqua
showing 11 related works from this author
Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I, Inflammatory Proteins, and Fibrosis in Subjects With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
2013
Inflammation may have a pathogenic role in the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); by contrast, the role of anti-inflammatory molecules has not been addressed. Low circulating levels of the anti-inflammatory molecule IGF-I have been described in subjects with NAFLD.The aim of the study was to elucidate the clinical significance of IGF-I in NAFLD and its relationship with inflammatory biomarkers and fibrosis.We conducted a cross-sectional study and in vitro experiments on hepatic HepG2 cells at the Internal Medicine and Gastrointestinal and Liver Units of the Universities of Catanzaro and Palermo.A total of 221 individuals with NAFLD diagnosed on ultrasonography (cohort …
What changed in the Italian internal medicine and geriatric wards during the lockdown
2021
A total of 48 internal medicine or geriatric wards among the 93 adhering to the register REPOSI answered an online questionnaire aimed to investigate the characteristics and activities of converted and non-converted wards in the crucial period of the first wave of the epidemic, 22 February-4 May 2020
Serum alkaline phosphatase negatively affects endothelium-dependent vasodilation in naïve hypertensive patients.
2015
Tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase, promoting arterial calcification in experimental models, is a powerful predictor of total and cardiovascular mortality in general population and in patients with renal or cardiovascular diseases. For this study, to evaluate a possible correlation between serum alkaline phosphatase levels and endothelial function, assessed by strain gauge plethysmography, we enrolled 500 naïve hypertensives divided into increasing tertiles of alkaline phosphatase. The maximal response to acetylcholine was inversely related to alkaline phosphatase ( r =−0.55; P <0.001), and this association was independent ( r =−0.61; P <0.001) of demographic and classical risk …
Insulin-resistance HCV infection-related affects vascular stiffness in normotensives
2015
BACKGROUND AND AIMS. Arterial stiffness evaluated as pulse wave velocity, is an early marker of vascular damage and an independent predictor for cardiovascular events. We investigated if the insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia chronic hepatitis C virus infection-related could influence arterial stiffness. METHODS. We enrolled 260 outpatients matched for age, body mass index, gender, ethnicity: 52 with never-treated uncomplicated chronic hepatitis C virus infection (HCV(+)), 104 never-treated hypertensives (HT) and 104 healthy subjects (NT). Pulse wave velocity was evaluated by a validated system employing high-fidelity applanation tonometry. We also measured: fasting plasma glucose and insu…
Sarcopenia and appendicular muscle mass as predictors of impaired fasting glucose/type 2 diabetes in elderly women
2021
Elderly women exhibit a high risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but no definitive data exist about the possible role of postmenopausal increases in visceral adiposity, the loss of lean body mass, or decreases in the sum of the lean mass of arms and legs (appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASMM)). This retrospective, longitudinal study investigated whether body composition (bioelectrical impedance analysis) predicted the development of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or T2D in a cohort of 159 elderly women (age: 71 ± 5 years, follow-up: 94 months) from southern Italy (Clinical Nutrition and Geriatric Units of the “Mater Domini” University Hospital in Catanzaro, Calabria region, and the “P. Giacco…
Relationship between low Ankle-Brachial Index and rapid renal function decline in patients with atrial fibrillation: a prospective multicentre cohort…
2015
Objective: To investigate the relationship between Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) and renal function progression in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Design: Observational prospective multicentre cohort study. Setting: Atherothrombosis Center of I Clinica Medica of 'Sapienza' University of Rome; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences of University Magna Græcia of Catanzaro; Atrial Fibrillation Registry for Ankle-Brachial Index Prevalence Assessment-Collaborative Italian Study. Participants: 897 AF patients on treatment with vitamin K antagonists. Main outcome measures: The relationship between basal ABI and renal function progression, assessed by the estimated Glomerular Filtration R…
Competitive interaction between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and CHA2DS2-VASc score in predicting incident atrial fibrillation
2018
Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and an emerging risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores are significantly associated with incident AF independently of other risk factors. The aim of this study was to demonstrate a possible interaction between COPD and CHA2DS2-VASc in predicting incident AF. Methods: This observational prospective cohort study included 4322 Caucasians with cardiovascular risk factors, stratified by CHA2DS2-VASc score (> 2 vs < 2) and presence/absence of COPD. To detect AF appearance, patients underwent, every 6 months, physical examination, standard 12‑lead electrocardiog…
Sympathovagal balance and 1-h postload plasma glucose in normoglucose tolerant hypertensive patients.
2015
AIMS: Normoglucose tolerant (NGT) subjects with a 1-h postload plasma glucose (PLPG) value ≥155 mg/dL have an increased risk of type-2 diabetes and subclinical organ damage. Heart rate variability (HRV) reflects cardiac autonomic balance, frequently impaired in course of diabetes. At this time, no data support the association between 1-h PLPG and HRV; thus, we investigated the possible association between 1-h PLPG and HRV. METHODS: We enrolled 92 never-treated hypertensive subjects (56 women, 36 men), aged 55 ± 9.8 years. During OGTT, the patients underwent electrocardiographic recordings to evaluate HRV in the time domain (SDNN). Insulin sensitivity was assessed by Matsuda index. RESULTS: …
Heart failure and chronic kidney disease in a registry of internal medicine wards
2014
Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between heart failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in tertiary care centers using the clinical records of patients enrolled in internal medicine departments.Patients and methods: We used the clinical records of 1380 elderly patients to identify patients with a history of HF and CKD using admission ICD codes and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) formulas. Magnitude and strength of such associations were investigated by univariable and multivariable analysis.Results: Of the 1380 patients enrolled, 27.9% had HF (age 80 ± 7, BMI 27 ± 6 kg/m2) and 17.4% CKD (age 81 ± 7, BMI 26.8 ± 6 kg/m2). Both groups were signific…
Choice and Outcomes of Rate Control versus Rhythm Control in Elderly Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Report from the REPOSI Study
2018
Background: Among rate-control or rhythm-control strategies, there is conflicting evidence as to which is the best management approach for non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) in elderly patients. Design: We performed an ancillary analysis from the ‘Registro Politerapie SIMI’ study, enrolling elderly inpatients from internal medicine and geriatric wards. Methods: We considered patients enrolled from 2008 to 2014 with an AF diagnosis at admission, treated with a rate-control-only or rhythm-control-only strategy. Results: Among 1114 patients, 241 (21.6%) were managed with observation only and 122 (11%) were managed with both the rate- and rhythm-control approaches. Of the remaining 751 patie…
Adherence to antithrombotic therapy guidelines improves mortality among elderly patients with atrial fibrillation: insights from the REPOSI study
2016
Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a substantial risk of thromboembolism and mortality, significantly reduced by oral anticoagulation. Adherence to guidelines may lower the risks for both all cause and cardiovascular (CV) deaths. Methods: Our objective was to evaluate if antithrombotic prophylaxis according to the 2012 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines is associated to a lower rate of adverse outcomes. Data were obtained from REPOSI; a prospective observational study enrolling inpatients aged ≥65 years. Patients enrolled in 2012 and 2014 discharged with an AF diagnosis were analysed. Results: Among 2535 patients, 558 (22.0 %) were discharged with a diagnos…