Search results for " RISK FACTORS"
showing 10 items of 570 documents
Outcomes of aortic valve repair according to valve morphology and surgical techniques
2012
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of aortic valve morphology and different surgical aortic valve repair techni- ques on long-term clinical outcomes. METHODS: Between February 2003 and May 2010, 216 patients with aortic insufficiency underwent aortic valve repair in our institu- tion. Ages ranged between 26 and 82 years (mean 53 ± 15 years). Aortic valve dysfunctions, according to functional classification, were: type I in 55 patients (25.5%), type II in 126 (58.3%) and type III in 35 (16.2%). Sixty-six patients (27.7%) had a bicuspid valve. Aortic valve repair techniques included sub-commissural plasty in 138 patients, plication in 84, free-edge reinforcement in 80,…
[Cardiovascular health in Asian immigrants to Italy: risk factors, pathogenesis and pharmacological treatment].
2021
In the last decades a significant increase of the migratory phenomenon from South Asian countries to the western world has occurred due to several factors, such as economic crisis, political instabilities, persecutions and wars. It is well established that South Asians (SA) have a higher prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and premature onset of myocardial infarction episodes than other populations. This higher predisposition might be caused by genetic factors, common in both SA residing in their birth country and in those residing abroad, but it may also be due to the new spatial environment in which they live. We have found a higher prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk fa…
Carotid plaque detection improves the predictve value of CHA2DS2-VASc score in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrilation: The ARAPACIS Study
2017
Abstract Background and aims Vascular disease (VD), as assessed by history of myocardial infarction or peripheral artery disease or aortic plaque, increases stroke risk in atrial fibrillation (AF), and is a component of risk assessment using the CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score. We investigated if systemic atherosclerosis as detected by ultrasound carotid plaque (CP) could improve the predictive value of the CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score. Methods We analysed data from the ARAPACIS study, an observational study including 2027 Italian patients with non-valvular AF, in whom CP was detected using Doppler Ultrasonography. Results VD was reported in 351 (17.3%) patients while CP was detected in 16.6% patients. Ad…
"Treatment is of primary importance, and social assistance is secondary": A qualitative study on the organisation of tuberculosis (TB) care and patie…
2018
Background Vulnerable individuals with tuberculosis (TB) struggle to access and stay on treatment. While patient-related and social barriers to TB treatment adherence are well documented, less is known about how the organisation and delivery of TB care influences adherence behaviour. Aim To examine the influence of TB service organisation and culture on patients’ experience of starting and staying on treatment in Riga, Latvia. Methods An intervention package to support adherence to TB treatment amongst vulnerable patients in Riga, Latvia was piloted between August 2016 and March 2017. Qualitative observations (5), interviews with staff (20) and with TB patients (10) were conducted mid-way a…
Influence of dietary fat and carbohydrates proportions on plasma lipids, glucose control and low-grade inflammation in patients with type 2 diabetes—…
2015
Purpose: The optimal macronutrient composition of the diet for the management of type 2 diabetes is debated, particularly with regard to the ideal proportion of fat and carbohydrates. The aim of the study was to explore the association of different proportions of fat and carbohydrates of the diet—within the ranges recommended by different guidelines—with metabolic risk factors. Methods: We studied 1785 people with type 2 diabetes, aged 50–75, enrolled in the TOSCA.IT Study. Dietary habits were assessed using a validated food-frequency questionnaire (EPIC). Anthropometry, fasting lipids, HbA1c and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. Results: Increasing fat intake from <25 to ≥35 % is …
Effects of Polyphenol, Measured by a Biomarker of Total Polyphenols in Urine, on Cardiovascular Risk Factors After a Long-Term Follow-Up in the PREDI…
2016
Several epidemiological studies have shown an inverse association between the consumption of polyphenol-rich foods and risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, accuracy and reliability of these studies may be increased using urinary total polyphenol excretion (TPE) as a biomarker for total polyphenol intake. Our aim was to assess if antioxidant activity, measured by a Folin-Ciocalteu assay in urine, is correlated with an improvement in cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure and serum glucose, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations) in an elderly population at high risk. A longitudinal study was performed with 573 participants (aged 67.3 ± 5.9) f…
Effects of dietary fiber intake on risk factors for cardiovascular disease in subjects at high risk
2009
Background: Epidemiological studies and feeding trials with supplements suggest that fibre intake is associated with a reduction in cardiovascular risk. However, the effects of changes in dietary fibre on risk factor levels have not been evaluated in free-living individuals. Thus, the effects of changes in dietary fibre intake on cardiovascular risk factors were assessed over 3 months in free-living high-risk subjects. Methods: 772 high-risk subjects (age 69±5 years) were assigned to a low-fat diet or two Mediterranean-style diets. All participants received behavioural and nutritional education, including recommendations for increasing the consumption of vegetables, fruits, and legumes. Cha…
Longitudinal associations of physical activity and sedentary time with cardiometabolic risk factors in children
2018
BACKGROUND There are few prospective studies on the associations of changes in objectively measured vigorous physical activity (VPA∆ ), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA∆ ), light physical activity (LPA∆ ), and sedentary time (ST∆ ) with changes in cardiometabolic risk factors (∆ ) in children. We therefore investigated these relationships among children. METHODS The participants were a population sample of 258 children aged 6-8 years followed for 2 years. We assessed PA and ST by a combined heart rate and movement sensor; computed continuous age- and sex-adjusted z-scores for waist circumference, blood pressure, and fasting insulin, glucose, triglycerides, and high-density lipop…
Influence of Demographic and Lifestyle Variables on Plasma Magnesium Concentrations and Their Associations with Cardiovascular Risk Factors in a Medi…
2020
Several studies have shown that a low magnesium (Mg) intake in the diet is associated with greater cardiovascular risk and greater risk of diabetes. However, the results are not consistent in all populations. To minimize the biases derived from diet measurement, more objective biomarkers of magnesium status have been proposed. Although there is still no ideal biomarker for Mg, several studies have shown that plasma Mg concentrations could be a relatively acceptable biomarker for cardiovascular risk assessment. However, further studies are required to better characterize this marker in different populations. Our aim was to analyze the association between plasma Mg concentrations (measured th…
Impact of a Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and Its Components on Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Glucose Control, and Body Weight in People with Type 2 D…
2018
This study evaluates the relation of a Mediterranean dietary pattern and its individual components with the cardiovascular risk factors profile, plasma glucose and body mass index (BMI) in people with type 2 diabetes. We studied 2568 participants at 57 diabetes clinics. Diet was assessed with the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) questionnaire, adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated with the relative Mediterranean diet score (rMED). A high compared to a low score was associated with a better quality of diet and a greater adherence to the nutritional recommendations for diabetes. However, even in the group achieving a high score, only a small prop…