Search results for " visceral"
showing 10 items of 68 documents
In vivo and in vitro cytokine profiles and mononuclear cell subsets in sicilian patients with active visceral leishmaniasis
1995
Sera from Sicilian patients with confirmed visceral leishmaniasis (Leishmania donovani infantum) were analysed at the moment of the diagnosis, during the course of the disease and after clinical recovery, for the concentration of IL-10, IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-2. The results show high concentrations of IL-10 and IFN-gamma in the sera at the beginning of infection that return to the normal range following successful chemotherapy. By contrast, PBMC stimulated in vitro with Ag and mitogen produced low levels of IL-10 and IFN-gamma when collected at the time of the diagnosis and normal levels when assayed after recovery. IL-2 was undetected in the sera and was significantly reduced in the supern…
Cut-off points of the visceral adiposity index (VAI) identifying a visceral adipose dysfunction associated with cardiometabolic risk in a Caucasian S…
2011
Abstract Background The Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI) is a sex-specific mathematical index, based on Waist Circumference (WC), Body Mass Index (BMI), triglycerides (TG) and HDL cholesterol (HDL) levels, indirectly expressing visceral adipose function and insulin sensitivity. Our aim was to find the optimal cut-off points of VAI identifying a visceral adipose dysfunction (VAD) associated with cardiometabolic risk in a Caucasian Sicilian population. Methods Medical check-up data of 1,764 Primary Care patients (PC patients) were retrospectively and cross-sectionally examined using a receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve to determine appropriate stratified-for-age cut-off of VAI, for t…
Pasireotide treatment reduces cardiometabolic risk in Cushingâs disease patients: an Italian, multicenter study
2018
Purpose: Patients with Cushing’s disease (CD) experience metabolic alterations leading to increased cardiovascular mortality. Recently, the visceral adiposity index (VAI) has been proposed as a marker of visceral adipose tissue dysfunction (ATD) and of the related cardiometabolic risk. We aimed to evaluate the impact of 12-month pasireotide treatment on cardiometabolic risk in CD patients. Methods: This is a multicentre, prospective, and observational study. Sixteen CD patients, referred to the Endocrine Units of the University Hospitals of Messina, Napoli, Padova, and Palermo (Italy), successfully treated with pasireotide for 12 month have been enrolled. In all patients, we assessed anthro…
Knowledge, stigma, health seeking behaviour and its determinants among patients with post kalaazar dermal leishmaniasis, Bihar, India
2018
Background Lesishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease endemic in Bihar, India. Inappropriate health seeking behaviour of post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) patients may increase the disease duration, severity and transmissibility. Simultaneously, lack of knowledge and perceived stigma may also increase the length of delay in receiving treatment. This ultimately effects the kala-azar elimination program. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted in 120 confirmed PKDL patients, aged 18 years and older. Data related to knowledge and health seeking behaviour was collected by a pre-tested questionnaire. EMIC stigma scale was used for assessing the perceived stigma. Patients were …
A 6 day course of liposomal amphotericin B in the treatment of infantile visceral leishmaniasis: the Italian experience
2004
Objectives To evaluate in a retrospective analysis the efficacy and safety of a 6 day course of liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB) in infantile cases of Mediterranean visceral leishmaniasis (VL) diagnosed over a 10 year period in Italy. Patients and methods Patients included were diagnosed as having VL consecutively admitted from December 1992 to December 2001 at four main referral children's hospitals in Italy and treated with six intravenous doses of 3 mg/kg L-AmB given on days 1-5 and 10 (a total dose of 18 mg/kg). Demographic data, nutritional status, underlying diseases, clinical and laboratory findings, and therapy outcome were considered. Results A total of 164 HIV-negative children (m…
Arginase activity in the blood of patients with visceral leishmaniasis and HIV infection.
2013
Background Visceral leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease associated with high mortality. The most important foci of visceral leishmaniasis in Ethiopia are in the Northwest and are predominantly associated with high rates of HIV co-infection. Co-infection of visceral leishmaniasis patients with HIV results in higher mortality, treatment failure and relapse. We have previously shown that arginase, an enzyme associated with immunosuppression, was increased in patients with visceral leishmaniasis and in HIV seropositive patients; further our results showed that high arginase activity is a marker of disease severity. Here, we tested the hypothesis that increased arginase activities associated wi…
EARLY EFFICACY OF LIPOSOMAL AMPHOTERICIN B IN THE TREATMENT OF VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS
1996
The rapidity and efficacy of a short course of liposomal amphotericin B was evaluated in 29 children affected by visceral leishmaniasis (Leishmania infantum). Their overall health status was assessed using the prognostic inflammatory and nutritional index (PINI), and their haematological status by the reticulocyte count and haemoglobin blood levels. All these quantities were measured on day 0, and 3 and 10 d after starting therapy. A significant decrease of inflammatory signs, associated with an improved reticulocyte count, was recorded after 3 d of therapy. A significant increase of haemoglobin levels was also observed 10 d after the start of treatment. The early reduction of inflammatory …
Comparison of N-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide levels at different stages of visceral leishmaniosis and in patients with chronic kidney disea…
2018
N-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) may be a useful marker in canine leishmaniosis (CanL). The aim was to compare NT-proBNP in dogs at different LeishVet stages of CanL and with idiopathic chronic kidney disease (CKD). Dogs diagnosed with CanL or CKD and a group of healthy dogs were included (group A, five normal dogs; group B, six dogs LeishVet 1-2; group C, 13 dogs LeishVet 3-4; group D, six dogs with CKD). NT-proBNP was higher (P0.001) in group C (7.616 pmol/l, interquartile range (IQR) 3537-10,000 pmol/l) than in group A (293 pmol/l, IQR 257-373), group B (388.5 pmol/l, IQR 324-793) and group D (740 pmol/l, IQR 557-962 pmol/l). International Renal Interest Society (IRIS…
Visceral obesity and metabolic syndrome: two faces of the same medal?
2009
In this review, we have analyzed the role of visceral obesity in the occurrence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). MetS is a common metabolic disorder that has been related recently to the increasing prevalence of obesity. The disorder is defined in various ways, but in the near future a new definition(s) should be applicable worldwide. The pathophysiology has been largely attributed, in the past years, to insulin resistance, although several epidemiological and pathophysiological data now indicate visceral obesity as a main factor in the occurrence of all the components of MetS. In view of this, relationships among visceral obesity, free fatty acids, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance have bee…
Clinical and biochemical determinants of the extent of liver steatosis in type 2 diabetes mellitus
2015
Objective Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is very frequent in both type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the metabolic syndrome (MS), which share clinical and metabolic characteristics. Whether and to which extent these characteristics can predict the degree of liver steatosis are not entirely clear. Patients and methods We determined liver fat (divided into four classes) by standard sonographic images, and clinical and biochemical variables, in 60 consecutive patients with T2DM and with features of the MS. We examined both simple and multiple correlations between the degree of liver steatosis and the variables measured. Results Increased liver fat (defined as >5% of liver mass) was detec…