Search results for "FN"

Why, whether and how to use high-flow nasal therapy in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

2021

Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) represents the standard of care for respiratory support of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) developing acute hypercapnic respiratory failure (AHRF) [1]. NIV has been shown to reduce patient’s work of breathing and mortality and be feasibly implemented in various hospital location facilities at different timing, based on the severity of AHRF [2] and it is also widely used in clinical practice by physicians [3]. However, clinicians’ knowledge, experience and expertise in the management of NIV are crucial for its success in order to overcome common problems that may lower its effectiveness such as patients’ discomf…

Relationship Between Ambulatory Artery Stiffness Index and Glomerular Filtration Rate in Essential Hypertension

2007

Relationship between aortic stiffness and albumin excretion rate in untreated essential hypertensive patients

2004

Analysis of molecular mechanisms and anti-tumoural effects of zoledronic acid in breast cancer cells

2012

Zoledronic acid (ZOL) is the most potent nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate (N-BPs) that strongly binds to bone mineral and acts as a powerful inhibitor of bone resorption, already clinically available for the treatment of patients with osteolytic metastases. Recent data also suggest that ZOL, used in breast cancer, may provide more than just supportive care modifying the course of the disease, though the possible molecular mechanism of action is still unclear. As breast cancer is one of the primary tumours with high propensity to metastasize to the bone, we investigated, for the first time, differential gene expression profile on Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) breast cancer cells tre…

Arterial Stiffness: Effects of Anticancer Drugs Used for Breast Cancer Women

2021

Purpose: It is well known that anticancer drugs used for treating breast cancer can cause cardiac toxicity, and less is known about vascular toxicity. The aim of this study was to assess subclinical vascular effects of anthracyclines and trastuzumab (TRZ) in women treated for breast cancer.Methods: We enrolled 133 female patients with breast cancer undergoing adjuvant treatment with anthracycline-containing chemotherapy (CT) followed by taxane (paclitaxel/docetaxel) + TRZ. Patients underwent a standard echocardiography including measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction and global longitudinal strain at baseline and at follow-up. Vascular toxicity was evaluated by measuring brachial…

AB0563 AORTIC ROOT DILATION IN ASSOCIATED WITH THE REDUCTION OF CAPILLARY DENSITY OBSERVED AT NAILFOLD CAPILLAROSCOPY IN SSC PATIENTS

2020

Background:Systemic sclerosis (SSc) in a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by endothelial dysfunction and diffuse microangiopathy, leading to tissue ischemia and inducing fibrosis of skin and visceral organs. Furthermore, it was demonstrated the impairment of wall elasticity of large-medium vessels, such as aorta and its branches (1). SSc-related microangiopathy of vasa vasorum of the aortic wall could also be supposed. However no data on this hypothesis are available in literature.SSc microangiopathy may be easily studied at the nailfold by means of videocapillaroscopy. Indeed, capillaroscopic findings are representative of the microvascular damage caused by SSc troughout the body.O…

The Renal Dangers of an Increased Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index

2020

Although a number of longitudinal investigations assessed the ability of aortic PWV to predict the development of kidney disfunction or progression of renal disease, little is known about the association of CAVI with the risk of renal function deterioration. In the current issue of the American Journal of Hypertension is published a paper of Itano S et al, that add a new piece of evidence in this scenario. The authors analyzed data from the national health check-up system in Japan, including 24.297 participants with normal baseline kidney function. They found that those with CAVI measurements ≥8.1 had a higher risk for CKD events compared to their counterparts with CAVI measurements <8.1…

Arterial stiffness in obese CPAP-treated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): A seven years prospective longitudinal study

2017

Introduction: Arterial stiffness measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) is elevated in severe OSA. A 1m/s increase in PWV is associated with a 15% increased risk of mortality. There is a paucity of data regarding long term evolution of PWV in CPAP-treated OSA. Aims: To measure PWV evolution in CPAP-treated OSA. Methods: In a prospective obese OSA cohort, we collected PWV, clinical and biological metabolic data, incident cardiovascular events and CPAP adherence at time of diagnosis and after at least 5-year follow-up. Results: 72 OSA (men: 52.8%, median age: 55.8 years and median BMI of 38.5 kg/m2) with a high prevalence of hypertension: 58.3%, Type 2 diabetes: 20.8%, hypercho…

Subclinical cardiovascular damage in patients with HCV cirrhosis before and after treatment with direct antiviral agents: a prospective study

2018

BACKGROUND Cirrhosis is associated with morpho-functional cardiovascular alterations. AIMS To detect early features of cardiovascular damage in HCV-compensated cirrhotic patients using myocardial deformation indices and carotid arterial stiffness, and, further, to evaluate their short-term behaviour after HCV eradication with direct antiviral agents (DAAs). METHODS Thirty-nine consecutive patients with HCV cirrhosis, without previous cardiovascular events, were studied and matched for age, gender and cardiovascular risk factors to 39 controls without liver or cardiovascular disease. Patients and controls underwent a baseline echocardiographic evaluation including global longitudinal strain …

Changes in neural drive to calf muscles during steady submaximal contractions after repeated static stretches

2021

Key points: Repeated static-stretching interventions consistently increase the range of motion about a joint and decrease total joint stiffness, but findings on the changes in muscle and connective-tissue properties are mixed. The influence of these stretch-induced changes on muscle function at submaximal forces is unknown. To address this gap in knowledge, the changes in neural drive to the plantar flexor muscles after a static-stretch intervention were estimated. Neural drive to the plantar flexor muscles during a low-force contraction increased after repeated static stretches. These findings suggest that adjustments in motor unit activity are necessary at low forces to accommodate reduct…