Search results for "SicilY"
showing 10 items of 2393 documents
Multiple sclerosis in southern Europe: Monreale City, Italy. A twenty-year follow-up incidence and prevalence study.
2004
BACKGROUND: Several follow-up studies showed increasing prevalence and incidence rates for multiple sclerosis (MS). OBJECTIVE:To ascertain, throughout a follow-up study, the incidence and prevalence of MS in the city of Monreale, Sicily, southern Italy. METHODS:We calculated crude and age- and sex-specific prevalence rates on December 31, 2000, and determined incidence rates for the period January 1, 1992 to December 31, 2000. RESULTS:The prevalence of MS was 71.2 per 100,000 population (48,5/100,000 in men; 93,0/100,000 in women). The incidence rate of MS for the period 1992-2000 was 4.0/100,000 per year. CONCLUSION:This study showed a nonsignificant increase in MS incidence rates in Monre…
TNFalpha, IFNgamma and IL-10 gene polymorphisms in a sample of Sicilian patients with coeliac disease.
2005
Coeliac disease is associated with DQ2 and DQ8 alleles, but other genes also confer an additional genetic risk.Defining whether the genetic profiles of interleukin-10, tumour necrosis factor alpha and interferon gamma are associated with an increased coeliac disease risk.The functionally gene polymorphisms of tumour necrosis factor alpha (-308G/A), interferon gamma (+874T/A) and interleukin-10 (-1082G/A) were typed using sequence specific primer-polymerase chain reaction in 110 Sicilian coeliac disease patients and in 220 Sicilian healthy controls.No differences in genotype frequencies of interleukin-10 polymorphisms were found between coeliac disease patients and healthy controls. A signif…
Prevalence of Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection in a Cohort of HIV-Positive Patients Resident in Sicily, Italy
2013
Occult hepatitis B virus (OBI) in HIV-infected groups is still debated, as well as the associated risk-factors and clinical significance. In this paper, we examined a total of 405 HBsAg-negative/HIV-infected patients enrolled from January 2007 to December 2009. Overall, the prevalence of OBI was 5.9% (95% confidence interval (CI95%): 3.8–8.7%); it was more frequently associated with “anti-HBc alone” serological marker (11.3%; adjusted odds ratio = 3.7, CI95%: 1.4–9.8), although it was also detected in the absence of any HBV serological marker (4.9%; CI95%: 2.3–9.1%). A low prevalence of anti-HCV-positive patients with OBI was found (3.1%; CI95%: 0.6–8.7%). HIV RNA plasma levels or other imm…
Vaccination against the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) among healthcare workers in the major teaching hospital of Sicily (Italy)
2011
The aim of the study was to investigate factors involved in vaccination acceptance among healthcare workers (HCWs) and adverse reactions rates associated with pandemic influenza vaccination. The study was carried out in the major teaching hospital of Sicily from November 2009 to February 2010 on 2267 HCWs. A total of 407 (18%) HCWs were vaccinated against the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1). A logistic regression analysis indicates an increased risk of non-vaccination against pandemic influenza in females (OR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.3-2.1) compared to males, in nurses/technicians/administrative workers (OR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.3-2.2) compared to doctors/biologists, and in HCWs who were non-vaccinat…
Functional pain in hospitalised and school children
2012
Aim. Aim of the study was to recognise the role of psychological disagreement in children and adolescents suffering from functional pain. Methods. Two groups of children, adolescents and their parents were interviewed: group H (hospitalized patients), group S (students, at school). Suitable investigations excluded organic lesions. The following data were analysed: 1) presence of pain in relation with: i) sex and age; ii) relation with parents, brothers, other relatives, schoolfellows; 2) efficacy of possible treatments. Results. Group H: 194 patients, median age 10 years; 134 referred pain: 62 out of 92 males and 72 out of 102 females; location of pain: abdomen, limbs, head, back. Family di…
Tuberculoid leprosy and Type 1 lepra reaction.
2008
Summary A patient is described with tuberculoid leprosy and Type 1 (lepra) reaction from Sicily a non-endemic region, who lived previously in Manila from 2000 to 2005. The skin lesions became acutely inflamed and edematous. The plaques were painless to touch or pinprick, and there was swelling of the nerves in the fibro-osseous tunnels under the surface of the skin, including both the ulnar nerve at the elbow, and the posterior tibial nerve (medial malleolus). During the course of electro-neurographic studies, conduction velocity in the motory nerves indicated a slowing-down. The diagnosis of leprosy was confirmed by residence in an endemic area for about 5 years, by simultaneous skin lesio…
Door-to-door prevalence survey of epilepsy in three Sicilian municipalities
2001
A door-to-door prevalence survey of epilepsy was conducted in 3 Sicilian municipalities, as of November 1, 1987. In phase 1, the screening by questionnaire of 24,496 eligible subjects (participation = 92%) identified 544 suspected to have epilepsy. In phase 2, neurological evaluation of the 544 subjects yielded 111 with epilepsy. Of the 111 subjects, 103 (93%) had been previously diagnosed, 68 (61%) were taking antiepileptic medication, and 81 (73%) had active epilepsy. Referring to the 81 subjects with active epilepsy, the seizure type was generalized in 60 (74%), partial in 19 (23%) and undetermined in 2 (3%). The prevalence of active epilepsy (per 1,000 population) was 3.3 overall, 3.5 f…
The impact of ten years of infant universal Varicella vaccination in Sicily, Italy (2003-2012).
2015
Introduction Universal varicella vaccination in Sicily was introduced in infant population since 2003, with a rapidly increasing coverage. Aim of the present study was to analyze changes in the epidemiology of varicella since the introduction of universal vaccination. Methods The study was performed by analyzing Sicilian administrative/clinical data on varicella case notifications and hospitalizations from 2003 to 2012 (ICD-9-CM discharge diagnosis codes 052 and 052.×). MMR+V and V coverage were also calculated for each birth cohort. Moreover, blood samples drawn in 2013/2014 from general population stratified by age were tested for varicella antibodies. Results From 2003 to 2012, 15 433 va…
Prevalence of Parkinson's disease and other types of parkinsonism in the Aeolian Archipelago, Sicily.
2007
Abstract Objective To estimate prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) and other types of parkinsonism in the Aeolian Archipelago, Sicily. Methods We studied the frequency of PD and other types of parkinsonism in the Aeolian Archipelago (population 13,431). All potential cases were identified from available medical information sources. To ensure the completeness of the case-findings, a screening questionnaire was also mailed to residents aged 40 years and over. Subjects were considered prevalent if they fulfilled the SNES diagnostic criteria for PD, on prevalence day (January 1, 2001). Results We identified 17 patients with parkinsonism from medical sources, and 4 from mail-survey. Prevalenc…
A retrospective follow up study on maternal age and infant mortality in two Sicilian districts
2011
Abstract Background Infant mortality rate (IMR) is a key public health indicator. Maternal age is a well-known determinant of pregnancy and delivery complications and of infant morbidity and mortality. In Italy the Infant Mortality Rate was 3.7/1000 during 2005, lower than the average IMR for the European Union (4.94/1000). Sicily is the Italian region with the highest IMR, 5/1000, and neonatal mortality rate (NMR), 3.8/1000, with substantial variation among its nine districts. The present study compared a high IMR/NMR district (Messina) with a low IMR/NMR district (Palermo) during the period 2004-2006 to evaluate potential determinants of the IMRs' differences between the two districts and…