Search results for "pilot project"
showing 10 items of 492 documents
Focus on the unique mechanisms involved in thoracic aortic aneurysm formation in bicuspid aortic valve versus tricuspid aortic valve patients: clinic…
2013
OBJECTIVES: The involvement of different factors in the onset of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) in patients with a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) vs those with a tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) is well recognized. However, the molecular, genetic and cellular mechanisms driving TAA remain unclear. The aim of this study was to identify the different mechanisms involved in TAA development in patients with BAV vs TAV. METHODS: Aorta specimens and DNA samples were collected from 24 BAV (18 men and 6 women; mean age: 54.2 ± 14.39 years) and 110 TAV (79 men and 31 women, mean age: 66 ± 9.8 years) patients. A control group of 128 subjects (61 men and 67 woman, mean age: 61.1 ± 5.8 years) was also enrolle…
Impaired circadian heart rate variability in Parkinson’s disease: a time-domain analysis in ambulatory setting
2020
Abstract Background Heart rate variability (HRV) decreases in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and it can be considered a marker for cardiovascular dysautonomia. The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate long-term time-domain analysis of HRV of PD patients and compare the results with those of matched healthy individuals. Methods Idiopathic PD patients without comorbidity impairing HRV, and age-matched healthy individuals were recruited in a pilot study. A long-term time domain analysis of HRV using 24-h ambulatory ECG was performed. Results Overall, 18 PD patients fulfilling inclusion criteria completed the evaluation (mean age was 55.6 ± 8.8, disease duration: 5.0 ± 4.7). Mean SCOPA-AUT scor…
Association between COX-2 rs 6681231 genotype and interleukin-6 in periodontal connective tissue. A pilot study.
2014
[Objectives] The aim of this pilot study was to investigate associations between IL-6 and COX-2 expression in gingival biopsies and both clinical diagnosis and genotypes in the IL-6 and COX-2 genes. [Design] A case-control study included 41 gingival biopsies obtained from Caucasian patients grouped according to clinical diagnosis of gingival health (n = 10), gingivitis (n = 15) or chronic periodontitis (n = 16). Immunohistochemistry analyses were performed to determine COX-2 expression in lamina propria, IL-6 expression in lamina propria and gingival epithelium and level of inflammatory cell infiltrate. Individual DNA was extracted and genotyped by real-time PCR for IL6 SNPs rs 2069827 and …
"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…
Treatment with electrical stimulation of sensory nerves improves motor function and disability status in persons with multiple sclerosis: A pilot stu…
2021
Abstract Declines in motor function are closely associated with decreases in sensory function in multiple sclerosis (MS). The purpose of our study was to assess the changes in motor function and disability status elicited by transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to limb muscles of individuals with MS. Fifteen persons with MS and 11 age-matched healthy controls were evaluated before and after receiving 9 treatment sessions during which TENS was applied over the tibialis anterior and rectus femoris muscles of each leg, and over the median nerve and the thenar eminence of each hand. Each evaluation session involved completing two questionnaires (fatigue and walking limitations) an…
Can google trends and wikipedia help traditional surveillance? A pilot study on measles
2019
Introduction: Cases of measles in some European countries are increasing. The aim of this study is to find the correlation between Google Trends and Wikipedia searches and the real number of cases notified. Materials and Methods: The data on Internet searches have been obtained from Google Trends and Wikipedia. The reported cases of measles were selected from January 2013 until December 2018 for Google Trends and July 2015 until December 2018 from for Wikipedia. We have selected data from four European Countries: Italy, France, Germany and Romania. The data extracted from Wikipedia and Google Trends have been moved over time (Lag), one month in the future and one month in the past. Cross-co…
Prevalence of 'borderline' values of cardiovascular risk factors in the clinical practice of general medicine in Italy: results of the BORDERLINE stu…
2011
Introduction: The prevalence of patients with 'borderline' levels of cardiovascular risk factors has been rarely investigated, being often reported in studies evaluating abnormal values of these parameters. The BORDERLINE study represents a pilot experience to primarily identify the prevalence of 'high-normal' conditions, such as pre-hypertension, lipid and glucose levels in the upper range of normality in the setting of general practice in Italy. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of patients with 'borderline' values of cardiovascular risk factors in Italy. Methods: Involved physicians were asked to evaluate the first 20 outpatients, consecutively seen in June 2009. …
Effect of a Natural Supplement Containing Curcuma Longa, Guggul, and Chlorogenic Acid in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome
2015
The impact of a natural supplement (Kepar; Rikrea, Italy), containing several plant extracts such as curcuma longa, silymarin, guggul, chlorogenic acid, and inulin, was evaluated in 78 patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS; 45 men; age: 62 ± 9 years). Kepar at a dose of 2 pills/d was given for 4 months as add-on therapy to the ongoing treatment, maintained at fixed doses for the entire study. Anthropometric variables, plasma lipids, glucose parameters, and oxidative stress were measured at baseline and after 4 months. We found significant reductions in body weight (from 81.1 ± 13.5 to 79.4 ± 12.5 kg, P < .0001), body mass index (from 29.6 [23.7] to 29.3 [21.9] kg/m2, P = .001), and wai…
Long-term parameters of heart rate variability in patients with insulin-resistance.
2019
Heart rate variability (HRV) is defined as the oscillation in both the interval between consecutive heartbeats (considered RR intervals) and consecutives measures of instantaneous heart rates.1 HRV measures the cardiac autonomic function noninvasively1,2 and its reduction is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events.3 Insulin-resistance is a pathological condition, in which the body’s cells become resistant to insulin effects.4 The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between insulin-resistance and the reduction of HRV parameters.
Early subclinical ventricular dysfunction in patients with insulin resistance
2014
AIMS: The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between insulin resistance and the detection of precocious echocardiographic signs of heart failure in patients with cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: We enrolled 34 consecutive patients with cardiovascular risk factors. All patients underwent coronary angiography, echocardiography, and laboratory tests. Exclusion criteria were diabetes (fasting glucose greater than 126 mg/dl or treatment with insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents), coronary artery disease, creatinine above 1.5 mg/dl, left-ventricular hypertrophy, valvular heart disease, ejection fraction below 50%, atrial fibrillation, or other severe arrhythmia. The presence of…