Search results for "viscera"

Clinical indications and proper use of Visceral Adiposity Index.

2013

The significance of serum soluble IL-2 receptor as a marker for active visceral leishmaniasis in Sicilian patients

1992

SUMMARY Sera from nine Sicilian patients with confirmed visceral leishmaniasis (Leishmania donovani infantum; VL), at the moment of the diagnosis, during the course of the disease and after clinical recovery, were analysed for the concentration of soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R). The results show that sIL-2R is a marker of disease activity, since it is in high concentration at the beginning of infection and returns to the normal range following successful chemotherapy. At the same time of serum analysis for sIL-2R, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of VL patients were stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) or antigen and supernatant tested for IL-2 and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) pro…

The Obesity Paradox Predicts the Second Wave of COVID-19 to Be Severe in Western Countries.

2021

While COVID-19 infection and mortality rates are soaring in Western countries, Southeast Asian countries have successfully avoided the second wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic despite high population density. We provide a biochemical hypothesis for the connection between low COVID-19 incidence, mortality rates, and high visceral adiposity in Southeast Asian populations. The SARS-CoV-2 virus uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a gateway into the human body. Although the highest expression levels of ACE2 are found in people’s visceral adipose tissue in Southeast Asia, this does not necessarily make them vulnerable to COVID-19. Hypothetically, high levels of visceral adiposity cause s…

Cross-sectional survey of canine leishmaniasis in Pantelleria island in Sicily

2019

Dogs are the major reservoir of Leishmania infantum, the causative agent of canine visceral and cutaneous human leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean basin. Canine and human leishmaniosis are endemic in Italy, particularly in central and southern regions, including islands. Here we show a preliminary, clinical, serological and molecular study carried out in Pantelleria island during 2017. In this study, we clinically examined 136 dogs for the presence of symptoms compatible with leishmaniasis, determined the titer of anti-Leishmania antibodies, and investigated Leishmania DNA by real time PCR in blood and/or lymph node of each dog. The prevalence of disease was equal to 27% with 95% CI [21%; 3…

Substantial Fat Loss in Physique Competitors Is Characterized by Increased Levels of Bile Acids, Very-Long Chain Fatty Acids, and Oxylipins.

2022

Funder: Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research

Recurrent leishmaniasis in kidney transplant recipients: Report of 2 cases and systematic review of the literature

2011

The characteristics of 8 episodes of leishmaniasis with atypical manifestations in 2 Italian kidney transplant recipients are analyzed and contextualized among those of 52 other episodes of leishmaniasis observed in 19 transplant recipients found through a systematic review of the international literature. In all the patients, the initial episode was visceral leishmaniasis, which was associated with mucocutaneous involvement in 2 cases. With the exception of 1 case of post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis, 2 episodes of Leishmania endophthalmitis, and 3 episodes of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, all the recurrences were characterized by visceral involvement. The potential role of polymerase cha…

Un caso di Leishmaniosi viscerale progressiva: ruolo del color Doppler nella diagnosi

2008

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 Cushing’s 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…