Prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors among oil and gas and energy company workers.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the biggest cause of disability and premature death throughout the world. AIM: The aim of this study was to describe and determine the prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors emerged at the first medical examination carried out by a group of an oil and gas contractor company workers in the observation period 2000-2010. METHODS: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted on 1073 workers (mean age 41 years, SD = 9.5) presenting overweight BMI (body mass index) values, hypertension and cholesterol problems. RESULTS: In particular, we found that workers > 45 years had significant higher risk to have obesity (OR = 3.8, CI 95% = 2.5-5.7), hypertension (OR = 2.7, CI 95% = 2.1-3.6), high blood fasting glucose (OR = 2.6, CI 95% = 1.2-5.5), high cholesterol (OR = 2.7, CI 95% = 2.0-3.6), high triglycerides (OR = 1.8, CI 95% = 1.4-2.4) compared to younger (< 45 years).

Hematuria one-stop clinic: first experience in Italy with 150 cases.

OBJECTIVES: Starting from the UK experience, we decided to test both the feasibility and the advantages of this diagnostic pathway now established in an Italian hospital. We analyzed the outcomes in detecting transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder, other malignant and non-malignant conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between April and December 2010, one hundred and fifty patients presenting with hematuria were referred to the Hematuria One Stop Clinic (HOSC) at our Institution. Each patient underwent a visit, a Urinary Tract Ultrasound, a Cystoscopy and CT IVP in selected cases (evidence of alterations or lesions of the renal parenchyma, presence of stones of the urinary tract, evidence of doubtful or positive urinary cytology). Where a TCC of the bladder was diagnosed, the patient underwent TUR-BT. In other cases (stones, BPH etc.) the appropriate therapeutic pathway was followed. RESULTS: 25.3% of patients with hematuria were found to have a bladder cancer; 21.3% had a urinary stone (2% in the bladder); 1.3% had prostate cancer; 1.3% had a renal cell carcinoma. The mean age was 69.8 yrs. 6% of the patients (23.6% on patients with TCC of the bladder) had a G3 disease. The mean time from admission to the HOSC until the operation day, in case of TCC of the bladder, was 10.61 days. CONCLUSIONS: The Italian experience of the One Stop Clinic confirms a high rate of bladder cancer detection. Furthermore, a high rate of non-malignant conditions was detected, stressing the importance of the HOSC not only as a cancer clinic but as a complete general urological clinic. We report a shorter waiting time to operation, especially for bladder TCC G3 patients.