[Diet, metformin and inositol in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: effects on body composition]. / Dieta, metformina e inositolo in donne sovrappeso e obese con sindrome dell'ovaio policistico: effetti sulla composizione corporea.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of diet alone, and in association with metformin in monotherapy or in cotreatment with myoinositol (MYO) on menstrual irregularities, hirsutism, body weight and composition in overweight/obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: Twenty-seven PCOS overweight/obese patients were randomly treated: nine with only diet (D); nine with diet and metformin 1000 mg/day continuously (D+M); nine with diet, metformin 500 mg/day and MYO 4 g/day plus 400 µg folic acid daily, continuously (D+M+I). Menstrual cycle, Ferriman-Gallwey score, body mass index (BMI), waist hip rate (WHR), body composition by BIA 101 of AKERN SRL, were measured on basal condition and at 3 months. RESULTS: Regularity of menstrual cycle was restored in a significantly number of patients of group D+M+I (P<0.05); Ferriman score was significantly improved by weight loss (P<0.05). Body weight, BMI, waist and hip circumferences decreased significantly in all groups without WHR modification; body weight loss significantly depended on adding metformin to diet. Fat mass (FM) kg and % was significantly reduced in groups D and D+M+I; fat free mass (FFM) kg was slightly reduced by diet (P<0.05) and correlated with Ferriman score. CONCLUSION: Body weight loss in obese PCOS patients improves symptoms and body composition; weight loss was dependent on adding metformin to diet; MYO was more effective in restoring regularity of menstrual cycle. Further investigation occurs to confirm metformin and MYO rule on body composition improvement, specially regarding FFM that is likewise FM correlated to cardiovascular risk.

Body composition estimated by bioimpedance analysis in Sicilian climacteric women.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of menopause transition on body weight, and body composition in a Sicilian climacteric population. METHODS: Two hundred and nine (60 pre- and one 149 postmenopausal) untreated, healthy women were selected. Body composition was estimated by BIA101 of AKERN SRL. Body Mass Index (BMI), waist and hip circumferences were also measured. RESULTS: The mean BMI of the study population was 29.4+/-0.7. There was no significative difference between pre- and postmenopausal subjects regarding BMI (chi-squared=9.25; P=0.16), its class distribution, fat mass (FM), TBW and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). The FM was significantly more represented in pre- than in postmenopausal women (47.43+/-1.33 vs 45.02+/-0.81 kg) (P<0.01). Linear regression analysis showed a positive correlation between BMI and fat free mass (FM) percentage (chi-squares=0.7045) nevertheless among the subjects aged=or>55 years, in 57% of the normo-weight the body fat (BF) percentage was undesirably high. CONCLUSION: Climacteric changes and aging process are related to changes in body weight and fat distribution; even subjects apparently ''normo-weight'' (BMI below 25) were ''over-fat'', because revealed undesirably high BF%. Further investigation in larger population is needed to define whether BMI or BF% better predicts the risk of obesity-related diseases in climacteric Sicilian women.

A new approach to the evaluation of hyperphosphatemia in chronic kidney disease.

AIMS: Hyperphosphoremia, main contributor to cardiovascular calcifications, has a major impact on the morbidity and mortality of chronic renal failure (CRF) patients. Phosphate binders and dietary phosphate limitation are not effective enough to abolish hyperphosphoremia-induced cardiovascular abnormalities, therefore, the identification of other and more timely approaches for serum phosphorous reduction is necessary. Salivary fluid contains phosphate which, if related to the daily salivary secretion (1,000 - 1,800 ml), deserves attention as a marker for an earlier start of pharmacologic treatment for phosphorous removal. In ESRD patients under dialysis we have shown increased salivary phosphate closely to be related with serum phosphorous and interpreted as compensatory. This study evaluates salivary phosphate secretion in 77 nondialyzed CRF compared with healthy subjects and its relationship with renal function. METHODS: Saxon's test confirmed normal salivary function in patients and controls. Serum phosphorous, creatinine and GFR were also measured. RESULTS: Salivary phosphorous was significantly higher in CRF patients compared with controls: 38.60 mg/dl (range 12.20 - 95.60) vs 16.30 (10.30 - 27.10), p < 0.0001; serum phosphate was also significantly higher: 3.70 (2.10 - 6.80) vs 3.50 (2.3 4.6), p = 0.013. In CRF patients, salivary phosphorous positively correlated with serum phosphorous (r - 0.45, p < 0.0001) and with serum creatinine (r = 0.72, p < 0.0001), while negatively correlated with GFR (r = -0.72, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study show also in CRF patients increased salivary phosphate secretion, which is related with renal function. On this basis the use of salivary phosphate secretion as a marker for an earlier start of the abnormal phosphate, metabolism pharmacologic treatment could be proposed.

[Role of green tea in oxidative stress prevention]. / Ruolo del tè verde nella prevenzione dello stress ossidativo.

OBJECTIVE: Oxidative stress is a condition caused by an increase of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) or by a shortage of the mechanisms of cellular protection and antioxidant defence. ROS have a potential oxidative effect towards various cellular macromolecules: proteins, nucleic acids, proteoglycans, lipids, with consequent damages in several cellular districts and promotion of the ageing process of the organism. However, some substances are able to prevent and/or reduce the damages caused by ROS; therefore, they are defined antioxidant. The present research studied, in a group of subjects, the antioxidant effects of the green tea, that was administered with fruit and vegetables in a strictly controlled diet. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 50 subjects were selected and requested to daily consume 2-3 fruit portions (especially pineapple), 3-5 portions of vegetables (especially tomato) and 2-3 glasses of green tea for about 2 months to integrate the controlled basic diet. Some indicators of the oxidative stress were measured in the plasma before and after the integration period. RESULTS: The integration of a basic diet with supplements of fruit, vegetables and green tea turned out to be able in increasing both plasmatic total antioxidant capacity and endogenous antioxidant levels and to reduce the lipid peroxidation of the membranes, suggesting a reduction of the oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that an adequate supplement of antioxidants can prevent oxidative stress and correlated pathologies.

Factors affecting glycosaminoglycan concentration in normal human plasma.

Acid Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) were measured, in terms of hexuronic acid, following alkaline treatment and Ecteola chromatography, in plasma obtained from healthy volunteers, blood-donors, amateur soccer players and university students, and from hospitalized subjects at the end of their convalescence. Diurnal variations of plasma GAG concentration, with significant decrease during the morning, were obtained in students and patients, suggesting hormonal influences. Furthermore, moderate modifications of plasma GAG concentration were observed in students following cyclo ergometer exercise which were consistent in each subject with cortisol mediated changes. However, the absolute value of plasma GAG concentration appears to be depending on the physical training of the subject, being significantly higher in the soccer players and in the blood-donors than in the other groups of subjects, chiefly composed of sedentary individuals. The intramuscular connective tissue is then suggested to represent a main site of origin of plasma GAGs.

[The behavior of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in rats subject to audiogenic stress]. / Comportamento del sistema renina-angiotensina-aldosterone in ratti sottoposti a stress audiogeno.

The behaviour of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in adult albino rats was studied during audiogenic stress (92 dB - 2000 Hz) for different experimental times (4-8-12-16-20-24-28 min). The results show the two-phase behaviour of PRA (plasma renin activity), which is related to aldosterone levels. These changes do not appear to depend on plasma electrolytes (sodium and potassium), while a possible role of ACTH is suggested.

[Oposite effects of audiogenic stress on the liver and adrenal dehydrogenase of the HMP shunt]. / Opposti effetti dello stress audiogeno sulle deidrogenasi epatiche e surrenali dell'HMP shunt.

The effects of audiogenic stress (92 dB at 2000 Hz) on the liver and adrenal levels of glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (G6-PD) and 6-phosphogluconate-dehydrogenase (6-PGD) were studied in adult male rats. Blood glucose and liver glycogen were also measured. In liver of stressed rats the levels of glycogen, G6-PD and 6-PGD were lower in comparison with controls. On the contrary, a significant increase of the measured enzymatic activities was shown in the adrenals. The mechanism and biological meaning of such modifications are discussed.