Cardiovascular risk and hypertension control in Italy. Data from the 2015 World Hypertension Day.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the first cause of death and disability in western countries. Despite therapeutic advances, their prevalence is constantly increasing. Detailed assessment of modifiable CV risk factors could improve CVD prevention and management. METHODS: to assess CV risk and hypertension control in a sample of the Italian population, individuals participating to the 2015 "World Hypertension Day" were interviewed in 62sites all over Italy. Blood pressure was measured with a validated auscultatory or oscillometric device and information on demography and prevalence of CVD risk factors was collected by an anonymous questionnaire. An ad-hoc modified version of the Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) system was then applied. RESULTS: 8657 recruited individuals (43%women, aged 56.68±16years) were subdivided into 3 age groups (40-49y, 50-59y, 60-69y) for analysis. CV risk was low in 62.4%, 18.0% and 0%; moderate in 26.0%, 66.0% and 62.5%; high/very high in 11.6%, 16% and 37.4%, respectively. Smoking was mainly responsible for increased CV risk among those aged 40-49y (26%smokers), while hypertension was the main factor in the whole sample and in subjects over 50y (36% and 42% respectively). Overall, BP control was unsatisfactory in 36% of individuals (28%, 48% and 31% of those who declared to be normotensive, hypertensive on treatment or unaware of their BP condition, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of the Italian population, CV risk was alarmingly high, irrespectively of age, mostly due to presence of modifiable risk factors, including hypertension, which should thus be better addressed, especially in the youngsters.

Intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions in cytologically suspicious or malignant thyroid nodules: identification and correlation with echogenicity and size of the nodules.

Intranuclear inclusions (ICI) represent one cytological feature suggestive of malignancy. The aims of this study are (1) to correlate ICI with size and echogenicity of the thyroid nodules that, at fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), are suspiciously malignant (THY4) or malignant (THY5); and (2) to ascertain whether ICI alone or combined with some ultrasonography (US) characteristics would help in predicting malignancy. We studied 90 consecutive thyroid nodules (THY4 n = 60 or THY5 n = 30) from 90 patients, who subsequently underwent thyroidectomy. Prior to thyroidectomy, all 90 nodules were examined by the US-guided FNAC. A cytology/histology correlation was performed. The results showed that 70 nodules were cancerous (82.2 %, THY4 = 73.3 %, THY5 = 100 %). ICI positive (ICI+) were 53/90 nodules (THY4 = 48.3 %, THY5 = 80.0 %), of which three (all THY4) were benign. The maximum diameter was smaller in the 53 ICI +ve than in the 37 ICI -ve nodules (14.2 ± 5.4 vs. 20.0 ± 9.4 mm, P = 0.0001; median volume 1.32 vs. 4.03 ml). In the THY4 smaller hypoechoic nodules, malignancy rate was 95 % with greater probability to detect ICI compared with non-hypoechoic nodules of >20 mm in maximum diameter (31 (75.6 %) vs. 4 (23.5 %), P = 0.0002). Based on the results, we conclude that ICI detection is associated with relatively smaller size and hypoechoic appearance in THY4 or THY5 nodules. In the THY4 nodules, when coupled with these US characteristics, ICI identification selects lesions with high chances of malignancy.

Protective effects of flavanol-rich dark chocolate on endothelial function and wave reflection during acute hyperglycemia.

Nitric oxide plays a pivotal role in regulating vascular tone. Different studies show endothelial function is impaired during hyperglycemia. Dark chocolate increases flow-mediated dilation in healthy and hypertensive subjects with and without glucose intolerance; however, the effect of pretreatment with dark chocolate on endothelial function and other vascular responses to hyperglycemia has not been examined. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of flavanol-rich dark chocolate administration on (1) flow-mediated dilation and wave reflections; (2) blood pressure, endothelin-1 and oxidative stress, before and after oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Twelve healthy volunteers (5 males, 28.2±2.7 years) randomly received either 100 g/d dark chocolate or flavanol-free white chocolate for 3 days. After 7 days washout period, volunteers were switched to the other treatment. Flow-mediated dilation, stiffness index, reflection index, peak-to-peak time, blood pressure, endothelin-1 and 8-iso-PGF(2α) were evaluated after each treatment phase and OGTT. Compared with white chocolate, dark chocolate ingestion improved flow-mediated dilation (P=0.03), wave reflections, endothelin-1 and 8-iso-PGF(2α) (P<0.05). After white chocolate ingestion, flow-mediated dilation was reduced after OGTT from 7.88±0.68 to 6.07±0.76 (P=0.027), 6.74±0.51 (P=0.046) at 1 and 2 h after the glucose load, respectively. Similarly, after white chocolate but not after dark chocolate, wave reflections, blood pressure, and endothelin-1 and 8-iso-PGF(2α) increased after OGTT. OGTT causes acute, transient impairment of endothelial function and oxidative stress, which is attenuated by flavanol-rich dark chocolate. These results suggest cocoa flavanols may contribute to vascular health by reducing the postprandial impairment of arterial function associated with the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.