Correlation between body mass index and obstructive sleep apnea severity indexes - A retrospective study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate if Body Mass Index (BMI) is correlated to Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI), mean arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) and Nadir SaO2, which are all indexes defining the severity of the respiratory stress associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five adult patients (mean age 51.4) referred for polysomnography were retrospectively recruited. BMI was calculated for each patient, as well as AHI, SaO2, and Nadir SaO2 recorded during polysomnography. Spearman's Rho test was used to evaluate if OSA severity was correlated to BMI values. First type error was set as p < 0.025. RESULTS: No correlation was observed between BMI and AHI, and between BMI and SaO2. A statistically significant negative correlation (r2 = 0.424; p < 0.001) was found between the BMI index and the Nadir SaO2. CONCLUSIONS: Higher BMI values were correlated with lower Nadir SaO2 during overnight polysomnography. Since hypoxia stress is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and alters the lipid metabolism, dietary consulting should be recommended in association with other treatment modalities for OSA.

Metallothionein expression in canine cutaneous apocrine gland tumors.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate, by immunohistochemical staining, metallothionein expression in normal, benign and malignant canine apocrine gland tissues and to correlate the protein expression with the histological grade of malignancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MT immunostaining was evaluated in 25 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded canine apocrine glands (2 normal and 23 neoplastic). Moreover, we evaluated quantitative expression of MT in normal and neoplastic cells by western blotting. RESULTS: a marked increase in MT expression was observed in neoplastic, compared to normal samples as well as in malignant compared to benign tumors. Western blotting analysis revealed one major protein band of approximately 14 kDa in normal, as well as in the neoplastic, tissues. CONCLUSION: We conclude that MT expression appears to be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of canine apocrine gland tumors and may also assist in the better understanding of the evolution of this neoplasia.

In vitro synergic efficacy of the combination of Nystatin with the essential oils of Origanum vulgare and Pelargonium graveolens against some Candida species.

In this study we investigated a synergistic effect between the essential oils Origanum vulgare, Pelargonium graveolens and Melaleuca alternifolia and the antifungal compound Nystatin. Nystatin is considered a drug of choice in the treatment of fungal infections, but it can cause some considerable problems through its side effects, such as renal damage. Finding a new product that can reduce the Nystatin dose via combination is very important. Our findings showed an experimental occurrence of a synergistic interaction between two of these essential oils and Nystatin. The essential oil O. vulgare appeared to be the most effective, inhibiting all the Candida species evaluated in this study. Some combinations of Nystatin and P. graveolens essential oil did not have any synergistic interactions for some of the strains considered. Associations of Nystatin with M. alternifolia essential oil had only an additive effect.