Borreliosis risk after tick bite in north-eastern Italy.

Lyme Borreliosis is an infectious disease caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete transmitted to man by a tick bite. The aim of this study was to assess the predictive value of tick bites for the diagnosis of Borreliosis in a sample of 266 subjects residing in an endemic area of north-eastern Italy. In the serological diagnosis of Borreliosis, positive and negative predictive values of tick bites were found to be 24% and 88% respectively.

[Results of diet treatment in 100 adult obese patients after 1-year follow-up]. / Risultati del trattamento dietetico in cento pazienti adulti obesi dopo un anno di "follow-up".

One hundred overweight adult patients were subjected to a hypocaloric diet with periodic controls during a one year observation period. During the first 4 months, 98% of the patients adhered to the dietary regimen, with an initial mean percentage loss of body weight of 9.3% for the females and 8.9% for the males. The weight loss was more conspicuous during the first two months of the diet therapy and in patients with an initially higher BMI. With time, the rate of drop-out from the diet therapy increased, which resulted in a follow-up of 49% and 87% of cases at 6 and 12 months respectively, with no significant differences between the two sexes. The drop-out phenomenon resulted to be more frequent in patients with an initially lower BMI.

Familial hypercholesterolemia and HLA antigens.

Hereditary factors play an important role in the etiology and progression of coronary heart disease (CHD), most probably by causing the appearance and the levels of its risk factors. To investigate if there is a correlation between familial hypercholesterolemia and HLA system antigens, 25 subjects of 7 families with familial hypercholesterolemia were compared with 14 normocholesterolemic related subjects. Compared to normocholesterolemic kindreds, the familial hypercholesterolemic subjects have a significant increased HLA-Bw35 antigen and a lack of HLA-A1. Therefore, the correlation found with some HLA system phenotypes improves our knowledge about familial hypercholesterolemia and aids in the identification of subjects affected with this disorder of lipid metabolism, which is one of the most important CHD risk factors.

[Precursors of atherosclerosis in childhood: Pordenone study. Transverse and longitudinal study of arterial blood pressure (BP) in a group of boys and adolescents (author's transl)]. / Precursori dell'arteriosclerosi nell'infanzia: studio di Pordenone. Primi risultati concernenti il comportamento "trasversale" e "longitudinale" della pressione arteriosa in un gruppo di bambini ed adolescenti.

Mean systolic BP values gradually and significantly increase from the infancy to the adolescence. On the contrary, diastolic BP does not change significantly. No sex differences were found for mean values of both systolic and diastolic BP. The results of the longitudinal study (two years follow-up) have shown, for the two sexes, a significant increase in the systolic BP values, which parallels the ponderal growth. In particular, the greatest increment of the values was observed in the triennium 12-14 year, that is around the puberty.

[Study of the precursors of atherosclerosis in childhood: the Pordenone study. Longitudinal behaviour of total cholesterol and serum triglycerides in school children (author's transl)]. / Precursori dell'arteriosclerosi nell'infanzia: studio di Pordenone. Comportamento "longitudinale" ["two years follow-up"] del colesterolo totale e dei trigliceridi del siero in una casistica scolare di bambini ed adolescenti.

In a total number of approximately 500 school-children, belonging to a suburban area around Pordenone (Northern Italy), aged 6-9-12-15, we have performed a two years follow-up on serum TC and TG. As for serum TC, a progressive decrease of mean TC levels at the two rescreenings was observed. We cannot explain such trend, unless we admit that some dietary modification has been introduced in the families, although no dietary advices were given. However the observed decrease of the TC levels, makes clear that a single serum TC determination is not sufficient in order to define the lipid profile of a given subject. Unlike TC, serum TG tend to increase with the age. The "longitudinal" behavior of TC and TG is similar for both males and females.

[Values of plasma testosterone in infancy and adolescence]. / Valori del testosterone plasmatico nella infanzia ed adolescenza.

We have performed a research to establish the normal values of the plasmatic testosterone among 111 pupils, of both sexes, from 7 to 16 years attending our provincial schools. As we expected, the greatest increase of the plasmatic testosterone, in comparison with the previous ages, has been found in the group of the 13 years old females of the same age is more restrained, even if it's significative. By this way we could know the physiological values of the plasmatic testosterone in the children and adolescents of our population.

[Body weight, body height and menarche. Epidemiological study, in the Province of Pordenone, of the school population from 12 to 15 years old (12,000)]. / Peso corporeo, altezza e menarca. Studio epidemiologico sulla popolazione scolastica della Provincia di Pordenone dai 12 ai 15 anni (12.000)

The relation between body weight, height and the commencement of menstruation was studied in 5324 girls aged 12--15 yr attending secondary schools in the province of Pordenone. The mean age of menarche was 12 2/12 yr and varied little throughout the province. Weight and height appeared closely related to menarche. A threshold of 49.2 kg and 157.3 cm was noted. Attainment of these critical values was apparently the factor that influenced the age at which menstruation commenced.