[Pordenone study: HDL-cholesterol and obesity indexes in the young]. / Studio di Pordenone: HDL-colesterolo e indici di obesità nei giovani.

BACKGROUND: In 1987, ten years after the first observation, we performed the follow-up of the subjects included in the "Pordenone Study on the precursors of atherosclerosis in childhood". METHODS: The anthropometric, biologic and anamnestic indicators of coronary risk were evaluated. The W.H.O. protocol was always used. 439 (90%) subjects underwent reexamination, (234 males and 205 females between 18 and 26 years). HDL cholesterol, tricipital and subscapular skinfold thickness, weight and height were evaluated. The aim of our study was to find possible correlations between obesity indexes and HDL cholesterol values. RESULTS: We found that HDL cholesterol levels are lower in males compared to females and that differences exist below and over the 80 degrees percentile of BMI. Obese subjects have lower HDL cholesterol levels in both sexes. Females with android obesity (subjects with subscapular skinfold thickness values over 80 degrees percentile) had low HDL cholesterol values. CONCLUSIONS: Because of this inverse correlation between HDL cholesterol and coronary risk, and because young obese generally have low HDL cholesterol levels, we believe that the study of coronary risk factors is also useful starting from this age in overweight subjects. This will be useful for preventive purposes. Particular attention must be given to young girls with android obesity.

[The Pordenone study on the precursors of atherosclosis in childhood. A 10-year follow-up. Cigarette smoking]. / Studio di Pordenone sui precursori dell'aterosclerosi nell'infanzia. Follow-up dopo dieci anni. Il fumo di sigaretta.

We have studied smoking habit in the sample enrolled in the ten year follow-up of the "Pordenone Study on the Precursors of Atherosclerosis in Childhood". The response rate at ten year follow-up was very high (about 90%). Prevalence of smoking is 45.1% among males and 25.6% among females. Males and females aged 23 present a prevalence of smokers higher than the other groups while the group aged 26 smoke less. Males began to smoke at 16.4 years, females at 16.7. Mean daily consumption is 12.6 cigarettes among males, and 5.0 among females. Juvenile experimentation with cigarettes and juvenile smoking habit are strong predictors to smoke ten years later; while parental smoking behaviour is not so influential. Therefore we conclude that smoking habit acquired in youngs has a high probability to be maintained in adults, remarking the importance of planning a preventive intervention as early as possible.

Abnormal myocardial texture demonstrated by ultrasound in two patients with idiopathic haemochromatosis.

We studied by cross-sectional echocardiography seven patients affected by idiopathic haemochromatosis without clinical signs of heart failure. In two patients the heart muscle showed a peculiar echocardiographic texture at the level of the endocardium. No differences were noticed in clinical and haematological findings of the patients with and without abnormal texture. Increased echogenicity of the subendocardial myocardium should be looked for in patients with idiopathic haemochromatosis.

[Precursors of arteriosclerosis in childhood. Protocol and firsts results concerning plasma lipids and carbohydrate tolerance in 520 school children at Pordenone (Italy) (author's transl)]. / Precursori dell'arteriosclerosi nell'infanzia. Protocollo di studio e primi risultati concernenti i lipidi plasmatici e la tolleranza ai carboidrati in un gruppo di bambini ed adolescenti de Pordenone.

The cardiological centers of Pordenone and Cittadella (Italy) organized by the Institute of Clinica Medica II of Padua University, have carried out a study on the "Precursors of arteriosclerosis in children", according to a WHO protocol. In this paper some results of the Pordenone study are reported, concerning serum cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and blood glucose 1 h after 1 g/Kg glucose per os. 520 school children, males and females, aged 6, 9, 12, 15 years, entered the study. Mean serum TC resulted significantly higher at age 12 as compared to the other age classes. Serum TG progressively increased with age. Mean serum TC and TG in our italian children and adolescents were silimar to those reported in studies from other countries. Blood glucose resulted significantly higher in children than in adolescents. The distribution of the blood glucose values was bimodal. After having arbitrarily fixed cut-off points for serum TC, TG and blood glucose, the prevalence of hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia was determined. The prevalence figures have shown that at the pediatric age it is possible to identify subjects at "risk" of developing arteriosclerosis.

[Epidemiology of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus in the school population of Pordenone Province]. / Epidemiologia dello streptococco beta-emolitico di gruppo A, nella popolazione scolare della Provincia di Pordenone.

During the winter months of 1976-1977, our group carried out an epidemiological study in the school population aged 7 years and 10 years respectively, living in the towns of Pasiano (pop. 6,389) and Zoppola (pop. 7,383) in the province of Pordenone. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of individuals in the school-age group having group A beta haemolitic streptococcus in the pharynx. The results of the study showed a high incidence of children with a positive throat swad. Of the 284 scholars examined, 107 (45.7% of the entire population examined) were carriers, in the pharynx, of group A beta haemolytic streptococcus.