Complementary feeding patterns in Europe with a special focus on Italy.

Early nutrition is considered to be crucial for development of persistent obesity in later life. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of complementary feeding patterns across European countries. Most European infants introduce solid foods earlier than 6 completed months of age as recommended by WHO. The commonest risk factors for early introduction of solid foods have been shown to be smoking mothers of young age, low SES and no breastfeeding. The foods most frequently introduced as first solids are fruit and cereals followed by other foods that vary depending on the country of residence and the infants' type of feeding. Insufficient updated information has been made available in Europe in terms of infants' nutrient intake during complementary feeding, as well as on the potential acute metabolic effects of complementary feeding. Websites, e-forums and blogs on complementary feeding are widely spread in the web. The recipes and daily menus published in food industry websites are often nutritionally incorrect. Baby led-weaning (BLW) is based on the principle that babies, upon being started on complementary foods, should be allowed to eat whatever food they want (regular family foods included) in its normal shape. No nutrient intake and metabolic data are nevertheless available about BLW. The current scenario in terms of our understanding of complementary feeding in Europe opens several new research avenues. Not using and not improving our current knowledge of nutrition to improve children's health represents an infringement of children's rights.

Oral cimetropium bromide, a new antimuscarinic drug, for long-term treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.

Most drugs are ineffective for the long-term treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The beneficial effects of medical treatment of IBS are poor and last for only a relative short time. Over a period of 6 months, we investigated the effectiveness of cimetropium bromide, a new antimuscarinic compound, in patients with IBS. Forty-eight patients were treated at random and in double-blind fashion with cimetropium bromide (50 mg, tid) or placebo for 6 months. Personal diary cards and monthly check-ups guaranteed the monitoring of symptoms (mainly pain). In addition, personality patterns (MHQ-CBA tests) were obtained for the patients before and after therapy, both to detect possible psychoneurotic traits and to observe the changes in these traits in relation to the changes in pain symptoms. Three patients on placebo and one on cimetropium dropped out. At the end of therapy, pain scores had decreased an average of 16% in the placebo group and 87% in the cimetropium group (p less than 0.01). Twenty patients (87%) on cimetropium versus five patients (24%) on placebo considered themselves to be globally improved (p less than 0.01). The MHQ test showed significant improvement in the anxiety score in the cimetropium group only. The CBA test confirmed a significant decrease in anxiety state (STAI-X-1) after cimetropium treatment. Eleven patients (48%) on cimetropium reported side effects (mainly dry mouth and sleepiness), but none withdrew from the study. The results of this trial indicate that long-term treatment of IBS with cimetropium bromide significantly improves symptoms and associated psychological disorders.

DHE retard for prophylactic therapy of migraine: efficacy and tolerability.

The authors evaluated the efficacy of a DHE methanesulphonate for migraine attacks and its tolerability on liver, gallbladder and cardiovascular system functions. Twenty-eight patients affected by migraine were studied. They were withdrawn from preventive therapy for at least one month and treated for three months. The drug showed a good efficacy with a statistical significant reduction of severity and duration of attacks. No variation of the biochemical and morphological parameters of liver, gallbladder and cardiovascular function were found throughout the treatment.

Flunarizine in migraine prophylaxis: efficacy and tolerability of 5 mg and 10 mg dose levels.

The use of flunarizine, a drug which has proven its efficacy in migraine, is often associated with important side effects. The aim of this paper has been to check their incidence at different dose levels (5 mg vs 10 mg). Our data confirm the occurrence of important side effects (in particular weight gain); on the other hand, they emphasize the dose-dependency of the side effects.

Non-familial hemiplegic migraine responsive to naloxone.

Two cases of non-familial hemiplegic migraine are described. Naloxone reversed the neurological deficits accompanying attacks, whereas the pain was uninfluenced. The possibility that the opiate-antagonist naloxone facilitates regression of neurological symptoms associated with migraine attacks in general is voiced.

[Essential headache as an equivalent to a withdrawal syndrome: experience with naloxone]. / La cefalea essenziale come equivalente della sindrome di astinenza: esperienza col naloxone.

The Authors, starting with the hypothesis that could exist a correlation between the opiate withdrawal and the migraine crisis, used the naloxone, opiate pure antagonist, in order to induced the migraine crisis. 30 patients affected by migraine were studied; naloxone was administered acutely (2 mg e.v.) during the asintomatic period. The naloxone administration never caused the migraine crisis. The patients didn't complain variations regarding the psycho-physical status or the monitored clinical parameters.

"Hemicrania continua": a new clinical entity or a further development from cluster headache? A case report.

A case of "hemicrania continua" after cluster headache in the same subject is described. Indomethacin exerted an absolute, persistent effect on the present headache. Even though our data are insufficient to demonstrate a causal relation between the two forms of headache, they do suggest this real possibility.

Use of high sumatriptan dosages during episodic cluster headache: three clinical cases.

The authors describe three patients with episodic cluster headache whose attacks were all treated with subcutaneous sumatriptan. The patients described had a high frequency of attacks (more than two per day); therefore, far higher dosage of the drug was taken than commonly used in cluster headache. The patients did not experience any particular side effects, neither during the treatment period nor on abrupt withdrawal of the drug. Moreover, neither tachyphylaxis nor addiction were observed. The authors point out both the efficacy of sumatriptan, confirmed in all the treated attacks, and its safety even at higher dosages than recommended.