RESUMO
Background: Universities are critical in educating tomorrow's citizens and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations Organization. The aim of this study was to investigate the integration of these goals in the curricula of an Italian university. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: In February 2021, as part of the annual Syllabus preparation for each course, the teaching staffs at the University of Udine (Italy) were asked to complete an additional section in which they could indicate up to three Sustainable Development Goals for their courses. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and logistic regression were performed to determine whether the professors' sex, age, or department affected the likelihood of mentioning Sustainable Development Goals. Results: In 723 courses, 360/1040 professors 59% male, mean age 53 years (range 30-73), mentioned one (29%), two (23%), or three (31%) Sustainable Development Goals. No Sustainable Development Goals were mentioned in 16% of courses, the majority of which were from the Mathematical, Computer and Physical Sciences Department (58%). The top six Sustainable Development Goals quoted were: Good health and well-being (35%), Responsible consumption and production (22%), Quality education (17%), Industry, innovation and infrastructure (13%), Gender equality (13%), Decent work and economic growth (13%). The least frequently mentioned Goal was Life below water (1%). Women (p<0.0001) and senior professors (p=0.0148) were more likely to consider at least one of the Sustainable Development Goals, while Mathematical, Computer and Physical Sciences Department showed a negative correlation (p<0.0001). Conclusions: Gaps were identified with respect to specific Sustainable Development Goals, but discrepancies between departments may indicate deficits in respondent awareness. A transparent description of the Sustainable Development Goals in courses is recommended, to increase students' and university's engagement in sustainability.
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Estudantes , Desenvolvimento Sustentável , Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Adulto , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Idoso , Universidades , Estudos Transversais , Itália , ObjetivosRESUMO
Background: The fight against fake news, mainly spread through Internet, is a major public health issue, even among undergraduate students. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a website promoted by the Italian Federation of the Provincial Orders of the Medical Doctors as a first aid communication kit for health topics. Study design: Pre-post study using a web-based survey, conducted in April-May 2019 on Medical students and October-November 2020 on Communication Sciences students at the University of Florence (Italy). Methods. Undergraduate students of both schools were exposed to the use of the "dottoremaeveroche" website. Primary and secondary outcomes measures: the Italian-electronic Health Literacy Scale self-assessment tool was used to examine subjects' electronic Health literacy, and source quality. All responses were rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Changing in perception of abilities were examined using the Wilcoxon test. Results: The 362 participants felt moderately confident in electronic Health Literacy, with an initial Italian-electronic Health Literacy Scale overall mean score of 3.6±0.7 for medical and 3.2±0.8 for communication students. Medical students had a good idea of how to find helpful sources (3.9±0.8) and communication students felt confident in recognizing their quality (3.5±1.0). In contrast, their confidence in using Web information to make health decisions was low (medical: 2.9±1.1; communication: 2.8±1.1). All items improved significantly after "dottoremaeveroche" use (p<.001), with the overall mean score of Italian-electronic Health Literacy Scale increasing to 4.3±0.6 for medical and 4.1±0.8 for communication students. Conclusions: Low electronic health literacy levels can affect public health efforts, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. The effectiveness of "dottoremaeveroche" among students showed the usefulness of online educational interventions that, if further implemented, could help combat the spread of infodemic.
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COVID-19 , Letramento em Saúde , Estudantes de Medicina , Telemedicina , Humanos , Universidades , Pandemias , Telemedicina/métodos , Estudos Transversais , Inquéritos e Questionários , InternetRESUMO
The increasing complexity of academia, with its demanding working conditions and uncertain career opportunities, may affect the mental health of academics and potentially lead to mental health problems. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in the academic population of the University of Udine and to compare symptoms in senior and younger academics and administrative staff.A cross-sectional survey was conducted between June and December 2020, involving academic and administrative staff in all departments. The prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms was assessed using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 tools. The relationship between mental health outcomes and job role was analyzed using nonparametric tests and ordinal logistic regression.A total of 366 individuals participated: 109 junior academics, 146 senior and 111 administrative staff. The proportion of women was 55.7% and the mean age was 47.9 years. The prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in the studied population was 25.7% (95% IC 21.5-30.4) and 22.7% (95% IC 18.7-27.2) respectively, with junior academics having the higher prevalence of both symptoms. Univariate models suggest a higher risk for anxiety symptoms OR 1.89 (1.13-3.17) for women.The prevalence of depressive symptoms is higher in our academic community than in the general population, especially among junior academics. These findings may reflect the impact of uncertain career and challenging environment on the mental health of young academics. Universities should provide more support to young academics so that they can contribute effectively and healthily to the advancement of research.
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Ansiedade , Depressão , Ansiedade/psicologia , Estudos Transversais , Depressão/psicologia , Feminino , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prevalência , Inquéritos e Questionários , Nações Unidas , UniversidadesRESUMO
BACKGROUND: To address vaccine hesitancy and to build public trust, many factors need to be considered in the process of planning consistent public health interventions. After uncertain vaccinations of the Codroipo case, hesitant parents were surveyed about own beliefs and trusted sources of information. METHODS: A semi-structured phone survey was conducted between December 2017 and February 2018, collecting also age and educational level of respondents. RESULTS: The most trusted sources of information of the 258 surveyed parents were pediatricians (27.2%), general practitioners (25.4%) and institutional channels (12.1%). Highly educated parents trusted self-study of the scientific literature and expressed doubts about vaccine effectiveness more than others (p=0.0018). CONCLUSION: Despite the underlying improper vaccination issue undermined public trust, healthcare professionals and institutional channels maintained their role as trusted sources of information. Educational patterns emerged among doubtful parents should be considered by public health policies to effectively tackle vaccine hesitancy.
Assuntos
Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Pais , Humanos , Inquéritos e Questionários , Confiança , VacinaçãoRESUMO
Adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (ALL/LBL) is a rare and heterogeneous malignancy characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of B or T cell precursor cells. Here, we retrospectively analyzed the outcome of early autologous stem cell transplantation in standard-risk patients in first complete remission (n=24) and of allogeneic transplantation in high and highest risk, and relapsed/refractory patients (n=35). The 10-year overall survival after autologous transplantation was 45%. The 10-year overall survival after allogeneic transplantation was 58%. The cumulative incidence of relapse was 29% after allogeneic and 67% after autologous transplantation. The cumulative incidence of non-relapse mortality was 0% after autologous and 12% after allogeneic transplantation. This retrospective single center analysis in a limited number of standard-risk patients clearly demonstrates that early autologous transplantation in first complete remission leads to an acceptable long-term outcome with a short overall treatment duration of less than 6 months compared with more than 2 years with conventional chemotherapy. More sensitive and standardized methods to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) will further help to identify those patients more accurately who are most likely to benefit from such a short and intensive treatment strategy (i.e., MRD negative standard-risk patients) or those who require early targeted therapy (e.g., blinatumomab) in case of MRD positivity. Early allogeneic transplantation results in long-term survival/cure in nearly two-thirds of all high and highest risk, and relapsed/refractory patients.
Assuntos
Intervenção Médica Precoce , Transplante de Células-Tronco de Sangue Periférico/métodos , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras/terapia , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Áustria/epidemiologia , Intervenção Médica Precoce/métodos , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Neoplasia Residual , Transplante de Células-Tronco de Sangue Periférico/efeitos adversos , Transplante de Células-Tronco de Sangue Periférico/estatística & dados numéricos , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras/epidemiologia , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras/patologia , Recidiva , Indução de Remissão , Estudos Retrospectivos , Fatores de Tempo , Tempo para o Tratamento , Transplante Autólogo , Transplante Homólogo , Resultado do Tratamento , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Study design: Prospective observational study. Background: Despite dysphagia large prevalence and the growing ageing phenomenon occurring in European countries, aspiration events among inpatients are often underestimated, given their frequent spontaneous resolution or silent contribution to aspiration syndromes. Our main objective was to evaluate the incidence of aspiration events among medical inpatients and to identify risk factors influencing the outcome of the event. Methods: Data about aspiration events - day, hour, type and outcome of the event occurred - along with underlying patient clinical conditions at the admission were collected. Between May 2015 and September 2016, data about aspiration event occurred among medical inpatients were collected in three large Italian hospitals. Results: Patients affected by aspiration events were 135 on 102,619 cumulative days of hospitalization; they were mostly females (53%) with an average age of 82. The total incidence of aspiration events was of 1.4 every 1,000 days of hospitalization (C.I. 95%: 1.2-1.7) and the most frequent manifestation was cough (61.6%). The addition of drugs or an infection diagnosis during the 24 hours preceding the event acted as risk factors for those events that needed additional interventions during the hospitalization (OR 3.1 e OR 1.9 respectively), while the elimination of one or more prescribed drugs seemed to lead to aspiration events without impact on the hospitalization. Conclusions: Results showed a large incidence of aspiration events within medical wards, many of them influencing patient outcomes. Healthcare professionals' attention concerning aspiration events should be fostered during the first hours and days of hospitalization.
Assuntos
Transtornos de Deglutição , Pneumonia , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Transtornos de Deglutição/epidemiologia , Transtornos de Deglutição/etiologia , Feminino , Hospitalização , Hospitais , Humanos , Pacientes Internados , MasculinoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Malnutrition in Intensive Care Unit patients has been associated with worse clinical outcomes such as mortality and length of stay (LOS) in Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and nutritional status of Intensive Care Unit patients in particular seemed to be a significant predictor of mortality. Promptness of clinical nutrition administration is a key of nutritional support whenever volitional intake is unfeasible. Early enteral nutrition is associated with better clinical outcomes (reduced complications, LOS in ICU and in Hospital). The aim of this study is to investigate the nutrition therapy management in a large Academic Hospital, evaluating its effects on mortality and LOS in ICU and in the Hospital. STUDY DESIGN: Data were collected retrospectively from clinical records. Six physicians were trained on the data collection protocol and they reviewed every clinical record of patients included in the survey. METHODS: Data of 426 patients admitted to ICUs between November 2016, 1st and April 2017, 30th were collected. A multivariate logistic adjusted regression, with backward variables selection method, was performed in order to identify predictors of enteral and parenteral nutrition conducted within 48 hours after admission to the ICU. The relation between medical nutrition therapy, mortality and LOS in ICU and in the Hospital were also evaluated. RESULTS: Patients were given prompt parenteral and enteral nutrition in 25.12% and 27.46% of cases, respectively. No association was found between medical nutrition therapy and ICU or hospital mortality. Predictors of early enteral nutrition were type of admission and surgery before admission; early parenteral nutrition predictors were gender, ICU (A vs B), impaired immunity status and Central Venous Catheter presence at admission. CONCLUSIONS: Our study stresses the need of monitoring nutrition prescribing behaviors in acute hospitals in order to better set up tailored interventions to standardize clinicians' practices and to focus on specific training targets.
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Nutrição Enteral/métodos , Unidades de Terapia Intensiva , Desnutrição/terapia , Nutrição Parenteral/métodos , Centros Médicos Acadêmicos , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Cuidados Críticos/métodos , Feminino , Mortalidade Hospitalar , Humanos , Itália , Tempo de Internação , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estado Nutricional , Padrões de Prática Médica/estatística & dados numéricos , Estudos Retrospectivos , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Local guidelines and recommendations to treat common infectious diseases are a cornerstone of most Antimicrobial Stewardship programs. The evaluation of the adherence to guidelines is an effective quality measure of the programs themselves; the proposed evaluation model aimed at examining antibiotic treatment for pneumonia. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective pre-post intervention study was conducted in a North-Eastern Italian Academic Hospital. METHODS: 231 patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia and 95 with Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia were divided into pre- and post-intervention groups (188 and 138, respectively). A course and a pocket summary of Pneumonia Regional Recommendations were the stewardship activities adopted. The compliance degree of prescriptions with Regional Recommendations was tested for drug(s), dosage and duration of treatment in both groups for Community-Acquired and Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia and a comparison with International guidelines was performed. RESULTS: A significant improvement in the compliance with Regional Recommendations for the variable drug emerged for Community-Acquired (38.8% vs 52.2%), but not for Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia; no significant variation in compliance was registered for dosage and duration of treatment. The significant decrease in consumption of levofloxacin showed the positive impact of the Regional Antimicrobial Stewardship programs. A high level of adherence to International Guidelines for the variable drug for Community-Acquired Pneumonia was found in both groups (75.5% and 77.2%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlighted that room for improvement in antibiotic prescription in Community-Acquired and Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia currently remains. New strategies for a better use of the adopted tools and definition of new antimicrobial stewardship initiatives are needed to improve compliance to Regional Recommendations.
Assuntos
Antibacterianos/administração & dosagem , Infecções Comunitárias Adquiridas/tratamento farmacológico , Pneumonia Associada a Assistência à Saúde/tratamento farmacológico , Pneumonia/tratamento farmacológico , Centros Médicos Acadêmicos , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Gestão de Antimicrobianos , Feminino , Fidelidade a Diretrizes , Humanos , Itália , Levofloxacino/administração & dosagem , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Guias de Prática Clínica como Assunto , Estudos RetrospectivosRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of the telemedically assisted post-discharge management program (DMP) HerzMobil Tirol (HMT) for heart failure (HF) patients in clinical practice in Austria. METHODS: We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis along a retrospective cohort study (2016-2019) of HMT with a propensity score matched cohort of 251 individuals in the HMT and 257 in the usual care (UC) group and a 1-year follow-up. We calculated the effectiveness (hospital-free survival, hospital-free life-years gained, and number of avoided rehospitalizations), costs (HMT, rehospitalizations), and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). We performed a nonparametric sensitivity analysis with bootstrap sampling and sensitivity analyses on costs of HF rehospitalizations and on costs per disease-related diagnosis (DRG) score for rehospitalizations. RESULTS: Base-case analysis showed that HMT resulted in an average of 42 additional hospital-free days, 40 additional days alive, and 0.12 avoided hospitalizations per patient-year compared with UC during follow-up. The average HMT costs were EUR 1916 per person. Mean rehospitalization costs were EUR 5551 in HMT and EUR 6943 in UC. The ICER of HMT compared to UC was EUR 4773 per life-year gained outside the hospital. In a sensitivity analysis, HMT was cost-saving when "non-HF related costs" related to the DMP were replaced with average costs. CONCLUSIONS: The economic evaluation along the cohort study showed that the HerzMobil Tirol is very cost-effective compared to UC and cost-saving in a sensitivity analysis correcting for "non-HF related costs." These findings promote a widespread adoption of telemedicine-assisted DMP for HF.
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Análise Custo-Benefício , Insuficiência Cardíaca , Alta do Paciente , Humanos , Insuficiência Cardíaca/terapia , Insuficiência Cardíaca/economia , Feminino , Estudos Retrospectivos , Masculino , Idoso , Áustria , Alta do Paciente/economia , Gerenciamento Clínico , Readmissão do Paciente/economia , Telemedicina/economia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Seguimentos , Fatores de Tempo , Idoso de 80 Anos ou maisRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) surveillance is an essential part of any infection prevention and control programme. Repeated point prevalence surveys (PPSs) according to European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) protocol have been implemented in all Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) region (Italy) acute hospitals to reduce and control HAIs. AIM: Using the repeated PPSs within a regional-healthcare system (RHS) to promote and evaluate infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes. METHODS: The standard versions of the ECDC PPS protocols were used in all four surveys (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017). All RHS public and private accredited hospitals were involved within the 'safe care network' programme. FINDINGS: The numbers of surveyed patients in the four PPSs were 3172, 3253, 2969 and 3036, respectively. Prevalence of HAIs and antimicrobial use (AU) decreased significantly from 2011: HAIs (P<0.05) 7.1%, 6.3%, 5.5%, 5.8% and AU (P<0.01) 40.4%, 39.2%, 36.0%, 37.2%, respectively. The appropriateness of duration of surgical prophylaxis increased significantly (<24â¯h increased through surveys related to one in 2011: odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29, 0.92-1.81; 1.95, 1.31-2.91; 1.78, 1.20-2.64, respectively). The most frequently detected HAIs were: bloodstream, urinary tract, pneumonia and surgical site (more than the 70% of HAIs in each PPS). CONCLUSION: The FVG regional approach to HAIs and AU surveillance was able to contribute to reduce prevalence over a 7-year period. Furthermore, it was able to keep hospital attention on HAIs and AU through the years and to guarantee a standardized and comparable evaluation of HAIs and AU burden in all RHS hospitals, as well as impacting on HAIs and AU regional programmes.
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Antibacterianos/uso terapêutico , Infecção Hospitalar/epidemiologia , Infecção Hospitalar/prevenção & controle , Uso de Medicamentos/estatística & dados numéricos , Pesquisa sobre Serviços de Saúde , Controle de Infecções/métodos , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Hospitais , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Itália/epidemiologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prevalência , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Previously, we found that catalase enhanced the protection afforded by superoxide dismutase to Escherichia coli against the simultaneous generation of superoxide and nitric oxide (Brunelli et al., Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 316:327-334, 1995). Hydrogen peroxide itself was not toxic in this system in the presence or absence of superoxide dismutase. We therefore investigated whether catalase might consume nitric oxide in addition to hydrogen peroxide. Catalase rapidly formed a reversible complex stoichiometrically with nitric oxide with the Soret band shifting from 406 to 426 nm and two new peaks appeared at 540 and at 575 nm, consistent with the formation of a ferrous-nitrosyl complex. Catalase consumed more nitric oxide upon the addition of hydrogen peroxide. Conversely, micromolar concentrations of nitric oxide slowed the catalase-mediated decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. Catalase pretreated with nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide regained full activity after dialysis. Our results suggest that catalase can slowly consume nitric oxide while nitric oxide modestly inhibits catalase-dependent scavenging of hydrogen peroxide. The protective effects of catalase in combination with superoxide dismutase may result from two actions; reducing peroxynitrite formation by scavenging nitric oxide and by scavenging hydrogen peroxide before it reacts with superoxide dismutase to form additional superoxide.
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Catalase/metabolismo , Óxido Nítrico/farmacologia , Catálise/efeitos dos fármacos , Sequestradores de Radicais Livres , Peróxido de Hidrogênio/metabolismo , Peróxido de Hidrogênio/farmacologia , Óxido Nítrico/metabolismo , Espectrofotometria , Superóxido Dismutase/metabolismoRESUMO
Previously, when part of a muscle and the terminal part of its nerve with its branches were removed through trauma, no technique for repair was available. A new technique for direct neurotization of denervated muscles is presented. This consists of the insertion of the distal stump of a nerve graft, divided into many small branches, directly into the muscle. Very good results were obtained in eight clinical cases of severely damaged muscles which were operated on according to this technique.
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Microcirurgia/métodos , Músculos/inervação , Terminações Nervosas/lesões , Nervos Periféricos/cirurgia , Humanos , Músculos/cirurgiaAssuntos
Doenças das Valvas Cardíacas/cirurgia , Adulto , Idoso , Insuficiência da Valva Aórtica/diagnóstico , Insuficiência da Valva Aórtica/cirurgia , Estenose da Valva Aórtica/diagnóstico , Estenose da Valva Aórtica/cirurgia , Criança , Feminino , Seguimentos , Doenças das Valvas Cardíacas/diagnóstico , Próteses Valvulares Cardíacas , Humanos , Recém-Nascido , Masculino , Insuficiência da Valva Mitral/diagnóstico , Insuficiência da Valva Mitral/cirurgia , Estenose da Valva Mitral/diagnóstico , Estenose da Valva Mitral/cirurgia , Gravidez , Complicações Cardiovasculares na Gravidez/cirurgia , Prognóstico , ReoperaçãoRESUMO
The reactivity and toxicity of nitric oxide is modest in comparison to oxidants derived from nitric oxide. Exposure of Escherichia coli to 1 mM nitric oxide under aerobic or anaerobic conditions did not decrease viability of the bacteria. Peroxynitrite (1 mM), the reaction product of superoxide and nitric oxide, was completely bactericidal after 5 s. The nitrovasodilator, 3-morpholinosydnonimine-N-ethylcarbamide (SIN-1), slowly decomposes to release both nitric oxide and superoxide and thereby produces peroxynitrite. SIN-1 killed E. coli in direct proportion to its concentration with an LD50 of 0.5 mM. Copper, zinc superoxide dismutase (50-400 units/ml) provided substantial but not complete protection against SIN-1 killing. Catalase (500-10,000 units/ml) partially protected in direct proportion to its concentration, while inactivated catalase was not protective. Superoxide dismutase and catalase together completely protected E. coli against SIN-1 toxicity. Oxy-hemoglobin eliminated both SIN-1 and peroxynitrite toxicity. The bactericidal activity of SIN-1 was further enhanced by pterin plus xanthine oxidase. Pterin plus xanthine oxidase alone or together with Fe3+ ethylenediamine tetraacetate produced no significant decrease in E. coli viability. Hydrogen peroxide was not directly toxic to the bacteria, but E. coli pretreated with hydrogen peroxide were more susceptible to peroxynitrite, SIN-1, and the aerobic oxidation products of nitric oxide. Hydrogen peroxide pretreatment did not increase significantly the toxicity of nitric oxide under anaerobic conditions. Our results suggest that peroxynitrite is far more toxic to E. coli than nitric oxide or its by products from aerobic oxidation.
Assuntos
Escherichia coli/efeitos dos fármacos , Nitratos/toxicidade , Óxido Nítrico/toxicidade , Radicais Livres/toxicidade , Peróxido de Hidrogênio/farmacologia , Molsidomina/análogos & derivados , Molsidomina/farmacologia , Oxiemoglobinas/farmacologia , Testes de ToxicidadeRESUMO
The presence of iron in gastric and duodenal mucosa was investigated with Perl's stain in endoscopic biopsies from 13 patients with overt primary hemochromatosis, 10 chronic heavy alcohol abusers, and 10 patients with nonulcer dyspepsia. In the primary hemochromatosis patients marked iron deposition was found in cells at the base of glands in the gastric body and antrum in nine cases, and in crypt cells and Brunner gland cells of the duodenum in six. Iron was detected in the lamina propria of the stomach in five and duodenum in four cases. A similar distribution of iron overload, usually of lesser degree, was also observed in five alcoholics. Serum ferritin levels and the degree of gastric and/or duodenal iron deposits did not correlate in either hemochromatosis patients or alcoholics. No gastric or duodenal siderosis was observed in nonulcer dyspepsia cases. The absence of gastric and duodenal stainable iron in some hemochromatosis patients and its presence in some alcoholics suggests that the diagnostic value of upper gastrointestinal biopsy in primary hemochromatosis is limited.
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Alcoolismo/metabolismo , Duodeno/análise , Mucosa Gástrica/análise , Hemocromatose/metabolismo , Ferro/análise , Adulto , Idoso , Dispepsia/metabolismo , Feminino , Ferritinas/sangue , Humanos , Mucosa Intestinal/análise , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Reação do Azul da PrússiaRESUMO
The effect on urinary iron excretion (UIE) of vitamin C administered orally 2 h after the start of an 8-hour desferrioxamine (DF) i.v. infusion was studied in 12 patients with untreated idiopathic hemochromatosis (IH). Mean +/- SEM basal UIE of 324.6 +/- 84.6 micrograms/24 h increased after a 1-gram i.v. DF infusion to 8,778.5 +/- 1,191.4 micrograms/24 h; when vitamin C 1 or 2 g were added to DF i.v. infusion, there were further increases to 11,241.5 +/- 1,486.1 (p less than 0.01) and 13,531.2 +/- 1,697.2 micrograms/24 h (p less than 0.05 versus the last value), respectively. Basal UIE did not significantly increase after oral vitamin C administration alone. No side effects were observed.
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Ácido Ascórbico/farmacologia , Desferroxamina/uso terapêutico , Hemocromatose/urina , Ferro/urina , Adulto , Feminino , Hemocromatose/tratamento farmacológico , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
The prevalence of alcohol consumption among 9th (14-15 years old) and 13th grade (18-19 years old) high school students in Perugia, Italy, was investigated in 1981 and 1988. Wine was the most popular beverage, although its use declined in the 7-year period. Beer consumption remained stable, but it was at a lower level than wine. Overall, alcohol consumption showed a slight decline among both 9th and 13th graders. However, the proportion of excessive drinkers increased, and a growing phenomenon of drunkenness among students was observed. Alcohol consumption was positively associated with sex and smoking and negatively associated with father's education and knowledge of the health hazards of alcohol abuse by multivariate analysis.
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Consumo de Bebidas Alcoólicas/epidemiologia , Alcoolismo/epidemiologia , Comparação Transcultural , Adolescente , Fatores Etários , Bebidas Alcoólicas , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Humanos , Incidência , Itália/epidemiologia , Masculino , Fatores Sexuais , Fatores SocioeconômicosRESUMO
Of 5,500 newborn infants whose family histories were screened, 900 were found to have anamnestic risk. Cord-blood IgE was evaluable in 4,677 of these newborns, of which 394 had levels > or = 1 IU/mL; 84 infants had both anamnestic risk and elevated cord-blood IgE levels. Parents of infants with anamnestic risk were informed of their child's risk of atopy. Additionally, for 391 infants at two of the three participating hospitals, a preventive diet was prescribed that recommended breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, with maternal diet restricted to no more than 200 dL of cow milk per day, no more than one egg per week, and no tomato, fish, shellfish, nuts, or foods allergenic to the mother. Only soy formula was recommended, and introduction of solid foods was also carefully prescribed. Furthermore, doctors recommended against exposure to tobacco smoke, animal allergens, and early entrance into daycare. Evaluable infants whose parents complied with the prescribed diet were found to have a lower incidence of atopy during the first year of life (13.3%, n = 158) than infants whose parents had ignored the prescribed diet (54.7%, n = 86) or infants whose parents were offered no dietary recommendations (28.9%, n = 218). Differences between the compliant group and the two groups with unrestricted diets were significant, indicating that this prescribed diet may protect against or delay onset of food allergies during the first year of life.
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Hipersensibilidade Alimentar/dietoterapia , Hipersensibilidade Alimentar/epidemiologia , Hipersensibilidade Imediata/dietoterapia , Hipersensibilidade Imediata/epidemiologia , Feminino , Sangue Fetal/imunologia , Hipersensibilidade Alimentar/imunologia , Humanos , Hipersensibilidade Imediata/imunologia , Imunoglobulina E/análise , Incidência , Alimentos Infantis , Recém-Nascido , Troca Materno-Fetal/imunologia , Triagem Neonatal , Gravidez , Estudos Prospectivos , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
In 67 patients (mean age 51 years, range 26-79), at diagnosis of primary haemochromatosis (PH), grade III or IV liver iron overload was present in all cases, cirrhosis in 85%, transferrin saturation greater than 80% in 75%, serum ferritin greater than 1000 micrograms/l in 84%, and overt diabetes in 48%. Alcohol intake was greater than 150 g/day in 11 patients; six were chronic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers. HLA-A3 and B7 antigens were present in 64% and 23% versus respectively 22% (p less than 0.01) and 9% (p less than 0.025) in controls. Iron overload was found in the stomach, duodenum, skin and bone marrow in 57, 43, 45 and 59% of the patients studied. Sixty-three patients were followed for 1-260 months (median 24); 43 received regular iron-depleting treatment and 20 did not because of liver failure, cancer or refusal. Cumulative survival was 79%, 67% and 61% at 1, 4 and 10 years, respectively. Ten patients died from hepatocellular carcinoma and two from extrahepatic cancer. The early high mortality rate was due to some cases of advanced disease or cancer. Cumulative survival in the regularly treated group was 95% at 1 year and 91% at 4 and 10 years, which was higher than in the untreated group.
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Hemocromatose , Adulto , Idoso , Medula Óssea/metabolismo , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/complicações , Duodeno/metabolismo , Feminino , Mucosa Gástrica/metabolismo , Antígenos HLA/análise , Antígeno HLA-A3 , Antígeno HLA-B7 , Hemocromatose/complicações , Hemocromatose/metabolismo , Hemocromatose/patologia , Humanos , Ferro/metabolismo , Cirrose Hepática/complicações , Neoplasias Hepáticas/complicações , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Pele/metabolismoRESUMO
The glutathione (GSH) system is the main defence of tissues against free radicals and red blood cells (RBC) are the most efficient sites for GSH redox cycle activation. Total GSH was assayed during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in RBC and serum from the coronary sinus, peripheral arteries and veins in 18 children corrected of their cardiac defect. Our conclusions are: (1) RBC-GSH redox cycle is activated during heart ischaemia and reperfusion; (2) the activation of intracellular GSH system is preponderant compared with the extracellular one; (3) variations in intraerythrocytic total GSH during heart ischaemia and perfusion are detectable in peripheral veins and arteries, which can be the convenient sites for monitoring changes in the GSH cycle; and (4) increased total GSH levels are present in RBC before aortic crossclamping: at the beginning of mechanical ventilation in veins and, when CPB is started, also in arteries.