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Vergatti A, Abate V, Giaquinto A, Altavilla N, D'Elia L, Evangelista M, De Filippo G, Piccinocchi G, Gennari L, Merlotti D, Galletti F, Strazzullo P, Rendina D. Role of active and environmental tobacco smoke on susceptibility to osteoporosis in women undergoing dual-X-ray absorptiometry. J Endocrinol Invest 2024; 47:937-946. [PMID: 37819412 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-023-02211-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Current smoking is a risk factor for osteoporosis (Op), but few data are available regarding the passive smoke impact on Op susceptibility. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the association between the smoking habits and Op in community-dwelling women undergoing dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). METHODS On 01/06/2018, general practitioners from "COMEGEN" Medical Cooperative, Naples, Italy, selected the medical records from the last 10 years of women who had a measurement of bone mineral density performed and simultaneously completed a questionnaire about their smoking behaviour and their cohabiters'. The binary logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the role of passive smoke on the risk of Op, adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS Among 10,616 subjects, 3942 were currently smokers [CS; mean age 69.4 ± 10.4 years; BMI 27.0 ± 4.9 kg/m2], 873 were passive smokers (PS; mean age 67.8 ± 11.6 years; BMI 27.0 ± 4.9 kg/m2) and 5781 were never smokers (NS; mean age 67.8 ± 11.6 years; body mass index (BMI) 27.0 ± 4.9 kg/m2). Of all, 8562 women (mean age 70.3 ± 10.2 yrs; BMI 27.0 ± 4.9 kg/m2) received the Op diagnosis. PS showed an increased Op risk compared to NS [odds ratio (OR) 1.38 (1.14-1.67)] and comparable to CS [OR 1.02 (0.84-1.24)]. CONCLUSION The study results demonstrate an association between passive smoke and Op in community-dwelling women already presenting with susceptibility to Op according to Italian essential assistance levels, suggesting that passive and active smoke are equivalent Op risk factors in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Vergatti
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - V Abate
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - A Giaquinto
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - N Altavilla
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - L D'Elia
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
| | - M Evangelista
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - G De Filippo
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Robert-Debré, Service d'Endocrinologie et Diabétologie, Paris, France
| | | | - L Gennari
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - D Merlotti
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - F Galletti
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
- Tobacco Treatment Center, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - P Strazzullo
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - D Rendina
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
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Trimarco V, Izzo R, Pacella D, Trama U, Manzi MV, Lombardi A, Piccinocchi R, Gallo P, Esposito G, Piccinocchi G, Lembo M, Morisco C, Rozza F, Santulli G, Trimarco B. Incidence of new-onset hypertension before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a 7-year longitudinal cohort study in a large population. BMC Med 2024; 22:127. [PMID: 38500180 PMCID: PMC10949764 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03328-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While the augmented incidence of diabetes after COVID-19 has been widely confirmed, controversial results are available on the risk of developing hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We designed a longitudinal cohort study to analyze a closed cohort followed up over a 7-year period, i.e., 3 years before and 3 years during the COVID-19 pandemic, and during 2023, when the pandemic was declared to be over. We analyzed medical records of more than 200,000 adults obtained from a cooperative of primary physicians from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2023. The main outcome was the new diagnosis of hypertension. RESULTS We evaluated 202,163 individuals in the pre-pandemic years and 190,743 in the pandemic years, totaling 206,857 when including 2023 data. The incidence rate of new hypertension was 2.11 (95% C.I. 2.08-2.15) per 100 person-years in the years 2017-2019, increasing to 5.20 (95% C.I. 5.14-5.26) in the period 2020-2022 (RR = 2.46), and to 6.76 (95% C.I. 6.64-6.88) in 2023. The marked difference in trends between the first and the two successive observation periods was substantiated by the fitted regression lines of two Poisson models conducted on the monthly log-incidence of hypertension. CONCLUSIONS We detected a significant increase in new-onset hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic, which at the end of the observation period affected ~ 20% of the studied cohort, a percentage higher than the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection within the same time frame. This observation suggests that increased attention to hypertension screening should not be limited to individuals who are aware of having contracted the infection but should be extended to the entire population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Trimarco
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences, and Dentistry, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy
| | - Raffaele Izzo
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Pacella
- Department of Public Health, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy
| | - Ugo Trama
- Pharmaceutical Department of Campania Region, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Virginia Manzi
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy
| | - Angela Lombardi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism (FIDAM), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | | | - Paola Gallo
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences, and Dentistry, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Esposito
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy
| | - Gaetano Piccinocchi
- COMEGEN Primary Care Physicians Cooperative, Italian Society of General Medicine (SIMG), Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Lembo
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy
| | - Carmine Morisco
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy
- International Translational Research and Medical Education (ITME) Consortium, Academic Research Unit, Naples, Italy
- Italian Society for Cardiovascular Prevention (SIPREC), Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Rozza
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy
| | - Gaetano Santulli
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy.
- International Translational Research and Medical Education (ITME) Consortium, Academic Research Unit, Naples, Italy.
- Department of Medicine, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center (ES-DRC), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, New York City, NY, 10461, USA.
| | - Bruno Trimarco
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy
- International Translational Research and Medical Education (ITME) Consortium, Academic Research Unit, Naples, Italy
- Italian Society for Cardiovascular Prevention (SIPREC), Rome, Italy
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3
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Lapi F, Marconi E, Piccinocchi G, Medea G, Piccinni C, Maggioni AP, Cricelli C. To retrieve values of albuminuria to define the size of CKD patients eligible to SGLT-2Is: An explorative analysis using a primary care database. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2024; 33:e5742. [PMID: 38112294 DOI: 10.1002/pds.5742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To address missingness of albuminuria values, which establish the eligibility to SGLT-2Is for patients with CKD, using the multiple imputation (MI) method. METHODS We selected patients aged 18 or older and diagnosed with CKD in a primary care database. Those with severe CKD and/or previously treated with SGLT-2Is were excluded. Then, we collected all available information on albuminuria within 90 days the measure of GFR. A value of albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) ranging 200-5000 mg/g or otherwise was the response variable on which we ran MI. Using logistic regression, odds ratios (OR) and related 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated for each covariate toward the response variable for both full and imputed dataset. RESULTS The determinants showed consistent estimates between the full and imputed datasets as demonstrated by the overlaps of the CIs and the similar point estimates. As expected, there were some exceptions, such as diabetes (OR of 1.2 vs. 0.5) and use of diabetic medications (OR of 1.0 vs. 2.1) and/or statins (OR of 1.1 vs. 1.8). CONCLUSIONS Besides being a reminder for GPs to prescribe and register albuminuria in certain patients' categories, these determinants might be translated into an operational algorithm to input ACR values in administrative data sources. Scenarios for the reimbursement criteria regulating SGLT-2Is to treat CKD would be therefore simulated on more inferable estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Lapi
- Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy
| | - Ettore Marconi
- Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy
| | - Gaetano Piccinocchi
- Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy
| | - Gerardo Medea
- Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy
| | - Carlo Piccinni
- Fondazione ReS (Ricerca e Salute - Health and Research Foundation), Rome, Italy
| | - Aldo Pietro Maggioni
- Fondazione ReS (Ricerca e Salute - Health and Research Foundation), Rome, Italy
- ANMCO Research Center Heart Care Foundation, Florence, Italy
| | - Claudio Cricelli
- Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy
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Ullah H, Di Minno A, Piccinocchi R, Buccato DG, De Lellis LF, Baldi A, El-Seedi HR, Khalifa SAM, Piccinocchi G, Xiao X, Sacchi R, Daglia M. Efficacy of digestive enzyme supplementation in functional dyspepsia: A monocentric, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 169:115858. [PMID: 37976892 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional dyspepsia is a form of dyspepsia lacking in clear causes following clinical assessment. Dyspepsia is characterized by episodic or persistent abdominal pain or discomfort of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Its onset has been linked with a deficiency or dysfunction of digestive enzymes. Thus, consumption of digestive multi-enzymatic preparations may be effectively used for the reduction of symptoms. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness and tolerability of the supplementation of a normal diet with a multi-enzyme blend obtained from fungal fermentation, in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, clinical trial. Enrolled subjects (n = 120, male: 63, female: 57), aged 18-59 years, were randomized (allocation ratio 1:1) to receive either 2 capsules per day of the food supplement (containing 200 mg of the multi-enzyme blend/capsule) or placebo, for 2 months. The primary outcome of the study (i.e., improvements in quality of life) was evaluated by the Nepean Dyspepsia Index-SF (NDI-SF) questionnaire, while the secondary outcomes (i.e., severity of pain and the quality of sleep) were assessed through the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. The results showed an improvement in NDI-SF1, NDI-SF2-5, VAS, and PSQI scores in subjects treated with the multi-enzyme blend, indicating an improvement in quality of life and of sleep, and a decreased severity of pain, following the supplementation with digestive enzymes, without side effects. In conclusion, treatment with digestive enzymes was found to be effective in the reduction of functional dyspepsia symptoms and in the improvement of sleep quality, and is well-tolerated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hammad Ullah
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandro Di Minno
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy
| | - Roberto Piccinocchi
- Level 1 Medical Director Anaesthesia and Resuscitation A. U. O. Luigi Vanvitelli, Via Santa Maria di Costantinopoli, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Daniele Giuseppe Buccato
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | | | - Alessandra Baldi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Hesham R El-Seedi
- International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah 42351, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shaden A M Khalifa
- Psychiatry and Psychology Department, Capio Saint Göran's Hospital, Sankt Göransplan 1, 112 19 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gaetano Piccinocchi
- Comegen S.c.S., Società Cooperativa Sociale di Medici di Medicina Generale, Viale Maria Bakunin 41, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Xiang Xiao
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Roberto Sacchi
- Applied Statistic Unit, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 24, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Maria Daglia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
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Prezioso D, Piccinocchi G, Abate V, Ancona M, Celia A, De Luca C, Ferrari R, Ferraro PM, Mancon S, Mazzon G, Micali S, Puca G, Rendina D, Saita A, Salvetti A, Spasiano A, Tesè E, Trinchieri A. The role of the general practictioner in the management of urinary calculi. Arch Ital Urol Androl 2023; 95:12155. [PMID: 38193217 DOI: 10.4081/aiua.2023.12155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of kidney stones tends to increase worldwide due to dietary and climate changes. Disease management involves a high consumption of healthcare system resources which can be reduced with primary prevention measures and prophylaxis of recurrences. In this field, collaboration between general practitioners (GPs) and hospitals is crucial. METHODS a panel composed of general practitioners and academic and hospital clinicians expert in the treatment of urinary stones met with the aim of identifying the activities that require the participation of the GP in the management process of the kidney stone patient. RESULTS Collaboration between GP and hospital was found crucial in the treatment of renal colic and its infectious complications, expulsive treatment of ureteral stones, chemolysis of uric acid stones, long-term follow-up after active treatment of urinary stones, prevention of recurrence and primary prevention in the general population. CONCLUSIONS The role of the GP is crucial in the management and prevention of urinary stones. Community hospitals which are normally led by GPs in liaison with consultants and other health professional can have a role in assisting multidisciplinary working as extended primary care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Prezioso
- Dipartimento Neuroscienze, Scienze della Riproduzione ed Odontostomatologia Università Federico II, Naples.
| | | | - Veronica Abate
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples.
| | | | - Antonio Celia
- S.C. Urologia ULSS 7 Pedemontana, Bassano del Grappa (VI).
| | - Ciro De Luca
- Dipartimento Neuroscienze, Scienze della Riproduzione ed Odontostomatologia Università Federico II, Naples.
| | - Riccardo Ferrari
- Department of Urology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Baggiovara (MO).
| | - Pietro Manuel Ferraro
- Sezione di Nefrologia, Dipartimento di Medicina, Università degli Studi di Verona, Verona.
| | - Stefano Mancon
- Department of Urology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan.
| | - Giorgio Mazzon
- S.C. Urologia ULSS 7 Pedemontana, Bassano del Grappa (VI).
| | - Salvatore Micali
- Department of Urology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Baggiovara (MO).
| | - Giacomo Puca
- Dipartimento Neuroscienze, Scienze della Riproduzione ed Odontostomatologia Università Federico II, Naples.
| | - Domenico Rendina
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples.
| | - Alberto Saita
- Department of Urology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan.
| | | | | | - Elisa Tesè
- Società Italiana di Medicina Generale, Florence.
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Izzo R, Pacella D, Trimarco V, Manzi MV, Lombardi A, Piccinocchi R, Gallo P, Esposito G, Lembo M, Piccinocchi G, Morisco C, Santulli G, Trimarco B. Incidence of type 2 diabetes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Naples, Italy: a longitudinal cohort study. EClinicalMedicine 2023; 66:102345. [PMID: 38143804 PMCID: PMC10746394 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The association of COVID-19 with the development of new-onset diabetes has been recently investigated by several groups, yielding controversial results. Population studies currently available in the literature are mostly focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D), comparing patients with a SARS-CoV-2 positive test to individuals without COVID-19, especially in paediatric populations. In this study, we sought to determine the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods In this longitudinal cohort study, we analysed a cohort followed up over a 6-year period using an Interrupted Time Series approach, i.e. 3-years before and 3-years during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analysed data obtained from >200,000 adults in Naples (Italy) from January 1st 2017 to December 31st 2022. In this manner, we had the opportunity to compare the incidence of newly diagnosed T2D before (2017-2019) and during (2020-2022) the COVID-19 pandemic. The key inclusion criteria were age >18-year-old and data availability for the period of observation; patients with a diagnosis of diabetes obtained before 2017 were excluded. The main outcome of the study was the new diagnosis of T2D, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases 10 (ICD-X), including prescription of antidiabetic therapies for more than 30 days. Findings A total of 234,956 subjects were followed-up for at least 3-years before or 3-years during the COVID-19 pandemic and were included in the study; among these, 216,498 were analysed in the pre-pandemic years and 216,422 in the pandemic years. The incidence rate of T2D was 4.85 (95% CI, 4.68-5.02) per 1000 person-years in the period 2017-2019, vs 12.21 (95% CI, 11.94-12.48) per 1000 person-years in 2020-2022, with an increase of about twice and a half. Moreover, the doubling time of the number of new diagnoses of T2D estimated by unadjusted Poisson model was 97.12 (95% CI, 40.51-153.75) months in the prepandemic period vs 23.13 (95% CI, 16.02-41.59) months during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, these findings were also confirmed when examining patients with prediabetes. Interpretation Our data from this 6-year study on more than 200,000 adult participants indicate that the incidence of T2D was significantly higher during the pandemic compared to the pre-COVID-19 phase. As a consequence, the epidemiology of the disease may change in terms of rates of outcomes as well as public health costs. COVID-19 survivors, especially patients with prediabetes, may require specific clinical programs to prevent T2D. Funding The US National Institutes of Health (NIH: NIDDK, NHLBI, NCATS), Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation, Weill-Caulier and Hirschl Trusts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Izzo
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, “Federico II” University, Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Pacella
- Department of Public Health, “Federico II” University, Naples, Italy
| | - Valentina Trimarco
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences, and Dentistry, “Federico II” University, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Virginia Manzi
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, “Federico II” University, Naples, Italy
| | - Angela Lombardi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism (FIDAM), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | | | - Paola Gallo
- Department of Public Health, “Federico II” University, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Esposito
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, “Federico II” University, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Lembo
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, “Federico II” University, Naples, Italy
| | - Gaetano Piccinocchi
- COMEGEN Primary Care Physicians Cooperative, Italian Society of General Medicine (SIMG), Naples, Italy
| | - Carmine Morisco
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, “Federico II” University, Naples, Italy
- International Translational Research and Medical Education (ITME) Consortium, Academic Research Unit, Naples, Italy
- Italian Society for Cardiovascular Prevention (SIPREC), Rome, Italy
| | - Gaetano Santulli
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, “Federico II” University, Naples, Italy
- International Translational Research and Medical Education (ITME) Consortium, Academic Research Unit, Naples, Italy
- Department of Medicine, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute, Einstein-Mount Sinai Diabetes Research Center (ES-DRC), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Einstein Institute for Aging Research, Institute for Neuroimmunology and Inflammation (INI), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Bruno Trimarco
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, “Federico II” University, Naples, Italy
- International Translational Research and Medical Education (ITME) Consortium, Academic Research Unit, Naples, Italy
- Italian Society for Cardiovascular Prevention (SIPREC), Rome, Italy
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Lapi F, Nuti L, Marconi E, Medea G, Cricelli I, Papi M, Gorini M, Fiorani M, Piccinocchi G, Cricelli C. To predict the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) using Generalized Additive2 Models (GA2M). J Am Med Inform Assoc 2023; 30:1494-1502. [PMID: 37330672 PMCID: PMC10436146 DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocad097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To train and test a model predicting chronic kidney disease (CKD) using the Generalized Additive2 Model (GA2M), and compare it with other models being obtained with traditional or machine learning approaches. MATERIALS We adopted the Health Search Database (HSD) which is a representative longitudinal database containing electronic healthcare records of approximately 2 million adults. METHODS We selected all patients aged 15 years or older being active in HSD between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020 with no prior diagnosis of CKD. The following models were trained and tested using 20 candidate determinants for incident CKD: logistic regression, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting Machines (GBMs), GAM, and GA2M. Their prediction performances were compared by calculating Area Under Curve (AUC) and Average Precision (AP). RESULTS Comparing the predictive performances of the 7 models, the AUC and AP for GBM and GA2M showed the highest values which were equal to 88.9%, 88.8% and 21.8%, 21.1%, respectively. These 2 models outperformed the others including logistic regression. In contrast to GBMs, GA2M kept the interpretability of variable combinations, including interactions and nonlinearities assessment. DISCUSSION Although GA2M is slightly less performant than light GBM, it is not "black-box" algorithm, so being simply interpretable using shape and heatmap functions. This evidence supports the fact machine learning techniques should be adopted in case of complex algorithms such as those predicting the risk of CKD. CONCLUSION The GA2M was reliably performant in predicting CKD in primary care. A related decision support system might be therefore implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Lapi
- Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Ettore Marconi
- Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy
| | - Gerardo Medea
- Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Claudio Cricelli
- Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy
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Ullah H, Sommella E, Minno AD, Piccinocchi R, Buccato DG, Lellis LFD, Riccioni C, Baldi A, El-Seedi HR, Khalifa SAM, Piccinocchi G, Campiglia P, Sacchi R, Daglia M. Combination of Chemically Characterized Pomegranate Extract and Hydrophilic Vitamins against Prolonged Fatigue: A Monocentric, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Nutrients 2023; 15:2883. [PMID: 37447210 DOI: 10.3390/nu15132883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Prolonged fatigue is associated with non-pathological causes and lacks an established therapeutic approach. The current study is aimed at assessing the efficacy of a new food supplement (Improve™) based on a chemically characterized pomegranate extract and hydro-soluble vitamins (B complex and C). UHPLC-HRMS analysis of pomegranate extract showed the presence of 59 compounds, with gallotannins and ellagitannins being the most abundant phytochemicals. For the clinical study, 58 subjects were randomized into two groups, 1 and 2 (n = 29, each), which received either the food supplement or placebo. The effects of the food supplement against fatigue were assessed via validated questionnaires, recorded at time intervals t0 (at baseline), t1 (after 28 days), t2 (56 days), and t3 (after follow-up) in combination with the analysis of biochemical markers at t0 and t2. Fatigue severity scale (FSS) questionnaire scores were significantly decreased at the t2 and t3 time intervals in subjects treated with the food supplements, while the effect of the food supplement on a 12-Item Short Form Survey (SF-12) was not considerable. Moreover, the food supplement did not significantly affect biochemical parameters associated with fatigue and stress conditions. This study shows that the food supplement tested reduces prolonged fatigue following two months of supplementation in healthy subjects with mild prolonged fatigue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hammad Ullah
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Eduardo Sommella
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Alessandro Di Minno
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy
| | - Roberto Piccinocchi
- Level 1 Medical Director Anaesthesia and Resuscitation A. U. O. Luigi Vanvitelli, Via Santa Maria di Costantinopoli, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Daniele Giuseppe Buccato
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Alessandra Baldi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Hesham R El-Seedi
- International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah 42351, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shaden A M Khalifa
- Psychiatry and Psychology Department, Capio Saint Göran's Hospital, Sankt Göransplan 1, 112 19 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gaetano Piccinocchi
- Comegen S.c.S., Società Cooperativa Sociale di Medici di Medicina Generale, Viale Maria Bakunin 41, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Pietro Campiglia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
- European Biomedical Research Institute of Salerno, Via De Renzi 50, 84125 Salerno, Italy
| | - Roberto Sacchi
- Applied Statistic Unit, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 24, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Maria Daglia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
- International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
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Lapi F, Marconi E, Piccinocchi G, Cricelli I, Medea G, Cricelli C. Early identification of chronic kidney disease: it is time to enhance patient and population-based informatics tools for general practitioners. Curr Med Res Opin 2023; 39:771-774. [PMID: 37005364 DOI: 10.1080/03007995.2023.2197498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global public health issue that can lead to several complications such as, kidney failure, cerebro/cardiovascular disease, and death.There is a well-documented "awareness gap" among general practitioners (GPs) to recognize CKD. As shown by estimates stemming from the Health Search Database (HSD) of the Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care (SIMG), no substantial changes were observed in terms of the incident rate of CKD over the last 10 years. Namely, 10.3 to 9.5 per 1,000 new cases of CKD were estimated in 2012 and 2021, respectively. Thus, strategies to reduce under-recognized cases are needed. Early identification of CKD might improve patient's quality of life and clinical outcomes. In this context, patient- and population-based informatic tools may support both opportunistic and systematic screening of patients at greater risk of CKD. As such, the new effective pharmacotherapies for CKD would be proficiently administered. To this aim, these two complimentary tools have been developed and will be further implemented by GPs.The effectiveness of these instruments in identifying the condition at an early stage and reducing the burden of CKD on the national health system needs to be verified according to the new regulations on medical device (MDR: (EU) 2017/745).
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Lapi
- Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy
| | - Ettore Marconi
- Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy
| | | | | | - Gerardo Medea
- Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy
| | - Claudio Cricelli
- Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care, Florence, Italy
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10
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Santonicola A, Molinari R, Piccinocchi G, Salvetti A, Natale F, Cimmino G. Role of a novel nutraceutical composition for irritable bowel syndrome management: symptoms relief and unexpected triglycerides-lowering effect. FFHD 2023. [DOI: 10.31989/ffhd.v13i2.1068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort and an irregular bowel habit. The prevalence is up to 20% in Western adults, which makes IBS the most common diagnosis in gastroenterology. Despite extensive interest and investigation, IBS's precise aetiology and pathophysiology are poorly understood. Current knowledge suggests that an altered gut microbiota, altered motility, visceral hyperalgesia, and dysregulation of the brain-gut axis are central to IBS. This is also significantly related to a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome and elevated triglycerides among the adult population. This retrospective study examines the effect of a novel nutraceutical compound, Triobiotix, on gastrointestinal symptoms in IBS patients. Effects on lipid profiles have also been recorded. Objectives: The focus of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Triobiotix, a nutraceutical compound composed of prebiotics and probiotics. Methods:Triobiotix is a nutraceutical consisting of Maltodextrin; mineralized extract of Lithothamnion (Lithothamnion calcareum (Pallas) Areschoug, thallus dry extract); Bioecolians® gluco-oligosaccharides; Ferment mix (corn starch, Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. Lactis BLC1 (DSM 17741), Lactobacillus acidophilus LA3 (DSM 17742), Lactobacillus rhamnosus IMC 501 (DSM 16104), Lactobacillus paracasei Streptococcus 501 IMC102 SP4 (DSM 19385); short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides powder. The database of 40 Italian General Practitioners (GPs) was analyzed. A total of 587 patients with IBS treated with Triobiotix were identified. Among them, 535/587 (91.1%) completed the first (T0) and second (T1) visits and their data were available. The primary endpoint of this analysis was to assess if Triobiotix, at a dosage of 1 sachet per day for 30 days, could reduce abdominal pain and bloating, thus resulting in a lower intensity of the main gastrointestinal symptoms. Secondary endpoints were to evaluate presence of any significant changes in triglycerides blood levels and glycaemia.Results: Treatment with this nutraceutical for one month resulted in a reduction in the frequency and intensity of bloating, abdominal pain, flatulence, and tenesmus. In the 85 patients who reported evacuative urgency, the frequency of the episodes didn’t significantly change while their intensity was statistically reduced. Unexpectedly, triglyceride levels also significantly decreased.Conclusions:Our analysis demonstrates this formulation is effective in the relief of the main symptoms associated with IBS. Moreover, an unexpected effect of this combination of micronutrients on tryglicerides, beyond IBS symptoms, was also found. However, further studies are needed to confirm this evidence and to evaluate the particular compound responsible of this effect.Keywords: Irritable bowel disease; Triglyceridemia; Nutraceuticals
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11
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Natale F, Molinari R, Covino S, Piccinocchi G, Salvetti A, Monda E, Limongelli G, Cimmino G. Effectiveness in the short-term of a novel nutraceutical for the management of hypercholesterolemia: an observational multicenter primary care experience. FFHD 2022. [DOI: 10.31989/ffhd.v12i11.1023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: Increasing evidence reinforces the benefits of reduction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) levels on cardiovascular outcomes. Different targets are suggested based on cardiovascular risk (CVR). According to the current European guidelines, a goal of LDL-C≤ 115mg/dL is desirable for patients with low-moderate CVR. However, a high percentage of these patients are far from this target. Nutraceuticals are “food supplements” that may help to achieve this goal in this population. In this retrospective analysis, we evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with a novel monacolin/berberine/bergamot nutraceutical formulation on plasma lipid levels of subjects with low-moderate hypercholesterolemia who are not treated with conventional drug or other dietary supplements. Patients and Methods:526 adult patients with hypercholesterolemia were retrospectively selected from the database of participant family practitioners according to prespecified criteria. All selected patients had a baseline and 30-day value of total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, and transaminases and have started a dietary supplementation with this novel nutraceutical. Similarly, 104 subjects with comparable clinical features but not treated with any supplements were also selected. Results:At 30-day, the administration of nutraceuticals was associated with a significant reduction of LDL-C (124 ± 14 vs. 100 ± 13 mg/dL, Δ 24.5mg, p-value <0.0001) and TC levels (210 ± 56 vs. 187 ± 60, p-value < 0.0001), in the absence of a significant change of transaminase levels. No side effects were reported in the database during the observation period. Conclusion: This novel nutraceutical is an effective dietary supplement to achieve a significant and early LDL-C reduction in patients with hypercholesterolemia at low-moderate CVR.Keywords:Cardiovascular Risk; Hypercholesterolemia; Nutraceuticals
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12
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Rendina D, D'Elia L, De Filippo G, Abate V, Evangelista M, Giaquinto A, Barone B, Piccinocchi G, Prezioso D, Strazzullo P. Metabolic syndrome is not associated to an increased risk of low bone mineral density in men at risk for osteoporosis. J Endocrinol Invest 2022; 45:309-315. [PMID: 34313972 PMCID: PMC8783849 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-021-01638-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE We have recently demonstrated a significant association between osteoporosis (Op) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Caucasian women examined by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for suspected Op. This cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate the association between MetS and Op in Caucasian men enrolled in the same geographical area, with identical criteria and in the same time range. METHODS Among subjects enrolled in the SIMON study, we selected the medical records of all free-living men who performed a contextual evaluation of both bone mineral density (BMD) by DXA and MetS constitutive elements (arterial blood pressure, waist circumference, serum levels of triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting glucose). All enrolled subjects refer to "COMEGEN" general practitioners' cooperative operating in Naples, Southern Italy. RESULTS Overall, the medical records of 880 men were examined. No significant association between MetS and Op was observed. Among MetS constitutive elements, waist circumference was inversely related to Op risk. CONCLUSION In Caucasian men examined by DXA for suspected Op, no significant association was observed between Op and MetS. The study results contrast to those observed in women enrolled in the same geographical area, with identical criteria and in the same time range and may be related to sexual dimorphism occurring in clinical expressiveness of both MetS and Op.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Rendina
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - L D'Elia
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - G De Filippo
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Robert-Debré, Service d'Endocrinologie et Diabétologie, 48, Boulevard Sérurier, 75019, Paris, France.
| | - V Abate
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - M Evangelista
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - A Giaquinto
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - B Barone
- Department of Neuroscience Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | | | - D Prezioso
- Department of Neuroscience Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - P Strazzullo
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
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Di Micco P, Imbalzano E, Russo V, Attena E, Mandaliti V, Orlando L, Lombardi M, Di Micco G, Camporese G, Annunziata S, Piccinocchi G, Pacelli W, Del Guercio M. Heparin and SARS-CoV-2: Multiple Pathophysiological Links. Viruses 2021; 13:v13122486. [PMID: 34960754 PMCID: PMC8705068 DOI: 10.3390/v13122486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Low molecular weight heparin, enoxaparin, has been one of most used drugs to fight the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Pharmacological properties of heparin recognize its specific ability, as with other oligosaccharides and glycosaminoglycan, to bind several types of viruses during their pass through the extracellular matrix of the respiratory tract, as well as its anticoagulant activity to prevent venous thromboembolism. Antithrombotic actions of enoxaparin have been testified both for inpatients with COVID-19 in regular ward and for inpatients in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Prophylactic doses seem to be able to prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE) in inpatients in the regular ward, while intermediate or therapeutic doses have been frequently adopted for inpatients with COVID-19 in ICU. On the other hand, although we reported several useful actions of heparin for inpatients with COVID-19, an increased rate of bleeding has been recorded, and it may be related to several conditions such as underlying diseases with increased risks of bleeding, increased doses or prolonged administration of heparin, personal trend to bleed, and so on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierpaolo Di Micco
- Department of Medicine, Buon Consiglio Fatebenefratelli Hospital of Naples, 80122 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Egidio Imbalzano
- Dipartimento Di ClinicaMedica E Farmacologia, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy; (E.I.); (L.O.)
| | - Vincenzo Russo
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”—Monaldi Hospital, Piazzale Ettore Ruggeri, 80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Emilio Attena
- Division of Cardiology, San Giuliano Hospital, 80014 Giugliano in Campania, Italy;
| | | | - Luana Orlando
- Dipartimento Di ClinicaMedica E Farmacologia, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy; (E.I.); (L.O.)
| | - Maurizio Lombardi
- Cardiocenter Outpatients Clinic, 80121 Naples, Italy; (M.L.); (W.P.)
| | - Gianluca Di Micco
- Division of Cardiology, Ospedale Buon Consiglio, Fatebenefratelli, 80122 Naples, Italy;
| | - Giuseppe Camporese
- Unit of Angiology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, Padua University, 35100 Padua, Italy;
| | | | | | - Walter Pacelli
- Cardiocenter Outpatients Clinic, 80121 Naples, Italy; (M.L.); (W.P.)
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Esposito C, Ugo Garzarella E, Santarcangelo C, Di Minno A, Dacrema M, Sacchi R, Piccinocchi G, Piccinocchi R, Daglia M. Safety and efficacy of alpha-lipoic acid oral supplementation in the reduction of pain with unknown etiology: A monocentric, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 144:112308. [PMID: 34649217 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Extensive evidence suggests that alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is effective in diabetic neuropathy pain management. However, little is known on its safety and efficacy in reducing idiopathic pain in normoglycemic subjects. The aim of this study was to evaluate ALA food supplement safety and efficacy in the reduction of different forms of idiopathic pain. METHODS Two-hundred and ten normoglycemic adults suffering from idiopathic pain (i.e. 57 subjects with primitive neuropathic pain, 141 subjects with arthralgia with unknown etiology, and 12 subjects with idiopathic myalgia) were randomized to receive placebo, 400 mg/day, or 800 mg/day of ALA. Participants underwent two visits (at baseline = t0, and after 2 months = t1) in which two validated questionaries for pain (numerical rating scale [NRS] and visual analogue scale [VAS]) were collected; fasting blood glucose assessment, adverse effects, and renal and hepatic toxicity were also monitored. RESULTS At t1, none of subjects treated with ALA reported a decreased glycemia or adverse effects. The treated subjects showed a significant reduction in NRS (p < 0.001) while the placebo group did not show any NRS reduction (p = 0.86). Similar results were also obtained for VAS. Statistical analysis aimed at detecting possible differences in NRS and VAS scores among treatment groups based on the source of pain did not reveal any significant effect. CONCLUSIONS Since the management of idiopathic pain is challenging for physicians, the use of ALA food supplements could be a feasible option, based on its safety and efficacy compared to commonly-used analgesic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Esposito
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Emanuele Ugo Garzarella
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Cristina Santarcangelo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandro Di Minno
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Dacrema
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Roberto Sacchi
- Applied Statistic Unit, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, viale Taramelli 24, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Gaetano Piccinocchi
- Comegen S.c.S., Società Cooperativa Sociale di Medici di Medicina Generale, Viale Maria Bakunin, 41, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Roberto Piccinocchi
- Level 1 Medical Director Anaesthesia and Resuscitation A. U. O. Luigi Vanvitelli, Via Santa Maria di Costantinopoli, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Daglia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, 212013 Zhenjiang, China.
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15
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Rendina D, D'Elia L, Evangelista M, De Filippo G, Giaquinto A, Abate V, Barone B, Piccinocchi G, Prezioso D, Strazzullo P. Metabolic syndrome is associated to an increased risk of low bone mineral density in free-living women with suspected osteoporosis. J Endocrinol Invest 2021; 44:1321-1326. [PMID: 32960417 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-020-01428-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Osteoporosis (Op) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are two common disorders showing common pathogenic patterns. This cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate if MetS and its constitutive elements are associated to an increased risk of low bone mineral density (BMD) in free-living women examined by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for suspected Op. METHODS 13,182 free-living Caucasian women referring to "COMEGEN" general practitioners cooperative operating in Naples, Italy, performed a contextual evaluation of BMD by DXA and all MetS constitutive elements (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, serum levels of triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting glucose) between June 1st 2008 and May 31st 2018. Subjects aged less than 40 years or with signs or symptoms suggestive of secondary Op were excluded from the study. RESULTS MetS is associated to an increased risk of low BMD (Odds Ratio 1.19; 95% Confidence Interval 1.08-1.31). Among MetS constitutive elements, hypertension was associated to increased risk of low BMD, whereas high fasting glucose level/diabetes were associated to reduced risk of low BMD. CONCLUSIONS The significant association between Op and MetS in free-living women examined by DXA for suspected Op suggests the advisability of a contextual evaluation of both disorders in this setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Rendina
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - L D'Elia
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - M Evangelista
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - G De Filippo
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Robert Debré, Service d'Endocrinologie et Diabétologie Pédiatrique, 48, Boulevard Sérurier, 75019, Paris, France.
| | - A Giaquinto
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - V Abate
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - B Barone
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | | | - D Prezioso
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - P Strazzullo
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, 80131, Naples, Italy
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Perrone-Filardi P, Minghetti P, Menditto E, Bianchi S, Scaglione F, Trifirò G, Piccinocchi G, Corona T, Gambarelli G, Izzi C, Misciagna V, Putignano D, Lopatriello S, Cafiero D. The value of the polypill in cardiovascular disease: an Italian multidisciplinary Delphi panel consensus. J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) 2021; 22:246-258. [PMID: 33633039 DOI: 10.2459/jcm.0000000000001159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this work was to reach the consensus of a multidisciplinary and multistakeholder Italian panel on the value of polypill in cardiovascular disease, with respect to the clinical, technological, economic and organizational dimension. A three-step modified Delphi method was used to establish consensus. Eleven experts in the area of cardiology, pharmaceutical technology, general practice, hospital pharmacy, pharmacology, and health economics participated in the expert panel. To identify existing evidence concerning the value of polypill in the prevention of patients with cardiovascular disease, a systematic literature review was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses statement guidelines. In the first round, 22 statements were distributed to the panel. Panel members were asked to mark 'agree' or 'disagree' for each statement and provide any comments. The same voting method was again used for the second round. In the first round nine statements met consensus. In the second round, 10 statements reached consensus. Overall, consensus was reached for 19 statements representing five value polypill domains: clinical, technological, economic and organizational. During a final web meeting with all panel members consensus document open points were discussed. Panel members agreed to recognize polypill as effective in reducing cardiovascular events, blood pressure and lipids, cardiovascular risk and the weight of therapy, in therapeutic adherence improvement, in the absence of differences in bioavailability between drugs administered in fixed or free combinations and the better cost-effectiveness profile compared with standard care. This document represents a knowledge framework to inform decision makers of the value of polypill in cardiovascular prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pasquale Perrone-Filardi
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Federico II University of Naples
- Mediterranea Cardiocentro, Napoli
| | - Paola Minghetti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano
| | - Enrica Menditto
- Department of Pharmacy, CIRFF, Centre of Pharmacoeconomics, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli
| | - Stefano Bianchi
- U.O. Assistenza Farmaceutica Ospedaliera, Territoriale e Ricerca clinica, Ferrara
| | - Francesco Scaglione
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, Postgraduate School of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Milan
- Clinical Pharmacology Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milano
| | - Gianluca Trifirò
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Messina
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17
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Russo V, Piccinocchi G, Mandaliti V, Annunziata S, Cimmino G, Attena E, Moio N, Di Micco P, Severino S, Trotta R, Del Guercio M. Cardiovascular Comorbidities and Pharmacological Treatments of COVID-19 Patients Not Requiring Hospitalization. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020; 18:E102. [PMID: 33375676 PMCID: PMC7795623 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18010102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is a whole Earth health emergency related to a highly pathogenic human coronavirus responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2). Despite the fact that the majority of infected patients were managed in outpatient settings, little is known about the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients not requiring hospitalization. The aim of our study was to describe the clinical comorbidity and the pharmacological therapies of COVID-19 patients managed in outpatient settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed an observational, retrospective analysis of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients managed in outpatient settings in Naples, Italy between 9 March and 1 May 2020. Data were sourced from the prospectively maintained Health Search (HS)/Thales database, shared by 128 primary care physicians (PCPs) in Naples, Italy. The clinical features and pharmacological therapies of COVID-19 patients not requiring hospitalization and managed in outpatient settings have been described. RESULTS A total of 351 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients (mean age 54 ± 17 years; 193 males) with outpatient management were evaluated. Hypertension was the most prevalent comorbidity (35%). The distribution of cardiovascular comorbidities showed no gender-related differences. A total of 201 patients (57.3%) were treated with at least one experimental drug for COVID-19. Azithromycin, alone (42.78%) or in combination (27.44%), was the most widely used experimental anti-COVID drug in outpatient settings. Low Molecular Weight Heparin and Cortisone were prescribed in 24.87% and 19.4% of the study population, respectively. At multivariate regression model, diabetes (risk ratio (RR): 3.74; 95% CI 1.05 to 13.34; p = 0.04) and hypertension (RR: 1.69; 95% CI 1.05 to 2.7; p = 0.03) were significantly associated with the experimental anti-COVID drug administration. Moreover, only diabetes (RR: 2.43; 95% CI 1.01 to 5.8; p = 0.03) was significantly associated with heparin administration. CONCLUSIONS Our data show a high prevalence of hypertension, more likely treated with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RASS) inhibitors, among COVID-19 patients not requiring hospitalization. Experimental COVID-19 therapies have been prescribed to COVID-19 patients considered at risk for increased venous thromboembolism based on concomitant comorbidities, in particular diabetes and hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Russo
- Cardiology Unit, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli—Monaldi Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Gaetano Piccinocchi
- Comegen Primary Care Physicians Cooperative SIMG, Italian Society of Family Medicine, 80125 Naples, Italy; (G.P.); (V.M.)
| | - Vincenzo Mandaliti
- Comegen Primary Care Physicians Cooperative SIMG, Italian Society of Family Medicine, 80125 Naples, Italy; (G.P.); (V.M.)
| | | | - Giovanni Cimmino
- Cardiology Unit, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli—Monaldi Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Emilio Attena
- Cardiology Unit, Cotugno Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy; (E.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Nicola Moio
- Cardiology Department, Santa Maria delle Grazie Hospital, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy;
| | | | - Sergio Severino
- Cardiology Unit, Cotugno Hospital, 80131 Naples, Italy; (E.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Roberta Trotta
- Medical Affairs Department—Daiichi Sankyo, 00142 Roma, Italy;
| | - Michele Del Guercio
- Angiology Unit, District 24, Health Authority Naples 1, 80131 Naples, Italy;
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Rendina D, D'Elia L, Evangelista M, De Filippo G, Giaquinto A, Barone B, Piccinocchi G, Prezioso D, Strazzullo P. Osteoporosis is a Predictive Factor for Nephrolithiasis in an Adult Free-Living Caucasian Population From Southern Italy: A Longitudinal Retrospective Study Based on a General Practice Database. Calcif Tissue Int 2020; 107:446-452. [PMID: 32740693 PMCID: PMC7546977 DOI: 10.1007/s00223-020-00737-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Osteoporosis and nephrolithiasis are common multifactorial disorders with high incidence and prevalence in the adult population worldwide. Both are associated with high morbidity and mortality if not correctly diagnosed and accurately treated. Nephrolithiasis is considered a risk factor for reduced bone mineral density. Aim of this retrospective longitudinal study was to evaluate if osteoporosis is a predictive factor for the nephrolithiasis occurrence. Free-living subjects referring to "COMEGEN" general practitioners cooperative operating in Naples, Southern Italy. Twelve thousand seven hundred ninety-four Caucasian subjects (12,165 female) who performed bone mineral density by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and have a negative personal history for nephrolithiasis. Subjects aged less than 40 years or with signs or symptoms suggestive of secondary osteoporosis were excluded from the study. In a mean lapse of time of 19.5 months, 516 subjects had an incident episode of nephrolithiasis. Subjects with osteoporosis had an increased risk of nephrolithiasis than subjects without osteoporosis (Hazard Ratio = 1.33, 95% Confidence Interval 1.01-1.74, p = 0.04). Free-living adult subjects over the age of 40 with idiopathic osteoporosis have an increased risk of incident nephrolithiasis, suggesting the advisability of appropriate investigation and treatment of the metabolic alterations predisposing to nephrolithiasis in patients with osteoporosis. The study protocol was approved by the ASL Napoli 1 Ethical Committee, protocol number 0018508/2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Rendina
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
| | - Lanfranco D'Elia
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Evangelista
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Alfonso Giaquinto
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Biagio Barone
- Department of Neuroscience Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Domenico Prezioso
- Department of Neuroscience Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - Pasquale Strazzullo
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
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Cupisti A, Trinchieri A, Lombardi M, Agostini S, Arcidiacono T, Beltrami P, Berri E, Bevilacqua L, Campo S, Cannavò R, Croppi E, Casarrubea G, Caviglioli C, Crisci A, D'Addessi A, Sio MD, Fantuzzi A, Fusaro M, Gambaro G, Garofalo M, Micali S, Marangella M, Petrarulo M, Piccinocchi G, Sessa A, Tasca A, Vezzoli G, Vitale C, Zattoni F. [A diagnostic-therapeutic pathway for patients with kidney stone disease: 2020 update]. G Ital Nefrol 2020; 37:37-S75-2020-4. [PMID: 32749084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The natural history of urinary kidney stone disease includes the risk of relapses and can be associated with the risk of chronic kidney disease, bone and cardiovascular disease. For this reason, a wide clinical-metabolic assessment of the kidney stone patient is of great importance since the first presentation of the stone, to set an appropriate preventive treatment. The proposed diagnostic-therapeutic pathway includes a careful medical history, in order to highlight a secondary kidney stone disease and the main risk factors for kidney stones, chronic renal disease, or cardiovascular and bone disease; a metabolic evaluation on multiple levels, according to the severity of the disease, and the presence or absence of risk factors, and appropriate instrumental investigations. Thus, the information collected makes it possible to set a preventive treatment consisting of general rules and, if necessary, specific pharmacological or nutritional interventions. This paper has been prepared by the Italian Multidisciplinary Study Group for Kidney Stone Disease, and it is addressed to the several professional figures involved in the management of patients suffering from nephrolithiasis, from the emergency doctor to the general practitioner, urologist, nephrologist, radiologist, and dietician. A diagnostic-therapeutic pathway for patients with kidney stone disease was first published on this Journal in 2010. The present contribution aims at amending and updating the article published exactly ten years ago, to serve as an easy-to-use reference and to guide good clinical practice in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adamasco Cupisti
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italia
| | - Alberto Trinchieri
- Scuola di Specializzazione in Urologia, Università di Milano, Milano, Italia
| | - Marco Lombardi
- UOC Nefrologia e Dialisi, Firenze-2, Ospedale SM Annunziata e del Mugello ASL Toscana Centro, Firenze, Italia
| | - Simone Agostini
- SOD Radiodiagnostica Emergenza e Urgenza, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Careggi, Firenze, Italia
| | - Teresa Arcidiacono
- Unità di Nefrologia e Dialisi, IRCCS, Ospedale San Raffaele e Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italia
| | - Paolo Beltrami
- Clinica Urologica, Università di Padova, c/o Ospedale Civile, Padova, Italia
| | | | - Luigi Bevilacqua
- Cattedra di Urologia, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Emilia Romagna, Italia
| | - Salvatore Campo
- Responsabile Area Urologica della Società Italiana di Medicina Generale, Firenze, Italia
| | - Rossella Cannavò
- UOC Nefrologia e Dialisi, Ospedale SM Annunziata - Firenze-2, ASL Toscana Centro, Firenze, Italia
| | - Emanuele Croppi
- Medico di Medicina Generale ASL 10, Firenze, Specialista in Nefrologia e Professore A.C. Università di Firenze, Firenze, Italia
| | | | - Cosimo Caviglioli
- SOD Medicina e Chirurgia d'Urgenza e Accettazione, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Careggi, Firenze, Italia
| | - Alfonso Crisci
- Clinica Urologica, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Firenze, Italia
| | | | - Marco De Sio
- UO e Cattedra di Urologia Università degli Studi della Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italia
| | - Annalaura Fantuzzi
- Referente ambulatorio di Dietetica delle Malattie Renali, Ospedale di Sassuolo spa, Sassuolo (MO), Italia
| | - Maria Fusaro
- Istituto di Fisiologia Clinica CNR, Pisa, Italia; Dipartimento di Medicina Università di Padova, Padova, Italia
| | | | - Marco Garofalo
- Policlinico S. Orsola, Clinica Urologica, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italia
| | - Salvatore Micali
- Cattedra di Urologia, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Emilia Romagna, Italia
| | | | - Michele Petrarulo
- Laboratorio Analisi-Chimico Cliniche e Microbiologia, A.O. Ordine Mauriziano di Torino, Torino, Italia
| | | | - Alberto Sessa
- Presidente Regionale Società Italiana di Medicina Generale Lombardia, Italia
| | - Andrea Tasca
- Università Internazionale per la Pace, Roma, Italia
| | - Giuseppe Vezzoli
- Unità di Nefrologia e Dialisi, IRCCS, Ospedale San Raffaele e Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italia
| | - Corrado Vitale
- S.C. Nefrologia e Dialisi, A.O. Ordine Mauriziano di Torino, Torino, Italia
| | - Filiberto Zattoni
- Clinica Urologica, Università di Padova, c/o Ospedale Civile, Padova, Italia
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Putignano D, Orlando V, Monetti VM, Piccinocchi G, Musazzi UM, Piccinocchi R, Minghetti P, Menditto E. Fixed Versus Free Combinations Of Antihypertensive Drugs: Analyses Of Real-World Data Of Persistence With Therapy In Italy. Patient Prefer Adherence 2019; 13:1961-1969. [PMID: 31814712 PMCID: PMC6858287 DOI: 10.2147/ppa.s225444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To analyse the pattern of use and cost of antihypertensive drugs in new users in an Italian population, and explore the patient/treatment factors associated with the risk of therapy discontinuation. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this retrospective study, information was collected from a population-based electronic primary-care database. Persistence with medication use 1 year from therapy initiation was evaluated for each user using the gap method. Each new user was classified according to his/her pattern of use as: "continuer", "discontinuer" "switching" or "add-on". A Cox regression model was used to analyse the factors influencing therapy discontinuation. Primary-care costs comprised specialists' visits, diagnostic procedures and pharmacologic therapies. RESULTS Among 14,999 subjects included in persistence analyses, 55.1% of cases initially started on monotherapy were classified as discontinuers vs 36.5% of cases taking combination therapy (42.3% vs 32.7%, respectively, for free and fixed combinations, P < 0.01). Old age, high cardiovascular risk and being in receipt of fixed-combination therapy were associated with greater persistence. Overall, the primary-care cost/person/year of hypertension management was ~€95.3 (IQR, 144.9). The monotherapy cost was €88 per patient (IQR, 132.9), and that for combination therapy was €151±148.3. The median cost/patient with a fixed combination was lower than that for a free combination (€98.4 (IQR, 155.3) and €154.9 (IQR, 182.6), respectively). CONCLUSION The initial type of therapy prescribed influences persistence. Prescribing fixed combinations might be a good choice as initial therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Putignano
- CIRFF, Center of Pharmacoeconomics, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Valentina Orlando
- CIRFF, Center of Pharmacoeconomics, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: Valentina Orlando CIRFF, Center of Pharmacoeconomics, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, Naples80131, ItalyTel +39 081 678657Fax +39 081 678303 Email
| | | | | | - Umberto Maria Musazzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Paola Minghetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Enrica Menditto
- CIRFF, Center of Pharmacoeconomics, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Cogliandro A, Persichetti P, Ghilardi G, Moss TP, Barone M, Piccinocchi G, Ricci G, Vitali M, Giuliani A, Tambone V. How to assess appearance distress and motivation in plastic surgery candidates: Italian validation of Derriford Appearance Scale 59 (DAS 59). Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2016; 20:3732-3737. [PMID: 27735048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The Derriford Appearance Scale (DAS) 59 was specifically designed to measure psychosocial adjustment in patients with appearance problems. Previous studies using the DAS59 have proven it to be a reliable method of assessing the appearance-related quality of life after plastic surgery procedures. The aim of this study was to develop a valid and reliable Italian version of the DAS59. PATIENTS AND METHODS The first Italian translation of this questionnaire was conducted according to the DAS59 protocol that was designed by the original authors of the questionnaire. Eight hundred patients participated in this study and filled out three questionnaires (DAS59, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)12 and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI)-II). There were 400 adult patients with a history of previous plastic surgeries and 400 adult patients without any personal history of previous plastic surgery procedures. A total of 50 patients were selected randomly for test-retest analysis. RESULTS The overall internal consistency was excellent (α = 0.95) and equal to that of the original article that first described the scale. There was a good correlation between all the items. Domains demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and correlation within themselves. The construct validity of the Italian DAS59 was assessed under convergent validity that confirmed the correlation with scales related to other psychological conditions. GHQ12 showed relevant correlation with DAS59, while BDI-II did not. CONCLUSIONS A valid and reliable Italian DAS59 version was developed that can be used for research and clinical assessment of patients with appearance problems and concerns, especially before and after plastic surgery procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Cogliandro
- Unit of Plastic Surgery and Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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Piccinocchi G, Piccinocchi R. Further Effort is Needed to Improve Management of Chronic Pain in Primary Care. Results from the Arkys Project. Clin Pract 2016; 6:855. [PMID: 27478585 PMCID: PMC4943105 DOI: 10.4081/cp.2016.855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment of chronic pain is challenging. The Arkys project was initiated in Italy to assist general practitioners (GPs) in the management of chronic pain. The main objective of this study was to determine the usefulness of Arkys for selecting new therapeutic strategies. An online interactive questionnaire for assessing pain and guiding therapeutic decisions was made available to GPs participating to Arkys. The GPs were invited to complete the questionnaire for each patient who presented moderate-severe chronic pain, and to decide on a new analgesic treatment based on the information provided by the questionnaire. Two hundred and forty four GPs participated with a total of 3035 patients. Patients (mean age 68.9 years) had mostly chronic non-cancer pain (87.7%). In 42.3%, pain had neuropathic components. Only 53.6% of patients were in treatment with analgesics (strong opioids, 38.9%; NSAIDs, 32.6%; weak opioids, 25.6%; anti-epileptics, 17.3%; paracetamol, 14.9%). Use of the questionnaire resulted in the prescription of analgesics to all patients and in increased prescription of strong opioids (69.7%). NSAID prescription decreased (12.8%), while anti-epileptics use remained stable. These findings show that current management of chronic pain in primary care is far from optimal and that efforts are needed to educate GPs and improve guideline implementation.
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Fusco F, Arcaniolo D, Creta M, Piccinocchi G, Arpino G, Laringe M, Piccinocchi R, Longo N, Verze P, Mangiapia F, Imperatore V, Mirone V. Demographic and comorbidity profile of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia in a real-life clinical setting: Are 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor consumers different? World J Urol 2014; 33:685-9. [PMID: 25491675 DOI: 10.1007/s00345-014-1460-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE We aimed to describe, in a daily clinical practice setting, the demographic and comorbidity profile of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH-LUTS), to compare the characteristics of patients receiving 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) with those not receiving them and to investigate predictors of 5-ARI prescription. METHODS We performed a retrospective observational study using data retrieved from a general practitioners database. Male patients with diagnosis of BPH-LUTS were included. The following demographic and clinical data were available and extracted: age, comorbidities, BPH-LUTS medical therapy, drugs for comorbidities. A subgroup analysis was performed according to the use of 5-ARIs. Factors associated with 5-ARI prescription were assessed with uni- and multivariate analyses. RESULTS A total of 7,103 patients were identified. Most patients (71.7%) were aged ≥65 years. Hypertension was present in 64.9% of patients; it was the most prevalent comorbidity followed by diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, coronary artery disease and other dyslipidemias. Overall, 38.22% of patients were treated with 5-ARIs. Mean age of patients taking 5-ARIs was significantly higher. The prevalence of hypertension and the use of antihypertensive drugs were significantly higher among patients receiving 5-ARIs. Older age was an independent predictor of 5-ARI prescription. CONCLUSIONS In a daily clinical practice setting, patients with BPH-LUTS receiving 5-ARIs are significantly older and have significantly higher prevalence of hypertension if compared with patients with BPH-LUTS not receiving 5-ARIs. Older age is an independent predictor of 5-ARI prescription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferdinando Fusco
- Urologic Clinic, University Federico II of Naples, Naples, Italy
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Vespasiani-Gentilucci U, Gallo P, Piccinocchi G, Piccinocchi R, Schena E, Galati G, De Vincentis A, Dell'Unto C, Picardi A. Determinants of alanine aminotransferase levels in a large population from Southern Italy: relationship between alanine aminotransferase and age. Dig Liver Dis 2014; 46:909-15. [PMID: 24953204 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2014.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2013] [Revised: 05/19/2014] [Accepted: 05/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Determinants of alanine aminotransferase levels have never been investigated in real-life settings. The relationship between alanine aminotransferase and age remains controversial. We evaluated epidemiological, anthropometric, and metabolic factors associated with alanine aminotransferase, focusing on the relationship between alanine aminotransferase and age. METHODS A 5-year retrospective analysis was performed on data recorded by 120 general practitioners from Naples (Italy), caring for 170,000 subjects. Exclusion criteria were age <18 years, diagnosis of chronic liver disease, positive markers for viral hepatitis, alcohol abuse, and alanine aminotransferase >100UI/L. RESULTS 44,232 subjects were enrolled (42.7% males, mean age 56±18 years). Alanine aminotransferase showed independent direct associations with body mass index, glycaemia, cholesterol, and triglycerides (p<0.001), and inverse associations with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p<0.001) and creatinine (p<0.01). The relationship between alanine aminotransferase and age was better expressed by polynomial regression (r=0.18, p<0.001), creating an inverted parabola. Mean alanine aminotransferase increased until the third decade in males and the fifth in females, with a subsequent progressive decrease in both genders. The inverse association between alanine aminotransferase and age in older subjects was independent from metabolic factors. CONCLUSIONS This real-life setting study, supports the concept that dysmetabolism is a strong determinant of liver injury. Based on our data, a reduction of the standard upper limit of normal alanine aminotransferase should be considered for older subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paolo Gallo
- Internal Medicine and Hepatology Unit, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Emiliano Schena
- Unit of Measurement and Biomedical Instrumentation, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Galati
- Internal Medicine and Hepatology Unit, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio De Vincentis
- Internal Medicine and Hepatology Unit, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Dell'Unto
- Internal Medicine and Hepatology Unit, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Picardi
- Internal Medicine and Hepatology Unit, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy
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Minutolo R, Lapi F, Chiodini P, Simonetti M, Bianchini E, Pecchioli S, Cricelli I, Cricelli C, Piccinocchi G, Conte G, De Nicola L. Risk of ESRD and death in patients with CKD not referred to a nephrologist: a 7-year prospective study. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2014; 9:1586-93. [PMID: 25074838 DOI: 10.2215/cjn.10481013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Rising prevalence of CKD requires active involvement of general practitioners to limit ESRD and mortality risk. However, the outcomes of patients with CKD exclusively managed by general practitioners are ill defined. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS We prospectively evaluated 30,326 adult patients with nondialysis CKD stages 1-5 who had never received consultation in tertiary nephrology care recruited from 700 general practitioner offices in Italy during 2002 and 2003. CKD stages were classified as stages 1 and 2 (GFR ≥ 60 ml/min per 1.73 m(2) and either albuminuria or an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code for kidney disease), stage 3a (GFR=59-45), stage 3b (GFR=44-30), stage 4 (GFR=29-15), and stage 5 (GFR<15). Primary outcome was the risk of ESRD (dialysis or transplantation) or all-cause death. RESULTS Overall 64% of patients were in stage 3a, and 4.5% of patients were in stages 3b-5. Patients with stages 1 and 2 were younger, were predominantly men, more frequently had diabetes, and had lower prevalence of previous cardiovascular disease than patients with stages 3a-5. Hypertension was frequent in all CKD stages (80%-94%), whereas there was a lower prevalence of dyslipidemia, albuminuria, and obesity associated with more advanced CKD. During the follow-up (median=7.2 years; interquartile range=4.7-7.7), 6592 patients died and 295 started ESRD. Compared with stages 1 and 2 (reference), mortality risk (hazard ratio, 95% confidence interval) was higher in stages 3b-5 (1.66, 1.49-1.86, 2.75, 2.41-3.13 and 2.54, 2.01-3.22, respectively) but not stage 3a (1.11, 0.99-1.23). Similarly, ESRD risk (hazard ratio, 95% confidence interval) was not higher at stage 3a (1.44, 0.79-2.64) but was greater in stages 3b-5 (11.0, 6.3-19.5, 91.2, 53.2-156.2 and, 122.8, 67.9-222.0, respectively). Among modifiable risk factors, anemia and albuminuria significantly predicted either outcome, whereas hypertension only predicted mortality. CONCLUSIONS In patients with CKD not referred to nephrology, risks of ESRD and mortality were higher in those with CKD stages 3b-5.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francesco Lapi
- Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners, Florence, Italy; and
| | - Paolo Chiodini
- Medical Statistics Unit, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Monica Simonetti
- Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners, Florence, Italy; and
| | - Elisa Bianchini
- Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners, Florence, Italy; and
| | - Serena Pecchioli
- Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners, Florence, Italy; and
| | - Iacopo Cricelli
- Health Search, Italian College of General Practitioners, Florence, Italy; and
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Prezioso D, Illiano E, Piccinocchi G, Cricelli C, Piccinocchi R, Saita A, Micheli C, Trinchieri A. Urolithiasis in Italy: An epidemiological study. Arch Ital Urol Androl 2014; 86:99-102. [DOI: 10.4081/aiua.2014.2.99] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: Worldwide the urolithiasis is the third most frequent urological disease affecting both males and females. In literature there are not recent Italian epidemiological data about stone disease. The objective of this study is the evaluation of current epidemiology of urolithiasis in Italy using the Health Search/CSD Longitudinal Patient Database (HS) database. Material and methods: An observational, descriptive, retrospective trial was conducted. Inclusion criteria were: family physician- assisted Italian living population member of HS database within 31 December 2012, both genders, age over 17 years, at least two years of clinical history recorded from the beginning the trial. Data were collected by HS database and elaborated by its software Millewin®. Results: In Italy prevalence of urolithiasis in 2012 was 4.14%, it was higher in males than in females (4.53% versus 3.78%) with a positive relation with increasing age. The highest prevalence rate of urolithiasis was reported in the region Campania (6.08%). The general incidence was 2.23 *1000, with the highest incidence in the region Sicilia (3.15 *1000). Incidence was higher in group age 65-74 years (3.18 *1000). Conclusions: In Italy the incidence and prevalence of urolithiasis is increasing with particular distribution in relation to gender, age and regional position.
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Piccinocchi G, Laringe M, Guillaro B, Arpino G, Piccinocchi R, Nigro G, Calabrò P. Diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation by primary care physicians in Italy : a retrospective, observational analysis. Clin Drug Investig 2013; 32:771-7. [PMID: 23018284 PMCID: PMC3693438 DOI: 10.1007/s40261-012-0005-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and is associated with a heavy burden of morbidity and mortality, mainly due to an increased risk of cerebrovascular events and cardiac failure. Oral anticoagulant (OAC) treatment prevents stroke and systemic thromboembolism in patients with AF and its use is strongly recommended in guidelines. However, its use in this patient group remains limited. Primary care physicians (PCPs) have an important role to play in this context. Objective The primary objective was to estimate prevalence and epidemiological features of AF in the primary care setting, focusing on ischaemic and bleeding risk assessment. A secondary objective was to examine the PCPs’ level of adherence to the guidelines for the prevention of thromboembolic risk in these patients. Methods This retrospective, observational study was based on data entered by 128 PCPs into the Health Search (HS) Thales database, identifying patients with a diagnosis of AF at the time of the analysis. Results Out of 167,056 patients analysed, 2,173 (1.3 %) were diagnosed with AF, with 86 % at high risk for ischaemic stroke, according to CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years [doubled], diabetes, stroke [doubled], vascular disease, age 65–74 years, sex category [female]) stratification. After the diagnosis of AF, 84 % of patients were prescribed OAC treatment. However, at 2 years’ follow-up, only 29.6 % were still being treated with OACs. Conclusion The prevalence of AF in this analysis was consistent with previously reported Italian national epidemiological data. Adherence to the European Society of Cardiology AF guidelines by PCPs was low, despite the high levels of stroke risk. At the end of the observation period less than one-third of patients were still on OAC therapy. Awareness of the benefits of OACs in stroke prevention in AF patients needs to be improved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaetano Piccinocchi
- Co.Me.Gen. Coop (Cooperativa Medicina Generale Napoli), Cooperative of Primary Care Physicians, Via Cintia Parco S. Paolo 45, 80126, Naples, Italy.
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Cammarota S, Bruzzese D, Sarnelli G, Citarella A, Menditto E, Riegler S, Savino IG, Vozzella L, Piccinocchi G, Napoli L, Arpino G, Cuomo R. Proton pump inhibitors prescribing following the introduction of generic drugs. Eur J Clin Invest 2012; 42:1068-78. [PMID: 22681176 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2362.2012.02696.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In many countries, the introduction of generic proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) onto the pharmaceutical market increased the phenomenon of therapeutic substitution in acid-related disorders (ARDs). AIM To investigate the treatment of ARDs in an Italian primary care setting from 2005 to 2008 by verifying: (i) dynamics of PPI prescribing; (ii) predictors of PPI switching; and (iii) healthcare resource consumption costs. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of 102 general practitioners (GPs) who managed an average of 150000 inhabitants in Naples. Multilevel logistic regression was used to assess the potential predictors of both PPI switching and termination. Primary care costs were expressed as the cost of ARD management per PPI user year. RESULTS The percentage of PPI users with ARD increased from 5·5% (2005) to 7·0% (2008) (P<0·0001), especially for dyspepsia (from 9·5% to 13·7%; P<0·0001) and chronic treatments (from 23·4% to 29·4%; P<0·0001). PPI switching rose from 13·0% to 16·7% during the period observed (P<0·0001). Calendar years, long-term treatments and gastroesophageal reflux disease were positive predictors of PPI switching. Primary care costs relating to PPI switchers increased by 61·14€ compared with nonswitchers (P<0·0001). CONCLUSIONS The introduction of generic PPIs onto the Italian market was associated with an increasing amount of PPI prescribing related to chronic treatments, unlicensed indications (e.g. dyspespsia) and therapeutic substitutions. Growing overall costs linked to the phenomenon of PPI switching was also found. Our data support the need to assess the effects of the introduction of generic drugs on both clinical outcomes and the cost management of ARDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Cammarota
- CIRFF - Center of Pharmacoeconomics and Drug Utilization, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Naples 'Federico II', Naples, Italy
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Loguercio C, Tiso A, Cotticelli G, Blanco CDV, Arpino G, Laringe M, Napoli L, Piccinocchi G, Bonfrate L, Grattagliano I, Ubaldi E, Portincasa P. Management of chronic liver disease by general practitioners in southern Italy: unmet educational needs. Dig Liver Dis 2011; 43:736-41. [PMID: 21616733 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2011.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2011] [Revised: 03/11/2011] [Accepted: 04/17/2011] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite chronic liver diseases represent an important cause of illness in Italy, data from family practice are poor. AIM To assess the management of chronic liver diseases by general practitioners in a large area of Southern Italy. METHODS This was a 5-year retrospective analysis from 104 physicians in charge of a population of 143,159 adult subjects. RESULTS Amongst 6550 patients with chronic liver disease (4.7%, 3400 M, median age 57 years), 1330 (20.3%) had HCV infection, 226 (3.4%) HBV infection, and 293 (4.5%) liver cirrhosis (25 alcohol-related). The prevalence of alcohol consumption, recorded by 90% of physicians, was 20.4%. Hypertransaminasemia and liver steatosis had a prevalence of 6.7% and 2.4%, respectively. Although transaminases were checked 3 times over 5 years in 80% of cases, few patients were investigated for viral infection, and less than 50% underwent ultrasonography and consultation, leaving undefined a consistent number of cases. Alcohol consumption, body mass index and ultrasonography were poorly checked even in hypertransaminasemic patients. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that data recording by general practitioners in chronic liver disease patients lacks homogeneity and can miss important information. One unmet need is therefore the integration between theoretical knowledge and practice to share similar behaviours and improve the management of these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Loguercio
- Interuniversity Center for Research on Food, Nutrition and Digestive Tract, Gastroenterology School Second University, Naples, Italy.
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Celentano A, Palmieri V, Panico S, Russo C, Arezzi E, Pezzullo S, Minichiello S, Guillaro B, Brancati C, Piccinocchi G, Di Minno G. Individuals' cardiovascular risk profile projected by family doctors and individuals' knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors: a challenge for primary prevention. The cardiovascular risk prevention project "Help Your Heart Stay Young". Ital Heart J 2005; 6:557-64. [PMID: 16274017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whether the practice of family doctors of assessing individuals' cardiovascular risk profile improves individuals' knowledge of risk factors in primary prevention has not been established. Accordingly, we evaluated patients' knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors and lifestyle in healthy subjects whose family doctors provided individual cardiovascular risk score. METHODS Subjects who visited their family doctor in a time frame of 3 months, who accepted to fill-in a simple questionnaire measuring their knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors and of non-pharmacological interventions able to reduce cardiovascular risk were evaluated. RESULTS Fifty-one family doctors were involved. The study sample comprised 4239 subjects (mean age 56 +/- 9 years, 62% women) in primary prevention. They were classified by their family doctors, based on the Framingham algorithm, as being at low (< 10%; 45.7% of subjects), medium (10-20%; 38.7% of subjects) or moderate-to-high (> 20%; 15.6% of subjects) cardiovascular risk. The prevalence of obese subjects (40, 48, and 49%, respectively) and of heavy smokers (> or = 20 cigarettes/day; 26, 30, and 34%) increased from the low to the moderate-to-high risk group (both p < 0.05). The proportion of subjects unaware of personal history of arterial hypertension (5, 6, and 9%) and that of subjects who were unaware of history of elevated cholesterol levels (10, 11, and 12%, both p < 0.01) increased with higher cardiovascular risk score. The proportion of subjects self-reporting blood pressure > 135/85 mmHg, but self-reporting being normotensive (30, 50, and 52%), and the proportion of subjects who referred cholesterol levels > 200 mg/dl among those who self-referred not to have elevated cholesterol levels (13, 25, and 31%) increased both with cardiovascular risk category (p < 0.001). The proportion of subjects who were unaware of their personal history of diabetes was similar in the cardiovascular risk groups. The prevalence of low educational level was higher (56, 58, and 62%, p < 0.01) and the level of knowledge of non-pharmacological remedies to cardiovascular risk factors (63, 61, and 59%, p < 0.01) was lower in higher cardiovascular risk score group. Subjects aged < 55 years showed similar lack of knowledge about cardiovascular risk factors and the proportion of heavy smoking was as high as in the group of older participants. CONCLUSIONS In cardiovascular primary prevention, the projection of higher individuals' risk profile by family doctors was not paralleled by an increase in individual's knowledge of major cardiovascular risk factors and of lifestyle interventions able to reduce the cardiovascular risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldo Celentano
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Federico II University School of Medicine, Naples, Italy.
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Celentano A, Palmieri V, Arezzi E, Sabatella M, Guillaro B, Brancati C, Piccinocchi G, Minichiello S, Russo C, Pezzullo S, Tufano A, Finelli L, Panico S, Di Minno G. Cardiovascular secondary prevention: patients' knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors and their attitude to reduce the risk burden, and the practice of family doctors. The "Help Your Heart Stay Young" study. Ital Heart J 2004; 5:767-73. [PMID: 15626274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whether the practice of family doctors of assessing the global cardiovascular risk profile improves the knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors and the attitude to lifestyle change in patients' secondary cardiovascular prevention is unknown. METHODS We evaluated subjects who visited their family doctors and those with self-reported cardiovascular disease in the urban area of Naples, Italy. Patients self-administered a simple standard questionnaire to evaluate their knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors and of simple lifestyle modifications to reduce the cardiovascular risk burden. For each participant, family doctors, blinded to the information provided by patients, had to provide a global coronary risk based on the risk factors recorded in their electronic database, or report the missing information. RESULTS The study sample comprised 560 subjects, 61% male, with mean age 60 +/- 9 years. Angina pectoris (49%) and myocardial infarction (40.9%) were the most frequently self-reported cardiovascular diseases in the study sample. The self-reported data revealed that 46% of the sample was overweight and an additional 20% overtly obese. Among those who self-reported arterial hypertension, approximately 11% admitted that they were unaware of their blood pressure, and 26% believed that they were normotensive but reported a recently detected blood pressure > 140/90 mmHg. Approximately 8% were not aware of whether they had high cholesterol levels, and among those who declared having normal cholesterol levels, 9% referred levels > 200 mg/dl. Of the sample, 22% self-reported diabetes, but 7% did not know whether they were diabetic or not. Thirty percent of the sample were smokers and among these, 40% smoked > 20 cigarettes/day. A low level of education was reported in 66% of the study sample. Women were more frequently obese, more often reported high cholesterol levels, had a low level of education and achieved a lower score from the questionnaire on knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors than men. Patients > 55 years more often reported an elevated blood pressure among those who defined themselves as normotensive, and achieved a lower score from the questionnaire on knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors than younger patients. CONCLUSIONS With regard to secondary cardiovascular prevention, the study population was found to have insufficient knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors and of the correct approach to reduce their global risk despite the fact that the attitude of their family doctors in detecting and recording risk factors was above average.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldo Celentano
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
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Celentano A, Panico S, Palmieri V, Guillaro B, Brancati C, Di Palma Esposito N, Arezzi E, Setola C, Piccinocchi G, Canfora G, Rubba P, Di Minno G, Mancini M. Citizens and family doctors facing awareness and management of traditional cardiovascular risk factors: results from the Global Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Project (Help Your Heart Stay Young Study). Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2003; 13:211-217. [PMID: 14650353 DOI: 10.1016/s0939-4753(03)80013-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM The numerous guidelines and multiple approaches to managing cardiovascular risk factors have reduced the number of fatal events but not the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). One rarely explored aspect is the extent to which individuals perceive their own risk in relation to their education and history of CVD. Furthermore, Italy has a State-based Health System, in which family doctors (FDs) may be an extremely useful and relatively low cost resource for risk management, but the degree of their involvement in individual CVD risk management has not been previously assessed. METHODS AND RESULTS The Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine of Federico II University, Naples, Italy, and the Neapolitan Section of the Italian Society of Family Doctors (SIMG), developed an epidemiological survey to evaluate the level and awareness of CVD risk in subjects in the urban area of Naples, and the degree of involvement of FDs in CVD risk management. During a period of a few months, the subjects who visited their FDs were invited to respond to a standard self-explanatory questionnaire, and the FDs were required to provide quantitative information concerning the CVD risk factors of each enrolled subject from their databases in order to assess global CVD risk. The data included cholesterol and blood pressure (BP) levels, and had to be collected within six months of the visit; if the date were missing, the fact was recorded. The present analysis was based on data concerning the 5,687 subjects who had entered the study by January 2002, 7.6% of whom reported CVD (myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, angina, cerebral transient ischemic attack: CD+) and 92.4% did not (CVD-). MI was the most frequent CVD, and 18% of the CVD+ cases reported more than one non-fatal cardiovascular event. On average, the CVD+ subjects were older and more often men. After adjusting for age and FD, they also had a higher body mass index (BMI) and prevalence of obesity, higher self-reported BP, a lower education level, and more often referred high cholesterol levels, hypertension and diabetes. On the contrary, the proportion of smokers was higher in the CVD- group. Among the subjects who declared that they did not have a high cholesterol level, 11% reported recent values of > 200 mg/dL. The FDs of 36% of the cases were unable to assess the individual global CV risk level using quantitative data from their electronic databases. The most frequently missing information was the level of total cholesterol. Missing data were more frequent in the CVD- than the CVD+ subjects, regardless of age and FD. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study suggest that the awareness of CVD risk among subjects is somewhat vague. The FDs were generally able to provide a quantitative assessment of CVD risk in their patients. CVD risk prevention programmes may be more successful if they stress knowledge and awareness in the population, and stimulate FDs to undertake more stringent quantitative assessments of CVD risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Celentano
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Federico II University Hospital, via S. Pansini 5, Ed. 1, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
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