14 research outputs found
Postoperative Pain, an Unmet Problem in Day or Overnight Italian Surgery Patients: A Prospective Study
Background. Because of economic reasons, day surgery rates have steadily increased in many countries and the trend is to perform around 70% of all surgical procedures as day surgery. Literature shows that postoperative pain treatment remains unfulfilled in several fields such as orthopedic and general surgery patients. In Italy, the day surgery program is not yet under governmental authority and is managed regionally by local practices. Aim. To investigate the trends in pain intensity and its relation to type of surgeries and pain therapy protocols, in postoperative patients, discharged from three different Ambulatory Surgeries located in North West Italy (Piedmont region). Method. The present study enrolled 276 patients who undergone different surgical procedures in ambulatory regimen. Patients recorded postoperative pain score twice a day, compliance with prescribed drugs, and pain related reasons for contacting the hospital. Monitoring lasted for 7 days. Results. At discharge, 72% of patients were under weak opioids, 12% interrupted the treatment due to side effects, 17% of patients required extra drugs, and 15% contacted the hospital reporting pain problems. About 50% of patients experienced moderate pain during the first day after surgery. Results from our study show that most of the patients experienced avoidable pain after discharge
Effetti organizzazionali del Bisfenolo-A sull'espressione della kisspeptina e della NOS nell'ipotalamo di topi CD-1
Maternal alcohol consumption and socio-demographic determinants of neurocognitive function of school children in the rural Western Cape
Background. Within the South African context there is a large body of research regarding the associations between maternal gestational drinking and diagnosable child FASDs. However, there remains a paucity of local research regarding the impacts of other kinds of maternal drinking behaviours (e.g. past and present maternal drinking) and related socio-demographic factors on developmentally sensitive areas of child neurocognitive functioning, such as executive functioning (EF). Methods. This study was cross-sectional in design, utilising a gender balanced sample of N=464 children between the ages of 9.00 and 15.12 (year.months) in three rural areas within the Western Cape. Information regarding maternal drinking behaviours (before, during and after pregnancy) and related socio-demographic factors was collected via structured interviews with mothers or proxy respondents. Six subtests from the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Battery (CANTAB), were used to assess three aspects of child EF namely: (1) processing speed, assessed by the MOT and RTI subtests, (2) attention, assessed by the MTT and RVP subtests and (3) memory, assessed by the SWM and PAL subtests. Findings. For all three maternal alcohol use behaviours examined, there was an apparent non-significant trend whereby children of mothers who reported alcohol use (before, during and after pregnancy) performed worse (on average) than children of mothers reporting non-alcohol use on the EF subtests. Several of the socio-demographic factors were found to act as significant predictors of subtest specific EF performance including child sex (RTI: B=.46, p<. 01; MTT: B=.05, p<.05), child age (RTI: B=.27, p<.05; MTT: B=.11, p<.01), home language (MOT: B=- .13, p<.05), maternal employment (MTT: B=-.04, p<.05) and household size (SWM: B=-1.29, p<.05). Conclusions. These study findings provide initial insights into the impacts of different types of maternal drinking behaviours and related socio-demographic factors on child EF outcomes within the context of an LMIC, South Africa
Effects of xenoestrogens on the differentiation of behaviorally relevant neural circuits.
It has become increasingly clear that environmental chemicals have the capability of impacting endocrine function. Moreover, these endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have long term consequences on adult reproductive function, especially if exposure occurs during embryonic development thereby affecting sexual differentiation. Of the EDCs, most of the research has been conducted on the effects of estrogen active compounds. Although androgen active compounds are also present in the environment, much less information is available about their action. However, in the case of xenoestrogens, there is mounting evidence for long-term consequences of early exposure at a range of doses. In this review, we present data relative to two widely used animal models: the mouse and the Japanese quail. These two species long have been used to understand neural, neuroendocrine, and behavioral components of reproduction and are therefore optimal models to understand how these components are altered by precocious exposure to EDCs. In particular we discuss effects of bisphenol A and methoxychlor on the dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems in rodents and the impact of these alterations. In addition, the effects of embryonic exposure to diethylstilbestrol, genistein or ethylene,1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) is reviewed relative to behavioral impairment and associated alterations in the sexually dimorphic parvocellular vasotocin system in quail. We point out how sexually dimorphic behaviors are particularly useful to verify adverse developmental consequences produced by chemicals with endocrine disrupting properties, by examining either reproductive or non-reproductive behaviors
Methods of controlled ovarian stimulation for embryo/oocyte cryopreservation in breast cancer patients
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe
Postoperative Pain, an Unmet Problem in Day or Overnight Italian Surgery Patients: A Prospective Study
Background. Because of economic reasons, day surgery rates have steadily increased in many countries and the trend is to perform around 70% of all surgical procedures as day surgery. Literature shows that postoperative pain treatment remains unfulfilled in several fields such as orthopedic and general surgery patients. In Italy, the day surgery program is not yet under governmental authority and is managed regionally by local practices. Aim. To investigate the trends in pain intensity and its relation to type of surgeries and pain therapy protocols, in postoperative patients, discharged from three different Ambulatory Surgeries located in North West Italy (Piedmont region). Method. The present study enrolled 276 patients who undergone different surgical procedures in ambulatory regimen. Patients recorded postoperative pain score twice a day, compliance with prescribed drugs, and pain related reasons for contacting the hospital. Monitoring lasted for 7 days. Results. At discharge, 72% of patients were under weak opioids, 12% interrupted the treatment due to side effects, 17% of patients required extra drugs, and 15% contacted the hospital reporting pain problems. About 50% of patients experienced moderate pain during the first day after surgery. Results from our study show that most of the patients experienced avoidable pain after discharge
Occurrence of canine and feline extra-intestinal nematodes in key endemic regions of Italy
Extra-intestinal nematodes of companion animals are of growing concern in veterinary medicine for their pathogenic
potential and the current expansion throughout Europe. The present study has evaluated the occurrence
of major canine and feline extra-intestinal nematodes in regions of Italy having epidemiological relevance.
Associations of various recorded parameters related to the examined animals have been statistically evaluated,
along with a comparative analysis with the most recent epidemiological data. Overall, 1055 dogs and 1000 cats
were tested. Among extra-intestinal nematodes Angiostrongylus vasorum was the most common in dogs followed
by Capillaria aerophila and Dirofilaria spp.; Aelurostrongylus abstrusus was the most recorded parasite in cats,
followed by C. aerophila and Troglostrongylus brevior. The statistical analysis revealed that outdoor access is
associated with A. vasorum, A. abstrusus and T. brevior infections, that were also more prevalent in animals with
cardio-respiratory signs. Moreover, cats aged less than 12 months had more chances to be infected by lungworms.
The data herein presented confirm the occurrence and the possible risk of expansion of different extraintestinal
parasitoses of dogs and cats in Italy, underlining the importance of a constant epidemiologic vigilance
and of appropriate control methods
Occurrence of canine and feline extra-intestinal nematodes in key endemic regions of Italy
Extra-intestinal nematodes of companion animals are of growing concern in veterinary medicine for their pathogenic
potential and the current expansion throughout Europe. The present study has evaluated the occurrence
of major canine and feline extra-intestinal nematodes in regions of Italy having epidemiological relevance.
Associations of various recorded parameters related to the examined animals have been statistically evaluated,
along with a comparative analysis with the most recent epidemiological data. Overall, 1055 dogs and 1000 cats
were tested. Among extra-intestinal nematodes Angiostrongylus vasorum was the most common in dogs followed
by Capillaria aerophila and Dirofilaria spp.; Aelurostrongylus abstrusus was the most recorded parasite in cats,
followed by C. aerophila and Troglostrongylus brevior. The statistical analysis revealed that outdoor access is
associated with A. vasorum, A. abstrusus and T. brevior infections, that were also more prevalent in animals with
cardio-respiratory signs. Moreover, cats aged less than 12 months had more chances to be infected by lungworms.
The data herein presented confirm the occurrence and the possible risk of expansion of different extraintestinal
parasitoses of dogs and cats in Italy, underlining the importance of a constant epidemiologic vigilance
and of appropriate control methods
Cardiovascular risk in advanced naïve HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy: Comparison of three different regimens - PREVALEAT II cohort
Background and aims PREVALEAT (PREmature VAscular LEsions and Antiretroviral Therapy) II is a multicenter, longitudinal cohort study aimed at the evaluation of cardiovascular risk among advanced HIV-positive, treatment-naïve patients starting their first therapy. We hypothesized that these patients, present a higher cardiovascular (CV) risk. Methods The study included all consecutive naïve patients with less than 200 CD4 cells/ml starting antiretroviral therapy. Our primary objective was to evaluate changes in carotid intima- media thickness (IMT). Secondary endpoints included changes in flow mediated vasodilation (FMD), inflammatory markers, triglycerides and cholesterol. Patients were evaluated at time 0, and after 3, 6 and 12 months. Results We enrolled 119 patients, stratified into three different groups: patients receiving atazanavir/ritonavir boosted (ATV/r) based regimens, efavirenz (EFV) based regimens and darunavir/ritonavir boosted (DRV/r) based regimens. At baseline, advanced naïve patients showed a relevant deterioration of CV conditions in terms of traditional CV risk factors, endothelial dysfunction and serum biomarkers. During the 12-month follow up period, mean blood lipids significantly increased: total cholesterol from 159 to 190 mg/dL, HDL-C from 31 to 41 mg/dL, and LDL-C from 99 to 117 mg/dL. D-dimers steadily decreased (median level 624 at baseline and 214 at T3), whereas ICAM and VCAM consistently raised. DRV/r and ATV/r determined a more marked decrease of D-dimers as compared to EFV. Regarding the epi-aortic changes (IMT >1 mm or presence of atherosclerotic plaques), patients in the DRV/r group were at risk of developing pathological IMT during the study (OR 6.0, 95% CI 0.9–36.9), as compared to EFV ones. Conclusions CV risk was elevated in advanced naïve patients and tended to remain high in the first year of therapy