Natural zeolites chabazite/phillipsite/analcime increase blood levels of antioxidant enzymes

Imbalance between reactive oxygen species generation and antioxidant capacity induces a condition known as oxidative stress which is implicated in numerous pathological processes. In this study we evaluated whether natural zeolites chabazite/phillipsite/analcime may affect the levels of different antioxidant enzymes (gluthatione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, gluthatione reductase), total antioxidant status and oxidative stress in 25 clinically healthy men, both non-smokers and smokers. Measurements were performed on whole blood or on plasma samples before (T0) and after 4-weeks zeolites intake (T1). At T1, gluthatione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and gluthatione reductase increased compared to T0 levels, both considering all subjects as joint and after subdivision in non-smokers and smokers. Differently, a reduction in total antioxidant status was observed at T1. Anyway, total antioxidant status resulted higher than the reference values in both groups at each time point. A decrease in lipid peroxidation, a major indicator of oxidative stress assessed by monitoring thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, was also observed in all subjects at T1. Our results suggested that chabazite/phillipsite/analcime may help to counteract oxidative stress in apparently healthy subjects exposed to different oxidative stress risk factors, such as smoking, thus representing a particular kind of food with potential antioxidant properties

Calcium-sensing receptor and calcium kidney stones

Calcium nephrolithiasis may be considered as a complex disease having multiple pathogenetic mechanisms and characterized by various clinical manifestations. Both genetic and environmental factors may increase susceptibility to calcium stones; therefore, it is crucial to characterize the patient phenotype to distinguish homogeneous groups of stone formers. Family and twin studies have shown that the stone transmission pattern is not mendelian, but complex and polygenic. In these studies, heritability of calcium stones was calculated around 50

Disorder Post-Traumatic Stress, sleep quality, anxiety, depression and quality of life in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of disorder Posttraumatic Stress (DPTS), anxiety and depression, quality of sleep and quality of life in cancer patients consecutively during chemotherapy compared to the general population, the prevalence of benchmarking Disorder Post Traumatic Stress (DPTS), anxiety and depression, quality of sleep and quality of life in cancer patients during adjuvant treatment versus cancer patients in treatment for metastatic disease. Methods: We surveyed consecutive patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment for neoplastic disease in accordance with the following instruments: the disorder Posttraumatic Stress was assessed by questionnaire Impact of Event Scale (IES), the levels of anxiety and depression through the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); sleep quality with the help of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the quality of life through the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General (FACT-G). Results: We evaluated 173 patients, of whom 61 (35.3%) treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and 112 (64.7%) in chemotherapy for metastatic disease. In the overall population, the supremacy of Disorder Posttraumatic Stress was 8%, a sleep disorder 30%; anxiety to 15 - 20%, 15% from depression. The prevalence in the study population Disorder Posttraumatic Stress was higher compared to data in the literature (45.1% versus 8%), the largest of sleep disorders (62.8% versus 30%) of the anxiety higher (40% vs. 15-20%), the major depression (15% versus 31.1%). No significant differences were found with regard to the prevalence of disorder Posttraumatic Stress (P = 0.768), sleep disorders (P = 0.978), anxiety (p = 0.351), depression (P = 0.958) and quality of  life (P = 0.675) in patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment for metastatic disease compared to patients treated adjuvante.Conclusões: The prevalence of psychological disorders in the study population appears significantly higher than in the general population; This finding confirms the need for psychiatric intervention consultation and liaison (liaison) in neoplastic patients undergoing chemotherapy. This need not differ between patients in the adjuvant treatment and those receiving treatment for metastatic disease, with no significant differences in the incidence of the disorders assessed between the two groups above

Observational study of chronic myeloid leukemia italian patients who discontinued tyrosine kinase inhibitors in clinical practice

It is judged safe to discontinue treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in experimental trials on treatment-free remission (TFR). We collected a total of 293 Italian patients with chronic phase CML who discontinued TKI in deep molecular response. Seventy-two percent of patients were on treatment with imatinib, and 28% with second generation TKI at the time of discontinuation. Median duration of treatment with the last TKI was 77 months [Interquartile Range (IQR) 54;111], median duration of deep molecular response was 46 months (IQR 31;74). Duration of treatment with TKI and duration of deep molecular response were shorter with second generation TKI than with imatinib (P<0.001). Eighty-eight percent of patients discontinued as per clinical practice, and reasons for stopping treatment were: toxicity (20%), pregnancy (6%), and shared decision between treating physician and patient (62%). After a median follow up of 34 months (range, 12-161) overall estimated TFR was 62% (95%CI: 56;68). At 12 months, TFR was 68% (95%CI: 62;74) for imatinib, 73% (95%CI: 64;83) for second generation TKI. Overall median time to restart treatment was six months (IQR 4;11). No progressions occurred. Although our study has the limitation of a retrospective study, our experience within the Italian population confirms that discontinuation of imatinib and second generation TKI is feasible and safe in clinical practice

Observational study of chronic myeloid leukemia Italian patients who discontinued tyrosine kinase inhibitors in clinical practice.

It is judged safe to discontinue treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors for chronic myeloid leukemia in experimental trials on treatment free remission. We collected a total of 293 Italian patients with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia who discontinued tyrosine kinase inhibitors in deep molecular response. 72% of patients were on treatment with imatinib, 28% with second generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors at the time of discontinuation. Median duration of treatment with the last tyrosine kinase inhibitor was 77 months (IQR 54;111), median duration of deep molecular response was 46 months (IQR 31;74). Duration of treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and duration of deep molecular response were shorter with 2nd generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors than with imatinib (p<0.001). 88% of the Italian patients discontinued per clinical practice and reasons for stopping treatment were: toxicity for 20% of patients, pregnancy for 6% patients and shared decision between treating physician and patient for 62% of cases. After a median follow-up of 34 months (Min-Max 12-161) overall estimated treatment free remission was 62% (95% CI 56;68). At 12 months treatment free remission was 68% (95% CI 62;74) for imatinib, 73% (95% CI 64;83) for 2nd generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Overall median time to restart treatment was 6 months (IQR 4;11). No progressions occurred. Although our study has the limitation of a retrospective study, our experience within the Italian population confirms that discontinuation of imatinib and 2nd generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors is feasible and safe in the clinical practic

Low heart-type fatty acid binding protein level during aging may protect down syndrome people against atherosclerosis

Abstract Background Aging is considered an important independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. Down syndrome people (DS) display an accelerated aging process compared to healthy subjects, anyway they are relatively resistant to developing atherosclerosis. The mechanisms involved in such protective effect are not well known. Since heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) is a protein involved in the transport of fatty acids and it has been recently correlated with the presence of atherosclerosis, we aimed to measure H-FABP level both in DS and in healthy subjects during aging to evaluate the association between this molecule, aging and atherosclerosis. Findings We quantified plasmatic H-FABP level in three groups of male DS and age-matched healthy subjects (children, age 2–14 years; adults, age 20–50 years; elderly, > 60 years) using a biochip array analyzer. We observed that aging is associated with increased H-FABP level in healthy subjects but not in DS which display both the same protein level in the different ages of life and have also lower level compared to their age-matched healthy subjects. Conclusion Reduced H-FABP level during aging in DS may play a protective role against atherosclerosis. The potential involvement of H-FABP in the relationship between aging, atherosclerosis and development of coronary artery disease needs further investigations.</p