Biomedical subjects

A Gatta

Publications and source records attributed to A Gatta.

183 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Cardiac involvement in liver cirrhosis.

Since liver cirrhosis involves most organs and systems, it can be defined as a systemic disease. Involvement of the cardiocirculatory system is crucial during the course of cirrhosis due its pathophysiological, clinical and therapeutic relationships with the liver. Cardiovascular and circulatory alterations are frequently observed in the late stages of cirrhosis and involve subclinical latent cardiomyopathy with hyperdynamic circulation characterized by increased cardiac output and decreased peripheral resistance. The pathogenesis of these hemodynamic alterations is still uncertain. These alterations should be taken into serious consideration during programming of therapy for the complications of cirrhosis, in particular ascites (diuretic treatment; paracentesis, LeVeen peritoneal-venous shunt) and portal hypertension (drug treatment with beta-blockers and/or vasodilators for the prevention of variceal bleeding).

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Nutritional therapy in chronic hepatopathy].

Severe protein-energy malnutrition, a common complication in patients with advanced liver disease, negatively influences clinical evolution and survival, while appropriate nutritional intervention has been found to improve liver function and prognosis. Although the importance of nutritional factors has been greatly emphasized in the last decade, nutritional therapy remains a controversial issue in clinical hepatology. Because a considerable heterogeneity exists among patients regarding both nutritional needs and the pathophysiology of malnutrition, adequate assessment of nutritional status is mandatory to identify the type and the degree of malnutrition for the individualization of therapy. In this paper we first summarize the pathophysiology of malnutrition and the principles for the assessment of nutritional status in patients with chronic liver disease. We then offer rational, cost-conscious recommendations for therapy, with special emphasis on the role of nutritional support in the prevention and treatment of several complications.

Chronic Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Zinc deficiency in liver cirrhosis: a curiosity or a problem?].

This article reviews the literature on the role of zinc in liver cirrhosis and dietary zinc supplementation for cirrhotic patients with hepatic encephalopathy. Zinc is a trace metal found in many proteins and enzymes having catalytical, cocatalytical and structural functions. Zinc deficiency has been demonstrated in cirrhotic patients, and dietary supplementation of this metal could benefit the urea cycle, glucose and protein metabolism, and central nervous system neurotransmission in these subjects. After some brief considerations on normal zinc metabolism, the role zinc plays in the central nervous system, and its conduct in patients with hepatic encephalopathy, possible links between zinc deficiency and the pathophysiology of central nervous system dysfunction in cirrhotic patients are discussed. The article concludes with a critical review of favorable and unfavorable evidence for zinc supplementation in patients with hepatic encephalopathy.

Central Nervous System↗