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Biomedical subjects

A Gentile

Publications and source records attributed to A Gentile.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Oral contraceptives and non-contraceptive oestrogens in the risk of gallstone disease requiring surgery.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate the relationship between oral contraceptives, non-contraceptive oestrogens, and the risk of gallstone disease requiring surgery. DESIGN: This was a hospital based case-control study carried out between 1987 and 1990. Main outcome measures were frequency of consumption of oral contraceptives and non-contraceptive oestrogens, and the corresponding multivariate relative risk estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CI) in relation to various measures of use of the preparations. SETTING: A network including major teaching and general hospitals in the greater Milan area, northern Italy. SUBJECTS: Subjects were 235 women with gallstones requiring surgery and 538 controls admitted for acute diseases, other than digestive or hormonal diseases or those potentially influencing the use of female hormone preparations. MAIN RESULTS: For oral contraceptives, the relative risk for ever use was 0.8 with 95% CI 0.4 to 1.5. With reference to duration of use, the multivariate relative risk was 1.0 for less than two and 0.5 for two or more years of use. The relative risk was 1.7 (95% CI 0.6 to 4.7) in women who had last used the pill less than five years before diagnosis, but declined to 0.4 (95% CI 0.2 to 1.0) in those who had stopped more than five years before. With reference to oestrogen replacement treatment, the relative risk for ever use was 1.9 (95% CI 1.0 to 3.1). The relative risk, however, was not related to duration of use, since it was 1.8 for less than two and 1.5 for two or more years of use. Relative risk was higher for women who had last used non-contraceptive oestrogens 10 or more years before diagnosis (2.4) than for shorter periods since last use (1.3). CONCLUSIONS: On a clinical and public health scale, oral contraceptives and non-contraceptive oestrogens are unlikely to have an important influence in the aetiology of gallbladder disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Anthropometric indicators of endometrial cancer risk.

The relation between selected anthropometric indicators and the risk of endometrial cancer was evaluated using data from a case-control study conducted in Northern Italy on 562 cases and 1780 controls in hospital for acute, non-neoplastic or hormone-related disease. There was no appreciable association between height and endometrial cancer: compared with the lowest quintile, the multivariate relative risks (RR) were 0.9, 0.9, 0.7 and 0.8 for each subsequent quintile. Weight was directly associated with risk (RR = 2.7 for top vs. bottom quintile), and the positive association was even stronger when indices of body mass which make allowance for height were considered: the relative risks for extreme quintiles were 3.4 for W/H2 (Quetelet's index, weight and height), 3.8 for W/H1.5 and 3.5 for W0.33/H. Surface area, which was positively correlated both with height and weight, showed a weaker direct association (RR = 2.4 between extreme quintiles). The relations with measures of body weight were apparently stronger in postmenopause, but the point estimates for the upper quintile were also around 2 in premenopausal women. Although the major findings of this study are not new, they provide more detailed information that was hitherto available on the relation between various anthropometric indicators and endometrial cancer risk. In relation to height, with the sample size of this study it was possible to exclude, at the conventional 95% probability, relative risks above 1.0 for the fourth and above 1.1 for the fifth as compared with the lowest quintile. This provides indirect evidence against the hypothesis that nutritional status early in life is related to the subsequent development of endometrial cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Relationship between cathepsin D, urokinase, and plasminogen activator inhibitors in malignant vs benign breast tumours.

The concentrations of cathepsin D (Cath D), urokinase (uPA) and two plasminogen activator inhibitors (PAI-1 and PAI-2) were analysed in the cytosols of 130 human mammary tumours (43 benign tumours and 87 primary and unilateral breast carcinomas). uPA, PAI-1 and PAI-2 levels were measured by antigenic immunoassays and Cath D by immunoradiometric assay. The median levels of the four parameters were significantly higher in the malignant tumours than in the benign ones. Cath D and uPA increases were 4-fold and 5-fold respectively. PAI-1 and PAI-2 increases were much more important, 74-fold and 29-fold respectively. In malignant tumours, median levels of Cath D and uPA did not vary according to classical prognostic factors (histologic grade, presence or absence of axillary lymph nodes, steroid receptors, UICC stage, tumour size, age, and menopausal status). However, PAI-1 decreased in ER+ and PR+ tumours and PAI-2 increased in menopausal women's tumours. When Cath D, uPA, PAI-1 and PAI-2 levels in malignant tumours were compared, positive correlations were found for all combinations. The implication of plasminogen activator inhibitors in the phenomenon was surprising and merits further investigation using tools other than global antigen measurements in tumours.

Breast Diseases↗
PubMed1991

Steroid myopathy: clinical and immunohistochemical study of a case.

A 42 year old woman with foot process disease, was treated with corticosteroids for 6 years. She had been suffering, for about 3 years from progressive muscle weakness of the limbs, accompanied by general paresthesia, cramps of the calves and burning muscle pain both at rest and an effort. The clinical, neurophysiological and histochemical examination indicated noninflammatory myopathic damage. The progressive reduction of corticosteroid dosage led rapidly to a distinct improvement, but not to a remission, of symptoms. Clinical and laboratory findings were consistent with those observed in most cases of steroid myopathy described in literature. We discuss the possible pathogenetic role of corticosteroids in this affection.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Association between certain foods and risk of acute myocardial infarction in women.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the relation between selected foods and acute myocardial infarction in women. DESIGN: Case-control study conducted over five years. SETTING: 30 Hospitals with coronary care units in northern Italy. SUBJECTS: 287 Women who had had an acute myocardial infarction (median age 49, range 22-69 years) and 649 controls with acute disorders unrelated to ischaemic heart disease (median age 50, range 21-69 years) admitted to hospital during 1983-9. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Frequency of consumption of various foods and odds ratios of risks associated with these foods. RESULTS: The risk of acute myocardial infarction was directly associated with frequency of consumption of meat (odds ratio 1.5 for upper v lower thirds of consumption), ham and salami (1.4), butter (2.3), total fat added to food (1.6), and coffee (2.8). Significant inverse relations were observed for fish (0.6), carrots (0.4), green vegetables (0.6), and fresh fruit (0.4). The risk was below one for moderate alcohol consumption (0.7) and above one for heavier intake (1.2). Allowance for major non-dietary covariates, including years of education, smoking, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes, hypertension, and body mass index, did not appreciably alter the estimates of risk for most of the foods; for coffee, however, the odds ratio fell to 1.8 on account of its high correlation with smoking. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of consumption of a few simple foods may provide useful indicators of the risk of myocardial infarction. Furthermore, specific foods such as fish, alcohol, or vegetables and fruits may have an independent protective role in the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Height and cancer risk in a network of case-control studies from northern Italy.

The relationship between self-reported height and cancer risk was investigated in an integrated series of case-control studies including 273 cases of cancer of the oesophagus, 474 of the stomach, 558 of the colon, 352 of the rectum, 227 of the liver, 267 of the pancreas, 110 of the larynx, 2,388 of the breast, 545 of the cervix uteri, 563 of the endometrium, 688 of the ovary, 80 of the prostate, 263 of the bladder, 105 of the kidney, 43 Hodgkin's disease, 152 non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, 109 multiple myelomas, and a total of 5,574 controls admitted to hospital for acute, non-neoplastic conditions. No significant positive trend in risk was observed for any of the cancer sites considered, and some suggestion of elevated risks for the upper quintile of height was observed only for prostate (relative risk, RR = 1.4), kidney (RR = 2.7) and colon (RR = 1.2) in males (but not in females). For breast cancer, all the RRs for subsequent quintiles of height were close to unity. Four neoplasms showed significant inverse trends with height: oesophagus (RR = 0.7 for highest vs. lowest quintile), cervix (RR = 0.4), endometrium (RR = 0.7) and ovary (RR = 0.6). For oesophagus and cervix the trends could be explained, at least in part, in terms of social class correlates (multivariate RR 0.8 and 0.5, respectively), while for endometrium they could possibly be related to an inverse correlation between height and body mass (multivariate RR 0.9). Thus, our study did not support the hypothesis that nutrition in childhood and adolescence (which in this population is a determinant of adult height) is directly related to the subsequent risk of cancer at several major cancer sites. A number of inverse associations emerged, which may be either spurious and incidental, or suggest that poorer nutrition early in life may be an unfavourable indicator of the subsequent risk of selected neoplasms.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

A computerized respiratory sinus arrhythmia program for the non-invasive assessment of parasympathetic activity.

The availability of sophisticated signal analysis methods based on the use of micro-computers allows an accurate non-invasive assessment of parasympathetic activity, through the measurement of the respiratory sinus arrhythmia. The program described herein is in Quickbasic and consists of 5 programs. At termination of the computer analysis the results are printed which include the average heart rate for inspiration and expiration, the averaged standard deviation of the R-R intervals for inspiration and expiration, and the R-R interval in milliseconds averaged for all inspiratory and expiratory cycles. Significant correlations were obtained when comparing the analyses of the computerized program with a manual method.

Analog-Digital Conversion↗
PubMed1990

Salt preference and the risk of gastrointestinal cancers.

The relationship between the consumption of salt and the risk of gastrointestinal cancer was examined using data from a case-control study conducted in northern Italy. The study was conducted on 526 incident cases of gastric cancer, 621 of colon cancers, 382 of rectal cancers, and 1,223 controls admitted to hospital for acute, nonneoplastic, nondigestive tract disorders. Compared with those for people with low salt intakes, the relative risks (and 95% confidence intervals) for those with intermediate and high salt intakes were 1.3 (1.0-1.8) and 1.2 (0.8-1.7) for stomach, 1.0 (0.8-1.3) and 1.1 (0.8-1.5) for colon, and 1.2 (0.9-1.6) and 0.9 (0.6-1.3) for rectum. None of the trends in risk were statistically significant, and the risk estimates were not materially modified by allowance for major identified potential confounding factors. Thus, this study gives little support to the existence of any strong association between salt intake and gastrointestinal cancers. However, in view of the results obtained and of the uncertainties of salt intake measurement, the possibility exists of a real, although moderate, association of salt intake with gastric cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Gastrointestinal activities of a new pirenzepine-analog, nuvenzepine, in the cat.

Nuvenzepine, a new pirenzepine-analog, administered intraduodenally, displayed a long-lasting and dose-dependent inhibition of neostigmine-induced intestinal motility in anaesthetized cats. On ileal motor activity, the compound showed a potency 10 times greater than that of pirenzepine, and, although to a lesser extent, it was also active, unlike pirenzepine, on colonic stimulated motility. Furthermore, in conscious cats, nuvenzepine inhibited pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion resulting 25-30 times more potent than pirenzepine. The observed differences between antisecretory and antispastic activities displayed by nuvenzepine and pirenzepine suggest that the new pirenzepine-analog may act on gastrointestinal functions through an additional non-anticholinergic mechanism.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Reproductive and menstrual factors and risk of colorectal cancer.

The relation between reproductive and menstrual factors and the risk of colorectal cancer was investigated in a case-control study conducted in Northern Italy on 279 women with colon cancer, 153 with rectal cancer and 386 controls admitted to hospital for a wide spectrum of acute, nonneoplastic, nondigestive disorders. Compared with nulliparous women, the relative risks (RR) of colon cancer were 1.1 for one and two births, 1.3 for three or four, and 1.1 for five or more. Corresponding values for rectal cancer were 0.9 for one, 1.1 for two, 1.4 for three or four, and 0.8 for five or more births. No significant association emerged with number of abortions, and no consistent pattern of trends for both colon and rectum cancer was observed in relation to age at first or last birth. Women whose menarche occurred at age 15 or over were at significantly lower risk of colon cancer (RR 0.5, 95% confidence interval = 0.3-0.9), and the point estimate was below unity, though nonsignificantly, for rectal cancer too (RR = 0.7). There was no relation between age at menopause, duration of menstrual cycles, and cancers of the colon and rectum. The present study produced no evidence that reproductive factors are related to colorectal cancer in this population. With this sample size, it was possible to exclude relative risks below 0.8 for colon and 0.7 for rectal cancer among multiparous women versus nulliparous ones. These findings are thus inconsistent with the epidemiological evidence on reproductive and menstrual factors and breast cancer in this and other populations, with the sole potential exception of the reduced risk of colorectal cancer among women whose menarche occurred at age 15 or over.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Relation between primary tumor shape and biological behavior in breast cancer.

The aim of this study was to investigate the biological significance of tumor shape in breast cancer by considering the shape not as a casual event but as an expression of the behavior and natural history of the tumor. The shape was studied by an analytical morphometry procedure and was related to axillary metastases, which up to now are the most meaningful prognostic factors in this disease. Fifty cases of infiltrating breast carcinoma (25 N+ and 25 N-) were investigated. The shape, studied on subgross sections of the tumor, was considered as the result of two components: the subtle contour irregularities and the main distortions of the figure. The procedures used allowed us to distinguish and to parametrize these two components in order to submit them to univariate analysis (Student's t test), a principal components analysis and, finally, a multivariate discriminant analysis (Hotelling test). The utilized analytical procedures by work-station S.A.M. (S.A.M. work station is a product of "Metamorphosis") consisted of three steps: 1) Extraction of tumor function curve obtained by Kth order polynominals which gives a smoothing effect to the original curve; 2) Evaluation of contour irregularities by Fourier harmonic analysis; 3) Evaluation of shape asymmetry by SAE (shape asymmetry evaluator). We considered also the roundness factors of the original and function curves and finally the maximum tumor diameter. Three parameters relating to contour irregularities (sum and mean value of Fourier harmonic amplitude and percentage of superimposed points) and parameters relating to main distortions of the figure (mean value of SAE) were highly significant (p less than 0.001). The roundness factor of the original curve was more significant (p less than 0.001) than that of the function curve (p less than 0.01) whereas maximum tumor diameter was not significant when tested by Student's t test. Multivariate discriminant analysis allowed 20% of error to be reached by using 3 parameters relating to the shape analysis and the two roundness factors. By using 8 parameters, including maximum tumor diameter, the percentage error was 16%. The results obtained, while they stress the usefulness of the employed procedure, reveal that shape of the tumor, together with its dimensions, is an important expression of the biological behavior relating to metastatic spread.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1989

Immunophenotyping of acute myeloid leukaemia: relevance of analysing different lineage-associated markers.

The immunophenotype of 135 previously untreated patients with FAB defined acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) was studied at diagnosis. The panel of reagents included monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) recognising myeloid-associated determinants (CD11, CD13, CD14, CD33 and others) as well as MoAb directed towards lymphoid antigens (CD7, CD10, CD19) and TdT. The results indicate that CD13 and/or CD33 are consistently expressed in AML and only rarely in ALL blasts (131/135 + ve cases, versus 4/130 in ALL). Lymphoid antigen expression was rarely detected when CD10 and CD19 were investigated in AML (0.9% and 2% + ve cases, respectively), whereas significant positivities were found for TdT and CD7 (20% and 10% respectively). Concerning FAB subtypes, two new MoAb (LAM3 and LAM7) proved very useful in the specific recognition of AML with monocytic features. The phenotype CD13+ and/or CD33+, CD9+, HLA-DR- was found to be almost exclusive for M3 AML. The response to induction chemotherapy was analysed in CD7+ and in TdT+ patients. In the latter group a statistically significant lower response rate was found with respect to TdT-ve-AML patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Breast cancer and combined oral contraceptives: an Italian case-control study.

The risk of breast cancer in relation to use of oral contraceptives was evaluated using data from a hospital-based case-control study from Northern Italy on 1517 cases below age 60 and 1351 controls admitted for acute diseases unrelated to any of the known or potential risk factors for breast cancer. The multivariate relative risk for ever vs. never users was 1.3 (95% confidence interval = 1.0-1.7). However, the risk was not related to duration of use: indeed the highest risk was observed among short-term users (less than 2 years), and the point estimate was 0.9 among users for 5 years or more. The elevated risk among short-term users, if not due to residual confounding or selection mechanisms, is probably explainable in terms of recall bias (i.e. more careful report of short or very short use by cases). No definite pattern was observed in relation to latency or recency of use, and the point estimates were 0.8 for women who had ever used the pill before age 25 and 0.8 for those who had ever used the pill before first full-term pregnancy. Thus, the study presents further reassuring information on the oral contraceptive/breast cancer debate. Its major limitation lies in the low prevalence of oral contraceptive users in Italy, with a consequently reduced statistical power, although, with the number of cases involved, it was possible to exclude a relative risk of 1.4 for long-term use or for ever use before first birth.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Alcohol and breast cancer: update from an Italian case-control study.

The analysis of alcohol and breast cancer risk from an Italian case-control study of breast cancer has been updated to include a total of 2402 women with histologically confirmed breast cancer and 2220 controls with acute conditions unrelated to any of the established or potential risk factors for breast cancer, admitted to a network of teaching and general hospitals in the greater Milan area. Compared with non-drinkers, the estimated relative risk for ever drinkers was 1.4 (95% CI = 1.2-1.6). The multivariate risks were 1.3 for less than 1 drink (e.g. 10 g of ethanol) per day, 1.3 for 1 less than 2 drinks, 1.4 for 2-3 and 2.2 for over 3 drinks per day. The positive association between alcohol and breast cancer was consistent across strata of age, socio-demographic variables, smoking, menstrual, reproductive, and hormonal factors, family history of breast cancer, nutrition and diet indicators. In particular, this study indicated that the alcohol-breast cancer relationship is probably not materially different in younger and older women, that alcohol drinking at an early age is not a particularly clear indicator of subsequent risk, nor that the effect of alcohol is enhanced in thin women. Thus, the findings of this study are both internally consistent and in agreement with most previous evidence, since the relative risks of 1.3-1.4 for a consumption of 10-30 g of alcohol per day compare well with the corresponding highest intake levels in most American studies. This study is of particular interest, since it provides data on higher levels of alcohol consumption, on which very little information is available. There are nontheless at least three elements which leave open the question of causality: the absence of duration-risk relationship, the inconsistency with evidence from descriptive epidemiology, and the lack of plausible biological mechanisms.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Menstrual factors and the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.

The relationship between menstrual factors and the risk of ovarian cancer was evaluated in the framework of a hospital-based case-control study conducted in the greater Milan area on a total of 634 cases of ovarian cancer and 1626 control subjects with a spectrum of acute conditions unrelated to any of the established or potential risk factors for ovarian cancer. Compared with women whose menarche occurred at age 13 or later, the risk of ovarian cancer was moderately (and not significantly) elevated for earlier menarche (multivariate relative risk, RR = 1.13, 95% confidence interval, CI = 0.97-1.37). There was a positive association with age at menopause, the multivariate relative risk, compared with women aged 45 years or less at menopause, being 1.25 for those aged 45-49 years, 1.40 for 50-53 and 1.58 for 54 or over (chi 2(1) trend = 8.86, p = 0.003). A lifelong irregular menstrual pattern (defined as frequent menstrual-like episodes of bleeding less than 21 or more than 35 days apart) was negatively associated with the risk of ovarian cancer (multivariate RR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.31-0.65). The effect of age at menopause and lifelong menstrual pattern was similar in different strata of age, whereas there was a positive association with early menarche among younger women which disappeared with advancing age. The present findings confirm the influence of various menstrual factors on the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis aided by the S.A.M. system.

In the attempt to discriminate between centroblasts and immunoblasts, an analytical morphometrical procedure was adopted, considering the nuclei of a randomly selected centroblastic and immunoblastic population from non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and the nucleoli of a more restricted number of the same neoplastic population. All the size-independent shape-descriptor parameters extracted for each step of the mathematical analyses used were submitted to Hotelling's multivariate discriminant analysis that enabled us to achieve a good distinction (3% error) between centroblasts and immunoblasts when nuclear and nucleolar parameters were used together.

Cell Nucleus↗
PubMed1989

Coffee consumption and myocardial infarction in women.

The relation between coffee consumption and the risk of acute myocardial infarction was evaluated in a hospital-based case-control study conducted in northern Italy between 1983 and 1987. The study consisted of 262 women with acute myocardial infarction and 519 controls admitted to the hospital for acute, nondigestive tract disorders. Information was obtained on the average number of cups of coffee or decaffeinated coffee consumed per day before the onset of the disease which led to hospital admission and on the total duration in years of the habit. There was a positive association between heavy coffee drinking and risk of myocardial infarction (relative risk (RR) = 2.7 for consumption of four cups or more per day). After allowance for smoking and other relevant covariates, the relative risk was not elevated for consumption of up to three cups per day, but still above unity for consumption of four or more cups per day (RR = 1.7), and the multivariate trend in risk was still significant (X1(2) = 5.14, p = 0.02). The risk estimates were grossly elevated among hyperlipidemic women (multivariate RR = 7.6 for moderate and 17.9 for heavy coffee drinkers). As a result of small absolute numbers, these estimates were largely unstable and the interaction between coffee and hyperlipidemia was not statistically significant. Such estimates, nonetheless, are of potential interest in terms of etiologic correlates and implications for prevention.

Adult↗