Biomedical subjects

A Menotti

Publications and source records attributed to A Menotti.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

PubMed1992

Predicting all causes mortality in the general population as a function of blood pressure and smoking habits measured in population samples: a pilot study. Research Group ATS-RF2.

Nine population samples of mean aged 40-59, for a total of 1777 individuals drawn from nine health units, were examined in 1978-79 for the measurement of some risk factors possibly related to total mortality. The analysis evaluated the possible relationship between blood pressure levels and smoking habits measured in the population samples and the official death rates covering the period 1980-82 in the health units from which the samples were drawn. The analysis was conducted in a direct way but also by the help of a risk function linking blood pressure and smoking habits as obtained from another Italian population sample. The cograduation test between mean blood pressure in the nine areas and total mortality was 0.58 (linear correlation 0.57); the cograduation test was -0.70 for non-smokers, 0.62 for ex-smokers, 0.50 for present smokers (linear correlation of -0.27, 0.29 and 0.14 respectively). The death rates estimated by the risk function (Cox model) tended to overestimate the death rates from 5 to 64% (average 36.3%). The cograduation test between expected and observed death rates was 0.56 (linear correlation coefficient 0.66). Some limitations of this pilot study are largely explained by the small size of the sample and by the need to use a risk function provided by another population sample.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Alcohol and mortality in the Italian rural cohorts of the Seven Countries Study.

The relation of alcohol consumption to mortality is examined using the data of the Italian rural cohorts of the Seven Countries Study, a prospective investigation of factors related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The present analysis includes 1536 men aged 45-64, whose dietary habits and food consumption, including alcoholic beverages, were measured in 1965. Of them, 463 men died in a follow-up period of 15 years. The analysis shows a J-shaped relationship between alcohol consumption, expressed as percentage of total daily energy intake, and both overall mortality and cardiovascular mortality; this J-shaped relationship is evident even after adjusting for age, cigarette smoking and occupation. The inverse relationship for consumption of small quantities of alcohol, which is represented by the left side of the J-curve, is no longer significant when all men with previous cardiovascular manifestations are excluded from the analysis, yet it is never completely eliminated.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed1992

Trends in coronary risk factors in Italy. Responsible Investigators of the RF2, OB43 and MICOL Research Groups.

Three large-scale epidemiological surveys covering some major coronary risk factors were conducted in Italy in population samples of men and women aged 30-59 years. The first survey was carried out in 1978-1979 (RF2 study; nine samples in eight regions; 2561 men and 2912 women); the second in 1983-1984 (OB43 study; nine samples in the same eight regions; 2267 men and 2398 women); and the third one in 1985-1987 (MICOL study; 18 samples in 10 regions; 14,411 men and 12,611 women). Time trends in mean age standardized risk factors levels showed slight but systematic decreases in blood pressure, cigarette smoking (only in men), and body mass index (only in women); whereas no substantial changes were observed in serum cholesterol levels. The combined multiple coronary risk estimated by a model produced in a previous study, showed a decline between 1978-1979 and 1983-1984 of 5.5% in men and 13.4% in women. These changes were compared with the official coronary death rates between 1984 and 1987 in the whole country and in the regions where the samples were located. The expected/observed ratio computed in different ways ranged from 0.54 to 0.88 for men and was over 1 for women. Changes in the levels of major risk factors and changes in coronary mortality seem biologically coherent at least in men.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Prognostic role of flow cytometry in superficial bladder cancer.

Prognostic factors in superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder were assessed with histopathological and flow cytometry analysis in a series of 61 patients operated transurethrally between 1988 and 1990. In particular, we evaluated the usefulness of flow cytometry in order to identify patients who require a more accurate clinical follow-up or a more aggressive therapy. A multivariate analysis was done in 61 cases, considering patient age and sex, stage, grade and number of lesions (unifocal or multifocal), post-TUR therapy (therapy or not), and DNA ploidy (diploid/aneuploid). DNA pattern and number of recurrences were determinant for selecting risk cases for progression.

Carcinoma, Transitional Cell↗

PubMed1992

Effect of propionyl-L-carnitine on experimental induced cardiomyopathy in rats.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ability of propionyl-L-carnitine, a carnitine derivative to prevent cardiac dysfunction induced by erucic acid and streptozotocin treatment in rats. Rats were fed for 10 days with normal or 10% erucic-acid-enriched diet with or without propionyl-L-carnitine injected intraperitoneally (1 mM/kg daily). Another group of rats was injected for 8-10 weeks with streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) with or without propionyl-L-carnitine intraperitoneally injected at the same dosage. Thereafter the animals were sacrificed and the hearts isolated and perfused aerobically. When isovolumic measurements of left ventricular function were applied, there was no difference in mechanical activity between treated and control hearts. On the contrary, when pressure-volume curves were determined in the paced hearts, the pressure developed by hearts from erucic acid-treated or diabetic rats was reduced. Propionyl-L-carnitine always produced positive inotropy. This was true for the control-saline treated rats that received the drug, as well as for the hearts isolated from cardiomyopathic animals. These data suggest that propionyl-L-carnitine, when given chronically, is able to overcome myocardial dysfunction caused either from erucic acid treatment or diabetes.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

[Prevalence of some cardiovascular risk factors in a sample of the aged population].

The distribution of some cardiovascular risk factors in a cohort of elderly population is reported. The study population consisted of 427 males aged 71-91, examined in 1991 and belonging to the Italian rural section of the Seven Countries Study on Cardiovascular Diseases. Systolic blood pressure shows an increasing trend with age, with mean levels greater than 160 mmHg in each quinquennium, while the prevalence of hypertension ranges between 60 and 75%. Other risk factors considered such as serum cholesterol, triglycerides, weight, height and smoking habit show decreasing levels with ageing. This trend is clear also for fasting glucose from the age group 76-80.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1992

Physical activity, physical fitness and mortality in a sample of middle aged men followed-up 25 years.

One-thousand-seven-hundred-twelve men aged 40-59, representing two demographic samples of rural areas in Northern and Central Italy, were examined in 1960 and then followed-up for 25 years. Total mortality and coronary mortality were related to the entry measurements of physical activity at work, estimated in three levels by a simple questionnaire and to four possible indicators of physical fitness, ie resting heart rate, the circumference of the right arm cleaned from the contribution of skin and subcutaneous fat, vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 3/4 sec, the latter two adjusted by height. The four indicators of fitness and the score of physical activity were somewhat related each other in the expected direction. Both all causes and coronary mortality were indirectly related to the score of physical activity. The relative risk for age adjusted rates of sedentary vs heavy workers was 1.23 for all causes of death, and 1.72 for coronary deaths. Direct univariate relationships were found between resting heart rate and mortality (for both all causes and coronary deaths) whereas indirect relationships were found for arm circumference and the two indicators of respiratory function. The age adjusted relative risks between the upper and the bottom quartile of the distribution were, for all causes of death, 0.75 for vital capacity, 0.68 for forced expiratory volume 1.32 for heart rate, and 0.84 for arm circumference. The correspondent relative risks for coronary deaths were 0.71, 0.65, 1.23 and 1.02 respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1992

[Demography and public health: the complexity of interventions in women].

Some considerations on age distribution of the Italian population, in particular women, are reported; after 40, they are the majority. Problems of ageing and their quality of life constitute a large interest of future research. Cardiovascular diseases are more frequent with ageing for both, males and females; the differences, found in middle age males and females, suggest the possible protective role of feminine sexual hormones. Trials, which include hormone replacement therapy in women after menopause, are conducted for the possible influence on cardiovascular diseases, on osteoporosis and on thrombogenic factors.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

[Epidemiology and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in women].

Some Italian data on frequencies of cardiovascular diseases in women are reported. Recent data, published by ISTAT (1987), record that diseases of the circulatory system represent 50% of all deaths and cardiovascular events happen over 75. Mortality rates for cardiovascular diseases, aged 0-74, are lower than in men of the same age group. Coronary and cerebrovascular events recorded by the MONICA register in the Area Latina are lower in women than in men with a ratio of 3:1 and 3:2 respectively. Fatality rate is higher in women than in men. Incidence rate of definite coronary events assessed by population samples is 2.2 per 1000 per year in women aged 40-69. On cardiovascular risk factors few Italian data are published. Some data from American studies reported for women the prediction of risk factors, such as serum cholesterol, blood pressure, and smoking habit; an independent role is played by diabetes and obesity.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗

PubMed1992

Multivariate prediction of coronary deaths in a 10 year follow-up of an Italian occupational male cohort.

3395 men aged 46-65 belonging to occupational groups in Rome were examined in 1980 for the measurement of a number of potential coronary risk factors and of other personal characteristics. They represented the 76.5% of the enrolled roster. In 2853 men free from previous major coronary events and with all the measurements available, 98 died from CHD in the next 10 years. The multivariate analysis performed by the Cox model showed the significant predictive role of age, systolic blood pressure, non-HDL cholesterol, blood glucose and heart rate. The relative risk (for a distance of 2 standard deviations from the mean) was of 2.3, 2.1, 1.4, 1.7 and 1.4 respectively. Smoking habits, body mass index, xanthelasma, leisure physical activity, serum triglycerides, uric acid and a stress score did not contribute to the prediction of coronary deaths. HDL cholesterol produced a negative but not significant coefficient. As compared to the previously available Italian risk functions the role of non-HDL cholesterol and of blood glucose represents the most remarkable contribution.

Cohort Studies↗

PubMed1992

[Obesity and mortality. Italian epidemiologic data].

The relationship of indicators of obesity, such as the body mass index (BMI) and the skinfold thickness in some areas (SKIN) to all causes mortality have been analyzed in three italian epidemiological studies. They are the Seven Countries Study--italian areas conducted on 2480 men at entry and followed-up for 25 years; the Brisighella study conducted on 1123 men and 1100 women aged 30-69 and followed-up for 15 years; and the NFR study in Rome conducted on 3395 men aged 46-66 and followed-up of 6.5 years. The univariate analysis concerning the BMI for various age groups, the two sexes, and variable periods of follow-up has almost systematically showed a parabolic inverted J shaped relationship with minimal levels of risk for BMI values of 27-29 units. However this was not the case for the women group and for the oldest men where no clear relationship was found. The analysis concerning the SKIN provided similar but less clear-cut results. The multivariate analysis has confirmed the parabolic relationship of BMI to all causes mortality even in the presence of other 4-5 covariates. The left branch of risk is higher than the right one and its slope could be reduced, although not completely, by the exclusion of heavy smokers, of those who died within the first 5 years of follow-up, of those who were carriers of severe diseases at entry examination.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Short term changes in cardiovascular risk factors in the Di.S.Co. Intervention Project. Research Group of the DI.S.Co. Project.

The Di.S.Co. Project--Sezze District Community Control--is aimed at achieving in the general population the prevention of chronic diseases through community intervention. Two areas are enrolled, one for intervention (25,706 subjects) and one for reference (12,655 subjects). In 1983 the first survey was conducted on a sample of males and females aged 20-69, and some risk factors for cardiovascular diseases were measured. In 1986 a second screening was conducted on the same sample examined in 1983 and in a new one to evaluate the effect of community treatment during the three-year intervention. The main net differences obtained in the treatment area against controls (by the paired analysis), adjusted by the initial levels of the risk factors considered, were: in males body mass index: -1.3% and number of cigarettes smoked per day: -5.1%; in females systolic blood pressure: -2.1%, body mass index: -3.2% and number of cigarettes smoked per day: -34.4%. The theoretical probability of death from atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in 25 years was estimated by the multiple logistic function and in three years it increased by 1% in males, while for females it decreased by 6.5%.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Serum selenium and precursors of cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents.

The aim of this study was to determine, in a population of Italian adolescents, the association of serum selenium levels with precursors of biochemical and anthropometric variables known as being among the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in the adult population. The following measurements were taken in a school sample of 627 adolescents (aged 12-13 years); serum selenium, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, height, weight, body mass index, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. The serum selenium levels were slightly higher in males (83.1 +/- 10.1 micrograms/l) than in females (81.7 +/- 11.0 micrograms/l), but the difference was not statistically significant. Serum selenium was positively correlated with total cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure and HDL cholesterol in both sexes; moreover it was positively correlated with non-HDL cholesterol and negatively correlated with height in males only.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Coronary heart disease prevention: relationship between socio-economic status and knowledge, motivation and behaviour in a free-living male, adult population.

A questionnaire concerning knowledge, motivation and behaviour connected with coronary heart disease (CHD) prevention was administered to 6074 men aged 46 yrs, residents of Rome. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate whether differences exsisted between three socio-economic (SE) classes arbitrarily defined as medium-high (MH), intermediate (I), and medium-low (ML). Knowledge on CHD and its prevention was more satisfactory in the MH class than in the ML class. The same was observed for attitudes toward prevention (the MH class demonstrated more attention to prevention than ML class). Data were less straightforward for behaviour, which seemed to be dependent on both economic status and education. In fact the MH class claimed to smoke less than ML class, to spend more leisure time in physical activity and to check blood pressure and serum cholesterol more often. Their diets, however, were more expensive and rich than those of the ML class. By contrast the ML class, when compared to MH class, seemed to drink more alcoholic beverages and to be heavier, but they walked more and their diet resembled more closely the Mediterranean one. Altogether, in this study population, the highest social class seemed to be associated with better behaviours toward CHD prevention.

Coronary Disease↗

PubMed1991

Prevalence and correlates of angina pectoris in the Italian nine communities study. Research Group ATS-RF2 of the Italian National Research Council.

We investigated the prevalence and correlates of angina pectoris in 6573 men and women aged 20-59 participating in the Italian National Multicenter Study on Risk Factors for Arteriosclerosis. In both sexes, the prevalence of angina pectoris, as assessed by the Rose questionnaire, increased sharply with age (from 0.8% to 5.1% for men and from 1.7% to 6.9% for women). In all age groups, there was a higher prevalence of angina pectoris for women than for men. In men, a strong positive association was found between angina pectoris and myocardial infarction (both by self-report and electrocardiographic documentation) and self-reported dyspnea. In women, myocardial infarction (self-reported), electrocardiographic-documented myocardial ischemia, intermittent claudication, and dyspnea were all associated with angina pectoris. In both sexes, angina pectoris was positively associated with body mass index. Males with diabetes had two times the prevalence of angina pectoris as males without diabetes; in females, diabetes was only weakly associated with angina pectoris. None of other major ischemic heart disease risk factors (blood pressure, serum lipids, or smoking) was associated with angina pectoris.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

A form of familial hypobetalipoproteinaemia not due to a mutation in the apolipoprotein B gene.

Familial hypobetalipoproteinaemia (FHBL) is a dominant disorder of lipoprotein metabolism characterized by levels of apolipoprotein B-carrying lipoproteins (VLDL, IDL and LDL) which are 50% of the normal levels in the heterozygotes and almost absent in the homozygotes. Several reports have recently shown that the underlying defect in FHBL involves different mutations in the apo B gene which lead to reduced levels of apo B mRNA or to the production of truncated forms of apo B having either a lower synthetic rate or a higher catabolic rate than normal apo B. We here present a three-generation family with several FHBL members in which the linkage analysis shows absence of co-segregation between apo B gene alleles and the hypocholesterolaemic phenotype. We conclude that a dominantly transmitted mutation in a gene other than that for apo B is responsible for the low plasma cholesterol levels.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

All cause mortality and its determinants in middle aged men in Finland, The Netherlands, and Italy in a 25 year follow up.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aims were (1) to compare all cause mortality in population samples of different cultures; and (2) to cross predict fatal event by risk functions involving risk factors usually measured in cardiovascular epidemiology. DESIGN: The study was a 25 year prospective cohort study. The prediction of all cause mortality was made using the multiple logistic equation as a function of 12 risk factors; the prediction of months lived after entry examination was made by the multiple linear regression using the same factors. POPULATION SAMPLES: There were five cohorts of men aged 40-59 years, from Finland (two cohorts, 1677 men), from The Netherlands (one cohort, 878 men), and from Italy (two cohorts, 1712 men). SETTING: The Finnish cohorts came from geographically defined rural areas, the Dutch cohort from a small town in central Holland, and the Italian cohorts from rural villages in northern and central Italy. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: All cause mortality was highest in Finland (557 per 1000), and lower in The Netherlands (477) and in Italy (475). The solutions of the multiple logistic function showed the significant and almost universal predictive role of certain factors, with rare exceptions. These were age, blood pressure, cigarette smoking, and arm circumference (the latter with a negative relationship). Similar results were obtained when solving a multiple linear regression equation predicting the number of months lived after entry examination as a function of the same factors. The prediction of fatal events in each country, using the risk functions of the others, produced limited errors, the smallest one being -2% and the largest +11%. When solving the logistic model in the pool of all the cohorts with the addition of dummy variables for the identification of nationality, it also appeared that only a small part of the mortality differences between countries is not explained by 12 available risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: A small set of risk factors seems to explain the intercohort differences of 25 year all cause mortality in population samples of three rather different cultures.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Food patterns and health problems: health in southern Europe.

The health status description refers to 7 countries of southern Europe, i.e. Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Yugoslavia and Greece, and is mainly derived from official mortality data. In general the health status of southern European countries, as related to the adult population, seems satisfactory and improving along the last 10-15 years in spite of the adverse trends of some diseases. As compared to central, northern and eastern European countries, the southern ones enjoy relatively low mortality and morbidity rates from coronary heart disease and cardiovascular diseases in general, from lung cancer, from large bowel cancer and all-causes mortality, whereas they suffer from strokes and liver cirrhosis at relatively high rates. An exception is made by Yugoslavia where trends in death rates from cardiovascular diseases and all-causes mortality are definitely increasing like it has happened in eastern Europe during the last 20 years. Data from official mortality records are supported by information on incidence, mortality and risk factor distribution derived from population studies like the Seven Countries Study, the Erica and the Monica Project.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗