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Biomedical subjects

E Capristo

Publications and source records attributed to E Capristo.

82 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison between dodecanedioic acid and long-chain triglycerides as an energy source in liquid formula diets.

BACKGROUND: Dicarboxylic acids (DA) are water-soluble substances with high-energy density proposed as an alternative lipid substrate for nutrition purposes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the interaction between glucose and DA or long-chain triglyceride (LCT) metabolism after oral administration. METHODS: Two test meals containing either dodecanedioic acid (C12, the 12-atom DA) or LCT, together with glucose and amino acids, were each administered to five healthy volunteers. Tracer amounts of 14C-dodecanedioic acid were added to the C12 meal to recover expired traced CO2 and estimate the minimum rate of C12 oxidation. Glucose, insulin, and C12 plasma levels were measured for 360 minutes after the test meal. Indirect calorimetry was performed for the duration of the study. RESULTS: LCTs proved ineffective in promoting their own oxidation after oral administration. On the contrary, C12 was promptly oxidized, a minimum of 21.9%+/-8.3% of the administered amount giving rise to the recovered expired CO2. This difference in metabolic fate was reflected in a sparing effect on glucose: suprabasal respiratory quotient and suprabasal carbohydrate oxidation were significantly (p < .05) lower under C12 administration than under LCT administration, with a difference of 0.024+/-0.015 in respiratory quotient (RQ) and a difference of 0.791+/-0.197 kJ/min in carbohydrate oxidation. In particular, carbohydrate oxidation increased by 54% over basal with LCT but only by 28% with C12 administration. RQ increased over basal by 5.8% with LCT but only by 3.0% with C12 administration. CONCLUSIONS: These results show a fundamental metabolic difference between conventional lipids and DAs, which is the basis for a possible role of DAs in clinical nutrition. The fate of spared glucose is likely to be storage in glycogen form when dodecanedioic acid is made available as an energy source.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Metadoxine in the treatment of acute and chronic alcoholism: a review.

Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are responsible for a wide variety of medical problems. The pharmaco-therapeutic aspect of alcoholism includes the use of drugs, with different actions and objectives. Among them, metadoxine seems to be of interest. Metadoxine is able to accelerate the elimination of alcohol from the blood and tissues, to help restore the functional structure of the liver and to relieve neuro-psychological disorders associated with alcohol intoxication. Metadoxine also seems to be safe; in more than 15 years of post-marketing surveillance only minor aspecific and reversible events were monitored in patients exposed to the treatment. In this review the preclinical and clinical results obtained using metadoxine in acute and chronic alcohol intoxication are reported.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pharmacological approaches to the management of alcohol addiction.

Alcohol abuse and alcoholism represent a world-wide problem, both from a medical and a social point of view. In the past the therapy for patients affected by alcoholism was based mainly on the psychological approach. In recent years the use of pharmacotherapy together with psychosocial interventions have enhanced the percentage of success in maintaining alcoholic patients in remission. The present review discusses the main drugs experimented both in preclinical and clinical studies. Pharmacotherapy of alcohol dependence seems to be effective in both alcohol-related emergencies and prevention relapse. However, pharmacotherapy should not be considered as the only form of treatment but as an integrated part of a multimodal approach including psychological and social support.

Alcohol Deterrents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of propionyl-L-carnitine topical irrigation in distal ulcerative colitis: a preliminary report.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To study the tolerability of propionyl-L-carnitine administered as rectal irrigation and its efficacy in improving the clinical picture of distal ulcerative colitis. METHODOLOGY: Ten male subjects (aged 18 to 55 years, with a body mass index ranging from 21 to 25 Kg/m2) with distal ulcerative colitis were treated with propionyl-L-carnitine enemas (6 g in 200 mL physiological solution) twice a day over 120 minutes each. All subjects had a disease activity index from 0 to 1. A clinical, laboratory, endoscopy and biopsy evaluation was performed at baseline and 14 days after treatment. Serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-2 concentration was measured. RESULTS: No side effects were reported by the entire patient population and the clinical conditions remained constant throughout the study period. The disease activity index improved significantly between the beginning and the end of the study in 80% of the patients. Histologic features (mucosal erosion, distortion of crypt architecture, inflammation and lamina propria gap) significantly improved in all treated patients. Serum interleukin-2 levels did not change significantly after propionyl-L-carnitine treatment (respectively: 14.7 +/- 15.8 before vs. 9.9 +/- 13.2 pg/mL), while tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels were undetectable both before and after propionyl-L-carnitine administration. CONCLUSIONS: The topical treatment with a new formulation containing propionyl-L-carnitine seems to be safe and effective in improving the histologic features in patients with inactive or mild ulcerative colitis, as an alternative to conventional therapy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Nutritional aspects in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Metabolic alterations are a common feature in patients affected by non-alcoholic steato-hepatitis (NASH). A strong correlation exists between overweight, in particular visceral fat accumulation, and prevalence of NASH, especially in men. Thus, diet-induced weight loss represents a fundamental tool in disease management of these patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate body composition and nutrient utilisation in patients with NASH, comparing them with patients affected by chronic hepatitis related to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and with healthy subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty male outpatients with NASH (age: 41 +/- 11 yr; BMI: 26.2 +/- 2.1 kg/m2) and 14 HCV male patients (age 44.6 +/- 13 yr; BMI: 24.8 +/- 2.8 kg/m2) were enrolled in the study. A group of 20 healthy male subjects (age: 39 +/- 10 yr; BMI: 23.3 +/- 1.1 kg/m2) were studied as controls. Body composition was assessed by anthropometry and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; resting metabolic rate and nutrient oxidation by indirect calorimetry. A 7-day food diary was collected. The main biochemical parameters were measured using standardised laboratory techniques. RESULTS: Body weight was higher in NASH patients with respect to HCV patients and control subjects (respectively 75.2 +/- 8.9 vs 68.5 +/- 9.4 and vs 67.0 +/- 8.0 kg; P < 0.01) and this was essentially due to fat mass increase. Fat-free mass reduction was found in HCV patients with respect to both NASH and control subjects. Patients with NASH had a significantly higher waist circumference (P < 0.01) and a lower resting metabolic rate (RMR) with respect to HCV and control subjects. Energy intake was significantly higher in NASH patients (P < 0.01) compared to the other two groups. CONCLUSIONS: NASH patients showed an increase in body weight, fat mass and visceral fat accumulation with respect to HCV and control subjects. The reduction in RMR, coupled with increase energy intake may explain the body composition alterations found in these patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Medium-chain triglycerides for parenteral nutrition: kinetic profile in humans.

Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) have been introduced as lipid substrates in parenteral nutrition because of their rapid and complete oxidation. Although there are many clinical studies on the use of MCTs in parenteral nutrition there are only a few studies on their kinetics; most of these studies used indirect methods (such as light scattering) to determine MCT concentrations in plasma. We determined the hydrolysis rate of MCTs to medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and the disposition rate of MCFAs in nine healthy volunteers who received an intravenous bolus of MCTs as 10% MCT + 10% long-chain triglyceride solution. MCTs and MCFAs were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. One linear compartment model was used and its parameters were numerically estimated. The first-order transformation constant of the hydrolysis step from MCT to MCFA was 0.0964 +/- 0.0152 min-1(for 8- and 10-carbon pooled together); the rate constant for tissue MCFA uptake from plasma was 0.0725 +/- 0.0230 min-1. The apparent volumes of distribution were about 4.5 L for MCT and 19 L for MCFA in a typical 70-kg subject. The plasma half-life of MCT was 11 min and that of MCFA was 17 min. The limiting step in the clinical use of MCTs seems to be tissue uptake of MCFAs.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Anxiety and depression in adult untreated celiac subjects and in patients affected by inflammatory bowel disease: a personality "trait" or a reactive illness?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Psychiatric illness and psychological behavioral pathologies may be present in celiac disease and in IBD patients. In these subjects anxiety and depression could be a main cause in the reduction of the compliance to the treatment. Aim of our study was to carry out a psychometric evaluation using appropriate means to determine the level of anxiety and depression and to distinguish between "state" and "trait" forms. The correction of such disturbances would improve the quality of life and the patients' compliance to treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixteen adult celiac patients, 16 subjects affected by IBD and 16 healthy control subjects matched for sex, residence and marital status were studied by psychological assessment. All the subjects were given the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Ipat Depression Scale Questionnaire. RESULTS: State anxiety was present in a higher percentage of celiac subjects and in the patients affected by IBD with respect to the healthy controls. Anxiety as a trait was present in a similar percentage in all the subjects evaluated. Depressive syndrome was present in a percentage of celiac patients statistically superior versus the healthy control group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our results shown that anxiety is present as a "reactive" form and personality trait anxiety has no effect in celiac and IBD patients. As regard depression, our data confirm a possible linkage between brain functions and malabsorption.

Adjustment Disorders↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of alcohol on gastrointestinal motility: lactulose breath hydrogen testing in orocecal transit time in chronic alcoholics, social drinkers and teetotaler subjects.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The gastrointestinal tract is directly affected by the ingestion of alcohol. While the effect of acute ingestion of alcohol on the motility of the small intestine is well known, the influence of chronic intake of moderate amounts of alcohol and chronic alcoholism on gastrointestinal motility remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to examine the orocecal transit (OCt) times in patients with chronic alcoholism and in "social drinkers" and compare them with a group of healthy teetotaler subjects, to assess the effects of chronic aleohol consumption on gastrointestinal transit through the application of a non-invasive technique: the hydrogen breath test. METHODOLOGY: Thirty-one alcoholics were enrolled in the study. The control groups consisted of 31 healthy social drinkers and 24 healthy teetotaler subjects. OCt time was assessed using the hydrogen breath test after the administration of 10 g of lactulose. RESULTS: The OCt time in patients with alcoholism was significantly delayed as compared with the social drinkers (p < 0.001) and healthy teetotaler subjects (p < 0.001); the OCt time in social drinkers was significantly longer than in healthy teetotaler subjects (p < 0.05). In the alcoholic group, there was no significant correlation between the OCt time and daily alcohol intake or years of alcohol addiction. CONCLUSION: Our results show a significant prolongation of the OCt time, both in patients with alcoholism and in social drinkers, as compared to teetotaler subjects. Our findings of an increased OCt time related to the consumption of alcohol could support the hypothesis of the toxic effect of ethanol on smooth muscle contractile proteins of the small intestine and on vagal function.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Anxiety and depression: a common feature of health care seeking patients with irritable bowel syndrome and food allergy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. The etiology of IBS is still unclear and the relationship between foods and IBS is controversial; psychological factors have always been considered as a major cause of IBS and we recently showed a possible association via anxiety and depression between IBS and food allergy (FA). The aim of the present study was to confirm our preliminary observation. METHODOLOGY: Sixty-high IBS, 44 FA, 48 non-healthy controls with lactose intolerance (LI) and 52 healthy controls were considered for the study. All the subjects were given the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Zung depression scale. RESULTS: The percentage of subjects with high levels of state anxiety, trait anxiety and depression was significantly higher in IBS than in both LI and healthy controls; psychological findings in patients with FA were very similar to those of IBS. There were higher levels of state anxiety in LI compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: A higher prevalence of state anxiety found in patients complaining of bowel symptoms could be linked to the presence of chronic ill status. The higher presence of trait anxiety and depression in IBS and FA patients could be responsible for an increase in the activity of the autonomic nervous system and could provoke motility alterations through mast cell mediator release as well as enhancing release due to allergen crosslinking with IgE at the mast cell surface. However, it is debatable whether psychological findings are characteristic of all IBS or FA patients, or just represent the subset that see physicians.

Adult↗