Biomedical subjects

G Mingrone

Publications and source records attributed to G Mingrone.

150 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Intestinal permeability increases with the severity of abdominal trauma: a comparison between gas liquid chromatographic and enzymatic method.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Increased intestinal permeability was found in humans after multiple trauma, burn injury and major vascular surgery. However, no data are reported regarding possible correlation between trauma and intestinal permeability degree. This study was undertaken to compare gas-liquid chromatographic and enzymatic method for the evaluation of intestinal permeability impairment in patients after severe abdominal trauma. METHODOLOGY: Five traumatized patients with an injury severity score of more than 24 and 5 cross-matched healthy volunteers were studied. The intestinal permeability was performed using a test solution, containing 10 g lactulose and 5 g mannitol. Gas-liquid chromatographic method was applied to measure sugar standards and 5-hour urine samples and the results were compared with those obtained employing a specific enzymatic method. RESULTS: Linearity of myoinositol, lactulose and mannitol measured by gas-liquid chromatographic method was from 0.2-1 microgram injected. Using the enzymatic method, the response was linear between mannitol concentrations of 0.34 and 5.49 mM. Linearity of lactulose standard was from 0.18-2.92 mM. The gas-liquid chromatographic and enzymatic methods showed a good agreement using the Bland-Altman procedure. The mean lactulose/mannitol ratio was 0.085 +/- 0.025 in patients and 0.009 +/- 0.001 in controls (P < 0.001). The higher the injury severity score (30.8 +/- 5) the larger the ratio of lactulose to mannitol (R2 = 0.74). CONCLUSIONS: The enzymatic method--inexpensive, easy-to-perform and timesaving--is suitable for intestinal permeability studies. An abdominal trauma, without injury requiring surgical operation, modifies the intestinal mucosa permeability possibly favoring passage of bacteria and subsequent sepsis.

Accidents, Traffic↗

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

[Total parenteral nutrition in cancer patients].

The authors analyse the results obtained in a study of 28 cancer patients managed with total parenteral nutrition (TPN) for a period variant from 5 to 19 days. The results fully justify the usefulness of the TPN in cancer patients before the treatment against the cancer.

Aged↗

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

Obesity.

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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2↗