Biomedical subjects

L Lauria

Publications and source records attributed to L Lauria.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

The possible role of endocrine disrupting chemicals in the aetiology of cryptorchidism and hypospadias: a population-based case-control study in rural Sicily.

Abstract This was an open case-control study of the possible association between parental occupational and domestic exposures to potential endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) assessed by questionnaire and cryptorchidism and hypospadias in their offspring in the agricultural area of Ragusa. Cases of infants born between 1998 and 2002 with either of these two malformations (n=90), and controls (n=203), were recruited through the paediatric services (for cases) and a random sample of healthy infants attending the same services born in the same period of time (for controls). Data on occupational and environmental exposures of parents prior to and during the index case (or control), were collected through interviews with both parents. Concerning occupational exposures, we did not find a statistically significant increase in risk among parents directly involved in agricultural work. We did find a non-statistically significant increase in risk for cryptorchidism in mothers employed in agriculture [adjusted odds ratios (OR) 2.97; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77-11.47] and with probable exposure to pesticides (adjusted OR 2.74; 95% CI 0.72-10.42). Fathers who had indirect contact with agricultural products (transport and retail) had an increased risk (not statistically significant) for cryptorchidism (adjusted OR 2.45; 95% CI 0.63-9.59) and hypospadias and cryptorchidism combined (adjusted OR 2.24; 95% CI 0.67-7.48). Increases in risk of the two malformations pooled were also observed in relation to the mother's age below 25 (adjusted OR 1.99; 95% CI 0.97-4.09), to the presence of genital disease of the father (adjusted OR 2.41; 95%C I0.94-6.17), and the mother (adjusted OR 3.47;95% CI 1.34-8.99), to low birth weight of the infant (adjusted OR 4.49; 95% CI 1.23-16.31). Increased risk was also observed for mothers consuming alcohol during pregnancy (adjusted OR 3.09; 95% CI 0.98-9.66), and for couples who conceived while using condoms (adjusted OR 2.12; 95% CI 1.02-4.41). The study therefore provides only limited support to the hypothesis of a possible association between the risk of cryptorchidism and hypospadias and the occupational exposure to EDC and agricultural work.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Cryptorchidism and hypospadias in the Sicilian district of Ragusa and the use of pesticides.

The aim of the study was to explore the role of environmental exposures to pesticides in the birth prevalence of hypospadias and cryptorchidism, in the 12 agricultural municipalities of Ragusa Sicily. Data on the birth prevalence of the two birth defects were obtained from the local pediatric services for the period 1998-2002. Municipalities were ranked according to the degree of "pesticide impact" on the basis of three quantitative criteria of intensity of agricultural activities of the population. We found a significantly higher birth prevalence of hypospadias with increasing "pesticide impact" (trend test, P=0.003). The association with cryptorchidism was not statistically significant, but when the two birth defects were pooled together, the linear trend was significant (trend test, P=0.001).

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

PubMed2006

Self perceived health and mental health among women flight attendants.

AIMS: The authors investigated associations of work related risk factors with self perceived health as less than "good" and psychological distress among Italian women flight attendants. METHODS: The authors conducted a cross sectional survey on health and mental health among 1955 former and current flight attendants, using a postal questionnaire. RESULTS: More current than former flight attendants reported self perceived health as fair to poor and psychological distress measured as a GHQ-12 score of six or more. Among current flight attendants, reporting health as fair to poor was associated with low job satisfaction (OR 1.89) and recent experiences of sexual harassment by passengers (OR 2.83). Psychological distress was associated with low job satisfaction (OR 2.38) and frequent tension with partner over childcare (OR 1.79). CONCLUSIONS: Perceived health as fair to poor and psychological distress were greater among current flight attendants and were related to job characteristics and family difficulties. Perceived poor health has been shown in the literature to be related to mortality, high job strain, and early retirement, and psychological distress is associated with work absence. The effect of sexual harassment by passengers on perceived health of flight attendants may be relevant to other working women dealing with the public. The health effects of family/work conflicts, low job satisfaction, and sexual harassment should be explored more in depth, using qualitative as well as quantitative methods among working women in various occupations.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Integrating qualitative methods into occupational health research: a study of women flight attendants.

AIMS: To identify possible work related sources of psychosocial stress in order to develop pertinent questionnaire items for a cross-sectional health survey of 3000 Italian women flight attendants, and to solicit suggestions on improving survey participation. METHODS: Qualitative study in which 26 current and former women flight attendants participated: three focus groups of 6-7 participants each and six in-depth individual interviews. The session themes included positive and negative aspects of the job; relationships with colleagues, superiors, and passengers; perception of occupational risk for serious diseases; compatibility of work and family; and experiences of work related sources of stress and their effect on health. A transcript based analysis of the focus groups and interviews was used to identify emerging themes related to risk factors for mental health problems. RESULTS: The participants indicated that mental health was a major concern. Several work related risk factors possibly related to adverse outcomes, such as depression and anxiety, were highlighted. These included isolation and solitude, fears of being inadequate partners and mothers due to job demands, passenger relationships, and lack of protection by employers with respect to workplace exposures and violent passengers. The information gained was used to develop a mental health module for inclusion in the health survey questionnaire which included questions on history of severe depression or anxiety, suicidal ideation or attempt, substance abuse, workplace sexual harassment, social support, leisure time activities, relationship with a partner, and role as mother. CONCLUSIONS: Employing qualitative methods to identify work related sources of psychosocial stress enabled development of pertinent questionnaire items for a cross-sectional epidemiological study of women flight attendants. Follow up qualitative research may be necessary in order to put the cross-sectional study findings into context and to explore actions or strategies for preventing work related health problems evidenced from the survey.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Patterns of contraceptive use in 5 European countries. European Study Group on Infertility and Subfecundity.

OBJECTIVES: The use of contraception in Denmark, Germany, Poland, Italy, and Spain is described. METHODS: Data were drawn from a population-based cross-sectional study, the European Study of Infertility and Subfecundity. Interviews were conducted with 6630 women aged 25 to 44 years. Logistic regression was used to estimate the effect of factors associated with contraceptive use. RESULTS: Residents of Northern European countries tended to use more effective methods of contraception than residents of Southern European countries. The use of contraception was generally more common among single women, the more highly educated, those with children, and those with a previous induced abortion. These characteristics were also the main determinants of the use of more effective methods. Periodic abstinence and withdrawal were more common among older women. CONCLUSIONS: The European countries are in different phases of contraceptive practice: in Northern and Western Europe, use of more modern methods has been stable over the past 10 years, whereas these methods are less common in Southern and Eastern Europe. The results suggest the need for information, education, and provision of contraceptive services in Eastern and Southern Europe.

Abortion, Induced↗

PubMed1999

[Incidence of measles in Italy in the 1985-1994 period].

Measles notifications in Italy underestimate the actual incidence by a factor of ten, as it is ascertained by seroepidemiological investigation. In the decade 1980-89, 45,000 measles cases were notified, on average, per year. Since 1988 mass vaccination campaigns were implemented in several Italian regions. The strategy aimed to offer the prophylaxis actively to all children aged 13 months to 8-12 year for whom a sure recollection of measles was absent. The study has aimed to evaluate the impact of the strategy that worked in the period 1989-91, on the standardised average annual incidence of measles notification, comparing the periods 1985-89 and 1990-94. A reduction of 45% resulted all over Italy. On the contrary the incidence of chickenpox notifications has increased, indicating that the notification system did not worse.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

[Pilot study on compulsory vaccination coverage].

The disappearance of diphtheria and poliomyelitis is the best evidence of the efficacy of the vaccination strategies adopted in Italy. The active offer of the prophylaxis, reinforced by law, has characterised the operational aspects of the strategy. The active surveillance system is the main tool to take under control the effectiveness of health services responsible for vaccination. This system could be more easily implemented if the health services will be given a specific software aiming to handle and evaluate vaccination registers. The present pilot study, performed in the regions Marche and Sardegna, is an example of active surveillance and it is based on the ARVA software produced by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità. The results show a good level of coverage (> 95%) within the second year of life. Unsatisfactory results were obtained on the timing of vaccinations, as recommended by the vaccination schedule, mostly for the third doses.

Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine↗

PubMed1996

Ultrasonography evaluation of bone lesions of the jaw.

The ultrasonographic aspects of 72 intraosseous lesions of the jaws were evaluated to identify the usefulness of this type of examination. The principal aim of ultrasonography was to recognize the lesion's content before surgical treatment. Four groups of lesions were classified after the definitive histopathologic examination: lesions with solid, liquid, dense liquid, and mixed contents. The initial ultrasonography examination was in agreement with the histopathologic findings in 24 (92.3%) cases with solid content, 17 (73.9%) cases with liquid content, 7 (7.7%) cases with dense liquid content, and 13 (92.8%) cases with mixed content. On the basis of the results of this study, we propose the use of ultrasonography as a complementary examination for intraosseous lesions of the jaws. If a liquid component is identified in ultrasonography, a surgical procedure should be performed immediately. Otherwise, if a lesion with solid component is identified, it should be biopsied for histopathologic examination and final diagnosis before definitive surgery.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Occupational exposure and male fertility. Results of an Italian multicenter study in an exposed population].

It was believed that occupational exposure to several toxic agents could negatively affect male fertility. This paper reports the results of a study on the fertility of couples in whom the man was occupationally exposed to three different toxics: metals, solvents and pesticides, having effects on reproduction. Fertility was evaluated during the time that elapsed between attempting and achieving the first pregnancy of the couple (time to pregnancy--TTP). Exposure to occupational risks during the period preceding conception was defined on the basis of data collected from 153 workers of a mint (exposed to metal and solvents), 322 agricultural workers licensed to handle pesticides and 127 greenhouse workers. Comparing the groups exposed during the conception period with comparable non-exposed groups, we found a slight delay in conception among couples with male exposure to metals (OR = 1.3; 95% CI 0.5-3.6), to solvents (OR = 1.7; 95% CI 0.6-4.6) and to pesticides among greenhouse workers (OR = 1.6; 95% CI 0.8-3.1 for the moderately exposed and OR = 2.4; 95% CI 1.2-5.1 for the heavily exposed). No increase in the risk of conception delay was observed in agricultural workers with generic exposure to pesticides. The results of this study suggest that the workers exposed to metals and solvents and greenhouse workers exposed to pesticides experienced a delay in conception at the time of their wives' first pregnancy.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Is it possible to use sex ratio at birth as indicator of the presence of endocrine disrupters in environmental pollution?].

The sex ratio at birth (male births/total births) seems to be influenced by both biological and environmental factors. Endocrine Disrupters such as dioxin, DBCP and other pesticides have been studied as possible determinants of the decline in the sex ratio observed in some western countries. High serum concentration of dioxin in about two hundred fathers exposed during the well-known Seveso accident (1976), have been found associated with a significant decline in male births. The present study examines the possible variation of the sex ratio at birth in the offspring of the entire populations residing in the municipalities around the site of the Seveso accident. We observed a reduction of male births in the eight years following the accident (1977-1984) in the two municipalities with the highest level of contamination (Meda and Seveso). This effect was no longer detectable in the subsequent decades. No reduction in the sex ratio was observed when all considered municipalities are grouped in three exposure categories, according to their distance from the centre of the contaminated area. It is concluded that variations of the sex ratio may be detected only in populations with high exposure to dioxin, but this effect is concealed when the analysis of the sex ratio is based on large populations, with lower levels of exposure.

Endocrine Glands↗