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Biomedical subjects

M Zamboni

Publications and source records attributed to M Zamboni.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Food intake of patients with chronic pancreatitis after onset of the disease.

The food intake of 40 male patients with chronic pancreatitis followed up at our center for > or = 10 y were compared with that of 75 healthy control subjects. Patients had significantly lower anthropometric values and serum triacylglycerol and cholesterol concentrations than control subjects (P < 0.001). Subjects with pancreatitis had higher carbohydrate and energy intakes than control subjects but no significant differences were observed in protein, fat, fiber, or cholesterol intakes. The results show that although those with chronic pancreatitis consumed carbohydrates with a more balanced variety of nutrients, they were thinner and had lower serum lipid concentrations, which suggests that they had latent digestion disorders or malabsorption.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Effects of age on body fat distribution and cardiovascular risk factors in women.

We conducted a cross-sectional study of body fat distribution and metabolic variables and the interrelations among these factors in 134 women aged 18-71.9 y. Body fat distribution was measured with use of computerized tomography. A significant positive correlation was observed between age and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and between VAT and body weight. When subjects were divided into five age groups, VAT values were significantly higher in older groups. Values for triacylglycerols, cholesterol, fasting glucose, 2-h glucose, and the sum of glucose values during an oral-glucose-tolerance test were significantly higher in older subjects. After adjustment for visceral fat, no significant differences in any metabolic variable studied, except cholesterol, were found across the five age groups. In conclusion, we found that regional body fat distribution in older women was different from that in younger subjects: older women had larger amounts o visceral fat. Values for metabolic variables were also higher in older subjects. Our data suggest that redistribution of body fat in older subjects is associated with changes in metabolic variables.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1997

The benefits of modest weight loss in type II diabetes.

Obesity increases the risk of developing type II diabetes. However, the link between the two remains unclear, although insulin resistance and visceral adiposity are dominant risk factors. A study with CT scanning confirmed that the degree of visceral adiposity had a significant positive correlation with insulinaemia, and was negatively associated with insulin sensitivity. A 48 month retrospective study in patients with type II diabetes, who had received dietary therapy, identified a 'responder' group in whom metabolic improvements accompanied weight loss. Preferential loss of visceral fat may be an important factor in these 'responders'. Patients losing > 6.9 kg (or at least 10% mean baseline body weight) have demonstrated significant improvements in their glucose, HbA1 and lipid profiles. Modest weight loss by patients with type II diabetes therefore improves glycaemic control, insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular risk factors; and the risk of developing long-term diabetes-related complications may also be reduced by such metabolic improvements.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1996

Effect of regain of body weight on regional body fat distribution: comparison between pre- and postmenopausal obese women.

The aim of our study was to determine if regain of body weight increases visceral fat in obese women and if regain of weight has a different effect upon pre- and postmenopausal women. Twenty obese women (11 pre- and 9 postmenopausal) underwent a very low energy diet (VLED) for 2 weeks to lose weight. They then regained body weight in spite of the recommended hypocalorie diet. No significant modifications in body fat distribution indexes were found by computed tomography between VLED and after regain of weight. No significant changes were found in metabolic variables. No interactions between menopausal status and regain of body weight were observed. In conclusion, regain of weight does not seem to cause an increase in visceral fat; both pre- and postmenopausal women showed the same body fat distribution before weight loss and after regain of weight.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1996

Effect of altitude on body composition during mountaineering expeditions: interrelationships with changes in dietary habits.

Loss of body weight occurs during high mountain expeditions but whether it is due to inadequate diet or other factors is unknown. Moreover the composition of the weight loss is unclear. The aim of our study was to compare the nutritional, anthropometric and metabolic changes during a mountaineering expedition in two groups of climbers, whose dietary energy intake was ad libitum, one given a lacto-fish-ovo-vegetarian diet and one an omnivorous diet. The intake of various nutrients, body weight, body composition and metabolic variables were evaluated before and during high altitude exposure and after the return to low altitude. The two groups were matched for age, body mass index and gender. No significant differences were found for nutritional variables between the two groups. Energy, animal and vegetable protein and fiber intake were significantly lower at climbing quote than before the beginning of the expedition. Significant differences between before the beginning and base camp in all variables were found. Energy and animal protein intake, but not vegetable protein and fiber intake, were significantly lower at climbing quote than at base camp. All subjects significantly reduced body weight, body mass index, waist and hip circumferences but not fat-free mass and fat mass. Metabolic variables significantly improved after the mountaineering expedition. Our study seems to confirm that a mountaineering expedition decreases energy and protein intake, reduces body weight and improves metabolic variables. Because our subjects spontaneously tended to have the same food intake despite the different dietary recommendations, our study failed to observe any differences between the two groups. However, our study shows that a low protein diet, in which the type of protein is mostly vegetable protein, could be adapted for climbers determining only a small decrease of fat-free mass.

Altitude↗
PubMed1996

Computed tomography visceral adipose tissue volume measurements of Italians. Predictive equations.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate total visceral adipose tissue (AT) volumes in relation to single slices of visceral AT area measured at different levels and to other simple anthropometric measurements. DESIGN: Only outpatients examined in a metabolic unit were considered; subjects without conditions known to affect AT distribution who gave their informed consent were recruited. SETTING: All subjects were hospitalized in the Department of Internal Medicine of the University of Messina. SUBJECTS: 90 adult subjects of which 18 men and 42 pre- and 30 post-menopausal women. Ages ranged from 18 to 69 years and body mass indexes ranged from 22 to 50. INTERVENTIONS: The AT volume was calculated by computed tomography from the AT area of five scans and from the distances between these scans. RESULTS: AT area at the level of the 2nd-3rd lumbar vertebra had by itself the highest predictive power in men (s.e. = 6.8%), in post-menopausal women (s.e. = 7.4%) and, together with age, in pre-menopausal women (s.e. = 14%). Of the non-radiological parameters it was waist circumference, together with age, which showed the highest predictive power in men (s.e. = 21%), pre-menopausal women (s.e. = 25%) and, together with height, in post-menopausal women (s.e. = 33%). CONCLUSIONS: A single scan measurement at the lumbar level was confirmed to be representative of total visceral AT volume. Waist circumference was the non-radiological parameter that best correlated with volume.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1996

Relationship between hydration of lean body mass and visceral adipose tissue. A clinical study of women.

OBJECT: To study the relationship between hydration of lean body mass and adipose tissue location. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, clinical study of visceral adipose tissue area and total body water as a percentage of lean body mass. PATIENTS: Seventy-two adult, overweight, women, 52 pre- and 20 post-menopausal (age: 18-72 years, body mass index: 26-52). MEASUREMENTS: Total body water was obtained by electrical impedance measurement; visceral adipose tissue and lean body mass were obtained by computed tomography measurement of visceral adipose tissue area at the level of the 4th-5th lumbar vertebra. RESULTS: Visceral adipose tissue was found, by multiple regression analysis, to be the only predictor of the hydration of the lean body mass. The other independent variables: age, menopausal status, body mass index, glucose and insulin both fasting and after glucose load were not able to significantly improve the predictive power. CONCLUSION: Results of this study confirm the existence of a relationship between visceral adipose tissue content and hydration of the lean body mass.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1996

Body fat accumulation is possibly responsible for lower dehydroepiandrosterone circulating levels in premenopausal obese women.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether any androgen is independently related with parameters of body fat accumulation and distribution in obese women. DESIGN: Circulating insulin and androgen levels (total testosterone (T), free testosterone (FT), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), androstenedione, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)) and the parameters of body fat accumulation and distribution (body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, total body fat volume (TBF), visceral adipose tissue area (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue area (SAT) were determined in a population of non-diabetic obese women. SUBJECTS: 28 premenopausal obese women, recruited at the Verona University Hospital Outpatient Clinic. MEASUREMENTS: TBF, VAT and SAT area were quantified by computed tomography. Hormone levels were measured by RIA. RESULTS: SHBG showed an inverse correlation with BMI (r: -0.452, P < 0.05), WHR (r: -0.388, P < 0.05), TBF (r: -0.509, P < 0.01), VAT (r: -0.378, P < 0.05) and SAT (r: -0.449, P < 0.05). DHEA was negatively associated with BMI (r: -0.376, P < 0.05), TBF (r: -0 < 0.05), VAT (r: -0.662, P < 0.001) and SAT (r: -0.401, p < 0.05). T was found to be inversely related with VAT (r: -0.401, P < 0.05). Androstenedione was positively correlated with WHR (r: 0.383, P < 0.05). DHEAS and FT did not show significant associations with BMI, WHR, or any CT-parameters. Stepwise multiple regressions were performed for all androgens: one of the age-adjusted androgens was considered as the dependent variable for each analysis, and insulin, VAT, SAT and all other androgens were entered into the regression model. DHEA was the only hormone to show an independent association (negative) with both SAT (t-value: -3.683, P < 0.01) and VAT (t-value: -2.252, P < 0.05), whereas DHEAS showed an independent positive correlation with SAT (t-value: -2.241, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Among the androgens, DHEA seems to be the most sensitive to body fat accumulation in premenopausal obese women.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1995

Mutational analysis of the transcription start site of the yeast tRNA(Leu3) gene.

In addition to the well-known internal promoter elements of tRNA genes, 5' flanking sequences can also influence the efficiency of transcription by Saccharomyces cerevisiae extracts in vitro. A consensus sequence of yeast tRNA genes in the vicinity of the transcriptional start site can be derived. To determine whether the activity of this region can be attributed to particular sequence features we studied in vitro mutants of the start site region. We found that the start site can be shifted, but only to a limited extent, by moving the conserved sequence element. We found that both a pyrimidine-purine motif (with transcription initiating at the purine) and a small T:A base pair block upstream are important for efficient transcription in vitro. Thus the sequence surrounding the start site of transcription of the yeast tRNA(Leu3) gene does play a role in determining transcription efficiency and fixing the precise site of initiation by RNA polymerase III.

Base Composition↗
PubMed1994

Interrelationships between intraabdominal fat and total serum testosterone levels in obese women.

Thirty-six women aged 18 to 52 years with body mass indexes (BMIs) between 27 and 52 were studied. Visceral and subcutaneous fat areas and body fat were evaluated by computerized tomography with a single scan at the IV-V lumbar vertebra level. Glucose, insulin, and C-peptide levels were measured before and after a glucose load. Total and free serum testosterone and 24-hour urinary cortisol excretion were measured. A stepwise multiple regression equation showed the visceral to subcutaneous fat area ratio to be the most powerful predictor for glucose alterations both during fasting and after a glucose load, and showed BMI to be the most powerful predictor for insulin and C-peptide levels. Total serum testosterone, after matching for age and BMI, demonstrates a significant negative correlation with visceral fat area. We conclude that in obese women, as in men, intraabdominal fat negatively correlates with serum testosterone levels.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1994

Obesity and regional body-fat distribution in men: separate and joint relationships to glucose tolerance and plasma lipoproteins.

Relationships between obesity and fat distribution as evaluated by computed tomography and metabolic variables were studied in 35 men. Significant correlations emerged between body mass index and sum of glucose during oral glucose load and HDL3 triglycerides and also between visceral abdominal fat and triglycerides, apolipoprotein B, sum of insulin during oral glucose load, very-low-density-lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, and VLDL and low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) triglycerides. Visceral abdominal fat correlated negatively with the ratio of HDL to LDL cholesterol. When the subjects were subdivided into four groups according to body mass index (< or = 26.7, > 26.7) and median visceral abdominal fat, no significant differences were found in body mass index, whereas significant differences were found for triglycerides, cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, VLDL cholesterol, HDL:LDL cholesterol, and VLDL triglycerides. Our study shows that the amount of visceral abdominal fat is the most relevant factor for metabolic abnormalities. Our data also suggest that the effect of visceral fat is independent of body mass index.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1994

Relationship between visceral fat, steroid hormones and insulin sensitivity in premenopausal obese women.

OBJECTIVES: The relationships between visceral fat distribution, steroid hormones and peripheral insulin sensitivity were studied. SETTING: All subjects were hospitalized in the Institute of Internal Medicine of the University of Verona, Italy. SUBJECTS: Nineteen fertile obese women were studied with ages ranging from 18 to 53 years and body mass indexes ranging from 27.3 to 48.4. INTERVENTION: Body fat distribution was evaluated by waist-to-hip circumference ratio and by computed tomography. The insulin tolerance test was used to evaluate peripheral insulin sensitivity. Glucose, insulin and C-peptide were measured in fasting conditions and during glucose load; total and free plasma testosterone and urinary cortisol excretion were also determined. RESULTS: Significant correlations emerged between visceral adipose tissue and fasting glucose, insulin, and C-peptide, but not between visceral adipose tissue and total testosterone, free testosterone or urinary cortisol excretion. A negative correlation emerged between visceral adipose tissue and insulin sensitivity (r = -0.70; P < 0.01). No significant correlations were found between insulin sensitivity and age, body weight, body mass index, total adipose tissue, subcutaneous adipose tissue or waist-to-hip ratio. Total testosterone correlated with body weight, subcutaneous adipose tissue and total adipose tissue. Free testosterone and urinary cortisol excretion correlated positively with body weight, and negatively with age. No correlation was found between insulin sensitivity and total testosterone, free testosterone or urinary cortisol excretion. The correlation between visceral adipose tissue and insulin sensitivity remained significant even after adjusting for both age and the body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that visceral fat is more closely associated with aberrations of insulin sensitivity than with obesity itself. Total testosterone, free testosterone and urinary cortisol excretion in our subjects do not seem to be associated with such aberrations.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1994

Measured and predicted total and visceral adipose tissue in women. Correlations with metabolic parameters.

The aim of this study was the verification of the clinical utility of predictive equations for total and intra-abdominal adipose tissue areas. Formulas were calculated using computed tomography (CT) as the gold standard. Ninety-three females were randomly divided into two groups. The predictive equation group was used to calculate the predictive equations for computed tomography adipose tissue areas at the L4-L5 level. These equations were then used to predict total and intra-abdominal adipose tissue area in the validation group. Correlations were made between metabolic parameters and both measured and calculated areas and single predictors. The following measurements were carried out: age, weight/height ratio, body mass index, waist, hip, waist/hip ratio, ultrasound measurement of intra-abdominal distance between abdominal muscle and aorta, sagittal abdominal diameter by CT, adipose tissue intra-abdominal area by CT, total abdominal adipose tissue area by CT. Blood glucose and insulin both fasting and after glucose load. Fasting cholesterol and triglycerides. The best predictors of total and visceral adipose tissue areas were, respectively: weight/height ratio and ultrasound intra-abdominal measurement. Correlations between metabolic parameters and adipose tissue areas both as measured and as calculated by predictive equations were quite similar. Correlations between metabolic parameters and single best predictors of measured adipose tissue areas also gave the same results. Some simple and safe anthropometric measurements can be used, instead of total and visceral adipose tissue area as assessed by CT, when studying associations between adipose tissue and metabolic parameters on sufficiently large groups of patients.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1993

Effect of weight loss on regional body fat distribution in premenopausal women.

This study evaluates effects of weight loss on regional fat distribution and compares waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and computed tomography (CT) as methods of assessing body fat distribution in 16 premenopausal obese women (body weight 104.3 +/- 18.1 kg, WHR 0.84 +/- 0.08). Mean weight loss was 6.6 kg after 2 wk on a very-low-energy diet (VLED) and 16 kg after 14 additional weeks on a low-energy diet (LED). Visceral abdominal fat and sagittal diameter significantly decreased after both the VLED and LED. Subcutaneous abdominal fat decreased significantly only after the LED. WHR showed no significant reduction over the entire study period. The decrease in visceral fat after both the VLED and LED was greater than the decrease in subcutaneous fat. Changes in body weight over the entire study period correlated with initial body weight and with total and subcutaneous abdominal fat, but not with visceral abdominal fat. They also correlated with changes in subcutaneous abdominal fat, visceral abdominal fat, sagittal diameter, and WHR. In conclusion, weight loss is associated with changes in regional fat distribution. In premenopausal subjects weight loss correlates more closely with the amount of subcutaneous than visceral fat.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1993

Total and intra-abdominal fat measurements by ultrasound and computerized tomography.

Computerized tomography, a method of proven reliability for direct measurement of both total and visceral body fat, is not widely usable and alternative means of assessing body fat are required. Several anthropometric parameters, including ultrasound measurements of intra-abdominal and subcutaneous fat, were considered in 119 females (age 15-72 years, body mass index 24-51 kg/m2). Computerized tomography was also performed for total and visceral fat areas at the L4-L5 level. Reliability of each of these measurements in predicting total fat was assessed. Tertiles for visceral fat area were calculated (< 114, 114-170, > 170 cm2). Only ultrasound intra-abdominal fat measurements were able to distinguish between all three VAT groups (16 +/- 10, 32 +/- 13, 50 +/- 22 mm); neither sagittal diameter nor waist/hip girth ratio were able to distinguish between the two > 114 cm2 groups. Predictive equations for total adipose tissue area confirmed weight/height ratio as the best predictor of total fat. Ultrasound intra-abdominal thickness was the 1 degree variable to enter the stepwise regression in predictive equations for visceral adipose tissue area. The 2 degrees was age, the 3 degrees sagittal diameter, the 4 degrees waist/hip girth ratio and the 5 degrees ultrasound subcutaneous abdominal thickness (adjusted r2 = 0.784; P < 0.001).

Abdomen↗