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Biomedical subjects

O Zanetti

Publications and source records attributed to O Zanetti.

47 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Effectiveness of oxiracetam therapy in the treatment of cognitive deficiencies secondary to primary degenerative dementia.

The effectiveness of oxiracetam (1600 mg/day) vs placebo was assessed in a group of 96 out-patients suffering from cognitive disorders secondary to primary degenerative dementia. The study, performed in double-blind, lasted 26 weeks and is expected to be continued in open conditions until a whole year of treatment is completed. The assessment of the results obtained at 6 months was carried out following both the methodology based on neuropsychological tests and scales, and the study of the simple reaction time by any of a computerised portable tachystoscope. The patients treated with oxiracetam showed a statistically significant improvement of cognitive function and simple reaction time. No significant variations in the scores of the tests used were observed in the placebo group. The patients themselves appeared in favour of oxiracetam. The drug tolerability proved to be very good for the whole duration of the treatment. The authors believe that oxiracetam favourably acts on the symptoms of senile cerebral deterioration and can improve the capability of information processing, as suggested by the better performances obtained at the reaction time tests.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Nutritional intake, socioeconomic conditions, and health status in a large elderly population.

The nutritional intake of a large population of noninstitutionalized older people living in an urban area was studied in relation to socioeconomic conditions (living environment, income, and education) and health status (affective, functional, and physical health) to identify the subgroups at risk for malnutrition. Twenty-four-hour dietary recall was used to determine the percentage of older subjects with dietary intake of specific nutrients below two thirds of the 1980 Recommended Dietary Allowances. Ninety percent of the older people examined showed inadequate intake of thiamine and vitamin B6, and 30% to 40% demonstrated deficiencies of vitamin A, vitamin C, niacin, vitamin B12, calcium, and iron; only 10% of subjects had inadequate intake of protein. Poor nutritional intake was correlated more strongly with socioeconomic conditions, functional level, and affective status than with physical health status.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Risk factors for the development of pressure sores in hospitalized elderly patients: results of a prospective study.

Pressure sores are a serious and still common complication of immobility in the elderly. Despite the potential seriousness of the problem, factors that identify bedridden patients at the greatest risk for pressure sores have not been well characterized and the epidemiology is not yet well defined. The characteristics of 56 subjects with pressure sores and 92 at risk (confined to bed or chair for at least 1 week) were first compared in a cross-sectional analysis; subjects at risk were then followed up for 2 months to identify factors that may contribute to the appearance of pressure sores during hospitalization. In hospitalized patients at risk we found an incidence of 22.8% within 60 days. Our data suggest that age is not a risk factor for the development of pressure sores, while urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, altered consciousness, impairment of cognitive function, poor functional status, time spent in bed, lack of caregivers and poor nutritional status are important factors associated with pressure sores in hospitalized elderly patients.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Behavioral syndromes in Alzheimer's disease: description and correlates.

INTRODUCTION: Behavioral disturbances in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are ill-defined conditions. We hypothesize that the many behavioral disturbances hitherto described and studied might be grouped into few syndromes with separate determinants and correlates. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 162 consecutive patients with probable AD admitted to a dementia unit were assessed by the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). RESULTS: Factor analysis was carried out on NPI subscales, leading to three syndromes: 'mood', 'psychotic' and 'frontal'. Patients with the 'psychotic' syndrome were older, had older age at dementia onset, had poorer cognition, were more often males, and had faster rate of dementia progression. Patients with the 'frontal' syndrome had higher education, longer disease duration, and slower rate of progression. DISCUSSION: Some combinations of behavioral disturbances occur more frequently together and might represent separate behavioral syndromes. Different clinical correlates of the syndromes suggest separate etiologies.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Analysis of alpha-2-macroglobulin-2 allele as a risk factor in Alzheimer's disease.

A correlation between a 5-nucleotide deletion polymorphism in the A2M gene and an enhanced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) was reported. We studied this polymorphism in sporadic AD patients and patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) by using an electrophoretical separation of PCR products on a Metaphor gel. Our results did not show any significant difference between A2M-2 allelic frequency (p = 0.89) or genotype frequency (p = 0.97) in the two different clinical series and in control subjects. The frequencies were not significantly different after stratification by APOE epsilon4 status.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Predictors of mortality and institutionalization in Alzheimer disease patients 1 year after discharge from an Alzheimer dementia unit.

Several factors have been reported to predict death and institutionalization in demented patients, even if the results of the studies are often conflicting. We conducted a study on a group of 86 consecutive noninstitutionalized probable Alzheimer disease (AD) patients, to evaluate clinical and social factors predicting mortality and institutionalization 1 year after discharge from the Alzheimer Dementia Unit at 'Sacro Cuore Fatebenefratelli' Hospital, Brescia, Italy. The 1-year mortality rate was 13.9% and the 1-year rate of admission to a nursing home was 34%. Our data indicate that the number of lost functions on the Activity of Daily Living scale is the most important predictor of short-term mortality, independently of the degree of cognitive impairment, the duration of the dementia, the age of the patients and the number of chronic diseases. Our data also demonstrate that, in a short period of observation, behavioral disturbances (and in particular insomnia) and availability of social services play a major role in the decision to institutionalize AD patients.

Age Factors↗