Silvia Lai | Università degli Studi "La Sapienza" di Roma (original) (raw)
Papers by Silvia Lai
Angiology, 2011
Endovascular procedures may play a role in renal artery stenosis (RAS) treatment in attempt to pr... more Endovascular procedures may play a role in renal artery stenosis (RAS) treatment in attempt to preserve renal function and improve hypertension control. We determined renal outcome and the incidence of restenosis in patients with RAS treated with renal percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (RPTAs) and medical therapy versus patients with RAS treated only with medical therapy. We performed an observational
Renal Failure, 2010
The aim of endovascular therapy in renal artery stenosis (RAS) is to preserve renal function and ... more The aim of endovascular therapy in renal artery stenosis (RAS) is to preserve renal function and have a better hypertension control. The purpose of our study was to determine which biochemical and instrumental parameters could predict a better renal outcome in patients with RAS treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (RPTAS). We performed an observational study based on 40 patients with RAS who met the following criteria before revascularization: urinary protein excretion of over 250 mg/24 h, normal renal function, and/or mild-moderate renal insufficiency (I, II, and III levels of classification of chronic kidney disease, K-DOQI). Assessment at 12 months after RPTAS showed in 20 patients (Group A) that proteinuria serum creatinine (Scr) and creatinine clearance (CrCl) significantly worsened from the baseline; whereas in 20 patients (Group B) proteinuria remained unchanged and the renal function improved after the procedure. In our study, the decline of renal function after RPTAS is associated with an elevated renal resistance index (RI) in both kidneys (0.83 ± 0.2) and preexisting proteinuria.
Renal Failure, 2014
Abstract Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) present a markedly increased card... more Abstract Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) present a markedly increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality since the early stages and have a high prevalence of accelerated atherosclerosis, inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors and serum cardiac biomarkers would contribute to explain this increased morbidity. The aim is to investigate the relation among serum cardiac biomarkers (N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), cardiac troponin T (cTnT), nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors (serum uric acid, homocysteine), inflammatory indexes (C-reactive protein (CRP) serum ferritin, fibrinogen) and noninvasive predictors of atherosclerosis (carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), brachial artery flow mediated dilation (baFMD), and left ventricular mass index (LVMI)) in CKD patients. In 50 patients with CKD in stage 2/3 kidney disease outcomes quality initiative (KDOQI) and 18 age- and sex-matched healthy controls, the following parameters were measured: cardiac markers (cTnT and NT-proBNP), renal function, inflammatory markers (CRP, serum ferritin and fibrinogen), serum uric acid and homocysteine. We have also evaluated LVMIs, cIMT and baFMD. In our study, we showed an increase of NT-proBNP and the serum cTnT, of serum uric acid and homocysteine with a positive correlation with the increase of cIMT and LVMI and reduced baFMD compared with the controls. Serum cardiac biomarkers and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors increase already in the stage 2/3 KDOQI contributing to explain the high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality of these patients. The NT-proBNP seems to have a rise earlier compared with serum cTnT; however, both seemed to be a useful clinical biomarker for evaluating noninvasive predictors of atherosclerosis in CKD patients.
Kidney International, 2013
Enoxaparin has become the treatment of choice for various thromboembolic diseases. In most patien... more Enoxaparin has become the treatment of choice for various thromboembolic diseases. In most patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), prophylactic dosage of enoxaparin does not appear to be associated with an increased bleeding risk and can be used without the need for monitoring and adjustment of regimens. Empirical dose adjustment and biological monitoring seem to be necessary along with therapeutic doses. Anti-factor Xa poorly predicts the degree of anticoagulation in ESRD patients given enoxaparin.
Kidney and Blood Pressure Research, 2016
Bakground/Aims: Cardiovascular diseases represent the leading causes of morbidity and mortality i... more Bakground/Aims: Cardiovascular diseases represent the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with cronich kidney disease (CKD). The pathogenesis includes a complex, bidirectional interaction between heart and kidney termed cardiorenal syndrome type 4. The aim of study was to evaluate the association between renal and cardiovascular ultrasonographic parameters and identify early markers of cardiovascular risk. A total of 35 patients with CKD and 25 healthy controls, were enrolled and we have evaluated inflammatory indexes, mineral metabolism, renal function, renal and cardiovascular ultrasonographic parameters. Tricuspid anular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure (ePAPs) showed a statistically significant difference between CKD patients and healthy controls (p<0.001, p=0.05). Also 25 hydroxyvitaminD (25-OH-VitD), parathyroid hormone (iPTH), posphorus, serum uric acid, renal resistive index (RRI) and C-reactive protein (CRP) showed a significant difference between the two groups (p=0.002, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001). Moreover the TAPSE correlated positively with estimated glomerula filtration rate (eGFR) and negatively with RRI (p=0.05, p=0.008), while ePAPs correlated negatively with eGFR and positively with RRI (p=0.029, p<0.001). CKD can contribute to the development and progression of right ventricle dysfunction with endothelial dysfunction, inflammation and mineral metabolism disorders. Accurate assessment of right ventricular function is recommended in patients with CKD. RRI and echocardiographic parameters can be an important instrument for the diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic assessment of cardio-renal syndrome in these patients.
Medicine, 2016
Hypertension is commonly associated with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), of... more Hypertension is commonly associated with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), often discovered before the onset of renal failure, albeit the pathogenetic mechanisms are not well elucidated. Hyperaldosteronism in ADPKD may contribute to the development of insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction, and progression of cardiorenal disease. The aim of study was to evaluate the prevalence of primary aldosteronism (PA) in ADPKD patients and identify some surrogate biomarkers of cardiovascular risk.We have enrolled 27 hypertensive ADPKD patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 60 mL/min, evaluating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), inflammatory indexes, nutritional status, homocysteine (Hcy), homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), mineral metabolism, microalbuminuria, and surrogate markers of atherosclerosis [carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), ankle/brachial index (ABI), flow mediated dilation (FMD), renal resistive index (RRI) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI)]. Furthermore, we have carried out the morpho-functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high-field 3 T Magnetom Avanto.We have divided patients into group A, with normal plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and group B with PA, present in 9 (33%) of overall ADPKD patients. Respect to group A, group B showed a significant higher mean value of LVMI, HOMA-IR and Hcy (P = 0.001, P = 0.004, P = 0.018; respectively), and a lower value of FMD and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-VitD) (P = 0.037, P = 0.019; respectively) with a higher prevalence of non-dipper pattern at Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) (65% vs 40%, P < 0.05) at an early stage of the disease.In this study, we showed a high prevalence of PA in ADPKD patients, associated to higher LVMI, HOMA-IR, Hcy, lower FMD, and 25-OH-VitD, considered as surrogate markers of atherosclerosis, compared to ADPKD patients with normal PAC values. Our results indicate a higher overall cardiovascular risk in ADPKD patients with inappropriate aldosterone secretion, and a screening for PA in all patients with ADPKD is recommended.
Giornale italiano di nefrologia : organo ufficiale della Società italiana di nefrologia
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a highly prevalent condition and its prevalence is increasing wor... more Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a highly prevalent condition and its prevalence is increasing worldwide, particularly in adults aged 70 years. Epidemiological studies showed that as many as 2054% of the older adults suffer from CKD in stages 3-5. Nevertheless the question whether this lower eGFR is a consequence of kidney disease or if it is the result of a physiological aging is still debated, even if it implies a reduced renal reserve and vulnerability to drugs overdose with increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). PubMed search was conducted for available English literature, describing the actual knowledge about specific and frequent issues reported in the acute and chronic kidney disease in older adults. Prospective and retrospective studies, as well as meta-analyses and latest systematic reviews were included. Most of the studies examined and reviewed were discarded for wrong population or intervention or deemed unfit. Only 103 met the inclusion criteria for the review. The...
Rivista Di Psichiatria, May 1, 2014
Mourning is a natural response to a loss and a condition which most people experience several tim... more Mourning is a natural response to a loss and a condition which most people experience several times during their lives. Most individuals adjust adequately to the loss of a relative, neverthless, a small but noteworthy proportion of bereaved individuals experience a syndrome of prolonged psychological distress in relation to bereavement. Prolonged distress and disability in connection with bereavement has been termed Complicated Grief (CG) or Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). The purpose of this paper is to analyze the literature on loss and mourning making a review of the main studies published between 1993 and 2013, identified through a search conducted on Medline/PubMed, in order to describe the epidemiological and clinical aspects of "normal" grief and "complicated" grief, pointing out the path of the clinical definition of PGD and proposed diagnostic criteria for inclusion in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth edition (DSM-5). The two main diagnostic systems proposed by Horowitz and Prigerson are also compared.
Journal of health psychology, 2015
The aim of this study was to evaluate psychological differences and quality of life between kidne... more The aim of this study was to evaluate psychological differences and quality of life between kidney recipients from living (mother) and multi-organ donor. Overall, 40 patients who had undergone both living (mother) and multi-organ kidney transplantation 3-6 months before were asked to complete four self-report instruments: Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Short Form Health Survey, Regulatory Emotional Self-efficacy, and Attachment Style Questionnaire. A greater difficulty in emotional, social, and mental health functioning was found in recipients receiving kidney from mother living donor. Moreover, in these patients, higher levels of avoidant attachment dimensions were associated with a worse quality of life.
European review for medical and pharmacological sciences
OBJECTIVE: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) present a markedly increased cardiovascular... more OBJECTIVE: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) present a markedly increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality since the early stages of the disease and a high prevalence of malnutrition, inflammation, and accelerated atherosclerosis. Personalized nutritional intervention, with of a low-protein diet (LPD), since the early stages of CKD should be able to achieve significant metabolic improvements. In our study we have verified the effects of a personalized dietary intervention in patients in the CKD stages 3/4 KDOQI on nutritional, metabolic and vascular indices.
European review for medical and pharmacological sciences
BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) show a risk of cardiovascular death, which... more BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) show a risk of cardiovascular death, which is 10-100 times higher than that in the general population. This increase is not completely explained by the traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Hyperuricemia and hyperhomocysteinemia are highly prevalent in CKD. Patients suffering from these complications present accelerated atherosclerosis, determined mainly from the endothelial dysfunction that carries out a central role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases.
Autoimmune polyglandular syndromes (APS) are constellations of symptoms and signs of multiple gla... more Autoimmune polyglandular syndromes (APS) are constellations of symptoms and signs of multiple glandular insufficiencies. We report a rare case of type III APS in a female patient.
Minerva cardioangiologica, 2003
There are several limitations in using colour-flow-Doppler (CFD) to diagnose renal artery stenosi... more There are several limitations in using colour-flow-Doppler (CFD) to diagnose renal artery stenosis. This report describes a case of "false positive" stenosis of the renal artery diagnosed using CFD. A patient affected by arterial hypertension and with a suspected stenosis of the renal artery was examined using CFD. However, the patient was in fact suffering from suprarenal artery stenosis.
Minerva cardioangiologica, 2002
Diagnosis of renal artery stenosis using echo color-Doppler is subjected to several limitations. ... more Diagnosis of renal artery stenosis using echo color-Doppler is subjected to several limitations. The aim of this study was to examine if the routine use of a contrast agent could be helpful in identifying renal artery stenosis (RAS). We analysed 35 patients affected by RAS using an echo color-Doppler coupled with a contrast agent. All patients presented arterial hypertension, with a good drugs control, and mean serum creatinine of 1.8 mg/dL. All patients previously underwent angiography. RAS was at the origin of the artery in 27 patients, at the intermediate tract in 8. All patients had already been submitted to a basal echo color-Doppler. The contrast agent determined a significant increase in the average colour signal in all the subjects, and a better evaluation of the spectral waveforms, if compared to the basal examination. The results obtained showed that the contrast agent doesn't improve the diagnosis of RAS, especially in vascular origin stenosis, while it shows a real a...
Minerva cardioangiologica, 2000
With the present study we considered ocular blood flow by the use of color Doppler ultrasound. We... more With the present study we considered ocular blood flow by the use of color Doppler ultrasound. We compared the most clinically important arteries of both eyes. We valued the central retinal artery, the posterior long ciliary arteries, the posterior brief ciliary arteries and the central retinal vein. We submitted to an ecd examination of the ophthalmic arteries 50 patients, of whom 30 were healthy, 4 presented a pallor of the optic disk, 6 were affected by chronic simple glaucoma and 10 were affected by arterial hypertension. This study has allowed us to define the normal and pathologic anatomic findings at the ecd tracing therefore qualitative and quantitative standards of this examination, repeatable and comparable. Currently the different techniques used to study ocular blood flow, do not allow its exact detection, but only a morphological evaluation of the eye artero-venous system. Acquisition of morphological and velocimetric data, at the same time, allows a more exact evaluati...
Giornale italiano di nefrologia : organo ufficiale della Società italiana di nefrologia
Cardiovascular mortality and morbidity are higher in patients with chronic renal disease than in ... more Cardiovascular mortality and morbidity are higher in patients with chronic renal disease than in the general population. Patients with chronic renal disease are in the highest risk group for thromboembolic disease and many clinical trials have demonstrated the greater safety and efficacy of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) versus unfractionated heparin (UFH). LMWH is cleared only by the kidneys while UFH is cleared by the renal and hepatic routes. Furthermore, LMWH has a significant accumulative effect in patients with impaired renal function (creatinine clearance <30 mL/min). The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of bleeding when LMWH is used as an anticoagulant in hemodialysis or for treatment of acute thromboembolic disease in patients with renal failure. Twenty-one adult patients were enrolled, 13 with end-stage renal disease requiring chronic hemodialysis and 6 with acute thromboembolic disease and severe renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance <30 mL/min). ...
La donazione in Italia, 2011
Il trapianto d’organo è oggi un’efficace terapia in grado di migliorare la qualità di vita di paz... more Il trapianto d’organo è oggi un’efficace terapia in grado di migliorare la qualità di vita di pazienti cronicamente malati, anche se è ancora alto lo squilibrio tra il numero di persone in lista di attesa e gli organi disponibili, il che fa sì che la stessa permanenza in lista sia spesso lunga e fonte di continua tensione. Quanto più l’organo
Giornale di Tecniche Nefrologiche e Dialitiche, 2014
Angiology, 2011
Endovascular procedures may play a role in renal artery stenosis (RAS) treatment in attempt to pr... more Endovascular procedures may play a role in renal artery stenosis (RAS) treatment in attempt to preserve renal function and improve hypertension control. We determined renal outcome and the incidence of restenosis in patients with RAS treated with renal percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (RPTAs) and medical therapy versus patients with RAS treated only with medical therapy. We performed an observational
Renal Failure, 2010
The aim of endovascular therapy in renal artery stenosis (RAS) is to preserve renal function and ... more The aim of endovascular therapy in renal artery stenosis (RAS) is to preserve renal function and have a better hypertension control. The purpose of our study was to determine which biochemical and instrumental parameters could predict a better renal outcome in patients with RAS treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (RPTAS). We performed an observational study based on 40 patients with RAS who met the following criteria before revascularization: urinary protein excretion of over 250 mg/24 h, normal renal function, and/or mild-moderate renal insufficiency (I, II, and III levels of classification of chronic kidney disease, K-DOQI). Assessment at 12 months after RPTAS showed in 20 patients (Group A) that proteinuria serum creatinine (Scr) and creatinine clearance (CrCl) significantly worsened from the baseline; whereas in 20 patients (Group B) proteinuria remained unchanged and the renal function improved after the procedure. In our study, the decline of renal function after RPTAS is associated with an elevated renal resistance index (RI) in both kidneys (0.83 ± 0.2) and preexisting proteinuria.
Renal Failure, 2014
Abstract Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) present a markedly increased card... more Abstract Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) present a markedly increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality since the early stages and have a high prevalence of accelerated atherosclerosis, inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors and serum cardiac biomarkers would contribute to explain this increased morbidity. The aim is to investigate the relation among serum cardiac biomarkers (N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), cardiac troponin T (cTnT), nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors (serum uric acid, homocysteine), inflammatory indexes (C-reactive protein (CRP) serum ferritin, fibrinogen) and noninvasive predictors of atherosclerosis (carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), brachial artery flow mediated dilation (baFMD), and left ventricular mass index (LVMI)) in CKD patients. In 50 patients with CKD in stage 2/3 kidney disease outcomes quality initiative (KDOQI) and 18 age- and sex-matched healthy controls, the following parameters were measured: cardiac markers (cTnT and NT-proBNP), renal function, inflammatory markers (CRP, serum ferritin and fibrinogen), serum uric acid and homocysteine. We have also evaluated LVMIs, cIMT and baFMD. In our study, we showed an increase of NT-proBNP and the serum cTnT, of serum uric acid and homocysteine with a positive correlation with the increase of cIMT and LVMI and reduced baFMD compared with the controls. Serum cardiac biomarkers and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors increase already in the stage 2/3 KDOQI contributing to explain the high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality of these patients. The NT-proBNP seems to have a rise earlier compared with serum cTnT; however, both seemed to be a useful clinical biomarker for evaluating noninvasive predictors of atherosclerosis in CKD patients.
Kidney International, 2013
Enoxaparin has become the treatment of choice for various thromboembolic diseases. In most patien... more Enoxaparin has become the treatment of choice for various thromboembolic diseases. In most patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), prophylactic dosage of enoxaparin does not appear to be associated with an increased bleeding risk and can be used without the need for monitoring and adjustment of regimens. Empirical dose adjustment and biological monitoring seem to be necessary along with therapeutic doses. Anti-factor Xa poorly predicts the degree of anticoagulation in ESRD patients given enoxaparin.
Kidney and Blood Pressure Research, 2016
Bakground/Aims: Cardiovascular diseases represent the leading causes of morbidity and mortality i... more Bakground/Aims: Cardiovascular diseases represent the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with cronich kidney disease (CKD). The pathogenesis includes a complex, bidirectional interaction between heart and kidney termed cardiorenal syndrome type 4. The aim of study was to evaluate the association between renal and cardiovascular ultrasonographic parameters and identify early markers of cardiovascular risk. A total of 35 patients with CKD and 25 healthy controls, were enrolled and we have evaluated inflammatory indexes, mineral metabolism, renal function, renal and cardiovascular ultrasonographic parameters. Tricuspid anular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure (ePAPs) showed a statistically significant difference between CKD patients and healthy controls (p&amp;lt;0.001, p=0.05). Also 25 hydroxyvitaminD (25-OH-VitD), parathyroid hormone (iPTH), posphorus, serum uric acid, renal resistive index (RRI) and C-reactive protein (CRP) showed a significant difference between the two groups (p=0.002, p&amp;lt;0.001, p&amp;lt;0.001, p&amp;lt;0.001, p&amp;lt;0.001, p&amp;lt;0.001). Moreover the TAPSE correlated positively with estimated glomerula filtration rate (eGFR) and negatively with RRI (p=0.05, p=0.008), while ePAPs correlated negatively with eGFR and positively with RRI (p=0.029, p&amp;lt;0.001). CKD can contribute to the development and progression of right ventricle dysfunction with endothelial dysfunction, inflammation and mineral metabolism disorders. Accurate assessment of right ventricular function is recommended in patients with CKD. RRI and echocardiographic parameters can be an important instrument for the diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic assessment of cardio-renal syndrome in these patients.
Medicine, 2016
Hypertension is commonly associated with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), of... more Hypertension is commonly associated with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), often discovered before the onset of renal failure, albeit the pathogenetic mechanisms are not well elucidated. Hyperaldosteronism in ADPKD may contribute to the development of insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction, and progression of cardiorenal disease. The aim of study was to evaluate the prevalence of primary aldosteronism (PA) in ADPKD patients and identify some surrogate biomarkers of cardiovascular risk.We have enrolled 27 hypertensive ADPKD patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 60 mL/min, evaluating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), inflammatory indexes, nutritional status, homocysteine (Hcy), homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), mineral metabolism, microalbuminuria, and surrogate markers of atherosclerosis [carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), ankle/brachial index (ABI), flow mediated dilation (FMD), renal resistive index (RRI) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI)]. Furthermore, we have carried out the morpho-functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high-field 3 T Magnetom Avanto.We have divided patients into group A, with normal plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and group B with PA, present in 9 (33%) of overall ADPKD patients. Respect to group A, group B showed a significant higher mean value of LVMI, HOMA-IR and Hcy (P = 0.001, P = 0.004, P = 0.018; respectively), and a lower value of FMD and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-VitD) (P = 0.037, P = 0.019; respectively) with a higher prevalence of non-dipper pattern at Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) (65% vs 40%, P < 0.05) at an early stage of the disease.In this study, we showed a high prevalence of PA in ADPKD patients, associated to higher LVMI, HOMA-IR, Hcy, lower FMD, and 25-OH-VitD, considered as surrogate markers of atherosclerosis, compared to ADPKD patients with normal PAC values. Our results indicate a higher overall cardiovascular risk in ADPKD patients with inappropriate aldosterone secretion, and a screening for PA in all patients with ADPKD is recommended.
Giornale italiano di nefrologia : organo ufficiale della Società italiana di nefrologia
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a highly prevalent condition and its prevalence is increasing wor... more Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a highly prevalent condition and its prevalence is increasing worldwide, particularly in adults aged 70 years. Epidemiological studies showed that as many as 2054% of the older adults suffer from CKD in stages 3-5. Nevertheless the question whether this lower eGFR is a consequence of kidney disease or if it is the result of a physiological aging is still debated, even if it implies a reduced renal reserve and vulnerability to drugs overdose with increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). PubMed search was conducted for available English literature, describing the actual knowledge about specific and frequent issues reported in the acute and chronic kidney disease in older adults. Prospective and retrospective studies, as well as meta-analyses and latest systematic reviews were included. Most of the studies examined and reviewed were discarded for wrong population or intervention or deemed unfit. Only 103 met the inclusion criteria for the review. The...
Rivista Di Psichiatria, May 1, 2014
Mourning is a natural response to a loss and a condition which most people experience several tim... more Mourning is a natural response to a loss and a condition which most people experience several times during their lives. Most individuals adjust adequately to the loss of a relative, neverthless, a small but noteworthy proportion of bereaved individuals experience a syndrome of prolonged psychological distress in relation to bereavement. Prolonged distress and disability in connection with bereavement has been termed Complicated Grief (CG) or Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). The purpose of this paper is to analyze the literature on loss and mourning making a review of the main studies published between 1993 and 2013, identified through a search conducted on Medline/PubMed, in order to describe the epidemiological and clinical aspects of "normal" grief and "complicated" grief, pointing out the path of the clinical definition of PGD and proposed diagnostic criteria for inclusion in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth edition (DSM-5). The two main diagnostic systems proposed by Horowitz and Prigerson are also compared.
Journal of health psychology, 2015
The aim of this study was to evaluate psychological differences and quality of life between kidne... more The aim of this study was to evaluate psychological differences and quality of life between kidney recipients from living (mother) and multi-organ donor. Overall, 40 patients who had undergone both living (mother) and multi-organ kidney transplantation 3-6 months before were asked to complete four self-report instruments: Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Short Form Health Survey, Regulatory Emotional Self-efficacy, and Attachment Style Questionnaire. A greater difficulty in emotional, social, and mental health functioning was found in recipients receiving kidney from mother living donor. Moreover, in these patients, higher levels of avoidant attachment dimensions were associated with a worse quality of life.
European review for medical and pharmacological sciences
OBJECTIVE: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) present a markedly increased cardiovascular... more OBJECTIVE: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) present a markedly increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality since the early stages of the disease and a high prevalence of malnutrition, inflammation, and accelerated atherosclerosis. Personalized nutritional intervention, with of a low-protein diet (LPD), since the early stages of CKD should be able to achieve significant metabolic improvements. In our study we have verified the effects of a personalized dietary intervention in patients in the CKD stages 3/4 KDOQI on nutritional, metabolic and vascular indices.
European review for medical and pharmacological sciences
BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) show a risk of cardiovascular death, which... more BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) show a risk of cardiovascular death, which is 10-100 times higher than that in the general population. This increase is not completely explained by the traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Hyperuricemia and hyperhomocysteinemia are highly prevalent in CKD. Patients suffering from these complications present accelerated atherosclerosis, determined mainly from the endothelial dysfunction that carries out a central role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases.
Autoimmune polyglandular syndromes (APS) are constellations of symptoms and signs of multiple gla... more Autoimmune polyglandular syndromes (APS) are constellations of symptoms and signs of multiple glandular insufficiencies. We report a rare case of type III APS in a female patient.
Minerva cardioangiologica, 2003
There are several limitations in using colour-flow-Doppler (CFD) to diagnose renal artery stenosi... more There are several limitations in using colour-flow-Doppler (CFD) to diagnose renal artery stenosis. This report describes a case of "false positive" stenosis of the renal artery diagnosed using CFD. A patient affected by arterial hypertension and with a suspected stenosis of the renal artery was examined using CFD. However, the patient was in fact suffering from suprarenal artery stenosis.
Minerva cardioangiologica, 2002
Diagnosis of renal artery stenosis using echo color-Doppler is subjected to several limitations. ... more Diagnosis of renal artery stenosis using echo color-Doppler is subjected to several limitations. The aim of this study was to examine if the routine use of a contrast agent could be helpful in identifying renal artery stenosis (RAS). We analysed 35 patients affected by RAS using an echo color-Doppler coupled with a contrast agent. All patients presented arterial hypertension, with a good drugs control, and mean serum creatinine of 1.8 mg/dL. All patients previously underwent angiography. RAS was at the origin of the artery in 27 patients, at the intermediate tract in 8. All patients had already been submitted to a basal echo color-Doppler. The contrast agent determined a significant increase in the average colour signal in all the subjects, and a better evaluation of the spectral waveforms, if compared to the basal examination. The results obtained showed that the contrast agent doesn't improve the diagnosis of RAS, especially in vascular origin stenosis, while it shows a real a...
Minerva cardioangiologica, 2000
With the present study we considered ocular blood flow by the use of color Doppler ultrasound. We... more With the present study we considered ocular blood flow by the use of color Doppler ultrasound. We compared the most clinically important arteries of both eyes. We valued the central retinal artery, the posterior long ciliary arteries, the posterior brief ciliary arteries and the central retinal vein. We submitted to an ecd examination of the ophthalmic arteries 50 patients, of whom 30 were healthy, 4 presented a pallor of the optic disk, 6 were affected by chronic simple glaucoma and 10 were affected by arterial hypertension. This study has allowed us to define the normal and pathologic anatomic findings at the ecd tracing therefore qualitative and quantitative standards of this examination, repeatable and comparable. Currently the different techniques used to study ocular blood flow, do not allow its exact detection, but only a morphological evaluation of the eye artero-venous system. Acquisition of morphological and velocimetric data, at the same time, allows a more exact evaluati...
Giornale italiano di nefrologia : organo ufficiale della Società italiana di nefrologia
Cardiovascular mortality and morbidity are higher in patients with chronic renal disease than in ... more Cardiovascular mortality and morbidity are higher in patients with chronic renal disease than in the general population. Patients with chronic renal disease are in the highest risk group for thromboembolic disease and many clinical trials have demonstrated the greater safety and efficacy of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) versus unfractionated heparin (UFH). LMWH is cleared only by the kidneys while UFH is cleared by the renal and hepatic routes. Furthermore, LMWH has a significant accumulative effect in patients with impaired renal function (creatinine clearance <30 mL/min). The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of bleeding when LMWH is used as an anticoagulant in hemodialysis or for treatment of acute thromboembolic disease in patients with renal failure. Twenty-one adult patients were enrolled, 13 with end-stage renal disease requiring chronic hemodialysis and 6 with acute thromboembolic disease and severe renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance <30 mL/min). ...
La donazione in Italia, 2011
Il trapianto d’organo è oggi un’efficace terapia in grado di migliorare la qualità di vita di paz... more Il trapianto d’organo è oggi un’efficace terapia in grado di migliorare la qualità di vita di pazienti cronicamente malati, anche se è ancora alto lo squilibrio tra il numero di persone in lista di attesa e gli organi disponibili, il che fa sì che la stessa permanenza in lista sia spesso lunga e fonte di continua tensione. Quanto più l’organo
Giornale di Tecniche Nefrologiche e Dialitiche, 2014