International conference on the healthy effect of virgin olive oil.

1. Ageing represents a great concern in developed countries because the number of people involved and the pathologies related with it, like atherosclerosis, morbus Parkinson, Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, cognitive decline, diabetes and cancer. 2.

Determinants of early-onset cardiovascular disease: a case-control study of young myocardial infarction patients.

Background: The present case-control investigation was undertaken with the aim of thoroughly assessing the risk profile of young coronary patients and to correlate it with their endothelium-dependent vasodilation and with the presence of atherosclerotic lesions.

Methods: Forty-eight subjects (age < 41 years) diagnosed with myocardial infarction were screened. They were matched 1:1, for age and sex, with controls.

Carotid artery stenting with cerebral protection in 100 consecutive patients: immediate and two-year follow-up results.

Background: Carotid artery stenting is emerging as an alternative to surgical endarterectomy for the treatment of extracranial carotid artery disease. However, few data are available on the long-term clinical efficacy of carotid artery stenting and on the incidence of restenosis.

Methods: Stent implantation with the routine use of cerebral protection devices was attempted in a single center experience including 100 consecutive patients (104 lesions) with significant stenosis of the internal carotid artery (mean stenosis 82.

Carotid plaque morphology and cerebrovascular events.

Aim: Beside the degree of stenosis, plaque morphology obtained by the B mode ultrasound technique has been considered to define the plaque at risk for cerebrovascular events, and a subset of patients who deserve more strict surveillance. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between plaque morphology, progression of stenosis, and the development of new cerebrovascular events.

Methods: We followed up by carotid duplex scan 230 asymptomatic patients, evaluating the degree and progression of internal carotid (ICA) stenoses and plaque morphology of the atherosclerotic lesions.

Folic acid and vitamin E supplementation effects on homocysteinemia, endothelial function and plasma antioxidant capacity in young myocardial-infarction patients.

We examined the effects of folate (either alone or co-supplemented with Vitamin E) on endothelial function in hyperhomocysteinimic patients and correlated results with serum antioxidant capacity. A randomized trial was carried out in 30 young patients with recent acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and high plasma homocysteine concentrations. Intervention consisted of high doses of folate, either alone (group A) or in combination with Vitamin E (group B), for three months.