Publications by authors named "Bellone F"

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies represent a spectrum of autoimmune disorders primarily characterized by muscle inflammation. While renal involvement in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies has historically been considered rare, recent findings indicate a prevalence of approximately 21-23%. Renal manifestations in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are generally secondary to acute renal injury from rhabdomyolysis or, more rarely, occur through autoimmune mechanisms leading to glomerulonephritis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

An acute metabolic complication of diabetes mellitus, especially type 1, is diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which is due to an increase in blood ketone concentrations. Sodium/glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2-i) drugs have been associated with the occurrence of a particular type of DKA defined as euglycemic (euDKA), characterized by glycemic levels below 300 mg/dL. A fair number of euDKA cases in SGLT2-i-treated patients have been described, especially in the last few years when there has been a significant increased use of these drugs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • A study examined the psychological factors affecting 84 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), focusing on issues like anxiety, depression, and quality of life.
  • Findings revealed low to moderate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and anxiety levels, with women reporting worse outcomes than men.
  • The research highlighted the need for integrated psychological treatment strategies in managing chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, emphasizing the influence of coping styles and defense mechanisms on mental health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The pentagon copy is a sensitive item to the prediction of cognitive decline and dementia. Cognitive and physical/motor decline are able to accelerate the evolution of each other by representing a common pathway toward frailty.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to investigate the association of the pentagon-copying task with physical and motor performances and with frailty, in a sample of older adults.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

With the introduction of more and more monoclonal antibodies selectively targeting various mediators of the immune system, together with Janus-Kinase (JAK)-inhibitors with variable affinities towards different JAK subtypes, the available therapeutic options for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have undergone an acceleration in the last five years. On the other hand, the prevalence of IBD patients over 65-years-old is steadily increasing, and, with this, there is a large population of patients that presents more comorbidities, polypharmacy, and, more frequently, frailty compared to younger patients, exposing them to potentially major risks for adverse events deriving from newer therapies, e.g.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), are chronic and disabling diseases that affect patient health-related quality of life (HRQoL). IBD patients are frequently exposed to high levels of stress and psychological distress. Biological drugs have been proven to reduce inflammation, hospitalization, and most of the complications that characterize IBDs; their potential contribution to patients' HRQoL remains to be explored.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * Research has identified several mechanisms of Cd-induced kidney injury, including inflammation, programmed cell death, and hormonal imbalances, which can contribute to skeletal fragility as well.
  • * Emerging evidence suggests that dietary factors, particularly nutraceuticals found in the Mediterranean diet, may offer safe therapeutic options to counteract Cd’s harmful effects and improve CKD management.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Haemophilia A (HA) and haemophilia B (HB) are X-linked inherited bleeding disorders caused by the absence or deficiency of coagulation factors VIII (FVIII) and IX (FIX), respectively. Recent advances in the development of effective treatments for haemophilia have led to a significant increase in life expectancy. As a result, the incidence of some comorbidities, including fragility fractures, has increased in people with haemophilia (PWH).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Psychological features have been bidirectionally associated with osteoporosis, but it is still unclear whether patient's anxiety fluctuations during the anti-osteoporotic treatment can have an impact on bone mineral density (BMD) variation. The aim of this study was to investigate the interrelations between psychological distress features, such as anxiety, depression, health-related QoL (HRQoL) and bone health in women receiving anti-osteoporotic treatment.

Methods: 192 post-menopausal osteoporotic women were treated with alendronate or risedronate according to the standard procedure.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of postprandial hypotension (PPH) in older inpatients, to verify the overall postprandial behavior of blood pressure and attentional performances, and to explore the overall associations between blood pressure (including PPH) and attentional performances. Eventually, we aimed to investigate differences on PPH, blood pressure values and attentional performances based on the subjects' frailty status.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Prediction of fragility fractures in Cushing syndrome (CS) is a challenge since dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) does not capture all the alterations in bone microstructure induced by glucocorticoid excess. In this study we investigated the relationship between trabecular bone score (TBS), bone marrow fat (BMF) and vertebral fractures (VFs) in endogenous CS.

Design: Cross-sectional.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study examines the relationship between renal function and erythropoiesis in a group of healthy centenarians, focusing on biomarkers NGAL and EPO, which indicate kidney health.
  • Results show a significant inverse relationship: as renal function (measured by GFR) decreases, levels of NGAL increase, while hemoglobin and EPO levels drop, highlighting the impact of kidney health on blood production even in very old age.
  • Notably, female centenarians had lower GFR and hemoglobin levels than males, suggesting potential gender differences in how aging affects kidney function and blood production, which could inform clinical practices for elderly patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - The study examines the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD), bone strength, and fracture risk in patients undergoing hemodialysis, focusing on various bone quality measures and muscle strength.
  • - Key findings include significant associations between bone ultrasound measurements and bone mineral density, as well as between handgrip strength and the estimated 10-year probability of fractures.
  • - Among hemodialysis participants, a higher percentage reported vertebral fractures compared to a control group, with differences in bone metrics like trabecular bone score and cortical thickness observed between those with and without fractures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Food systems (FSs) emit ~ 20 GtCOe/y (~ 35% of global greenhouse gas emissions). This level tends to raise given the expected increases in food demands, which may threaten global climate targets. Through a rapid assessment, evaluating 60+ scenarios based on existing low-emission and carbon sequestration practices, we estimate that intensifying FSs could reduce its emissions from 21.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Older adults experienced significant negative effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, including social isolation and diminished access to healthcare, which worsened their existing health issues and frailty.
  • - The study aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic on cognitive abilities, functional status, and overall quality of life in frail outpatients by comparing evaluations from before and after the pandemic.
  • - Results showed that participants exhibited worse cognitive performance, lower physical and mental quality of life scores, and a decrease in independence in daily activities after the pandemic compared to earlier evaluations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is commonly associated with vitamin K deficiency. Some of the serious complications of CKD are represented by cardiovascular disease (CVD) and skeletal fragility with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. A complex pathogenetic link between hormonal and ionic disturbances, bone tissue and metabolism alterations, and vascular calcification (VC) exists and has been defined as chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Zoledronic acid (Zol) is a widely used intravenous aminobisphosphonate to treat both benign and malignant skeletal diseases, and bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) is a serious side effect whose pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) has been recognized to mediate BRONJ in cancer patients undergoing Zol treatment, however data on VEGF are lacking in patients with osteoporosis. Increasing evidences demonstrate that vitamin D influences VEGF levels.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: An increased fracture risk is commonly reported in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Our aim was to investigate bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover, including sclerostin, and their association with markers of cardiac and respiratory performance in a cohort of DMD subjects.

Methods: In this single center, cross sectional observational study, lumbar spine (LS) BMD Z-scores, C-terminal telopeptide of procollagen type I (CTX) and osteocalcin (BGP), as bone resorption and formation markers, respectively, and sclerostin were assessed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Clinical psychological factors may predict medical diseases. Anxiety level has been associated with osteoporosis, but its role on bone mineral density (BMD) change is still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association between anxiety levels and both adherence and treatment response to oral bisphosphonates (BPs) in postmenopausal osteoporosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Magnesium (Mg) is critically involved in the pathophysiology of multiple human diseases; nevertheless, Mg disorders are often poorly considered in the clinical practice. To update the prevalence and incidence of hypomagnesemia and hypermagnesemia in a real-life scenario, which better represents clinical practice, we analyzed data from 12,696 patients whose Mg serum levels were measured from January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2017 at our University Hospital. Hypomagnesemia and hypermagnesemia were defined by Mg concentrations <1.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Vitamin D modulates bisphosphonate (BP) efficacy, but its contribution to bone mineral density (BMD) after BP discontinuation is not known. To address this topic, we performed a retrospective analysis of postmenopausal women exposed to alendronate (ALN) to treat osteoporosis who regularly continued the supplementation of cholecalciferol or calcifediol at recommended doses. In the ninety-six recruited women (age 61.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are characterized by a multifactorial clinical picture, in which age-related physical, functional and psychological symptoms may coexist. The accurate evaluation and identification of such symptomatology acquires considerable importance in the context of older adults, since those core factors typical of IBD may also expose older patients to an increased risk for age-related negative outcomes, such as frailty and disability. The purpose of the present review was to provide an updated overview on the evaluation and management of IBD in the elderly population, with regard to fatigue, sarcopenia, and frailty.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder among premenopausal women. PCOS may have reproductive, metabolic, cardiovascular, and psychological implications. Vitamin D deficit is often encountered in PCOS women and may contribute to the pathophysiology of this disorder.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF