Efficacy of two micro-gravitational protocols to treat chronic low back pain associated with discal lesions: a randomized controlled trial.

Aim: Chronic low back pain is the most expensive benign illness in the industrialized world and is defined as a bio-psycho-social syndrome where the biological aspect has a very reduced importance when compared to the psychological and social aspects. The rehabilitative treatment of mechanical chronic lower back pain aims to modify the pain first and then postural local and general disorders. Rehabilitation in water is characterized by the possibility of reducing the gravity environment and the resistance to all motion and also of improving the proprioceptors and baroceptors sensation.

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte membrane fluidity before and after activation in subjects with insulin resistance.

The aim of this research was the evaluation of polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) membrane fluidity in subjects with insulin resistance. Insulin sensitivity, in fact, may be influenced by plasma membrane fluidity. We enrolled 19 subjects with insulin resistance previously demonstrated during an euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp.

Serum uric acid, insulin secretion and resistance in nonhyperuricemic and hyperuricemic obese female subjects.

In order to study the relationships between obesity, serum uric acid, insulin secretion and insulin resistance in female subjects, we evaluated serum C-peptide and glucose-induced insulin utilization (euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp) in 16 obese (8 nonhyperuricemic and 8 hyperuricemic) and 10 nonobese control subjects. Baseline C-peptide levels were significantly higher in hyperuricemic compared to both nonhyperuricemic obese subjects and controls (P < 0.001).

Serum uric acid and insulin secretion in diabetes mellitus.

In order to define the relationship, if any, between serum uric acid and insulin pattern in different types of diabetes mellitus, 4 groups of subjects (controls, and affected by type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, with and without obesity) were considered. In each group, successively cleared of the long-term and complicated diabetic patients, serum and urinary uric acid and insulin secretion (serum C-peptide values) were determined. Serum uric acid and C-peptide values were higher in type 2 obese diabetic subjects vs the other groups of patients and controls (p < 0.

Blood pressure, insulin secretion and resistance in nonhypertensive and hypertensive obese female subjects.

Objective: To study the relationships between blood pressure, insulin secretion and insulin resistance in obese female subjects.

Design: Evaluation of insulin-secretion and resistance respectively by blood C-peptide determination and glucose clamp technique in nonhypertensive and hypertensive obese female subjects.

Setting: Outpatient clinic of University Hospital.