Rehabilitative treatment in peripheral artery disease: protocol application and follow-up.

Aim: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a chronic figure suitable to be treated at the II stage to prevent the extreme developments both of the critical limb ischemia and the amputation, as well. The aim of this study was to establish a rehabilitation program (pharmacological and physical) focused not only on the improvement of the flow but also on the metabolic rebalancing in the claudicant limb.

Methods: The study enrolled 222 patients, (125 non-diabetics and 97 diabetics): 54 II A and 168 II B stage; 172 patients (131 II B and 41 II A; 104 non-diabetics and 68 diabetics) were submitted to iv.

[Transverse study of personality characteristics in patients with arterial hypertension].

Objective: To verify whether hypertensive patients, with recent or old poor-controlled hypertension, asymptomatic for anxiety and/or depression, seem more disturbed in personality than normotensive patients.

Materials And Methods: 122 patients with arterial hypertension (62 women, 60 men, mean age 47 +/- 12.7 years, divided in new-hypertensive patients who don't take any drugs and old-hypertensive patients with a chronic therapy) and 65 normotensive subjects (37 women, 28 men, middle age 41 +/- 11.

Plasma levels of adrenomedullin, a vasoactive peptide, in type 2 diabetic patients with and without retinopathy.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate whether adrenomedullin (AM) secretion is modified in type 2 diabetic patients with and without retinopathy.

Methods: The study was performed on 92 patients with type 2 diabetes, 65 of whom had uncomplicated diabetes, 27 had retinopathy, and 40 had mild to moderate hypertension. Patients with serum creatinine levels >1.

A prospective study of the prevalence of primary aldosteronism in 1,125 hypertensive patients.

Objectives: We prospectively investigated the prevalence of curable forms of primary aldosteronism (PA) in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients.

Background: The prevalence of curable forms of PA is currently unknown, although retrospective data suggest that it is not as low as commonly perceived.

Methods: Consecutive hypertensive patients referred to 14 hypertension centers underwent a diagnostic protocol composed of measurement of Na+ and K+ in serum and 24-h urine, sitting plasma renin activity, and aldosterone at baseline and after 50 mg captopril.

Circulating leptin and adiponectin levels in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) has been associated with high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality; its pathogenesis is not fully understood. Moreover, many metabolic abnormalities are frequently present in patients with PHPT. Several substances (such as leptin and adiponectin) are secreted from adipocytes, which may contribute to regulate energy homeostasis and the development of cardiovascular diseases.