Influence of dietary patterns on urinary excretion of cadmium in an Italian population: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal with detrimental effects on human health. Apart from smoking and occupational factors, diet is the main source of cadmium. However, the relation between adherence to so-called "healthy" dietary patterns and cadmium exposure has not been investigated in detail.

Human serum albumin-bound selenium (Se-HSA) in serum and its correlation with other selenium species.

Introduction: Selenium (Se) is a trace element with different toxicological and nutritional properties according to its chemical forms. Among the wide range of selenium species, human serum albumin-bound selenium (Se-HSA) has still uncertain composition in terms of organic or inorganic selenium species. This study aimed at investigating the relation between Se-HSA levels with total selenium and the specific organic and inorganic selenium species.

Healing Time of Skin Ulcers in Homecare Residents in the Province of Reggio Emilia, Northern Italy.

The growing phenomenon of skin ulcers represents an important health problem; therefore, we conducted a pilot study to evaluate the ulcer healing time among adult subjects followed by the Home Nursing Service of the AUSL-IRCCS of Reggio Emilia, Northern Italy, and diagnosed with at least one skin ulcer during the period of January-August 2020. We recruited 138 subjects (45.5% men) with a mean age of 86.

Environmental and lifestyle risk factors for early-onset dementia: a systematic review.

Background And Aim: The term early-onset dementia (EOD) encompasses several forms of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by symptom onset before 65 years and leading to severe impact on subjects already in working activities, as well as on their family and caregivers. Despite the increasing incidence, the etiology is still unknown, with possible association of environmental factors, although the evidence is still scarce. In this review, we aimed to assess how several environmental and lifestyle factors may be associated with the onset of this disease.

A COVID-19-Dedicated Facility for the Care of Older Adults During a Health Emergency: An Italian Experience.

Older adults living in long-term care facilities (LTCF) are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. We describe the clinical characteristics, the course of disease, and the care needs of 38 non-self-sufficient adults with COVID-19 in an LTCF specially set up for those who could not be discharged home or to a standard LTCF. Residents spent an average of 30.

An assessment of case-fatality and infection-fatality rates of first and second COVID-19 waves in Italy.

Background And Aim: The exact COVID-19 severity is still not well defined and it is hotly debated due to the a few methodological issues such as the uncertainties about the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods: We investigated COVID-19 case-fatality rate and infection-fatality rate in 2020 in Italy, a country severely affected by the pandemic, basing our assessment on publicly available data, and calculating such measures during the first and second waves.

Results: We found that province-specific crude case-fatality rate in the first wave (February-July 2020) had a median value of 12.

Sodium and Potassium Content of Foods Consumed in an Italian Population and the Impact of Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet on Their Intake.

High sodium and low potassium intakes are associated with increased levels of blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular diseases. Assessment of habitual dietary habits are helpful to evaluate their intake and adherence to healthy dietary recommendations. In this study, we determined sodium and potassium food-specific content and intake in a Northern Italy community, focusing on the role and contribution of adherence to Mediterranean diet patterns.

Compliance with Tuberculosis Screening in Irregular Immigrants.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious public health problem in many regions of the world, especially in the poorest areas. For this reason, screening for active and latent forms must be considered when dealing with high-risk groups such as irregular immigrants in Western countries. We conducted a retrospective cohort study by recruiting subjects aged ≥15 years who underwent a tuberculin skin test at a dedicated National Health Service Centre in a northern Italian province between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2013.

[Evaluation of the cancer co-pay fee exemption data source (048 code) to estimate cancer incidence].

Objectives: to assess whether the data source of cancer exemption ticket (code 048) correctly estimate the cancer incidence produced by Cancer registries (CR).

Design: comparison between incidence estimates produced by cancer exemptions ticket and cases registered by CR.

Setting And Participants: six CRs provided incidence data for one year in the five-year period from 2007 to 2011 and for the previous five years, the exemptions provided for the same year and for the previous five years.