Early diagnosis and retention in care of HIV-infected patients through rapid salivary testing: a test-and-treat fast track pilot study.

Aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the retention-in-care of individuals diagnosed during six years of salivary HIV testing (EASY-test project). Among those linked-to-care at the Infectious Diseases Department of San Raffaele Hospital (Milan, Italy), the proportion of patients engaged, retained in care and virologically suppressed after the antiretroviral treatment was 96%, 100% and 95.2%, respectively.

Early diagnosis and retention in care of HIV-infected patients through rapid salivary testing: a test-and-treat fast track pilot study.

Aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the retention-in-care of individuals diagnosed during six years of salivary HIV testing (EASY-test project). Among those linked-to-care at the Infectious Diseases Department of San Raffaele Hospital (Milan, Italy), the proportion of patients engaged, retained in care and virologically suppressed after the antiretroviral treatment was 96%, 100% and 95.2%, respectively.

Point-of-care testing for HCV infection: recent advances and implications for alternative screening.

Over the last few years, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has emerged as one of the most significant causes of chronic liver disease worldwide, with an estimated prevalence ranging from 2.2 to 3.0%.

Cross-sectional study of community serostatus to highlight undiagnosed HIV infections with oral fluid HIV-1/2 rapid test in non-conventional settings.

The submerged portion of undiagnosed HIV infection in Italy is about 30% of subjects found seropositive. This fact represents one of the most important public health problems hindering the control of infection progression. This means we need to fight unawareness and social stigma and promote easy and friendly access to HIV test.

Blood pressure control and treatment adherence in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome: protocol of a randomized controlled study based on home blood pressure telemonitoring vs. conventional management and assessment of psychological determinants of adherence (TELEBPMET Study).

Background: Inadequate blood pressure control and poor adherence to treatment remain among the major limitations in the management of hypertensive patients, particularly of those at high risk of cardiovascular events. Preliminary evidence suggests that home blood pressure telemonitoring (HBPT) might help increasing the chance of achieving blood pressure targets and improve patient's therapeutic adherence. However, all these potential advantages of HBPT have not yet been fully investigated.

Factors associated with glomerular hyperfiltration in the early stage of hypertension.

Background: Glomerular hyperfiltration predicts development of nephropathy in hypertension but the factors responsible for increased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are not well known. Aim of this study was to examine which clinical variables influence GFR in the early stage of hypertension.

Methods: Participants were 1,106 young-to-middle-age hypertensive adults with creatinine clearance >60 ml/min/1.

Biofeedback-assisted cardiovascular control in hypertensives exposed to emotional stress: a pilot study.

The study was aimed at examining the effect of a short Heart Rate-Biofeedback (HR-BF) protocol on systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure levels and BP emotional reactivity. Twenty-four unmedicated outpatients with pre- and stage 1 hypertension, were randomly assigned to active treatment (BF-Training) or control (BP-Monitoring) group. Subjects in BF-Training Group underwent four BF sessions.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) isoform p2PSA significantly improves the prediction of prostate cancer at initial extended prostate biopsies in patients with total PSA between 2.0 and 10 ng/ml: results of a prospective study in a clinical setting.

Background: Total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA), ratio of free PSA (fPSA) to tPSA (%fPSA), and PSA density (PSAD) testing have a very low accuracy in the detection of prostate cancer (PCa). There is an urgent need for more accurate biomarkers.

Objective: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of PSA isoform p2PSA and its derivatives in determining the presence of PCa at initial biopsy with the accuracy of other predictors in patients with tPSA 2.

Accuracy of a single rigid conical cuff with standard-size bladder coupled to an automatic oscillometric device over a wide range of arm circumferences.

Although the upper arm has the shape of a truncated cone, cylindrical cuffs and bladders are currently used for blood pressure (BP) measurement. The aims of this study were to describe upper arm characteristics and to test the accuracy of a standard adult-size conical cuff coupled to an oscillometric device over a wide range of arm circumferences. Arm characteristics were studied in 142 subjects with arm circumferences ranging from 22 to 45 cm (study 1).

Validation of the Visomat Comfort form device for home blood pressure measurement according to the International Protocol.

To evaluate the accuracy of the UEBE Visomat Comfort form device for home blood pressure measurement tested following the recommendations of the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension. Device evaluation was performed in 33 participants with a mean +/- standard deviation age of 56.5+/-18.

Validation of Panasonic EW3106 and EW3109 devices for blood pressure measurement according to the International Protocol.

To determine the accuracy of the EW3106 and EW3109 devices for blood pressure measurement at the upper arm developed by Panasonic. Device evaluations were performed according to the European Society of Hypertension requirements, which are based on four zones of accuracy differing from the mercury standard by 5, 10, 15 mmHg, or more. Both devices passed all three phases of the protocol for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP).

Accuracy of the BP A100 blood pressure measuring device coupled with a single cuff with standard-size bladder over a wide range of arm circumferences.

The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of the Microlife BP A100 blood pressure measuring device tested according to the requirements of the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension. The BP A100 model is designed to provide accurate blood pressure measurements over a wide range of arm circumferences using a single cuff with standard-size bladder. Device evaluation was performed on 33 patients with a mean +/- SD age of 59 +/- 19 years (range 30-89 years).

CYP1A2 genotype modifies the association between coffee intake and the risk of hypertension.

Objectives: The longitudinal relationship between coffee use and hypertension is still controversial. Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) is the main responsible enzyme for the metabolism of caffeine. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of coffee intake on the risk of developing hypertension needing antihypertensive treatment in individuals stratified by CYP1A2 genotype.

Validation of the visocor HM40 wrist blood pressure measuring device according to the International Protocol.

The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of the UEBE visocor HM40 device for blood pressure measurement at the wrist, tested according to the requirements of the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH). Device evaluation was performed in 33 patients whose age and blood pressure were within the intervals required by the ESH protocol. Their mean +/- SD age was 53.

Validation of Microlife BP W100 wrist device assessed according to the European Society of Hypertension and the British Hypertension Society protocols.

The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of the Microlife BP W100 device for blood pressure measurement. The device evaluations were performed in 85 participants, by using both the protocol of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and the protocol of the British Hypertension Society (BHS). Initially, the data from 33 participants were examined according to the ESH protocol.

Natural history of hypertension subtypes in young and middle-age adults.

Background: The evolution of hypertension (HT) subtypes in young-to-middle-age subjects is unclear.

Methods: We did a prospective study in 1,141 participants aged 18-45 years from the HARVEST study screened for stage 1 HT, and 101 nonhypertensive subjects of control during a median follow-up of 72.9 months.

Regular physical activity prevents development of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertension.

Aims: The longitudinal relationship between aerobic exercise and left ventricular (LV) mass in hypertension is not well known. We did a prospective study to investigate the long-term effect of regular physical activity on development of LV hypertrophy (LVH) in a cohort of young subjects screened for Stage 1 hypertension.

Methods And Results: We assessed 454 subjects whose physical activity status was consistent during the follow-up.

Angiotensin II type 1 receptor gene polymorphism predicts development of hypertension and metabolic syndrome.

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of polymorphism A1166C for AGTR1 and -1332G/A for AGTR2 on the incidence of sustained hypertension (HT) and metabolic syndrome in a cohort of young patients screened for stage 1 HT.

Methods: We assessed 420 white hypertensive subjects never treated for HT and followed up for 7.3 years in the HT and Ambulatory Recording Venetia Study (HARVEST).

Validation of the Microlife BP W200-1 wrist device for blood pressure measurement.

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the accuracy of the BP W200-1 device for blood pressure measurement at the wrist developed by the Microlife Company. The BP W200-1 model features a 'Microlife Average Mode', which uses a 'weighted' average of a minimum of three consecutive blood pressure (BP) readings taken 15 s apart.

Method: Device evaluation was carried out using the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension.

Increase in carotid intima-media thickness in grade I hypertensive subjects: white-coat versus sustained hypertension.

We studied 74 never-treated grade I hypertensive subjects aged 18 to 45 years and 20 normotensive control subjects to define the rate of increase in carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and the potential role played by the various risk factors. IMT was assessed as mean IMT and as maximum IMT in the right and left common carotid artery, carotid bulb, and internal carotid artery at baseline and at the 5-year follow-up. In grade I hypertensive subjects, both mean IMT and mean of maximum IMT were significantly higher compared with baseline values.

RGS2 C1114G polymorphism and body weight gain in hypertensive patients.

RGS2 is a negative regulator of Galpha protein signaling and promotes adipocyte differentiation. Recently, we described a polymorphism at the C1114G locus with the G allele associated with hypertension in a cross-sectional study. The aim of the present study was to assess whether the RGS2 C1114G is predictive of overweight in young subjects with grade I hypertension.

Association between coffee consumption and risk of hypertension.

Background: The longitudinal relationship between coffee use and hypertension is not well known. Aim. We did a prospective study to investigate if there is a temporal relationship between coffee consumption and development of sustained hypertension.

Liver function parameters in HIV/HCV co-infected patients treated with amprenavir and ritonavir and correlation with plasma levels.

Acute liver toxicity is a frequent adverse event that occurs during antiretroviral therapy and was observed in 6-30% of the patients on treatment, especially in presence of HCV coinfection (Cooper et al., 2002, Maida et al., 2006, Sulkowski et al.

Amprenavir and ritonavir plasma concentrations in HIV-infected patients treated with fosamprenavir/ritonavir with various degrees of liver impairment.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the steady-state pharmacokinetics of amprenavir and ritonavir in HIV-infected patients with different degrees of hepatic impairment.

Methods: HIV-positive patients receiving fosamprenavir/ritonavir (700/100 mg twice daily) were included. Patients were classified into three groups: (i) chronic hepatitis; (ii) liver cirrhosis; (iii) normal liver function.

Validation of Heine Gamma G7 (G5) and XXL-LF aneroid devices for blood pressure measurement.

Objective: To determine the accuracy of the Gamma G7 (and G5 model) and XXL-LF aneroid sphygmomanometers developed by the Heine Company.

Design: Device evaluations were performed using the new protocol of the European Society of Hypertension. Monitor performance was assessed in relation to participants' sex, age, arm circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures.