The biological variation of serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone, and plasma fibroblast growth factor 23 in healthy individuals.

Background And Aims: Measuring 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)D), parathyroid hormone 1-84 (PTH 1-84) and intact FGF23 (iFGF23) is crucial for diagnosing a variety of diseases affecting bone and mineral homeostasis. Biological variability (BV) data are important for defining analytical quality specifications (APS), the usefulness of reference intervals, and the significance of variations in serial measurements in the same subject. The aim of this study was to pioneer the provision of BV estimates for 1,25(OH)2D and to improve existing BV estimates for iFGF23 and PTH 1-84.

Reference intervals for glycated albumin during physiological pregnancy of Europid women: Evidences from a prospective observational study.

Background And Aims: Glycated albumin (GA) may assess glycometabolic control over a short period of time respect to HbA, and its use to screen for gestational diabetes in pregnancy has been suggested. To this regard few data on reference intervals (RI) for GA on Europid women have been collected, only from cross-sectional investigations. Aim of this work has been to collect trimester-specific RI for GA in physiological pregnancies, following a longitudinal prospective study.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D measurement: Comparative evaluation of three automated immunoassays.

Objectives: the different analytical methods for measurement of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) are not yet fully harmonized and no consensus exists on a threshold of 25(OH)D defining a deficiency status. In this study, we compared the results from the assays of serum 25(OH)D performed with three different methods to evaluate the presence of potential biases and how much these biases can influence the assignment of patients to specific 25(OH)D deficiency/sufficiency categories.

Design And Methods: Liaison 25(OH) Vitamin D Total (DiaSorin Liaison XL), Elecsys Vitamin D Total II (Roche Elecsys) and Lumipulse G25(OH) Vitamin D (Fujirebio Lumipulse G1200) were used.

Effect of a novel functional tomato sauce (OsteoCol) from vine-ripened tomatoes on serum lipids in individuals with common hypercholesterolemia: tomato sauce and hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Most studies focused on the benefits of lycopene on serum lipids but no studies have been specifically designed to assess the role of a tomato sauce from vine-ripened tomatoes on patients affected by polygenic hypercholesterolemia. The aim of this study was to compare the lipid-lowering effect of a novel functional tomato sauce with a well-known functional food with a lipid-lowering effect, i.e.

Randomized Clinical Trial: Bergamot Citrus and Wild Cardoon Reduce Liver Steatosis and Body Weight in Non-diabetic Individuals Aged Over 50 Years.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality in the world. However, no effective pharmacological treatment for this condition has been found. This study evaluated the effect of a nutraceutical containing bioactive components from Bergamot citrus and wild cardoon as a treatment for individuals with fatty liver disease.

Contribution of Predictive and Prognostic Biomarkers to Clinical Research on Chronic Kidney Disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), defined as the presence of albuminuria and/or reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m, is considered a growing public health problem, with its prevalence and incidence having almost doubled in the past three decades. The implementation of novel biomarkers in clinical practice is crucial, since it could allow earlier diagnosis and lead to an improvement in CKD outcomes.

Vitamin D and 1-hour post-load plasma glucose in hypertensive patients.

Background: A plasma glucose value ≥155 mg/dl for 1-hour post-load plasma glucose during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is able to identify subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) at high-risk for type-2 diabetes and with subclinical organ damage. We designed this study to address if 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] circulating levels are associated with glucose tolerance status, and in particular with 1-hour post-load plasma glucose levels.

Methods: We enrolled 300 consecutive Caucasian hypertensive never-treated outpatients (160 men and 140 women, aged 52.

Effects of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 on cardiac hypertrophy of hypertensive patients.

Objectives: Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) interfere with cardiac mass (left ventricular mass; LVM) development. We investigated the role of the GH/IGF-1 axis on LVM and ventricular geometry in a group of 230 never-treated hypertensive patients.

Methods: Partition values for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) were 125 g/m2 for both women and men.