Molecular Biology of Atherosclerotic Ischemic Strokes.

Among the causes of global death and disability, ischemic stroke (also known as cerebral ischemia) plays a pivotal role, by determining the highest number of worldwide mortality, behind cardiomyopathies, affecting 30 million people. The etiopathogenetic burden of a cerebrovascular accident could be brain ischemia (~80%) or intracranial hemorrhage (~20%). The most common site when ischemia occurs is the one is perfused by middle cerebral arteries.

Autonomic dysfunction in a group of lower extremities arterial disease outpatients.

Background: The understanding of the specific role of sympathetic neural control and dysregulation in lower extremities arterial disease (LEAD) is still very limited. Aim of our study was to investigate the autonomic profile in LEAD patients and to evaluate if the eventual autonomic alterations were more severe in patients with advanced disease.

Methods: We enrolled all consecutive outpatients with LEAD referred to our Departments between July 2012 and September 2014.

Mediterranean diet adherence and congestive heart failure: Relationship with clinical severity and ischemic pathogenesis.

Objectives: To our knowledge, no study has addressed the relationship between adherence to a Mediterranean diet style and severity of heart failure. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet assessed using the calculation of Mediterranean diet score and congestive heart failure (CHF), its severity, and pathogenesis.

Methods: We analyzed charts and collected data of all consecutive patients with a diagnosis of CHF at admission to our Internal Medicine Ward from 2008 to 2014.