[Epidemiologic analysis of patients afferent to the ICU].

Background: To understand in- and out-patients flow to and from an ICU during a year (1998). The setting of the study was an 8-beds Intensive Care Unit of a 480-beds General Hospital with an Emergency Department.

Methods: Retrospective analysis by a specific designed software of all patient data extrapolated from the hospital database, in order to: 1) Divide all ICU patients in four groups, according to the first admission Department; 2) Classify all ICU patients into 3 subgroups: a) medical; b) surgical; c) trauma; 3) Evaluate the different needs of ICU resources in these different patient populations.

[Deterministic chaos in biology].

Higher physiological organisms are characterised by a complex interaction of multiple control systems. This interaction permits man to adapt those unexpected demands given by experimental changes. The idea of complexity results basically from the non linearity of dynamic systems that are correlated to each other through feedback cycles.

A proposed cybernetic program for the study of renin-dependent arterial pressure.

The mathematical definition of arterial pressure is an essential requisite if one is to develop an informatic model. By applying analytical calculus we can set up a cybernetic model. We have proposed a cybernetic program for the study of renin-dependent arterial pressure.

[Therapy of hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. Comparison of hypolipemic effects of lovastatin and gemfibrozil].

The authors report the results of a comparative study of the effects of lovastatin and gemfibrozil on plasma cholesterol. Both drugs inhibit the enzyme systems responsible for cholesterol synthesis at the initial stages. The trial was conducted in 40 patients with nonfamilial hypercholesterolemia of whom 20 were treated with lovastatin and 20 with gemfibrozil.

[Comparison of the lowering effect on blood cholesterol of clofibrate and simvastatin].

The authors report the results obtained in a comparative study of effects of clofibrate and simvastatin. The investigation was carried out on 44 patients with type IIB hypercholesterolemia subdivided into two groups. Throughout the study, patients observed a diet of about 1500 Kcal daily.