Effects of autonomic dysfunction on exercise tolerance in systemic sclerosis patients without clinical and instrumental evidence of cardiac and pulmonary involvement.

Objectives: Autonomic dysfunction (AD) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) was already confirmed through heart rate variability (HRV) analysis. Cardio-pulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a useful tool in early detection of exercise tolerance in SSc patients. Aim of the study was to assess the relationships existing between AD and exercise tolerance.

Early Markers of Cardiovascular Risk in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease.

Background/aims: Cardiovascular disease is the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) patients, often before the onset of renal failure, and the pathogenetic mechanism is not yet well elucidated. The aim of the study was to identify early and noninvasive markers of cardiovascular risk in young ADPKD patients, in the early stages of disease.

Methods: A total of 26 patients with ADPKD and 24 control group, matched for age and sex, were enrolled, and we have assessed inflammatory indexes, mineral metabolism, metabolic state and markers of atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction (carotid intima media thickness (IMT), ankle brachial index (ABI), flow mediated dilation (FMD), renal resistive index (RRI), left ventricular mass index (LVMI)) and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), maximal O2 uptake (V'O2max), and O2 uptake at lactic acid threshold (V'O2@LT).

Lack of the QTc physiologic decrease during cardiac stress test in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with secretagogues.

Patients with type 2 diabetes are at increased susceptibility to a prolonged QT interval. Furthermore, insulin secretagogues, drugs used to treat diabetes, may prolong QT interval and provoke arrhythmias. We evaluated whether secretagogues can affect QTc interval during cardiac stress test in 20 patients with type 2 diabetes treated with secretagogues.

Transaminase levels in the upper normal range are associated with oral hypoglycemic drug therapy failure in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Incident diabetes and the worsening of diabetes have recently been linked to hepatic steatosis. Aim of our study was to determine whether oral hypoglycemic agent failure is associated with higher transaminase levels (valid measure of liver steatosis). We selected 200 patients, attenders (3 consecutive annual evaluations) in our clinic, with type 2 diabetes among which 100 with oral hypoglycemic agents failure and 100 who were still responsive to oral therapy.

PFAPA syndrome in a young adult with a history of tonsillectomy.

Since its clinical definition in 1987, the syndrome called, "periodic fever, aphtous stomatitis, pharyngitis and cervical adenitis" syndrome (PFAPA) has been considered peculiar to pediatric age. In the recent literature there are a few case reports of PFAPA in adults. We describe a case of a 21-year-old female affected by PFAPA who presented a history of tonsillectomy at the age of four.

Atorvastatin downregulates monocyte CD36 expression, nuclear NFkappaB and TNFalpha levels in type 2 diabetes.

Aim: Type 2 diabetes increases the risk for cardiovascular disease, and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) reduce cardiovascular events in these patients. The benefits of statin therapy cannot be explained only by the lipid-lowering effect. The aim of this study was to test the effect of atorvastatin therapy on CD36 scavenger receptor expression, nuclear factor-kappaB (NFkappaB) levels and markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein, CRP, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, TNF-alpha) in circulating monocytes from diabetic patients.

Electro-optic and electro-absorption characterization of InAs quantum dot waveguides.

Optical properties of multilayer InAs quantum dot waveguides, grown by molecular beam epitaxy, have been studied under applied electric field. Fabry-Perot measurements at 1515 nm on InAs/GaAs quantum dot structures yield a significantly enhanced linear electro-optic efficiency compared to bulk GaAs. Electro-absorption measurements at 1300 nm showed increased absorption with applied field accompanied with red shift of the spectra.