Treatment of Acromegalic Osteopathy in Real-life Clinical Practice: The BAAC (Bone Active Drugs in Acromegaly) Study.

Background: Vertebral fractures (VFs) are a frequent complication of acromegaly, but no studies have been so far published on effectiveness of antiosteoporotic drugs in this clinical setting.

Objective: To evaluate whether in real-life clinical practice bone active drugs may reduce the risk of VFs in patients with active or controlled acromegaly.

Study Design: Retrospective, longitudinal study including 9 tertiary care endocrine units.

Secondary hyperparathyroidism and thoracic vertebral fractures in heart failure middle-aged patients: a 3-year prospective study.

Purpose: Vertebral fractures (VFs) were described in elderly patients with heart failure (HF) whereas their prevalence and determinants in younger HF patients are still unknown. This study aimed at assessing whether secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) may influence the risk of VFs in middle-aged patients with HF.

Methods: 84 patients (44 males, median age 48.

Suboptimal medication adherence may favor the progression of vertebral fractures in women with post-menopausal osteoporosis treated with denosumab.

Background: Medication adherence is a determinant of therapeutic outcomes in osteoporotic patients treated with bisphosphonates. In this monocentric study, we evaluated whether the regular drug administration may influence the effectiveness of denosumab in preventing vertebral fractures (VFs) in real-world clinical practice.

Methods: Two-hundred and four women (median age 75 years, range: 54-90 years) under treatment with denosumab for post-menopausal osteoporosis were longitudinally evaluated for incident radiological VFs and changes in lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) in relationship with medication adherence.

High Prevalence of Radiological Vertebral Fractures in Women on Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone-Suppressive Therapy for Thyroid Carcinoma.

Context: Bone loss and nonvertebral fractures have been reported in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) undergoing thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) suppressive therapy. Radiological vertebral fractures (VFs) are an early and clinically crucial marker of bone fragility.

Objective And Design: A cross-sectional study to evaluate the prevalence and determinants of radiological VFs in women receiving l-thyroxine (L-T4) therapy for DTC.

Colonoscopic surveillance of first-degree relatives of colorectal cancer patients in a faecal occult blood screening programme.

Background: In some Italian areas, colonoscopic surveillance of first-degree relatives (FDRs) of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients is provided as a part of local population-based faecal occult blood test (FOBT) screening programmes. The objective of the present study was to assess the feasibility and early results of this surveillance model.

Methods: Data from district screening centres were used to evaluate the process of identification and selection of eligible FDRs (residence in the Emilia-Romagna Region, age 40-75 years, no recent colonoscopy) of screen-detected CRC patients and the detected prevalence of disease.

Adipose tissue lipoprotein-lipase activity in obesity.

The activity of lipoprotein-lipase in heparin-eluates of adipose tissue (AT-LPLA) of three body regions was measured in 22 obese and 18 nonobese females under basal conditions. AT-LPLA in the obese women both before and after 10 d of caloric restriction was also measured. Basal LPLA correlated well with plasma insulin values and reduced significantly after caloric restriction.