The changing face of multiple sclerosis: Prevalence and incidence in an aging population.

Objective: To assess multiple sclerosis (MS) incidence from 1998 to 2007, and MS prevalence on 31 December 2007, in the province of Genoa, Italy.

Methods: We identified MS cases diagnosed before 31 December 2007 by analyzing archives of hospitals with neurological or rehabilitation wards, the local Italian MS society, family doctor records and requests for oligoclonal band analysis on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Results: A total of 1312 MS patients were residing in the province of Genoa on the prevalence day; 431 (32.

Endovascular balloon versus transthoracic aortic clamping for minimally invasive mitral valve surgery: impact on cerebral microemboli.

To evaluate micro embolic events occurrence during minimally invasive mitral valve procedures, comparing balloon endovascular aortic occlusion (Group I) and transthoracic aortic clamping technique (Group II), 36 patients (20 in Group I and 16 in Group II) undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve surgery were selected by CT scan and Doppler studies for absence of atherosclerotic disease at aortic, coronary or peripheral level. Assignment to one of the two groups was made on the basis of surgeon's preference. Continuous automated intra-operative transcranial Doppler was used to monitor micro embolic events during five operative steps: cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) setup, time interval from CPB start until aortic clamp positioning, first minute after clamp-on, first minute after clamp-off, first ten minutes after CPB weaning start.

Multifrequency transcranial Doppler for intraoperative automatic detection and characterisation of cerebral microemboli during port-access mitral valve surgery.

In 20 patients (6 male; age 56.5+/-6.4 years; BSA 1.

The prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the north-west Italian province of Genoa.

Unlabelled: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS), calculated as point prevalence on 31 December 1997, in the province of Genoa, North-western Italy.

Methods: The province of Genoa is located in North-western Italy, an area of 1,835 km(2). On the point prevalence day the population consisted of 913,218 inhabitants.

Left ventricular mass reduction after aortic valve replacement: homografts, stentless and stented valves.

Background: We studied the effect of four different types of prosthetic aortic valves on time course and extent of regression of left ventricular hypertrophy after aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis.

Methods: Four groups of 10 patients each were randomly assigned to receive: (1) aortic homograft preserved in antibiotic solution at 4 degrees C, (2) Toronto stentless porcine valve, (3) Medtronic Freestyle stentless valve, or (4) Medtronic Intact aortic valve. The left ventricular mass index, effective orifice area index, and peak and mean transaortic gradients were measured by Doppler echocardiography before the operation and 8 months postoperatively.