The first ambulatory screening on thromboembolism: a multicentre, cross-sectional, observational study on risk factors for venous thromboembolism.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE) and the prevalence of recent (<1 year) VTE [including superficial vein thrombosis (SVT), deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE)] amongst patients attending general practitioner (GP) surgeries.

Design: Multicentre, cross-sectional, observational study.

Setting: A total of 1536 GP surgeries.

Studio Morfeo: insomnia in primary care, a survey conducted on the Italian population.

Background And Purpose: To carry out an observational epidemiological survey (Studio Morfeo), to determine: (1) the frequency of insomnia in a large Italian population presenting directly to the general physician (GP); (2) the impact of insomnia on the quality of life, on the use of health-care resources and on co-morbidity.

Patients And Methods: The study was accomplished by GPs, trained by sleep specialists accredited by the Italian Association of Sleep Medicine. Only patients spontaneously presenting to their GP for medical problems were surveyed.

A randomized trial comparing ticlopidine hydrochloride with indobufen for the prevention of stroke in high-risk patients (TISS Study). Ticlopidine Indobufen Stroke Study.

Two treatments, based on either ticlopidine or indobufen at their optimal individual daily dose (median dose: 250 and 200 mg/day, respectively), were compared in an open randomized multicenter trial in patients at risk of cerebral ischemia (men and women, aged 39 to 80 years, who had experienced in the month before entry into the study transient ischemic attack or amaurosis fugax or minor stroke). The total number of patients screened was 4033; 1632 were enrolled, 821 randomized to ticlopidine, 811 to indobufen. The overall frequency of the composite primary end-point (stroke, myocardial infarction, and death from any cause) was 4.

Plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances a predictive marker of cerebral ischemia in patients at high risk?

The clinical meaning of high values of blood lipid peroxides, assessed as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBA-RS), was investigated in 19 selected high risk patients with transient ischemic attacks (TIA). Patients were checked every 3-6 months and followed-up for 3 years. 8 patients experienced further vascular episodes, 4 having minor stroke and 4 TIA; one of the latter died from myocardial infarction.

Antiplatelet treatment with ticlopidine in unstable angina. A controlled multicenter clinical trial. The Studio della Ticlopidina nell'Angina Instabile Group.

We conducted a controlled multicenter trial with central randomization and evaluation of events under blind conditions involving 652 patients with unstable angina. Patients were treated either with conventional therapy alone (group C) (n = 338) or with conventional therapy combined with an inhibitor of platelet aggregation, ticlopidine 250 mg b.i.

A survey of patients acceptability of diabetes education programmes in Italy.

When planning diabetes education programmes it would be useful to know in advance the patients' demands and expectations. To this purpose, a questionnaire was circulated throughout Italy. Eight hundred and forty-five forms were returned from 487 men and 358 women of age 49 +/- 18 (SD) residing in all regions of Italy.