Publications by authors named "Teresa Mezza"

Omega-3 fatty acids reduce triglycerides and have several positive effects on different organs and systems. They are also found in the plasma membrane in variable amounts in relation to genetics and diet. However, it is still unclear whether omega-3 supplementation can reduce the occurrence of major cardiovascular events (MACEs).

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Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) have emerged as important agents for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). SGLT2 inhibitors have been associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes, not only through their immediate hemodynamic effects-such as glycosuria and (at least temporary) increased natriuresis-but also due to their multifaceted impact on metabolism. Recently, studies have also focused on the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on adipose tissue.

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Aims: A number of studies have suggested that pancreatic α cells produce intact GLP-1, thereby constituting a gut-independent paracrine incretin system. However, the debate on whether human α cells contain intact GLP-1 and whether this relates to the presence of diabetes is still ongoing. This study aimed to determine the presence of proglucagon-derived peptides, including GLP-1 isoforms, in pancreas biopsies obtained during partial pancreatectomy from metabolically profiled human donors, stratified according to pre-surgery glucose tolerance.

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Purpose: Physical exercise is a key component in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and plays an important role in maintaining a healthy glucose metabolism even in healthy subjects. To date, no studies have investigated the effect of a single bout of aerobic physical exercise on glucose metabolism in young, moderately active, healthy adults.

Methods: We performed an OGTT 7 days before and 24 h after a single bout of physical exercise, to evaluate 1-hour post-load plasma glucose and surrogate indexes of insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion.

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  • The study investigates how preoperative glucose metabolism impacts the risk of clinically relevant pancreatic fistulas (CR-POPF) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) surgery.
  • Out of 110 patients, those with normal glucose tolerance showed a higher incidence of CR-POPF at 51.7%, compared to those with impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes.
  • Fasting glucose levels and c-peptide values were found to be effective predictors for CR-POPF, indicating that both normoglycemia and normal beta cell function may increase the risk of complications post-surgery.
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  • * Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been found to play a key role in communication between organs affected by T2D, making them an important area of study.
  • * The review discusses how specific components of EVs, including miRNAs and proteins, impact insulin signaling and glucose metabolism, highlighting their potential as biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment of T2D.
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The tubular function of the kidney is very complex and is finely regulated by many factors. These include a variety of hormonal signaling pathways which are involved in the expression, activation and regulation of renal transporters responsible for the handling of electrolytes. Glucose-lowering drugs such as insulin and incretin-based therapies, exert a well-known renal protective role in diabetic kidney disease, mainly acting at the glomerular level.

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Background: Lynch syndrome (LS) is a genetic disease with increased risk of colorectal cancer and other malignancies. There are few reported cases of thyroid cancer in LS patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the presence of thyroid nodules in LS patients and to explore their association with the genetic features of the disease.

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Aims: European registries and retrospective cohort studies have highlighted the failure to achieve low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) targets in many very high-risk patients. Hospitalized patients are often frail, and frailty is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The aim of this study is to evaluate LDL-C levels in a real-world inpatient setting, identifying cardiovascular risk categories and highlighting treatment gaps in the implementation of LDL-C management.

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The influencing role of resection margin (R) status on long-term outcomes, namely overall (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is not still clear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic impact of R status after PD and to define tumor characteristics associated with a positive resection margin (R1). All PDs for PDAC performed between 2012 and 2023 were retrospectively enrolled.

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Pancreatic islet isolation is critical for type 2 diabetes research. Although -omics approaches have shed light on islet molecular profiles, inconsistencies persist; on the other hand, functional studies are essential, but they require reliable and standardized isolation methods. Here, we propose a simplified protocol applied to very small-sized samples collected from partially pancreatectomized living donors.

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Aims: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is - along with acute pancreatitis - the most frequent cause of diabetes of the exocrine pancreas (DEP). Although insulin deficiency is widely accepted as the major feature of DEP, it is still unclear whether diabetes associated with CP is characterized by additional or different functional defects of the insulin secretory machinery. To identify possible functional defects specifically induced by CP, we performed a cross-sectional study in individuals with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and diabetes mellitus (DM) comparing patients with and without CP (CP vs.

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  • This study investigates how the duration of progressive stapler closure affects the occurrence and severity of post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after distal pancreatectomy (DP).* -
  • Out of 155 patients, those with a stapler compression of 10 minutes or longer had a significantly lower incidence of POPF (34-47.2%) compared to those with less than 10 minutes (67-80.7%).* -
  • The findings suggest that compressing the pancreas for at least 10 minutes is beneficial, especially for patients with a thick pancreatic gland, reducing the risk of clinically relevant POPF.*
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  • * New treatment options, like dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonists, are being developed to combat this rise, with tirzepatide being a prominent example.
  • * This document reviews the main ways that GIP/GLP-1 co-agonists work and discusses the clinical effects of tirzepatide based on various studies.
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  • The IL-22RA1 receptor is important in the pancreas and helps improve insulin secretion from beta-cells while reducing cellular stress.
  • Blocking IL-22RA1 in human pancreatic islets results in lower insulin quality and increased cellular stress, indicating its crucial role in insulin regulation.
  • Experiments in mice lacking IL-22ra1 in beta-cells showed similar negative effects on insulin secretion, increased inflammation, and worsened glucose tolerance, especially in females, highlighting the receptor's significance in metabolic health.
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  • - The study examined the effects of the SGLT-2 inhibitor dapagliflozin on epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetes patients with stable coronary artery disease.
  • - Dapagliflozin treatment resulted in a significant 19% reduction in EAT thickness and a 21.6% decrease in EAT glucose uptake compared to placebo after 4 weeks.
  • - These findings suggest that SGLT-2 inhibitors may benefit cardiovascular health by targeting specific fat deposits related to inflammation and metabolism.
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  • The study investigates how the composition of fatty acids in red blood cell membranes might serve as a biomarker for cardiovascular risk in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D).
  • Researchers divided 234 T2D subjects into two groups based on red blood cell membrane fluidity, finding that those with lower fluidity had a higher incidence of major cardiovascular diseases compared to those with higher fluidity.
  • The results suggest that enhanced membrane fluidity correlates with increased cardiovascular risk in T2D patients, indicating its potential as a new marker for assessing residual cardiovascular risk in future studies.
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Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an acute inflammation of the pancreas caused by the activation of digestive enzymes in the pancreatic tissue. The main causes of AP are cholelithiasis and alcohol abuse; less commonly, it can be caused by drugs, with a prevalence of up to 5%. Causal associations between drugs and pancreatitis are largely based on case reports or case series with limited evidence.

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  • SGLT2 inhibitors like dapagliflozin have mixed results on plasma lipids, showing slight increases in HDL cholesterol but little evidence of improved HDL functionality; however, they are recognized for their cardiovascular protective roles.
  • A study with 16 patients examined how dapagliflozin affects nitric oxide (NO) production through HDL and its relation to myocardial flow reserve (MFR), finding no significant changes in HDL cholesterol or NO production between the dapagliflozin and placebo groups.
  • The results imply that the improvements in coronary microcirculation seen with dapagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) may not be linked to changes in
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  • The study identifies lysophosphatidylinositols (lysoPIs) as key lipid species that increase in the blood of prediabetic mice and diabetic patients, linked to the loss of pancreatic β-cells.
  • Increased lysoPIs correlate with markers of poor glycemic control, such as HbA1c and fasting glycemia, but not with insulin resistance or obesity in humans with type 2 diabetes.
  • The research indicates that lysoPIs enhance insulin secretion from pancreatic cells, suggesting a potential role in mitigating diabetes-related β-cell dysfunction.
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Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most widespread diseases worldwide. Lifestyle interventions, including diet and physical activity (PA), are fundamental non-pharmacological components of T2DM therapy. Exercise interventions are strongly recommended for people with or at risk of developing or already with overt diabetes, but adherence to PA guidelines in this population is still challenging.

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Acute pancreatitis is a complex inflammatory disease with significant morbidity and mortality. Despite advances in its management, the role of antibiotics in the prophylaxis and treatment of acute pancreatitis remains controversial. The aim of this comprehensive review is to analyze current evidence on the use of antibiotics in acute pancreatitis, focusing on prophylactic and therapeutic strategies.

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  • Anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies effectively lower LDL-C and coronary artery disease risk but may also influence glucose metabolism and insulin secretion, leading to this pilot study involving non-diabetic subjects.
  • Fifteen participants underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) before and after six months of therapy, focusing on insulin secretion and sensitivity metrics.
  • The results showed that while glucose, insulin, and overall insulin sensitivity remained unchanged, the treatment significantly improved β-cell glucose sensitivity, particularly in subjects with higher body mass index (BMI).
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