Evaluation of zinc, copper, and Cu:Zn ratio in serum, and their implications in the course of COVID-19.

Background: The dynamics of essential metals such as Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn) may be associated with the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that has spread across the globe.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between serum levels of Cu and Zn, as well as the Cu:Zn ratio in the acute phase of COVID-19 along with the assessment of their connection to other laboratory parameters (hematological, biochemical, hemostatic).

Methods: Serum levels of Cu and Zn were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry in 75 patients in the acute COVID-19 phase and were compared with those of 22 COVID-19 patients evaluated three months after the acute phase of the disease ('non-acute' group) and with those of 68 healthy individuals.

Non-Ceruloplasmin Copper as a Stratification Biomarker of Alzheimer's Disease Patients: How to Measure and Use It.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a type of dementia very common in the elderly. A growing body of recent evidence has linked AD pathogenesis to Copper (Cu) dysmetabolism in the body. In fact, a subset of patients affected either by AD or by its prodromal form known as Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) have been observed to be unable to maintain a proper balance of Cu metabolism and distribution and are characterized by the presence in their serum of increased levels of Cu not bound to ceruloplasmin (non-ceruloplasmin Cu).

Copper Imbalance in Alzheimer's Disease: Meta-Analysis of Serum, Plasma, and Brain Specimens, and Replication Study Evaluating Gene Variants.

Evidence indicates that patients with Alzheimer's dementia (AD) show signs of copper (Cu) dyshomeostasis. This study aimed at evaluating the potential of Cu dysregulation as an AD susceptibility factor. We performed a meta-analysis of 56 studies investigating Cu biomarkers in brain specimens (pooled total of 182 AD and 166 healthy controls, HC) and in serum/plasma (pooled total of 2929 AD and 3547 HC).

Clinical characteristics, management and outcome of patients with invasive candidiasis hospitalized in Internal Medicine Units: findings from a registry by the Italian Scientific Society FADOI.

Purpose: Invasive candidiasis (IC) is a challenging clinical condition, burdened by relevant mortality and morbidity. There is limited knowledge on the occurrence and management of IC in Internal Medicine Units (IMUs). Aim of this study was to provide real-world data on this topic.

Zinc Therapy in Early Alzheimer's Disease: Safety and Potential Therapeutic Efficacy.

Zinc therapy is normally utilized for treatment of Wilson disease (WD), an inherited condition that is characterized by increased levels of non-ceruloplasmin bound ('free') copper in serum and urine. A subset of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or its prodromal form, known as Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), fail to maintain a normal copper metabolic balance and exhibit higher than normal values of non-ceruloplasmin copper. Zinc's action mechanism involves the induction of intestinal cell metallothionein, which blocks copper absorption from the intestinal tract, thus restoring physiological levels of non-ceruloplasmin copper in the body.

Agricultural Use of Copper and Its Link to Alzheimer's Disease.

Copper is an essential nutrient for plants, animals, and humans because it is an indispensable component of several essential proteins and either lack or excess are harmful to human health. Recent studies revealed that the breakdown of the regulation of copper homeostasis could be associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia. Copper accumulation occurs in human aging and is thought to increase the risk of AD for individuals with a susceptibility to copper exposure.

Patients with Lemierre syndrome have a high risk of new thromboembolic complications, clinical sequelae and death: an analysis of 712 cases.

Background: Lemierre syndrome is characterized by head/neck vein thrombosis and septic embolism usually complicating an acute oropharyngeal bacterial infection in adolescents and young adults. We described the course of Lemierre syndrome in the contemporary era.

Methods: In our individual-level analysis of 712 patients (2000-2017), we included cases described as Lemierre syndrome if these criteria were met: (i) primary site of bacterial infection in the head/neck; (ii) objectively confirmed local thrombotic complications or septic embolism.

Discovering the Italian phenotype of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA): the SENECA project.

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is one of the major types of cerebral small vessel disease, and a leading cause of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage and cognitive decline in elderly patients. Although increasingly detected, a number of aspects including the pathophysiology, the clinical and neuroradiological phenotype, and the disease course are still under investigation. The incomplete knowledge of the disease limits the implementation of evidence-based guidelines on patient's clinical management and the development of treatments able to prevent or reduce disease progression.

Serum copper profile in patients with type 1 diabetes in comparison to other metals.

Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic condition in which the pancreas loses the ability to produce insulin due to an autoimmune destruction of the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans. Pathophysiological complications related to diabetes include micro and macrovascular disease, nephropathy, and neuropathy that can also be affected by environmental factors such as lifestyle and diet.

Objectives: The current study aimed to evaluate the serum levels of total copper, the copper-carrying protein, ceruloplasmin and nonceruloplasmin bound copper (nonceruloplasmin-Cu) and other essential and environmental metals and metalloids in subjects with T1D compared with healthy controls.

Oxidative Stress Related to Iron Metabolism in Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients With Low Disability.

Oxidative status may play a role in chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration which are considered critical etiopathogenetic factors in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), both in the early phase of the disease and in the progressive one. The aim of this study is to explore oxidative status related to iron metabolism in peripheral blood of stable Relapsing-Remitting MS with low disability. We studied 60 Relapsing-Remitting MS patients (age 37.

Effect of the GSTM1 gene deletion on glycemic variability, sympatho-vagal balance and arterial stiffness in patients with metabolic syndrome, but without diabetes.

Aims: An increased rate of cerebrovascular complications in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been reported. Previous studies demonstrated an association between glycemic variability (GV) and cerebrovascular reactivity (CRV) in MetS, thus suggesting a putative role of GV on cerebrovascular events. Although the pathophysiological mechanism linking GV to damage is still to be elucidated, evidence suggests oxidative stress plays a crucial role.

Copper dyshomeostasis in Wilson disease and Alzheimer's disease as shown by serum and urine copper indicators.

Abnormal handling of copper is the cause of Wilson disease (WD), a rare disorder typified by increased levels in plasma copper not-bound to ceruloplasmin (nCp-Cu, also known as 'free' copper). In Alzheimer's disease (AD), meta-analyses show that copper decreases in brain but increases in serum, due to the nCp Cu component increase. Despite the similarities, a direct comparison of copper biological status in the two diseases has never been carried out.

Non-coding variants contribute to the clinical heterogeneity of TTR amyloidosis.

Coding mutations in TTR gene cause a rare hereditary form of systemic amyloidosis, which has a complex genotype-phenotype correlation. We investigated the role of non-coding variants in regulating TTR gene expression and consequently amyloidosis symptoms. We evaluated the genotype-phenotype correlation considering the clinical information of 129 Italian patients with TTR amyloidosis.

Population diversity of the genetically determined TTR expression in human tissues and its implications in TTR amyloidosis.

Background: Transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis is a hereditary disease with a complex genotype-phenotype correlation. We conducted a literature survey to define the clinical landscape of TTR amyloidosis across populations worldwide. Then, we investigated whether the genetically determined TTR expression differs among human populations, contributing to the differences observed in patients.

GSTA1 gene variation associated with gestational hypertension and its involvement in pregnancy-related pathogenic conditions.

Objective(s): Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are the main phase II enzymes involved in the cellular detoxification. Through phase I and phase II detoxification reactions, the cell is able to detoxify endogenous and exogenous toxic compounds. In this study, we focused our attention on the GSTA1*-69C/T gene polymorphism (rs3957357) in order to explore its involvement in the genetic predisposition to gestational hypertension (GH).

Explorative genetic association study of GSTT2B copy number variant in complex disease risks.

Background: Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are the main phase II enzymes involved in cellular detoxification. Through phase I and phase II detoxification reactions, the cell is able to detoxify endogenous and exogenous toxic compounds.

Aims: This study focused attention on the GSTT2B copy number variant (CNV) in order to explore its involvement in the genetic pre-disposition to asthma, Alzheimer's disease (AD), allergic rhinitis (AR), essential hypertension (EH), hypothyroidism and recurrent miscarriage (RM).

Association between sex, systemic iron variation and probability of Parkinson's disease.

Objective: Iron homeostasis appears altered in Parkinson's disease (PD). Recent genetic studies and meta-analyses have produced heterogeneous and inconclusive results. In order to verify the possible role of iron status in PD, we have screened some of the main metal gene variants, evaluated their effects on iron systemic status, and checked for possible interactions with PD.

Zinc in Alzheimer's Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Serum, Plasma, and Cerebrospinal Fluid Studies.

To evaluate whether zinc levels in serum, plasma, and cerebrospinal fluid are altered in Alzheimer's disease (AD), we performed meta-analyses of 27 studies on the topic published from 1983 to 2014. The subjects' sample obtained by merging studies was a pooled total of 777 AD subjects and 1,728 controls for serum zinc studies, 287 AD subjects and 166 controls for plasma zinc, and of 292 AD subjects and 179 controls for CSF zinc. The main result of this meta-analysis is the very high heterogeneity among the studies either in demographic terms or in methodological approaches.

Wearing-off detection in clinical practice: the wearing off real practice key (WORK-PD) study in Parkinson's disease.

Objective: Verifying the validity and feasibility of the WOQ-19 as a useful tool in routine clinical practice and in management of patients.

Methods: 532 consecutive Parkinson's disease (PD) patients were recruited from 6 different neurological outpatient units, specialized in movement disorders, of central Italy. Inclusion criteria were diagnosis of PD and any current pharmacological treatment of PD while exclusion criteria were evident cognitive or depressive impairment, infusion with dopamine agonists or Duodopa, or Deep Brain Stimulation therapy.

Patient blood management: a fresh look at a fresh approach to blood transfusion.

The overall use of allogeneic blood transfusions in clinical practice remains relatively high and still varies widely among centres and practitioners. Moreover, allogeneic blood transfusions have historically been linked with risks and complications: some of them (e.g.

Copper subtype of Alzheimer's disease (AD): meta-analyses, genetic studies and predictive value of non-ceruloplasmim copper in mild cognitive impairment conversion to full AD.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. A myriad of complex factors contribute to AD, promoting the deposition in plaques of amyloid-beta (Aβ), which is the main constituent of this pathognomonic sign of AD at autopsy brain inspection. Aβ toxicity is related to oxidative stress, which results in synaptic loss in specific brain areas, eventually leading to cognitive decline.

Dietary and lifestyle guidelines for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

Risk of developing Alzheimer's disease is increased by older age, genetic factors, and several medical risk factors. Studies have also suggested that dietary and lifestyle factors may influence risk, raising the possibility that preventive strategies may be effective. This body of research is incomplete.