Mediterranean diet and the risk of poor semen quality: cross-sectional analysis of men referring to an Italian Fertility Clinic.

BACKGROUND: Several diet patterns have been suggested as involved in processes of spermatogenesis and thus in male subfertility. To study the relation between Mediterranean diet and abnormal sperm parameters in men of subfertile couples, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a prospective cohort study. METHODS: Patients were enrolled in an Italian Fertility Clinic. Couples undergoing assisted reproduction techniques (ART) were interviewed to obtain information on personal and health history, lifestyle habits, and diet, on the day of oocyte retrieval. On the same day, a semen sample was also collected and analyzed to proceed with ART. Adherence to Mediterranean diet was evaluated using a Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for semen volume <1.5 mL, sperm concentration <15 mil/mL, and total count <39 mil. RESULTS: Three hundred nine men, age range 27-60, were enrolled: 19.3% had semen volume < 1.5 mL, 30.5% sperm concentration <15 mil/mL, and 32.1% total count <39 mil. MDS was low (0-3) in 86 men (27.8%), intermediate (4-5) in 131 (42.4%), and high (6-9) in 92 (29.8%). Semen volume was not associated with MDS. Compared to the highest MDS category (6-9), the ORs for low sperm concentration were 1.34 (95% CI 0.69-2.50) for MDS 4-5 and 2.42 (95% CI 1.21-4.83) for MDS 0-3, with significant trend (p = 0.011). The corresponding estimates for total count were 1.26 (95% CI 0.66-2.42) and 2.08 (95% CI 1.05-4.12), with significant trend (p = 0.034). These findings were consistent in strata of history of reproductive organ diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Mediterranean Diet Score was positively associated with normal sperm concentration and total count, but not with semen volume.

Alcohol intake and semen variables: cross-sectional analysis of a prospective cohort study of men referring to an Italian Fertility Clinic.

BACKGROUND: The association between alcohol intake and male reproductive function is still controversial. In the frame of a prospective cohort study, designed to investigate the relation between life style and fertility, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of semen quality. METHODS: Men of subfertile couples, referring to an Italian Infertility Unit and eligible for assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs), were asked about their lifestyle: BMI, smoking, caffeine intake, occupational and leisure physical activity (PA) and alcohol intake in the last year before ART procedure. Semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count and sperm motility were determined. Age, risk factors for impaired male fertility, caffeine, smoking, leisure PA, days of abstinence and daily calories intake were accounted for in the analyses. RESULTS: Between September 2014 and December 2016, we enrolled 323 male patients, mean age 39.3 years. Thirty-one (9.6%) were abstainers, 97 (30.0%) drank <1-3, 98 (30.3%) 4-7 and 97 (30.0%) ≥8 alcohol units per week. As compared to men drinking <1-3 units per week, median semen volume was higher in the 4-7 units/week group (3.0 mL, interquartile range, IQR, 2.0-4.0 vs. 2.4 mL, IQR 1.7-3.5), as well as total sperm count (87.9 mil/mL, IQR 20.2-182.1 vs. 51.5 mil/mL, IQR 15.2-114.7). Association with sperm concentration was also significant, with a U-shaped trend in groups of alcohol intake. After adjusting for potential confounders, these relations were confirmed. Similar patterns were observed in subgroups of leisure PA and risk factors for impaired male fertility, although these estimates often lacked statistical significance, presumably because of low sample size. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate alcohol intake appears positively associated to semen quality in male partners of infertile couples undergoing ARTs.

Nutritional status, metabolic state and nutrient intake in children with bronchiolitis.

Nutrition has a coadjuvant role in the management of children with acute diseases. We aimed to examine nutritional status, macronutrient requirements and actual macronutrient delivery in bronchiolitis. The nutritional status was classified according to WHO criteria and resting energy expenditure (MREE) was measured using an indirect calorimeter. Bland-Altman analysis was used to examine the agreement between MREE and estimated energy expenditure (EEE) with standard equations. Based on the ratio MREE/EEE in relation to Schofield equation on admission, we defined the subjects' metabolic status. A total of 35 patients were enrolled and 46% were malnourished on admission, and 25.8% were hypermetabolic, 37.1% hypometabolic and 37.1% normometabolic. We performed a 24-h recall in 10 children and 80% were overfed (AEI: MREE >120%). Mean bias (limits of agreement) with MREE was 8.9 (-73.9 to 91.8%) for Schofield; 61.0 (-41 to 163%) for Harris-Benedict; and 9.9 (-74.4 to 94.2%) for FAO-WHO equation. Metabolism of infants with bronchiolitis is not accurately estimated by equations.

Familial and dietary risk factors in Early Childhood Caries.

AIM: To evaluate the causes of Early Childhood Caries. STUDY DESIGN: A statistical comparison of two groups of patients, aged between 3 and 6, and their parents, in the 3-year period 2013-2015 was performed. Two groups of patients were selected: 40 children with early childhood caries (ECC group) and 40 children with no decay (controls). Parents were asked to fill out a questionnaire on food habits, oral hygiene habits, fluoride prophylaxis and family history of caries. A dental visit of children and parents was performed (collection of dmft and DMFT index). The saliva features of the two groups of children (concentration of Streptococcus mutans, pH of the oral cavity and buffer capability of stimulated saliva) were examined by means of salivary tests. The distribution of the population was analysed and parametric and non-parametric tests for continuous and non-continuous variables, were used when appropriate. The statistical significance was set at p > 0.005. RESULTS AND STATISTICS: The average age, gender and BMI index of children of the two groups was similar. The difference between the two groups is statistically significant for pH (p=0.000) and buffer capability (p=0.001). The DMFT index in the group of mothers of ECC children is higher compared to the mothers of controls (p=0.004). The comparison among the means, for the parameters connected to the consumption of fruit juice, tea, soft drinks, candies, use of pacifier dipped in sugar or honey and the length (in months) of consumption of candies show statistically significant differences (p>0.05). The pH is higher in those children (24) who never consumed fruit juice, tea, soft drinks before the information received (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Children developing Early Childhood Caries have a diet characterised by high free sugars intake. Diet and, in particular, the consumption of drinks containing free sugars is the most important factor in determining the onset of ECC, being able to affect the oral environment and, in particular, saliva. There is a relationship between maternal and child's oral health, with a DMFT higher in mothers of ECC subjects than in controls' mothers.

What do men and women ask a helpline on sexual concerns? Results of an Italian telephone counselling service.

INTRODUCTION: In Europe, helplines have become a common counselling service for men and women who are seeking advice for sexual problems. Despite this, relatively few peer-reviewed reports on this subject have been published in the last decade. AIM: To investigate the range of sexual concerns reported by users of an Italian helpline and to describe the differences, if any, between male and female callers; to identify the overlap among sexual difficulties and the associations between the variables of the study. METHODS: The study included selected records of the calls received during the 3-year period between 2006 and 2008 (n = 944). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis. RESULTS: Users were more often male (62.2%), aged between 26 and 35 years, who had not sought any previous help. The most frequently reported male sexual difficulties were erectile dysfunction (ED) and premature ejaculation, while the majority of female callers reported vaginismus and orgasmic disorder (OD). We found an association between desire disorder (DD) and ED in men (41.7%), and between OD and DD in women (36.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Telephone counselling is an important and effective resource to elicit requests that otherwise might remain hidden; therefore, it can be a useful link between the health-care system and callers. This is true mainly for men. The next step could be to establish a quality management instrument to investigate whether users find the service helpful.

The influence of caregiver burden on sexual intimacy and marital satisfaction in couples with an Alzheimer spouse.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates affective and sexual dimensions in partners involved as caregivers of Alzheimer dementia (AD) subjects. A negative correlation between burden of the caregiver and sexual-affective quality of life was assumed. DESIGN AND METHODS: Hundred participants with AD partner (33 male, 67 female), aged between 55 and 85 years were recruited and data were collected from the Caregiver Burden Inventory scale and a semi-structured interview that included demographic information, medical history, relationship and sexual satisfaction, and current sexual function. AD group was compared with a control group (CG) (N=100) matched for age, sex, education and marital status on measures of the semi-structured interview. Data were analysed using frequency count, univariate analysis (chi-squared and ANOVA) and bivariate correlation. RESULTS: The findings revealed that mean burden level was 31.59 (SD 19.51). A difference between experimental and CGs was found for sexual and affective marital satisfaction (p<0.05). The same variables showed a rather negative correlation with total burden levels (r=-0.374, p<0.001; r=-0.448, p<0.001).