Toxic metals (Hg, Cd, and Pb) in fishery products imported into Italy: suitability for human consumption.

Mercury, cadmium, and lead concentrations were determined in various fishery products (fishes, cephalopod molluscs, and crustaceans) imported into Italy from many European and non-European coastal countries. Considerable differences were found in the concentrations of these metals among the products tested. The highest mean Hg concentration was found in fishes (0.21 µg g(-1) wet weight), whereas cephalopods had the highest mean Cd concentration (0.35 µg g(-1) wet weight). Swordfish (0.80 µg g(-1) wet weight), longtail tuna (0.53 µg g(-1) wet weight), and thornback ray (0.52 µg g(-1) wet weight) had the highest concentrations of Hg, whereas maximum Cd concentrations were found in samples of common cuttlefish (0.85 µg g(-1) wet weight) and common octopus (0.64 µg g(-1) wet weight). The majority of the samples analyzed were in compliance with European Union legislation, except for a few cases. The calculated mean weekly intakes of Hg, Cd, and Pb through consumption of the fishery products tested were all below the legislated respective provisional tolerable weekly intakes. In general, the samples analyzed were considered safe to eat with regard to the metal concentrations found and the allowable intakes based on legislation. Nevertheless, the consumption of some species may be of significant importance for consumer health.

[Risk stratification after acute myocardial infarction: limitations of dobutamine stress echocardiography in females]. / Stratificazione del rischio dopo infarto miocardico acuto: limiti dell'eco-stress dobutamina nel sesso femminile.

BACKGROUND: Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is an imaging test widely used for risk stratification of patients after acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: We evaluated the sensitivity of DSE with respect to the gender and the stenotic coronary artery in patients who survived a myocardial infarction and with angiographic evidence of single-vessel coronary artery disease. RESULTS: The sensitivity of DSE was generally low. In particular, it was significantly lower in the presence of stenosis of the left circumflex and right coronary arteries with respect to the left anterior descending coronary artery. In females it was lower, especially when the stenosis involved the right coronary and left circumflex arteries. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that in female gender the use of other imaging tests and particularly of coronarography should be strongly recommended for risk stratification after acute myocardial infarction.

[Infusion of flecainide in a patient with atrial fibrillation and latent Brugada's syndrome has determined modifications of the electrocardiogram similar to those of a septal myocardial infarct]. / L'infusione di flecainide in un paziente con fibrillazione atriale e sindrome di Brugada latente ha determinato modificazioni dell'elettrocardiogramma simili a quelle di un infarto miocardico settale.

ST-segment elevation in the presence of typical chest pain is a fundamental criterion for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. We describe the case of a 62-year-old male with latent Brugada syndrome in whom the intravenous infusion of flecainide for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation caused ECG abnormalities similar to those of an acute septal myocardial infarction. The patient was not submitted to systemic thrombolysis since accurate echocardiographic evaluation was not suggestive of the presence of any wall motion abnormality and blood analysis did not reveal any increase in the levels of myocardial enzymes. The clinical outcome was not complicated and the patient was finally discharged.