Ghrelin concentration as an indicator of eating-disorder risk in obese women.

AIM: Eating disorders (EDs), disordered eating (DE) and obesity are thought to have overlapping aetiological processes. DE in obesity can jeopardize weight-loss results, and acyl ghrelin (AG) is a hormone that stimulates food intake and reward processes. The main study objective was to determine whether higher-than-expected concentrations of AG in common obesity are associated with DE symptoms. METHODS: The study population included 84 women, aged 20-55 years, free of established EDs: 55 were severely obese (OB) and 29 were of normal weight (NW). OB participants were stratified into two groups according to their median concentration of fasting AG distribution. The OB women with a high fasting plasma ghrelin concentration (HGC) were compared with both OB women with a low fasting plasma ghrelin concentration (LGC) and NW women. Participants were assessed by the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-2), Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Fasting glucose, insulin, leptin and ghrelin plasma concentrations were also quantified. RESULTS: Between the two AG groups of OB women, there was no statistical difference in either anthropometric or metabolic parameters, HADS, TFEQ or fasting hunger scores. However, the HGC group scored significantly higher than the LGC group on the drive-for-thinness subscale of EDI-2 (9.30±0.99 vs. 6.46±0.83, respectively; P=0.033). CONCLUSION: Results support the hypothesis of a potential relationship between fasting plasma AG concentrations and ED risk, regardless of mood and anxiety. AG may be considered a potential biomarker of vulnerability for developing EDs.

[ERPs (N200, P300 and CNV) in alcoholics: relapse risk assessment]. / Les potentiels évoqués cognitifs chez les patients alcooliques: évaluation du risque de rechute.

The cognitive event-related potentials were studied in a group of 55 alcoholic patients, paired in age and sex with a group of 18 control subjects, using a protocol oddball (visual and auditory) and a protocol VCN Go/Nogo. The N200 obtained using an auditory oddball paradigm had lower amplitude in alcoholics than in controls. A significant amplitude decrease of visual P300 was also observed in alcoholic male subjects. There was however no difference in auditory P300 between alcoholics and control subjects. Using a Go/Nogo paradigm, a significant difference on the final part of the VCN appears between alcoholic and pilot subjects. In addition, the longitudinal follow-up of the same alcoholic patients showed an electrophysiological profile that allowed dividing them into two different groups. On the initial recording (17 days after weaning), the auditory oddball P300 amplitude was significantly higher at Cz and Pz among patients who relapsed during the 3 months follow-up. The same effect appeared on the CNV protocol, where the amplitude of P300 was higher in patients who subsequently relapsed than for those who remained abstinent. Cognitive ERPs may be clinically useful to improve the prediction of risk of relapse among alcoholic patients.

Epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma in a province of northern Italy: prevalence of the risk factors and incidence in the population.

AIMS: Epidemiologic studies on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in limited geographic areas of Italy are rare, and most of them derive from autopsies. We retrospectively analyzed the prevalence of risk factors (sex, age, HBsAg, alcoholism, cirrhosis) in 137 HCC diagnosed between 1980 and 1989 in a single centre of northern Italy (Bergamo). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: One hundred and nine of the HCC (79.6%) occurred in men (M:F = 3.9:1); 35.8% were HBsAg+ and 41.4% had histories of alcoholism. There were significant differences between men and women as regards prevalence of HBsAg+ (40.4% vs 17.9%; p = 0.046) and alcoholism (47.6% vs 17.9%, p = 0.008). The mean age of the patients was 63.6 years (range, 40-82), with significant differences between men and women (62.4 +/- 08 vs 68.2 +/- 1.4, p = 0.001), between HCC/HBsAg+ and HCC/HBsAg- (59.1 +/- 1.1 vs 66.1 +/- 0.8, p = 0.00001) and between alcoholics and nonalcoholics (61.6 +/- 1.1 vs 64.8 +/- 0.9; p = 0.03). Liver cirrhosis was associated with HCC in 104/122 cases (data not available for 15 patients) without differences in distribution of sex, age, HBsAg+ or alcoholism between HCC with cirrhosis and HCC without cirrhosis. Incidence was calculated for the surrounding territory of the hospital center (10 towns, districts 5 and 6, USSL 30). Fifty-four cases of HCC were found in this area over the 10-year period, in according with a mean standardized incidence rate (Lombardy population 1971) of 11.7/100,000 inhabitants/year (c.i. 95%, 1.49-21.86).

[Autonomic neuropathy in reduced glucose tolerance]. / La neuropatia autonomica nella ridotta tolleranza glucidica.

33 subjects belonging to I.G.T. class according to N.D.D.G. criteria and controlled in our ambulatory, have been studied for the response to the tests usually employed for the investigation of parasympathetic and sympathetic cardiovascular innervation. We have found pathological values for the SL1 test and borderline values for SL2 and LS tests; on the contrary all the other tests presented normal values. The Authors conclude that signs of deterioration of cardiac and vascular innervation, especially regarding the parasympathetic nervous system, can be present also in the subjects showing a small glucose metabolism alteration. This subclinical alterations do not depend on factors which can interfere with the responses to the tests (as age, boyd weight, sex and presence or absence of diabetic familiarity) but on glucose metabolism alteration. Hence also the subjects with I.G.T. have to be considered as a at risk population, like the neuropathic diabetics.

[Clinical applicability of an enzyme micromethod for the rapid determination of blood sugar]. / Applicabilità clinica di un micrometodo enzimatico per la determinazione rapida della glicemia

The clinical applicability of an enzymatic micromethod for the fast determination of glycaemia is discussed. The method is based on the use of an optical reflectometer for the quantitative reading of the variation in colour intensity of specific reactive strips for the semi-quantitative evaluation of blood glucose. Thanks to the method's rapidity and simplicity, it can be used for mass screening and is also very useful for the routine investigations of Diabetologic Centres. It is also invaluable for the identification of emergency clinical situations.