Ricerc@Sapienza

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Patients with cancer present high risk for involuntary body weight loss and reduced food intake, which, contributing to progressive tissue wasting and affecting the nutritional status, are often under-estimated in the clinical practice.

Attenuation of inflammatory and apoptotic responses in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has been associated with a reduction in end-organ failure and the improvement in outcome observed with conventional protective ventilation (1). Recent data show that further reductions of Vt improve outcomes, but extracorporeal CO2 removal (ECCO2R) is needed to manage respiratory acidosis (2).

Background: Biomarker could be objective and reliable tools to predict mortality in sepsis. We explored the prognostic utilities of emerging biomarkers in septic patients and questioned whether adding biomarkers to the clinical variables would improve the prediction of mortality in sepsis. Methods: This retrospective study included 157 septic patients (112 patients with sepsis; 45 patients with septic shock). Procalcitonin (PCT), presepsin, galectin-3, and soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) concentrations were analyzed in relation to the 30-day all-cause mortality.

Background: The deficiency of α1-antitrypsin (AAT) is secondary to misfolding and polymerization of the abnormal Z-AAT in liver cells and is associated with lung emphysema. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) produce AAT; however, it is not known whether Z-AAT can polymerize in AMs, further decreasing lung AAT and promoting lung inflammation. Our intention was to investigate whether AAT polymerizes in human AMs and to study the possible relation between polymerization and degree of lung inflammation.

Background & aims: The metabolic and functional characteristics related to sarcopenic obesity have not been thoroughly explored in the earlier stages of the aging process. The aim of the present study was to examine the phenotype of sarcopenic obesity, in terms of lean body mass, muscle strength and quality, in adult women with and without the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), and its relationship with the features of myosteatosis. Methods: Study participants were enrolled at the Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. Body composition was assessed by DXA.

Background/Objectives: There is no consensus on the definition of sarcopenic obesity (SO), resulting in inconsistent associations of SO with mortality risk. We aim to evaluate association of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) SO models with mortality risk in a US adult population (≥50 years). Subjects/Methods: The study population consisted of 3577 participants aged 50 years and older from the 1999–2004 National Health and Nutrition and Examination Survey with mortality follow-up data through December 31, 2011.

BACKGROUND:
Inadequate nutritional intake and altered response of aging muscles to anabolic stimuli from nutrients contribute to the development of sarcopenia. Nutritional interventions show inconsistent results in sarcopenic older adults, which might be influenced by their basal nutritional status.
OBJECTIVE:
To test if baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations and dietary protein intake influenced changes in muscle mass and function in older adults who received nutritional intervention.
METHODS AND DESIGN:

Background & aims: Nutrition education is necessary in the training of healthcare professionals, including medical students. However, recent surveys showed that there is a high variability within Medical Schools in different countries. The aim of this ESPEN position paper is to identify a minimum curriculum knowledge in nutrition that serves to improve the training of the future doctors and how to solve the main barriers of its implementation in university centres.