Publications (44) View all
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Article: Stroke incidence and 30-day and six-month case fatality rates in Udine, Italy: a population-based prospective study.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Stroke incidence in high-income countries is reported to decrease, and new data on stroke incidence and outcome are needed to design stroke services and to ameliorate stroke management. METHODS: This study is part of a two-year prospective community-based registry of all cerebrovascular events in the district of Udine (153 312 inhabitants), Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, northeast of Italy, between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2009. Overlapping sources for case finding were used, combining hot and cold pursuit. RESULTS: We identified 784 stroke cases, 640 (81·6%) incident. The crude overall annual incidence rate per 100 000 residents was 256 (95% confidence interval 241-271) for all strokes and 209 (95% confidence interval 195-223) for first-ever strokes. Incidence rate for first-ever strokes was 181 (95% confidence interval 155-211) after adjustment to the 2007 Italian population and 104 (95% confidence interval 88-122) compared with the European standard population. Incidence rates for first-ever strokes was 215 (196-235) for women, 202 (183-223) for men. Crude annual incidence rates per 100 000 population were 167 (153-178) for ischemic stroke, 31 (26-37) for intracerebral hemorrhage, 8·1 (5·7-11·4) for sub-arachnoid hemorrage, and 4·6 (2·8-7·1) for undetermined stroke. Overall case fatality rates for first-ever stroke were 20·6% at 28 days and 30·2% at 180 days. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows incidence rates higher than previously reported in our region but not supporting the view of higher incidence rates in Northern than in Southern Italy. Results contribute to time-trends analysis on epidemiology, useful for dimensioning services in Italy and show the persistence of a gap between the outcome of stroke in Italy and that of the best performing European countries, urging to adopt better stroke management plans.International Journal of Stroke 03/2013; · 2.38 Impact Factor -
Article: Letter by D'Anna et al Regarding Article, "Long-Term Mortality in Patients With Stroke of Undetermined Etiology"
Stroke 11/2012; · 5.73 Impact Factor -
Article: Should the definition of "sleep hygiene" be antedated of a century? A historical note based on an old book by Paolo Mantegazza, rediscovered : To place in a new historical context the development of the concept of sleep hygiene.
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ABSTRACT: The article contains a historical note on the concept of sleep hygiene, developed in 1977 by Peter Hauri, who developed a set of sleep-promoting rules, considered the fundament for sleep-hygiene techniques. Somnologists, unanimously ascribed to Hauri the fatherhood of the lucky term, while numerous books included at least a section on sleep hygiene. "Inadequate sleep hygiene" was included as a nosological entity in the International Classification of Sleep Disorders. This article intends to demonstrate that the concept of sleep hygiene was developed many years before, thanks to the pioneering work of Paolo Mantegazza, a scientist and a professor in the Medical School of the University of Pavia, Italy. After presenting briefly the history of the University of Pavia and illustrating the profile of Paolo Mantegazza, the article presents the original book published by Mantegazza in 1864 (second edition in 1865). The authors report extensive citations of Mantegazza's original book dealing with sleep hygiene. Mantegazza's indications, compared with Hauri's rules show important similarities. The authors support the view that the fatherhood of sleep hygiene should be acknowledged to Mantegazza and antedated to 1864. Hauri keeps the merit of giving more solid scientific roots to the concept of sleep hygiene and of inserting it in the frame of modern sleep medicine.Neurological Sciences 06/2012; · 1.32 Impact Factor -
Article: The accuracy of discharge diagnosis coding for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in a large teaching hospital
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ABSTRACT: To evaluate the accuracy of hospital discharge data as a source of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) cases for epidemiological studies or disease registries, a validation study was performed. All records of patients discharged in 2005 and 2006 with principal or secondary International Classification of Diseases, 9th rev., Clinical Modification (ICD 9 CM) diagnosis code of ALS (335.20), other anterior horn cell disease (335), spinal cord disease (336), hereditary and idiopathic peripheral neuropathy (356), inflammatory and toxic neuropathy (357), myoneural disorders (358), muscular dystrophies and myopathies (359), were selected from the electronic archive of discharge data of the University Hospital of Udine, Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, North East Italy. Corresponding clinical documentation was reviewed to ascertain the presence of El Escorial criteria, the gold standard. Sensitivity of the ICD 9 CM discharge code 335.20 was 93% (95%CI: 82–99%) and decreased to 91% (95%CI: 77–98%) when suspect ALS was excluded. Specificity was 99% (95%CI: 97–99%). The ICD 9 CM discharge code 335.20 can identify a high percentage of hospitalizations of patients truly affected by ALS and of patients with no ALS, among selected neurological diagnostic codes. To ensure complete ALS case ascertainment, prospective population-based registries or epidemiologic studies require active prospective surveillance and use of multiple sources, among them hospital discharge archives can provide accurate information.European Journal of Epidemiology 04/2012; 24(10):635-640. · 4.71 Impact Factor -
Article: Drugs with anticholinergic properties: cognitive and neuropsychiatric side-effects in elderly patients
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ABSTRACT: Drug consumption in older people is usually high and many prescribed medications have unsuspected anticholinergic (ACH) (Table 1) properties. Drug induced ACH side-effects are particularly severe in aging brain and even more in demented patients. This review will focus on the association between ACH drug intake and the risk of developing central nervous system side-effects in elderly people. The threat of developing cognitive impairment, psychosis and delirium will be particularly analyzed.Neurological Sciences 04/2012; 30(2):87-92. · 1.32 Impact Factor
