G Alberto

Publications (9)16.59 Total impact

• Article: Pregnancy induces molecular alterations reflecting impaired insulin control over glucose oxidative pathways that only in women with a family history of Type 2 diabetes last beyond pregnancy.

  M Piccinini, M Mostert, M A Seardo, S Bussolino, G Alberto, E Lupino, C Ramondetti, B Buccinnà, M T Rinaudo
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  ABSTRACT: In circulating lymphomonocytes (CLM) of patients with Type 2 diabetes (DM2) pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), the major determinant of glucose oxidative breakdown, is affected by a cohort of alterations reflecting impaired insulin stimulated glucose utilization. The cohort is also expressed, although incompletely, in 40% of healthy young subjects with a DM2-family history (FH). Pregnancy restrains glucose utilization in maternal peripheral tissues to satisfy fetal requirements. Here we explore whether pregnant women develop the PDH alterations and, if so, whether there are differences between women with and without FH (FH+, FH-). Ten FH+ and 10 FH- were evaluated during pregnancy (12-14, 24-26, and 37-39 weeks) and 1 yr after (follow-up) for fasting plasma glucose and insulin as well as body mass index (BMI), and for the PDH alterations. Twenty FH- and 20 FH+ non-pregnant women served as controls. All FH+ and FH- controls exhibited normal clinical parameters and 8 FH+ had an incomplete cohort of PDH alterations. In FH- and FH+ pregnant women at 12-14 weeks clinical parameters were normal; from 24-26 weeks, with unvaried glucose, insulin and BMI rose more in FH- and only in the latter recovered the 12-14 weeks values at follow-up. In all FH-, the cohort of PDH alterations was incomplete at 24-26 weeks, complete at 37-39 weeks, and absent at follow-up but complete from 12-14 weeks including follow-up in all FH+. In FH-, the cohort is an acquired trait restricted to pregnancy signaling transiently reduced insulin-stimulated glucose utilization; in FH+, instead, it unveils the existence of an inherited DM2-related background these women all have, that is awakened by pregnancy and as such lastingly impairs insulin-stimulated glucose utilization.
  Journal of endocrinological investigation 02/2009; 32(1):6-12. · 1.57 Impact Factor
• Article: Eosinophilic gastroenteritis with ascites: a case report and review of the literature.

  L M Fenoglio, V Benedetti, C Rossi, A Anania, K Wulhfard, M Trapani, E Scalabrino, G Alberto, D Novero, P Cavalloperin
  Digestive Diseases and Sciences 06/2003; 48(5):1013-20. · 2.12 Impact Factor
• Article: CASE REPORT: Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis with Ascites: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

  L.M. Fenoglio, V. Benedetti, C. Rossi, A. Anania, K. Wulhfard, M. Trapani, E. Scalabrino, G. Alberto, D. Novero, P. Cavalloperin
  Digestive Diseases and Sciences 04/2003; 48(5):1013-1020. · 2.12 Impact Factor
• Article: Atrial fibrillation and mitral prolapse in a subject affected by Refetoff syndrome.

  G Alberto, R F Novi, E Scalabrino, A Trombetta, M A Seardo, M Maurino, C Brossa
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  ABSTRACT: Inappropriate secretion of TSH (IST) refers to a heterogeneous group of syndromes in which patients show unsuppressed TSH levels in spite of high serum free thyroid hormone concentrations. It has been recognised that IST can be due to both thyroid hormone resistance (RTH) and pituitary TSH-secreting tumours. The former can be generalised (GRTH) or pituitary (PRTH) if the resistance is more severe in the pituitary than in the remaining tissues. This case report describes a peculiar coexistence of atrial fibrillation and mitral valve prolapse in a patient affected by generalized resistance to thyroid hormone. This finding is suggestive for a major and almost physiological sensitivity of the myocardium to the thyroid hormones activity which in the course of years may determine the modifications responsible for the pathologies described.
  Minerva cardioangiologica 05/2002; 50(2):157-60.
• Article: [Management of overweight and obese patient. New acquisition].

  R F Novi, E Scalabrino, M A Seardo, G Alberto, A Trombetta
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  ABSTRACT: Obesity is a chronic disease and prevalence and incidence are progressively increasing. Treatment of obesity is important to reduce mortality and associated diseases, like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, abnormal blood lipid levels, coronary heart disease, thromboembolic disease, cancer (endometrial, gallbladder, cervical, ovarian, breast, prostate and colorectal), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), gallbladder disease, respiratory disease, arthritis, gout. Most of these pathologies profits by a modest weight loss (5-10%). A correct management of obesity should include integration of therapeutic strategies, that we have actually at disposal: diet, physical training, behaviour therapy, pharmacologic therapy and surgery. We should get together low-calorie and low-fat diet with behaviour change and physical training. Physical training induces a significant weight loss and reduces cardiovascular risks and insulin resistance. Orlistat, that reduces up to 30% lipid adsorption, is a valid remedy if with an adequate diet. A new drug, sibutramine, shows efficacy: it increases satiety and energy expenditure caused by thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue. Surgical approaches including some procedures, are indicated for great obesity (BMI >40).
  Minerva gastroenterologica e dietologica 03/2002; 48(1):25-35.
• Article: In obese individuals dexfenfluramine corrects molecular derangements reflecting insulin resistance.

  M Piccinini, I Rabbone, R F Novi, G Alberto, M Mostert, A Musso, S Vai, S Gamba, M T Rinaudo
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  ABSTRACT: Circulating lymphocytes of obese individuals with and without type 2 diabetes have derangements of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) that are described as reflecting a disorder underlying systemic insulin resistance, namely basal activity below normal and, in vitro, unresponsiveness to insulin at 33 pmol/l and activation at 330 pmol/l instead of activation and inhibition as in controls. To explore whether the above enzyme derangements are overcome in obese individuals on dexfenfluramine treatment, known to improve poor peripheral insulin sensitivity. Fifteen obese diabetic patients and 15 age-matched euglycaemic obese subjects with normal glucose tolerance were enrolled for a trial composed of two 21-day periods; in the first (D-21-D0), participants received a placebo, and in the second (D0-D21), dexfenfluramine (30 mg/day). At D-21, D0 and D21 participants were evaluated for weight, BMI, fasting glycaemia (FG), fasting insulinaemia (FI), fasting insulin resistance index (FIRI), area under the glycaemic (G-AUC) and insulinaemic (I-AUC) curves from an OGT test, and for PDH activity assayed in their circulating lymphocytes before (basal activity) and after incubation with 33 or 330 pmol/l insulin. At D2, basal PDH activity and clinical parameters were assayed. In both groups of participants at D0 all parameters tested were constant with respect to D-21; at D2, only basal PDH activity rose significantly; at D21, basal and insulin stimulated PDH activities were normalized and weight decreased significantly, as did FG, FI, FIRI and G-AUC in the diabetic, and FI, FIRI, G-AUC and I-AUC in the non-diabetic participants. In obese, non-diabetic and diabetic individuals on dexfenfluramine treatment, amelioration of clinical parameters and indexes of poor insulin sensitivity of blood glucose homeostasis are preceded by correction, in their circulating lymphocytes, of PDH derangements described as reflecting a disorder underlying insulin resistance.
  International Journal of Obesity 07/2000; 24(6):735-41. · 4.69 Impact Factor
• Article: Abnormally high TSH in subject with thyrotoxicosis affected by congenital hypothyroidism. Case report.

  G Alberto, R F Novi, A Trombetta, M Maurino, M A Seardo, C Brossa, M Messina
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  ABSTRACT: Inappropriate secretion of TSH (IST) refers to a heterogeneous group of syndromes in which patients show unsuppressed TSH levels in spite of high serum free thyroid hormone concentrations. It has been recognised that IST can be due to both thyroid hormone resistance (RTH) and pituitary TSH-secreting tumours. The former can be generalised (GRTH) or pituitary (PRTH) if the resistance is more severe in the pituitary than in the rest of the tissues. This case report points out the persistence of this patient's TSH resistance to the inhibition of high concentrations of circulating thyroid hormones with clear symptoms of thyrotoxicosis even after many years of replacement therapy; it also suggests that in this case FT4 is the parameter to evaluate the therapy's effectiveness.
  Minerva endocrinologica 04/2000; 25(1):29-32. · 0.98 Impact Factor
• Article: [Increased body mass index increase and insulin resistance parameters in dyslipidemia. Risk and positive correlation in essential obesity].

  G Alberto, R F Novi, M Maurino, A Trombetta, G M Molinatti
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  ABSTRACT: Obesity is frequently characterized by hyperinsulinemia with insulin-resistance, tendency to impaired glucose tolerance and by impaired lipidic picture. The relationship existing between some obesity parameters i.e. BMI and weight excess (EP) regarding ideal weight calculated according Lorenz's formula and main parameters both of insulin-resistance and lipidic picture can be interesting. 58 obese subject (10 M e 48 F) age 38 +/- 6.2 years (mean +/- DS) with BMI 34.3 +/- 5.3 and EP 33.7 +/- 15; they didn't suffer from hypertension and diabetes; they was subjected to an OGTT and evaluation of glycemia and insulinemia after 0', 60', 90', 120', 150', 180'. Moreover an assessment of lipidic state (cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, LDL) was carried out. Glycemia and insulinemia with respective areas under curve (AUC glyc. e AUC ins.) and increases (AUCI glyc. e AUCI ins.) were compared with BMI and EP for searching relationship. The same was done for lipidic state. BMI was found positively related with glycemia after 0' (r = 0.3043, p < 0.05) 60' (r = 0.3465, p < 0.05) 120' (r = 0.2895, p < 0.05) with AUC glyc. (r = 0411, p < 0.01) and AUCI glyc. (r = 0.276, p < 0.05), with insulinemia after 0' (r = 0.365, p < 0.01) 60' (r = 0.350, p < 0.01) and with AUC ins. (r = 0.272, p < 0.05). HDL is negatively (r = -0.307, p < 0.05) instead of triglyceride positive related (r = 0.338, p < 0.05) with BMI. EP is positively related with glycemia after 0' (r = 0.376, p < 0.01), 60' (r = 0.362, p < 0.01), 120' (r = 0.290, p < 0.05), with AUC glyc. (r = 0.422, p < 0.01), with insulinemia after 0' (r = 0.512, p < 0.01), 60' (r = 0.473, p < 0.01) with AUC ins. (r = 0.420, p < 0.01) and AUCI ins. (r = 0.354, p < 0.01). Triglyceride was positively related (r = 0.365 p < 0.01) with EP. These relationships suggest that BMI and EP can be considered as indicators not only of obesity degree, but also of hyperinsulinemia and, to a lesser extent, dyslipidemia severity.
  Minerva endocrinologica 10/1998; 23(3):65-9. · 0.98 Impact Factor
• Article: Central nervous system manifestations of a valproic acid overdose responsive to naloxone.

  G Alberto, T Erickson, R Popiel, M Narayanan, D Hryhorczuk
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  ABSTRACT: We report the case of a 22-year-old man who presented with a depressed level of consciousness after ingesting valproic acid. He responded to IV naloxone; over a nine-hour period, his serum valproic acid level decreased from 180.4 to 59.2 micrograms/ml with multiple-dose charcoal therapy. We recommend the use of both agents in the treatment of valproic acid overdose.
  Annals of Emergency Medicine 09/1989; 18(8):889-91. · 4.13 Impact Factor