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Your search keyword '"Vassallo, Gabriele A."' showing total 4 results
Start Over Author "Vassallo, Gabriele A." Topic alcohol dependence
4 results on '"Vassallo, Gabriele A."'

1. Echocardiographic markers of early alcoholic cardiomyopathy: Six-month longitudinal study in heavy drinking patients

Author

Mirijello, Antonio, Sestito, Luisa, Lauria, Christian, Tarli, Claudia, Vassallo, Gabriele Angelo, Antonelli, Mariangela, D'Angelo, Cristina, Ferrulli, Anna, Crea, Filippo, Cossari, Anthony, Leggio, Lorenzo, De Cosmo, Salvatore, Gasbarrini, Antonio, and Addolorato, Giovanni

Subjects
Male, Ventricular Dysfunction, Left, Echocardiography, Cardiomyopathy, Alcoholic, Settore MED/09 - MEDICINA INTERNA, Internal Medicine, Humans, Female, Alcohol dependence, Longitudinal Studies, Article, Biomarkers, Ventricular Function, Left
Abstract

Background:The development of alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is related to chronic excessive alcohol use. However, features of early-stage ACM are still unclear. We assessed echocardiographic characteristics of patients with alcohol dependence (DSM-IV criteria) during a six-month treatment period. Methods:Active drinking patients, heavy alcohol users, without heart disease, referred to our Alcohol Addiction Unit were enrolled in the study. After signing informed consent, patients started outpatient treatment program. Echocardiography was performed at enrollment, then three and six months afterwards, by cardiologists blinded to drinking status. Results:Forty-three patients (36 males, 7 females) were enrolled. At six months, 20 patients (46.5%) reduced alcohol consumption below heavy drinking levels. Although within normal range, baseline mean IVS thickness and mean LVDD were significantly higher (p < 0.001) and mean EF significantly reduced (p = 0.009), as compared to age-matched mean references. Mean E/A ratio, DcT and LA diameter were significantly different (p < 0.001) from mean references, but within normal range. Baseline mean E/e' ratio was significantly higher than the mean reference (p < 0.001) and out of the normal range. A significant correlation between the number of drinks per drinking days in the 7 days before baseline assessment and E/e' ratio was observed (p = 0.028). After six months, a trend-level reduction of mean E/e' ratio (p = 0.051) was found in the whole sample; this reduction was statistically significant (p = 0.041) among patients reducing drinking, compared to baseline. Conclusions:Altered E/e' ratio may characterize early-ACM before the occurrence of relevant echocardiographic alterations. The reduction of alcohol consumption could restore this alteration after six months.

Published
2022
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3. Liver Transplantation in Alcoholic Patients: Impact of an Alcohol Addiction Unit Within a Liver Transplant Center.

Author

Addolorato, Giovanni, Mirijello, Antonio, Leggio, Lorenzo, Ferrulli, Anna, D'Angelo, Cristina, Vassallo, Gabriele, Cossari, Anthony, Gasbarrini, Giovanni, Landolfi, Raffaele, Agnes, Salvatore, and Gasbarrini, Antonio

Subjects
COMPLICATIONS of alcoholism, PREVENTION of alcoholism, ALCOHOLISM treatment, TREATMENT of cirrhosis of the liver, DISEASE relapse prevention, ALCOHOLIC liver diseases, CONFIDENCE intervals, STATISTICAL correlation, EPIDEMIOLOGY, CIRRHOSIS of the liver, LIVER transplantation, RESEARCH funding, SURVIVAL analysis (Biometry), T-test (Statistics), LOGISTIC regression analysis, DATA analysis, HUMAN services programs, RETROSPECTIVE studies, DATA analysis software, DESCRIPTIVE statistics, THERAPEUTICS
Abstract

Background Many concerns about liver transplantation in alcoholic patients are related to the risk of alcohol recidivism. Starting from 2002, an Alcohol Addiction Unit ( AAU) was formed within the liver transplant center for the management of alcoholic patients affected by end-stage liver disease and included in the waiting list for transplantation. We evaluated retrospectively the impact of the AAU on alcohol recidivism after transplantation. The relationship between alcohol recidivism and the duration of alcohol abstinence before transplant was evaluated as well. Methods Between 1995 and 2010, 92 cirrhotic alcoholic patients underwent liver transplantation. Clinical evaluation and management of alcohol use in these patients was provided by psychiatrists with expertise in addiction medicine not affiliated to the liver transplant center before 2002 ( n = 37; group A), or by the clinical staff of the AAU within the liver transplant center starting from 2002 ( n = 55; group B). Results Group B, as compared with group A, showed a significantly lower prevalence of alcohol recidivism (16.4 vs. 35.1%; p = 0.038) and a significantly lower mortality (14.5 vs. 37.8%; p = 0.01). Furthermore, an analysis of group B patients with either ≥6 or <6 months of alcohol abstinence before transplantation showed no difference in the rate of alcohol recidivism (21.1 vs. 15.4%; p = ns). Conclusions The presence of an AAU within a liver transplant center reduces the risk of alcohol recidivism after transplantation. A pretransplant abstinence period <6 months might be considered, at least in selected patients managed by an AAU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2013
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4. Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Alcohol Use Disorder Patients: Effects on Dopamine Transporter Availability and Alcohol Intake.

Author

Addolorato, Giovanni, Antonelli, Mariangela, Cocciolillo, Fabrizio, Vassallo, Gabriele A., Tarli, Claudia, Sestito, Luisa, Mirijello, Antonio, Ferrulli, Anna, Pizzuto, Daniele A., Camardese, Giovanni, Miceli, Antonio, Diana, Marco, Giordano, Alessandro, Gasbarrini, Antonio, and Di Giuda, Daniela

Subjects
*TRANSCRANIAL magnetic stimulation, *PREFRONTAL cortex, *PEOPLE with alcoholism, *SINGLE photon emission computerized tomography centers, *PHYSIOLOGICAL effects of dopamine, *PHYSIOLOGY
Abstract

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may affect neuro-adaptations associated with alcohol use disorder (AUD), potentially influencing craving and alcohol intake. We investigated alcohol intake and dopamine transporter (DAT) availability by Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) in the striatum of AUD patients before and after deep rTMS. Fourteen patients underwent baseline clinical and SPECT assessment. Eleven out of fourteen patients were randomized into two groups for the REAL (n.5) or SHAM (n.6) treatment. Clinical and SPECT evaluations were then carried out after four weeks of rTMS sessions (T1). At baseline, AUD patients showed higher striatal DAT availability than healthy control subjects (HC). Patients receiving the REAL stimulation revealed a reduction in DAT availability at T1, whereas the SHAM-treated group did not. In addition, patients receiving the REAL stimulation had a decrease in alcohol intake. The results of this longitudinal pilot study may suggest a modulatory effect of deep rTMS on dopaminergic terminals and a potential clinical efficacy in reducing alcohol intake in AUD patients. Further investigations are required to confirm these preliminary data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2017
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