Corinna Bergamini
University of Verona
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Publication
Featured researches published by Corinna Bergamini.
European Journal of Heart Failure | 2009
Corinna Bergamini; Mariantonietta Cicoira; Andrea Rossi; Corrado Vassanelli
Heart failure (HF) is a state of chronic deterioration of oxidative mechanisms due to enhanced oxidative stress and consequent subcellular alterations. In this condition, oxidant‐producing enzymes, in particular xanthine oxidase (XO), the major cardiovascular source of reactive oxygen species (ROS), are up‐regulated. Growing evidence shows that this impaired oxidative metabolism due to enhanced ROS release is implicated in the development of cardiac hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis, left ventricular remodelling, and contractility impairment responsible for worsening of cardiac function in CHF. Uric acid (UA) has long been linked with cardiovascular diseases, and hyperuricaemia is a common finding in patients with CHF. Hyperuricaemia is associated with impairment of peripheral blood flow and reduced vasodilator capacity, which relate closely to clinical status and reduced exercise capacity. Recent studies also suggest an association between UA levels and parameters of diastolic function; more importantly, UA has emerged as a strong independent prognostic factor in patients with CHF. In this review, we describe the up‐to‐date experimental and clinical studies that have begun to test whether the inhibition of XO translates into meaningful beneficial pathophysiological changes. This treatment gives evidence that myocardial energy, endothelial dysfunction, and vasodilator reactivity to exercise are improved by reducing markers of oxidative stress responsible for vascular dysfunction, so it represents an interesting therapeutic alternative for better outcome in CHF patients.
Diabetes Care | 2016
Alessandro Mantovani; Antonio Rigamonti; Stefano Bonapace; Bruna Bolzan; Matteo Pernigo; Giovanni Morani; Lorenzo Franceschini; Corinna Bergamini; Lorenzo Bertolini; Filippo Valbusa; Riccardo Rigolon; Isabella Pichiri; Giacomo Zoppini; Enzo Bonora; Francesco Violi; Giovanni Targher
OBJECTIVE Recent studies have suggested that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with an increased risk of heart rate–corrected QT interval prolongation and atrial fibrillation in patients with type 2 diabetes. Currently, no data exist regarding the relationship between NAFLD and ventricular arrhythmias in this patient population. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the data of 330 outpatients with type 2 diabetes without preexisting atrial fibrillation, end-stage renal disease, or known liver diseases who had undergone 24-h Holter monitoring for clinical reasons between 2013 and 2015. Ventricular arrhythmias were defined as the presence of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT), >30 premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) per hour, or both. NAFLD was diagnosed by ultrasonography. RESULTS Compared with patients without NAFLD, those with NAFLD (n = 238, 72%) had a significantly higher prevalence of >30 PVCs/h (19.3% vs. 6.5%, P < 0.005), nonsustained VT (14.7% vs. 4.3%, P < 0.005), or both (27.3% vs. 9.8%, P < 0.001). NAFLD was associated with a 3.5-fold increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias (unadjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.47 [95% CI 1.65–7.30], P < 0.001). This association remained significant even after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, smoking, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, serum γ-glutamyltransferase levels, medication use, and left ventricular ejection fraction (adjusted OR 3.01 [95% CI 1.26–7.17], P = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS This is the first observational study to show that NAFLD is independently associated with an increased risk of prevalent ventricular arrhythmias in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Europace | 2010
Giovanni Morani; Corinna Bergamini; Carlo Angheben; Laura Pozzani; Mariantonietta Cicoira; Luca Tomasi; Daniela Lanza; Corrado Vassanelli
AIMS External electrical cardioversion (EC) usually requires brief general anaesthesia involving anaesthetists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of inducing anaesthesia for EC of atrial fibrillation (AF) exclusively by the cardiologic team with anaesthetists on-hand. METHODS AND RESULTS A retrospective analysis of 624 elective EC, over a 6-year period, was made. No patients were excluded due to the severity of pathology or comorbidities. The protocol of the intravenous anaesthesia was 5 mg bolus of midazolam and subsequent increasing doses of propofol starting from 20 mg to achieve the desired sedation level. After delivering DC shock, a direct observation period followed in order to assess the post-sedation recovery and to detect the procedure-related complications. Electrical cardioversion was effective in 98.9% of the cases. General anaesthesia was effective in 100% of cases with a dosage of propofol, ranging between 20 mg to a maximum of 80 mg, after 5 mg of midazolam was administered. All patients generally showed a fast recovery waking up in a few minutes. The anaesthesiology team was never called for assistance. All the procedures were carried out by the cardiologic team as planned. No thrombo-embolic and allergic complications were observed. Arrhythmic complications were uncommon and essentially bradyarrhythmias. CONCLUSION A general anaesthesia for outpatient EC of AF can be safely handled by a cardiologist having adequate experience with anaesthetical agents. Moreover, the association of midazolam and a very small dosage of propofol, given their synergic action, is effective and safe in inducing anaesthesia. Arrhythmic complications are rare and limited to bradyarrhythmias.
International Journal of Cardiology | 2013
Michela Moraldo; Corinna Bergamini; Anura Malaweera; Niti M. Dhutia; Punam A. Pabari; Keith Willson; Resham Baruah; Charlotte H. Manisty; Justin E. Davies; Xiao Yun Xu; Alun D. Hughes; Darrel P. Francis
Background Effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA) in mitral regurgitation (MR) is difficult to quantify. Clinically it is measured using the proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) method, which is intrinsically not automatable, because it requires the operator to manually identify the mitral valve orifice. We introduce a new fully automated algorithm, (“AQURO”), which calculates EROA directly from echocardiographic colour M-mode data, without requiring operator input. Methods Multiple PISA measurements were compared to multiple AQURO measurements in twenty patients with MR. For PISA analysis, three mutually blinded observers measured EROA from the four stored video loops. For AQURO analysis, the software automatically processed the colour M-mode datasets and analysed the velocity field in the flow-convergence zone to extract EROA directly without any requirement for manual radius measurement. Results Reproducibility, measured by intraclass correlation (ICC), for PISA was 0.80, 0.83 and 0.83 (for 3 observers respectively). Reproducibility for AQURO was 0.97. Agreement between replicate measurements calculated using Bland-Altman standard deviation of difference (SDD) was 21,17 and 17mm2for the three respective observers viewing independent video loops using PISA. Agreement between replicate measurements for AQURO was 6, 5 and 7mm2for automated analysis of the three pairs of datasets. Conclusions By eliminating the need to identify the orifice location, AQURO avoids an important source of measurement variability. Compared with PISA, it also reduces the analysis time allowing analysis and averaging of data from significantly more beats, improving the consistency of EROA quantification. AQURO, being fully automated, is a simple, effective enhancement for EROA quantification using standard echocardiographic equipment.
The Cardiology | 2011
Giorgio Golia; Aldo Milano; Mikhail Dodonov; Corinna Bergamini; Giuseppe Faggian; Anna Tomezzoli; Corrado Vassanelli
Aim: It was the aim of our study to determine whether myocardial fibrosis influences physiologic or non-physiologic left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy in severe aortic stenosis. Methods: Myocardial fibrosis was evaluated using specimens taken from the ventricular septum in 79 patients submitted to aortic valve replacement because of symptomatic aortic stenosis. Patients were considered to have physiologic LV hypertrophy if end-systolic wall stress, evaluated by echocardiography, was <90 kdyn/cm2, while those with end-systolic wall stress >90 kdyn/cm2 were considered to have non-physiologic hypertrophy. Results: Fibrosis tissue mass index was significantly inversely related with LV fractional shortening and directly related with LV diastolic and systolic diameter and LV mass index (LVMI). Patients with non-physiologic hypertrophy (n = 24) had a higher LVMI due to larger LV diastolic and systolic diameters with thinner wall, resulting in lower relative wall thickness. These patients had a higher fibrosis tissue mass index and impaired LV systolic and diastolic functions, as suggested by lower LV fractional shortening and higher mean wedge pressure. At follow-up of 7.4 ± 2.1 months, the LVMI and New York Heart Association class remained higher in patients with non-physiologic hypertrophy. Conclusions: Our study suggests a different quality of hypertrophies in patients with aortic stenosis, where myocardial fibrosis seems to be the critical abnormality that differentiates adaptive from maladaptive response to increased afterload.
Hypertension Research | 2014
Ricciarda Raffaelli; Maria Antonia Prioli; Francesca Parissone; Daniele Prati; Michela Carli; Corinna Bergamini; Giuseppe Cacici; Debora Balestreri; Corrado Vassanelli; Massimo Franchi
Pre-eclampsia complicates approximately 6–8% of all pregnancies. Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated a relationship between pre-eclampsia and cardiac morbidity and mortality later in life, but the effect of pre-eclampsia on electrical cardiac activity during the acute phase has not yet been understood. The aim of this study was to investigate ECG alterations during pre-eclampsia. Prepartum ECGs of 76 consecutive pre-eclamptic women were compared with those of 76 healthy pregnant women. All of the routine ECG parameters were considered, and ventricular repolarization was assessed by QT interval and QT dispersion (QTd). Pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia showed a significant alteration of ventricular repolarization compared with the control group. Among ECG parameters, QT and QTc intervals and QTd were more prolonged in pre-eclamptic women. Multivariate analysis also showed that pre-eclampsia was the only independent determinant of QTd. In conclusion, pre-eclampsia has a significant effect on ventricular repolarization. This alteration could, in part, explain the increased cardiovascular risk of women with a history of pre-eclampsia. Further studies are necessary to confirm the relationship between ventricular repolarization abnormalities and increased cardiovascular risk later in life.
Journal of Electrocardiology | 2010
Giovanni Morani; Corinna Bergamini; Mauro Toniolo; Corrado Vassanelli
In the modern implanting era with progressive expanding indications to resynchronization therapy, upgrading procedure is a relatively common event. Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC), the most common venous abnormality, may exacerbate technical difficulties. We describe the procedure of upgrading from a dual chamber pacemaker to resynchronization/defibrillation system with a total of 4 leads through a PLSVC entering a dilated coronary sinus (CS) never described before. The case report, in addition to the description of a unique technical approach, raises a lot of clinical questions about how many leads we can introduce in such a venous structure and inside CS without hemodynamic impact on venous drainage potentially leading to life-threatening situations.
Clinical Cardiology | 2012
Mariantonietta Cicoira; Andrea Rossi; Andrea Chiampan; Giulia Frigo; Corinna Bergamini; Marzia Rigolli; Luisa Zanolla; Corrado Vassanelli
Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and remodeling are key pathophysiological features underlying disease progression in chronic heart failure (CHF).
Clinical Cardiology | 2018
Corinna Bergamini; Giulia Dolci; Andrea Rossi; Flavia Torelli; Luca Ghiselli; Laura Trevisani; Giulia Vinco; Stella Truong; Francesca La Russa; Giorgio Golia; Annamaria Molino; Giovanni Benfari; Flavio Ribichini
Trastuzumab (TZ) therapy requires careful monitoring of left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) because it can be potentially cardiotoxic. However, LVEF is an imperfect parameter and there is a need to find other variables to predict cardiac dysfunction early. Left atrium (LA) enlargement has proven to be a powerful predictor of adverse outcomes in several disease entities.
Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine | 2011
Mauro Toniolo; Corinna Bergamini; Valeria Ferrero; Giorgio Morando; Mariantonietta Cicoira; Corrado Vassanelli
Since then, she has presented a relapsing-remitting form and has experienced several relapses involving visual, sensibility and motor systems. Her rheumatic serologic tests [antinuclear antibody (ANA), extractable nuclear antigens (ENAs), antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)] and C-reactive protein were in the normal range. She was treated with interferon for about 4 years, and then discontinued treatment of her own free will because of side effects. In the previous 10 months a lesion of the left cerebellar peduncle was diagnosed through an MRI examination. She passed to a secondary progressive form and since then she has been treated with azathioprine (2.5 mg/kg orally daily). Over recent months, she has had some autonomic symptoms, common in MS, such as disorders of micturition, sudomotor and gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea and diarrhea. At the last follow-up evaluation, her neurologic condition was stable, with an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 3.5.