No abstract

No abstract

Specific dermatoses as skin tags, striae distensae and plantar hyperkeratosis, could be considered as a cutaneous stigma of severe obesity. The low permeability of the skin to evaporative water loss is observed in obese subjects compared with normal weight control. Although the physiological mechanisms are still unknown, this finding has not been previously described and we believe that this may constitute a new field in the research on obesity.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an oligoantigenic and histamine-free diet on patients affected with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU). Design: Ten patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria were prescribed an oligoantigenic and histamine-free diet for 21 days, followed by serial and controlled reintroduction of foods during a further 70 days. Modi®cation in clinical illness as well as histamine plasma levels, post-heparin plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) and intestinal permeability were evaluated. Results: The oligoantigenic and histamine-free diet induced a signi®cant improvement of symptoms (P`0.05). Moreover, CIU patients on free diet showed higher histamine plasma levels (P`0.05 vs post-diet and vs controls) that fell to control levels during the oligoantigenic and histamine-free diet. Post-heparin plasma diamine oxidase values were slightly reduced and were unchanged during the diet as well as intestinal permeability, which was always normal in all patients. Conclusions: These data suggest that histamine plays a major role in chronic idiopathic urticaria. The ®nding of normal intestinal permeability suggests that a morphological damage of intestinal mucosa should be excluded in these patients. However, the presence of low levels of post-heparin plasma diamine oxidase may indicate a subclinical impairment of small bowel enterocyte function that could induce a higher sensitivity to histaminerich or histamine-producing food. Descriptors: chronic idiopathic urticaria; diet; histamine; diamine oxidase; intestinal permeability

After renal transplantation, health benefits of proper metabolic balance that include reduced body fat, weight loss, lower cholesterol and triglycerides levels and an improvement, fasting glucose levels can be obtained when dietary intervention occurred.