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Franca Barbic

Assistant Professor

Occupational Medicine

Associate Professor

E-mail

franca.barbic@hunimed.eu

Education

Medical Doctor, magna cum laude, 1979, University of Milan, Milan Italy
Medical Doctor, magna cum laude, 1990, University of Milan, Milan Italy
Post-graduate training on Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, cum laude 1994, University of Pavia
Occupational Work Physiology I.V.A course (Stockholm, Sweden 2004)
Industrial Hygienist Course (1997-2009) AIDII Milan, Italy
Industrial Toxicology Lab, Environmental and Biological Monitoring (1994-1997), AIDII Milan, Italy
Cardiology and Syncope (2003-2019)

Academic background

Non-Tenured Professor of Occupational Environmental Medicine University of Piemonte Orientale, “A. Avogadro”, Medical School, Novara (1996-2000). She was in charge of the graduate course of Laboratory Techniques, Dental Hygienists and Nurses.

Other Academic Teaching appointments

Adjunct Professor at Medical School of University of Milan (2012-2015) and since 2015 at International Medical School, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Rozzano, Milan.
Non-Tenured Professor, post-graduate course of Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy (since 2016).
Non-Tenured Professor, post-graduate course of Occupational Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy (since 2019)

Clinical activity

Presently, she is working as physician and scientific head of “Syncope and Cardiovascular Autonomic Disorders Unit”, Internal Medicine MED4, Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Italy. In that facility the patients coming from Italy and abroad are studied and treated by a multidisciplinary approach since 2012. “Syncope and Cardiovascular Autonomic Disorders Unit” is part of a worldwide net of tertiary centers referring to the National Dysautonomia Research Foundation, an institution aimed at providing help to patients with different dysautonomic syndromes.

She is presently in charge for the diagnostic on syncope by use of Tilt-Test, 24 hour blood pressure monitoring, 7-21 days ECG monitoring. In addition a facilitated access to other medical specialty for syncope patients management is provided. In the last years dr. Barbic introduced in the “Syncope and Cardiovascular Autonomic Disorders Unit”, the aspects leading with Occupational Risks of patients suffering from syncope and orthostatic hypotension.

During the last 10 years most of her clinical and research work has been focused on patient affected by Parkinson’s disease and suffering from orthostatic hypotension and syncope. Those patients have been studied extensively by measuring their hemodynamic parameters invasively and non-invasively and recording, in such a cases, directly the neural sympathetic discharge (Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity, MSNA). Finally she promoted and participated in the studies aimed at evaluating the effects of plantar stimulation of Parkinson s’ patients by manual and afterwards by the Gondola ©Device on cardiovascular autonomic control and systemic inflammation.

In the last 3 years most of the clinical activities have been focused on patient suffering from Pure Autonomic Failure, Autoimmune Autonomic Ganglionopathy and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. Also, in these patient the clinical approach regularly includes the occupational features to provide the best of return to work.

The last clinical research project is focused on the long term effects of transcutaneous vagal stimulation on patients suffering from POTS on cardiovascular autonomic profile including MSNA and on the work ability

During the work activity at the Occupational Medicine Department of “Maggiore della Carità” Hospital, Novara (1996-2004) her clinical activity was focused on diagnosis and therapy of occupational diseases (COPD, silicosis and asbestos related diseases, occupational asthma and rhinitis, allergic alveolitis, liver diseases, dermatitis and dermatoses, infectious diseases, allergies including latex), management on workplace of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases, wellbeing and stress assessment in workplace ant its management, musculoskeletal disorders in occupational setting; effects of exposure to anesthetics drugs and gases.

In addition, she promoted as head the development of the “Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Toxicology” section, with a specific focus on the exposure to solvents and metals (Cr, Ni, Co). Finally, she followed students of University of Piemonte Orientale, “A. Avogadro”, Medical School, as a tutor up to the defense of their thesis.

During the activity in the Occupational and Environmental Department of “Leopoldo Mandic” Hospital, Merate (LC), Italy (1992 to 1996) she was in charge in:

Assessment of asbestos related disease and asbestos environmental exposure
Environmental controls of new industrial activities to public health promoting
Assessment of occupational exposure to chemicals monitoring (metals, solvents, dusts, pesticides) and physical risk factors (noise, vibrations, microclimate, radon).
Application of laws and regulations concerning workplace health and safety.
Management of workers suffering from disabilities or chronic diseases.

From 1988 to 1992 she worked as a post-graduate physician at Occupational Medicine Institute of “Ospedali Riuniti” di Bergamo, Italy. In that period she was in charge on diagnosis and prevention of asbestos and silica diseases. She participated in a clinical research projects focused on Hard Metal Disease Diagnosis, Therapy and Prevention. She had a Fellow-ship Italcementi Group on Health Surveillance and Prevention programs.

Since 1988, she was involved in clinical studies aimed at evaluating changes in human neural mechanisms controlling the cardiovascular system during different physiological and pathological conditions. For this goal, power spectral and cross-spectral analyses of heart period and systolic blood pressure variabilities and of respiratory activity were used.

She was the promoter of the application of such a methodologies in the field of Occupational Medicine and in particular she studied the effects of rotating 24 hour shift-work and night work on autonomic cardiovascular system.

In the last years she did researches on patients affected by Parkinson Disease and other autonomic disorders and syndromes including Pure Autonomic Failure, vasovagal syncope, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome studied on short period during rest condition and during orthostatic stimulus (75° head-up tilt) and during the 24 hour daily routine.

Presently, she is involved in the following research projects:

Long-Covid19 post-viral autonomic syndrome and Work Ability
Effects of transcutaneous vagal stimulation of POTS patients on cardiovascular autonomic profile and Work Ability
Smart Campus Humanitas University Project: “Effects of different classroom temperatures on cardiac autonomic control and cognitive performances in undergraduate students”.
Work Ability and Quality of Life Assessment in patients suffering from Cardiovascular Autonomic Disorders (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Pure Autonomic Failure, Orthostatic Hypotension).
Energy expenditure in cement plant workers, partnership with Italcementi- Heidelberg Group
Effects of Shift Work on Sleep and Work-Life Balance on Hospital Nurses
Effects of Shift Work and Night Work on cardiac autonomic changes over 24 hours
Effects of Shift Work con cardio-metabolic risk, role of the nutrition on sleep and work performance, partnership with Italcementi- Heidelberg Group.
Guidelines for Management of Syncope in Occupational Setting
Early autonomic changes in Parkinson’s disease
Effects of mechanical plantar stimulation (by Gondola©)on gait, cardiovascular autonomic profile, blood pressure and systemic inflammation in Parkinson’s Disease
Dynamics of pulmonary gas exchange and systemic oxygen delivery during exercise in patients affected by Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
Influence of climate on emergency department visits for syncope: role of air temperature variability.
Altered sympathetic response to gravitational stimulus in vasovagal syncope and after bed rest: mechanistic insights into orthostatic intolerance from MSNA.

Barbic F, Minonzio M, Cairo B, Shiffer D, Cerina L, Verzeletti P, Badilini F, Vaglio M, Porta A, Santambrogio M, Gatti R, Rigo S, Bisoglio A, Furlan R.Sci Total Environ. 2021 Effects of a cool classroom microclimate on cardiac autonomic control and cognitive performances in undergraduate students. Dec 3;808:152005. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152005. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34871696
Barbic F, Minonzio M, Cairo B, Shiffer D, Zamuner AR, Cavalieri S, Dipaola F, Magnavita N, Porta A, Furlan R. Work Ability Assessment and Its Relationship with Cardiovascular Autonomic Profile in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 26;17(21):7836. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17217836. PMID: 33114659; PMCID: PMC7662324.
Furlan R, Heusser K, Minonzio M, Shiffer D, Cairo B, Tank J, Jordan J, Diedrich A, Gauger P, Zamuner AR, Dipaola F, Porta A, Barbic F. Cardiac and Vascular Sympathetic Baroreflex Control during Orthostatic Pre-Syncope. J Clin Med. 2019 Sep 10;8(9):1434. doi: 10.3390/jcm8091434. PMID: 31510103; PMCID: PMC6781174.
Barbic F, Dipaola F, Casazza G, Borella M, Minonzio M, Solbiati M, Raj SR, Sheldon R, Quinn J, Costantino G, Furlan R. Syncope in a Working-Age Population: Recurrence Risk and Related Risk Factors. J Clin Med. 2019 Jan 29;8(2):150. doi: 10.3390/jcm8020150. PMID: 30699893; PMCID: PMC6406660.
Furlan R, Barbic F, Piazza S, Tinelli M, Seghizzi P, Malliani A. Modifications of cardiac autonomic profile associated with a shift schedule of work. Circulation. 2000 Oct 17;102(16):1912-6. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.102.16.1912. PMID: 11034938.