Publications by authors named "A M Repice"
Introduction: Reactivation of thymopoiesis in adult patients with autoimmune disorders treated with autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is supported by studies exploring immunoreconstitution. Radiological evidence of thymic hyperplasia after AHSCT was previously reported in patients with systemic sclerosis, but, to our knowledge, it has not been described in multiple sclerosis (MS), where premature thymic involution has been observed and immunosenescence might be accelerated by disease-modifying treatments (DMTs).
Participants And Methods: monocentric case series including MS patients who performed a chest CT scan for clinical purposes after having received AHSCT (BEAM/ATG regimen) for aggressive MS failing DMTs.
Background: Biomarkers predictive of disability outcomes in individual multiple sclerosis (MS) patients undergoing autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) are currently lacking. As correlations between spinal cord atrophy and clinical disability in MS were previously described, in this study spinal cord size was investigated in MS patients treated with AHSCT, exploring whether baseline spinal cord volume may predict disability progression after AHSCT.
Methods: relapsing-remitting (RR-) and secondary-progressive (SP-) MS patients treated with AHSCT (BEAM/ATG regimen) at a single academic centre in Florence, who performed at least two standardized brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) scans (acquired between one-year pre-AHSCT to 5 years after AHSCT) were included.
Background: Leptomeningeal enhancement (LME) is considered an MRI marker of leptomeningeal inflammation in inflammatory neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). To our knowledge, no disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) have been demonstrated to affect LME number or morphology so far.
Methods: Monocentric study investigating the frequency and number of LME in a cohort of people with (pw)MS who performed a 3 T brain MRI with a standardized protocol (including a post-contrast FLAIR sequence), and exploring the impact of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) on this marker.
ChatGPT vs. neurologists: a cross-sectional study investigating preference, satisfaction ratings and perceived empathy in responses among people living with multiple sclerosis.
J Neurol
July 2024
Article Synopsis
- A study was conducted to compare the empathy and satisfaction levels of people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) towards responses from neurologists versus ChatGPT for common questions.
- The results showed that ChatGPT's responses were perceived as more empathetic than those from neurologists, although no significant difference in overall satisfaction was found.
- The study suggests that while AI like ChatGPT can enhance patient interactions, physicians need to adapt to digital advancements and guide patients in effectively using AI tools in healthcare.
Article Synopsis
- * A study involving 204 patients who completed two years of cladribine treatment found that 75.4% did not start new treatments in the year following therapy, and there was a significant reduction in relapse rates after treatment.
- * The results suggest that cladribine is effective in lowering relapse rates and has a favorable safety profile, with lymphopenia being the main side effect; however, further larger studies are needed to confirm its long