North-south differences in incidence and surveillance of cutaneous malignant melanoma in Italy.

Background: In Italy, the incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma is two-fold higher in the north than in the south. This gradient might be associated with differences in incidence trends and disease surveillance. We compared the time trends in incidence rates, mortality rates, dermatologic office visit rates and skin biopsy rates between the Emilia-Romagna Region (northern Italy) and the Sicily Region (southern Italy).

[Long-term exposure to air pollution and incidence of coronary heart diseases and stroke in the longitudinal metropolitan studies (LMS) network: the BIGEPI project].

Objectives: to assess the potential of using longitudinal metropolitan studies (LMS) to study the association between long-term exposure to air pollution and the incidence of acute coronary events and stroke.

Design: closed cohort.

Setting And Participants: subjects aged >=30 years, who took part in the 2011 census, residents in 5 cities (Turin, Bologna, Rome, Brindisi and Taranto).

Comparing clinical trial population representativeness to real-world users of 17 biologics approved for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases: An external validity analysis of 66,639 biologic users from the Italian VALORE project.

To date, no population-based studies have specifically explored the external validity of pivotal randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of biologics simultaneously for a broad spectrum of immuno-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). The aims of this study were, firstly, to compare the patients' characteristics and median treatment duration of biologics approved for IMIDs between RCTs' and real-world setting (RW); secondly, to assess the extent of biologic users treated for IMIDs in the real-world setting that would not have been eligible for inclusion into pivotal RCT for each indication of use. Using the Italian VALORE distributed database (66,639 incident biologic users), adult patients with IMIDs treated with biologics in the Italian real-world setting were substantially older (mean age ± SD: 50 ± 15 years) compared to those enrolled in pivotal RCTs (45 ± 15 years).

Combined blockade of mTOR and p21-activated kinases pathways prevents tumour growth in KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer.

Background: The identification of novel therapeutic strategies for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients harbouring KRAS mutations represents an unmet clinical need. In this study, we aimed to clarify the role of p21-activated kinases (Paks) as therapeutic target for KRAS-mutated CRC.

Methods: Paks expression and activation levels were evaluated in a cohort of KRAS-WT or -mutated CRC patients by immunohistochemistry.

Development of a Set of Indicators for Measuring and Improving Quality of Rehabilitation Care after Ischemic Stroke.

Stroke is the leading global cause of permanent disability and the second leading cause of dementia within the first year of the event. Systematic quality improvement interventions such as Audit & Feedback (A&F) can monitor and improve the performance of post-stroke care in conjunction with the use of quality indicators (QIs). The scientific literature shows limited studies on quality improvement and QIs design for poststroke rehabilitation.

Pak1 pathway hyper-activation mediates resistance to endocrine therapy and CDK4/6 inhibitors in ER+ breast cancer.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) have been approved in combination with endocrine therapy (ET) to treat estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) metastatic breast cancer (BC). However, drug resistance represents the leading cause of breast cancer patients mortality. This study aimed to identify novel resistance mechanisms to ER antagonists in combination with CDK4/6 inhibitors.

Development and Validation of a Novel Pre-Pregnancy Score Predictive of Preterm Birth in Nulliparous Women Using Data from Italian Healthcare Utilization Databases.

Preterm birth is a major worldwide public health concern, being the leading cause of infant mortality. Understanding of risk factors remains limited, and early identification of women at high risk of preterm birth is an open challenge. The aim of the study was to develop and validate a novel pre-pregnancy score for preterm delivery in nulliparous women using information from Italian healthcare utilization databases.

[Mortality and impact of COVID-19 by citizenship in seven Italian Regions from the beginning of the pandemic to mid-July 2021].

Objectives: to quantify the variability of COVID-19 mortality from the beginning of the pandemic to mid-July 2021, in relation to the immigrant status and by Region and period.

Design: observational incidence study.

Setting And Participants: the study population consists of the residents at the beginning of 2020 in seven Regions (Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Lazio, Sicily) aged <=74 years.

[SARS-CoV-2 epidemic among Italians e resident immigrant population: differential incidence from an interregional multicentre study].

Objectives: to describe differences in the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections between Italians and foreigners residing in seven Italian Regions during the different phases of the pandemic and by gender.

Design: retrospective observational study.

Setting And Participants: all confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections from 02.

Indirect impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its containment measures on social inequalities in hospital utilisation in Italy.

Background: The pandemic may undermine the equity of access to and utilisation of health services for conditions other than COVID-19. The objective of the study is to evaluate the indirect impact of COVID-19 and lockdown measures on sociodemographic inequalities in healthcare utilisation in seven Italian areas.

Methods: In this multicentre retrospective study, we evaluated whether COVID-19 modified the association between educational level or deprivation and indicators of hospital utilisation and quality of care.

[Application of an algorithm for the validation of congenital anomaly cases using hospital discharge records].

Objectives: to evaluate and validate the adoption of an algorithm for the identification of cases of congenital anomalies (CAs) to improve the performance of the Congenital Malformations Registry of Sicily Region (Southern Italy).

Design: an algorithm was used to identify congenital anomalies on a sample of hospital discharge records (SDO) with ICD-9-CM code between 740-759 on any of the diagnoses within the first year of life, together with a sample of healthy births equal to 5% of total births for the same period. The identified cases were evaluated through the clinical record analysis.

Stratification of the risk of developing severe or lethal Covid-19 using a new score from a large Italian population: a population-based cohort study.

Objectives: To develop a population-based risk stratification model (COVID-19 Vulnerability Score) for predicting severe/fatal clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection, using the multiple source information provided by the healthcare utilisation databases of the Italian National Health Service.

Design: Retrospective observational cohort study.

Setting: Population-based study using the healthcare utilisation database from five Italian regions.

Indirect impact of Covid-19 on hospital care pathways in Italy.

Earlier in 2020, seven Italian regions, which cover 62% of the Italian population, set up the Mimico-19 network to monitor the side effects of the restrictive measures against Covid-19 on volumes and quality of care. To this aim, we retrospectively analysed hospital discharges data, computing twelve indicators of volume and performance in three clinical areas: cardiology, oncology, and orthopaedics. Weekly indicators for the period January-July 2020 were compared with the corresponding average for 2018-2019; comparisons were performed within 3 sub-periods: pre-lockdown, lockdown, and post-lockdown.

Burden of Parkinson's disease in Sicily: a health administrative database study.

Introduction: Prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) increases with the advanced ages, representing a relevant health burden. Accurate prevalence estimates are of fundamental need in order to adjust the supply of health services for these patients. The availability of administrative health data from the National Health System provides a useful resource to assess the burden of diseases.

[Can diabetes and its related hypoglycemic drug treatment be considered risk factors for health outcomes in COVID-19 patients? The results of a study in the population residing in Sicily Region (Southern Italy)].

Objectives: to evaluate the effects of a pre-existing condition of diabetes and of the use of antidiabetic drugs in the Sicilian population on different outcomes of the COVID-19 disease.

Design: a retrospective observational study based was used. Data deriving from the COVID-19 epidemic surveillance and from the collection of information on drugs consume by Sicilian residents.