Reasons and pathways of first-time consultations at child and adolescent mental health services in Italy: an observational study.

Background: An increasing number of young people have made contact with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). However, only a small proportion of the population with emotional problems, actually seek specialized care. Research concerning the help-seeking process and pathways to care of a clinical sample could help to develop effective health policies to facilitate access to specialized care.

Improving upper limb motor functions through action observation treatment: a pilot study in children with cerebral palsy.

Aim: The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to assess whether action observation treatment may improve upper limb motor functions in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Method: All children with CP admitted to our unit for rehabilitation from May 2009 to May 2010 were eligible. Inclusion criteria were age between 6 years and 11 years, an IQ of at least 70, and no major visual and/or auditory deficits.

SD-OCT imaging of idiopathic macular holes with spontaneous closure.

Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography serial changes in three cases of spontaneous closure of idiopathic macular hole at stages II, III, and IV are described. Initial and serial spectral-domain optical coherence tomography images document the progressive closure. Macular holes apparently resolved spontaneously through two different mechanisms: posterior hyaloid detachment in case 1 and a contraction of epiretinal macular membrane in cases 2 and 3.

Intralesional interferon-α for conjunctival mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: long-term results.

Objective: To report the long-term therapeutic results for patients with conjunctival mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma who were treated with intralesional injections of interferon-α (IFN-α).

Design: Prospective, nonrandomized, interventional case series.

Participants: Twenty eyes of 16 patients with histologically proven conjunctival MALT lymphoma in the absence of systemic disease.

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma involving the lacrimal gland and infiltrating the eyelids.

Purpose: To report a case of a lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC), which is a variant of carcinoma most commonly involving the nasopharynx and rarely occurring in a variety of sites outside its typical location.

Methods: We present the case of a 79-year-old Caucasian man with LELC of the lacrimal gland undergoing surgical resection of the mass.

Results: The patient had remained disease-free for 2 years, and then he developed homolateral metastases in latero-cervical and parotid lymph nodes, detected by computed tomography and confirmed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

Patterns of prescription of antiepileptic drugs in patients with refractory epilepsy at tertiary referral centres in Italy.

Purpose: To evaluate the pattern of prescription of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and other medications in a representative population of patients with refractory epilepsy attending tertiary referral centres in Italy.

Methods: Descriptive analysis of data obtained at baseline from 933 adults and 191 children with refractory epilepsy enrolled consecutively in an observational study at 11 tertiary referral centres in Italy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess predictors of utilization of the most commonly prescribed AEDs.

Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin for symptomatic circumscribed choroidal hemangioma: five-year outcomes.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term efficacy of verteporfin photodynamic therapy (PDT) as the primary treatment for symptomatic circumscribed choroidal hemangioma (CCH).

Design: Prospective consecutive, 2-centered, noncomparative, interventional case series.

Participants: Twenty-five subjects with symptomatic CCH.

Macular functional changes evaluated with MP-1 microperimetry after intravitreal bevacizumab for subfoveal myopic choroidal neovascularization: one-year results.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate 1-year functional and structural effects of intravitreal bevacizumab for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to pathologic myopia (myopic choroidal neovascularization).

Methods: Fifteen eyes with myopic choroidal neovascularization participated in this prospective interventional, noncomparative case series. All patients were treated with one intravitreal injection of 1.

Photodynamic therapy for vasoproliferative retinal tumors.

Purpose: To report our experience with photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin for patients with vasoproliferative retinal tumors (VPRTs).

Methods: Three patients with VPRTs who presented with macular exudative changes were treated with one session of PDT with 6 mg/m body surface area of verteporfin and a light dose of 100 J/cm at 689 nm delivered in 166 seconds. Biomicroscopy, fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, optical coherence tomography, and ultrasonography were performed before treatment and 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after treatment; visual acuity was measured using Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study criteria.

Choroidal neovascularization after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis following penetrating keratoplasty.

Purpose: To describe a case of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) following penetrating keratoplasty (PK).

Methods: Case report.

Results: A 30-year-old man underwent PK in both eyes for bilateral keratoconus in 1997.

Lack of SCN1A mutations in familial febrile seizures.

Purpose: Mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel subunit gene SCN1A have been associated with febrile seizures (FSs) in autosomal dominant generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+) families and severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy. The present study assessed the role of SCN1A in familial typical FSs.

Methods: FS families were selected throughout a collaborative study of the Italian League Against Epilepsy.