Publications by authors named "Alessandro De Marco"

Gastrojejunostomy is the principal method of palliation for unresectable malignant gastric outlet obstructions (GOO). Gastrojejunostomy was traditionally performed as a surgical procedure with an open approach butrecently, notable progress in the development of minimally invasive procedures such as laparoscopic gastrojejunostomies have emerged. Additionally, advancements in endoscopic techniques, including endoscopic stenting (ES) and endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastroenterostomy (EUS-GE), are becoming more prominent.

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Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is considered the preferred method for managing biliary obstructions. However, the prevalence of surgically modified anatomies often poses challenges, making the standard side-viewing duodenoscope unable to reach the papilla in most cases. The increasing instances of surgically altered anatomies (SAAs) result from higher rates of bariatric procedures and surgical interventions for pancreatic malignancies.

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Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic, relapsing inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, frequently associated with extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs) that can severely affect IBD patients' quality of life, sometimes even becoming life-threatening. Respiratory diseases have always been considered a rare and subsequently neglected extraintestinal manifestations of IBD. However, increasing evidence has demonstrated that respiratory involvement is frequent in IBD patients, even in the absence of respiratory symptoms.

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This narrative review provides an overview of the application of endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD), including EUS-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD), for the treatment of malignant biliary obstruction. EUS-BD has demonstrated excellent technical and clinical success rates, with lower rates of adverse events when compared with percutaneous trans-hepatic biliary drainage (PTBD). EUS-BD is currently the preferred alternative technique for biliary drainage (BD) in patients with distal malignant biliary obstruction (DMBO) after failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

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Gastroesophageal reflux disease has a high incidence and prevalence in the general population. Clinical manifestations are heterogenous, and so is the response to medical treatment. Proton pump inhibitors are still the most common agents used to control reflux symptoms and for healing esophagitis, but they are not a one-size-fits-all solution for the disease.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study evaluates the effectiveness of endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) using a new electrocautery lumen apposing metal stent (EC-LAMS) as a first-line treatment for patients with distal malignant biliary obstruction (DMBO) who may not be suitable for surgery.
  • Out of 37 patients, the technical success of EC-LAMS placement was 100%, with a clinical success rate showing significant bilirubin reduction, although 10.8% experienced some adverse events, like bleeding and impaction.
  • The findings suggest that EUS-GBD with EC-LAMS is a viable palliative option for managing malignant jaundice, with
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Due to the high risk of morbidity and mortality associated with surgical resection in this tract, endoscopic resection (ER) has taken the place of surgical resection as the first line treatment for non-ampullary duodenal adenomas. However, due to the anatomical characteristics of this area, which enhance the risk of post-ER problems, ER in the duodenum is particularly difficult. Due to a lack of data, no ER technique for superficial non-ampullary duodenal epithelial tumours (SNADETs) has yet been backed by strong, high-quality evidence; yet, traditional hot snare-based techniques are still regarded as the standard treatment.

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Malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) is a challenging medical problem that often negatively impacts the patient's quality of life (QoL), postoperative complications, and survival rates. Endoscopic approaches to biliary drainage are generally performed by ERCP or, in selected cases, with a percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD). Recent advances in therapeutic endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) allow drainage where previous methods have failed.

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Gastric outlet obstruction is a condition characterized by inadequate gastric emptying due to benign or malignant conditions inducing an inadequate oral intake. In recent years, a novel therapeutic treatment for this condition is given by the use of electrocautery lumen-apposing metal stents. In this case report, we want to present an example of a benign condition treated by endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastroenterostomy with the bi-flanged SpaxusTM stent (Taewoong Medical Co.

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Subjects affected by ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease with colonic localization have an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Surveillance colonoscopy is recommended by international guidelines as it can detect early-stage CRC. Based on previous evidence, in 2015 the Surveillance for Colorectal Endoscopic Neoplasia Detection and Management in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients International Consensus indicated dye chromoendoscopy (DCE) as the most effective technique for detecting dysplasia.

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Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Because of the slow progression of the precancerous precursors, an efficient endoscopic surveillance strategy may be expected. It seems that around one-fourth of colorectal malignancies are still missed during colonoscopy.

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Objective: International guidelines recommend the introduction of sacubitril/valsartan (Entresto) in patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction (EF), who remain symptomatic, despite optimal uptitrated therapy. The purpose of the following analysis is to verify the real-life eligibility for sacubitril/valsartan in a population of patients suffering from chronic HF, regularly monitored in a single HF clinic and treated according to guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT).

Methods: From a total of 1070 patients regularly monitored in our HF Clinic between January 2011 and September 2017, the clinical records of 224 patients with HF and reduced EF on optimized GDMT were retrospectively analyzed.

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Central core disease (CCD) is a congenital myopathy linked to mutations in the ryanodine receptor type 1 (RYR1), the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca release channel of skeletal muscle. CCD is characterized by formation of amorphous within muscle fibers, lacking mitochondrial activity. In skeletal muscle of RYR1 knock-in mice, carrying a human mutation in RYR1 linked to malignant hyperthermia (MH) with , oxidative stress is elevated and fibers present severe mitochondrial damage and .

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Background: Mice lacking calsequestrin-1 (CASQ1-null), a Ca-binding protein that modulates the activity of Ca release in the skeletal muscle, exhibit lethal hypermetabolic episodes that resemble malignant hyperthermia in humans when exposed to halothane or heat stress.

Methods: Because oxidative species may play a critical role in malignant hyperthermia crises, we treated CASQ1-null mice with two antioxidants, N-acetylcysteine (NAC, Sigma-Aldrich, Italy; provided ad libitum in drinking water) and (±)-6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchromane-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox, Sigma-Aldrich; administered by intraperitoneal injection), before exposure to halothane (2%, 1 h) or heat (41°C, 1 h).

Results: NAC and Trolox significantly protected CASQ1-null mice from lethal episodes, with mortality being 79% (n = 14), 25% (n = 16), and 20% (n = 5) during halothane exposure and 86% (n = 21), 29% (n = 21), and 33% (n = 6) during heat stress in untreated, NAC-treated, and Trolox-treated mice, respectively.

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Scope: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is associated with vascular oxidative imbalance and inflammation. Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation is associated with a functional inactivation of nitric oxide (NO) due to the reaction with O₂⁻, leading to peroxynitrite (ONOO⁻) formation and subsequent reduction in the beneficial effect of vascular NO bioavailability. Carotenoids'-rich diets have been associated with decreased risk of CVD, but the underlying mechanism is still unknown.

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Context: Heterozygous mutations in the TSH receptor gene (TSHR) are associated with partial TSH resistance, characterized by isolated nonautoimmune hyperthyrotropinemia (NAHT). The prevalence and management of this condition is controversial.

Objective: Our objective was to investigate the prevalence and clinical impact of TSHR alterations in a large series of pediatric patients with NAHT and to dissect their mechanism of action.

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Catalyst 5, an ion pair consisting of a hydrophilic cation and a lipophilic anion, fulfils the solubility requirements needed to couple efficiency (enantioselectivities and anti-diastereoselectivities up to > or = 99%) and catalyst recyclability in asymmetric aldol reactions under aqueous biphasic conditions.

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