The "sclerodermic hand": a radiological and clinical study.

Objective: To assess the clinical and radiographic features of hand involvement in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Forty-one unselected Sardinian SSc patients (32 women, 9 men; mean age 58.9, range 31-81 years; mean disease duration 11.

Immunity markers in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection: effect of eradication.

Background: Helicobacter pylori is a microorganism able to stimulate a robust inflammatory and systemic immune response.

Aim: The aim of our study was to evaluate autoimmune markers in dyspeptic patients positive for H. pylori infection compared to a control group of non-H.

Skin reaction in antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C: a role for polyethylene glycol interferon?

In the past decade, different modalities of antiviral therapy have been adopted aimed at eradicating hepatitis C virus infection. Initially, interferon was used in monotherapy, then interferon combined with ribavirin and amantadine. Recently, interferon has been conjugated with polyethylene glycol to allow optimization of its pharmacokinetic properties and to improve its antiviral activity.