Impact on breast cancer susceptibility and clinicopathological traits of common genetic polymorphisms in and genes in Sardinian women.

Common variants of genes involved in DNA damage correction [tumor protein p53 (, murine double 2 homolog oncoprotein ( and ataxia-telengiectasia mutated ()] may serve a role in cancer predisposition. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association of five variants in these genes with breast cancer risk and clinicopathological traits in a cohort of 261 women from northern Sardinia. Polymorphic variants in (rs17878362, rs1042522 and rs1625895), (rs2279744) and (rs1799757) were determined by PCR and TaqMan single nucleotide polymorphism assay in patients with breast cancer (n=136) and healthy controls (n=125).

"Swab Team" in the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak containment among healthcare workers.

Introduction: To analyze the virus spread among Sassari Hospital staff in the first Covid-19 wave and the impact of the Swab Team, a multidisciplinary task force entitled of nasopharyngeal swab collection and testing.

Methodology: Nasopharyngeal swabs from HCWs between March 6 and May 28 2020 are evaluated.

Results: 4919 SARS-CoV-2 tests were performed on 3521 operators.

Influenza Vaccination Strategies in Healthcare Workers: A Cohort Study (2018-2021) in an Italian University Hospital.

Vaccinating healthcare workers (HCWs) is the most effective intervention for preventing nosocomial influenza infection. However, influenza vaccination coverage (VC%) among HCWs remains low. The aim of the study was to analyse the trend of VC% among healthcare workers in an Italian hospital through a three-year vaccination project covering three influenza seasons (2018-2019, 2019-2020, and 2020-2021).

Audiovestibular symptoms and sequelae in COVID-19 patients.

Background: since the beginning of COVID-19 outbreak a growing number of symptoms and deficits associated with the new pathology have emerged, among them cochlear damage in otherwise asymptomatic COVID-19 patients has been described.

Objective: to investigate general and audiovestibular symptoms and sequelae in healed patients, and to seek for any sign of residual or permanent hearing or vestibular loss.

Methods: we reviewed the data coming from 48 Covid-19 patients whose nasopharyngeal swabs have turned negative, all employed at our facility, that opted in for a free screening of audiovestibular symptoms offered by our hospital after the aforementioned report was published.

Blood Cell Count Derived Inflammation Indexes in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Purpose: Inflammation and immunity play a pivotal but yet unclear role in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic disorder characterized by progressive damage of lung parenchyma and severe loss of lung function despite optimal treatment. However, the pathophysiological and predictive role of combined blood cell count indexes of inflammation in IPF is uncertain.

Methods: Seventy-three patients with IPF and 62 healthy subjects matched for age, gender and smoking status were included in this cross-sectional study.

Olfactory and gustatory function impairment in COVID-19 patients: Italian objective multicenter-study.

Background: Objective data on chemosensitive disorders during COVID-19 are lacking in the Literature.

Methods: Multicenter cohort study that involved four Italian hospitals. Three hundred and forty-five COVID-19 patients underwent objective chemosensitive evaluation.

Flu Vaccination Attitudes, Behaviours, and Knowledge among Health Workers.

The aim of this work is to evaluate the attitudes, behaviours, and knowledge of health workers employed at an Italian University Hospital on the topic of vaccinations and in regard to flu vaccination. To this end, the study provided for the articulation of a computerised questionnaire on the digital platform EUSurvey which was administered online via e-mail to a sample of 457 health workers, in the period between November 2018 and March 2019. The data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistical analysis.

Objective evaluation of anosmia and ageusia in COVID-19 patients: Single-center experience on 72 cases.

Background: The first European case series are detecting a very high frequency of chemosensitive disorders in COVID-19 patients, ranging between 19.4% and 88%.

Methods: Olfactory and gustatory function was objectively tested in 72 COVID-19 patients treated at University Hospital of Sassari.

MTHFR, XRCC1 and OGG1 genetic polymorphisms in breast cancer: a case-control study in a population from North Sardinia.

Background: Despite conflicting results, considerable evidence suggests the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in MTHFR, XRCC1 and OGG1 genes and, risk of developing breast cancer. Here a case-control study is reported, including 135 breat cancer patients and 112 healthy women, all representative of Northern Sardinian population.

Methods: Polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used to determine the genotypes of five polymorphisms: MTHFR C677T (rs1801133) and A1298C (rs1801131), XRCC1 Arg194Trp (rs1799782) and Arg399Gln (rs25487) and OGG1 Ser326Cys (rs1052133).

[Delphi consensus on the monitoring tools of main individual risk factors for chronic diseases by the company doctor].

Background: Data on individual risk factors for chronic diseases (smoking, physical activity, body mass) are collected by company physicians in heterogeneous ways. This makes comparisons, researches and evaluations difficult.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to find a consensus on evaluation tools for chronic diseases risk factors and for health promotion programs in workplaces that could be performed by company physicians during their clinical activity.