[The nurses' strike in the United Kingdom: the reasons, the debate and the implications].

Unlabelled: . The nurses' strike in the United Kingdom: an overview of the reasons, debate and implications.

Introduction: In the UK, where the National Health Service (NHS) was founded, one of the most important and long-lasting strikes in nursing is taking place.

A methodology to assess the population size and estimate the needed resources for new licensed medications by combining clinical and administrative databases: The example of glycated haemoglobin in type 2 diabetes.

Purpose: To develop and validate a model to estimate glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) values in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using a clinical data source, with the aim to apply this equation to administrative databases.

Methods: Using a primary care and administrative Italian databases, namely the Health Search database (HSD) and the ReS (Ricerca e Salute) database, we selected all patients aged 18 years or older on 31 December 2018 being diagnosed with T2DM and without prior prescription of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors. We included patients prescribed with and adherent to metformin.

Differential Analysis of Gly211Val and Gly286Val Mutations Affecting Sarco(endo)plasmic Reticulum Ca-ATPase (SERCA1) in Congenital Pseudomyotonia Romagnola Cattle.

Congenital pseudomyotonia in cattle (PMT) is a rare skeletal muscle disorder, clinically characterized by stiffness and by delayed muscle relaxation after exercise. Muscle relaxation impairment is due to defective content of the Sarco(endo)plasmic Reticulum Ca ATPase isoform 1 (SERCA1) protein, caused by missense mutations in the gene. PMT represents the only mammalian model of human Brody myopathy.

RNA Extraction Alternative Method for SARS-CoV-2 Molecular Diagnosis.

The devastating COVID-19 outbreak posed serious challenges for the diagnostics laboratories, facing global shortage of reagents and equipment. This study aimed at evaluating an additional RNA extraction method respect to those already recommended by WHO and CDC. A new protocol for RNA extraction from nasopharyngeal swab was set up, adapting a Qiagen kit, and validated on a set of 96 clinical samples.

Development and internal validation of a prognostic model for 15-year risk of Alzheimer dementia in primary care patients.

Background: The exploitation of routinely collected clinical health information is warranted to optimize the case detection and diagnostic workout of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We aimed to derive an AD prediction score based on routinely collected primary care data.

Methods: We built a cohort selecting 199,978 primary care patients 60 + part of the Health Search Database between January 2002 and 2009, followed up until 2019 to detect incident AD cases.

Patterns of oral corticosteroids use in primary care patients with severe asthma.

Aim: To assess the pattern of use of oral corticosteroids (OC) in primary care patients with severe asthma.

Methods: Data derived from the Health Search Database (HSD) gathering information on 700 Italian general practitioners. A cohort of severe asthma patients was identified between 2013 and 2017 and followed-up for one year.

Adherence to COPD free triple inhaled therapy in the real world: a primary care based study.

Introduction: The development of new pharmacological treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has improved health-related quality of life of patients. However, suboptimal adherence may limit its potential.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the adherence to free triple inhaled therapy and to investigate poor adherence determinants among primary care patients.

Triple inhaled therapy in COPD patients: determinants of prescription in primary care.

Objective: To assess the incidence and determinants of the triple inhaled therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) primary care patients.

Methods: Data derived from the Health Search Database (HSD) gathering information on 700 Italian general practitioners. A cohort of COPD patients, prescribed for the first time with inhaled treatments, was followed-up between January 2002 and December 2014.

Methadone Dose Adjustments, Plasma R-Methadone Levels and Therapeutic Outcome of Heroin Users: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Aims: We aimed to improve the retention in treatment and therapeutic outcome of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients by adjusting the oral methadone dose in order to reach a "target" plasma R-methadone level (80-250 ng/mL).

Methods: A multicenter randomized controlled trial was organized.

Results: The intention-to-treat statistical analysis showed that repeated dose adjustments performed in order to obtain therapeutic plasma R-methadone levels did not improve retention in treatment of heroin-dependent patients.

Repairing folding-defective α-sarcoglycan mutants by CFTR correctors, a potential therapy for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2D.

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2D (LGMD2D) is a rare autosomal-recessive disease, affecting striated muscle, due to mutation of SGCA, the gene coding for α-sarcoglycan. Nowadays, more than 50 different SGCA missense mutations have been reported. They are supposed to impact folding and trafficking of α-sarcoglycan because the defective polypeptide, although potentially functional, is recognized and disposed of by the quality control of the cell.

Drug interactions in users of tablet vs. oral liquid levothyroxine formulations: a real-world evidence study in primary care.

Purpose: Several medications may interact with levothyroxine (LT4) intestinal absorption or metabolism, thus reducing its bioavailability. We investigated the variability of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and prescribed daily dosages (PDDs) of LT4 before and during potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in users of tablets vs. oral liquid LT4 formulations.

Poor adherence to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease medications in primary care: Role of age, disease burden and polypharmacy.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess the occurrence and determinants of poor adherence to pharmacological treatment in a cohort of primary care patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), paying special attention to the role of age, comorbidity and polypharmacy.

Methods: We identified a cohort of COPD patients using the primary care Italian Health Search - IMS Longitudinal Patient Database. We assessed 1-year adherence to COPD maintenance pharmacotherapy (encompassing inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting beta agonists and long-acting anticholinergics).

Variability of adverse events in the public health-care service of the Tuscany region.

The objective of the study is to analyze the variation of adverse events (AEs) according to the different structure of hospitals. The study is a multicenter, retrospective study. It involves 4 teaching hospitals (THs) and 32 community hospitals, distributed in 12 local trusts (LTs), of the Tuscany Regional Healthcare Service (RHS).

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treatment Patterns Across Europe: A Population-based Multi-database Study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the similarities and differences of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treatment patterns in daily practice in 5 European countries and whether these reflect differences in guidelines.

Methods: Prescriptions for drugs used in diabetes treatment during a 5-year study period were obtained from electronic databases. Patients initiating T2DM treatment during the study period were included.

Assessing Risk of Osteoporotic Fractures in Primary Care: Development and Validation of the FRA-HS Algorithm.

We aimed to develop and validate the FRActure Health Search (FRA-HS) score for prediction of risk of osteoporotic fractures in primary care in Italy. We selected a cohort of patients aged 40 years between 1999 and 2002. They were followed until the occurrence of osteoporotic fracture, death, end of data registration, or end of data availability (December 31, 2012).

Automatic identification of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, ischaemic heart disease, heart failure and their levels of severity from Italian General Practitioners' electronic medical records: a validation study.

Objectives: The Italian project MATRICE aimed to assess how well cases of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), hypertension, ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and heart failure (HF) and their levels of severity can be automatically extracted from the Health Search/CSD Longitudinal Patient Database (HSD). From the medical records of the general practitioners (GP) who volunteered to participate, cases were extracted by algorithms based on diagnosis codes, keywords, drug prescriptions and results of diagnostic tests. A random sample of identified cases was validated by interviewing their GPs.

Development and Validation of a Score for Adjusting Health Care Costs in General Practice.

Objective: To develop and validate the Italian Health Search Morbidity (HSM) Index to adjust health care costs in general practice.

Methods: The study population comprised 1,076,311 patients registered in the Health Search CSD Longitudinal Patient Database between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2010. We randomly selected 538,254 and 538,057 patients to form the development and validation cohorts, respectively.

[Correction: Adverse events and preventable consequences: retrospective study in five large Italian hospitals].

[This corrects the Table 4 of the article: pmid: 22828228].

Drug interactions with levothyroxine therapy in patients with hypothyroidism: observational study in general practice.

Background And Objectives: Several drugs may interact with levothyroxine and reduce its bioavailability. The aim of this study was to analyse the Italian general practice patients with hypothyroidism from 2002-2011, in terms of variation of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, number of levothyroxine prescriptions and dose of levothyroxine before and during potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs).

Methods: Data were extracted from the Italian general practice Health Search CSD Longitudinal Patient Database (HSD).

Inhibition of ubiquitin proteasome system rescues the defective sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA1) protein causing Chianina cattle pseudomyotonia.

A missense mutation in ATP2A1 gene, encoding sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA1) protein, causes Chianina cattle congenital pseudomyotonia, an exercise-induced impairment of muscle relaxation. Skeletal muscles of affected cattle are characterized by a selective reduction of SERCA1 in sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes. In this study, we provide evidence that the ubiquitin proteasome system is involved in the reduced density of mutated SERCA1.

Effectiveness of risk minimization measures for cabergoline-induced cardiac valve fibrosis in clinical practice in Italy.

On June 2008, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) introduced changes to the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) for cabergoline and pergolide, to reduce the risk of cardiac valvulopathy in users of these drugs. To assess the effectiveness of EMA recommendations in Italian clinical practice, we retrospectively reviewed medical charts of patients with degenerative Parkinsonism treated with cabergoline in three large Italian clinics between January 2006 and June 2012. The prevalence and the severity of cardiac valve regurgitation were assessed in patients who stopped cabergoline therapy prior to June 2008 or continued therapy after that date.

Risk of ESRD and death in patients with CKD not referred to a nephrologist: a 7-year prospective study.

Background And Objectives: Rising prevalence of CKD requires active involvement of general practitioners to limit ESRD and mortality risk. However, the outcomes of patients with CKD exclusively managed by general practitioners are ill defined.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: We prospectively evaluated 30,326 adult patients with nondialysis CKD stages 1-5 who had never received consultation in tertiary nephrology care recruited from 700 general practitioner offices in Italy during 2002 and 2003.

Unveiling the degradative route of the V247M α-sarcoglycan mutant responsible for LGMD-2D.

Many membrane and secretory proteins that fail to pass quality control in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are dislocated into the cytosol and degraded by the proteasome. In applying rigid rules, however, quality control sometimes discharges proteins that, even though defective, retain their function. The unnecessary removal of such proteins represents the pathogenetic hallmark of diverse genetic diseases, in the case of ΔF508 mutant of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator being probably the best known example.

[Adverse events and preventable consequences: retrospective study in five large Italian hospitals].

Objective: To define the incidence of adverse events and their preventability in a representative sample of patients in five acute hospitals located in the North, the Centre and the South of Italy. Other objectives include the evaluation of the consequences of adverse events and their distribution according to specialties.

Design: Retrospective and multicentre study.