Understanding pediatric cervicofacial non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection.

Cervicofacial non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection should be a part of the differential diagnosis for immunocompetent children ages 1 to 5 years who present with painless submandibular or preauricular lymphadenopathy. Although a benign and self-limiting disease, patients can develop a chronically draining fistula if not diagnosed and treated promptly. The diagnostic process can be managed with a combination of microbiological studies, cytology, laboratory tests, and imaging studies.

Alpha-1 antitripsyn deficiency and augmentation therapy in pregnancy: two case reports.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is an inherited condition characterized by reduced plasma levels of alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT), often leading to pulmonary diseases primarily emphysema and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but also bronchiectasis, bronchial asthma, or other less common disorders. Early diagnosis enables AAT augmentation therapy, which has proven to be effective in slowing down functional decline and improving survival rates. This article presents two cases of pregnant women with rare allelic variants of AATD who received AAT augmentation therapy, exploring the limited evidence on its safety during pregnancy and the potential role of decreased serum AAT levels in pregnancy-related complications.

Lung Function Decline in Pulmonary Alveolar Microlithiasis.

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM) is a rare lung disorder characterized by calcium phosphate microliths in the alveolar spaces. Autosomal recessive mutations on the SLC34A2 gene lead to altered type IIb sodium phosphate cotransporter in alveolar type-II cells of the lung, thus resulting in aggregations of microliths in the alveoli. To date, more than 1000 cases have been reviewed by expert pulmonary clinicians.

Endovascular Treatment of Malfunctioning Dialysis Fistulas: A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis Comparing Transradial and Conventional Transvenous Access.

Background: Venous outflow is the favored access for endovascular management of dialysis fistulas. However, transradial access (TRA) offers advantages in specific clinical scenarios. The study aims to compare the efficacy, feasibility, and safety of TRA and transvenous access (TVA) in the endovascular management of malfunctioning dialysis fistulas, addressing the existing gap in comprehensive literature.

Simultaneous treatment with benralizumab and ustekinumab in a patient with severe asthma and ulcerative colitis.

The burden of autoimmune diseases is rising worldwide. The expansion of the population of patients eligible for severe asthma biological therapy we are seeing in clinical practice could lead to the simultaneous use of different monoclonal antibodies. We present the case of biological combination therapy with ustekinumab and benralizumab in a patient with ulcerative colitis and severe eosinophilic asthma.

The Evolution of Hemophilia Pharmacological Treatments and Therapeutic Targets at the Turn of the Third Millennium.

Historically, the aim of treatment for hemophilia, the congenital X-linked hemorrhagic disorder due to deficiencies of coagulation Factor (F) VIII (hemophilia A) or FIX (hemophilia B), has been the replacement through factor concentrates, whose regular administration (i.e., prophylaxis) has been shown to be highly effective in preventing bleeding complications and it is currently considered the gold standard of hemophilia treatment.

A Multicenter Retrospective Study Evaluating Distal Radial Access vs. Conventional Transradial or Transvenous Access for Endovascular Treatment of Malfunctioning Dialysis Fistulas.

Background: This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of distal transradial access (dRA) for the endovascular management of malfunctioning dialysis fistulas. This study also compares dRA with conventional access techniques, such as proximal radial and transvenous access, focusing on technical success, clinical outcomes, and vascular access site complications (VASCs).

Methods: A retrospective multicenter study was conducted across four hospitals, including 292 patients treated between January 2019 and June 2024.

Liver Transplantation for the Cure of Neuroendocrine Liver Metastasis: A Systematic Review with Particular Attention to the Risk Factors of Death and Recurrence.

Background/objectives: Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN) are heterogeneous entities. Despite considerable advancement in the field, almost 50% of patients have metastatic disease, when liver transplantation (LT) is one of the possible treatments offering a cure in well-selected patients.

Methods: The present study aims to systematically review all the literature from 2000 onwards on using LT for patients with NEN-LM, with particular attention to the risk factors of death and recurrence.

Clinical efficacy of low-dose Perampanel correlates with neurophysiological changes in familial adult myoclonus epilepsy 2.

Familial adult myoclonus epilepsy (FAME) management relies on antiseizure medications (ASMs), which inadequately address myoclonus and cortical tremor. This study evaluates Perampanel (PER), an AMPA-receptor antagonist, for treating FAME symptoms. Fifteen FAME2 patients participated in an observational prospective study.

Different Manifestations of Persistent Sciatic Artery and Possible Treatment Options: A Series of Four Cases.

Persistent sciatic artery (PSA) is a rare vascular anomaly classified into five types according to the Pillet and Gauffre classification system. Although PSA may be detected as an incidental finding, symptomatic cases account for approximately 80% of all cases and have variable clinical presentations. Due to the frequent ischemic and aneurysmal complications, PSAs can lead to limb-threatening conditions requiring prompt identification and adequate treatment management.

Percutaneous microwave ablation of HCC: comparison between 100 and 150 W technology systems.

Purpose: To evaluate the differences in efficacy and safety between the 100 and 150 W percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) systems in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent percutaneous MWA (Emprint™ HP Ablation System, Medtronic) between January 2021 and May 2023. We divided the cohort into two groups: Group 1, treated with MWA at 100 W power system, and Group 2, treated with 150 W one.

Changes in 24-hour blood pressure profile after 12 weeks of dapagliflozin treatment in patients with diabetic kidney disease: an Italian multicenter prospective study.

Background: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) lower ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus; whether the same holds true in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is unknown. This information is critical to the knowledge of mechanisms of nephroprotection and safety of this therapy.

Methods: This multicenter prospective study evaluates the changes in ABP after 12 weeks of dapagliflozin 10 mg/day in a cohort of patients with type 2 DKD and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) >25 mL/min/1.

Methacrylated chitosan/jellyfish collagen membranes as cell instructive platforms for liver tissue engineering.

Although the multidisciplinary area of liver tissue engineering is in continuous progress, research in this field is still focused on developing an ideal liver tissue template. Innovative strategies are required to improve membrane stability and bioactivity. In our study, sustainable biomimetic membranes were developed by blending methacrylated chitosan (CSMA) with jellyfish collagen (jCol) for liver tissue engineering applications.

Therapy modulates the response to T cell epitopes over the spectrum of tuberculosis infection.

Background: Identifying stage-specific antigens is essential for developing tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics and vaccines. In a low TB endemic country, we characterized, the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)-specific immune response to a pool of Mtb-derived epitopes (ATB116), demonstrated as associated with TB disease.

Methods: In this prospective observational cross-sectional study, we enrolled healthy donors (HD), subjects with TB disease, and TB infection (TBI) at baseline and therapy completion.

Ocular Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Optic Neuropathies: A Review of the Literature.

Background: Optic neuropathies represent one of the most frequent causes of vision loss, and they can manifest alone or in conjunction with neurological or systemic symptoms and signs. In recent years, the diagnostic techniques used to detect optic neuropathies have significantly improved, facilitating diagnosis and improving treatment. Among these, ocular ultrasound has assumed a fundamental role, although with conflicting results in the published scientific literature.

Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant Switch after Anti-VEGF Treatment in Patients Affected by Retinal Vein Occlusion: A Review of the Literature.

Nowadays, retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is the second most prevalent cause of vision loss associated with retinal vascular disease. Intravitreal injections are currently known as a major advancement in ophthalmology, particularly in the treatment of RVO and other retinal disorders. Particularly, the first line of therapy is usually anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs.

Pharmacokinetics of Efmoroctocog alfa by Two-Compartment Model Highlights Hemophilia A Patients with Biphasic Decay, Long Mean Residence Time, and Beta Half-Life.

A compartmental pharmacokinetics (PK) analysis of new extended half-life FVIII concentrates has never been performed in a large cohort of hemophilia patients. An improved PK analysis of individual outcomes may help to tailor hemophilia replacement treatment. PK outcomes after the infusion of a standard single dose of Efmoroctocog alfa were collected from 173 patients with severe/moderately severe hemophilia A in 11 Italian hemophilia centers.