Baricitinib for the treatment of severe alopecia areata: results from a 52-week multicenter retrospective real-world study.

Baricitinib, a JAK 1/2 inhibitor, is approved for treating severe alopecia areata (AA). This study aimed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and safety of baricitinib in a real-world setting over 52 weeks. This multicenter retrospective study included 96 adult patients diagnosed with severe AA from 11 Italian Dermatology Units.

Anterior Gastropexy for Paraesophageal Hernia Repair: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Paraesophageal hernias can cause severe limitations in quality of life and life-threatening complications. Even though minimally invasive paraesophageal hernia repair (MIS-PEHR) is safe and effective, anatomic recurrence rates remain notoriously high. Retrospective data suggest that suturing the stomach to the anterior abdominal wall after repair-an anterior gastropexy-may reduce recurrence, but this adjunct is currently not the standard of care.

Establishment of Erythropoietin for physicochemical tests CRS batch 2.

Here we report the outcome of a collaborative study aimed at demonstrating the suitability of the candidate Chemical Reference Substance (CRS) as a replacement reference (batch 2) for the physicochemical methods in European Pharmacopoeia monograph . Results from the study demonstrated that for the physicochemical methods described in the monograph - capillary zone electrophoresis, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting, peptide mapping and glycan mapping - the candidate CRS is essentially identical to CRS batch 1 and is suitable to be established as Erythropoietin for physicochemical tests CRS batch 2. CRS batch 2 is a freeze-dried preparation presented in vials.

Anti-IL-17/23 Drugs for the Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Hidradenitis Suppurativa in Patients With Concomitant Psoriasis: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Introduction: Psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) are chronic inflammatory diseases with significant overlap in their immunologic pathways, which involve cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alfa, interleukin (IL)-17, and IL-23. Current treatment options for HS are limited, as only adalimumab and secukinumab are approved for severe cases. Given the overlapping pathogenetic features between HS and psoriasis, anti-IL-17 and anti-IL-23 drugs could represent valuable treatments for the management of HS.

Italian Expert Opinion on Chronic Hand Eczema: from Guidelines to Clinical Practice.

Introduction: Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is an inflammatory skin condition characterized by different pathomechanisms, clinical presentations, and prognoses. Treatment is often challenging because of limited approved drugs, and severe CHE is associated with reduced quality of life (QoL) and poor overall health measures in terms of psychological, functional, and occupational challenges. This study aims to describe the real-life management practices of Italian dermatologists who frequently treat patients with CHE, compare these practices with existing guidelines, and propose practical clinical recommendations for the management of these patients.

Validation of an ELISA method for determination of physical particle titre of AAV2-based vector preparations.

Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (AAV) are widely used as gene therapy vectors in human gene therapy. Reliable and accurate quantification of the physical particle titre is one of the parameters to be determined for precise dosing, which is of critical importance for the patients. In this report, we describe the validation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the determination of the total AAV-2 physical particle titre through an international collaborative study organised by the Gene Therapy Working Group of the General European Official Medicines Control Laboratories Network co-ordinated by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM), which aims to develop and validate standard analytical methods for the quality control of gene therapy products.

Melanoma in Adolescents and Young Adults (AYAs): An Italian Multi-Centric Retrospective Experience.

Melanoma is currently the most prevalent malignant neoplasm among adults and represents the second most common cancer in both sexes among individuals aged 0 to 39 years. This retrospective multicenter study delves into the distinctive clinical, anamnestic, histopathologic, and prognostic attributes of melanoma in Adolescent and Young Adults (AYA), defined as patients diagnosed at ≤40 years, across four Italian centers. Through a computer-based review of clinical records from 1 January 2010 to 30 September 2023, AYA melanomas were contrasted with non-AYA melanomas (>40 years) among 1452 patients.

Efficacy and Safety of Risankizumab in Patients with Psoriasis Showing Suboptimal Response to Secukinumab or Ixekizumab: Results from a Phase 3b, Open-Label, Single-Arm (aIMM) Study.

Introduction: Risankizumab has demonstrated superior efficacy compared to other psoriasis treatments, including secukinumab, adalimumab, and ustekinumab; switching to risankizumab from other psoriasis treatments has shown superior clinical and quality of life (QoL) outcomes. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of directly switching patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and a suboptimal response to interleukin (IL)-17 inhibitors (secukinumab or ixekizumab) to risankizumab.

Methods: This 52-week, phase 3b study enrolled patients (≥ 18 years) with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who had previously been treated with the recommended dose of secukinumab or ixekizumab for ≥ 6 months but did not achieve an optimal response (static Physician's Global Assessment [sPGA] 2/3; body surface are [BSA] 3- < 10%).

Long-term effectiveness and safety of risankizumab in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis with and without cardiometabolic comorbidities: a single-center retrospective study.

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease driven by immune system dysfunction and associated with increased cardiovascular risk and metabolic disorders. Risankizumab is an anti-interleukin-23 humanized monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. We conducted a 3-year retrospective study to evaluate the effectiveness and the safety of risankizumab in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, comparing those with and without the presence of at least one cardiometabolic comorbidity (CMD).

Rationale for Early Administration of PCSK9 Inhibitors in Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) represent a significant global health challenge arising from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels being a primary contributor. Despite standard statin therapy, individuals with ACS remain at high risk for recurrent cardiovascular events, particularly in the initial post-ACS period. Monoclonal antibodies targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), such as evolocumab and alirocumab, offer a potential strategy to reduce LDL-C levels further and mitigate this residual risk.

Fast Clinical Response of Bimekizumab in Nail Psoriasis: A Retrospective Multicenter 36-Week Real-Life Study.

(1) Background/Objectives: Nail psoriasis (NP) is a chronic and difficult-to-treat disease, which causes significant social stigma and impairs the patients' quality of life. Moreover, nail psoriasis is a true therapeutic challenge for clinicians. The presence of nail psoriasis can be part of a severe form of psoriasis and can have predictive value for the development of psoriatic arthritis.

Itching for Answers: A Comprehensive Review of Cholestatic Pruritus Treatments.

Cholestasis is a clinical and laboratory syndrome indicating impaired bile production or excretion. One of the hallmark symptoms of cholestasis is pruritus. Itch can be severe and debilitating for patients, impacting their quality of life similarly to pain, and, in some cases, it can be refractory.

Protocol for oil red O staining of low-density lipoproteins for in vivo cell treatment.

Low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) are the most abundant circulating lipoproteins and the most critical factor in the development of atherosclerosis. This protocol allows the staining of LDLs with oil red O to monitor particle uptake in bright-field microscopy. Here, we describe how to stain isolated LDLs using oil red O and how to use them to monitor LDL uptake in time-lapse experiments or fixed cells.

A Versatile, Machine-Learning-Enhanced RF Spectral Sensor for Developing a Trunk Hydration Monitoring System in Smart Agriculture.

This paper comprehensively explores the development of a standalone and compact microwave sensing system tailored for automated radio frequency (RF) scattered parameter acquisitions. Coupled with an emitting RF device (antenna, resonator, open waveguide), the system could be used for non-invasive monitoring of external matter or latent environmental variables. Central to this design is the integration of a NanoVNA and a Raspberry Pi Zero W platform, allowing easy recording of S-parameters (scattering parameters) in the range of the 50 kHz-4.

A 3-Year Multicentric Study on Switching from Ustekinumab to Guselkumab in Partial Responders with Psoriasis-IL PSO (Italian Landscape Psoriasis).

Introduction: Guselkumab, a human monoclonal antibody targeting the p19 subunit of interleukin-23 (IL-23), has shown efficacy in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. However, long-term real-world data on its effectiveness in patients with inadequate response to ustekinumab are limited. This study investigates guselkumab's long-term effectiveness and safety in patients with psoriasis with partial response to ustekinumab.