Blood Cell Count Indexes of Systemic Inflammation in Carotid Artery Disease: Current Evidence and Future Perspectives.

Carotid artery disease is commonly encountered in clinical practice and accounts for approximately 30% of ischemic strokes in the general population. Numerous biomarkers have been investigated as predictors of the onset and progression of carotid disease, the occurrence of cerebrovascular complications, and overall prognosis. Among them, blood cell count (BCC) indexes of systemic inflammation might be particularly useful, from a pathophysiological and clinical point of view, given the inflammatory nature of the atherosclerotic process.

Blood Cell Count Biomarkers, Risk, and Outcomes of Ischemia-Related Lower Limb Amputations: A Systematic Review.

Lower limb amputations due to ischemia represent an important health care and social issue. However, there are currently no specific biomarkers able to predict the risk of amputation and postamputation complications and prognosis. We conducted a systematic review of studies investigating whether blood cell count indexes of systemic inflammation are linked to the risk and the outcome of lower limb amputations due to ischemia.

D-Dimer Concentrations and COVID-19 Severity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a recently described infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since late 2019, COVID-19 has rapidly spread in virtually all countries, imposing the adoption of significant lockdown and social distancing measures. The activation of the coagulation cascade is a common feature of disseminated intravascular coagulation and adverse clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

Chylous ascites and chylothorax as presentation of a systemic progression of discoid lupus.

We describe a patient with a history of discoid lupus erythematosus who presented with chylous ascites and chylothorax. Analysis of peritoneal and pleural fluid showed a high level of triglycerides and the presence of antinuclear antibody and anti-dsDNA antibody. Further study revealed other diagnostic criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus and serologic markers of disease activity.

Spontaneous priapism produced by stenosis of the lumbar canal.

A case of a 64-year-old man with stenosis of the lumbar canal and symptoms of compression of the cauda equina is described. This symptomatology increased after walking and was associated with spontaneous priapism. All symptoms were relieved after surgical decompression.

Radiosurgery using a 4MV linear accelerator. Technique and radiobiologic implications.

In the authors' technique, the stereotactically localized target is fixed to the isocenter of a 4 MV linear accelerator. The irradiation is carried out along 9-17 non-coplanar arcs distributed on a 160 degrees cylindrical sector. High doses (10-50 Gy) are delivered in one or two sessions.

Computerized cranial tomography in presymptomatic and hepatic form of Wilson's disease.

Computerized cranial tomography was performed in 14 patients affected with hepatolenticular degeneration (4 presymptomatic and 10 with a hepatic form). 1 case showed brain stem atrophy with atypically located hypodense areas and another subject showed frontal atrophy with prevalence to the right side. The abnormalities found in another 7 cases were slight.

Myelography with iopamidol, a nonionic water-soluble contrast medium: incidence of complications.

A review of immediate and delayed side effects noted in a consecutive series of 1,138 myelograms made with Iopamidol in the Services of Neuroradiology of various hospitals and university clinics at Pavia, Perugia, Vicenza, and Parma (all in Italy). The contrast was administered by lumbar spinal route at iodine concentrations of 200, 300 and 370 mg/ml, in amounts varying from 5 to 20 ml depending on segments being examined and extant clinical indications. The incidence and characteristics of complications (headache, nausea, vomiting, evidence of radicular irritation, etc.

Studies on brain density in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

30 patients on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis have been investigated by computerized tomographic (CT) scan. To evaluate possible cerebral alterations induced by dialysis, CT examinations were carried out before, immediately after and 6 h after the end of dialysis with an Evaluskop, which provides an objective precise evaluation of even slight variations in brain density. No morphological variations were noted after dialysis, while the brain density fell significantly during and after the treatment.

Changes of cerebral density in dialyzed patients.

CT studies were made on 38 patients receiving different dialytic treatment, 10 patients with chronic renal failure not yet dialyzed, and 15 healthy subjects. No morphological modifications were observed. On the contrary, significant changes of density were demonstrated after a dialysis session in the population treated intermittently.