Introductory paper: High-dose influenza vaccine.

Seasonal influenza has a significant impact on global public health each year, especially in older adults 65 years of age and above. This paper presents the evolution of high-dose influenza vaccine and the quantity as well as quality of evidence on this vaccine. Its introduces other peer-reviewed manuscripts included in this supplement covering the benefits high-dose influenza vaccine over ten consecutive influenza seasons.

[Correlation between radiologic and ultrasonographic patterns and clinical manifestations in symptomatic hip osteoarthritis].

Increasing amounts of data have recently been published regarding ultrasonographic (US) findings of osteoarthritic joints, but very few data concern hip joints. In the current study we described US patterns concerning 490 patients affected by symptomatic hip osteoarthritis (OA) who underwent to intra-articular injections of hyaluronic products under US guidance. All patients were studied by US and X-ray of hip, clinical evaluation was assessed by the followings indexes: Lequesne, pain VAS, ICED, Global Physician Assessment and Global Patient Assessment.

Sjogren's syndrome in a celiac patient: searching for environmental triggers.

In the last few years many studies have shown the potential role of different triggers in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases. In particular, in Sjogren's syndrome the presence of a genetic background is considered determining, but environmental factors have recently been described as triggers or precipitators. In this report, we describe the case of a young woman affected by celiac disease in which an Ascaris lumbricoides infestation and estrogen therapy could have played a role in the development of Sjogren's syndrome.

Pharmacological and clinical basis of treatment of Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) with colchicine or analogues: an update.

Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF), an autosomal recessive disorder, is characterised by recurrent attacks of fever and serositis, lasting 24-72 hours. Since 1972 colchicine has become the drug of choice for prophylaxis against FMF attacks and amyloidosis FMF-associated. Colchicine, an alkaloid neutral, is absorbed in the jejunum and ileum.

Association of myasthenia gravis and antisynthetase syndrome: a case report.

Myasthenia gravis is a chronic disease of neuromuscular transmission caused by loss of acetylcholine receptors. It can be found in association with other autoimmune disorders. We report the case of a 47-yr-old woman affected by Myasthenia gravis who complained of fever, progressive weakness of proximal limb muscle, arthritis and Raynauds phenomenon and dyspnea.

HIV-1: a case of RT67 deletion in a multi-treated non responder patient.

The early detection of mutations in the HIV-1 polymerase is a key point in the management of anti-retroviral therapy. While nucleotide substitutions and insertions have been well and frequently desribed in literature as linked to drug resistance, deletions have been rarely observed and desribed (ART67, Imamichi et al.).

Vascular endothelial growth factor attenuates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Background: Hypoxic endothelial cell activation plays a key role in the myocardial dysfunction resulting from ischemia-reperfusion injury. Recent evidence suggests that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) may, in addition to promoting angiogenesis, modulate various aspects of endothelial function and repair. We examined whether administration of VEGF in the cardioplegic solution might have a beneficial effect on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in an isolated rat heart model.

Improved distribution of antegrade cardioplegic solution with simultaneous coronary sinus occlusion following acute coronary artery occlusion.

This study was designed to evaluate the distribution of cardioplegic solution infused antegradely with simultaneous coronary sinus occlusion. After 1 hr LAD occlusion, sheep were placed on cardiopulmonary bypass. Hearts were arrested with 300 ml of cold cardioplegia and replenished with two additional doses.

Synergy between cyclosporine and anti-IL-2 receptor monoclonal antibodies in rats. Functional studies of heart and kidney allografts.

Although cyclosporine has improved results of organ transplantation, treatment regimens using multiple agents are being evaluated both experimentally and clinically in attempts to diminish its often profound nephrotoxicity; some therapies act synergistically by differential inhibition of distinct steps of the rejection cascade. The effects on graft function of a full dose or a subclinical dose of CsA, ART-18, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) directed against the IL-2 receptor expressed on activated host cells, and a combination of low-dose CsA and ART-18, have been tested in rat recipients of both heart and kidney allografts. Renal graft function was assessed by several classic techniques; heart function by isolated perfusion methods.

The dynamics of antegrade cardioplegia with simultaneous coronary sinus occlusion. Effects on aortic root infusion pressure, coronary sinus pressure, and myocardial cooling.

It has been suggested that antegrade cardioplegia with coronary sinus occlusion improves homogeneous myocardial cooling and reduces myocardial injury in the presence of coronary artery occlusion. Little data are available on the exact relationships among the basic elements or this intervention, including antegrade infusion rate, aortic root pressure, the degree of coronary sinus occlusion, coronary sinus pressure, and myocardial cooling. The purpose of this study was to determine these relationships and to provide some basic guidelines for better understanding of this intervention.

The mechanism of heart failure caused by cardiac allograft rejection.

Rejection of the cardiac allograft is often associated with reversible myocardial failure, the mechanism of which is not understood. We have examined this phenomenon in a small animal model that provides the opportunity for multimodality study of the rejection process. Heterotopic cardiac transplantation was performed in the Lewis rat with Lewis X Brown-Norway (allografts) or Lewis (isografts) donors.

Cardioplegia for the immature myocardium. A comparative study in the neonatal rabbit.

This study examined the effect of hypothermia (15 degrees C) alone or combined with various cardioplegic solutions on functional recovery of the neonatal heart after 120 minutes of global ischemia in an isolated working rabbit heart model. Control hearts were preserved with hypothermia alone, and groups 1 to 6 were given different hyperkalemic crystalloid cardioplegic solutions. Each cardioplegic solution differed in Na+ and Ca++ content.