Influence of OPRM1 Polymorphism on Postoperative Pain After Intrathecal Morphine Administration in Italian Patients Undergoing Elective Cesarean Section.

Objectives: The aim of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the influence of OPRM1 polymorphism on the analgesic efficacy (including visual analog scale [VAS] scores and requirement for rescue analgesia) of a standard dose of intrathecal morphine.

Materials And Methods: An Italian cohort of 63 parturients, scheduled for elective cesarean section at a tertiary University Hospital, received spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric bupivacaine and morphine 100 mcg. For the first 48 hours in the postoperative period the patients received acetaminophen 1 g IV q6hr.

Expression of β-adrenergic receptors in pediatric malignant brain tumors.

β-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) are G protein-coupled receptors that activate signal transduction pathways involved in angiogenesis, resulting in enhanced tumor vascularization and more aggressive growth. In this study, we evaluated the expression of β-ARs in a population of 12 children affected by malignant primary brain tumors. We found a significant expression of β1- and β2-ARs in all 12 samples as well as the 3 cell lines tested (U87MG, T98G and DAOY).

Angiocentric glioma: clinical, morphological, immunohistochemical and molecular features in three pediatric cases.

Angiocentric glioma is a rare slow growing tumor. It is associated to seizures and is mainly diagnosed in children and young adults. We describe the clinical, histo-pathological and molecular (IDH1, IDH2 and BRAFV600E mutational status) features in 3 children, 2 girls (2- and 11-years old) and 1 boy (10-years old).

Glioneuronal tumor with neuropil-like islands: clinical, morphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular features of three pediatric cases.

Glioneuronal tumors with neuropil-like islands are rare. The 1st reported cases were localized in the cerebral hemispheres of adults, showed homogeneous histopathologic features (infiltrating astrocytic growth and neuropil-like islands rimmed by neuronal cells), and had an unfavorable behavior. We report 3 pediatric cases (1 boy and 2 girls, ages 4, 6, and 8 years, respectively).

IDH1 mutation in pediatric gliomas: has it a diagnostic and prognostic value?

Mutations in IDH1 gene are observed in gliomas with significant differences according to histotype, grade, prognosis, and age. We analyzed the IDH1 gene mutations frequency in 42 gliomas from 40 children (14 pilocytic astrocytomas; 3 pilomyxoid astrocytomas; 3 diffuse astrocytomas; 1 gliomatosi cerebri; 8 subependymal giant cell astrocytomas; 2 anaplastic astrocytomas; 9 glioblastomas). No IDH1 mutation was detected.