COVID-19 severity appears to be reduced in spring/summer.

Background: because of different human behaviours, SARS-CoV-2 spread may be lower in spring/summer. On the contrary, it is not clearly known whether the clinical course/severity of hospitalized patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 can be different in the various seasons..

Real-World Analysis of Outcomes and Economic Burden in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease with and without Secondary Hyperparathyroidism among a Sample of the Italian Population.

This real-world analysis evaluated the clinical and economic burden of non-dialysis-dependent CKD patients with and without secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT) in Italy. An observational retrospective study was conducted using administrative databases containing a pool of healthcare entities covering 2.45 million health-assisted individuals.

The Epidemiology, Treatment Patterns and Economic Burden of Different Phenotypes of Multiple Sclerosis in Italy: Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis and Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.

Purpose: A retrospective analysis of real-world data was performed to assess the epidemiology and economic burden of multiple sclerosis (MS), relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), and secondary-progressive MS (SPMS) in Italy.

Patients And Methods: An observational study on administrative databases from a sample of Italian entities was carried-out. Between 01/2010-12/2017, patients with ≥1 MS diagnosis code (ICD-9-CM:340 and/or exemption code:046) and/or ≥1 disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) prescription, were included.

Should a prescription database be used to search uncontrolled severe asthmatics?

Introduction: Many uncontrolled severe asthmatics are not on biologic therapy. We hypothesized that using a prescription database could help us identify them.

Material And Methods: 3,309 patients who received at least one Montelukast prescription in 2019 were extracted from our prescription database.

Which LABA/LAMA should be chosen in COPD patients in real life?

Background: Given COPD heterogeneity, we do not know if some LABA/LAMAs are more suitable for some COPD phenotypes. This real-life database study aimed to evaluate retrospectively the 4 LABA/LAMA effectiveness and highlight possible specificities that could better guide us in choosing the right LABA/LAMA to be used.

Methods: We searched for subjects (1,779) adherent to umeclidinium/vilanterol (UM/VI), indacaterol/glycopyrronium (IND/GLY), aclidinium/formoterol (ACLI/FOR) and tiotropium/olodaterol (TIO/OLO) treatments in our prescribing/dispensing database.

Sex differences in excessive oral corticosteroid exposure in poor adherent adult asthmatics overusing short-acting β-2 agonists.

Background: We know that excessive short-acting β2-agonists (SABA) use in asthma may be associated to high exacerbation risks. We studied whether such excessive SABA consumption is connected with different higher oral corticosteroid (OC) prescriptions in the two sexes.

Methods: In our prescribing database, we searched subjects aged 18-40 years that were prescribed at least one SABA package/year and/or at least two ICS or two ICS/LABA boxes/year to identify asthmatics.

Treatment patterns, health resource consumption, and costs of patients with migraine in an Italian real-world setting.

Objective: This study aimed to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of migraineurs prescribed ≥1 migraine prophylactic therapy, and to analyze their therapeutic pathways, healthcare resource consumption, and related costs.

Methods: This retrospective analysis was based on administrative databases from two regions and three local health units in Italy. Adult patients with ≥1 discharge diagnosis for migraine or ≥1 prescription for migraine-specific drugs, or ≥1 emergency room visit for migraine from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2016 were included if they had received ≥1 migraine prophylactic therapy between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2015 (enrollment period).

Optimal Antithrombotic Treatment of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Early after an Acute Coronary Syndrome-Triple Therapy, Dual Antithrombotic Therapy with an Anticoagulant… Or, Rather, Temporary Dual Antiplatelet Therapy?

The combination of atrial fibrillation (AF) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a complex situation in which a three-dimensional risk-cardioembolic, coronary, and hemorrhagic-has to be carefully managed. Triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT) is burdened with a high risk of serious bleeding, while dual antithrombotic therapy with an anticoagulant (DAT) likely provides only suboptimal coronary protection early after stent implantation. Moreover, TAT precludes the advantages provided by the use of the latest and more potent P2Y inhibitors in ACS patients.

Insulin Glargine U100 Utilization in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in an Italian Real-World Setting: A Retrospective Study.

Background: This study is aimed at estimating the proportion of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients treated with basal insulin (insulin glargine U100) and at evaluating daily insulin dose, treatment pattern, and adherence to treatment of these patients.

Methods: Data from administrative and laboratory databases of 3 Italian Local Health Units were retrospectively collected and analyzed. All patients with a diagnosis of T2DM between 01/01/2012 and 31/12/2012 were considered, and those with at least a prescription of insulin glargine between 01/01/2013 and 31/12/2014 were included and followed up for one year.

Tracking immune-related cell responses to drug delivery microparticles in 3D dense collagen matrix.

Beyond the therapeutic purpose, the impact of drug delivery microparticles on the local tissue and inflammatory responses remains to be further elucidated specifically for reactions mediated by the host immune cells. Such immediate and prolonged reactions may adversely influence the release efficacy and intended therapeutic pathway. The lack of suitable in vitro platforms limits our ability to gain insight into the nature of immune responses at a single cell level.

Hemostatic polymers: the concept, state of the art and perspectives.

This article presents a critical overview of the most significant developments in the use of polymers as hemostatic agents. The materials have been divided into two groups, which are, naturally occurring and synthetic. Remarkable examples include collagen, chitosan, bovine serum albumin/glutaraldehyde hydrogels, poly(cyanoacrylate)s and poly(alkylene oxide)s.

PolyPEGA with predetermined molecular weights from enzyme-mediated radical polymerization in water.

The preparation of acrylic polymers with predetermined molecular weights using metalloenzymes as catalysts, ascorbic acid as reducing agent and alkyl halides as initiators is reported. The mechanism of polymerization resembles an ARGET ATRP process.

Investigation of metal ligand affinities of atom transfer radical polymerization catalysts with a quadrupole ion trap.

An electrospray ionization mass spectrometer equipped with a quadrupole ion trap as the mass analyzer provided a powerful tool for the investigation of metal ligand affinities of catalysts for atom transfer radical polymerization. It allowed, in particular, (i) the identification, in a library of ligands, of the most stable, and thus active, copper catalysts; (ii) the assessment of the effects of the reaction medium on the relative stabilities of the catalyst complexes; and (iii) the evaluation of the influence of the nature of the ligand on both the complex halogenophilicity and the metal-ligand stabilities in the gas-phase.

Rapid screening of atom transfer radical polymerization catalysts by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

An ESI-MS-based methodology allows for a rapid assay of ATRP catalyst performance without prior polymerization experiments.

Fourier transform ion mobility measurement of chain branching in mass-selected, chemically trapped oligomers from methylalumoxane-activated, metallocene-catalyzed polymerization of ethylene.

Fourier transform ion mobility spectrometry is used to determine the branching in mass-selected, chemically trapped oligomers produced in the polymerization of ethylene by a metallocene catalyst activated by methylalumoxane. The measured branching is included in a kinetic analysis to extract the activation energies for the elementary steps in polyethylene formation. Propagation, chain transfer, and chain walking have activation energies of 4.

Chain transfer to aluminium in MAO-activated metallocene-catalyzed polymerization reactions.

Chemical trapping of metal-bound oligomeric chains during the MAO-activated, metallocene-catalyzed polymerization of ethylene identify the two observed chain-bearing species to be alkylzirconocenium species and higher alkyl aluminiums, consistent with a proposed mechanism.

Measuring rate constants for active species in the polymerization of ethylene by MAO-activated metallocene catalysts by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) of MAO-activated metallocene-catalyzed polymerizations quenched with carbodiimides provides a method for the determination of rate constants in Ziegler-Natta polymerizations.