The Mid- and Long-Term Consequences After Surgically Treated Lisfranc Injuries: A Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Background Long-term follow-up data are difficult to collect, especially in uncommon foot injuries. Therefore, it is rare to find publications that include patient-reported outcomes. Therefore, a case series and systematic review are provided to evaluate mid- and long-term outcomes.

Use of Soft Penile Prosthesis in Grafting Surgery for Peyronie's Disease and Mild Erectile Dysfunction: Still an Option?

Background: Plaque incision and grafting (PEG) is a primary surgical therapy for severe penile curvature in Peyronie's disease (PD); However, it can increase the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED), particularly in patients with pre-operative mild ED. Soft penile prosthesis (SPP) implantation is a viable treatment option in such cases. This study aims to compare the outcomes of PEG-only approach to PEG plus SPP implantation.

The Use of Risk Scores for Thromboprophylaxis in Medically Ill Patients-Rationale and Design of the RICO trial.

 Venous thromboembolism (VTE) in hospitalized medically ill patients is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Guidelines suggest that VTE and bleeding risk assessment models (RAMs) should be integrated into the clinical decision-making process on thromboprophylaxis. However, poor evidence is available comparing the use of a RAM versus clinical judgement in evaluating VTE and bleeding occurrence.

Liver transplantation in patients with non-neoplastic portal vein thrombosis: 20 years of experience in a single center.

Background: The Yerdel classification is widely used for describing the severity of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in liver transplant (LT) candidates, but might not accurately predict transplant outcome.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data regarding 97 adult patients with PVT who underwent LT, investigating whether the complexity of portal reconstruction could better correlate with transplant outcome than the site and extent of the thrombosis.

Results: 79/97 (80%) patients underwent thrombectomy and anatomical anastomosis (TAA), 18/97 (20%) patients underwent non-anatomical physiological reconstructions (non-TAA).

Factors affecting long-term changes of liver stiffness in direct-acting anti-hepatitis C virus therapy: A multicentre prospective study.

The long-term changes of liver stiffness (LS) in patients who achieve viral clearance after direct-acting anti-HCV therapy remain undefined. We conducted a multicentre prospective study to investigate this aspect. Patients with HCV infection treated with DAAs were enrolled from six Italian centres; they underwent clinical, biochemical, ultrasound and transient elastography evaluations before treatment (T0), 12 weeks (SVR12) and 24 months (T24) after the end of therapy.

Adipopenia Is the Rapid Screening Tool that Best Predicts Mortality in Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis: Results of a Prospective Study.

Background And Aims: Patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) often have malnutrition (MN), which can be associated with decompensation, infection, and death. The aims were to determine: the prevalence of MN in patients with LC and ascites, its impact on mortality, and the relationship between MN and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP).

Methods: Nutritional status (NS) was analysed in cirrhotic patients, experiencing their first episode of ascites, who were consecutively admitted at two clinical liver centres between November 2014 and October 2016.

Resolution of Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation in a Patient with COVID-19 and Associated Sepsis-Induced Neutropenia.

COVID-19 has been associated with a hypercoagulable state and thrombotic events. Venous thromboembolism has been the most commonly reported type of thrombosis but also arterial thrombosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation in inpatients have been described frequently in several clinical experiences. Patients with COVID-19, because of its tendency to induce leucopenia and overlapping of bacterial infection, may experience sudden disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), as in the case that we report here.

How to communicate with families living in complete isolation.

Importance: During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, a complete physical isolation has been worldwide introduced. The impossibility of visiting their loved ones during the hospital stay causes additional distress for families: in addition to the worries about clinical recovery, they may feel exclusion and powerlessness, anxiety, depression, mistrust in the care team and post-traumatic stress disorder. The impossibility of conducting the daily meetings with families poses a challenge for healthcare professionals.

Blood Targets of Adjuvant Drugs Against COVID19.

While waiting for the vaccine and/or the best treatment for COVID19, several drugs have been identified as potential adjuvant drugs to counteract the viral action. Several drugs, in fact, have been suggested for their ancillary antiviral role. Viral proteases and peptidases, may interact with well-known drugs such as anticoagulants, antihypertensives, antiserotoninergics and immunomodulants.

Hyperhomocysteinemia is Associated with Inflammation, Bone Resorption, Vitamin B12 and Folate Deficiency and MTHFR C677T Polymorphism in Postmenopausal Women with Decreased Bone Mineral Density.

Osteoporosis is an age-related bone disease, affecting mainly postmenopausal women, characterized by decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and consequent risk of fractures. Homocysteine (Hcy), a sulfur-aminoacid whose serum level is regulated by methylenetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) activity and vitamin B12 and folate as cofactors, is a risk factor for inflammatory diseases. Literature data concerning the link between Hcy and osteoporosis are still debated.

Real-life glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in a large cohort of patients with hepatitis C virus infection: The MISTRAL study.

Background And Aims: It is paramount to identify predictors of treatment failure with direct antiviral agents in 'field-practice' patients, including people who inject drugs (PWID). Data on the efficacy of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) in a field-practice scenario are scant. The multicentre MISTRAL study enrolled 1177 patients, including PWID, to assess real-life efficacy and safety of GLE/PIB and to identify the predictive factors for this treatment.

High Efficacy and Safety of Flat-Dose Ribavirin Plus Sofosbuvir/Daclatasvir in Genotype 3 Cirrhotic Patients.

Background/aims: Patients with genotype 3 hepatitis C virus (G3-HCV) cirrhosis are very difficult to treat compared to patients with other HCV genotypes. The optimal treatment duration and drug regimen associated with ribavirin (RBV) remain unclear. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of daclatasvir (DCV)/sofosbuvir (SOF) plus a flat dose of 800 mg RBV (flat dose) compared to DCV/SOF without RBV or DCV/SOF plus an RBV dose based on body weight (weight-based) in G3-HCV patients with compensated or decompensated cirrhosis.

Role of Liver Stiffness Measurement in Predicting HCC Occurrence in Direct-Acting Antivirals Setting: A Real-Life Experience.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the liver stiffness measurement and the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in HCV cirrhotic patients undergoing new direct-acting antivirals.

Methods: From April 2015 to April 2017, all consecutive HCV cirrhotic patients treated by direct-acting antivirals were enrolled. A liver stiffness measurement was computed at baseline, and an ultrasound evaluation was provided for all patients at baseline and every 6 months until 1 year after the stopping of the antiviral therapy.

Predictive functional ANOVA models for longitudinal analysis of mandibular shape changes.

In this paper, we introduce a Bayesian statistical model for the analysis of functional data observed at several time points. Examples of such data include the Michigan growth study where we wish to characterize the shape changes of human mandible profiles. The form of the mandible is often used by clinicians as an aid in predicting the mandibular growth.

Aging and the Combined effects of ADRA2B and CB1 deletions on Affective Working Memory.

Many studies have found that memory for affective material is better than memory for neutral information and memory for positive material compared to negative material is better in older adults. Behavioral, neurophysiological as well as single polymorphism differences have been advanced to account for these effects. Here, we aimed to examine whether the combination of two polymorphisms (ADRA2B and CB1) in older adults influences active maintenance and manipulation of emotional information in aging working memory.

Simple Structure Detection Through Bayesian Exploratory Multidimensional IRT Models.

In modern validity theory, a major concern is the construct validity of a test, which is commonly assessed through confirmatory or exploratory factor analysis. In the framework of Bayesian exploratory Multidimensional Item Response Theory (MIRT) models, we discuss two methods aimed at investigating the underlying structure of a test, in order to verify if the latent model adheres to a chosen simple factorial structure. This purpose is achieved without imposing hard constraints on the discrimination parameter matrix to address the rotational indeterminacy.

Safety and efficacy of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir/dasabuvir plus ribavirin in patients over 65 years with HCV genotype 1 cirrhosis.

Purpose: To analyse safety and efficacy of treatment based on ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir/dasabuvir plus ribavirin in the sub-group of GT1 patients older than 65 years.

Methods: We collected data extracted from the ABACUS compassionate-use nationwide Italian programme, in patients with cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus (HCV) Genotype-1 (GT1) or 4 and at high risk of decompensation. GT1-HCV-infected patients received once-daily ombitasvir/paritaprevir, with the pharmacokinetic enhancer ritonavir (25/150/100 mg) and twice-daily dasabuvir (250 mg) plus Ribavirin (RBV) (OBV/PTV/r + DSV + RBV) for 12 (GT1b) or 24 (GT1a) weeks.

Influence of antiviral therapy on the liver stiffness in chronic HBV hepatitis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of antiviral therapy on liver stiffness measurement (LSM).

Methods: Two hundred HBV patients were enrolled from four hospital centers in southern Italy; median age was 50.7 (25-75) males were 68%; 171 patients underwent to liver biopsy and 200 patients had LSM at baseline and 189 at the end of follow-up.

Virological patterns of HCV patients with failure to interferon-free regimens.

The study characterized the virological patterns and the resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) in patients with failure to IFN-free regimens enrolled in the real-life setting. All 87 consecutive HCV patients with failed IFN-free regimens, observed at the laboratory of the University of Campania, were enrolled. All patients had been treated with DAA regimens according to the HCV genotype, international guidelines, and local availability.

HCV clearance after direct-acting antivirals in patients with cirrhosis by stages of liver impairment: The ITAL-C network study.

Background: Sustained virological response (SVR12) rates at 12 weeks after treatment for HCV-infected patients with decompensated cirrhosis are used when referring to those with moderate functional impairment, while few data are available for those with more severe impairment. The use of the cirrhosis staging system proposed by D'Amico might provide new insights on timing for antiviral therapy.

Methods: We investigated efficacy (SVR12), safety, and post-treatment variations in clinical and laboratory parameters in 2612 patients with advanced fibrosis (n=575) or cirrhosis (n=2037).

Mortality from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in Western Europe over the last 40 years.

Background & Aims: Cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are highly prevalent in Europe, with accompanying high mortality rates and social costs. As epidemiological data on these diseases are scarce, age-standardized death rate (ASDR) can serve as an indirect assessment of their burden.

Methods: We analysed the ASDRs for LC and HCC from data reported in the WHO official death registries from 1970 to 2010, and compared ASDRs over the decades.

Boceprevir or telaprevir in hepatitis C virus chronic infection: The Italian real life experience.

Aim: To check the safety and efficacy of boceprevir/telaprevir with peginterferon/ribavirin for hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 in the real-world settings.

Methods: This study was a non-randomized, observational, prospective, multicenter. This study involved 47 centers in Italy.

Quantile regression and Bayesian cluster detection to identify radon prone areas.

Albeit the dominant source of radon in indoor environments is the geology of the territory, many studies have demonstrated that indoor radon concentrations also depend on dwelling-specific characteristics. Following a stepwise analysis, in this study we propose a combined approach to delineate radon prone areas. We first investigate the impact of various building covariates on indoor radon concentrations.