Publications by authors named "Franco Curci"
Background: Elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor (ETI) has significantly improved the clinical course of people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) and eligible CFTR variants. In this study, we prospectively evaluated liver elastography, liver fibrosis indices and liver tests in children with CF aged 6-12 years started on ETI therapy.
Methods: Body mass index, sweat test, percent predicted forced expiratory volume in one second, serum markers of liver injury or portal hypertension, liver fibrosis indices, controlled attenuation parameter and liver stiffness were assessed before starting ETI and three and twelve months post-ETI, according to new international guidelines.
Article Synopsis
- Autoimmune liver disease (AILD) includes autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), autoimmune sclerosing cholangitis (ASC), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and this study investigated the characteristics of AILD that starts in childhood over time.
- A review of pediatric cases from 1992 to 2023 showed that the onset of these diseases occurs at progressively older ages, with specific lab tests like gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) and ALP/AST ratios being useful for diagnosing sclerosing cholangitis.
- After an average follow-up of nearly six years, a notable number of patients (33%) experienced serious liver complications, underscoring the long-term challenges
Article Synopsis
- The study evaluated the effectiveness of Tocilizumab and Abatacept in treating Childhood Chronic non-infectious Uveitis (CCU) in patients who did not respond to anti-TNF therapy.
- The research involved 18 children with various forms of CCU, focusing on their remission rates while on either Tocilizumab or Abatacept, with results showing a higher remission rate in the Tocilizumab group.
- The findings suggest that Tocilizumab may be more effective than Abatacept for managing CCU in patients resistant to other treatments, even though the study's retrospective nature and small sample size limit its scope.