Can Clinical and Surgical Parameters Be Combined to Predict How Long It Will Take a Tibia Fracture to Heal? A Prospective Multicentre Observational Study: The FRACTING Study.

Background: Healing of tibia fractures occurs over a wide time range of months, with a number of risk factors contributing to prolonged healing. In this prospective, multicentre, observational study, we investigated the capability of FRACTING (tibia FRACTure prediction healING days) score, calculated soon after tibia fracture treatment, to predict healing time.

Methods: The study included 363 patients.

Isolated systolic hypertension of young-to-middle-age individuals implies a relatively low risk of developing hypertension needing treatment when central blood pressure is low.

Objectives: The clinical significance of isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) in the young is still controversial. Aim of the present study was to investigate whether prognosis of ISH in young-to-middle-age individuals differs according to central blood pressure (BP).

Design: We studied 354 participants screened for stage 1 hypertension and 34 normotensive controls to determine which individuals developed hypertension needing drug therapy.

Regular physical activity attenuates the blood pressure response to public speaking and delays the development of hypertension.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of regular physical activity on the haemodynamic response to public speaking and to evaluate the long-term effect of exercise on development of hypertension.

Participants: We assessed 75 sedentary and 44 active participants screened for stage 1 hypertension with consistent activity habits and 63 normotensive individuals as control.

Methods: The blood pressure (BP) response to public speaking was assessed with beat-to-beat noninvasive recording.

Microvascular autonomic dysfunction may justify false-positive stress myocardial perfusion imaging in patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing liver transplantation.

Background: Up to 15% of liver transplant candidates have asymptomatic coronary artery diseases, which increase the risk of cardiac complications during and after transplantation. The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate the usefulness of an integrated cardiological approach in cirrhotic patients undergoing liver transplantation.

Methods: Twenty-four consecutive patients undergoing evaluation for liver transplantation were studied by assessing risk factors for coronary artery diseases, electrocardiogram with QTc interval determination, chest X-ray, echocardiography, 24-hour Holter monitor, myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (99mTc)MIBI-GSPECT at rest and after dipyridamole infusion.