Predicting survival in patients with severe heart failure: Risk score validation in the HELP-HF cohort.

Aims: Accurate selection of patients with severe heart failure (HF) who might benefit from advanced therapies is crucial. The present study investigates the performance of the available risk scores aimed at predicting the risk of mortality in patients with severe HF.

Methods And Results: The risk of 1-year mortality was estimated in patients with severe HF enrolled in the HELP-HF cohort according to the MAGGIC, 3-CHF, ADHF/NT-proBNP, and GWTG-HF risk scores, the number of criteria of the 2018 HFA-ESC definition of advanced HF, I NEED HELP markers, domains fulfilled of the 2019 HFA-ESC definition of frailty, the frailty index, and the INTERMACS profile.

Pediatric Supracondylar Humerus Fracture: When Should We Surgically Treat? A Case-Series.

: Supracondylar humerus fractures (SCHFs) are the most common pediatric elbow injuries and often require surgical intervention. Despite guidelines, optimal timing for surgical management, particularly for cases without neurovascular compromise, remains unclear. This study evaluates the influence of surgical timing on short-term outcomes, focusing on fracture reduction quality and surgical parameters.

The Protective Role of the FIFA 11+ Training Program on the Valgus Loading of the Knee in Academy Soccer Players Across a Season.

: Improper neuromuscular control with excessive dynamic valgus loading of the knee has been identified as one of the main anterior cruciate ligament injury risk factors. This study aimed to analyze the impact of the FIFA 11+ training program on the valgus loading of the knee in academy soccer players over a competitive season. : A prospective study was conducted on 85 players.

Isolated ACL Reconstruction Versus Combined ACL and Anterolateral Ligament Reconstruction: Functional Outcomes, Return to Sport, and Survivorship: An Updated Meta-analysis of Comparative Studies.

Background: Failure, persistent knee instability, and reinjury rates after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction are still concerns. Biomechanical investigations have highlighted the role of the anterolateral ligament (ALL) as a crucial knee stabilizer, and clinical outcomes after combined ACL and ALL reconstruction appear to indicate the success of the procedure.

Purpose: To compare the functional outcomes, return-to-sport (RTS) rate, and complications between combined ACL and ALL reconstruction and isolated ACL reconstruction.

Multidimensional program for insomnia in a cohort of people with HIV.

Objective: Sleep disorders (SD) are prevalent in people with HIV (PWH), but poorly addressed in HIV care. We evaluated the effectiveness of a multidimensional program for SD in an outpatient HIV clinic.

Methods: Interventional study in 175 PWH on ART suffering from insomnia.

The Association Between Antipsychotics and Bone Fragility: An Updated Comprehensive Review.

Background: Antipsychotic drugs appear to be related to reduced bone mineral density (BMD). We conducted a narrative review to collect the available literature investigating the relationship between antipsychotic use and bone fragility.

Methods: A review of the published literature was conducted and reported through PubMed/Scopus/Cochrane libraries.

Bullous pemphigoid and mucous membrane pemphigoid humoral responses differ in reactivity towards BP180 midportion and BP230.

Background: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) and mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) are rare autoimmune blistering disorders characterized by autoantibodies (autoAbs) targeting dermo-epidermal junction components such as BP180 and BP230. The differential diagnosis, based on both the time of appearance and the extension of cutaneous and/or mucosal lesions, is crucial to distinguish these diseases for improving therapy outcomes and delineating the correct prognosis; however, in some cases, it can be challenging. In addition, negative results obtained by commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) with BP and MMP sera, especially from patients with ocular involvement, often delay diagnosis and treatment, leading to a greater risk of poor outcomes.

Coronary Artery Dissection in Drug-Coated Balloon Angioplasty: Incidence, Predictors, and Clinical Outcomes.

Coronary dissection is a potential occurrence after lesion preparation for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Unlike stents, drug-coated balloons (DCBs) do not allow to cover dissections, thus demanding an assessment of their safety in this setting. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence, predictors, and clinical outcomes of dissections occurring with DCB-based PCI for de novo coronary artery disease.

Comprehensive Overview of Retrograde-Antegrade Connection Techniques Without Externalization in Chronic Total Occlusion PCI: The Portal Techniques.

Background: Advancing the retrograde microcatheter (MC) into the antegrade guide catheter during retrograde chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) can be challenging or impossible, preventing guidewire externalization.

Objectives: To detail and evaluate all the techniques focused on wiring to achieve intubation of the distal tip of a microcatheter, balloon, or stent with an antegrade or retrograde guidewire, aiming to reduce complications by minimizing tension on fragile collaterals during externalization and enabling rapid antegrade conversion in various clinical scenarios.

Methods: We describe the two main techniques, tip-in and rendezvous, and their derivatives such a facilitated tip-in, manual MC-tip modification, tip-in the balloon, tip-in the stent, deep dive rendezvous, catch-it and antegrade microcatheter probing.

Wire Escalation And De-escalation Techniques in Antegrade and Retrograde Approaches to Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Interventions.

Coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO) are frequently identified during coronary angiography and remain the most challenging subset of coronary artery lesions to treat; however, advancements in techniques and materials have greatly improved success rates. Various crossing algorithms have been developed to standardise the approach to CTO interventions based on angiographic criteria. Antegrade wiring is typically the initial strategy of choice, particularly in cases of short and straight CTOs with tapered proximal cap.

Parallel Wire Approach for Recanalisation of Chronic Total Coronary Occlusions in a Large Contemporary Multi-Center Registry.

Background: The parallel wire technique (PW) is a classic part of the antegrade strategy to open chronic total coronary occlusions (CTO).

Aims: With modern wires and dual-lumen catheters (DLC) the approach has evolved, but this progress had not been evaluated in a contemporary registry of CTO interventions.

Method: This analysis is based on 26,589 CTO procedures performed by 36 operators with > 50 procedures annually between 2015 and 2022.

Intralesional Copper Wire or Needle Retention in Vascular Anomalies. A Systematic Review.

Objective: The management of vascular anomalies has evolved from primarily surgical approaches to a comprehensive strategy including sclerotherapy, surgery for specific cases, compression, and laser therapy, which are not always successful. An intriguing, though less common, treatment involves using intralesional copper wires/needles. The authors' aim is to evaluate the role of intralesional copper wires/needles in the treatment of vascular anomalies.

Factors Associated With a Successful Return to Performance After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Multiparametric Evaluation in Soccer Players.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is highly recommended in patients with ACL deficiency who must perform at a high physical level. A combination of functional and psychological outcome measures is necessary to provide a comprehensive evaluation of functional status after successful return to sport after ACLR.

Purpose: To identify factors associated with higher functional outcomes among soccer players who had returned to full sports participation after ACLR.

Aesthetic Approaches to Zygomatic Fracture Management: Achieving Optimal Outcomes With Minimal Scarring.

The zygomaticomaxillary complex is integral to facial aesthetics and is frequently involved in facial fractures. These injuries often necessitate surgical intervention, with open reduction and internal fixation being the standard treatment. This article presents a novel philosophy for managing zygomatic fractures, emphasizing the "Scarless Surgery" technique.

Clinical Outcomes of CAD-CAM Subperiosteal Implants for the Rehabilitation of Atrophic Jaws.

Thanks to the use of new digital technologies and innovations in materials, there has been an increasing interest in subperiosteal implants. These implants are considered to be helpful for the rehabilitation of severe jaw atrophies, as they overcome some disadvantages of endosseous implantology. In the present clinical retrospective study, 18 patients were treated and the clinical outcomes of the treatment were recorded after 12 months of follow-up.

Comparison of Aesthetic, Mechanical Outcome, and Bone Loss in Angulated Screw Channels (ASCs) and Cement-Retained Implant-Supported Prosthesis: A Case-Control Study.

Angulated-screw channels (ASCs) allow the clinician to employ screw-retained restorations in almost all cases, as the access hole can be moved away from the vestibular portion of the crown, where it would jeopardize the final esthetic result. The objective of this study was to compare screw-retained restorations employing ASCs with restorations cemented on angled abutments. In this study, 30 subjects, equally divided into two groups: group 1 (cemented restorations on angulated abutments) and group 2 (screw-retained restorations adopting ASCs), were treated and retrospectively compared after 2 years using the pink esthetic score (PES) and the white esthetic score (WES).

Clinical and Radiological Outcomes of combined Arthroscopic Microfracture and Mesenchymal Stem Cell Injection Versus Isolated Microfracture for Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus: A Meta-Analysis of Comparative Studies.

We aimed to systematically evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes reported in comparative studies evaluating combined arthroscopic microfracture and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) injection versus isolated microfracture for osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT). A total of 5 studies were included. Demographics, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, Tegner activity scale score, Foot and Ankle Outcome Scale (FAOS), visual analogue scale (VAS), and Magnetic Resonance Observation of Cartilage Repair Tissue Score (MOCART) were analyzed.

Diuretic resistance in acute heart failure: proposal for a new urinary sodium-based definition.

Background: Diuretic resistance is a relevant clinical issue in acute heart failure (AHF), but a standardized, quantitative definition is still missing. The aim of this analysis was to highlight discrepancies between previously proposed definitions of diuretic response and to propose a new urinary sodium (NaU)-based definition of diuretic efficiency (DE) to identify diuretic resistant (DR) patients.

Methods: Three historical definitions of diuretic response and a new NaU-based DE definition, evaluating total NaU after the first diuretic bolus per 40 mg furosemide administered, were applied in a retrospective analysis to an AHF population treated with intravenous (i.

The Impact of Postoperative Complications on Recovery of Health-Related Quality of Life and Functional Capacity After Pancreatectomy: Findings From a Prospective Observational Study.

Objective: To evaluate the extent to which postoperative complications impact patient health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and survival after pancreatic surgery.

Background: Pancreatectomy is frequently associated with severe postoperative morbidity, which can affect patient recovery. Few and conflicting data are available regarding the effect of post-pancreatectomy complications on patient-reported HRQoL.

The Incidence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Patients with Dento-Skeletal Malformation.

The aim of this article is to analyze the incidence of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients affected by dento-skeletal malformation. We also evaluated the patterns most affected by the condition and calculated the post surgical changes. We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 71 patients including 35 men and 36 women.

Bone Regeneration and Polyetheretherketone Implants in Maxillo-Facial Surgery and Neurosurgery: A Multidisciplinary Study.

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) in the last few years has emerged as an exceedingly promising material for craniofacial defects due to its biocompatibility and mechanical properties. However, its utilization remains controversial due to its inertness and low osteoinductivity. This study aimed to investigate the postoperative outcomes of patients undergoing maxillo-facial and neurosurgical procedures with PEEK implants.