Publications by authors named "Giacomo Andreani"
Background: The burden of diabetes-related deaths reached two million in 2019 globally. Accessibility to health care services and adherence to follow-up and therapy are key to improving outcomes for diabetic patients. We aimed to assess outpatient department (OPD) service utilization and diabetes-related hospitalizations over a period of 44 months.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDefinition and management of invasive fungal rhinosinusitis: a single-centre retrospective study.
Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital
February 2021
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to correlate acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (AIFRS) and chronic invasive fungal rhinosinusitis with underlying diseases, aetiological microorganisms, clinical symptoms, radiological findings, and surgical and medical treatment to determine the subset of patients who require more accurate diagnostic investigation and to prevent irreversible complications.
Methods: This retrospective monocentric study included 17 patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery evaluated by paranasal computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Age, sex and symptoms, and location of the invasive fungal infection and the causative fungus were analysed.
I is crucial to satisfy several mitochondrial functions including energy metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation. Patients affected by Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are frequently characterized by iron overload (IOL), due to continuous red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. This event impacts the overall survival (OS) and it is associated with increased mortality in lower-risk MDS patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMyeloproliferative neoplasms are divided into essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV) and primary myelofibrosis (PMF). Although ruxolitinib was proven to be effective in reducing symptoms, patients rarely achieve complete molecular remission. Therefore, it is relevant to identify new therapeutic targets to improve the clinical outcome of patients.
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- Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are blood disorders leading to ineffective blood cell production and increased cell death, resulting in low blood cell counts.
- Mitochondria, which manage cell energy and can accumulate iron, were studied to understand their role in the altered energy metabolism found in MDS and how factors like iron overload affect this process.
- Findings indicated that MDS patients showed reduced energy production efficiency and higher oxidative stress, but iron chelation treatment improved some biochemical abnormalities in their cells, whereas similar treatments had lesser effects on healthy individuals.
Article Synopsis
- There is a strong connection between thymoma (a type of tumor) and pure red cell aplasia, which is well-established in research.
- Acquired amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia, a condition that affects platelet production, is less commonly reported in relation to thymoma.
- In this case, adding eltrombopag (a medication that stimulates platelet production) to standard immunosuppressive treatment did not help the patient, likely because the tumor was not surgically removed.
Tumor suppressors play an important role in cancer pathogenesis and in the modulation of resistance to treatments. Loss of function of the proteins encoded by tumor suppressors, through genomic inactivation of the gene, disable all the controls that balance growth, survival, and apoptosis, promoting cancer transformation. Parallel to genetic impairments, tumor suppressor products may also be functionally inactivated in the absence of mutations/deletions upon post-transcriptional and post-translational modifications.
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- Acute myeloid leukemia is a complex blood cancer with genetic variations that affect patient diagnosis and treatment monitoring; detecting mutations is crucial for assessing therapy response.* -
- This study compares the efficacy of three methods—PNA-PCR clamping, droplet digital PCR, and Sanger sequencing—in identifying mutations from DNA samples of 96 patients.* -
- Results showed that PNA-PCR clamping and digital PCR were more effective than Sanger sequencing, detecting a higher percentage of mutations and offering a cost-effective alternative for labs with limited resources.*
Strategies for minimal residual disease detection: current perspectives.
Blood Lymphat Cancer
February 2019
Currently, the post-remission treatment in acute leukemia is based on the genetic profile of leukemic cells at diagnosis (ie, ITD positivity) and on the level of measurable residual disease (MRD) after induction and consolidation chemotherapy. Two methods are currently preferred for MRD evaluation in many centers: multiparameter flow cytometry and real-time quantitative PCR. Additional methods such as next-generation sequencing and digital PCR are under investigation, in an attempt to increase the sensitivity and thus allowing the detection of small clones.
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- A 59-year-old man with acute myeloid leukemia developed rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis shortly after a stem cell transplant.
- He received prompt antifungal treatment and underwent endoscopic sinus surgery, which led to resolution of the infection.
- Monitoring the drug isavuconazole during treatment indicated a link between its plasma levels and improvement in intestinal graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), suggesting the importance of drug monitoring in similar cases.
Article Synopsis
- Philadelphia positive lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) is less understood than Philadelphia positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia, with only two documented cases reported in literature, both resulting in death during treatment.
- A patient treated with a unique, chemo-free regimen using dasatinib, steroids, and local radiotherapy has survived 3 years post-diagnosis, indicating a potential alternative approach.
- The diagnosis and treatment of Philadelphia positive LBL are particularly challenging due to its rarity and complexity.
Article Synopsis
- Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients often exhibit abnormal tyrosine kinase activity, which impacts cell signaling pathways.
- The study focuses on Sprouty1, a member of the Sprouty protein family, highlighting its significant down-regulation in AML cells compared to normal cells, with restoration observed post-chemotherapy.
- Findings suggest Sprouty1 acts as a negative regulator of cell proliferation and apoptosis in AML, with a potential link to the delocalization of FoxO3a, indicating complex regulation of RAS signaling in cancer.
Article Synopsis
- - New techniques for detecting small leukemic clones in acute leukemias and myeloproliferative disorders include digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR), which provides precise and absolute nucleic acid quantification.
- - dPCR is particularly effective for identifying low amounts of target material, making it a strong alternative for measuring residual disease (MRD) due to its high precision and reproducibility.
- - Despite its advantages, dPCR faces challenges like higher costs compared to traditional methods, lack of standardization, and limited accessibility in laboratories, though several studies have highlighted its potential benefits in detecting leukemic mutations.