Publications by authors named "Giangaetano D'Aleo"

Introduction: Neurogenic bladder dysfunction is a prevalent condition characterized by impaired bladder control resulting from neurological conditions, for example, spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury (TBI). Detrusor overactivity is a typical symptom of central nervous system damage. A lesion affecting the pontine neural network typically results in loss of tonic inhibition exerted by the pontine micturition center and causes involuntary detrusor contractions.

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  • Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disorder that leads to various symptoms like fatigue, spasticity, and cognitive issues, prompting individuals to adopt different coping strategies that affect their quality of life (QoL).
  • A systematic review of 1192 studies identified 19 relevant studies, highlighting the influence of emotional, demographic, and personality factors on the effectiveness of coping strategies used by MS patients.
  • Problem-solving and task-oriented coping strategies were found to improve QoL, while emotional-focused and avoidance strategies often led to poorer outcomes; thus, tailored interventions focused on emotional health and social support were recommended for better long-term results.
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Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and progressive neurological disease that affects the central nervous system, resulting in a wide spectrum of cognitive, emotional, and physical deficits. The progressive course of MS poses significant challenges to patients and has a profound impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The style of coping adopted plays a critical role in determining how individuals with MS adapt to and face the challenges of the disease and their overall well-being.

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Introduction: Audit and feedback (A&F) is a systematic intervention that can be used to improve the quality of health care. The EASY-NET Network Project proposes an innovative A&F model.

Aim: This study aimed to describe the newly proposed A&F model.

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Multiple sclerosis subjects treated with natalizumab face anxiety about developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), besides the psychological distress caused by the disease. The aim of this study is to investigate whether increasing the frequency of neurological and nuclear magnetic resonance screening may affect anxiety and the perception of disease control in patients treated with natalizumab. A total of 62 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients were recruited from 2019 to 2020.

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Background: Married people have, on average, better mental health than no married people. Psychological symptoms as anxiety and depression occur frequently in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), increasing the severity of neurologic disability. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the relationship between functional disability and psychological symptoms differentiating by marital status.

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Audit and Feedback (A&F) is a systematic process involving the collection of data, which are subsequently compared with the established reference standards and then subsequently disseminated to healthcare providers through feedback meetings. This allows continuous improvement to be ensured in the quality of care processes. Often, the parameters taken into account concern only the patient and the treatment processes, neglecting other variables.

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  • Audit and Feedback (A&F) is a key tool for continuous Quality Improvement (QI) in healthcare, involving structured inspections of practices against established standards followed by feedback to enhance performance.
  • The EASY-NET project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Health, evaluates A&F strategies across various clinical settings in Italy, with the IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo in Sicily focusing on enhancing A&F effectiveness through training interventions.
  • A study using a pretest-posttest design demonstrated that participants' knowledge of A&F strategies significantly improved after an online training workshop, with notable differences in knowledge levels among different professional backgrounds.
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Background: Multiple sclerosis is a progressive degenerative disorder that frequently involves the development of physical and emotional changes, including loss of limb function or sensitivity, sexual dysfunction, and cognitive and mood alterations. It is likely that these alterations lead to changes in body aspects. However, knowledge about body image perception in multiple sclerosis is lacking.

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Introduction: A clinical audit is a tool that allows the evaluation of and improvement in the quality of stroke care processes. Fast, high-quality care and preventive interventions can reduce the negative impact of stroke.

Objective: This review was conducted on studies investigating the effectiveness of clinical audits to improve the quality of stroke rehabilitation and stroke prevention.

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Communication constitutes an essential aspect of teamwork. This is especially true for audit teams, where communication takes place not only within the work group but also with the audit recipients. For this reason, given the poor evidence in the literature, communication training was carried out on an audit team.

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  • Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a serious viral disease that can occur in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, especially those treated with the drug natalizumab, highlighting the importance of early detection to adjust treatment plans.
  • A case study of a 57-year-old woman with relapsing-remitting MS revealed that she developed PML linked to natalizumab, exhibiting behavioral changes and brain abnormalities over time.
  • The findings underscore the need for awareness of unique cognitive deficits in MS patients to facilitate quicker diagnosis of PML and address treatment-related complications.
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Multiple sclerosis is a neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disease causing several psychosocial problems that significantly impairs quality of life. The most common physical and mental symptoms are anxiety, depression, stress, fatigue, and pain. Several studies investigated the effectiveness of non-pharmacological approaches in improving psychological well-being.

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  • Teriflunomide is an immunosuppressive drug showing promise in treating Multiple Sclerosis, with anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative effects contributing to improved cognitive performance.
  • The study involved 30 patients on teriflunomide and 30 control subjects, utilizing cognitive assessments and neuroimaging to analyze brain atrophy and cognitive health over time.
  • Results indicate that teriflunomide may slow tissue damage in the brain and promote memory function, suggesting it has neuroprotective potential and reinforcing the connection between brain volume loss and cognitive decline.
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Rationale: Teriflunomide is a disease-modifying drug that has been approved for treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Due to its teratogenic effect in animals, however, it is not recommended during pregnancy. For this reason, effective contraception must be used during its administration.

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Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, affecting ambulation even in people with only mild neurological signs. Patients with MS frequently experience spasticity, which contributes significantly to impair their motor functions, including ambulation, owing to muscle stiffness, spasms, and pain.

Objectives: To clarify the role of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol(THC):cannabidiol(CBD) oromucosal spray, coupled to robot-aided gait training (RAGT) using the Lokomat©Pro to improve functional ambulation in patients with MS.

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Purpose: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative and autoimmune disease, which can significantly affect not only the quality of life (QoL) of affected people but also that of their careers who care for them. The main objective of this study was to assess the extent to which the patient's clinical, cognitive and psychological conditions affect his or her QoL and that of the caregiver.

Methods: We examined a number of patients with clinically defined MS.

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Scientific advances and new information and communication technologies have facilitated the development of services that allow older people to stay at home as long as possible. In this study, we evaluated the usability and the patient satisfaction of a novel telemedicine system. All enrolled participants underwent a teleassistance program, which included remote surveillance and tele-counselling services with different health-care professionals, including nurses.

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Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of autoimmune originate. A large proportion of patient present with cognitive deficits that negatively affect their quality of life, thus, a proper cognitive rehabilitation is mandatory. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of semi-immersive virtual reality training (sVRT) on neuropsychological and motor recovery individuals suffering from MS.

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Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating autoimmune disorder affecting the central nervous system and targets the myelin sheaths around nerves. Local problem: Medical advances have enabled patients to lead a better quality of life (QoL) than before. However, because of its chronicity and unpredictability, it remains a very challenging disease for both patients and their families, as it involves the continued use of medication to slow down progression.

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Introduction: Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) has been recently approved for first-line monotherapy of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Its effects are due to mechanism modulating the immune system and activating antioxidative and neuroprotective pathways.

Patient Concerns: A 59-year-old female patient affected by chronic Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) from 10 years was diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS in 2013.

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  • Multiple sclerosis (MS) is linked to a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms due to its impact on the central nervous system.
  • The review examined the connection between brain lesions, structural damage, and depressive symptoms by analyzing 9 studies involving 389 MS patients and 120 healthy controls.
  • Findings suggest that brain lesions, particularly in the limbic system and hippocampus, significantly affect the emotional well-being of MS patients, with various factors contributing to the onset of depression.
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Objective: Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disorder-may in some patients have impact on body image; this could contribute to neurological disability, psychological distress, and can reduce quality of life. This review has been conducted on studies investigating the representation of body image.

Method: We have researched PubMed and Web of Science databases and included screening references for studies and review articles about this topic.

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  • Some patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience symptoms like myokymia and myotonia, which might be linked to conditions called myotonia congenita or paramyotonia congenita.
  • A study involving 30 MS patients suggested that some exhibited abnormal muscle excitability, hinting at the possibility of a primary ion channel dysfunction rather than just an acquired condition related to MS.
  • Identifying a primary channelopathy in MS could pave the way for targeted therapies, as ion channel dysfunctions may present viable treatment options for managing the disease.
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