Mean Transaortic Gradient is an Emerging Predictor of Chronic Kidney Disease in Elderly Patients.

Arterial hypertension (AH) is a major risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, whether AH maintains this role in the development of CKD in elderly patients with aortic stenosis (AS) or whether transaortic gradient influences CKD remains unclear. Consecutive hospitalized patients were prospectively recruited to evaluate the relationship between AS and CKD.

Impact of left ventricular remodeling and renal function on 24h-ECG recordings and cardiovascular outcome in elderly hypertensive patients.

Background: The prognostic role of left ventricular remodeling and renal function in elderly hypertensive patients has been so far scarcely investigated.

Aims: We assessed the impact of left ventricular geometry and renal function on 24h-Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings and outcome in elderly hypertensive patients.

Methods: We enrolled 251 asymptomatic hypertensive elderly patients (>65year-old).

Comparison of Wells and Revised Geneva Rule to Assess Pretest Probability of Pulmonary Embolism in High-Risk Hospitalized Elderly Adults.

Objectives: To assess and compare the diagnostic power for pulmonary embolism (PE) of Wells and revised Geneva scores in two independent cohorts (training and validation groups) of elderly adults hospitalized in a non-emergency department.

Design: Prospective clinical study, January 2011 to January 2013.

Setting: Unit of Internal Medicine inpatients, University of Catania, Italy.

Testing Clinical Scores to Diagnose Incident Deep Vein Thrombosis in Patients Hospitalized in a Department of Medicine: Can Biomarkers Improve Accuracy?

Shifting the context from the emergency department to the department of medicine, we compared different scores to diagnose deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with several comorbidities, hospitalized in a department of internal medicine. We prospectively recruited 178 consecutive hospitalized patients in whom clinical suspicion of DVT was assessed by Wells modified score for DVT, Hamilton, Kahn, and St Andrè Hospital scores. Deep vein thrombosis was confirmed in 85 (48%) patients by both echocolor Doppler and angiocomputed tomography scan.

Thrombophilia in Patients With Lower Limb Deep Veins Thrombosis (LDVT) Results of a Monocentric Survey on 103 Consecutive Outpatients.

A debate concerns the utility of large screening for acquired or inherited thrombophilia. The study concerns relationship between inherited thrombophilic status and lower limb deep vein thrombosis (LDVT) and highlights the possible use of extensive thrombophilia screening to determine an emerging risk of LDVT. From January 2010 to January 2012, 103 consecutive patients with LDVT were considered.

A multidisciplinary therapeutic approach for reducing the risk of psychiatric side effects in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon α and ribavirin.

Goals: To evaluate the effectiveness of psychiatric counseling in reducing the rate of development of psychiatric side effects of antiviral therapy with interferon-α and ribavirin among study participants compared with standard clinical monitoring alone.

Background: Interferon-α is used to treat chronic hepatitis C. Interferons may induce adverse events that usually, but not always, reverse within a few days after the end of therapy.