PM10 exposure is associated with increased hospitalizations for respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis among infants in Lombardy, Italy.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the primary cause of acute lower respiratory infections in children, bronchiolitis in particular. Airborne particulate matter (PM) may influence the children's immune system and foster the spread of RSV infection. We aimed to verify whether PM10 exposure is associated with hospitalization due to RSV bronchiolitis.

Antiarrhythmic strategies in patients with atrial fibrillation managed by cardiologists and internists: Antithrombotic Agents in Atrial Fibrillation (ATA-AF) survey.

Aims: To provide insights on the antiarrhythmic management of atrial fibrillation among patients enrolled in the Antithrombotic Agents in Atrial Fibrillation (ATA-AF) study, and to assess the adherence of the Italian cardiologists and internists to guidelines recommendations.

Methods And Results: The ATA-AF study is a multicenter, observational study with prospective data collection on the management and treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation. From March to July 2010, 6910 patients with atrial fibrillation were recruited in 164 Italian Cardiology (Card) and 196 Internal Medicine (IMed) centers.

Decision making for oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation: the ATA-AF study.

Background: Oral anticoagulants offer the best long-term protection against ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, vitamin K antagonists (VKA) are cumbersome to use and their prescription is far from guidelines recommendations. We report the results of a large survey on the attitudes of prescription of VKA in patients with AF.

Current presentation and management of 7148 patients with atrial fibrillation in cardiology and internal medicine hospital centers: the ATA AF study.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a high risk of stroke and mortality.

Aims: To describe the difference in AF management of patients (pts) referred to Cardiology (CARD) or Internal Medicine (MED) units in Italy.

Methods And Results: From May to July 2010, 360 centers enrolled 7148 pts (54% in CARD and 46% in MED).

Real-world management of atrial fibrillation in Internal Medicine units: the FADOI 'FALP' observational study.

Background: Atrial fibrillation is the most frequent arrhythmia, but few data are available on patients' characteristics and management in the context of Internal Medicine wards.

Methods: Data were collected at the beginning of 2010 in 18 Internal Medicine units of the regions Liguria and Piemonte (Italy). Each centre reviewed the hospital charts of the last 50 patients discharged during the year 2009 in whom a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation had been made (patient's history or during the hospitalization).

Co-morbidity does not reflect complexity in internal medicine patients.

Internal medicine patients are mostly elderly; they have multiple co-morbidities, which are usually chronic, rather than self-limiting or acute diseases. Neither administrative indicators nor co-morbidity indexes, though validated in elderly patients, are able to completely define these "complex" patients or to allow physicians to correctly "cope" with them. For the complex patients found in internal medicine wards, internists need not only to find the best diagnosis and treatment, but also to apply a complex intervention (i.

Current presentation and management of heart failure in cardiology and internal medicine hospital units: a tale of two worlds--the TEMISTOCLE study.

Background: The purpose pf the current article is to describe the clinical profile, use of resources, management and outcome in a population of real-world inpatients with heart failure.

Methods And Results: With a prospective, cross-sectional survey on acute hospital admissions, we evaluated the overall and provider-related differences in patient characteristics, diagnostic work-up, treatment and inhospital outcome of 2127 patients with heart failure admitted to 167 cardiology departments and 250 internal medicine departments between February 14 and 25, 2000. Patients admitted to cardiology units were younger (56.