Publications by authors named "Giuseppe Di Lucca"
Older individuals face an elevated risk of developing geriatric syndromes when confronted with acute stressors like COVID-19. We assessed the connection between in-hospital delirium, malnutrition, and frailty in a cohort of COVID-19 survivors. Patients aged ≥65, hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in Milan for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, were enrolled and screened for in-hospital delirium with the 4 'A's Test (4AT) performed twice daily (morning and evening) during hospital stay.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Respiratory infections can be complicated by acute brain failure. We assessed delirium prevalence, predictors and outcomes in COVID-19 ED patients.
Methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted at the San Raffaele ED (Italy).
Article Synopsis
- Disseminated Mycobacterium chimaera infection is a rising concern for patients who have had cardiothoracic surgery, often presenting with atypical symptoms.
- A case of a 74-year-old man revealed unusual symptoms like fever and purple nodules, along with a history of heart surgery; further tests identified both M. chimaera and Kaposi's sarcoma.
- The case highlights the necessity of considering M. chimaera as a potential cause of unexplained fevers in post-surgical patients, even when initial tests are negative, and suggests it may weaken the immune system, leading to other infections.
Objective: Exploring the association between frailty and mortality in a cohort of patients with COVID-19 respiratory insufficiency treated with continuous positive airway pressure.
Methods: Frailty was measured using a Frailty Index (FI) created by using the baseline assessment data on comorbidities and body mass index and baseline blood test results (including pH, lactate dehydrogenase, renal and liver function, inflammatory indexes and anemia). FI > 0.
Purpose: Individuals with diabetes/stress hyperglycemia carry an increased risk for adverse clinical outcome in case of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether this risk is, at least in part, modulated by an increase of thromboembolic complications.
Methods: We prospectively followed 180 hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to the Internal Medicine Units of San Raffaele Hospital.
Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)-related disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease characterized by systemic inflammation, which might enhance baseline thrombotic risk, especially in hospitalized patients. Little is, however, known about predictors of thrombotic complications in patients with COVID-19.
Methods: We prospectively followed up 180 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Background: COVID-19 long-term sequelae are ill-defined since only a few studies have explored the long-term consequences of this disease so far.
Aims: To evaluate the 6-month respiratory outcome and exercise capacity of COVID-19 acute respiratory failure (ARF) patients treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) during the first wave of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: A retrospective observational study included COVID-19 patients with ARF.
Background: Non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) is effective for symptom relief and respiratory support in patients with respiratory insufficiency, severe comorbidities and no indication to intubation. Experience with NIV as the ceiling of treatment in severely compromised novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients is lacking.
Methods: We evaluated 159 patients with COVID-19-related acute respiratory syndrome (ARDS), 38 of whom with NIV as the ceiling of treatment, admitted to an ordinary ward and treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and respiratory physiotherapy.
Background: Mortality of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and systemic inflammation is high. In areas of pandemic outbreak, the number of patients can exceed maximum capacity of intensive care units (ICUs), and, thus, these individuals often receive non-invasive ventilation outside of the ICU. Effective treatments for this population are needed urgently.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: New strategies to prolong disease control warrant investigation in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This open-label, randomised, multi-centre phase II trial explored the role of maintenance sunitinib after first-line chemotherapy in this setting.
Methods: Patients with pathologic diagnosis of metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma, performance status >50%, no progression after 6 months of chemotherapy were centrally randomised by an independent contract research organisation, which was also responsible for data collection and monitoring, to observation (arm A) or sunitinib at 37.
Background: Bevacizumab significantly improves progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) when added to chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The hypothesis that bevacizumab discontinuation could lead to an angiogenesis flare and eventually to an accelerated tumor progression has not been confirmed in a recent large pooled analysis. Therefore the optimal duration of bevacizumab still remains undefined.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: A recent pooled analysis of randomized trials indicated significant improvement in overall survival from cisplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), depending on disease stage (only in stages II and III) and PS (≤ 1). Post-operative radiotherapy (RT) is optional for pN2 tumours.
Patients And Methods: To evaluate opinions and daily clinical practice of Italian Oncologists about adjuvant treatment of NSCLC, a 46-item questionnaire was delivered via e-mail.