Publications by authors named "Giuseppina Pontillo"

The present letter to the editor is related to the study with the title "Automatic detection of small bowel (SB) lesions with different bleeding risk based on deep learning models". Capsule endoscopy (CE) is the main tool to assess SB diseases but it is a time-consuming procedure with a significant error rate. The development of artificial intelligence (AI) in CE could simplify physicians' tasks.

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Article Synopsis
  • Over 90% of chronic hepatitis C patients treated with direct-acting antivirals achieve a sustained viral response (SVR), but some still face serious liver issues and cancer risk, highlighting the need for liver fibrosis evaluation.
  • A study compared the effectiveness of transient elastography (TE) and enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) score in assessing liver fibrosis in HCV patients before and after treatment, revealing poor concordance between the two methods but both indicated improvement in fibrosis over time.
  • The ELF score may serve as a useful alternative to TE for predicting liver fibrosis changes, especially when TE is unavailable, as both methods showed significant associations with liver complications at baseline.
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Liver transplant (LT) recipients are vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2-infection (COVID-19), due to immunosuppression and comorbidities. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on LT recipients compared to general population in the Campania region. In this prospective double-centre study, we enrolled all consecutive adult LT recipients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2-infection.

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Background: In 1991, a mass immunization campaign against the hepatitis B virus (HBV) for children and teenagers was introduced in Italy. This study evaluated the impact of the immunization campaign on the incidence and modes of HBV transmission.

Method: Acute HBV cases of viral hepatitis were reported to the National Surveillance System (SEIEVA).

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Updated incidence data of acute Delta virus hepatitis (HDV) are lacking worldwide. Our aim was to evaluate incidence of and risk factors for acute HDV in Italy after the introduction of the compulsory vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 1991. Data were obtained from the National Surveillance System of acute viral hepatitis (SEIEVA).

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Background: Prospective studies on predictors of liver-related events in cirrhotic subjects achieving SVR after DAAs are lacking.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled HCV cirrhotic patients in four Italian centers between November 2015 and October 2017. SVR and no-SVR cases were compared according to the presence or absence of liver-related events during a 24-month follow-up.

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Background And Aims: In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), macrovascular invasion (MaVI) limits treatment options and decreases survival. Detailed data on the relationship between MaVI extension and patients' characteristics, and its impact on patients' outcome are limited. We evaluated the prevalence and extension of MaVI in a large cohort of consecutive HCC patients, analysing its association with liver disease and tumour characteristics, as well as with treatments performed and patients' survival.

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Background: The COVID-19 outbreak has overwhelmed and altered health care systems worldwide, with a substantial impact on patients with chronic diseases. The response strategy has involved implementing measures like social distancing, and care delivery modalities like telemedicine have been promoted to reduce the risk of transmission.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the benefits of using telemedicine services for patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) at a tertiary care center in Italy during the COVID-19-mandated lockdown.

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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. A reduction in insulin receptor (IR) expression has been reported in these patients. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of a mixture of plant extracts consisting of , and decaffeinated green coffee by on the improvement of glycaemic profile, through the modulation of IR levels, and of hepatic steatosis in NAFLD patients.

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