[Air pollution and cardiovascular disease].

Although there is substantial evidence on the harmful effects of air pollution on human health, these are scarcely considered in the general clinical practice and also in the context of cardiovascular disease prevention. In light of the numerous epidemiological and basic research studies that have demonstrated the unfavorable impact of air pollution on the cardiovascular system, this review aims to bring this aspect to the attention of clinicians. This work describes the main air polluting components that can contribute to the onset and progression of cardiovascular diseases.

Hyperuricemia in Cardiac Rehabilitation Patients: Prevalence and Association with Functional Improvement and Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction.

Introduction: The role of uric acid (UA) and Hyper Uricemia (HU) in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) patients have been very little studied.

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of HU and if it is associated to the functional improvement obtained or the left ventricular Ejection Fraction (EF) in CR patients after Acute or Chronic Coronary Syndrome (ACS and CCS respectively).

Methods: We enrol 411 patients (62.

Cardiovascular Structural and Functional Parameters in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis at Disease Diagnosis.

Introduction: Prevalence of cardiac and vascular fibrosis in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) has not been extensively evaluated.

Aim: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the heart and vessels functional and structural properties in patients with IPF compared to healthy controls. An exploratory analysis regarding disease severity in IPF patients has been done.

Immunoglobulin free light chains in severe asthma patient: Could they be a new biomarker?

Background: Increasing evidence is available about the presence of increased serum concentration of immunoglobulin (Ig) free light chains (FLCs) in both atopic and non-atopic inflammatory diseases, including severe asthma, providing a possible new biomarker of disease.

Methods: We analyzed clinical and laboratory data, including FLCs, obtained from a cohort of 79 asthmatic subjects, clinically classified into different GINA steps. A control group of 40 age-matched healthy donors (HD) was considered.

Secondary Prevention and Extreme Cardiovascular Risk Evaluation (SEVERE-1), Focus on Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors: The Study Protocol.

Introduction: Despite significant improvement in secondary CardioVascular (CV) preventive strategies, some acute and chronic coronary syndrome (ACS and CCS) patients will suffer recurrent events (also called "extreme CV risk"). Recently new biochemical markers, such as uric acid (UA), lipoprotein A [Lp(a)] and several markers of inflammation, have been described to be associated with CV events recurrence. The SEcondary preVention and Extreme cardiovascular Risk Evaluation (SEVERE-1) study will accurately characterize extreme CV risk patients enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs.

Chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction: the usefulness of myocardial work indices.

Aims: The role of left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) in the diagnosis of subclinical cardiac damage induced by anticancer drugs is now consolidated. Considering some strain disadvantages such as the dependence on the haemodynamic loading conditions, the aim of our study was to investigate the usefulness of non-invasive myocardial work indices (MWI) derived from pressure-strain analysis, in the early diagnosis of cardiotoxicity.

Methods And Results: We enrolled 61 consecutive patients with breast cancer undergoing adjuvant treatment with anthracycline-containing chemotherapy followed by taxane + trastuzumab.

ANMCO position paper on vericiguat use in heart failure: from evidence to place in therapy.

In the growing therapeutic armamentarium for heart failure (HF) management, vericiguat represents an innovative therapeutic option. The biological target of this drug is different from that of other drugs for HF. Indeed, vericiguat does not inhibit neuro-hormonal systems overactivated in HF or sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 but stimulates the biological pathway of nitric oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate, which is impaired in patients with HF.

[ANMCO Position paper: Vericiguat use in heart failure: from evidence to place in therapy].

In the growing therapeutic armamentarium for heart failure management, vericiguat represents an innovative therapeutic option. The biological target of this drug is different from that of other drugs for heart failure. Indeed, vericiguat does not inhibit neurohormonal systems overactivated in heart failure or sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 but stimulates the biological pathway of nitric oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate, which is impaired in patients with heart failure.

Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma and pregnancy: a challenging clinical scenario.

A 26-weeks pregnant woman presented with progressively worsening dyspnoea and poor general conditions. Using low-dose radiation multi-imaging techniques and thoracic biopsy a primary mediastinal large B cell was diagnosed. A multidisciplinary approach identified the correct hemodynamic management, the best therapeutic strategy and the timing for delivery.

Mepolizumab effectiveness in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma and co-presence of bronchiectasis: A real-world retrospective pilot study.

Background: The association of bronchiectasis (BE) in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) is quite frequent. Mepolizumab is a well-recognized treatment for SEA; we aim to evaluate its effectiveness in SEA patients with and without BE in real-life.

Methods: We performed a single-center retrospective pilot study, including patients with SEA treated with mepolizumab for one year.

Real-life effectiveness of mepolizumab in patients with severe refractory eosinophilic asthma and multiple comorbidities.

Background: Data on mepolizumab in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma (EA) and comorbidities are needed to assess whether randomized controlled trial results are applicable in the real world.

Objective: To evaluate real-life effectiveness and the presence/absence of predictors of treatment response in patients with one or more comorbidities (nasal polyps, allergic rhinitis, gastro-esophageal reflux disease, nonallergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome, obesity, bronchiectasis) who received mepolizumab (MEPO) for the treatment of severe EA.

Methods: We performed a single-center retrospective study in patients with severe asthma and presence of comorbidities treated with mepolizumab at the respiratory outpatient clinic, Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, Catania, Italy.

Case Report: Acute effect of benralizumab on asthma exacerbation without concomitant corticosteroid use.

: Monoclonal antibodies are a relatively new therapeutic option for patients with severe refractory asthma, which can be used as an add-on to maintenance therapy, reducing the need for systemic corticosteroid usage, improving asthma symptom control and reducing exacerbations. We report a case of a patient with severe refractory eosinophilic asthma, reluctant to take systemic steroids, who was successfully treated with benralizumab alone during an acute asthma attack. : A 59-year-old Caucasian woman with a history of allergic asthma since childhood showed a progressive decline in lung function with difficult to control symptoms and an increased number of hospitalizations despite maximal maintenance treatment, and was diagnosed with severe refractory asthma.

Adherence to omalizumab: A multicenter "real-world" study.

Background: Adherence to medications is crucial in patients with severe asthma in light of the negative clinical impact and costs of non-adherence. Adherence to omalizumab has not been well studied in real-world settings. The aim of this study was to assess adherence to omalizumab and evaluate treatment effectiveness in relation to adherence.

Anxiety and Depression Effects During Drug Provocation Test.

Background: Drug provocation test (DPT) represents the gold standard for the diagnosis of drug allergy. A DPT can be performed in a single-blind placebo-controlled manner. In anxiety and depressive disorders, patients need to be evaluated to understand the nature of placebo reactions.

Point-of-care blood eosinophil count in a severe asthma clinic setting.

Background: One of the main severe asthma phenotypes is severe eosinophilic or eosinophilic refractory asthma for which novel biologic agents are emerging as therapeutic options. In this context, blood eosinophil counts are one of the most reliable biomarkers.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of a point-of-care peripheral blood counter in a patients with severe asthma.

Bronchodilator response as a marker of poor asthma control.

Background: Asthma guidelines emphasise the importance of monitoring disease control in managing asthma.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between lung function, including bronchodilator response in terms of improving in FEV1 after administration of salbutamol, and asthma control.

Methods: 246 patients with known asthma and in regular chronic treatment according to international guidelines were consecutively enrolled in a 12 month-period.

High prevalence of Anisakis simplex hypersensitivity and allergy in Sicily, Italy.

Background: Anisakis simplex can elicit allergic reactions when ingested in raw or marinated fish. The prevalence of A simplex hypersensitivity and allergy in Sicily (Italy), an area where the consumption of raw or marinated fish is very common, has not been investigated thus far.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of A simplex sensitization and its clinical relevance in a large group of unselected patients.