Gut microbiota in very early systemic sclerosis: the first case-control taxonomic and functional characterisation highlighting an altered butyric acid profile.

Objectives: In systemic sclerosis (SSc), gastrointestinal involvement is one of the earliest events. We compared the gut microbiota (GM), its short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and host-derived free fatty acids (FFAs) in patients with very early diagnosis of SSc (VEDOSS) and definite SSc.

Methods: Stool samples of 26 patients with SSc, 18 patients with VEDOSS and 20 healthy controls (HC) were collected.

A Comparison among Score Systems for Discharging Patients from Recovery Rooms: A Narrative Review.

Introduction: The recovery room (RR) is a hospital area where patients are monitored in the early postoperative period before being transferred to the surgical ward or other specialized units. The utilization of scores in the RR context facilitates the assignment of patients to the appropriate ward and directs necessary monitoring. Some scoring systems allow nurses to select patients who can be discharged directly to their homes.

Community health services in European literature: A systematic review of their features, outcomes, and nursing contribution to care.

Background: To meet the population's needs, community care should be customized and continuous, adequately equipped, and monitored.

Introduction: Considering their fragmented and heterogeneous nature, a summary of community healthcare services described in European literature is needed. The aim of this study was to summarize their organizational models, outcomes, nursing contribution to care, and nursing-related determinants of outcomes.

Evidence for telemedicine heterogeneity in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases care: a scoping review.

Telemedicine and digital health represent alternative approaches for clinical practice; indeed, its potential in healthcare services for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and disease monitoring is widely acknowledged. These are all crucial issues to consider when dealing with chronic Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMDs). The aim was to determine the current state of telemedicine in the field of rheumatology, considering the tools and devices in use as well as the Patient Reported Outcomes.

Health Literacy and Self-Care in Patients with Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocol.

Self-care plays a critical role in symptom recognition, management, and risk factor modification for patients with chronic illnesses. Despite its significance, self-care levels in this population are generally poor. Health literacy (HL) is pivotal for promoting effective self-care, yet the association across specific chronic illnesses remains fragmented and conflicting.

The Rising Challenge of Poor Health Literacy of Patients with Systemic Sclerosis: Preliminary Data Identify Important Unmet Needs in an Italian Cohort.

Rationale And Aim: Health literacy (HL) is pivotal for the successful self-management of chronic diseases. Little HL information is currently available in SSc patients; therefore, the present study aims at evaluating the HL levels in an Italian cohort of SSc patients.

Methods: SSc patients were enrolled with the support of Italian patient associations, from September 2022 to March 2023.

Patients' unmet needs and treatment preferences concerning digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis.

Introduction: Digital ulcers (DUs) significantly impact on quality of life and function in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The aim of our survey was to explore patients' perspectives and their unmet needs concerning SSc-DUs.

Materials: SSc patients were invited through international patient associations and social media to participate in an online survey.

A Multinational Survey Investigating the Unmet Needs and Patient Perspectives Concerning Proton Pump Inhibitors in Systemic Sclerosis.

Objective: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely prescribed to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). However, not all patients adequately respond to the treatment, and there are frequent concerns about the safety of long-term use of PPIs. Our aim was to identify the main problems/complaints of SSc patients on PPIs, as well as understand their unmet needs.

Early myopericarditis diagnosed in a 31-year-old patient using smartwatch technology: A case report.

Introduction: Smartwatches, wrist-mounted devices with computing capacity able to connect with other devices via short-range wireless networking, are today commonly used by the general population to monitor their health status using specific applications. Currently, these devices offer new possibilities in remote health care monitoring and integration with other applications, through alert notifications, collection of personal data by a variety of sensors and the storage of these data. Several companies are introducing smartwatches with "health status" monitoring software with multiple functions, i.

Sleep Quality and Its Relationship to Anxiety and Hardiness in a Cohort of Frontline Italian Nurses during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a considerable impact on the psychological and psychopathological status of the population and health care workers in terms of insomnia, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The primary aim of this study was to describe and evaluate the impact of the pandemic on insomnia levels of a cohort of Italian nurses, particularly those involved in the care of COVID-19 patients. The secondary aim was to identify the interaction between insomnia and hardiness, anxiety, and sleep disturbances.

Lymphatic Endothelial-to-Myofibroblast Transition: A Potential New Mechanism Underlying Skin Fibrosis in Systemic Sclerosis.

At present, only a few reports have addressed the possible contribution of the lymphatic vascular system to the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Based on the evidence that blood vascular endothelial cells can undertake the endothelial-to-myofibroblast transition (EndMT) contributing to SSc-related skin fibrosis, we herein investigated whether the lymphatic endothelium might represent an additional source of profibrotic myofibroblasts through a lymphatic EndMT (Ly-EndMT) process. Skin sections from patients with SSc and healthy donors were immunostained for the lymphatic endothelial cell-specific marker lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 (LYVE-1) in combination with α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) as the main marker of myofibroblasts.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Training in Disaster Medicine Courses for Students in Nursing: A Scoping Review of Adoptable Tools.

Nurses and paramedics play a pivotal role when mass casualty incidents (MCI) occur, yet they often feel unprepared for such events. Implementation strategies for training activities, including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) simulations, offer realistic and immersive learning experiences, enhancing skills and competencies for nursing students. The aim of this work was to investigate the adopted tools in studies on VR and AR simulations for training nursing and paramedic students in managing MCI.

The differential crosstalk of the skin-gut microbiome axis as a new emerging actor in systemic sclerosis.

Objectives: We characterized the microbiota in SSc, focusing on the skin-oral-gut axis and the serum and faecal free fatty acid (FFA) profile.

Methods: Twenty-five SSc patients with ACA or anti-Scl70 autoantibodies were enrolled. The microbiota of faecal, saliva and superficial epidermal samples was assessed through next-generation sequencing analysis.

Nursing interventions for patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases on biological therapies: a systematic literature review.

Investigating unmet needs and identifying the necessary interventions for patients affected by rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) may help significantly to ensure the continuity and quality of the chronic care pathway. To this aim, the contribution of rheumatology nurses requires further evidence. The aim of our systematic literature review (SLR) was to identify the nursing interventions directed towards patients with RMDs undergoing biological therapy.

Systemic Sclerosis Patients Experiencing Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program: The Beneficial Effect on Their Psychological Status and Quality of Life.

Psychological concerns in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) patients represent an important issue and should be addressed through non-pharmacological treatments. Thus, the aim of the present study was to assess the effects of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program on psychological variables and the perspectives and experiences of patients with an SSc diagnosis. Notably, 32 SSc patients were enrolled and assigned to either the intervention (MBSR) group or the waitlist group.

Awake Prone Positioning in Nonintubated Patients With Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure.

Background: Awake prone positioning research focuses primarily on improving oxygenation and reducing intubation and mortality rates. Secondary outcomes concerning patient safety have been poorly addressed.

Objective: To summarize current evidence on the frequency of adverse events during awake prone positioning and the effects on patients' safety, comfort, and tolerance.

The Yin-Yang Pharmacomicrobiomics on Treatment Response in Inflammatory Arthritides: A Narrative Review.

(1) Background: Gut microbiota (GM) is the set of microorganisms inhabiting the gastroenteric tract that seems to have a role in the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases. Recently, many authors proved that GM may influence pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of several drugs with complex interactions that are studied by the growing field of pharmacomicrobiomics. The aim of this review is to highlight current evidence on pharmacomicrobiomics applied to the main treatments of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Spondyloarthritis in order to maximize therapeutic success, in the framework of Personalized Medicine.

The Effectiveness of NIV and CPAP Training on the Job in COVID-19 Acute Care Wards: A Nurses' Self-Assessment of Skills.

Background: Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in COVID-19 patients outside of intensive care unit (ICU) settings was a feasible support during the pandemic outbreak. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an “on the job” NIV training program provided to 66 nurses working in 3 COVID-19 wards in an Italian university hospital. Methods: A quasi-experimental longitudinal before−after study was designed.