Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among European Healthcare Workers and Effectiveness of the First Booster COVID-19 Vaccine, VEBIS HCW Observational Cohort Study, May 2021-May 2023.

European countries have included healthcare workers (HCWs) among priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination. We established a multi-country hospital network to measure the SARS-CoV-2 incidence and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines among HCWs against laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. HCWs from 19 hospitals in 10 countries participated in a dynamic prospective cohort study, providing samples for SARS-CoV-2 testing at enrolment and during weekly/fortnightly follow-up.

Bloodstream infection: Derivation and validation of a reliable and multidimensional prognostic score based on a machine learning model (BLISCO).

Background: A bloodstream infection (BSI) prognostic score applicable at the time of blood culture collection is missing.

Methods: In total, 4,327 patients with BSIs were included, divided into a derivation (80%) and a validation dataset (20%). Forty-two variables among host-related, demographic, epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory extracted from the electronic health records were analyzed.

Sarilumab plus standard of care standard of care for the treatment of severe COVID-19: a phase 3, randomized, open-labeled, multi-center study (ESCAPE study).

Background: Among interleukin-6 inhibitors suggested for use in COVID-19, there are few robust evidences for the efficacy of sarilumab. Herein, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of sarilumab in severe COVID-19.

Methods: In this phase 3, open-labeled, randomized clinical trial, conducted at 5 Italian hospitals, adults with severe COVID-19 pneumonia (excluding mechanically ventilated) were randomized 2:1 to receive intravenous sarilumab (400 mg, repeatable after 12 h) standard of care (SOC) (arm A) or to continue SOC (arm B).

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) from HIV patients' perspective: comparison of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures among people living with hiv (PLWH) and other chronic clinical conditions.

Background: People living with HIV (PLWH) are generally known to suffer from a lower quality of life compared to the one of general population, but still very few is known about the self-perception of quality of life when comparing HIV to non-communicable diseases. We performed a comprehensive assessment of patient's reported outcomes measures (PROMs) among PLWH and patients affected by other chronic conditions (OC) such as diabetes mellitus type 1, rheumatoid arthritis, breast cancer in hormonal therapy, in order to investigate differences in PROMs outcomes between PLWH and other pathologies.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was performed by using questionnaires investigating health-related quality of life (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item Health Survey), work productivity (WPI), and global health status (EQ-5D-3L).

HIV-Related Internalized Stigma and Patient Health Engagement Model in an Italian Cohort of People Living With HIV.

The care engagement of people living with HIV (PLWH) measured with the patient health engagement (PHE) model and its association with HIV-related internalized stigma are not well established. Indeed, currently there are no data yet about the engagement of PLWH measured with the PHE model. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of HIV-related internalized stigma on care engagement and mental health and to fill the lack of data on PHE model applied to PLWH.

Psychological distress during the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in an Italian population living with HIV: an online survey.

The aim of this study was to explore the psychological impact of the initial stage of the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on people living with HIV (PLWH), a population at increased risk of psychological distress. PLWH participated in an online survey exploring demographic and clinical data, physical symptoms, contact history, knowledge and concerns, precautionary measures and additional information about COVID-19 during the first phase of the pandemic in Italy. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) (identifying the COVID-19 pandemic as a specific traumatic life event) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) also formed part of the survey.

Risk of Tumor Onset in HIV+ Patients on Two-Drug Regimens: A Cohort Study in an Italian Hospital.

Currently approved 2-drug therapies are as effective as 3-drug regimens but could potentially lead to increased cancer risk due to less efficient immune recovery. We conducted a longitudinal cohort study in a tertiary Italian hospital to investigate HIV+ patients starting a triple therapy (TT) (2 NRTIs +3rd agent) or a dual therapy (DT) (3TC/FTC+boosted-PI, boosted-DRV+RAL, and 3TC/FTC or RPV+DTG) regimen between 2009 and 2018. The effect of DT (vs.

"Early transfusion of convalescent plasma in older patients with COVID-19 to prevent disease progression: A structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial".

Objectives: The primary objective is to demonstrate that COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) prevents progression to severe pneumonia in elderly COVID-19 pneumonia patients with chronic comorbidities. Secondary objectives are to demonstrate that CCP decreases the viral load in nasopharyngeal swabs and increases the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody titre in recipients.

Trial Design: This is a randomized, open-label, parallel group, phase II/III study with a superiority framework.

Trends of hospitalisations rates in a cohort of HIV-infected persons followed in an Italian hospital from 1998 to 2016.

Here we evaluated hospitalisation rates and associated risk factors of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals who were followed up in an Italian reference hospital from 1998 to 2016. Incidence rates (IR) of hospitalisations were calculated for five study periods from 1998 to 2016. The random-effects Poisson regression model was used to assess risk factors for hospitalisation including demographic and clinical characteristics.

Efficacy and tolerability of lamivudine plus dolutegravir compared with lamivudine plus boosted PIs in HIV-1 positive individuals with virologic suppression: a retrospective study from the clinical practice.

Background: Direct comparisons between lamivudine plus bPIs and lamivudine plus dolutegravir as maintenance strategies in virologically-suppressed HIV positive patients are lacking.

Methods: Time to treatment discontinuation (TD) and virological failure (VF) were compared in a cohort of HIV+ patients on a virologically-effective ART starting lamivudine with either darunavir/r, atazanavir/r or dolutegravir. Changes in laboratory parameters were also evaluated.

Switch to maraviroc with darunavir/r, both QD, in patients with suppressed HIV-1 was well tolerated but virologically inferior to standard antiretroviral therapy: 48-week results of a randomized trial.

Objectives: Primary study outcome was absence of treatment failure (virological failure, VF, or treatment interruption) per protocol at week 48.

Methods: Patients on 3-drug ART with stable HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL and CCR5-tropic virus were randomized 1:1 to maraviroc with darunavir/ritonavir qd (study arm) or continue current ART (continuation arm).

Results: In June 2015, 115 patients were evaluable for the primary outcome (56 study, 59 continuation arm).

Total cellular HIV-1 DNA decreases after switching to raltegravir-based regimens in patients with suppressed HIV-1 RNA.

Background: The integrase inhibitor raltegravir has been used to intensify antiretroviral therapy in patients with undetectable plasma HIV-1RNA, resulting in variable perturbation of HIV-1 nucleic acids levels in peripheral blood.

Objectives: We aimed at monitoring residual plasma HIV-1RNA and total cellular HIV-1DNA in virologically suppressed patients switching to raltegravir-based regimens.

Study Design: Fifty-eight subjects on protease inhibitor (PI) or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based regimens, with plasma HIV-1RNA levels <40 copies/ml for ≥6 months and CD4 counts >200cells/μl for ≥12 months were enrolled.

Lipid-lowering effect and changes in estimated cardiovascular risk after switching to a tenofovir-containing regimen for the treatment of HIV-infected patients.

Tenofovir could have a direct lipid-lowering effect. The aim of our retrospective study was to investigate changes in cardiovascular risk after switching from a tenofovir-sparing to a tenofovir-containing backbone. Lipid parameters and cardiovascular risk [calculated using 10-years Framingham Risk Score (FRS) and 5-years DAD Risk Score (DRS)] were analysed at baseline and after three months.

Verbal list learning and memory profiles in HIV-infected adults, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease: An evaluation of the "cortical hypothesis" of NeuroAIDS.

HIV+ population is getting older because of progress in treatments. Yet, there are concerns that Older HIV+ individuals (OHIV+) may be more vulnerable for developing a "cortical" dementia such as Alzheimer Disease (AD). Our aim was to explore the hypothesis that the cognitive deficit extends to ''cortical'' functions in OHIV+ by comparing serial position effects (SPE) in different groups of participants affected by "cortical" or "subcortical" damage.

Switching to lamivudine plus darunavir/r dual therapy in a cohort of treatment-experienced HIV-positive patients: the experience of an Italian centre.

Introduction: According to recent evidence about boosted protease inhibitors (PIs/r)-simplified regimens, the combination of 3TC and DRV/r 800/100 mg could represent a feasible option for optimizing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in treatment-experienced HIV+ patients.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated patients switching to 3TC+DRV/r, with at least six months of viral suppression, no resistance mutation to DRV or 3TC and not HBV-coinfected: incidence of ART discontinuation and of virological failure (VF: 2 consecutive HIV-RNA determinations>49 cps/mL or a single one≥1000 cps/mL) and the probability of remaining discontinuation-free during one-year follow-up (FU), as well as changes in laboratory parameters at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months were estimated.

Results: We included 94 patients: 74 males, mostly MSM (39.

Bone mineral density improvement after 48 weeks of switch to maraviroc+darunavir/ritonavir 300/800/100 mg QD, preliminary results of GUSTA study.

Introduction: Low bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis are prevalent in HIV-infected patients and were associated with HIV infection and tenofovir-containing ART.

Materials And Methods: The GUSTA study (GUided Simplification with Tropism Assay) is a two-arm, prospective, multicenter, 1:1 randomized controlled trial designed to demonstrate the non-inferiority of therapeutic switch to maraviroc+darunavir/ritonavir (MVC+DRV/r) 300/800/100 mg QD against the continuation of previous triple cART in patients with stable virological suppression. Enrolment criteria include HIV1-RNA <50 copies/mL for >6 months, R5 tropism and CD4>200 cells/µL for >3 months.

Switch to raltegravir-based regimens and HIV DNA decrease in patients with suppressed HIV RNA.

Introduction: Raltegravir intensification is associated with an increase in 2-LTR episomal HIV DNA= circles, indicating a persistent low-level replication, in some individuals in ART with suppressed HIV RNA. We aimed at monitoring residual plasma HIV RNA and cellular HIV DNA in virologically suppressed patients switching to a raltegravir-based regimen.

Materials And Methods: Forty-six HIV-infected subjects on PI or NNRTI based-regimens, with plasma HIV RNA level <40 copies/mL for ≥6 months and CD4 >200 cells/µL for ≥12 months were enrolled.

Prevalence of osteoporosis and predictors of low BMD in a cohort of HIV-1-infected patients in Rome: features of a population at high risk.

Introduction: Ageing of HIV-infected patients led to an increasing rate of osteopenia and osteoporosis. The cause is multifactorial, including virus activity, drug toxicity and host factors. The aim of our analysis is to quantify this issue according to our department experience and to evaluate predictors of low BMD.