Publications by authors named "Lichtner M"

Objectives: To estimate the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization and death (CovH/D), among high-risk individuals early treated for COVID-19 and to identify associated factors.

Methods And Results: A multicenter cohort of 12,475 high-risk outpatients (female 50.2%, median age 70 years [IQR 57-80], fully vaccinated 79.

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Following viral infection, antigen-restricted T lymphocytes are activated and recognize infected cells to eliminate them. A subset of T cells differentiates into memory lymphocytes able to counteract viral rechallenge in a faster and enhanced way. SARS-CoV-2 can escape immune responses leading to a poor clinical outcome.

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  • Low-grade endotoxemia, caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), is detected in COVID-19 patients, potentially promoting thrombosis through a pro-inflammatory and pro-coagulant state.
  • The study measured various biomarkers in 175 COVID-19 patients and 50 healthy controls, finding significantly elevated levels of markers like sNOX2-dp and D-dimer in COVID-19 patients, especially those with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
  • Results suggest that factors like impaired gut barrier function, high NOX2 activation, and low albumin may lead to low-grade endotoxemia, increasing the risk of thrombotic events in COVID-19 patients.
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  • COVID-19 is associated with abnormal levels of specific cytokines in the body, which may help in managing the disease.
  • The study measures various inflammatory cytokines in serum samples from healthy individuals, COVID-19 patients upon hospital admission, and those who have recovered after different timeframes.
  • Results showed that IL-10 levels rise during initial infection, while other cytokines like IL-27 and TNF-α fluctuate over time, suggesting that some cytokines may indicate disease severity or the risk of long-term effects after recovery.
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  • The study analyzed HIV-1 sequences from 2386 drug-naïve individuals in Italy from 2015 to 2021 to assess the prevalence of transmitted drug resistance (TDR) among them.
  • TDR prevalence was found to be 8%, with a slight difference between B subtypes (9.5%) and non-B subtypes (6.1%), and it remained stable over the years assessed.
  • The research indicated that certain subtypes were associated with lower TDR rates, emphasizing the need for ongoing monitoring of TDR in newly diagnosed HIV patients to improve treatment strategies.
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Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF) among people poorly represented in clinical trials and potentially at higher risk of suboptimal response to ART.

Methods: Observational cohort study on persons with HIV (PWH) enrolled in ICONA who started BIC/FTC/TAF as initial therapy or as switching regimen while virologically suppressed. Primary endpoint was time to treatment failure (TF): new AIDS/death or virological failure (VF) or discontinuation for toxicity/failure.

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  • The study examined the immune response to a SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine in solid organ transplant recipients (SOT-Rs) compared to healthy donors (HDs) before and after vaccination at multiple time points.
  • In SOT-Rs, antibody detection increased significantly after the third vaccine dose, but antibody levels were consistently lower than those in HDs, and T-cell responses were also less robust.
  • The findings suggest that while the third dose improved immunity in SOT-Rs, their vaccine effectiveness remains suboptimal, indicating a potential need for additional booster doses and preventive strategies.
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  • - The study assessed the effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies Casirivimab and Imdevimab (CAS/IMV) in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19, focusing on the risk of mechanical ventilation (MV) and death after 28 days.
  • - Conducted in Italy, the observational study included 480 patients for modeling and 157 for testing, finding that age, PaO/FiO ratio, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and platelet counts were significant predictors of MV or death.
  • - A risk score was developed from these predictors with good accuracy, indicating a lower mortality risk than previously reported; however, CAS/IMV is no longer in use.
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Purpose: Although dalbavancin is currently approved for the treatment of ABSSIs, several studies suggest its efficacy and tolerance as long-term therapy for other off-label indications requiring prolonged intravenous antibiotic administration.

Methods: We conducted a prospective nationwide study of dalbavancin use in real-life settings for both approved and off-label indications analysing for each case the clinical and microbiological characteristics of infection the efficacy and safety of treatments.

Results: During the study period (from December 2018 to July 2021), the ID specialists from 14 different centres enrolled 223 patients treated with dalbavancin [141 males (63%) and 82 females (37%); male/female ratio 1.

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Background: Pre-exposure vaccination with MVA-BN has been widely used against mpox to contain the 2022 outbreak. Many countries have defined prioritized strategies, administering a single dose to those historically vaccinated for smallpox, to achieve quickly adequate coverage in front of low supplies. Using epidemiological models, real-life effectiveness was estimated at approximately 36%-86%, but no clinical trials were performed.

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Introduction: Skeletal tuberculosis (TB) accounts for about 10 to 35% of extrapulmonary cases and the knee is the most frequent site after the spine and hip. The diagnosis is difficult and largely clinical.

Case Presentation: This is a case of a young Pakistani man with a history of joint pain for about 4 years, who was diagnosed with chronic arthritis of the right knee.

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Background: we aim to investigate attitudes toward vaccination by analyzing empirical factors associated with vaccine acceptance in the Lazio region mpox vaccination (MpoxVax) campaign in Italy.

Methods: all subjects who accessed MpoxVax and signed the informed consent were prospectively enrolled in the MPOX-VAC Study and were asked to fill out an anonymous survey. Two endpoints were selected: 'delayed acceptance' and 'early acceptance', defined as access for vaccination >60 and ≤30 days from the vaccination campaign starting (VCS), respectively.

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Objectives: Here we investigate Hepatitis D virus (HDV)-prevalence in Italy and its fluctuations over time and we provide an extensive characterization of HDV-infected patients.

Methods: The rate of HDV seroprevalence and HDV chronicity was assessed in 1579 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)+ patients collected from 2005 to 2022 in Central Italy.

Results: In total, 45.

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Introduction: Since early January 2017, a new measles outbreak in Italy has been observed. The aim of the study was to compare features between adults and children measles cases and evaluate the effect of steroid treatment on the above parameters.

Methods: A retrospective multicenter, descriptive study was performed.

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People living with HIV (PLWH) remain at high risk of mortality and morbidity from vaccine-preventable diseases, even though antiretroviral therapy (ART) has restored life expectancy and general well-being. When, which, and how many doses of vaccine should be administered over the lifetime of PLWH are questions that have become clinically relevant. Immune responses to most vaccines are known to be impaired in PLWH.

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: Neurological symptoms (NS) in COVID-19 are related to both acute stage and long-COVID. We explored levels of brain injury biomarkers (NfL and GFAP) and myeloid activation marker (sCD163) and their implications on the CNS. In hospitalized COVID-19 patients plasma samples were collected at two time points: on hospital admission (baseline) and three months after hospital discharge (Tpost).

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Background: Monoclonal antibodies are designed to target specific proteins of COVID-19 and can be used as a treatment for people with mild to moderate infection and at a high risk of severe disease. Casirivimab/imdevimab, sotrovimab, and Bamlanivimab/etesevimab have been authorized for emergency use in the treatment of COVID-19. However, during pregnancy, these drugs have not been extensively studied.

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The aim of the study was to longitudinally evaluate the association between MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and chest radiological findings in COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 patients were evaluated based on their hospital admission (baseline) and three months after hospital discharge (T post) and were stratified into ARDS and non-ARDS groups. As a control group, healthy donors (HD) were enrolled.

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Article Synopsis
  • The GRAd-COV2 vaccine, developed from a gorilla adenovirus, aims to enhance COVID-19 immunity with a focus on a stable spike protein.
  • In a phase 2 trial with 917 participants, the vaccine demonstrated good safety and strong immune responses, especially after a second dose.
  • The vaccine effectively generated a robust T cell response, particularly CD8 T cells, suggesting its potential for future genetic vaccine development in combating variants of concern.
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Specific HBsAg mutations are known to hamper HBsAg recognition by neutralizing antibodies thus challenging HBV-vaccination efficacy. Nevertheless, information on their impact and spreading over time is limited. Here, we characterize the circulation of vaccine-escape mutations from 2005 to 2019 and their correlation with virological parameters in a large cohort of patients infected with HBV genotype-D ( = 947), dominant in Europe.

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Background: infectious mononucleosis is very common during childhood and neurological manifestations are extremely rare. However, when they occur, an appropriate treatment must be undertaken to reduce morbidity and mortality as well as to ensure appropriate management.

Methods: we describe the clinical and neurological records of a female patient with post-EBV acute cerebellar ataxia, whose symptoms rapidly resolved with intravenous immunoglobulin therapy.

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In 2022, three antiviral drugs-molnupiravir, remdesivir and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir-were introduced for treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in high-risk patients. The aim of this study is the evaluation of their effectiveness and tolerability in a real-life setting. A single-center observational study was set up, with the involvement of 1118 patients, with complete follow-up data, treated between the 5th of January and the 3rd of October 2022 at Santa Maria Goretti's hospital in Latina, Central Italy.

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Gender medicine is now an approach that can no longer be neglected and must be considered in scientific research. We investigated the systemic and mucosal immune response in a population of women living with HIV (WLWH) who were receiving successful ART and the sexual and psychological repercussions of HIV infection on the women's health. As control group, healthy women (HW) matched for age and sex distribution, without any therapy, were included.

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In this retrospective comparative study, we evaluated the effectiveness of remdesivir (RDSV) in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Individuals hospitalized between March 2020 and August 2022 at S.M.

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