The Impact of Workplace Violence on Headache and Sleep Problems in Nurses.

Workplace violence (WV) is a significant occupational hazard for nurses. Previous studies have shown that WV has a reciprocal relationship with occupational stress. Headaches and sleep problems are early neuropsychological signs of distress.

Emergency reversal of vitamin-K antagonists related over-anticoagulation: case report and brief overview on the role of prothrombin complex concentrate.

Oral anticoagulation is a widely used treatment and atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequent indication. We review the therapeutic options on an important clinical challenge: rapid reversal anticoagulation in the setting of an urgent invasive procedure. We report a case of a 71-year-old man treated with warfarin who was over-anticoagulated when presented to the emergency department for syncope due to severe bradiarrhythmia and needed temporary pacing.

Appropriateness of fresh-frozen plasma usage in hospital settings: a meta-analysis of the impact of organizational interventions.

Background: Transfusions of fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) are a worldwide ever-growing practice. The most advanced health care organizations, to guarantee high-quality standards of interventions and safe procedures, should disseminate scientific evidence for promoting the appropriateness of transfusions and reducing avoidable risks.

Study Design And Methods: We carried out a systematic review of scientific literature searching for studies focused on the implementation of different strategy of organizational interventions aimed at improving clinicians' practice.

Autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell transplantation in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background: Recent studies have shown that autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell (aBM-MNC) transplantation can be effectively performed in human beings either by the coronary route or by endoventricular injections. However, scanty data are available for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Accordingly, the aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of aBM-MNC transplantation in patients with recent myocardial infarction undergoing CABG.

The treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in the elderly.

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is rare in patients over 60 years of age, but because of the ageing of population in western countries, it could become an increasing problem in the coming years. Until now, only a few studies on the treatment of ALL in these patients have been published, with discouraging results. In fact, while in adult patients with ALL complete remission rates are about 90%, with a median overall survival time of 2 years, for elderly patients (> 60 years) the remission rate is below 70%, with a median overall survival of 7 months.

Comparison of real-time PCR, conventional PCR, and galactomannan antigen detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples from hematology patients for diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.

An iCycler iQ real-time PCR assay targeting 18S rRNA Aspergillus-specific sequences was developed for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). Positive findings were obtained for 18 of 20 (90%) bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid specimens from patients with probable or confirmed IPA and were obtained for none of the 24 BAL samples from patients with no clinical evidence of aspergillosis. These results were concordant with those of a nested PCR assay, which detected 90% of the patients with IPA, while galactomannan ELISA revealed positivity for 100% of these patients, suggesting that combined use of methods might improve the diagnosis of IPA.

Drug treatment in the development of mismatch repair defective acute leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome.

DNA from therapy-related acute leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome cases (tAL/MDS) from the GIMEMA [Gruppo Italiano Malattie Ematologiche Maligne dell'Adulto] Archive was examined for the microsatellite instability (MSI(+)) phenotype that is diagnostic for defective DNA mismatch repair. More than 60% (16/25) of tAL/MDS cases were MSI(+) in contrast to <4% (0/28) of de novo cases. hMLH1 gene silencing was rare and evidence of promoter methylation was found in less than one-third of the MSI(+) cases.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-hemolytic uremic syndrome after bupropion treatment for smoking cessation.

Bupropion hydrochloride is an effective drug for people who want stop smoking, and its use has recently increased in many countries. The main side effects of this drug are related to its dopaminergic activity and are dose dependent. To date, no cases of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-hemolytic uremic syndrome (TTP-HUS) have been reported in literature.

Invasive fungal infection in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome: a report of twelve cases.

In this report we analyse the risk factors, clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) who developed a invasive fungal infection (IFI). This was a multicentric study involving 14 Italian Haematological Divisions during a 10-year-period whose object was to identify the characteristics of patients with this infection. The study recorded 391 consecutive documented IF, 12 of which (3%) occurred in MDS patients from five of the participating centres.

Filamentous fungi infection in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome. A report of twelve cases.

In this report we analyse the risk factors, the clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) who developed an Invasive Fungi Infection (IFI). This was a multicentric study involving 14 Italian Haematological Divisions during a 10-year period whose object was to identify the characteristics of patients with this infection. The study recorded 391 consecutive documented IFI, 12 of which (3%) occurred in MDS patients, from 5 of the participating centres.

Negative prognostic value of glutathione S-transferase (GSTM1 and GSTT1) deletions in adult acute myeloid leukemia.

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are enzymes involved in the detoxification of several environmental mutagens, carcinogens, and anticancer drugs. GST polymorphisms resulting in decreased enzymatic activity have been associated with several types of solid tumors. We determined the prognostic significance of the deletion of 2 GST subfamilies genes, M1 and T1, in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Clinicobiological features and outcome of acute promyelocytic leukemia occurring as a second tumor: the GIMEMA experience.

We analyzed the clinicobiological features and treatment outcome of a series of acute promyelocytic leukemias (APLs) occurring as a second tumor (APL-st's, n = 51) and compared these with a large group of de novo APL cases (n = 641), both observed by the Italian cooperative group GIMEMA. In the APL-st group, 37 patients had received radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy for their primary malignancy (PM), while 14 had been treated by surgery alone. Compared with de novo APL patients, APL-st patients were characterized by a predominance of females (P <.

Chronic disseminated candidiasis in patients with hematologic malignancies. Clinical features and outcome of 29 episodes.

Background And Objectives: To evaluate the characteristics of patients affected by hematologic malignancies who developed a chronic disseminated candidiasis (CDC), and to ascertain the factors that influenced the outcome, in a retrospective study conducted between January 1990 and December 2000, in 4 Hematology Divisions.

Design And Methods: CDC was diagnosed by clinical features combined with radiological and/or histologic and/or microbiological data.

Results: Twenty-eight patients (male/female 14/14; average age 42 years, range 12-67) developed a CDC.

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients with malignant haematological diseases: 10 years' experience of infection in GIMEMA centres.

A retrospective survey was conducted over a 10-year period (1990-99) among 52 haematology divisions in order to evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcome of patients with proven Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) complicating haematological diseases. The study included 55 patients (18 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 10 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, eight with acute myeloid leukaemia, five with chronic myeloid leukaemia, four with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, four with multiple myeloma, three with myelodysplastic syndrome, two with myelofibrosis and one with thalassemia) who developed PCP. Among these, 18 (33%) underwent stem cell transplantation; only two received an oral prophylaxis with trimethroprim/sulphamethoxazole.