Intestinal Perforation in a patient with peritoneal carcinomatosis from colon cancer treated with Regorafenib. Description of a case and review of the literature.

Regorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor approved for treatment of patients with metastatic Colo-Rectal Cancer (mCRC) and Gastro-Intestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) progression after the administration of other tyrosine-kinase inhibitors such as imatinib and sunitinib. Only a handful of severe side effects such as intestinal perforations and fistulas have been described in the literature in patients undergoing multikinase inhibitor treatment. We report a case of a patient with peritoneal mCRC who experienced an intestinal perforation during the administration of Regorafenib and review the literature.

Has the COVID 19 Virus Changed Adherence to Hand Washing among Healthcare Workers?

The aim of the study was to assess adherence to hand washing by healthcare workers (HCWs) and its variations over time in hospital wards. We wanted to check whether the pandemic had changed the behavior of HCWs. The study was conducted between 1 January 2015, and 31 December 2020.

Measles and Pregnancy: Immunity and Immunization-What Can Be Learned from Observing Complications during an Epidemic Year.

Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease. Unvaccinated pregnant women are not only at risk of infection but also at risk of severe pregnancy complications. As measles causes a dysregulation of the entire immune system, we describe immunological variations and how immune response mechanisms can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Children and Pregnant Women: An Updated Review of the Literature on Screening and Treatments.

 The aim of the paper is to review the current information relating to the diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in pregnant women and children, particularly those infected by mother-to-child transmission.  A review of published literature was performed to identify relevant articles published between January 2015 and March 2019 on: HCV infection in pregnant woman, mother-to child-transmission of HCV and HCV infection in pediatrics. The results of the evaluation of the different studies were summarized in two sections describing separately the screening and effective treatments in pregnant women and children.

Are Visitors Dangerous Carriers of Pathogens in The Hospital? an Observational Study in an University Hospital in Sicily.

The hospital environment has been suggested as having an important role in the transmission of health care-associated infections. The aim of this work is to clarify the possible role of visitors in environmental contamination at our hospital. The microbial load was determined by Rodac plate contact on flat surfaces and by swabs on uneven surfaces.

Physical capacity in performing daily activities is reduced in scleroderma patients with early lung involvement.

Background And Aims: Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) often complain reduced capacity at submaximal exercise; conversely, physical capacity in performing daily duties has never been measured in SSc. The aim of this study is to evaluate this performance and its correlates, in patients with SSc compared with healthy controls, in a free-living setting.

Methods: Twenty-seven outpatients with stable SSc and 11 controls were recruited.

Airway distensibility by HRCT in asthmatics and COPD with comparable airway obstruction.

Introduction: Decreased airway distensibility (AD) in response to deep inspirations, as assessed by HRCT, has been associated with the severity of asthma and COPD.

Aims: The current study was designed to compare the magnitude of AD by HRCT in individuals with asthma and COPD with comparable degrees of bronchial obstruction, and to explore factors that may influence it.

Results: We enrolled a total of 12 asthmatics (M/F:7/5) and 8 COPD (7/1) with comparable degree of bronchial obstruction (FEV1% predicted mean ± SEM: 69.

A 15-year-old boy with anterior chest pain, progressive dyspnea, and subcutaneous emphysema of the neck.

We describe the case of an adolescent who was admitted to the hospital because of sudden occurrence of chest pain, dyspnea and subcutaneous emphysema. On admission, physical examination revealed subcutaneous crepitations in the superior part of the rib cage, and auscultation of the chest showed widespread wheezing. The radiological assessment confirmed the diagnosis of pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax.

The airway response to deep inspirations decreases with COPD severity and is associated with airway distensibility assessed by computed tomography.

In patients with mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the effect of deep inspirations (DIs) to reverse methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction is largely attenuated. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the effectiveness of DI is reduced with increasing disease severity and that this is associated with a reduction in the ability of DI to distend the airways. Fifteen subjects [Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage I-II: n = 7; GOLD stage III-IV: n = 8] underwent methacholine bronchoprovocation in the absence of DI, followed by DI.

Alterations of the beneficial effect of deep inspiration in scleroderma: relationships between lung function and imaging.

Background: It has been postulated that the beneficial effects of deep inspiration are dependent on the magnitude of airway distension by virtue of airway to parenchyma interdependence.

Objective: This study was designed to examine whether the changes that occur in pulmonary fibrosis affect the beneficial effect of deep inspiration.

Methods: Thirty-one subjects with scleroderma underwent lung volume and diffusion capacity assessment as well as high-resolution computed tomography.

Virtual bronchoscopy in patients with central endobronchial stenosing lesions. Technique optimisation with single slice spiral CT.

Purpose: To describe an original protocol for single slice spiral Computed Tomography (CT) virtual bronchoscopy in the evaluation of patients with central airway stenoses and compare the results with fibreoptic bronchoscopy.

Materials And Methods: Ten patients (4 female and 6 male; age range 22-60 years; mean age 44 years) with endobronchial disease diagnosed by fibreoptic bronchoscopy (8 malignant tumours, 1 benign tumour and 1 fibroid stenosis) underwent virtual bronchoscopy with single slice spiral CT. A panoramic spiral CT scan of the whole chest was first obtained.

Digital cineradiographic study of swallowing in infants with neurologic disease. Our experience.

Purpose: The study is aimed at proposing the use of digital cineradiography in the evaluation of swallowing disorders in children affected by severe neurological or developmental disability, in order to correctly identify these conditions and provide therapeutic approaches that could solve their feeding problem, improve their nutritional conditions and decrease the risk of infections.

Materials And Methods: In the period between March 2001 and July 2003, 12 children (8 males and 4 females), aged between 9 months and 13 years, (average 6.2 years), affected by severe neurological or psychomotor disorders were evaluated with digital cineradiography.