Oleothorax: An Ultrasound Sign of an Old Practice.

Introduction: The high morbidity and mortality of tuberculosis has led to the development of numerous therapeutic interventions during the pre-antibiotic era. In 1894, Forlanini proposed the technique of collapse therapy, using spontaneous pneumothorax. In 1926, Bernou developed the oleothorax technique to induce an iatrogenic collapse of the lung through the instillation of oil into the pleural cavity, which was subsequently removed.

The impact of long-acting muscarinic antagonists on mucus hypersecretion and cough in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review.

Patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) clinically manifest airway mucus hypersecretion as sputum expectoration and cough. Evidence accumulated in the past decade has shown that the cholinergic system not only regulates airway smooth muscle contraction but also the activity of inflammatory and airway epithelial cells, including goblet cells, and submucosal gland activity. Long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) with the most favourable M/M muscarinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors residency properties are not only excellent bronchodilators but potentially also mucus-modifying agents, able to positively impact on mucus hypersecretion and cough.

Improvement of patient-reported outcomes in severe allergic asthma by omalizumab treatment: the real life observational PROXIMA study.

Background: Data on the prevalence of perennial versus seasonal allergic asthma in Italy are lacking; moreover, there is limited evidence on the effect of omalizumab on patient-reported outcomes in Italian patients with severe allergic asthma. PROXIMA, an observational, multicenter study, was designed to assess the prevalence of perennial versus seasonal allergic asthma (cross-sectional phase) and the effect of omalizumab on improving illness perception, quality of life (QoL) and asthma control of Italian patients with severe allergic asthma (longitudinal phase).

Methods: The study included a cross-sectional phase ( = 357) and a longitudinal phase ( = 123): during the longitudinal phase, patients received omalizumab (75-600 mg subcutaneously every month) and were followed-up for 12 months.

Local Control and Toxicity of Adaptive Radiotherapy Using Weekly CT Imaging: Results from the LARTIA Trial in Stage III NSCLC.

Introduction: Anatomical change of tumor during radiotherapy contributes to target missing. However, in the case of tumor shrinkage, adaptation of volume could result in an increased incidence of recurrence in the area of target reduction. This study aims to investigate the incidence of failure of the adaptive approach and, in particular, the risk for local recurrence in the area excluded after replanning.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) incidence and prevalence in Italy.

Background: Studies of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) epidemiology show regional variations of incidence and prevalence; no epidemiological studies have been carried out in Italy.

Objective: To determine incidence and prevalence rates of IPF in the population of a large Italian region.

Methods: in this cross-sectional study study data were collected on all patients of 18 years of age and older admitted as primary or secondary idiopathic fibrosing alveolitis (ICD9-CM 516.

Rituximab treatment in a case of antisynthetase syndrome with severe interstitial lung disease and acute respiratory failure.

We present a case of severe interstitial pneumonitis, mild polyarthritis and polymyositis, and Raynaud's syndrome with the presence of anti-Jo-1 antibodies, which had been diagnosed as anti-synthetase syndrome. The presence, however, of anti-Ro/SSA antibodies led us to understand that we were dealing here with a more severe form of interstitial lung disease. The patient was treated for acute respiratory failure but he showed resistance to glucocorticoids and cyclosporine.