The complications of hypertension depend not only on the mean blood pressure (BP) but also on its variability (BPV). Recent studies suggest that the choroid may serve as an indicator of systemic vascular damage. These studies have been made possible by the increased availability of optical coherence tomography (OCT).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPalliative radiotherapy (RT) effectively relieves pain in patients with bone metastases (BMs). Furthermore, several clinical trials, in most cases conducted in high-income countries (HICs), proved that single-fraction RT is equally effective compared to multi-fractionated RT. However, the evidence is scarce regarding low/middle-income countries (LMICs), where the diagnosis of BMs could be later and RT techniques less advanced.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: This study assessed the European School of Advanced Studies in Ophthalmology (ESASO) classification's prognostic value for diabetic macular edema (DME) in predicting intravitreal therapy outcomes.
Methods: In this retrospective, multicenter study, patients aged > 50 years with type 1 or 2 diabetes and DME received intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents (ranibizumab, bevacizumab, and aflibercept) or steroids (dexamethasone). The primary outcome was visual acuity (VA) change post-treatment, termed as functional response, measured 4-6 weeks post-third anti-VEGF or 12-16 weeks post-steroid injection, stratified by initial DME stage.
Locally advanced cervical cancer represents a significant treatment challenge. Body composition parameters such as body mass index, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity, defined by sarcopenia and BMI ≥ 30 kg/m, have been identified as potential prognostic factors, yet their overall impact remains underexplored. This study assessed the relationship between these anthropometric parameters alongside clinical prognostic factors on the prognosis of 173 cervical cancer patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the management of symptomatic inoperable retroperitoneal sarcomas (RPS), palliative radiotherapy (RT) is a potential treatment option. However, the efficacy of low doses used in palliative RT is limited in these radioresistant tumors. Therefore, exploring dose escalation strategies targeting specific regions of the tumor may enhance the therapeutic effect of RT in relieving or preventing symptoms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRadiotherapy (RT) and electrochemotherapy (ECT) are established local treatments for cancer. While effective, both therapies have limitations, especially in treating bulky and poorly oxygenated tumors. ECT has emerged as a promising palliative treatment, raising interest in exploring its combination with RT to enhance tumor response.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The implantation of artificial hair is a successful standardized procedure to restore bald areas or scarred alopecic surfaces of the scalp in both sexes.
Materials And Methods: Sebometric measurements were taken, pre, 1, 3, and 6 months postimplant in two symmetric frontotemporal areas of the scalp of seven volunteers to be implanted with 50 units of artificial hair. The artificial hair used in this study are Biofibre 4.
Locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) is treated with concurrent chemoradiation (CRT). Predictive models could improve the outcome through treatment personalization. Several factors influence prognosis in LACC, but the role of systemic inflammation indices (IIs) is unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Skin laxity and wrinkling are common signs of the aging process. This physiological condition of the skin is often accompanied by psychological and social concerns, especially for females, entailing considerable expenses for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals to cease or slow down its advancement. The objective of this study was to evaluate the short-term impact of a new non-ablative radiofrequency device available in the skin face cosmetic field.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo assess functional and anatomical outcomes of intravitreal anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (anti-VEGF) monotherapy combined with verteporfin Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) for Retinal Angiomatous Proliferation (RAP). Studies reporting outcomes of intravitreal anti-VEGF monotherapy and/or in combination with verteporfin PDT in RAP eyes with a follow-up ≥ 12 months were searched. The primary outcome was the mean change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 12 months.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: Several studies emphasized the antiviral properties of many natural compounds enclosed in nutraceuticals formulas and quite effective to prevent the respiratory infections. The rationale of our investigation has been to achieve protection from common cold viruses' infection of the upper airways pooling together and dispensing different active principles on a multistep defense basis. .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Objectives: Brolucizumab is a novel anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), whose efficacy has been shown in the Hawk and Harrier phase 3 clinical studies. The goal of the present case series is to report initial results of brolucizumab intravitreal injections (IVI) on type 3 neovascularization in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), evaluated by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).
Materials And Methods: This is a bicentric retrospective case series.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
July 2022
The study retraces the healthcare pathway of patients affected by diabetic macular edema (DME) through the direct voice of patients and caregivers by using a "patient journey" and narrative method approach. The mapping of the patient's journey was developed by a multidisciplinary board of health professionals and involved four Italian retina centers. DME patients on intravitreal injection therapy and caregivers were interviewed according to the narrative medicine approach.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecognition of diseases associated with mutations of the chaperone system genes, e.g., chaperonopathies, is on the rise.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHypertension is a major cardiovascular risk factor that is responsible for a heavy burden of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A critical aspect of cardiovascular risk estimation in hypertensive patients depends on the assessment of hypertension-mediated organ damage (HMOD), namely the generalized structural and functional changes in major organs induced by persistently elevated blood pressure values. The vasculature of the eye shares several common structural, functional, and embryological features with that of the heart, brain, and kidney.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: We report an open spontaneous anecdotical retrospective survey of administration to 4000 fragile immune-depressed and multimorbid patients treated with a killed strain to enhance innate immunity, integrating the adaptative immune response for long-standing antinfectious resistance.
Methods: A total of 4000 patients (1900 men and 2100 women) with mild, moderate, or chronic disease, appealing to our Second Opinion Medical Consultation Network, signed an informed consent form and were injected subcutaneously with . The treatment was followed up to 6 months, completing the short form of the medical outcome health survey questionnaire (SF-36) directly by the patients or their parents and monitoring their health status regularly via telemedicine (Skype, WhatsApp, mail, etc.
Purpose: PERSEUS-IT (NCT02289924) was a prospective, observational, 2-year study evaluating the effectiveness and treatment patterns of intravitreal aflibercept (IVT-AFL) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in routine clinical practice in Italy.
Methods: Treatment-naïve patients with nAMD receiving IVT-AFL per routine clinical practice were enrolled. The primary endpoint was mean change in visual acuity (VA; decimals) from baseline to month (M) 12 and M24.
To examine the effect of subthreshold micropulse yellow laser (SMYL) on best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) changes in eyes with persistent diabetic macular edema (DME) after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for tractional DME (TDME). In a comparative study, 95 eyes of 95 consecutive patients with persistent DME were prospectively enrolled. The SMYL group (54 eyes) was treated with SMYL 6 months after PPV, while the control group (41 eyes) was followed up without treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChronic venous insufficiency has a high impact on the healthcare system due to its high incidence worldwide. We performed a study in 30 women with thigh and leg varices due to major saphenous vein valve incontinence with saphenous trunk reflux causing phlebo-lymphoedema to assess the efficacy of sclerofoam-assisted laser treatment combined with nutraceutical administration. The patients underwent endovascular combination sealing of the saphenous trunk with sclerofoam-assisted laser treatment technique into the major saphenous veins under low-volume tumescent anesthesia followed by intraoperative phlebectomies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This prospective observational study aimed to verify the efficacy of erythropoietin zeta in the treatment of patients with low-risk myelodysplastic syndrome.
Methods: Patients with low/int-1 IPSS risk and serum erythropoietin level below 500 U/L were enrolled. Treatment consisted of erythropoietin zeta 40,000 U subcutaneously once a week.
Describe drug utilisation and clinical outcomes of intravitreal anti-VEGF drug and dexamethasone use in the real-world setting in Southern Italy using data from multi-centre study of retinal disease. Clinical data of retinal disease patients treated with anti-VEGF drugs and dexamethasone implant in 6 out-patient ophthalmology centres from Southern Italy were collected by means of an electronic case report form. Patients receiving at least one intravitreal injection/implant of the study drugs were followed for up to two years and described in terms of demographics and clinical characteristics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: To evaluate the effects of combined therapy using intravitreal Aflibercept (IVA) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) on polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy related to pachychoroid disease (PPCV).
Methods: Patients with PPCV were treated with PDT combined with 3 IVA injections on a monthly basis, followed by pro re nata criteria. The 12-month follow-up consisted of multiple revaluations of visual acuity and SS-OCT parameters of clinical activity.