Deep Learning Algorithm Trained with COVID-19 Pneumonia Also Identifies Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy-Related Pneumonitis.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy-related pneumonitis share common features. The aim of this study was to determine on chest computed tomography (CT) images whether a deep convolutional neural network algorithm is able to solve the challenge of differential diagnosis between COVID-19 pneumonia and ICI therapy-related pneumonitis.

Methods: We enrolled three groups: a pneumonia-free group ( = 30), a COVID-19 group ( = 34), and a group of patients with ICI therapy-related pneumonitis ( = 21).

Diagnostic accuracy and interobserver variability of CO-RADS in patients with suspected coronavirus disease-2019: a multireader validation study.

Objective: To conduct a multireader validation study to evaluate the interobserver variability and the diagnostic accuracy for the lung involvement by COVID-19 of COVID-19 Reporting and Data System (CO-RADS) score.

Methods: This retrospective study included consecutive symptomatic patients who underwent chest CT and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from March 2020 to May 2020 for suspected COVID-19. Twelve readers with different levels of expertise independently scored each CT using the CO-RADS scheme for detecting pulmonary involvement by COVID-19.

Laser Ablation Versus Radiofrequency Ablation for Benign Non-Functioning Thyroid Nodules: Six-Month Results of a Randomized, Parallel, Open-Label, Trial (LARA Trial).

No direct prospective studies comparing laser ablation (LA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for debulking benign non-functioning thyroid nodules (BNTNs) exist. We aimed at comparing the efficacy and safety of both techniques in patients with solid or predominantly solid BNTN. This six-month, single-use, randomized, open-label, parallel trial compared the following primary endpoints between the RFA and LA groups six months after treatment: (i) nodule volume reduction expressed as a percentage of nodule volume at baseline; (ii) proportion of nodules with more than 50% reduction (successful rate).

Strontium ranelate in postmenopausal osteoporosis treatment: a critical appraisal.

Osteoporosis is a progressive and debilitating disease characterized by a massive bone loss with a deterioration of bone tissues, and a propensity for a fragility fracture. Strontium ranelate is the first antiosteoporotic treatment that has dual mode of action and simultaneously increases bone formation, while decreasing bone resorption, thus rebalancing bone turnover formation. Strontium ranelate rebalances bone turnover in favor of improved bone geometry, cortical thickness, trabecular bone morphology and intrinsic bone tissue quality, which translates into enhanced bone strength.

Short term effects of levothyroxine treatment in thyroid multinodular disease.

The levothyroxine suppressive efficacy in benign thyroid nodules treatment is well described in uninodular non-toxic goiter, whereas only few controlled trials enrolled patients with multinodular disease. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the short term effects of levothyroxine treatment in never treated, pre-menopausal women affected by thyroid multinodular disease. Seventy-one pre-menopausal women with thyroid multinodular disease, still presenting normal TSH levels, from Latina area were randomly assigned to a levothyroxine treated or control group.

A comparative study of fine needle aspiration and fine needle non-aspiration biopsy on suspected thyroid nodules.

Ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) and fine needle non-aspiration (FNNA) biopsy were performed consecutively on 104 patients (mean age 50 +/- 15 years) affected by multinodular and uninodular goiter. Both techniques were executed on the same patients in the same clinical session beginning with the first (FNA) on half of the patients (randomly selected) and vice versa. The cytological findings on cell samples were divided into four groups: colloidal (benign), follicular (suspicious), malignant, and inadequate.

[AECA plasmatic levels in patients with severe dyslipidemia and carotid stenosis].

Anti-endothelial cell antibodies (AECA) are a heterogeneous family of autoantibodies directed against antigens adhering to endothelial cells. These autoantibodies have a pathogenic role in disease characterized by endothelial damage. Aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between AECA and carotid artery stenosis at early stages of atherosclerosis process.

[Obesity and hypertension. Recent advances in etiopathogenesis].

The aim of the study is to evaluate the pathogenetic factors which determine the association between obesity and hypertension. In particular we consider the role of adipose tissue. Activity of sympathetic nervous system, hyperinsulinemia, lower action of the atrial natriuretic peptide are important to understand the correlation between these pathologies.