Dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy of solitary flat pink lesions: A new combined score to diagnose amelanotic melanoma.

Background: Differential diagnosis of amelanotic/hypomelanotic melanoma among solitary flat pink lesions is challenging, due to limited clinical and dermoscopic clues. Dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy assessments improve diagnostic accuracy, but their combined capacity among solitary flat pink lesions is yet to be defined.

Objectives: To determine (i) whether diagnostic accuracy is improved with combined dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy, (ii) a model to estimate probability of flat amelanotic/hypomelanotic melanoma among solitary flat pink lesions.

Integrated plasma metabolomics and lipidomics profiling highlights distinctive signature of hepatocellular carcinoma in HCV patients.

Background: Early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is essential towards the improvement of prognosis and patient survival. Circulating markers such as α-fetoprotein (AFP) and micro-RNAs represent useful tools but still have limitations. Identifying new markers can be fundamental to improve both diagnosis and prognosis.

Lentigo maligna and lentigo maligna melanoma in vivo differentiation with dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy: A retrospective, multicentre study.

Introduction: Dermoscopic predictors of lentigo maligna (LM) and lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM) have been recently reported, but these have not been reported in reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM).

Objectives: (i) To validate dermoscopic predictors for LM/LMM, (ii) to identify RCM patterns in LM and LMM, and (iii) correlations between dermoscopic and RCM features in LM and LMM.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective, multicentre study of consecutive lesions with histologically proven LM or LMM subtypes of the head and face, with complete sets of dermoscopic and RCM images.

Lactate dehydrogenase and PaO2/FiO2 ratio at admission helps to predict CT score in patients with COVID-19: An observational study.

Introduction: Since the beginning of the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic an important tool for patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been the computed tomography (CT) scan, but not always available in some settings The aim was to find a cut-off that can predict worsening in patients with COVID-19 assessed with a computed tomography (CT) scan and to find laboratory, clinical or demographic parameters that may correlate with a higher CT score.

Methods: We performed a multi-center, observational, retrospective study involving seventeen COVID-19 Units in southern Italy, including all 321 adult patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of COVID-19 who underwent at admission a CT evaluated using Pan score.

Results: Considering the clinical outcome and Pan score, the best cut-off point to discriminate a severe outcome was 12.

Pre-existing chronic kidney disease (CDK) was not associated with a severe clinical outcome of hospitalized COVID-19: results of a case-control study in Southern Italy.

The presence of co-morbidities is associated with a poor outcome in patients with COVID-19. The aim of the present study was to investigate the outcomes of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in order to assess its impact on mortality and severity of disease. We performed a multicenter, observational, 1:2 matched case-control study involving seventeen COVID-19 Units in southern Italy.

Profiling the HCV Immune Response in Patients with Chronic Liver Diseases and Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Peptide Microarray Analysis.

Background: Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is among the major causes of hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, as well as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and it is associated with a significant risk of developing lymphoproliferative disorders. The rate of clinical disease progression is variable depending on multiple host and viral factors, including immune response.

Methods: To perform a comprehensive epitope mapping of anti-HCV antibodies in patients suffering from HCV-related liver or lymphoproliferative diseases, we analyzed clinical samples on a peptide microarray platform made of 5952 overlapping 15-mer synthetic peptides derived from the whole HCV proteome.

More Severe COVID-19 in Patients With Active Cancer: Results of a Multicenter Cohort Study.

Background: The aim of the study was to compare coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity presentation between oncologic and non-oncologic patients and to evaluate the impact of cancer type and stage on COVID-19 course.

Methods: We performed a multicentre, retrospective study involving 13 COVID-19 Units in Campania region from February to May 2020. We defined as severe COVID-19 presentation the cases that required mechanical ventilation and/or admission to Intensive Care Units (ICU) and/or in case of death.

DAA-based treatment for HIV-HCV-coinfected patients: analysis of factors of sustained virological response in a real-life study.

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate in HIV-infected patients treated with a direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA)-based regimen the variables associated with sustained virological response (SVR) and the trend in biochemical parameters and clinical events during and after DAA regimen.

Methods: We performed a multicentre retrospective cohort study, enrolling all 243 HIV-HCV-coinfected adult patients treated with DAAs between January 2015 and December 2018 in one of the nine participating Infectious Disease Centers in southern Italy, eight in Campania and one in Apulia.

Results: Of the 243 patients enrolled, 233 (95.

Patients with HCV genotype-1 who have failed a direct-acting antiviral regimen: virological characteristics and efficacy of retreatment.

Background: This real-world clinical setting study characterized the virological patterns in genotype-1 patients failing interferon (IFN)-free regimens and evaluated the efficacy of re-treatment.

Methods: A total of 73 consecutive patients failing IFN-free regimens were enrolled (17 genotype-1a and 56 -1b). At failure Sanger sequencing of NS3, NS5A and NS5B regions was performed by home-made protocols.

Anisakiasis and gastroallergic reactions associated with Anisakis pegreffii infection, Italy.

Human cases of gastric anisakiasis caused by the zoonotic parasite Anisakis pegreffii are increasing in Italy. The disease is caused by ingestion of larval nematodes in lightly cooked or raw seafood. Because symptoms are vague and serodiagnosis is difficult, the disease is often misdiagnosed and cases are understimated.

Management of alert messages in the remote monitoring of implantable cardioverter defibrillators and pacemakers: an Italian single-region study.

Aims: The remote monitoring of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) promotes accurate supervision of the patient and device. Alert settings appear to be a crucial parameter of its efficacy. The purpose of our study was to evaluate various settings for alerts and alert message management in patients with pacemakers and ICDs.

Long-term outcome of cirrhotic patients with early hepatocellular carcinoma treated with ultrasound-guided percutaneous laser ablation: a retrospective analysis.

Purpose: Percutaneous laser ablation (PLA) has been proposed as an active treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, large multicenter studies using this technique have not been reported.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed treatment and survival parameters of 432 cirrhotic patients with nonsurgical early HCC (single nodule < or = 4 cm or three nodules < or = 3 cm each) who had received PLA in nine Italian centers.

Complications of laser ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma: a multicenter study.

Purpose: To retrospectively and prospectively determine the rate and type of complications and their association with clinical or technical factors after percutaneous laser ablation (LA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials And Methods: The institutional research board of each center approved the study and all patients provided informed consent. By using an Internet liver tumor database of nine Italian centers, 520 patients were included with HCC nodules of any size (small, 0-3 cm; intermediate, >3-5 cm; large, >5 cm).

Alpha-fetoprotein and ultrasonography screening for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Although there is no definitive evidence that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening in high-risk groups improves survival, many physicians screen high-risk populations with various strategies. alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and liver ultrasonography (US) are the most widely used tools. AFP sensitivity and specificity depend on the cut-off value chosen.