The relationship between asthma control and quality-of-life impairment due to chronic cough: a real-life study.

Background: The objective of asthma therapy is to achieve optimal disease control and quality-of-life (QoL) improvements. Good correlation is reported between a composite evaluation of asthma control (the Asthma Control Test [ACT]) and QoL, with emphasis on asthma as a frequent cause of chronic cough and worsening of QoL due to chronic cough.

Objectives: To investigate asthma control in real life and to evaluate chronic cough-related impairment of QoL in patients with different degrees of asthma control evaluated by the ACT.

The role of Pneumococcal vaccine.

Streptococcus pneumoniae pathologies represent a health problem of primary importance worldwide in terms of morbidity, mortality, and costs. S. pneumoniae is the main aetiological agent of bacterial pneumonia, and is frequently involved in bacterial meningitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations and upper airway pathologies.

Effects of the association of lansoprazole, clarithromycin and metronidazole for helicobacter Pylori eradication therapy, measured by the 13C Aminopyrine breath test.

Background: Lansoprazole (LAN) is a proton pump inhibitor drug (PPI) metabolized by the P-450 liver cytochrome (CYP-450) system. LAN is used in association with antimicrobial agents in Helicobacter pylori (HP) eradication therapy. The 13C-Aminopyrine breath test (ABT) is a non-invasive tool exploring liver CYP-450 metabolic activity.

Can inclusion of serum creatinine values improve the Child-Turcotte-Pugh score and challenge the prognostic yield of the model for end-stage liver disease score in the short-term prognostic assessment of cirrhotic patients?

Background: The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score is a useful tool to assess prognosis in critically ill cirrhotic patients. However, its short-term prognostic superiority over the traditional Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score has not been definitely confirmed. The creatinine serum level is an important predictor of survival in patients with liver cirrhosis.