Publications by authors named "Michele Mondoni"

Article Synopsis
  • Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive lung disease with unknown causes, linked to vascular abnormalities and complications like pulmonary hypertension (PH).*
  • A literature review reveals crucial molecular mechanisms involved in vascular changes related to IPF, emphasizing their potential as prognostic markers and highlighting the impact of antifibrotic therapies.*
  • The findings suggest that the vasculature is integral to IPF's progression and that emerging treatments with a vascular focus may improve outcomes for patients.*
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  • Thoracostomy and chest tube placement are essential procedures for managing pleural diseases caused by fluid or air buildup in the pleural cavity, with historic methods evolving significantly since Hippocrates.
  • The development of closed drainage systems in the 19th century and advancements in materials, such as plastic and the Heimlich valve, have improved chest tube designs and functionality.
  • Modern techniques include various tube designs, digital monitoring systems, and the use of pleurodesis to prevent complications, ensuring that chest tube insertion continues to play a vital role in treating pleural conditions effectively.
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  • Increased rates of pneumomediastinum were noted in COVID-19 pneumonia patients, prompting a study to identify risk factors and understand their impact on clinical outcomes.
  • The study compared 139 patients with pneumomediastinum to 153 similar patients who did not develop this condition, analyzing clinical and laboratory data to find correlations.
  • Key findings indicated that factors like severe lung damage, low BMI, high inflammatory markers, and smoking history are linked to higher pneumomediastinum risk, which in turn leads to longer hospital stays, higher intubation rates, and increased mortality.
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Background: Hemoptysis is a challenging and potentially life-threatening medical condition. The most appropriate diagnostic work-up is debated and several diagnostic approaches are implemented worldwide.

Methods: An international, online survey was carried out to investigate the current practice of the diagnostic work-up of patients with hemoptysis of unknown etiology.

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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a pathological condition of the respiratory system characterized by chronic airflow obstruction, associated with changes in the lung parenchyma (pulmonary emphysema), bronchi (chronic bronchitis) and bronchioles (small airways disease). In the last years, the importance of phenotyping and endotyping COPD patients has strongly emerged. Metabolomics refers to the study of metabolites (both intermediate or final products) and their biological processes in biomatrices.

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Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a non-malignant disease, characterized by the production of wart-like growths in the respiratory tract, affecting both young people and adults (juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, JORRP, and adult-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, AORRP, respectively). Infection caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) is known as the main factor involved in RRP development. Complications of RRP may rarely occur, including lung involvement and malignant transformation.

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Niemann-Pick Disease (NPD) is a rare autosomal recessive disease belonging to lysosomal storage disorders. Three types of NPD have been described: NPD type A, B, and C. NPD type A and B are caused by mutations in the gene coding for sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase 1, with a consequent lack of acid sphingomyelinase activity.

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Article Synopsis
  • Tracheal stenosis is a serious complication that can greatly affect a person's quality of life, and the COVID-19 pandemic has increased its occurrence due to more people needing long-term intubation or tracheostomy for severe cases.
  • A study in Lombardy, Italy, observed 281 patients who had prolonged intubation or tracheostomy, finding that 8.5% developed tracheal stenosis after an average of 112 days.
  • The research indicated that having a tracheostomy and consuming alcohol raised the likelihood of developing stenosis significantly, highlighting the need for monitoring patients post-intubation for at least 200 days.
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Pleural mesothelioma (PM) is a type of cancer that is highly related to exposure to asbestos fibers. It shows aggressive behavior, and the current therapeutic approaches are usually insufficient to change the poor prognosis. Moreover, apart from staging and histological classification, there are no validated predictors of its response to treatment or its long-term outcomes.

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Leprosy is a neglected disease sporadically reported in high-income countries. Skin lesion and peripheral nerve involvement represent most common manifestations. Mediastinal lymphadenopathy in the absence of superficial lymph nodes involvement is very rare.

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Background: Bronchoscopy is a useful technique adopted in the management of patients with COVID-19. 10-40% of COVID-19 survivors experience persistent symptoms. A comprehensive description of the utility and safety of bronchoscopy in the management of patients with COVID-19 sequelae is lacking.

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Alveolo-pleural fistula remains a serious post-operative complication in lung cancer patients after surgery, which is associated with prolonged hospital stay and higher healthcare costs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a polyglycol acid (PGA)-sheet known as Neoveil in preventing post-operative air-leak in cases of detected intra-operative air-leak after lung resection. Between 11/2021 and 7/2022, a total of 329 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients were surgically treated in two institutions.

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Objective: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is currently recommended for all patients undergoing lung resection with either respiratory comorbidities or functional limitations. The main parameter evaluated is oxygen consumption at peak (VOpeak). Patients with VOpeak above 20 ml/kg/min are classified as low risk surgical candidates.

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Lung transplantation is a key therapeutic option for several end-stage lung diseases. Interventional pulmonology techniques, mostly bronchoscopy, play a key role throughout the whole path of lung transplantation, from donor evaluation to diagnosis and management of post-transplant complications. We carried out a non-systematic, narrative literature review aimed at describing the main indications, contraindications, performance characteristics and safety profile of interventional pulmonology techniques in the context of lung transplantation.

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Pulmonary minute meningothelial-like nodules (MMNs) are common incidental findings in surgical specimens, consisting of tiny proliferation (usually no larger than 5-6 mm) of bland-looking meningothelial cells showing a perivenular and interstitial distribution, sharing morphologic, ultrastructural, and immunohistochemical profiles with meningiomas. The identification of multiple bilateral MMNs leading to an interstitial lung disease characterized by diffuse and micronodular/miliariform patterns radiologically allows the diagnosis of diffuse pulmonary meningotheliomatosis (DPM). Nevertheless, the lung is the most common site of metastatic primary intracranial meningioma, and differential diagnosis with DPM may be impossible without clinic-radiologic integration.

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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative pathogen of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). COVID-19 can manifest with a heterogenous spectrum of disease severity, from mild upper airways infection to severe interstitial pneumonia and devastating acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). SARS-CoV-2 infection may induce an over activation of the immune system and the release of high concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines, leading to a "cytokine storm", a recognized pathogenetic mechanism in the genesis of SARS-CoV-2-induced lung disease.

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Background: Lymphadenopathy is one of the most prevalent clinical manifestations of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Endosonography is the recommended technique in the diagnostic work-up of mediastinal lymphadenopathies. Xpert MTB/RIF assay is a self-contained cartridge-based fully automated DNA testing platform which can accurately detect both tuberculosis and mycobacterial resistance to rifampicin.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to compare exercise capacity, daily physical activity, and psychological profiles between patients with severe asthma (SA) and those with mild-moderate asthma (MMA).
  • Results showed that SA patients had lower peak oxygen consumption and lung function compared to MMA patients, along with higher anxiety levels.
  • Despite these differences, both groups reported similar daily physical activity levels and quality of life, indicating that managing anxiety might be crucial for SA patients.
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Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a rare disease of the lung with a largely unknown etiology and a poor prognosis. Intriguingly, forms of familial pulmonary fibrosis (FPF) have long been known and linked to specific genetic mutations. There is little evidence of the possible role of genetics in the etiology of sporadic IPF.

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It is not known if the degrees of improvement in oxygenation obtained by CPAP can predict clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. This was a retrospective study conducted on patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia treated with CPAP in three University hospitals in Milan, Italy, from March 2020 to March 2021. Arterial gas analysis was obtained before and 1 h after starting CPAP.

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