Prolonged Drug-Induced Hypersensitivity Syndrome/DRESS With Alopecia Areata and Autoimmune Thyroiditis.

Background: Drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS), also called drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome, is a potentially fatal drug-induced hypersensitivity reaction that is characterized by a cutaneous eruption, multiorgan involvement, viral reactivation, and hematologic abnormalities.

Case Presentation: We present a case of lamotrigine-associated DIHS/DRESS complicated by an unusually prolonged course requiring oral corticosteroids and narrow-band ultraviolet B treatment and with development of extensive alopecia areata and autoimmune thyroiditis.

Conclusions: DIHS/DRESS is a severe cutaneous adverse reaction that may require prolonged treatment until symptoms resolve.

Pharmacogenomics as a tool to prevent drug-related hospitalization of elderly cardiology-oncology patients receiving chemotherapeutic agents and multiple symptomatic treatments: a pilot study planned for the Italian health system.

Objective: Current precision medicine approaches offer powerful tools to optimize medication regimens; however, the potential impact of these tools in cancer patients with multiple drug treatments has not fully appreciated yet. Here we describe a planning project scheduled to start in the next six months.

Patients And Methods: The overall endpoint of this project is to explore the potential association between the presence of individual genetic profile and severe toxicity rates in so-called "frail" cancer patients, using a nested case-control study design.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy in the elderly. How much is it safe and beneficial?

Heart failure is a widespread disease in the western world whose incidence and prevalence are constantly increasing, mainly involving the more advanced age groups. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been shown able to reduce sudden cardiac death and all-cause mortality in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction. Elderly patients are generally under-represented in the clinical trials aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CRT and, chiefly, of implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD).

Prognostic impact of frailty in elderly cardiac surgery patients.

Over the past few decades, the progressive aging of the population combined with the resulting increase in cardiovascular disease and the marked improvement of technologies applied to surgery justify the marked increase of the elderly patients requiring cardiovascular surgery. This claims a highly skilled perioperative management, which should be aimed at treating cardiac disease without increasing risk of hospitalization-related harmful events. Current preoperative assessment for cardiac surgery, such as the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II (EUROSCORE II) and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) risk score, are limited in their ability to predict perioperative outcomes in older patients.

A local health department's journey to the summit: a case study of a decade of quality improvement.

As the interest in quality improvement (QI) efforts in public health agencies gathers momentum, organizations looking to initiate or strengthen QI processes may benefit from learning about existing programs. This article serves as a case study for other agencies to consider as they embark upon their QI journey. Specifically, this article reviews more than a decade of QI efforts in a mid-sized local health department and highlights areas of success (including an annual QI summit), barriers to implementation of QI, and areas needing improvement.

Spectral analysis of the voice in Down Syndrome.

The voice quality of individuals with Down Syndrome (DS) is generally described as husky, monotonous and raucous. On the other hand, the voice of DS children is characterized by breathiness, roughness, and nasality and is typically low pitched. However, research on phonation and intonation in these participants is limited.

Spectral analysis of the human voice: a potentially useful tool in rehabilitation.

Aim: The study was aimed at providing normal data from the spectral analysis of the human voice. This step of the research has a bearing in the field of speech and language retraining. The possibility of providing quantitative data would hasten monitoring of possible improvements along a rehabilitation program.

Kinetic changes of alpha B crystallin expression in neoplastic cells and syngeneic rat fibroblasts at various subculture stages.

Alpha B crystallin, a structural at variable levels, in many extraocular tissues where it plays a protective role in stress conditions. In fact, heat or toxic shocks, as well as pathological states, increase alpha B crystallin levels in many cell types. Here we show that alpha B crystallin expression is also modulated in subcultures of rat fibroblasts and Galliera sarcoma cells.

Phonetic rehabilitation after laryngectomy.

This work deals with the phonetic rehabilitation of patients after laryngectomy, describing the various types of alaryngeal voice. The rehabilitation was monitored with a computer by means of a specific voice programme which permits the registration, visualization and reproduction of each sound emitted in conjunction with the classification of the principal parameters, thus allowing the patient to check his acoustic feedback.

Hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity in cultured epithelial cells (WISH): A functional and morphological study.

The effect of hydrogen peroxide on cultured epithelial cells (WISH) was investigated with particular emphasis on cell functions: cell morphology and cytoskeletal components were also studied. The presence of low concentrations of H(2)O(2) (0.1-0.