Interleukin-6 transcripts up-regulation in lymph nodes from unicentric and multicentric Castleman disease.

Introduction: Castleman disease (CD) represents a spectrum of heterogeneous lymphoproliferative disorders sharing peculiar histopathological features, clinically subdivided into unicentric CD (UCD) and multicentric CD (MCD) and presenting with variable inflammatory symptoms. Interleukin (IL)-6 and other cytokines play a major role in mediating CD inflammatory manifestations. Although the local microenvironment seems to be among the major sources of hypercytokinemia, the precise cellular origin of IL-6 production in CD is still debated.

Equations for smartphone prediction of adiposity and appendicular lean mass in youth soccer players.

Digital anthropometry by three-dimensional optical imaging systems and smartphones has recently been shown to provide non-invasive, precise, and accurate anthropometric and body composition measurements. To our knowledge, no previous study performed smartphone-based digital anthropometric assessments in young athletes. The aim of this study was to investigate the reproducibly and validity of smartphone-based estimation of anthropometric and body composition parameters in youth soccer players.

Cytomegalovirus colitis unmasking human immunodeficiency virus infection as a cause of IgA vasculitis.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has a protean clinical picture, in rare instances manifesting as systemic autoimmune disorders such as vasculitides. HIV-induced autoimmune diseases often do not respond well to systemic immunosuppressive therapy. Opportunistic infections may occur in patients with either acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or heavy immunosuppressive treatment, and can further complicate the clinical presentation.

DXA-Derived Adiposity and Lean Indices for Management of Cardiometabolic and Musculoskeletal Frailty: Data Interpretation Tricks and Reporting Tips.

The proper assessment and follow-up of obesity and sarcopenia are relevant for the proper management of the complications of cardiometabolic and musculoskeletal frailty. A total body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan should be systematically incorporated in the rehabilitative routine management of patients with obesity and sarcopenia. In the former patients, the total body DXA can be used to assess the fat tissue amount and distribution, while in the latter patients, it can be used to quantify the reduction of appendicular lean mass and to investigate the inter-limb lean mass asymmetry.

Reproducibility and Accuracy of the Radiofrequency Echographic Multi-Spectrometry for Femoral Mineral Density Estimation and Discriminative Power of the Femoral Fragility Score in Patients with Primary and Disuse-Related Osteoporosis.

We aimed to investigate the reproducibility and accuracy of Radiofrequency Echographic Multi-Spectrometry (REMS) for femoral BMD estimation and the reproducibility and discriminative power of the REMS-derived femoral fragility score. 175 patients with primary and disuse-related osteoporosis were recruited: one femoral Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scan and two femoral REMS scans were acquired. No significant test-retest differences were observed for all REMS-derived variables.

Preoperative risk factors for the early failure of the Kasai portoenterostomy in patients with biliary atresia.

Purpose: Biliary atresia is managed surgically by the Kasai portoenterostomy (KP). It has been reported by some groups that the outcomes of patients who have an early failed KP requiring a liver transplant (LTx) within the first year of life are worse than the outcomes of patients who undergo a primary LTx. The aim of this study was to identify preoperative parameters that could help predict what patients are at risk for the early failure of the procedure.

Quantitative assessment of volumetric muscle loss: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and ultrasonography.

The generalized skeletal muscle disorder that involves (in elderly subjects) the progressive loss of muscle mass and function has been defined sarcopenia, whereas the rapid-onset (traumatic or surgical) and focal (unilateral) loss of skeletal muscle with resultant functional impairment has been defined volumetric muscle loss. Different tools and approaches are commonly used in the clinical settings to quantify the loss of muscle or lean mass and to assess the consequent motor impairment. This review describes the technical principles and provides a summary of the main parameters that can be obtained to assess lean mass (and its distribution) or muscle size (and its structure) through the two imaging techniques most easily accessible and therefore frequently adopted in the clinical practice: dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and muscle ultrasonography.

Effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation therapy on physical function in patients with COVID-19 associated pneumonia: Study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been considered as a promising approach for the early rehabilitation of patients during and/or after intensive care unit (ICU) stay. The overall objective of this study is to evaluate the NMES effectiveness to counteract the post-ICU impairment in physical function of COVID-19 patients. The specific aim of this manuscript is to describe the study design, protocol, content of interventions, primary and secondary outcomes and to discuss the clinical rehabilitation impact of the expected experimental results.

Characterization of the stimulation output of four devices for focal muscle vibration.

Different devices for mechano-acoustic muscle vibration became available on the market in the last ten years. Although the use of these vibrators is increasing in research and clinical settings, the features of their stimulation output were never described in literature. In this study we aimed to quantify and compare the stimulation output of the four most widespread pneumatic devices for focal muscle vibration available on the market.

Effectiveness of a home-based telerehabilitation system in patients after total hip arthroplasty: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The demand for total hip arthroplasty (THA) is quickly rising given the escalating global incidence of hip osteoarthritis, and it is widely accepted that the post-surgery rehabilitation is key to optimize outcomes. The overall objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a new telerehabilitation solution, ReHub, for the physical function and clinical outcome improvement following THA. The specific aims of this manuscript are to describe the study design, protocol, content of interventions, and primary and secondary outcomes and to discuss the clinical rehabilitation impact of the expected experimental results.

Diagnostic performance of the Strength and Pain Assessment (SPA) score for non-contact muscle injury screening in male soccer players.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to develop a clinical-feature based scoring system for muscle injury screening and to assess its diagnostic accuracy when large number of injuries are suspected.

Methods: A prospective diagnostic accuracy study was performed according to the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) criteria. The diagnostic accuracy of the Strength and Pain Assessment (SPA) score (index test) was assessed in relation to muscle ultrasonography (reference standard).

Architectural Changes in Superficial and Deep Compartments of the Tibialis Anterior During Electrical Stimulation Over Different Sites.

Electrical stimulation is widely used in rehabilitation to prevent muscle weakness and to assist the functional recovery of neural deficits. Its application is however limited by the rapid development of muscle fatigue due to the non-physiological motor unit (MU) recruitment. This issue can be mitigated by interleaving muscle belly (mStim) and nerve stimulation (nStim) to distribute the temporal recruitment among different MU groups.

Algo-Functional Indexes and Spatiotemporal Parameters of Gait after Sacroiliac Joint Arthrodesis.

Aims of the study were to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Italian version of the Majeed and Iowa questionnaires and to investigate the long-term surgical outcomes following sacroiliac joint arthrodesis. Twenty one patients who underwent a sacroiliac joint arthrodesis and 21 healthy subjects were evaluated. The experimental procedure consisted of gait analysis and a physical activity assessment (in both groups) and of administration of outcome questionnaires and pain assessment (in the patient group).

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment for gluteal tendinopathy questionnaire in Italian and investigation of the association between tendinopathy-related disability and pain.

Background: The Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment for gluteal tendinopathy (VISA-G) questionnaire has recently been proposed as a condition-specific patient reported outcome measurement tool to assess the tendinopathy-related disability.

Aim: The aim was to evaluate the reliability of the Italian version of the VISA-G questionnaire and its construct validity and to investigate the association between tendinopathy-related disability and pain.

Design: It consists in a cross-sectional study.

Common Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Elderly: The Star Triad.

Musculoskeletal disorders are debilitating conditions that significantly impair the state of health, especially in elderly subjects. A pathological triad of inter-related disorders that are highly prevalent in the elderly consists of the following main "components": sarcopenia, tendinopathies, and arthritis. The aim of this review is to critically appraise the literature relative to the different disorders of this triad, in order to highlight the pathophysiological common denominator and propose strategies for personalized clinical management of patients presenting with this combination of musculoskeletal disorders.

Long-term effects of intra-articular oxygen-ozone therapy versus hyaluronic acid in older people affected by knee osteoarthritis: A randomized single-blind extension study.

Background: There is little evidence on intra-articular (IA) treatment in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and there is a lack of long-term follow-up studies.

Objective: To assess the long-term effectiveness and safety of IA oxygen-ozone (O2O3) and hyaluronic acid (HA) in terms of functioning in KOA patients over a 31-week period.

Methods: Patients aged ⩾ 60 years with KOA were randomly allocated to receive 4 IA knee injections (1/week) of O2O3 or HA (T0-T3) and a follow-up visit 4 weeks after the fourth injection (T4).

Low back pain related to a sacral insufficiency fracture: role of paravertebral oxygen-ozone therapy in a paradigmatic case of nociplastic pain.

We describe the case of a 68-year-old woman with an acute episode of severe low back pain (LBP) resistant to opioids, who had experienced a sacral insufficiency fracture (SIF) two years earlier. At clinical examination, patient reported constant, dull, non-localizable pain at lumbar and sacral level, exacerbated by paravertebral palpation, particularly at L4-L5 and the sacroiliac joint, with a concomitant and remittent neuropathic component, difficult to localize at lumbar and sacral level. The latest magnetic resonance imaging study revealed disc herniations at L3-L4, L4-L5, and L5-S1 levels.