Convalescent or standard plasma versus standard of care in the treatment of COVID-19 patients with respiratory impairment: short and long-term effects. A three-arm randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background: The efficacy of early treatment with convalescent plasma in patients with COVID-19 is debated. Nothing is known about the potential effect of other plasma components other than anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

Methods: To determine whether convalescent or standard plasma would improve outcomes for adults in early phase of Covid19 respiratory impairment we designed this randomized, three-arms, clinical trial (PLACO COVID) blinded on interventional arms that was conducted from June 2020 to August 2021.

Identifying phenotypes of patients with antiphospholipid antibodies: results from a cluster analysis in a large cohort of patients.

Objectives: To identify the aggregation of patients with aPL into different subgroups sharing common features in terms of clinical and laboratory phenotypes.

Methods: We applied a hierarchical cluster analysis from the multiple correspondence analysis to determine subgroups of patients according to clinical and laboratory characteristics in a cohort of subjects with confirmed aPL positivity who presented to our outpatient clinics from 2006 to 2018.

Results: A total of 486 patients [403 women; age 41.

Lab-on-a-chip: emerging analytical platforms for immune-mediated diseases.

Miniaturization of analytical procedures has a significant impact on diagnostic testing since it provides several advantages such as: reduced sample and reagent consumption, shorter analysis time and less sample handling. Lab-on-a-chip (LoC), usually silicon, glass, or silicon-glass, or polymer disposable cartridges, which are produced using techniques inherited from the microelectronics industry, could perform and integrate the operations needed to carry out biochemical analysis through the mechanical realization of a dedicated instrument. Analytical devices based on miniaturized platforms like LoC may provide an important contribution to the diagnosis of high prevalence and rare diseases.

Apheresis as rescue therapy in a severe case of sudden hearing loss.

A 23-year-old man complained of progressive left ear hearing loss and tinnitus and was unsuccessfully treated with steroids and mannitol. Four months later he presented with sudden, severe, asymmetrical, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The results of the laboratory workup were normal except for antinuclear autoantibodies.

Long-term effects of methylprednisolone pulses and mycophenolate mofetil in IgA nephropathy patients at risk of progression.

Background: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a microcosm of glomerular lesions. Some histologic lesions are irreversible and progress toward obliteration of glomerular capillaries. Others are acute inflammatory processes potentially susceptible to reversal by means of immunosuppressive therapies.

Relationship between cryoglobulinemia-associated nephritis and HCV infection.

The pathogenetic mechanisms in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cryoglobulinemia are sustained by the chronic lymphocyte stimulation of HCV infection, and include the synthesis of IgM rheumatoid factor and tissue deposition of immunocomplexes, characterized by abnormal kinetics and an underlying lymphoproliferative disorder. Based on postulated pathogenetic mechanisms, therapeutic strategies include antiviral, immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory treatments. Combined interferon and ribavirin has shown a better response rate than interferon alone.

Rituximab as a therapeutic tool in severe mixed cryoglobulinemia.

Type II mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) is a systemic vasculitis, associated in most cases with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, sustained by proliferation of oligoclonal cells. Systemic B cell depletion and clinical remission can be achieved in non-Hodgkin lymphoma by human/mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody that specifically reacts with the CD20 antigen (rituximab). Similar effects could be expected in type II MC.

Italian blood donors with anti-HBc and occult hepatitis B virus infection.

Background And Objectives: Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection might allow the release of viremic units into the blood supply network if blood is tested only for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The aim of our study was to evaluate the actual prevalence, viral load and genotype of occult HBV infections among first-time blood donors in north-western Italy and to suggest a way to minimize risks of transmission of this infection.

Design And Methods: We assayed 6313 consecutive blood donors for antibodies to HBV core antigen (anti-HBc) in addition to mandatory screening.

Long-term effects of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody treatment of cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis.

Background: Type II mixed cryoglobulinaemia (MC) is a systemic vasculitis, associated in most cases with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and sustained by proliferation of oligoclonal cells. Systemic B-cell depletion and clinical remission can be achieved in non-Hodgkin lymphoma by a human/mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody that specifically reacts with the CD20 antigen (Rituximab). Similar effects could be expected in type II MC.

Nail fold videocapillaroscopy in mixed cryoglobulinaemia.

Background: Nail fold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) has been extensively used to examine morphological and functional changes of microcirculation in connective tissue diseases. The nutritional circulation that depends on tissue capillaries, can be expected to be significantly impacted in mixed cryoglobulinaemia (MC).

Methods: Using NVC, we evaluated 29 patients with MC (19 women), mean age 66 years (range 40-83).