Effectiveness, Tolerability and Prescribing Choice of Antiviral Molecules Molnupiravir, Remdesivir and Nirmatrelvir/r: A Real-World Comparison in the First Ten Months of Use.

In 2022, three antiviral drugs-molnupiravir, remdesivir and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir-were introduced for treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in high-risk patients. The aim of this study is the evaluation of their effectiveness and tolerability in a real-life setting. A single-center observational study was set up, with the involvement of 1118 patients, with complete follow-up data, treated between the 5th of January and the 3rd of October 2022 at Santa Maria Goretti's hospital in Latina, Central Italy.

Quality of T-Cell Response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine in ART-Treated PLWH.

We investigated specific humoral and T-cell responses in people living with HIV (PLWH) before (T0), after two (T1) and after six months (T2) from the third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine. Healthy donors (HD) were enrolled. The specific humoral response was present in most PLWH already after the second dose, but the third dose increased both the rate of response and its magnitude.

Longitudinal Assessment of Multiple Immunological and Inflammatory Parameters during Successful DAA Therapy in HCV Monoinfected and HIV/HCV Coinfected Subjects.

In the direct-acting antiviral (DAA) era, it is important to understand the immunological changes after HCV eradication in HCV monoinfected (mHCV) and in HIV/HCV coinfected (HIV/HCV) patients. In this study, we analyzed sub-populations of monocytes, dendritic cells (DCs), T-lymphocytes and inflammatory biomarkers following initiation of DAA in 15 mHCV and 16 HIV/HCV patients on effective antiretroviral therapy at baseline and after sustained virological response at 12 weeks (SVR12). Fifteen age- and sex-matched healthy donors (HD) were enrolled as a control group.

Role of Tocilizumab in Down Regulating sCD163 Plasmatic Levels in a Cohort of COVID-19 Patients.

Background: CD163, a haptoglobin-hemoglobin scavenger receptor mostly expressed by monocytes and macrophages, is involved in the regulation of inflammatory processes. Following proteolytic cleavage after pro-inflammatory stimulation, CD163 is shed from the cell surface and its soluble form in plasma, sCD163, is a biomarker of monocyte/macrophage lineage activation.The assessment of sCD163 plasmatic levels in an early stage of the disease could have clinical utility in predicting the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia.

Real-life use of tocilizumab with or without corticosteroid in hospitalized patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 pneumonia: A retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of Tocilizumab (with or without corticosteroids) in a real-life context among moderate-to-severe COVID-19 patients hospitalized at the Infectious Diseases ward of two hospitals in Lazio region, Italy, during the first wave of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Method: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among moderate-to-severe COVID-19 pneumonia to assess the influence of tocilizumab (with or without corticosteroids) on: 1) primary composite outcome: risk for death/invasive mechanical ventilation/ICU-transfer at 14 days from hospital admission; 2) secondary outcome: COVID-related death only. Both outcomes were also assessed at 28 days and restricted to baseline more severe cases.

Increased sCD163 and sCD14 Plasmatic Levels and Depletion of Peripheral Blood Pro-Inflammatory Monocytes, Myeloid and Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells in Patients With Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia.

Background: Emerging evidence argues that monocytes, circulating innate immune cells, are principal players in COVID-19 pneumonia. The study aimed to investigate the role of soluble (s)CD163 and sCD14 plasmatic levels in predicting disease severity and characterize peripheral blood monocytes and dendritic cells (DCs), in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia (COVID-19 subjects).

Methods: On admission, in COVID-19 subjects sCD163 and sCD14 plasmatic levels, and peripheral blood monocyte and DC subsets were compared to healthy donors (HDs).

Development and validation of a prediction model for tocilizumab failure in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: The aim of this secondary analysis of the TESEO cohort is to identify, early in the course of treatment with tocilizumab, factors associated with the risk of progressing to mechanical ventilation and death and develop a risk score to estimate the risk of this outcome according to patients' profile.

Methods: Patients with COVID-19 severe pneumonia receiving standard of care + tocilizumab who were alive and free from mechanical ventilation at day 6 after treatment initiation were included in this retrospective, multicenter cohort study. Multivariable logistic regression models were built to identify predictors of mechanical ventilation or death by day-28 from treatment initiation and β-coefficients were used to develop a risk score.

The Pregnancy Outcomes Among Newly Arrived Asylum-Seekers in Italy: Implications of Public Health.

Background: Migration has a significant impact on overall health and pregnancy outcome. Despite the fact that growing volume of migration flows significantly engaging the public health system of European host countries, there is a lack of evidence concerning pregnancy outcomes of newly arrived asylum-seeking women.

Methods: Data about pregnant asylum seekers hosted in the Italian Reception Centers between the 1 st June 2016 and the 1st June 2018 were retrospectively collected and analysed in the present study.

Impact of IFN-Free and IFN-Based Treatment on Blood Myeloid Dendritic Cell, Monocyte, Slan-DC, and Activated T Lymphocyte Dynamics during HCV Infection.

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection leads to the activation of innate immunity, a key component in HCV fibrosis. In the past, the use of IFN-based treatment regimens did not permit an adequate evaluation of the impact of HCV clearance on immune cells, because of their antiviral and immunomodulatory properties. The recent development of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy, which is associated with high rates of sustained virological response, enables a more accurate analysis of the immunological modifications following HCV eradication.

Myeloid and lymphoid activation markers in AIDS and non-AIDS presenters.

HIV infection is characterized by a state of chronic activation of the immune system, which is not completely reversed by antiretroviral treatment (ART). The aim of this study was to assess myeloid and lymphoid activation markers during HIV infection, before and one year after ART initiation, in AIDS and non-AIDS presenters. Treatment naïve HIV positive patients were enrolled in this study.

Changes in inflammatory biomarkers in HCV-infected patients undergoing direct acting antiviral-containing regimens with or without interferon.

Background And Aims: Increased levels of chemokine interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-inducible protein-10 (CXCL10), soluble CD163 (sCD163) and soluble CD14 (sCD14) have been reported in HCV infection. The aim of this study was to compare, sCD163 and sCD14 levels in HCV-infected patients undergoing direct acting antiviral (DAA)-containing regimens with or without interferon (IFN).

Methods: sCD163, sCD14 and CXCL10 were longitudinally measured by ELISA in 159 plasma samples from 25 HCV-infected patients undergoing IFN-based treatment plus telaprevir or boceprevir and 28 HCV infected subjects treated with DAA IFN-free regimens.

Active HCV infection is associated with increased circulating levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-inducible protein-10 (IP-10), soluble CD163 and inflammatory monocytes regardless of liver fibrosis and HIV coinfection.

Background And Objective: Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-inducible protein-10 (IP-10), soluble (s) CD163 and sCD14 play an important role in the pathogenesis of HCV and HIV infection and are involved in inflammation and liver fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate at a single time point, plasma soluble biomarkers and inflammatory monocytes subsets in different groups of subjects: (i) HIV monoinfected patients on suppressive ART; (ii) HIV/HCV coinfected patients on ART, with undetectable HIV viremia (including either subjects who had active HCV replication or those who cleared HCV); (iii) HCV monoinfected individual with active viral replication.

Methods: Hundred and twenty-nine plasma samples were analyzed including HCV and HIV monoinfected patients, HIV/HCV coinfected patients, with active HCV infection (AHI) or with HCV viral clearance (VHC) and healthy donors (HD).

Liver Fibrosis in HCV Monoinfected and HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients: Dysregulation of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) and Their Tissue Inhibitors TIMPs and Effect of HCV Protease Inhibitors.

An imbalance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) may contribute to liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C (HCV) infection. We measured the circulating levels of different MMPs and TIMPs in HCV monoinfected and HIV/HCV coinfected patients and evaluated the potential for anti-HCV therapy to modulate MMP and TIMP levels in HCV subjects. We analyzed 83 plasma samples from 16 HCV monoinfected patients undergoing dual or triple anti-HCV therapy, 15 HIV/HCV coinfected patients with undetectable HIV load, and 10 healthy donors (HD).

Molecular mechanisms of liver fibrosis in HIV/HCV coinfection.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in people coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Several studies have shown that HIV infection promotes accelerated HCV hepatic fibrosis progression, even with HIV replication under full antiretroviral control. The pathogenesis of accelerated hepatic fibrosis among HIV/HCV coinfected individuals is complex and multifactorial.