Best Practices on Radiology Department Workflow: Tips from the Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on an Italian University Hospital.

Purpose: The workload of the radiology department (RD) of a university hospital in northern Italy dramatically changed during the COVID-19 outbreak. The restrictive measures of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown influenced the use of radiological services and particularly in the emergency department (ED). Methods: Data on diagnostic services from March 2020 to May 2020 were retrospectively collected and analysed in aggregate form and compared with those of the same timeframe in the previous year.

The role of opportunistic quantitative computed tomography in the evaluation of bone disease and risk of fracture in thalassemia major.

Objective: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) remains the cornerstone for osteoporosis evaluation in Thalassemia major. However, several drawbacks have been observed in this unique setting. We sought to determine the correlation between quantitative CT (QCT) and DXA-derived parameters; secondarily, we aimed to investigate the role of the two techniques in predicting the risk of fracture.

Dementia and Related Comorbidity: Analysis of 2 Years of Admissions to Italian Hospitals.

Background: The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence of dementia, related comorbidities, and mortality rates in hospitalized elderly patients in Italy.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Italian Ministry of Health and included all discharge records from Italian hospitals concerning subjects aged 65 years or above admitted to acute Internal Medicine during 2 years (n=3,695,278 admissions). Discharge diagnoses were re-classified into 24 clusters, each including homogeneous diseases by the ICD-9-CM code classification.

Dementia and in-hospital mortality: retrospective analysis of a nationwide administrative database of elderly subjects in Italy.

Aims:  To evaluate the relationship between comorbidity and in-hospital mortality in elderly patients affected by dementia.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Italian Ministry of Health and included all discharge records from Italian hospitals concerning subjects aged ≥ 65 years admitted to acute Internal Medicine or Geriatrics wards between January 2015 and December 2016 (3.695.

Impact of the preparation method of red cell concentrates on transfusion indices in thalassemia patients: A randomized crossover clinical trial.

Background: The average hemoglobin content of red cell concentrates (RCC) varies depending on the method of preparation. Surprisingly less data are available concerning the clinical impact of those differences.

Study Design And Methods: The effects of two types of RCC (RCC-A, RCC-B) on transfusion regime were compared in a non-blinded, prospective, randomized, two-period, and crossover clinical trial.

Altered erythroid-related miRNA levels as a possible novel biomarker for detection of autologous blood transfusion misuse in sport.

Background: Autologous blood transfusion (ABT) is a performance-enhancing method prohibited in sport; its detection is a key issue in the field of anti-doping. Among novel markers enabling ABT detection, microRNAs (miRNAs) might be considered a promising analytical tool.

Study Design And Methods: We studied the changes of erythroid-related microRNAs following ABT, to identify novel biomarkers.

The effects of blood transfusion on red blood cell distribution width in critically ill patients: a pilot study.

Background: Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a measure of anisocytosis, generally used in the differential diagnosis of anemia. Recently, RDW was associated with increased mortality in critically ill patients. Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are potential confounders on RDW values interpretation.

Changes in hemoglobin profile reflect autologous blood transfusion misuse in sports.

The changes in hemoglobin (Hb) profile following autologous blood transfusion (ABT) for the first time were studied for anti-doping purposes. Twenty-four healthy, trained male subjects (aged 18‒40) were enrolled and randomized into either the transfusion (T) or control (C) groups. Blood samples were taken from the T subjects at baseline, after withdrawal and reinfusion of 450 ml of refrigerated or cryopreserved blood, and from C subjects at the same time points.

The effects of storage of red blood cells on the development of postoperative infections after noncardiac surgery.

Background: Prolonged storage of red blood cells (RBCs) is a potential risk factor for postoperative infections. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of age of RBCs transfused on development of postoperative infection.

Study Design And Methods: In this prospective, double-blind randomized trial, 199 patients undergoing elective noncardiac surgery and requiring RBC transfusion were assigned to receive nonleukoreduced RBCs stored for not more than 14 days ("fresh blood" group, n = 101) or for more than 14 days ("old blood" group, n = 98).

Transfusion of stored red blood cells in critically ill trauma patients: a retrospective study.

Objective: The many published studies on the effects of the transfusion of stored red blood cells on clinical outcomes yielded discordant results. Therefore, we chose to study patients with severe trauma. The clinical outcomes considered included in-hospital mortality, the occurrence of sepsis, length of stay in intensive care unit and in hospital, and days of mechanical ventilation.

Risk of illness, hospitalization and death in a cohort of blood donors in Italy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether blood donors (BDs), compared with non blood donors (nBDs), present significant differences in risk of illness, hospitalization and death.

Methods: All subjects included in the database of the Association of Voluntary Italian Blood Donors of Ferrara entered the study. The analysis only included residents who donated at least once.

Seasonal variation of platelets in a cohort of Italian blood donors: a preliminary report.

Background: Since available data are not univocal, the aim of this study was to explore the existence of a seasonal variation in platelet count.

Methods: The study was based on the database of the Italian Association of Blood Volunteers (AVIS), section of Ferrara, Italy, 2001-2010. Hematological data (170,238 exams referring to 16,422 donors) were categorized into seasonal and monthly intervals, and conventional and chronobiological analyses were applied.

A study of leucocyte removal by the RemoweLL cardiotomy reservoir.

Background: Cerebral damage is a relatively frequent complication of cardiopulmonary perfusion. Leucocyte activation and lipid microembolisation are among the possible causes. The removal of leucocytes and lipid microparticles from the cardiotomy suction blood could prevent this complication.

Fatal cold agglutinin-induced haemolytic anaemia: a case report.

Introduction: Cold agglutinin disease usually develops as a result of the production of a specific immunoglobulin M auto-antibody directed against the I/i and H antigens, precursors of the ABH and Lewis blood group substances, on red blood cells. Autoimmune and lymphoproliferative disorders, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and other infections can be associated with the production of cold agglutinins. In its classic presentation with haemolytic anaemia and Raynaud's syndrome, cold agglutinin disease is usually idiopathic.

The persistence of red cell alloantibodies.

Background: Red cell alloantibodies may disappear over time and cause a delayed haemolytic reaction if their past existence is not known before a transfusion. Only few quantitative data have already been presented on this topic.

Study Design And Methods: We retrieved the records of alloantibodies detected between 1989 and 2008 in our institution.

Deformability and viability of irradiated red cells.

The irradiation of blood components with X or gamma rays is necessary to prevent the graft-versus-host disease, but it also provokes untoward effects. In particular, red cells are damaged and have a decreased in vivo recovery, an increased in vitro haemolysis, and a leakage of potassium in the supernatant. The results of the clinical studies show that the loss of viability progressively increases with the storage after irradiation.

Seasonal variation of pretransfusion hemoglobin levels in patients with thalassemia major.

Patients with thalassemia major often report that they do not maintain their usual pretransfusion hemoglobin concentration during the summer season. We collected 3977 pretransfusion hemoglobin values, amount of blood transfused, and intertransfusion intervals for 94 patients with thalassemia major from 4 centers worldwide. We also assessed the hematocrits of blood donors, the hemoglobin content of units transfused in one center, and the local mean monthly temperatures during the periods of data collection.