Sarcopenia in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a prospective study exploring prevalence, associated factors and diagnostic approach.

Background: Sarcopenia gained importance in the evaluation of patients with chronic respiratory diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), since it may impact negatively on clinical outcomes.

Aim: Aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with sarcopenia, defined according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2) 2019 definition, and to evaluate the prevalence of the single criteria that define the EWGSOP2 definition (muscle strength, muscle quantity and physical performance), in a cohort of consecutive patients with IPF prospectively followed up in 9 hospitals in Northern Italy between December 2018 and May 2021.

Methods: Enrolled patients underwent an extensive pulmonary and nutritional assessment, including bioelectrical impedance analysis, dynamometry and 4-m gait speed test, both at IPF diagnosis and at 6-month follow-up.

Nutritional assessment in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a prospective multicentre study.

Background: Nutritional status impacts quality of life and prognosis of patients with respiratory diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, there is a lack of studies performing an extensive nutritional assessment of IPF patients. This study aimed to investigate the nutritional status and to identify nutritional phenotypes in a cohort of IPF patients at diagnosis.

Health-related quality of life profiles, trajectories, persistent symptoms and pulmonary function one year after ICU discharge in invasively ventilated COVID-19 patients, a prospective follow-up study.

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) impairment is often reported among COVID-19 ICU survivors, and little is known about their long-term outcomes. We evaluated the HRQoL trajectories between 3 months and 1 year after ICU discharge, the factors influencing these trajectories and the presence of clusters of HRQoL profiles in a population of COVID-19 patients who underwent invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Moreover, pathophysiological correlations of residual dyspnea were tested.

An atypical case of Stanford type-A chronic aortic dissection managed conservatively.

Stanford type-A aortic dissection is a clinical emergency; mortality is high, and surgery is urgently required in most cases. Chronic forms of type-A dissection are rare and have a poor prognosis if not treated surgically. We present an unusual case of chronic type-A aortic dissection, with silent onset, in an oncologic patient without risk factors, which was managed conservatively and remained substantially stable during follow-up.

Abdominal adenopathy found during a routine follow-up.

During routine follow-up of a 60-year-old man with an endoluminal lesion of the duodenum, we found a persistent reactive abdominal adenopathy of unknown origin, later diagnosed as an abdominal localization of sarcoidosis. This article focuses on the differential diagnosis of abdominal granulomatous lymphadenopathies, the management of abdominal adenopathy of unknown origin, and the difficult decision making about sampling lymph nodes with reactive and inflammatory echographic appearance.

[Effects of pretreatment with amiodarone infusion in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation submitted to external electrical cardioversion: a single center experience].

Background: Several studies demonstrated the efficacy of amiodarone pretreatment in achieving bet-ter outcomes after electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. In the majority of cases, oral amiodarone for at least 1 month was administered, with the result of lengthening of pre-cardioversion time. Only one study in the literature reported high-dose amiodarone infusion, showing an increase in the incidence of slow arrhythmias.