Publications by authors named "Santoro Francesco"
Background: It is crucial to distinguish type-1 myocardial infarction (T1MI) from type-2 myocardial infarction (T2MI) at admission and during hospitalization to avoid unnecessary invasive exams and inappropriate admissions to the acute cardiac care unit.
Objectives: The purpose of the study was to define a simple profile derived from commonly used biomarkers to differentiate T1MI from T2MI.
Methods: We prospectively enrolled in an observational study 213 iconsecutive patients with a provisional diagnosis of non-ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) admitted to the Cardiology Department.
Article Synopsis
- Congenital Tracheal Stenosis (CTS) is a rare but serious condition in children, often treated with slide tracheoplasty (ST) involving sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass.
- The study analyzed surgical outcomes of 20 CTS patients treated from 2012 to 2022, revealing a 5% mortality rate post-surgery, with 40% requiring further interventions, but no need for tracheostomy.
- A tailored, multidisciplinary approach is recommended for treating CTS, allowing for alternative procedures based on individual patient evaluations, rather than relying solely on the traditional ST method.
Background: Extensive myocardial edema is a key feature of acute takotsubo syndrome (TTS) and it can be quantitatively assessed by T2 mapping cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Clinical correlates of myocardial edema in TTS are not well characterized.
Methods: Sixty patients with acute TTS underwent CMR with T2 mapping within one week of hospitalization.
Estimation of cochlear length is gaining attention in the field of cochlear implants (CIs), mainly for selecting of CI electrode lengths. The currently available tools to estimate the cochlear duct length (CDL) are only valid for normal inner anatomy. However, inner ear malformation (IEM) types are associated with different degrees of cystic apices, limiting the application of CDL equations of normal anatomy inner ear.
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- The study focused on the use of plasma transfusions in 85 anaesthetized dogs, analyzing when and why plasma was administered, along with monitoring for adverse events and human errors during transfusion processes.
- The primary reasons for plasma transfusion included sepsis (58% of dogs) and perianaesthetic hypotension, particularly with 39% of dogs experiencing hypotension as the sole trigger for the transfusion.
- Despite a common practice of bolusing plasma rather than following recommended slow rates, no transfusion reactions were clearly identified, indicating potential masking effects due to anaesthesia in critically ill dogs.
Article Synopsis
- Disk battery ingestion in children can cause serious health issues and even death, prompting a study about effective management practices.
- The research involved analyzing cases from June 2010 to January 2024, using a set protocol that includes specialized scans and a team of various medical experts for treatment.
- The study treated 22 patients, all of whom survived, thanks to the established protocol, but some required additional surgeries due to complications; the findings emphasize the importance of a multidisciplinary approach for better patient outcomes.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a quadratus lumborum (QL) block for pain relief in female cats (queens) undergoing ovariectomy.
- A total of 37 healthy queens were split into two groups: one received the QL block and the other was a control group with no block; the QL group needed significantly less intraoperative fentanyl for pain management.
- The results showed that the QL block significantly reduced the need for additional fentanyl during surgery, but no major differences were found in postoperative recovery or complications between the two groups.
A nisin-inducible chromosomal gene expression system based on ICE Tn5253 of Streptococcus pneumoniae, transferable among streptococci and enterococci.
World J Microbiol Biotechnol
September 2024
The present work reports the development and validation of a chromosomal expression system in Streptococcus pneumoniae which permits gene expression under the control of Lactococcus lactis lantibiotic nisin. The system is based on the integrative and conjugative element (ICE) Tn5253 of S. pneumoniae capable of site-specific chromosomal integration and conjugal transfer to a variety of bacterial species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Few data are available on long-term drug therapy and its potential prognostic impact after Takotsubo syndrome (TTS). Aim of the study is to evaluate clinical characteristics and long-term outcome of TTS patients on Renin Angiotensin system inhibitors (RASi).
Methods: TTS patients were enrolled in the international multicenter GEIST (GErman Italian Spanish Takotsubo) registry.
Article Synopsis
- A phase 2a clinical trial demonstrated that the leishmaniasis vaccine ChAd63-KH is safe and can generate an immune response in Sudanese patients with post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL).
- A follow-up phase 2b randomized trial assessed its therapeutic efficacy, comparing the vaccine to a placebo in 86 participants with uncomplicated PKDL.
- Results indicated no significant improvement in clinical outcomes or severity of PKDL, suggesting that ChAd63-KH does not provide therapeutic benefits for this condition in the studied population.
, a pathogen capable of causing diseases ranging from mild to life-threatening, has a large arsenal of virulence factors. Notably, extracellular vesicles have emerged as significant players in the pathogenesis of this organism. However, the full range of their functions is still being studied, and difficulties related to vesicle purification (long protocols, low yields, and specialized instruments) have become a major obstacle for their characterization.
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- Frailty in older patients (over 75) with non-ST elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is linked to worse clinical outcomes and lower rates of undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
- The study followed 141 older patients with NSTEMI, finding that those with frailty had significantly higher mortality rates after 30 days and 6 months compared to those without frailty, regardless of whether they received PCI.
- Despite frailty being associated with a higher risk of death, receiving PCI positively influenced long-term survival rates, suggesting careful patient selection for revascularization could improve outcomes in this population.
Background: Brugada syndrome (BrS) is an inherited primary channelopathy syndrome associated with the risk of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and sudden cardiac death in a structurally normal heart.
Aim Of The Study: The aim of this study was to clinically and genetically evaluate a large family with severe autosomal dominant Brugada syndrome.
Methods: Clinical and genetic studies were performed.
Elevated Troponins after COVID-19 Hospitalization and Long-Term COVID-19 Symptoms: Incidence, Prognosis, and Clinical Outcomes-Results from a Multi-Center International Prospective Registry (HOPE-2).
J Clin Med
April 2024
Article Synopsis
- * Researchers analyzed data from the HOPE-2 registry, examining 2382 patients discharged alive and tracking their mortality and long-term COVID-19 symptoms.
- * Findings reveal that patients with elevated troponin levels face higher mortality rates and are more likely to experience lasting cardiovascular issues, such as fatigue and dyspnea, after discharge.
Perioperative analgesic effects of the erector spinae plane block with bupivacaine or bupivacaine-dexmedetomidine in dogs undergoing hemilaminectomy: A randomized controlled trial.
Can Vet J
May 2024
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate how perioperative opioid requirements differed among dogs given an erector spinae plane (ESP) block with or without dexmedetomidine compared to a control group.
- Thirty healthy adult dogs undergoing hemilaminectomy were randomly assigned to one of three groups: one receiving bupivacaine, another receiving bupivacaine plus dexmedetomidine, and a control group with no block.
- Results showed that dogs in the group receiving both bupivacaine and dexmedetomidine needed significantly fewer opioids during and after surgery, indicating that ESP blocks effectively reduced opioid consumption and managed pain.
This article presents a multi-start heuristic approach to a design problem motivated by a real-world application in the Italian transport system. Specifically, it focuses on the problem of designing optimal lots in the public transport organization. In defining lots (in terms of number, size, and boundaries) both cost and service level have to be considered.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntracellular survival and immune evasion are typical features of staphylococcal infections. USA300 is a major clone of methicillin-resistant (MRSA), a community- and hospital-acquired pathogen capable of disseminating throughout the body and evading the immune system. Carnosine is an endogenous dipeptide characterized by antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties acting on the peripheral (macrophages) and tissue-resident (microglia) immune system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Recently, abnormal thyroid function was shown to be common in patients with Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), being classified into "endocrine-type" and "stress-type" responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between thyroid homeostasis and TTS in a larger international registry.
Methods: In total 288 patients with TTS were enrolled through the GEIST multicentre registry from Germany, Italy and Spain.
Article Synopsis
- Mutations in the dystrophin gene are linked to skeletal muscle diseases, including Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy and X-linked dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
- A 37-year-old woman diagnosed with DCM had a specific mutation (p.Asp3368Gly) identified through whole exome sequencing, which was found to have a potentially harmful impact on the protein's function.
- Genetic testing revealed the mutation occurred de novo, with her 8-year-old son also carrying the same variant, enabling early diagnosis of a related skeletal muscle condition despite him showing no significant symptoms.
Background: Long-term consequences of COVID-19 are still partly known.
Aim Of The Study: To derive a clinical score for risk prediction of long-term major cardiac adverse events (MACE) and all cause death in COVID-19 hospitalized patients.
Methods: 2573 consecutive patients were enrolled in a multicenter, international registry (HOPE-2) from January 2020 to April 2021 and identified as the derivation cohort.
Background And Aims: Available data on continuous rhythm monitoring by implantable loop recorders (ILRs) in patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS) are scarce. The aim of this multi-centre study was to evaluate the diagnostic yield and clinical implication of a continuous rhythm monitoring strategy by ILRs in a large cohort of BrS patients and to assess the precise arrhythmic cause of syncopal episodes.
Methods: A total of 370 patients with BrS and ILRs (mean age 43.