Objective: To predict the 3-months mortality in permanently bedridden medical non-oncologic inpatients.
Patients And Methods: 2788 consecutive patients admitted in 5 Italian Internal Medicine units from January 2016 through January 2017 were prospectively screened; 644 oncologic patients were excluded; 2144 non-oncologic patients (1021 female) were followed-up for mortality for 6 months. Main outcome was 3-months mortality in permanently bedridden inpatients with at least 2 of: creatinine clearance <35 ml/min; albumin < 2.
Previous studies suggested that hypertensive patients with left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy display right ventricular (RV) remodelling. Few data are available about RV remodelling in naive hypertensives without severe cardiac organ damage. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between RV and LV morpho-functional parameters in never-treated patients with grade 1 hypertension and whether central blood pressure (CBP), inflammatory and metabolic parameters are potentially associated with RV remodelling.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCentral Nervous System Oxygen Toxicity (CNS-OT) is one of the most harmful effects of Enriched Air Nitrox (EAN) diving. Protective factors of the Ketogenic Diet (KD) are antioxidant activity, the prevention of mitochondrial damage and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. We aimed to investigate if a short-term KD may reduce oxidative stress and inflammation during an hyperoxic dive.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: This prospective study aimed to evaluate the impact of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) on cardiac autonomic tone and on cardiovascular risk and the changes after 12 months of GH replacement therapy (GHRT). GHD is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This has been attributed to increased markers of cardiovascular risk and to abnormalities of both the cardiac and peripheral autonomic nervous systems.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSeveral nimesulide preparations (i.e., tablet form, gels) have been marketed, but no parenteral solution has achieved the market because of their low wettability and unsatisfactory chemical-physical properties required for parenteral use.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSteroids have been shown to inhibit the function of fresh or IL-2-activated natural killer (NK) cells. Since IL-15 plays a key role in NK-cell development and function, we comparatively analyzed the effects of methylprednisolone on IL-2- or IL-15-cultured NK cells. Methylprednisolone inhibited the surface expression of the major activating receptors NKp30 and NKp44 in both conditions, whereas NK-cell proliferation and survival were sharply impaired only in IL-2-cultured NK cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To examine the expression of HLA-DR, a marker of inflammation, in the early stages of dry eye disease and to locate the appearance of this marker on specific areas of the bulbar conjunctiva.
Methods: Dry eye patients were identified and their condition classified as mild (n = 16) or moderate (n = 16) based on Schirmer testing, vital staining, tear break-up time, and symptom questionnaire scores. Brush cytology was used to collect epithelial cells from the nasal, temporal, and superior conjunctivae of patients and age-matched controls.
Patients undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) offer a unique system to analyze the NK cell development in vivo. We analyzed NK cells from 24 such patients to assess the acquisition of activating receptors. Five patients displayed an immature NK cell surface phenotype at engraftment, as they were CD16(-), KIRs(-) and NKG2D(-) while expressed low levels of NKp46, NKp30, 2B4 and NKG2A.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCorticosteroids are known to inhibit NK cell functions. However no information is available on whether such inhibition may affect the expression and/or the function of receptors involved in NK cell activation. In an attempt to analyze this point, we studied peripheral blood NK cells isolated from pediatric patients undergoing allogeneic BM transplantation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPatients undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation offer a unique system to analyze NK cell development in vivo. We analyzed NK cells from 23 such patients to assess the acquisition of activating receptors. Four patients displayed an immature NK cell surface phenotype at engraftment, as their cells were CD16(-)KIR(-) and NKG2D(-) but expressed low levels of NKp46, NKp30, 2B4 and NKG2A.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe ultimate outcome of an immune response (escape or surveillance) depends on a delicate balance of opposing signals delivered by activating and inhibitory immune receptors expressed by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. In this light, loss and down-regulation of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) class I molecules, while important for keeping tumors below the T-cell detection levels, may incite recognition of missing self. Conversely, the maintenance of normal levels of expression (or even up-regulation) may be favorable to tumors, at least in certain cases.
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