Publications by authors named "Smirne C"
The effects of a concomitant infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are still debated, with a recognized major risk of HBV reactivation during immune-suppressive treatments. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictive factors of HBV reactivation in a cohort of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and a current or past hepatitis B infection. In a monocentric retrospective observational study, we enrolled all consecutive hospital admitted patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and a positive HBV serology (N = 84) in our Infectious Diseases Unit from April 2021 to December 2023.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe determinants of hepatitis C virus (HCV) viral load remain incompletely understood and may differ in females, who are relatively protected from the consequences of HCV infection during their reproductive years. We aimed to evaluate how age affects the relationship between sex and viral load. = 922 patients (males = 497, median age 62 years), all naïve to direct antiviral agents, were studied.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant risk factor for liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Traditionally, the primary prevention strategy for HCV-associated HCC has focused on removing infection through antiviral regimes. Currently, highly effective direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) offer extraordinary success across all patient categories, including cirrhotics.
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- Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have made hepatitis C treatment much easier, but there’s limited info on how they work for patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PDd).
- A study looked at 2754 HCV-positive patients from 2015 to 2023, focusing on 38 with confirmed G6PDd, while monitoring their health closely during and after treatment.
- Results showed no significant health issues or adverse events related to the treatment, with effectiveness similar to those without G6PDd, indicating that DAAs are safe for HCV treatment in these patients.
Previous studies reported that the hepatitis C virus (HCV) could help disseminate the hepatitis D virus (HDV) in vivo through hepatitis B virus (HBV)-unrelated ways, but with essentially inconclusive results. To try to shed light on this still-debated topic, 146 anti-HCV-positive subjects (of whom 91 HCV/HIV co-infected, and 43 with prior HCV eradication) were screened for anti-HDV antibodies (anti-HD), after careful selection for negativity to any serologic or virologic marker of current or past HBV infection. One single HCV/HIV co-infected patient (0.
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- Diagnosis of AOSD is complex and often requires ruling out other conditions, making it a lengthy process.
- The treatment for MAS involves high-dose corticosteroids and may include additional medications, with a multidisciplinary team of specialists crucial for effective management, as illustrated by a case of a young woman who successfully recovered using a specific treatment protocol.
Article Synopsis
- MEN1 is a genetic condition that can cause tumors in different glands, and scientists are trying to understand more about it by studying families affected by this disease.
- A 35-year-old woman with MEN1 and her kids were tested for changes in the MEN1 gene, which can lead to serious health issues.
- They discovered a new change in the MEN1 gene that might be linked to the woman's condition, suggesting that more careful genetic testing is important for people with MEN1.
Background And Aims: Inducible T-cell Co-Stimulator (ICOS) present on T-lymphocytes and its ligand ICOSL expressed by myeloid cells play multiple roles in regulating T-cell functions. However, recent evidence indicates that reverse signalling involving ICOSL is also important in directing the differentiation of monocyte-derived cells. In this study, we investigated the involvement of ICOS/ICOSL dyad in modulating macrophage functions during the evolution of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHepatitis C virus (HCV) patients are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as pathogenic factors for the onset of HCV-related endothelial dysfunction. Sixty-five patients with various stages of HCV-related chronic liver disease were enrolled in this case series.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Sofosbuvir and ribavirin represented until recently the standard of care in hepatitis C virus genotype 2 cirrhotic patients. In registration trials, 12-16 week durations were associated with 90% sus- tained virological responses, although not confirmed by real-life studies. In Italy, various durations (12,16, 20, and 24 weeks) represent lawfully reimbursable healthcare practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChanges of lipidic storage, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction may be involved in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Although the knowledge of intracellular pathways has vastly expanded in recent years, the role and mechanisms of circulating triggering factor(s) are debated. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that factors circulating in the blood of NAFLD patients may influence processes underlying the disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir-based therapies for the treatment of cirrhosis from hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 infection. Data of all consecutive HCV genotype 2 cirrhotic patients who started sofosbuvir-based treatments between January 2015 and March 2017 in eight Italian tertiary hospitals were collected retrospectively. Overall, 273 patients (Child A: 94.
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- The study focuses on understanding the varied prognosis of COVID-19 by identifying clinical and laboratory indicators that can predict poor outcomes in hospitalized patients.
- Researchers analyzed data from 664 COVID-19 patients in Northern Italy, discovering that factors like red cell distribution width (RDW), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NL) ratio, and platelet count are significant predictors of in-hospital mortality.
- The results suggest that using simple blood tests could help in classifying the severity of COVID-19, ultimately guiding treatment and monitoring strategies for better patient management.
Article Synopsis
- Circulating periostin may serve as a biomarker for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but its relevance in Caucasian populations needs more investigation.
- In a study of 74 NAFLD patients, no significant differences in plasma periostin levels were observed across different patient groups based on age, liver fibrosis, or steatosis, although levels were notably higher in those with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
- Genetic factors, particularly certain haplotypes, could influence periostin levels, suggesting a need for caution in considering periostin antagonists as a treatment option for NAFLD, while highlighting its potential in managing NAFLD-related HCC.
Article Synopsis
- The study examined COVID-19 case fatality rates (CFR) and mortality predictors in Northern Italy during March-April 2020.
- Out of 1,697 hospitalized patients, 504 died, resulting in an overall CFR of 29.7%.
- Key predictors of mortality identified were age, cancer diagnosis, obesity, and smoking, with laboratory data reinforcing the significance of age, cancer diagnosis, and baseline PaO/FiO ratio.
Background: The risk of life-threatening complications, such as visceral disseminated varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection, is greater in immunosuppressed individuals, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.
Case Presentation: Here, a case is reported of a Caucasian woman diagnosed with lupus nephritis and anti-phospholipid syndrome, who was subjected to mycophenolate mofetil and high-dose steroid remission-induction therapy. Two months later she developed abdominal pain followed by a fatal rapid multi-organ failure.
Article Synopsis
- The study evaluates Gas6, sAxl, and sMer as potential biomarkers for detecting pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SS) and scleroderma spectrum disorders (SSD).
- Nineteen patients were identified with pulmonary hypertension (14 specifically with PAH), while 39 had ILD, and specific plasma biomarkers showed significant differences based on these conditions.
- Plasma sMer levels were higher in PAH patients, while Gas6 and sAxl levels varied with ILD severity, indicating their potential utility for identifying these cardiopulmonary complications in SS and SSD.
Article Synopsis
- Liver fibrosis is characterized by the buildup of extracellular matrix components, primarily from activated hepatic stellate cells, due to chronic liver injury repair.
- New noninvasive methods, such as potential biomarkers like Gas6 and its receptors (Tyro3, Axl, and MERTK), are being researched to assess liver fibrosis progression without the need for biopsies.
- While current findings suggest that these biomarkers could aid in monitoring liver disease and may even serve as a therapeutic target, more extensive validation studies are still needed to confirm their effectiveness and safety.
Introduction/objective: In the present paper, we aimed to test the value of the red cell distribution width (RDW) coefficient of variation as a candidate biomarker for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in patients with connective tissue disorders (CTD), correlating it with the degree of cardiopulmonary impairment in these patients.
Methods: The study population included = 141 patients with CTD and = 59 patients affected by pulmonary hypertension of other etiologies, all referred to the Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic of the Cardiology Division of an Academic Hospital in Northern Italy for evaluation (including right catheterization). Clinical, instrumental, and laboratory data were collected and related to RDW and other full blood count indexes.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how antiviral treatment affects glucose metabolism in HCV-infected patients, focusing on those without a prior diabetes diagnosis.
- Results show that after treatment, significant improvements in insulin resistance and overall glucose levels occurred, with a shift from abnormal to normal glucose tolerance in many patients.
- The findings suggest that effective antiviral therapy not only helps manage diabetes but also improves subtle alterations in glucose metabolism among HCV patients.
Resolution of edema requires a correct interpretation of body fluids-related renal function, to excrete the excess volume while restoring systemic hemodynamics and avoiding renal failure. In heart failure, the intensive diuresis should be matched by continuous fluids refeeding from interstitium to plasma, avoiding central volume depletion. The slowly reabsorbed ascites cannot refeed this contracted volume in cirrhosis: the ensuing activation of intrathoracic receptors, attended by increased adrenergic and Renin release, causes more avid sodium retention, producing a positive fluid and Na balance in the face of continuous treatment.
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- The ALBI grade is a new index that measures liver dysfunction in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on albumin and bilirubin levels, but it needs more cross-validation, especially for intermediate stage HCC.
- The study analyzed data from 2426 HCC patients across multiple regions and found that the ALBI grade is a significant predictor of overall survival among various treatment methods, including surgery and chemoembolization.
- The research supports using the ALBI grade as a reliable biomarker for assessing liver functional reserve in routine clinical practice for HCC patients.
Background: The prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is variable, despite a myriad of prognostic markers. We compared and integrated the established prognostic models, HAP and ART scores, for their accuracy of overall survival (OS) prediction.
Results: In both training and validation sets, HAP and ART scores emerged as independent predictors of OS (p<0.
Article Synopsis
- The red cell distribution width (RDW) is identified as a significant biomarker for early mortality in various diseases, and this study aims to assess its effectiveness in predicting survival in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
- The research involved analyzing RDW levels at diagnosis in two patient groups (208 in a training cohort and 106 in a validation cohort) to establish a prognostic index using Cox proportional hazards modeling.
- The findings reveal that patients with RDW levels ≤14.6% had significantly longer median survival times compared to those with higher RDW, confirming RDW as a strong independent predictor of survival in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Background & Aims: There are a number of prognostic scores in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), none of which is optimal in predicting overall survival (OS) in the individual patient, particularly in intermediate stage disease, where patients are not surgically treatable but may qualify for a wide range of palliative interventions. We evaluated the prognostic role of a biochemical algorithm, the Kings Score (KS), in the palliative setting of care.
Methods: We used the algorithm [age x AST x INR]/platelet count to derive the KS.