Budd-Chiari syndrome mimicking autoimmune hepatitis.

Budd-Chiari syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by obstruction of hepatic venous outflow involving either the hepatic veins or the inferior vena cava. Risk factors include thrombophilia and myeloproliferative disorders, and symptoms are often unspecific. We present a case of a 60-year-old woman admitted to our medical unit for ascites and abdominal pain.

Pulmonary embolism and renal artery thrombosis in a patient with patent foramen ovale.

Background And Aim: Paradoxical embolism is a rare condition in which a thrombus migrates from the venous system to the arterial circulation, usually through a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Pulmonary embolism (PE) and isolated occlusion of one renal artery has been seldom reported.

Methods: We describe a case of a 47-year old white man with a one-month history of exertional dyspnea who was admitted to our hospital for  severe pain in the right lumbar region.

Comparison between two different reconstruction techniques after pancreatic head resection. Technical feasibility and clinical benefits.

Background: The study aim was to evaluate if diverting drainage of bile and pancreatic secretions with an isolated Roux loop technique helps to decrease the rate of postoperative morbidity and mortality, in particular postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF).

Methods: A prospectively maintained database between 2006 and 2018 was reviewed. Patients who underwent primary elective pancreaticoduodenectomy were included.

Monitoring the hospital management of acute asthma: the Italian Pediatric Network experience.

Background: The Study Group on Accreditation and Quality Improvement of the Italian Society of Pediatrics has developed an observational study about the hospital management of pediatric patients affected by severe asthma, in order to evaluate how the Guidelines for severe asthma in childhood are applied in the daily practice.

Methods: This study included patients between 2 and 17 years, hospitalized or under short intensive observation for acute asthma. The data collection was carried out through the compilation of on-line forms.

Anti-anxiety efficacy of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga in general anxiety disorder: A multicomponent, yoga based, breath intervention program for patients suffering from generalized anxiety disorder with or without comorbidities.

Background: Surdashan Kriya Yoga (SKY) is a procedure that in various studies, has shown evidences of efficacy in alleviating Depression and Anxiety disorders, but in Europe and USA it has not been studied yet on a Caucasian population as an adjunct therapy for psychiatric Disorders.

Methods: The study involved a sample of consenting women and men (n = 69) who received SKY therapy for a six-month time period. They were assessed at recruitment, after two weeks, after three months and after six months using Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HRSA), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (ZSAS), Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (ZSDS) and Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90).

Skin rash during treatment with generic itraconazole.

Generic drugs have the same active substance, the same pharmaceutical form, the same therapeutic indications and a similar bioequivalence with the reference medicinal product (branded). Although a similar efficacy is postulated, some cases of clinical inefficacy during treatment with generic formulations have been reported. In this case, we describe a woman with onychomycosis that developed a skin rash during treatment with a generic formulation of itraconazole.

Safety and efficacy of generic drugs with respect to brand formulation.

Generic drugs are equivalent to the brand formulation if they have the same active substance, the same pharmaceutical form and the same therapeutic indications and a similar bioequivalence respect to the reference medicinal product. The use of generic drugs is indicated from many countries in order to reduce medication price. However some points, such as bioequivalence and the role of excipients, may be clarified regarding the clinical efficacy and safety during the switch from brand to generic formulations.

Lack of efficacy during the switch from brand to generic allopurinol.

We report for the first time the lack of therapeutic effects after the switch from a brand formulation of allopurinol to a generic one. A 56-year-old man, with a 5 years history of well-treated gout arthropathy with allopurinol (Zyloric(®) 300 mg/die), developed acute gout arthropathy after the switch from the brand formulation of allopurinol to a generic one. Clinical evaluation and laboratory findings confirmed the diagnosis of acute gout arthropathy.