Identifying Cladribine prescription pattern in MS: an Italian multicentre study.

Background: Characterizing Cladribine tablets prescription pattern in daily clinical practice is crucial for optimizing multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment.

Objectives: To describe efficacy, safety profile and new disease-modifying therapy (DMT) prescriptions following Cladribine treatment.

Design: Independent retrospective cohort study in patients followed at six Italian MS centres.

Echocardiography in the Ventilated Patient: What the Clinician Has to Know.

Heart and lung sharing the same anatomical space are influenced by each other. Spontaneous breathing induces dynamic changes in intrathoracic pressure, impacting cardiac function, particularly the right ventricle. In intensive care units (ICU), mechanical ventilation (MV) and therefore positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) are often applied, and this inevitably influences cardiac function.

Relationship Between Left Atrial Strain and Atrial Fibrillation: The Role of Stress Echocardiography.

Interest in advanced echocardiographic imaging methods is growing. Left atrial strain (LAS) is among recently developed echocardiographic parameters. LAS represents an index of tissue deformation of the left atrium (LA).

The role of the circadian timing system in sarcopenia in old age: a scoping review.

Purpose: Sarcopenia is a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder, involving the accelerated loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, associated with an increased probability of adverse outcomes including falls. The circadian timing system may be involved in molecular pathways leading to sarcopenia in older adults. We aimed to provide an updated and systematic map of the available evidence on the role of the circadian timing system in sarcopenia, specifically related to the aging process.

Echocardiography in the Assessment of Heart Failure Patients.

Doppler echocardiography is the corner-stone of non-invasive investigation of patients with a clinical diagnosis of heart failure. It provides an accurate and quantitative assessment of cardiac structure and function. Furthermore, spectral Doppler measurement is an invaluable technique for estimating intracardiac pressures with their crucial value in the optimum management of heart failure patients, irrespective of ejection fraction.

Exploring Sex Differences in Outcomes of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy for Patients With Noncardioembolic Mild-to-Moderate Ischemic Stroke or High-Risk Transient Ischemic Attack: A Propensity-Matched Analysis of the READAPT Study Cohort.

Background: Sex may impact clinical outcomes in patients with stroke treated with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). We aimed to investigate the sex differences in the short-term outcomes of DAPT within a real-world population of patients with noncardioembolic mild-to-moderate ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack.

Methods: We performed a propensity score-matched analysis from a prospective multicentric cohort study (READAPT [Real-Life Study on Short-Term Dual Antiplatelet Treatment in Patients With Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack]) by including patients with noncardioembolic mild-to-moderate stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 0-10) or high-risk transient ischemic attack (age, blood pressure, clinical features, duration of transient ischemic attack, presence of diabetes [ABCD] ≥4) who initiated DAPT within 48 hours of symptom onset.

Real-world experience with long-term albumin in patients with cirrhosis and ascites.

Background & Aims: Long-term albumin (LTA) is currently standard of care for patients with decompensated cirrhosis in many Italian hepatology centres. In this real-life study, we aimed to describe patient, logistical and treatment-related characteristics in daily clinical practice and to identify predictors of response.

Methods: We performed a multicentre, retrospective, observational study in patients with cirrhosis and ascites receiving LTA between 01/2016 and 02/2022 and followed until death, TIPS (transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt) placement, transplantation or 02/2023.

Wearable sensors for monitoring caregivers of people with dementia: a scoping review.

Purpose: Caregivers of people with dementia often face a demanding care burden that may lead to adverse physical and psychological outcomes. Wearable sensors are becoming a valuable tool for preventive care. We aimed to provide the first systematic map of the published evidence on the use of wearable sensors to monitor caregivers of people with dementia.

Hypogammaglobulinemia and severe infections in Multiple Sclerosis patients on anti-CD20 agents: A multicentre study.

Background: Hypogammaglobulinemia (HG) is a known side effect of treatment with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, and it is associated with the risk of infections.

Objectives: Aim of this retrospective multicentre study was to assess the frequency of HG in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder patients treated with Ocrelizumab or Rituximab and its association with the occurrence of severe infections (SI). Furthermore, predictors of HG and SI were sought.

Assessment of circulating tumor DNA in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant therapy.

Post-neoadjuvant therapy (post-NAT) and post-surgical circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) risk stratification may enhance the management of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). In this study, we assessed the prognostic value of ctDNA-based MRD detection in LARC patients using a personalized, tumor-informed ctDNA assay. Plasma samples from LARC patients (N = 30) were analyzed retrospectively using the Signatera™ assay.

Transient brain ischemic symptoms and the presence of ischemic lesions at neuroimaging: Results from the READAPT study.

Background: According to the literature, about one third of patients with brain ischemic symptoms lasting <24 h, which are classified as Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) according to the traditional "time-based" definition, show the presence of acute ischemic lesions at neuroimaging. Recent evidence has shown that the presence of acute ischemic lesions at neuroimaging may impact on the outcome of patients with transient ischemic symptoms treated with dual antiplatelet treatment (DAPT). This uncertainty is even more compelling in recent years as short-term DAPT has become the standard treatment for any non-cardioembolic TIA or minor ischemic stroke.

The impact of COVID-19 infection on multiple sclerosis disease course across 12 countries: a propensity-score-matched cohort study.

Background: The relationship between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse and disease progression remains unclear. Previous studies are limited by small sample sizes and most lack a propensity-matched control cohort.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of COVID-19 infection on MS disease course with a large propensity-matched cohort.

Evaluating the impact of robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty on quality of care through patient-reported outcome measures in a third-level hospital in Italy: A prospective cohort study.

Background: With the shift towards personalized medicine, understanding the impact of robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) is essential for evaluating its effectiveness and patient satisfaction. The QUAROB (Quality-assessment-of-ROBotic-orthopedic-surgery) study aims at assessing the impact of robotic surgery on quality of care and joint functionality at 6 months post-surgery among patients undergoing robotic-assisted TKA.

Methods: This observational, prospective cohort study included patients from Ravenna Hospital, Italy, who underwent elective robotic TKA (2022-2023), and a historical cohort who underwent traditional TKA (2019).

Transcatheter aortic-valve implantation with or without on-site cardiac surgery: The TRACS trial.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has emerged as an effective and safe treatment for patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis. The indication to TAVI should be agreed upon by a Heart Team, and the procedure should be performed in centers with on-site cardiac surgery. However, TAVI complications requiring emergent cardiac surgery (ECS) have become very rare.

Left atrial function during exercise stress echocardiography as a sign of paroxysmal/persistent atrial fibrillation.

Objective: Atrial cardiomyopathy is closely associated with atrial fibrillation (AF), and some patients exhibit no dysfunction at rest but demonstrate evident changes in left atrial (LA) function and LA volume during exercise. This study aimed to identify distinguishing signs during exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) among patients in sinus rhythm (SR), with and without history of paroxysmal/persistent AF (PAF).

Methods: A prospective cohort of 1055 patients in SR was enrolled across 12 centers.

The Role of Plain Radiography in Assessing Aborted Foetal Musculoskeletal Anomalies in Everyday Practice.

Conventional radiography is widely used for postmortem foetal imaging, but its role in diagnosing congenital anomalies is debated. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of X-rays in detecting skeletal abnormalities and guiding genetic analysis and counselling. This is a retrospective analysis of all post-abortion diagnostic imaging studies conducted at a centre serving a population of over 300,000 inhabitants from 2008 to 2023.

Disease Activity in Pregnant and Postpartum Women With Multiple Sclerosis Receiving Ocrelizumab or Other Disease-Modifying Therapies.

Background And Objectives: Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) are at risk of disease reactivation in the early postpartum period. Ocrelizumab (OCR) is an anti-CD20 therapy highly effective at reducing MS disease activity. Data remain limited regarding use of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), including OCR, and disease activity during peripregnancy periods.

Predictors of hypercontractile heart phenotype in patients with chronic coronary syndromes or heart failure.

Hypercontractile phenotype (HP) of the left ventricle (LV) is an actionable therapeutic target in patients with chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) or heart failure (HF), but its clinical recognition remains difficult. To assess the clinical variables associated with the HP. In a prospective, observational, multicenter study, we recruited 5122 patients (age 65 ± 11 years, 2974 males, 58%) with CCS and/or HF with preserved ejection fraction (EF).

[Registers as central real world data source: the experience of the Italian Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders Register].

Registers collecting data from clinical practice (real world data) have gained increasing interest in recent years in the scientific, administrative, and regulatory fields. The value of longitudinal data collection in deepening knowledge about a specific pathology and its healthcare complexity is increasingly recognized. This article describes the development, organizational structure, and technical characteristics of the Italian Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders Register (RISM).

Rate and predictors of thromboprophylaxis in internal medicine wards: Results from the AURELIO study.

Background: Randomized controlled trials suggest that prophylactic doses of anticoagulants effectively prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE) in hospitalized medical patients with high thromboembolic risk. However, no prospective studies exist regarding the real-world prevalence of prophylactic anticoagulant use. This prospective study aimed to determine the rate and predictors of thromboprophylaxis in an unselected population of patients hospitalized in medical departments.