Low prevalence of upper endoscopic gastrointestinal findings despite high frequency of alarm symptoms at the time of diagnosis in adult coeliac disease.

Objectives: Exclusion of organic disorders involving the upper gastrointestinal (UGI) is a mandatory step before considering a biopsy-avoidance diagnostic strategy for adult coeliac disease. We aim to evaluate the prevalence of alarm symptoms and coincidental UGI endoscopic findings at the time of diagnosis of coeliac disease. To develop consensus criteria to identify patients with coeliac disease requiring a gastroscopy and to evaluate whether alarm symptoms prompting gastroscopy were predictive of endoscopic findings.

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of deferiprone compared with deferasirox in paediatric patients with transfusion-dependent haemoglobinopathies (DEEP-2): a multicentre, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority, phase 3 trial.

Background: Transfusion-dependent haemoglobinopathies require lifelong iron chelation therapy with one of the three iron chelators (deferiprone, deferasirox, or deferoxamine). Deferasirox and deferiprone are the only two oral chelators used in adult patients with transfusion-dependent haemoglobinopathies. To our knowledge, there are no randomised clinical trials comparing deferiprone, a less expensive iron chelator, with deferasirox in paediatric patients.

Longitudinal follow-up of patients with thalassaemia intermedia who started transfusion therapy in adulthood: a cohort study.

We longitudinally evaluated the effects of regular blood transfusions (BTs), in the real-life context of the Myocardial Iron Overload in Thalassaemia network, in patients with thalassaemia intermedia (TI). We considered 88 patients with TI (52 females) who started regular BTs after the age of 18 years. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to quantify iron overload and biventricular function.

CMR for myocardial iron overload quantification: calibration curve from the MIOT Network.

Objectives: R2* cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) allows the non-invasive measurement of myocardial iron. We calibrated cardiac R2* values against myocardial tissue-measured iron concentration by using a segmental approach and we assessed the iron distribution.

Methods: Five hearts of thalassemia patients were donated after death/transplantation to the CoreLab of the Myocardial Iron Overload in Thalassemia Network.

Genetic disorder prenatal diagnosis and pregnancy termination practices among high consanguinity population, Saudi Arabia.

The prevalence of consanguineous marriage and genetic disorders are high in Saudi Arabia. There were records on the practices of Saudis toward prenatal diagnosis (PND) and termination of pregnancy (TOP), however the sample sizes are small. This study has targeted the Saudi Arabian community and family history of genetic disorders to determine the practices toward PND and TOP.

The metronomic all-oral DEVEC is an effective schedule in elderly patients with diffuse large b-cell lymphoma.

Metronomic-chemotherapy (M-CHT) has been rarely assessed in non-Hodgkin-lymphoma (NHL). Therefore, in 2011 we started experimenting a new all-oral M-CHT schedule termed DEVEC (Deltacortene®, etoposide, vinorelbine, cyclophosphamide, +/-Rituximab) in diffuse-large-B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. Methods Patients with stage Ib-IV were enrolled as follows: 1) treatment-naïve, frail ≥65y, or unfit ≥85y; and 2) relapsed/refractory (R/R) ≥55y.

AISF position paper on HCV in immunocompromised patients.

This report summarizes the clinical features and the indications for treating HCV infection in immunocompromised and transplanted patients in the Direct Acting Antiviral drugs era.

Baclofen for the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis: 10 Years After the First Evidence.

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a chronic and relapsing condition characterized by harmful alcohol intake and behavioral-cognitive changes. AUD is the most common cause of liver disease in the Western world. Alcohol abstinence is the cornerstone of therapy in alcoholic patients affected with liver disease.

Prioritization of Therapeutic Targets and Trial Design in Cirrhotic Portal Hypertension.

Portal hypertension (PH) is the main driver of cirrhosis decompensation, the main determinant of death in patients with cirrhosis. PH results initially from increased intrahepatic vascular resistance. Subsequently, increased inflow from splanchnic vasodilation and increased cardiac output lead to a further increase in portal pressure (PP).

The present profile of chronic hepatitis B virus infection highlights future challenges: An analysis of the Multicenter Italian MASTER-B cohort.

Background: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a primary cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.

Aim: The study is aimed at updating the clinical and epidemiological profile of chronic HBV infection in Italy.

Methods: A cross-sectional multicenter prospective study enrolled consecutive HBsAg positive patients seen in 73 Italian centers in the period 2012-2015.

Efficacy of different faecal microbiota transplantation protocols for infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Protocols for treating recurrent infection (rCDI) through faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) are still not standardised. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of different FMT protocols for rCDI according to routes, number of infusions and infused material.

Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, SCOPUS, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were searched through 31 May 2017.

The 2015 World Health Organization Classification of lung tumors: new entities since the 2004 Classification.

In the last few years different new pulmonary neoplastic lesions have been recognised and some of them, namely NUT carcinoma, PEComatous tumors, pneumocytic adenomyoepithelioma, pulmonary myxoid sarcoma, myoepithelial tumors/carcinomas entered in the last 2015-WHO classification of lung tumors. In addition angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma and ciliated muconodular papillary tumor have been morphologically and genetically characterized albeit not yet included in the 2015-WHO classification. In the present paper we summarised the clinical, morphological, immunohistochemical and molecular features of these new entities.

Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome: Clinical, Endoscopic, and Radiological Findings.

Background: The superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome is a rare entity presenting with upper gastrointestinal tract obstruction and weight loss. Studies to determine the optimal methods of diagnosis and treatment are required.

Aims And Methods: This study aims at analyzing the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of SMA syndrome.

β-Thalassemia heterozygote state detrimentally affects health expectation.

Background: Thalassemia minor (Tm) individuals, are generally considered healthy. However, the prognosis of Tm individuals has not been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognosis of Tm versus controls without β-thalassemia carrier state.

Single-agent panobinostat for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: clinical outcome and correlation with genomic data. A phase 2 study of the Fondazione Italiana Linfomi.

We investigated panobinostat 40 mg three times weekly in 35 adult patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Overall response rate and complete response were 17.1% and 11.

Effect of direct-acting antivirals on future occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma in compensated cirrhotic patients.

Background: The achievement of high rates of sustained virological response (SVR) with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients will reduce decompensating terminal events.

Aims: To investigate whether hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence could change due to the DAA-induced increase in life-expectancy.

Methods: A Markov model was built on clinical data of 494 cirrhotic patients and available literature to estimate probabilities of "death before HCC" and of "HCC occurrence" without and with DAA.

Screening of colorectal cancer: present and future.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in males and second in females, and the fourth most common cause of cancer death worldwide. Currently, about 60-70% of diagnosed cases in symptomatic patients are detected at an advanced stage of disease. Earlier stage detection through the use of screening strategies would allow for better outcomes in terms of reducing the disease burden.

Nurse in patients' health status assessment: Data from a pilot study assessing agreement among nurse and gastroenterologist in computing IBD-clinical scores.

Introduction: Crohn's Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) are chronic, systemic Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBDs) that need a multidisciplinary approach involving not only different medical specialists but also qualified nurses.

Aim: We evaluated the concordance between IBD-nurse and physician in computing Clinical Activity Scores in IBD-patients treated with biologics.

Methods: We enrolled all consecutive IBD-patients treated with biologics in two referral centers for IBD-care.

Single versus two-operator endoscopic biliary cannulation technique: a multicenter matched-case analysis.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of physician-controlled, using both long and short endoscopic-retrograde-cholangiopancreatography wire systems, and assistant-controlled guide-wire biliary cannulation techniques, and to perform a literature review on this topic.

Methods: The endoscopic databases of three Endoscopic Centers were reviewed to identify all consecutive patients with an intact papilla who, between July 2013 and December 2014, underwent an endoscopic-retrograde-cholangiopancreatography. A total of 240 patients (80 for each group) were matched 1:1, by gender, age and indications for procedure and were included in the analysis.

The prevalence of post-thyroidectomy chronic asthenia: a prospective cohort study.

Purpose: Chronic asthenia (CA) is complained by some patients that have undergone thyroid surgery. We evaluate its impact in patients undergoing unilateral or bilateral thyroidectomy, the trend during a 1-year follow-up, and the possible risk factors.

Methods: A prospective, cohort study was carried out on 263 patients scheduled for thyroidectomy from 2012 and 2014.

Use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs in inflammatory bowel disease: Clinical practice guidelines of the Italian Group for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

The two main forms of intestinal bowel disease, namely ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, are not curable but can be controlled by various medical therapies. The Italian Group for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IG-IBD) has prepared clinical practice guidelines to help physicians prescribe corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs for these patients. The guidelines consider therapies that induce remission in patients with active disease as well as treatment regimens that maintain remission.

Vitiligo susceptibility and catalase gene polymorphisms in Sicilian population.

Background: Catalase gene (CAT) polymorphisms were analyzed as responsible for the deficiency of catalase enzyme activity and concomitant accumulation of excessive hydrogen peroxide in vitiligo patients. Catalase is a well-known oxidative stress regulator that could play an important role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. This study was conducted to evaluate three CAT gene polymorphisms (-89A/T, 389C/T, 419C/T) and their association with vitiligo susceptibility in Sicilian population.