A critical update on endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy.

Objectives: Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (endo-DCR) is becoming a workhorse in the management of distal lacrimal duct obstruction. It yields success rates comparable to external DCR, with the advantage of no external scars. However, it requires multidisciplinary expertise and many uncertainties in terms of proper indications, technique, and perioperative management still exist.

Spotlight on the 2024 ESC/EACTS management of atrial fibrillation guidelines: 10 novel key aspects.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains the most common cardiac arrhythmia worldwide and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) have recently released the 2024 guidelines for the management of AF. This review highlights 10 novel aspects of the ESC/EACTS 2024 Guidelines.

Single-modality endocrine therapy versus radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery in women aged 70 years and older with luminal A-like early breast cancer (EUROPA): a preplanned interim analysis of a phase 3, non-inferiority, randomised trial.

Background: Optimal therapy following breast-conserving surgery in older adults with low-risk, early-stage breast cancer remains uncertain. The EUROPA trial aims to compare the effects of radiotherapy and endocrine therapy as single-modality treatments on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and ipsilateral breast tumour recurrence (IBTR) outcomes in this population.

Methods: This non-inferiority, phase 3, randomised study was conducted at 18 academic hospitals across Italy (17 centres) and Slovenia (one centre).

Clinical manifestations, imaging and treatment of Sjögren's disease: one year in review 2024.

Sjögren's disease is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterised by hyperactivation of B-cells and cytokine production. The condition may evolve from an asymptomatic, indolent course, with glandular involvement, to several extra-glandular systemic manifestations up to lymphoma development. Recent efforts have been undertaken to identify patient phenotypes at risk of developing specific extraglandular manifestations in order to improve patient management.

Development and Validation of Prognostic Model for Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Patients Treated With First-Line Abiraterone or Enzalutamide.

Introduction: Over the years, several prognostic models were developed in patients receiving chemotherapy for metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), while data on androgen-receptor signaling inhibitors (ARSI) in a real-world setting are limited.

Patients And Methods: We compared a consecutive series of 565 mCRPC patients receiving first-line ARSI at 4 high-volume Italian Centers (development set) to an external series of 180 patients receiving the same treatment at another Italian high-volume Center (training set), between 2011 and 2022. Sixteen clinical and baseline laboratory variables were selected to develop a prognostic model.

Update on the Biological and Clinical Relevance of Mast Cells in Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps.

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a common inflammatory disorder whose complex immunopathogenesis has yet to be fully elucidated. Endotype-2 CRSwNP is the most common form of disease where eosinophils are the main drivers of inflammation. Traditional treatments for CRSwNP have centered around intranasal or systemic corticosteroids and endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS).

Non-Surgical Approaches to the Management of the Intrathoracic Goiter-A Systematic Review.

Background: Intrathoracic goiters (ITGs) are usually managed by surgical excision, However, over recent years, non-surgical strategies are emerging as an alternatives for treating this condition.

Methods: A systematic review of research published since 2017 in the PubMed database was conducted and a total of 39 articles were retrieved, along with methodological issues and future directions in the research on ITGs.

Results: Several non-surgical treatments exist, including radio-iodine ablation (RIA) and mini-invasive approaches, such as transcervical microwave ablation (TcMA), transcervical radiofrequency ablation (TcRfA), or selective embolization of the thyroid arteries (SETA).

Best Practice in Using Social Media: The European Association of Urology Position Statement.

This European Association of Urology position statement provides a comprehensive overview and recommendations on best practices for the use of social media by urologists and other health care professionals involved in urology.

Managing Thyroid Nodules in Brain-Dead Donors: Our Experience and a Review of the Literature.

Background: Thyroid nodules are common findings during the diagnostic work-up in potential organ donors. A fast yet thorough assessment to rule out cancer is mandatory but their management remains heterogeneous among hospitals and the evidence in this field is scarce. We present our institutional experience and review the most recent literature on this topic.

Sequencing of Checkpoint or BRAF/MEK Inhibitors on Brain Metastases in Melanoma.

Background: The impact of the order of treatment with checkpoint inhibitors or BRAF/MEK inhibitors on the development of brain metastases in patients with metastatic unresectable V600-mutant melanoma is unknown. The SECOMBIT trial examined the impact of the order of receipt of these treatments in such patients.

Methods: In this three-arm trial, we reviewed patients without brain metastases who received the BRAF/MEK inhibitors encorafenib and binimetinib until they had progressive disease followed by the immune checkpoint inhibitors ipilimumab and nivolumab (arm A); or treatment with ipilimumab and nivolumab until they had progressive disease followed by encorafenib and binimetinib (arm B); or treatment with encorafenib and binimetinib for 8 weeks followed by ipilimumab and nivolumab until they had progressive disease followed by retreatment with encorafenib arm binimetinib (arm C).

Intestinal Anti-Endomysium Antibodies Are a Useful Tool for Diagnosing Celiac Disease in Pediatric and Adult Patients.

Intestinal anti-endomysium antibodies are a specific marker of celiac disease. The diagnostic accuracy of this marker seems high in pediatric patients and has not yet been investigated in adults, so the aim of this prospective multicentric study was to evaluate the specificity and sensitivity of this marker in childhood and adulthood. Pediatric and adult patients undergoing intestinal endoscopy for any intestinal condition were enrolled.

Abdominoplasty versus endoscopic approach to diastasis recti repair: A comparative study of outcomes.

Unlabelled: Diastasis recti (DR) is characterized by the deviation of the abdominal rectus muscle due to widening of the linea alba and laxity of the abdominal wall musculature. This condition affects the quality of life, in terms of performance of activities of daily living and physical tasks. Several techniques have been described to correct DR.

Implementation of the WHO Standards to assess the quality of paediatric care using health workers as source of data: findings of a multicentre study (CHOICE) in Italy.

Objectives: There is little experience in implementing the WHO Standards for improving the quality of care (QOC) for children. We describe the use of 75 WHO-Standard based Quality Measures to assess paediatric QOC, using health workers (HWs) as data sources.

Design: Cross-sectional study.