Biologics as well as inhaled anti-asthmatic therapy achieve clinical remission: Evidence from the Severe Asthma Network in Italy (SANI).

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of severe asthma (SA) treatments after 12 months in achieving clinical remission (CR) within the context of the Severe Asthma Network in Italy (SANI) using the recent SANI definition of CR on treatment.

Methods: CR has been defined by SANI as complete, partial, and no CR. Complete CR is defined by the absence of oral corticosteroids (OCS), no symptoms, no exacerbations, and stable lung function, and partial CR requires the absence of OCS and the fulfillment of 2 out of the other 3 criteria.

Fertility and abortion: A population-based comparison between women with cancer and those in childbearing age.

Objectives: Concurrence of pregnancy and cancer diagnosis is increasingly frequent in Italy. The study aimed to compare women with pregnancy-associated cancers (PACs) to those of childbearing age, focusing on fertility, induced abortion, and miscarriage.

Methods: The population-based study included women aged 15-49 years, both with and without PAC, who were residents in the area covered by the 19 participating Cancer Registries between 2003 and 2015 and identified by individual deterministic linkage with the Hospital Discharge Database.

Self-Perceived Competencies and Attitudes on Palliative Care in Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Multicenter Descriptive Study.

Caring for the dying can generate anxiety and emotional distress, particularly in nursing students, and perceived competence could play a crucial role in enabling nurses to perform their duties with greater confidence. Unfortunately, few studies describe the relationship between students' nursing attitudes and perceived self-efficacy in palliative care (PC). To overcome this gap, this survey aimed to assess the attitudes towards dying patients and the perceived competence of nursing students in palliative care at different universities in the south of Italy.

Profiling severe asthma: Any relevance for age? An analysis from Severe Asthma Network Italy (SANI) cohort.

Background: Aging implies changes in terms of lung function, immune system, and respiratory and extra-respiratory comorbidities. Few studies have specifically addressed the relevance of age on severe asthma burden and control. We aimed to evaluate whether age acts as an independent determinant of asthma severity, in terms of clinical, functional, and inflammatory profile, and to explore potential cofactors that contribute to a more difficult disease control in different age groups.

The "Investigating and translating genomic evidence for public health response to SARS-CoV-2 (INSIDE SARS-CoV-2)" project - Network of excellence. Commentary.

The "Investigating and translating genomic evidence for public health response to SARS-CoV-2 (INSIDE SARS-CoV-2)" project is part of the initiative "Joint science and technology cooperation call for joint project proposals for the years 2021-2023" promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the Republic of India. To start the project activities, the pandemic response and the epidemiological situation in Italy and in India, together with the genomic surveillance strategies for SARS-CoV-2 virus in the two countries, are here described.

Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) enabled the percutaneous closure of a severely calcified paravalvular leak regurgitation following implantation of a self-expandable transcatheter aortic valve: a case report.

Background: Closure of paravalvular leak (PVL) regurgitation after self-expandable (SE) transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) may be more challenging than after balloon-expandable (BE) valve implantation.

Case Summary: An 85-year-old woman suffering from long-standing atrial fibrillation and severe symptomatic aortic stenosis underwent SE TAVI (26 mm Evolut™ R®, Medtronic Inc., MN, USA).

Ropeginterferon versus Standard Therapy for Low-Risk Patients with Polycythemia Vera.

BACKGROUND: Whether phlebotomy alone can adequately maintain target hematocrit in patients with low-risk polycythemia vera (PV) remains elusive. METHODS: In a phase 2 open-label randomized trial, we compared ropeginterferon alfa-2b (ropeg; 100 μg every 2 weeks) with phlebotomy only regarding maintenance of a median hematocrit level (≤45%) over 12 months in the absence of progressive disease (primary end point). In follow-up, crossover to the alternative treatment group was allowed if the primary end point was not met.

Ropeginterferon phase 2 randomized study in low-risk polycythemia vera: 5-year drug survival and efficacy outcomes.

In patients with low-risk polycythemia vera, exposure to low-dose Ropeginterferon alfa-2b (Ropeg) 100 µg every 2 weeks for 2 years was more effective than the standard treatment of therapeutic phlebotomy in maintaining target hematocrit (HCT) (< 45%) with a reduction in the need for phlebotomy without disease progression. In the present paper, we analyzed drug survival, defined as a surrogate measure of the efficacy, safety, adherence, and tolerability of Ropeg in patients followed up to 5 years. During the first 2 years, Ropeg and phlebotomy-only (Phl-O) were discontinued in 33% and 70% of patients, respectively, for lack of response (12 in the Ropeg arm vs.

Clinical Outcomes and Quality of Life after Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Closure in Patients with Stroke/Transient Ischemic Attack of Undetermined Cause and Other PFO-Associated Clinical Conditions: A Single-Center Experience.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess clinical outcomes and quality of life after PFO closure in patients with previous stroke/TIA of undetermined cause and in patients with other complex PFO-associated clinical conditions.

Methods: Between July 2009 and December 2019 at our University Cardiology Department, 118 consecutive patients underwent a thorough diagnostic work-up including standardized history taking, clinical evaluation, full neurological examination, screening for thrombophilia, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound-Doppler sonography of supra-aortic vessels and 24 h ECG Holter monitoring. Anatomo-morphological evaluation using 2D transthoracic/transesophageal echocardiography (TTE/TEE) color Doppler and functional assessment using contrast TTE (cTTE) in the apical four-chamber view and contrast transcranial Doppler (cTCD) using power M-mode modality were performed to verify the presence, location and amount of right-to-left shunting via PFO or other extracardiac source.

Fibroscan-Aspartate Aminotransferase Score Predicts Liver-Related Outcomes, but Not Extrahepatic Events, in a Multicenter Cohort of People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is frequent in people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH). The Fibroscan-aspartate aminotransferase (FAST) score was developed to identify patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and significant fibrosis. We investigated prevalence of NASH with fibrosis and the value of FAST score in predicting clinical outcomes in PWH.

Evaluation of the analytical performance of three chemiluminescence serological assays for detecting anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

The serology surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies represents a useful tool for monitoring protective immunity in the population. We compared the performance of three SARS-CoV-2 antibody serological immunoassays in 600 vaccinated subjects after the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. All serum samples were evaluated by three different immunoassays for detecting anti-SARS-COV-2 antibodies.

Off-Adherence Keeping (OAK) observational study: intentional off-adherence immunomodulatory multiple sclerosis treatment.

To evaluate how improved treatment adherence with a lower-frequency regimen/treatment of intramuscular (IM) IFNβ-1a impacts therapeutic effectiveness in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) patients switching from a higher-frequency injectable regimen/treatment. Italian patients with relapsing-remitting MS and prior poor adherence to high-frequency injectable treatments (n = 181) were followed for 24 months after starting IM IFNβ-1a. During the study, 97.

Evaluation of Alpha-Synuclein Cerebrospinal Fluid Levels in Several Neurological Disorders.

(1) Background: Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) is a presynaptic neuronal protein that regulates several neuronal functions. In recent decades, the role of α-syn as a biomarker of neurodegenerative diseases has been explored, especially in synucleinopathies. However, only a few studies have assessed its role as biomarker in other neurological disorders.

Longitudinal analysis of anti-SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD IgG antibodies before and after the third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine.

Immunosurveillance by evaluating anti-spike protein receptor-binding domain (S-RBD) antibodies represents a useful tool to estimate the long immunity against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the kinetics of antibody response in vaccine recipients. We measured anti-S-RBD IgG levels by indirect chemiluminescence immunoassay on Maglumi 800 (SNIBE, California) in 1013 healthy individuals naïve to SARS-CoV2 infection after two and three COVID-19 vaccine doses.

Neurogranin as a Reliable Biomarker for Synaptic Dysfunction in Alzheimer's Disease.

(1) Background: Neurogranin is a post-synaptic protein expressed in the neurons of the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. It has been recently proposed as a promising biomarker of synaptic dysfunction, especially in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, more efforts are needed before introducing it in clinical practice, including the definition of its reference interval (RI).

Infodemiology of flu: Google trends-based analysis of Italians' digital behavior and a focus on SARS-CoV-2, Italy.

Introduction: The aim of the current study was to assess if the frequency of internet searches for influenza are aligned with Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) cases and deaths. Also, we evaluate the distribution over time and the correlation between search volume of flu and flu symptoms with reported new cases of SARS-CoV-2.

Materials And Methods: The reported cases and deaths of flu and the reported cases of SARS-CoV-2 were selected from the reports of ISS, the data have been aggregated by week.

Comparative Analysis of BIOCHIP Mosaic-Based Indirect Immunofluorescence with Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Diagnosing Myasthenia Gravis.

Background: The detection of anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) and anti-muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) antibodies is useful in myasthenia gravis (MG) diagnosis and management. BIOCHIP mosaic-based indirect immunofluorescence is a novel analytical method, which employs the simultaneous detection of anti-AChR and anti-MuSK antibodies in a single miniature incubation field. In this study, we compare, for the first time, the BIOCHIP MG mosaic with conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the diagnosis of MG.

FOXP3 and GATA3 Polymorphisms, Vitamin D3 and Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) alterations have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Recently, a crucial role of the X-Linked Forkhead Box P3 (FoxP3) for the development and the stability of Tregs has emerged, and FOXP3 gene polymorphisms have been associated with the susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. The expression of Foxp3 in Tregs is regulated by the transcription factor GATA binding-protein 3 (GATA3) and vitamin D.

Catheter-based closure of a large atrial septal defect with inferior rim deficiency using pulmonary vein slide-out assisted implantation technique: a case report.

Background: Transcatheter approach for large and complex atrial septal defects may represent a therapeutic challenge, particularly when the postero-inferior rim is deficient and floppy.

Case Summary: Here, we describe a successful catheter-based closure of a large (>30 mm) secundum atrial septal defect associated with postero-inferior rim deficiency in a 35-year-old female with congestive heart failure using pulmonary vein slide-out assisted implantation technique.

Discussion: Inferior-posterior rim deficiency is a well-known risk factor for device instability or embolization.

Insight the data: Wikipedia's researches and real cases of arboviruses in Italy.

Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the temporal correlation between Wikitrends and conventional surveillance data generated for Chikungunya, Dengue, Zika, and West Nile Virus infection reported by bulletin of Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità in italian, ISS).

Study Design: A cross-sectional study design was used.

Methods: The reported cases of Dengue and Chikungunya were selected from July 2015 to December 2019.