The role of noninvasive biomarkers for monitoring cell injury in advanced liver fibrosis.

Introduction: Accurate and reliable diagnosis and monitoring of hepatic fibrosis is increasingly important given the variable natural history in chronic liver disease (CLD) and expanding antifibrotic therapeutic options targeting reversibility of early-stage cirrhosis. This highlights the need to develop more refined and effective noninvasive techniques for the dynamic assessment of fibrogenesis and fibrolysis.

Areas Covered: We conducted a literature review on PubMed, from 1 December 1970, to 1 November 2024, to evaluate and compare available blood-based and imaging-based noninvasive tools for hepatic fibrosis diagnosis and monitoring.

Tolerability and Preliminary Outcomes of Adjuvant T-DM1 in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer After Neoadjuvant Therapy: The ATD Study.

Background/objectives: HER2-positive breast cancer (HER2BC) is an aggressive subtype, with neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) aiming to achieve a pathological complete response (pCR) to improve long-term outcomes. Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) has been established as the standard of care in the adjuvant setting for HER2BC patients who do not obtain pCR. The ATD study aimed to evaluate the real-world tolerability of T-DM1 in this setting.

Technical and Analytical Approach for Breast Reconstruction With IMAP Propeller Flap.

Background: The breast-sharing technique uses the lower quadrants discarded from a contralateral symmetrizing reduction mammoplasty to reconstruct the breast after mastectomy. The aim of our study was to revisit this old technique and to improve its vascular predictability by preoperative computed tomography angiography (angio-CT) and intraoperative indocyanine green (ICG) imaging.

Methods: Twenty-six patients were enrolled and assessed by a preoperative angio-CT to localize and evaluate the internal mammary artery perforator (IMAP).

Hypoparathyroidism in adults with iron overload diseases (IOD): evidence of a subclinical phenotype.

Purpose: To explore the prevalence of hypoparathyroidism (HPT), overt and subclinical, in a cohort of adults with Iron Overload Diseases (IOD). Secondary aim was to test the calcium (Ca)-to-phosphorus (P) ratio performance in identifying HPT.

Methods: Single-center, prospective, case-control study.

Pulmonary Progressive Fibrosis in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Primary Sjogren Syndrome: Similarities and Differences.

Progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) has been associated with a worse prognosis, even when interstitial lung disease (ILD) is related to rheumatic diseases. Since many differences are detectable among rheumatic diseases in prevalence and features of ILD, we aimed to investigate features of PPF in different rheumatic diseases, namely rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS). In an Italian multicentre cross-sectional study, consecutive pSS or RA patients with a diagnosis of ILD from at least two years were enrolled.

Clash of the Titans: the first multi-center retrospective comparative study between da Vinci and Hugo RAS surgical systems for the treatment of deep endometriosis.

Background: The proliferation of several robotic platforms presents an opportunity to pinpoint the most suitable system for specific procedures and patient profiles. This study aims to explore differences in complications and functional outcomes among patients undergoing deep endometriosis excision with the da Vinci surgical system compared to the Hugo RAS system.

Method: This is a retrospective, multicenter cohort study.

The predictive role of the TAPSE/sPAP ratio for cardiovascular events and mortality in systemic sclerosis with pulmonary hypertension.

Introduction: Reduced TAPSE/sPAP ratio has recently emerged as a predictive parameter risk factor for PH, however its role in SSc has been poorly investigated. The aim of the study was to investigate the prognostic value of the TAPSE/sPAP ratio for the prediction of mortality and cardiovascular events in patients with SSc complicated by PH. A comparison between SSc patients with PAH (SSc-PAH) and those with PH and significant ILD (SSc-PH) was also carried out.

Treatment of acute exacerbation in interstitial lung disease secondary to autoimmune rheumatic diseases: More questions than answers.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a relevant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs). In the last years, an acute exacerbation (AE) - defined as an acute, clinically significant respiratory deterioration characterized by evidence of new widespread alveolar abnormality - has been reported to occur in virtually all ILD types, including ARD-ILD. The aim of this review is to describe the available and investigational treatments in patients affected by AE-ARD-ILD in light of the very low quality of evidence available.

Squamous cell carcinoma metastatic to the lymph nodes of the parapharyngeal space: case series and systematic review.

Objective: Parapharyngeal space (PPS) is a rare and unusual site of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) metastases. Treatment strategy for PPS metastases is still not well defined. This research aims to investigate the clinical implications and oncological outcomes of SCC metastases in PPS.

Biliary drainage in patients with malignant distal biliary obstruction: results of an Italian consensus conference.

Background: Malignant Distal Biliary Obstruction (MBDO) is a common event occurring along the natural history of both pancreatic cancer and cholangiocarcinoma. Epidemiological and biological features make MBDO one of the key elements of the clinical management of patients suffering for of pancreatic cancer or cholangiocarcinoma. The development of dedicated biliary lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) is changing the clinical work up of patients with MBDO.

Ketogenic Interventions in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease: A Comprehensive Review of Current Evidence.

Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by the development and enlargement of multiple kidney cysts, leading to progressive kidney function decline. To date, Tolvaptan, the only approved treatment for this condition, is able to slow down the loss of annual kidney function without stopping the progression of the disease. Furthermore, this therapy is approved only for patients with rapid disease progression and its compliance is problematic because of the drug's impact on quality of life.

DNA Damage Response in Early Breast Cancer: A Phase III Cohort in the Phobos Study.

We assessed the impact of DNA damage response and repair (DDR) biomarker expressions in 222 node-positive early breast cancer (BC) patients from a previous Phase III GOIM 9902 trial of adjuvant taxanes. At a median follow-up of 64 months, the original study showed no disease-free survival (DFS) or overall survival (OS) differences with the addition of docetaxel (D) to epirubicine-cyclophosphamide (EC). Immunohistochemistry was employed to assess the expression of DDR phosphoproteins (pATM, pATR, pCHK1, γH2AX, pRPA32, and pWEE1) in tumor tissue, and their association with clinical outcomes was evaluated through the Cox elastic net model.

The i-EUS consensus on the management of pancreatic fluid collections - Part 1.

Pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs), including pancreatic pseudocysts (PPs) and walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WON), are common complications of pancreatitis and pancreatic surgery. Historically, the treatment of these conditions has relied on surgical and radiological approaches; however, it has later shifted toward an endoscopy-based approach. With the development of dedicated lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS), interventional Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS)-guided procedures have become the standard approach for PFC drainage.

The 1st i-EUS consensus on the management of pancreatic fluid collections - Part 2.

Pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs), including pancreatic pseudocysts (PPs) and walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WON), are common complications of pancreatitis and pancreatic surgery. Historically, the treatment of these conditions has relied on surgical and radiological approaches. The treatment of patients with PFCs has already focused toward an endoscopy-based approach, and with the development of dedicated lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS), it has almost totally shifted towards interventional Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS)-guided procedures.

Stem anteversion is not affected by proximal femur geometry in robotic-assisted total hip arthroplasty.

Background: In the present study, the surgeon aimed to align the stem at 5° to 25° in anteversion. The robotic technology was used to measure stem anteversion with respect to proximal femur anteversion at different levels down the femur.

Methods: A total of 102 consecutive patients underwent robotic-arm-assisted total hip arthroplasty (RTHA).

Artificial intelligence in detection of small bowel lesions and their bleeding risk: A new step forward.

The present letter to the editor is related to the study with the title "Automatic detection of small bowel (SB) lesions with different bleeding risk based on deep learning models". Capsule endoscopy (CE) is the main tool to assess SB diseases but it is a time-consuming procedure with a significant error rate. The development of artificial intelligence (AI) in CE could simplify physicians' tasks.

Long-Term Outcomes in Two-Year Follow-Up after Primary Treatment in Patients with a Prior Venous Thromboembolic Event: A Prospective, Observational, Real-Life Study.

Background: Patients with acute venous thromboembolism (VTE) need anticoagulation (AC) therapy for at least 3/6 months (primary treatment); after that period, they should receive a decision on the duration of therapy.

Methods: This study examined the complications occurring during two years of follow-up (FU) in patients with a first VTE who were recruited in 20 clinical centers and had discontinued or prolonged AC. They were included in the START2-POST-VTE prospective observational study.

A rare case of necrotizing fasciitis of the leg in an intravenous drug user caused by .

Background: Intravenous drug users (IDUs) have a high risk of developing skin and soft tissue infections such as erysipelas, abscesses, and less frequently necrotizing fasciitis (NF) or gas gangrene. Rarely, the cause of the infection is microorganisms residing in the oral cavity and can lead to life-threatening infections.

Methods: We describe the case of a 43-year-old man intravenous drug user (IDU) who was admitted for intense leg pain following an injection of cocaine at that site.

Post-trans-arterial chemoembolization hepatic necrosis and biliary stenosis: Clinical charateristics and endoscopic approach.

Liver cancer is the fifth most common tumor and the second highest death-related cancer in the world. Hepatocarcinoma (HCC) represents 90% of liver cancers. According to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer group, different treatment options could be offered to patients in consideration of tumor burden, liver function, patient performance status and biochemical marker serum concentration such as alpha-fetoprotein.

COVID-19, A New Possible Mimicker of Interstitial Lung Disease Related to Primary Sjögren's Syndrome.

. Acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and COVID-19 pneumonia show many similarities, but also COVID-19 sequelae, mainly when fibrotic features are present, can be difficult to distinguish from chronic ILD observed in connective tissue diseases. .