Usefulness of Combined Renin-Angiotensin System Inhibitors and Diuretic Treatment In Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19.

Antecedent use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASi) prevents clinical deterioration and protects against cardiovascular/thrombotic complications of COVID-19, for indicated patients. Uncertainty exists regarding treatment continuation throughout infection and doing so with concomitant medications. Hence, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the differential effect of RASi continuation in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 according to diuretic use.

Reduction of admissions for urgent and elective pacemaker implant during the COVID-19 outbreak in Northern Italy.

Aims: The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) outbreak has been recently associated with lower hospitalization rates for acute coronary syndromes. Aim of the study was to investigate whether a similar behaviour is observed in admissions for urgent pacemaker implant.

Methods: This retrospective study included 1315 patients from 18 hospitals in Northern Italy with a high number of COVID-19 cases.

Cost-effectiveness of statins for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease among people living with HIV in the United States.

Background: Expanding statin use may help to alleviate the excess burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in people living with HIV (PLHIV). Pravastatin and pitavastatin are preferred agents due to their lack of substantial interaction with antiretroviral therapy. We aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pravastatin and pitavastatin for the primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease among PLHIV in the United States.

Effect of Changes in Body Mass Index on the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Mellitus in HIV-Positive Individuals: Results From the D:A:D Study.

Background: Weight gain is common among people with HIV once antiretroviral treatment is commenced. We assess the effect of changes in body mass index (BMI), from different baseline BMI levels, on the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods: D:A:D participants receiving antiretroviral treatment were followed from their first BMI measurement to the first of either CVD or DM event, or earliest of January 2, 2016 or 6 months after last follow-up.

Antecedent Administration of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors or Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonists and Survival After Hospitalization for COVID-19 Syndrome.

Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) utilizes the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptor to enter human cells. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARB) are associated with ACE-2 upregulation. We hypothesized that antecedent use of ACEI/ARB may be associated with mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Direct Versus Indirect Corneal Neurotization for the Treatment of Neurotrophic Keratopathy: A Multicenter Prospective Comparative Study.

Purpose: To analyze the comparative safety and efficacy of two techniques of corneal neurotization (CN) (direct corneal neurotization [DCN] vs indirect corneal neurotization [ICN]) for the treatment of neurotrophic keratopathy (NK).

Design: Multicenter interventional prospective comparative case series.

Methods: This study took place at ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo University Hospital, Milan; S.

The Impact of Immunosuppression on Chronic Kidney Disease in People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus: The D:A:D Study.

Background: Relations between different measures of human immunodeficiency virus-related immunosuppression and chronic kidney disease (CKD) remain unknown.

Methods: Immunosuppression measures included baseline, current, time-lagged and nadir CD4, years and percentage of follow-up (%FU) with CD4 ≤200 cells/μL, and CD4 recovery. CKD was defined as confirmed estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/minute/1.

Feasibility of automated detection of sleep apnea using implantable pacemakers and defibrillators: a comparison with simultaneous polysomnography recording.

Purpose: Sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD) have been associated with adverse cardiovascular events and prognosis. Some modern pacemakers (PMK) and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) are equipped with thoracic impedance monitoring systems which allow detecting fluctuations in tidal volume occurring in SRBD. This study aimed at assessing the accuracy of a novel transthoracic impedance-based PMK/ICD sensor for automatic detection of SRBD.

Predictors of Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Strokes Among People Living With HIV: The D:A:D International Prospective Multicohort Study.

Background: Hypertension is a stronger predictor of hemorrhagic than ischemic strokes in the general population. We aimed to identify whether hypertension or other risk factors, including HIV-related factors, differ in their associations with stroke subtypes in people living with HIV (PLWHIV).

Methods: HIV-1-positive individuals from the Data collection on Adverse events of anti-HIV Drugs (D:A:D) study were followed from the time of first blood pressure (BP) measurement after 1/1/1999 or study entry until the first of a validated stroke, 6 months after last follow-up or 1/2/2014.

Use of Contemporary Protease Inhibitors and Risk of Incident Chronic Kidney Disease in Persons With Human Immunodeficiency Virus: the Data Collection on Adverse Events of Anti-HIV Drugs (D:A:D) Study.

Background: It is unclear whether use of contemporary protease inhibitors pose a similar risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) as use of older protease inhibitors.

Methods: Participants in the Data Collection on Adverse Events of Anti-HIV Drugs (D:A:D) study were followed up until the earliest occurrence of CKD, the last visit plus 6 months, or 1 February 2016. Adjusted Poisson regression was used to assess associations between CKD and the use of ritonavir-boosted atazanavir (ATV/r) or ritonavir-boosted darunavir (DRV/r).

Serious clinical events in HIV-positive persons with chronic kidney disease.

Objectives: Predictors of chronic kidney disease (CKD) amongst HIV-positive persons are well established, but insights into the prognosis after CKD including the role of modifiable risk factors are limited.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Methods: D:A:D participants developing CKD (confirmed, >3 months apart, eGFR ≤ 60 ml/min per 1.

Performance of the Durata implantable cardioverter defibrillator lead: results of an independent multicenter study.

Aims: The high rate of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) lead failures related to the Sprint Fidelis' and Riata's design have raised serious concerns about the reliability of ICD leads. The St. Jude Medical Durata family of leads replaced the preceding Riata line following increased rates of lead failure (1.

Long-term outcomes after prophylactic ICD and CRT-D implantation in nonischemic patients: Analysis from a nationwide database of daily remote-monitoring transmissions.

Introduction: Clinical trials did not provide conclusive evidence concerning the benefit of prophylactic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in patients with severe nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). We aimed to compare incidence of appropriate sustained ventricular arrhythmia (SVA) and device therapy in ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) vs NICM ICD and/or cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT-D) patients.

Methods And Results: We analyzed remote-monitoring data from devices of the Home Monitoring Expert Alliance network.

Cessation of Cigarette Smoking and the Impact on Cancer Incidence in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-infected Persons: The Data Collection on Adverse Events of Anti-HIV Drugs Study.

Background: Cancers are a major source of morbidity and mortality for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons, but the clinical benefits of smoking cessation are unknown.

Methods: Participants were followed from 1 January 2004 until first cancer diagnosis, death, or 1 February 2016. Smoking status was defined as ex-smoker, current smoker, and never smoker.

Associations between serum albumin and serious non-AIDS events among people living with HIV.

Objective: Lower serum albumin (sAlb) has been associated with an increased risk of mortality and AIDS among people living with HIV and may be associated with the development of serious non-AIDS events (SNAEs). We evaluated the long-term association between sAlb and the risk of SNAEs.

Design: Prospective multinational cohort study.

Body Mass Index and the Risk of Serious Non-AIDS Events and All-Cause Mortality in Treated HIV-Positive Individuals: D: A: D Cohort Analysis.

Background: The relationship between body mass index (BMI) [weight (kg)/height (m)] and serious non-AIDS events is not well understood.

Methods: We followed D:A:D study participants on antiretroviral therapy from their first BMI measurement to the first occurrence of the endpoint or end of follow-up (N = 41,149 followed for 295,147 person-years). The endpoints were cardiovascular disease (CVD); diabetes; non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs) and BMI-NADCs (cancers known to be associated with BMI in general population); and all-cause mortality.

Gender differences in the use of cardiovascular interventions in HIV-positive persons; the D:A:D Study.

Introduction: There is paucity of data related to potential gender differences in the use of interventions to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease (CVD) among HIV-positive individuals. We investigated whether such differences exist in the observational D:A:D cohort study.

Methods: Participants were followed from study enrolment until the earliest of death, six months after last visit or February 1, 2015.

Relationship between swallowing-related quality of life and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing in patients who underwent open partial horizontal laryngectomy.

Background: Several studies have previously analyzed the relationship between QOL and signs of dysphagia in patients treated for head and neck cancer and have reported heterogeneous findings. To the best of our knowledge, no study has previously investigated this relationship among patients who underwent open partial horizontal laryngectomy (OPHL). The aim of the study is to determine if patient-reported swallowing-related QOL can discriminate between safe and unsafe swallowing in OPHL patients.

Differences in Virological and Immunological Risk Factors for Non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Background: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) are increased in populations with immune dysfunction, including people living with HIV; however, there is little evidence for to what degree immunological and virological factors differently affect NHL and HL risk.

Methods: Data from the Data Collection on Adverse events of Anti-HIV Drugs Study cohort were analyzed to identify independent risk factors for NHL and HL using hazard ratios (HRs), focusing on current and cumulative area under the curve (AUC) measures of immunological and virological status. Variables with different associations with NHL and HL were identified using marginal Cox models.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) event rates in HIV-positive persons at high predicted CVD and CKD risk: A prospective analysis of the D:A:D observational study.

Background: The Data Collection on Adverse Events of Anti-HIV Drugs (D:A:D) study has developed predictive risk scores for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD, defined as confirmed estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] ≤ 60 ml/min/1.73 m2) events in HIV-positive people. We hypothesized that participants in D:A:D at high (>5%) predicted risk for both CVD and CKD would be at even greater risk for CVD and CKD events.

Abacavir use and risk of recurrent myocardial infarction.

Objective: To investigate the association between abacavir (ABC) use and recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) among HIV-positive people with a prior MI.

Design: International multicohort collaboration with follow-up from 1999 to 2016.

Methods: The rate of recurrent MI was described among D:A:D participants who experienced an index MI whilst in the study, and who remained under follow-up beyond 28 days after this MI.

The Immunogenicity of Branded and Biosimilar Infliximab in Rheumatoid Arthritis According to Th9-Related Responses.

Unlabelled: Our objective was to evaluate the immunogenicity of branded and biosimilar infliximab by detecting changes in T-helper-9 (Th9) percentages induced by an in vitro stimulation test.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected from 55 consecutive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) outpatients (15 drug free, 20 successfully treated with branded infliximab, 20 branded infliximab inadequate responders) and 10 healthy controls were cultured, with or without 50 μg/mL of infliximab originator (Remicade) or 50 μg/mL of infliximab biosimilar (Remsima) for 18 h. Th9 lymphocytes were identified by means of flow cytometry as PU.

Novelties in Evaluation and Monitoring of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Infection: Is Standard Virological Suppression Enough for Measuring Antiretroviral Treatment Success?

The high potency and tolerability of the currently available antiretroviral drugs has modified HIV-1 infection from a life-threatening disease to a chronic illness. Nevertheless, some issues still remain open to optimize the management of HIV-1 infected patients in term of maintenance of virological suppression over time, identifying patients that could benefit from simplification therapy, and reducing co-mordibities driven by chronic inflammation. The availability of robust and affordable virological and immunological markers can help in solving these issues by providing information on the burden of HIV-1 reservoir in all the anatomical compartments in which the virus replicates as well as on persistent inflammation, immune activation and senescence despite successful virological suppression.

A rare case of atypical chronic lymphocytic leukaemia presenting as nephrotic syndrome.

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is characterised by a lymphocytosis of mature-appearing clonal CD5+, CD23+ B lymphocytes. CLL cells arise from the bone marrow and infiltrate lymphoid tissues such as lymph nodes and spleen. Presentation is usually through discovery of lymphocytosis or lymphadenopathy.