Sustained Effectiveness of Benralizumab in Naïve and Biologics-Experienced Severe Eosinophilic Asthma Patients: Results from the ANANKE Study.

Purpose: Severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) patients often present overlapping inflammatory features rendering them eligible for multiple biologic therapies; switching biologic treatment is a strategy adopted to optimize asthma control when patients show partial or no response to previous biologics.

Patients And Methods: ANANKE is a retrospective, multicenter Italian study (NCT04272463). Here, we outline the characteristics and long-term clinical outcomes in naïve-to-biologics and biologics-experienced patients treated with benralizumab for up to 96 weeks.

Long-term effectiveness of benralizumab in severe eosinophilic asthma patients treated for 96-weeks: data from the ANANKE study.

Background: The efficacy of benralizumab has been broadly demonstrated in severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA), but only few real-life studies evaluated its long-term effects. Here we present novel data from the ANANKE study in which a large cohort of SEA patients was treated for up to 96 weeks.

Methods: ANANKE (NCT04272463) is an observational retrospective Italian study investigating the key characteristics of SEA patients (collected during the 12 months prior to benralizumab initiation) and the clinical outcomes during benralizumab treatment (annual exacerbation rate [AER], lung function, asthma control, OCS use, healthcare resource utilization).

Clinical Features and Efficacy of Benralizumab in Patients with Blood Eosinophil Count Between 300 and 450 Cells/mm: A Post Hoc Analysis from the ANANKE Study.

Purpose: Benralizumab effectively reduces severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) exacerbations in patients with a wide range of baseline blood eosinophil count (BEC). Patients included in real-world studies are often characterized by high mean/median BEC, while patients with BEC close to 300 cells/mm are poorly represented. This post hoc analysis from the Italian study ANANKE aims to define the clinical features and corroborate the efficacy of benralizumab in real world in the BEC 300-450 cells/mm subset of patients.

Switching from one biologic to benralizumab in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma: An ANANKE study analysis.

Background: Severe asthma is a heterogeneous inflammatory disease driven by eosinophilic inflammation in the majority of cases. Despite biologic therapy patients may still be sub-optimally controlled, and the choice of the best biologic is a matter of debate. Indeed, switching between biologics is common, but no official guidelines are available and real-world data are limited.

Benralizumab in Patients With Severe Eosinophilic Asthma With and Without Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps: An ANANKE Study Analysis.

Background: Severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) in the presence of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) indicates the presence of a more extensive eosinophilic inflammation. analyses from a pivotal clinical trial have demonstrated the enhanced efficacy of benralizumab on asthma outcomes in patients with CRSwNP as a comorbidity.

Methods: This is a analysis from the Italian multi-center observational retrospective ANANKE study.

ChAracterization of ItaliaN severe uncontrolled Asthmatic patieNts Key features when receiving Benralizumab in a real-life setting: the observational rEtrospective ANANKE study.

Background: Data from phase 3 trials have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of benralizumab in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA). We conducted a real-world study examining the baseline characteristics of a large SEA population treated with benralizumab in clinical practice and assessed therapy effectiveness.

Methods: ANANKE is an Italian multi-center, retrospective cohort study including consecutive SEA patients who had started benralizumab therapy ≥ 3 months before enrolment (between December 2019 and July 2020), in a real-world setting.

Italian expert-based recommendations on the use of photo(chemo)therapy in the management of mycosis fungoides: Results of an e-Delphi consensus.

Background: Phototherapy is a mainstay for the treatment of MF. However, there is scarce evidence for its use, mostly due to the lack of a unified schedule.

Aims: The primary aim of this study was to establish the first structured, expert-based consensus regarding the indications and technical schedules of NB-UVB and PUVA for MF.

How to communicate with families living in complete isolation.

Importance: During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, a complete physical isolation has been worldwide introduced. The impossibility of visiting their loved ones during the hospital stay causes additional distress for families: in addition to the worries about clinical recovery, they may feel exclusion and powerlessness, anxiety, depression, mistrust in the care team and post-traumatic stress disorder. The impossibility of conducting the daily meetings with families poses a challenge for healthcare professionals.

Efficacy and safety of lower versus higher CO extraction devices to allow ultraprotective ventilation: secondary analysis of the SUPERNOVA study.

Retrospective analysis of the SUPERNOVA trial exploring the hypothesis that efficacy and safety of extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCOR) to facilitate reduction of tidal volume (V) to 4 mL/kg in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) may differ between systems with (area of membrane length 0.59 m; blood flow 300-500 mL/min) and (membrane area 1.30 m; blood flow between 800 and 1000 mL/min) CO extraction capacity.

Copy Number Variants Account for a Tiny Fraction of Undiagnosed Myopathic Patients.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have led to an increase in the diagnosis of heterogeneous genetic conditions. However, over 50% of patients with a genetically inherited disease are still without a diagnosis. In these cases, different hypotheses are usually postulated, including variants in novel genes or elusive mutations.

Septic shock-3 vs 2: an analysis of the ALBIOS study.

Background: A reanalysis of the ALBIOS trial suggested that patients with septic shock - defined by vasopressor-dependent hypotension in the presence of severe sepsis (Shock-2) - had a survival benefit when treated with albumin. The new septic shock definition (Shock-3) added the criterion of a lactate threshold of 2 mmol/L. We investigated how the populations defined according to Shock-2 and Shock-3 differed and whether the albumin benefit would be confirmed.

Circulating Proenkephalin, Acute Kidney Injury, and Its Improvement in Patients with Severe Sepsis or Shock.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs in many critically ill patients and is associated with high mortality. We examined whether proenkephalin could predict incident AKI and its improvement in septic patients.

Methods: Plasma proenkephalin A 119-159 (penKid) was assayed in 956 patients with sepsis or septic shock enrolled in the multicenter Albumin Italian Outcome Sepsis (ALBIOS) trial to test its association with incident AKI, improvement of renal function, need for renal replacement therapy (RRT), and mortality.

Persistence of Central Venous Oxygen Desaturation During Early Sepsis Is Associated With Higher Mortality: A Retrospective Analysis of the ALBIOS Trial.

Background: Relevance of low (< 70%) central venous oxygen saturation (Scvo) during early sepsis has been recently questioned by three negative trials (Protocol-Based Care for Early Septic Shock, Australasian Resuscitation in Sepsis Evaluation, and Protocolized Management in Sepsis) on early goal-directed therapy; however, subjects included in those trials had Scvo at enrollment as high as 71 ± 13%, 73 ± 11%, and 70 ± 12%. Here we assess the association between Scvo < 70% at 6 h and 90-day mortality in subjects enrolled in the Albumin Italian Outcome Sepsis (ALBIOS) trial, focusing on those with initial Scvo < 70%.

Methods: Regardless of treatment assignment (to receive albumin or not), all subjects enrolled in the ALBIOS trial received early goal-directed therapy aiming for Scvo ≥ 70% at 6 h.

Prognostic Value of Secretoneurin in Patients With Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock: Data From the Albumin Italian Outcome Sepsis Study.

Objectives: Secretoneurin directly influences cardiomyocyte calcium handling, and circulating secretoneurin levels seem to improve risk prediction in patients with myocardial dysfunction by integrating information on systemic stress, myocardial function, and renal function. Accordingly, in this study, we hypothesized that secretoneurin would improve risk prediction in patients with sepsis and especially in patients with septic shock as these patients are more hemodynamically unstable.

Design: Multicenter, interventional randomized clinical trial.

Platelet Drop and Fibrinolytic Shutdown in Patients With Sepsis.

Objective: Thrombocytopenia is the most common hemostatic disorder during sepsis and is associated with high mortality. We examined whether fibrinolytic changes precede incident thrombocytopenia and predict outcome in patients with severe sepsis.

Design: Nested study from the multicenter, randomized, controlled trial on the efficacy of albumin replacement in severe sepsis or septic shock (the Albumin Italian Outcome Sepsis trial).

[Socio-presbyacusis: definition and prevention].

Socio-presbyacusis is a hot topic with an increasing incidence and high social costs. The main etiological factors are: genetics, smoking and drinking habits, diet, metabolic syndrome, chronic otitis and noise exposure (professional, environmental and recreative). Despite its multifactorial origin, the pathogenetic mechanism of cochlear damage is based on the increased production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).

[Non-auditory effects of noise].

Non-auditory effects of noise involve several systems and functions, the most important of which are the cardiovascular, the vestibular and the psychic. Although several studies correlated noise exposure to some pathologies, like hypertension and anxiety disorders, and recent analysis carried out on cavy explained part of their pathophysiology, their multiple causes and the variability of individual reactions are still important limits to their classification.

[Hearing loss and idoneity--the segnalation of noise-induced hearing loss hearing Loss].

Work idoneity in hearing loss must be related to working ability and evolution risks. Working ability is referred to the difficulties found in speech comprehension and in signals perception. As regards hearing loss evolution it is necessary to define if the subject is affected by conductive or neurosensorial hearing loss.

[The prevention of noise inducted hearing loss: the new challenge of active electronic hearing protection].

Based on today's common hearing aid design and technology, the team of researchers successfully designed a DPI which allows the worker to be "protected" against loudness and in the same time guarantee a good level of communication and perception of the surrounding environment. The design of this new device is very much similar to a standard BTE hearing aid which allows the use of an active DPI very comfortable, robust and easy to use. The research using the prototypes was divided into 3 phases: Phase 1: 24 volunteers coming from non-industry companies did undergo a specific trial protocol.

[Effect of noise and reverberation on vocal effort and fatigue of primary school teachers].

Teachers are at a higher risk for occupation-related voice disorders than the general population. The aim of this work is the investigations on the relationships between vocal doses and clinical status, acoustical conditions (noise and reverberation) in the classrooms and subjective evaluations of vocal effort and fatigue. At clinical evaluation 41% of the teachers showed no sign of vocal disease.

[Clinical and biological prognostic factors in 135 patients affected by sinonasal carcinoma treated in Piedmont].

Clinical and biological prognostic factors in 135 patients affected by sinonasal carcinoma treated in Piedmont. Long-term survival of patients with sinonasal carcinoma remains disappointing in spite of aggressive treatment. The aim of the study is the assessment of overall survival in a group of patients treated with a fixed protocol and the positivity of proliferation and neoangiogenesis markers (Ki-67 and VEGF).

Adipokines and redox signaling: impact on fatty liver disease.

Adipokines (adipose tissue cytokines) are polypeptide factors secreted by adipose tissue in a highly regulated manner. The 'classical' adipokines (leptin, adiponectin, and resistin) are expressed only by adipocytes, but other adipokines have been shown to be released by resident and infiltrating macrophages, as well as by components of the vascular stroma. Indeed, adipose tissue inflammation is known to be associated with a modification in the pattern of adipokine secretion.

The importance of preoperative swallowing therapy in subtotal laryngectomies.

Objective: To examine the utility of swallowing therapy (ST) before and after surgery in patients undergoing subtotal laryngectomy.

Study Design And Setting: From 1990 to 2000, 43 patients underwent subtotal laryngectomy. Prior to 1997 patients received ST only after surgery, while from 1997 on, patients scheduled for subtotal laryngectomy also received some sessions of ST before surgery.

Redox mechanisms in hepatic chronic wound healing and fibrogenesis.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated within cells or, more generally, in a tissue environment, may easily turn into a source of cell and tissue injury. Aerobic organisms have developed evolutionarily conserved mechanisms and strategies to carefully control the generation of ROS and other oxidative stress-related radical or non-radical reactive intermediates (that is, to maintain redox homeostasis), as well as to 'make use' of these molecules under physiological conditions as tools to modulate signal transduction, gene expression and cellular functional responses (that is, redox signalling). However, a derangement in redox homeostasis, resulting in sustained levels of oxidative stress and related mediators, can play a significant role in the pathogenesis of major human diseases characterized by chronic inflammation, chronic activation of wound healing and tissue fibrogenesis.

[Reconstruction of the inguinal ligament in recurrent inguinal hernia using the "three-sheet" technique].

Destruction of the groin ligament is an unusual occurrence, often of traumatic or surgical origin. In the event of recurrent inguinal hernia with a destroyed inguinal ligament, the reconstruction of the wall with the surgical techniques currently available yields prognostically unfavourable results with frequent recurrence in only a short space of time. The aim of this report was to present a hernioplasty technique using the "three-sheet" implant involving reduction of the hernia sac and the affixing of two reinforcement nets in Prolene in an attempt to reconstruct the destroyed groin ligament.