Use of ICD-9-CM coding for identifying antibiotic prescriptions during hospitalization: a Delphi consensus model.

A Delphi consensus-seeking procedure was conducted to validate a list of ICD-9-CM codes that could help identify hospital admissions in which antimicrobials are more likely to be prescribed. The panel agreed to include 2967 codes out of 16229 (18.28%).

Trigeminal neuralgia in multiple sclerosis: proposal of surgical flowchart and long-term outcome evaluation in a mono-istitutional cohort.

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a chronic pain syndrome more prevalent in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), often presenting with earlier onset and more intense pain compared to non-MS patients. The management of TN in MS is complex due to the interaction between demyelination and neurovascular factors.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 35 MS patients treated for TN with 65 procedures between 2010 and 2023 was conducted.

The Functional substrate in patients with atrial fibrillation is predictive of recurrences after catheter ablation.

Background: Enhanced characterization of the atrial electrical substrate may lead to better comprehension of atrial fibrillation (AF) pathophysiology.

Objective: With the use of high-density substrate mapping, we sought to investigate the occurrence of functional electrophysiological phenomena in the left atrium and to assess potential association with arrhythmia recurrences after catheter ablation.

Methods: Sixty-three consecutive patients with AF referred for ablation were enrolled.

Implementation of the Care Bundle for the Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with/without Heart Failure.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often part of a more complex cardiopulmonary disease, especially in older patients. The differential diagnosis of the acute exacerbation of COPD and/or heart failure (HF) in emergency settings is challenging due to their frequent coexistence and symptom overlap. Both conditions have a detrimental impact on each other's prognosis, leading to increased mortality rates.

The role of computational methods in cardiovascular medicine: a narrative review.

Background And Objective: Computational models of the cardiovascular system allow for a detailed and quantitative investigation of both physiological and pathological conditions, thanks to their ability to combine clinical-possibly patient-specific-data with physical knowledge of the processes underlying the heart function. These models have been increasingly employed in clinical practice to understand pathological mechanisms and their progression, design medical devices, support clinicians in improving therapies. Hinging upon a long-year experience in cardiovascular modeling, we have recently constructed a computational multi-physics and multi-scale integrated model of the heart for the investigation of its physiological function, the analysis of pathological conditions, and to support clinicians in both diagnosis and treatment planning.

Short-Term Outcomes after D2 Gastrectomy with Complete Mesogastric Excision in Patients with Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of High-Quality Studies.

Complete mesogastric excision (CME) has been advocated to allow for a more extensive retrieval of lymph nodes, as well as lowering loco-regional recurrence rates. This study aims to analyze the short-term outcomes of D2 radical gastrectomy with CME compared to standard D2 gastrectomy. A systematic review of the literature was conducted according to the Cochrane recommendations until 2 July 2023 (PROSPERO ID: CRD42023443361).

Edoxaban and/or colchicine in outpatients with COVID-19: rationale and design of the CONVINCE trial.

Background: An excessive inflammatory response and a hypercoagulable state are not infrequent in patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and are associated with adverse clinical outcomes. However, the optimal treatment strategy for COVID-19 patients managed in the out-of-hospital setting is still uncertain.

Design: The CONVINCE (NCT04516941) is an investigator-initiated, open-label, blinded-endpoint, 2 × 2 factorial design randomized trial aimed at assessing two independently tested hypotheses (anticoagulation and anti-inflammatory ones) in COVID-19 patients.

The impact of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor therapy on the pulmonary management of adults with cystic fibrosis: An expert-based Delphi consensus.

Background: The advent of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) resulted in unprecedented clinical benefits for eligible adults with CF. As a result, the question of whether chronic treatments can be safely stopped or adapted to this new situation has become a matter of great interest. Our objective was to derive a consensus among Italian experts on the impact of ETI on the current clinical management of CF lung disease.

Efficacy and Safety of Reparixin in Patients with Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study.

Introduction: Polymorphonuclear cell influx into the interstitial and bronchoalveolar spaces is a cardinal feature of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), principally mediated by interleukin-8 (IL-8). We sought to determine whether reparixin, a novel IL-8 pathway inhibitor, could reduce disease progression in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

Methods: In this Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study, hospitalized adult patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia were randomized 2:1 to receive oral reparixin 1200 mg three times daily or placebo for up to 21 days or until hospital discharge.

Epidemiology and drug susceptibility of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in Italy in 2016-2020.

Introduction: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are environmental mycobacteria which may cause pulmonary and extrapulmonary diseases. These organisms are difficult to treat due to their intrinsic drug-resistance. In Italy, no major nationwide study on NTM epidemiology and drug susceptibility was performed.

An in-vivo validation of ESI methods with focal sources.

Electrophysiological source imaging (ESI) aims at reconstructing the precise origin of brain activity from measurements of the electric field on the scalp. Across laboratories/research centers/hospitals, ESI is performed with different methods, partly due to the ill-posedness of the underlying mathematical problem. However, it is difficult to find systematic comparisons involving a wide variety of methods.

Caliber of the deep veins of the arm in infants and neonates: The VEEIN study (Vascular Echography Evaluation in Infants and Neonates).

Purpose: Ultrasound-guided peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are increasingly used in children, though their insertion may be limited by the small caliber of the deep veins of the arm. Previous studies have suggested to use age or weight as a guide to the feasibility of PICC insertion. We have planned an observational study with the purpose of identifying the actual feasibility of PICC insertion based on the ultrasound evaluation of the deep veins of the arm in groups of children of different weight range.

Biochemical but not imaging parameters are predictive of outcome in septic shock: a pilot study.

Background: Septic shock is a severe form of sepsis marked by hypotension with an ominous outcome despite the introduction of modern intensive care. The aim of the present study is to obtain a panel with biomarkers, echocardiographic and vascular parameters to better risk stratify patients and identify those at higher risk of ominous outcome.

Methods: Between May 2013 and April 2016, 35 consecutive patients admitted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of ASST Great Metropolitan Hospital Niguarda with the diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock were enrolled.

Hepatitis delta coinfection in persons with HIV: misdiagnosis and disease burden in Italy.

Hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) causes severe liver disease. Due to similarities in transmission routes, persons living with HIV (PLWH) are at risk of HDV infection. This analysis investigates the prevalence and the long-term clinical outcome of people with HDV in a large cohort of PLWH.