Efficacy of albumin use in decompensated cirrhosis and real-world adoption in Australia.

The current treatment approach to patients with liver cirrhosis relies on the individual management of complications. Consequently, there is an unmet need for an overall therapeutic strategy for primary and secondary prevention of complications. The clinical potential of long-term albumin infusions supported by recent clinical trials has expanded its indications and holds promise to transform the management and secondary prevention of cirrhosis-related complications.

Effects of COVID-19-targeted non-pharmaceutical interventions on pediatric emergency department use: a quasi-experimental study interrupted time-series analysis in North Italian hospitals, 2017 to 2022.

Background: The use of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) during the COVID-19 pandemic is debated. Understanding the consequences these measures may have on vulnerable populations including children and adolescents is important.

Methods: This is a multicenter, quasi-experimental before-after study involving 12 hospitals of the North Italian Emilia-Romagna Region, with NPI implementation as the intervention event.

The Role of Microbes in Surgical Decision Making for Infective Endocarditis: Mitral Valve Repair or Replacement?

Background: The benefits of mitral repair versus replacement for endocarditis are inconclusive. This study compares outcomes of patients with infective endocarditis undergoing mitral valve repair versus replacement and investigates the impact of microbial etiology.

Methods: All 251 patients undergoing mitral valve surgery for active endocarditis between 2010 and 2023 were enrolled, 180 (71.

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Mucosal Healing With Vedolizumab in Patients With Chronic Pouchitis: EARNEST, a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Background & Aims: Vedolizumab is indicated for the treatment of chronic pouchitis in the European Union. We assessed whether vedolizumab induced mucosal healing (MH) and if MH was associated with clinical improvements.

Methods: EARNEST, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, evaluated vedolizumab efficacy and safety in adults with chronic pouchitis.

Effect of Aging on Long-Term Functional Outcomes After Open Partial Laryngectomy.

Objective: Open partial horizontal laryngectomies (OPHLs) represent a comparable alternative to total laryngectomy and nonsurgical protocols in selected cases. While short-term functional outcomes of OPHLs have been widely investigated, few have focused on the effect of aging on residual laryngeal structures.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Digital Transformation in Thoracic Surgery: a survey among the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

Objectives: Digital transformation has drastically changed the surgical sector, but few is known about its impact on thoracic surgical practice. The aim of this paper is to report the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) survey results, assessing the impact of and the need for Digital Transformation in Thoracic Surgery.

Methods: A 23-item survey was designed by the ESTS Digital Transformation Working Group to assess the impact of and the need for Digital Transformation in Thoracic Surgery.

Clinical impact of multimodality assessment of myocardial viability.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a prevalent cause of left ventricular dysfunction. Nevertheless, effective elective revascularization, particularly surgical revascularization, can enhance long-term outcomes and, in selected cases, global left ventricular contractility. The assessment of myocardial viability and scars is still relevant in guiding treatment decisions and selecting patients who are likely to benefit most from blood flow restoration.

A robust clustering strategy for stratification unveils unique patient subgroups in acutely decompensated cirrhosis.

Background: Patient heterogeneity poses significant challenges for managing individuals and designing clinical trials, especially in complex diseases. Existing classifications rely on outcome-predicting scores, potentially overlooking crucial elements contributing to heterogeneity without necessarily impacting prognosis.

Methods: To address patient heterogeneity, we developed ClustALL, a computational pipeline that simultaneously faces diverse clinical data challenges like mixed types, missing values, and collinearity.

Personalizing Prophylactic Radiotherapy for Hip Heterotopic Ossification: An AMSTAR-2 Compliant Review of Meta-analyses.

Background/aim: Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a common complication following total hip arthroplasty. Various prophylactic treatments have been proposed, including radiotherapy (RT). This review summarizes the evidence from meta-analyses on the efficacy of RT in preventing hip HO.

Immunotherapy and stereotactic body radiotherapy for older patients with non-metastatic renal cancer unfit for surgery or decline nephrectomy: practical proposal by the International Geriatric Radiotherapy Group.

The standard of care for non-metastatic renal cancer is surgical resection followed by adjuvant therapy for those at high risk for recurrences. However, for older patients, surgery may not be an option due to the high risk of complications which may result in death. In the past renal cancer was considered to be radio-resistant, and required a higher dose of radiation leading to excessive complications secondary to damage of the normal organs surrounding the cancer.

Endovascular thrombectomy versus intravenous thrombolysis for primary distal, medium vessel occlusion in acute ischemic stroke.

Introduction: In the absence of clinical trials, the benefit of endovascular therapy (EVT) on the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with primary distal and medium vessel occlusions (DMVO) is still not well defined. The aim of the study is to evaluate EVT with or without intravenous thrombolysis (EVT ± IVT) in primary DMVO stroke in comparison with a control cohort treated with IVT alone.

Methods: We analysed all consecutive AIS with proven primary DMVO.

Targeting subclinical ventricular dysfunction in atrial fibrillation: What can myocardial work add?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) could impact on left ventricular function leading to a sublinical myocardial dysfunction, as identified by myocardial work parameters in a population-based cohort of AF patients compared with healthy individuals; factors associated with these parameters are also shown. SBP: systolic blood pressure; LAVI: left atrial volume index.

Effects of COVID-19-targeted non-pharmaceutical interventions on pediatric hospital admissions in North Italian hospitals, 2017 to 2022: a quasi-experimental study interrupted time-series analysis.

Background: The use of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs), such as lockdowns, social distancing and school closures, against the COVID-19 epidemic is debated, particularly for the possible negative effects on vulnerable populations, including children and adolescents. This study therefore aimed to quantify the impact of NPIs on the trend of pediatric hospitalizations during 2 years of pandemic compared to the previous 3 years, also considering two pandemic phases according to the type of adopted NPIs.

Methods: This is a multicenter, quasi-experimental before-after study conducted in 12 hospitals of the Emilia-Romagna Region, Northern Italy, with NPI implementation as the intervention event.

Cardiovascular Disease from Pathophysiology to Risk Estimation: Is Inflammation Estimated through Perivascular Attenuation on Computed Tomography the Key?

(1) Background: Systemic inflammation stands as a well-established risk factor for ischemic cardiovascular disease, as well as a contributing factor in the development of cardiac arrhythmias, notably atrial fibrillation. Furthermore, scientific studies have brought to light the pivotal role of localized vascular inflammation in the initiation, progression, and destabilization of coronary atherosclerotic disease. (2) Methods: We comprehensively review recent, yet robust, scientific evidence elucidating the use of perivascular adipose tissue attenuation measurement on computed tomography applied to key anatomical sites.

The Prevention of House Dust Mite Allergies in Pediatric Asthma.

This review provides a concise overview of preventive measures against dust mite allergies in pediatric populations, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive and evolving approach. Dust mites, ubiquitous microscopic arachnids, pose a significant threat to children's health, triggering allergies and asthma. Traditional preventive strategies such as regular cleaning, mattress covers, and humidity control are essential but warrant refinement.

Experts' view on the role of oestrogens in combined oral contraceptives: emphasis on oestetrol (E4).

Introduction: The evolution of contraception has been crucial for public health and reproductive well-being. Over the past 60 years, combined oral contraceptives (COCs) have remained an important part of the contraceptive landscape worldwide; continued development has worked toward maintaining efficacy and improving safety.

Methods: Seven global experts convened to discuss the clinical relevance of the oestrogen in COCs, focusing on the impact of the new oestrogen, oestetrol (E4).

CD137 and regulatory T cells as independent prognostic factors of survival in advanced non-oncogene addicted NSCLC patients treated with immunotherapy as first-line.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), administered alone or combined with chemotherapy, are the standard of care in advanced non-oncogene addicted Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Despite these treatments' success, most long-term survival benefit is restricted to approximately 20% of patients, highlighting the need to identify novel biomarkers to optimize treatment strategies. In several solid tumors, immune soluble factors, the activatory CD137 Tcells, and the immunosuppressive cell subsets Tregs and MDSCs (PMN(Lox1)-MDSC and M-MDSCs) correlated with responses to ICIs and clinical outcomes thus becoming appealing predictive and prognostic factors.