Inappropriate Underdosing of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Atrial Fibrillation Patients: Results from the START2-AF Registry.

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are recommended for stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients. We aimed to describe the prevalence of inappropriate DOACs dose prescription in the START2-AF Registry, the outcomes according to the appropriateness of the dosage, and the factors associated with inappropriate dose prescription. Patients' demographics and clinical data were prospectively collected as electronic files in an anonymous form on the website of the START2-Registry; DOACs dosage was determined to be appropriate when prescribed according to the European Heart Rhythm Association Guidelines.

Browning of Adipocytes: A Potential Therapeutic Approach to Obesity.

The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity suggests that current strategies based on diet, exercise, and pharmacological knowledge are not sufficient to tackle this epidemic. Obesity results from a high caloric intake and energy storage, the latter by white adipose tissue (WAT), and when neither are counterbalanced by an equally high energy expenditure. As a matter of fact, current research is focused on developing new strategies to increase energy expenditure.

When time is brain: a systematic review about Wernicke encephalopathy as a dramatic consequence of thiamin deficiency in hyperemesis gravidarum.

Unlabelled: Nausea and vomiting affect up to 80% of all pregnancies, sometimes so severely that the condition of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is established. HG may in addition be a predisposing factor for Wernicke encephalopathy (WE), a severe and life-threatening condition due to vitamin B1 (thiamin) deficiency. If untreated, WE may progress to Korsakoff's syndrome, an irreversible cognitive disorder.

Perinatal outcome of monochorionic triamniotic triplet pregnancy: multicenter cohort study.

Objective: Monochorionic (MC) triplet pregnancies are extremely rare and information on these pregnancies and their complications is limited. We aimed to investigate the risk of early and late pregnancy complications, perinatal outcome and the timing and methods of fetal intervention in these pregnancies.

Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study of MC triamniotic (TA) triplet pregnancies managed in 21 participating centers around the world from 2007 onwards.

Phase III MANIFEST-2: pelabresib + ruxolitinib vs placebo + ruxolitinib in JAK inhibitor treatment-naive myelofibrosis.

Myelofibrosis (MF) is a clonal myeloproliferative neoplasm, typically associated with disease-related symptoms, splenomegaly, cytopenias and bone marrow fibrosis. Patients experience a significant symptom burden and a reduced life expectancy. Patients with MF receive ruxolitinib as the current standard of care, but the depth and durability of responses and the percentage of patients achieving clinical outcome measures are limited; thus, a significant unmet medical need exists.

Sonography of fetal holoprosencephaly: a guide to recognize the lesser varieties.

Background: Alobar holoprosencephaly (HPE) is easily detected during a first-trimester screening examination, conversely, recognizing the lesser varieties may be difficult even in the second trimester.

Objectives: To describe the imaging findings of a cohort of fetuses with holoprosencephaly (HPE) and to elucidate the appearances of the different anatomical varieties.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed medical records and stored images of pregnant women referred to our clinic because of a diagnosis or the suspicion of various forms of HPE.

Plasma and amniotic fluid concentrations of nitric oxide: Effects on uterine artery and placental vasculature in women who underwent voluntary pregnancy termination and in women with missed and threatened abortion. A pilot study.

Objectives: First trimester miscarriage is a multifactorial event. Various angiogenic factors have been proposed as possible early markers of non-viable pregnancies. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the systemic nitric oxide (NO) production in healthy early pregnancy and its possible role in first trimester miscarriage.

Meningioma during pregnancy: what can influence the management? A case series and review of the literature.

Meningioma is a benign tumor, more frequent in female population. During pregnancy, distinguishing a meningioma from other common conditions presenting with similar symptoms (headache, vomiting, visual impairment) is challenging. Moreover, the management must consider not only maternal but also fetal health.

The correlation between transperineal ultrasound assessment of the levator ani muscle and postpartum urinary incontinence.

Aims: The primary aim of the present study was to assess the association between levator ani muscle (LAM) integrity and function on the one hand, and the risk of urinary incontinence (UI) on the other. A secondary objective was to assess the association between fundal pressure in the second stage of labor (Kristeller maneuver) and the risk of postpartum UI.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, women underwent a clinical and transperineal ultrasound examination at rest, at pelvic floor muscle contraction (PFMC), and at Valsalva maneuver 3-6 months after their first vaginal delivery.

The usefulness of ultrasound before induction of labor.

The indications for induction of labor have been consistently on the rise. These indications are mainly medical (maternal or fetal) or social or related to convenience or maternal preferences. With the increase in the prevalence of these indications, the incidence rates of induction of labor are expected to rise continuously.

Prenatal sonography of the foramen ovale predicts urgent balloon atrial septostomy in neonates with complete transposition of the great arteries.

Background: Hypoxia caused by inadequate intracardiac mixing owing to a restrictive foramen ovale is a potentially life-threatening complication in neonates with dextro-transposition of the great arteries. An urgent balloon atrial septostomy is a procedure of choice in such cases, but dependent on the availability of a 24-hour interventional cardiology facility. The prenatal identification of predictors for an urgent balloon atrial septostomy at birth would help in optimizing the management of these neonates, minimizing the risk of hypoxic damage.

Fetal speckle-tracking echocardiography: a comparison between two-dimensional and electronic spatio-temporal image correlation (e-STIC) technique.

Background: Speckle tracking technology has been applied to assess ventricular deformation throughout the cardiac cycle. An electronic four dimensional probe that allows rapid acquisition of electronic spatio-temporal image correlation volumes (eSTIC) has been recently introduced.

Objectives: The aim of our study was to investigate whether e-STIC acquisition improves deformation analyses reproducibility.

Maternal hemodynamic assessment by USCOM device in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Background: Preeclampsia is a main obstetric disease and could be caused by the inability of the woman hemodynamic system to face the cardiovascular effort required by gestation.

Objective: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the correlation between maternal hemodynamic parameters detected by UltraSonic Cardiac Output Monitor (USCOM) and ultrasound or biochemical parameters in women during the first-trimester screening of chromosomal abnormalities.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study with 162 women enrolled during the first-trimester ultrasound, recording demographic, biochemical and ultrasound data, including the pulsatility index of uterine arteries (UTPI).