Organization and Activity of Italian Echocardiographic Laboratories: A Survey of the Italian Society of Echocardiography and Cardiovascular Imaging.

Background: The Italian Society of Echocardiography and Cardiovascular Imaging (SIECVI) conducted a national survey to understand better how different echocardiographic modalities are used and accessed in Italy.

Methods: We analyzed echocardiography laboratory activities over a month (November 2022). Data were retrieved via an electronic survey based on a structured questionnaire, uploaded on the SIECVI website.

Gait asymmetry in stroke patients with unilateral spatial neglect.

The recovery of independent gait represents one of the main functional goals of the rehabilitative interventions after stroke but it can be hindered by the presence of unilateral spatial neglect (USN). The aim of the paper is to study if the presence of USN in stroke patients affects lower limb gait parameters between the two body sides, differently from what could be expected by the motor impairment alone, and to explore whether USN is associated to specific gait asymmetry. Thirty-five stroke patients (right or left lesion and ischemic or hemorrhagic etiology) who regained independent gait were assessed for global cognitive functioning and USN.

Breath-holding as a novel approach to risk stratification in COVID-19.

Background: Despite considerable progress, it remains unclear why some patients admitted for COVID-19 develop adverse outcomes while others recover spontaneously. Clues may lie with the predisposition to hypoxemia or unexpected absence of dyspnea ('silent hypoxemia') in some patients who later develop respiratory failure. Using a recently-validated breath-holding technique, we sought to test the hypothesis that gas exchange and ventilatory control deficits observed at admission are associated with subsequent adverse COVID-19 outcomes (composite primary outcome: non-invasive ventilatory support, intensive care admission, or death).

Tuberculosis, social determinants and co-morbidities (including HIV).

The risk of exposure, progression to active tuberculosis (TB) and then to cure is a process affected by several risk factors. Along with well known risk factors such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), use of immunosuppressive drugs and being of young age, emerging risk factors such socio-economic and behavioral aspects play a significant role in increasing the susceptibility to infection, and unsuccessful treatment outcomes. This paper summarizes the effects of these socio-economic determinants and co-morbidities (including HIV) on TB infection and disease.

Combined Use of Delamanid and Bedaquiline to Treat Multidrug-Resistant and Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis: A Systematic Review.

The new drugs delamanid and bedaquiline are increasingly being used to treat multidrug-resistant (MDR-) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB). The World Health Organization, based on lack of evidence, recommends their use under specific conditions and not in combination. No systematic review has yet evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of delamanid and bedaquiline used in combination.

Diabetes is Associated with Severe Adverse Events in Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM), a very common disease in Mexico, is a well-known risk factor for tuberculosis (TB). However, it is not known by which extent DM predisposes to adverse events (AE) to anti-TB drugs and/or to worse outcomes in patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB). The main objective of this study was to describe the outcomes of TB treatment, the impact of DM and the prevalence of AE in a cohort of patients with MDR-/XDR pulmonary TB treated at the national TB referral centre in Mexico City.

Performance of a lateral flow immunochromatography test for the rapid diagnosis of active tuberculosis in a large multicentre study in areas with different clinical settings and tuberculosis exposure levels.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) continues to cause an outsized burden of morbidity and mortality worldwide, still missing efficient and largely accessible diagnostic tools determining an appropriate control of the disease. Serological tests have the potentially to impact TB diagnosis, in particular in extreme clinical settings.

Methods: The diagnostic performances of the TB-XT HEMA EXPRESS (HEMA-EXPRESS) immunochromatographic rapid test for active TB diagnosis, based on use of multiple (MTB) specific antigens, have been evaluated in a large study multicentre TB case-finding study, in populations with different exposure level to TB.

Comparison of bacteriological conversion and treatment outcomes among MDR-TB patients with and without diabetes in Mexico: Preliminary data.

Unlabelled: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a well-known risk factor for tuberculosis (TB). However, it is not known to what extent DM affects the outcome in patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) treated with second-line anti-TB drugs. The objective of this study was to compare the microbiological evolution (sputum smear and culture conversion) and final outcomes of MDR/XDR-TB patients with and without DM, managed at the national TB reference centre in Mexico City.

Shifting from tuberculosis control to elimination: Where are we? What are the variables and limitations? Is it achievable?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a priority in terms of incidence and mortality, with about 10.4 million new incident cases and 1.8 million deaths in 2015.

Crossborder travel and multidrugresistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) in Europe.

The number of international migrants worldwide has continued to grow rapidly over the past fifteen years and the trend is expected to continue, making the health matters associated with migration a crucial public health challenges faced by governments and societies. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is a paradigm of transmissible diseases that do not respect borders and poses a multifaceted and complex challenge on migrant health. The guiding principles for the health response are the respect of equity and human rights as well as the accurate analysis of epidemiological trends and determinants of TB in migrants.

European policies in the management of tuberculosis among migrants.

Globally 10.4 million new tuberculosis (TB) incident cases were estimated to have occurred in 2015, of which 3% were reported in the World Health Organization European Region. Importantly, about 25% of the global multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases are reported in the European Region, representing one of the greatest challenges to TB control; these are reported particularly in the countries of the Former Soviet Union.

Applicability of the shorter 'Bangladesh regimen' in high multidrug-resistant tuberculosis settings.

In spite of the recent introduction of two new drugs (delamanid and bedaquiline) and a few repurposed compounds to treat multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR- and XDR-TB), clinicians are facing increasing problems in designing effective regimens in severe cases. Recently a 9 to 12-month regimen (known as the 'Bangladesh regimen') proved to be effective in treating MDR-TB cases. It included an initial phase of 4 to 6 months of kanamycin, moxifloxacin, prothionamide, clofazimine, pyrazinamide, high-dose isoniazid, and ethambutol, followed by 5 months of moxifloxacin, clofazimine, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol.

Recent developments in the diagnosis and management of tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health issue worldwide, with ~9.6 million new incident cases and 1.5 million deaths in 2014.

Epidemiology of CKD Regression in Patients under Nephrology Care.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) regression is considered as an infrequent renal outcome, limited to early stages, and associated with higher mortality. However, prevalence, prognosis and the clinical correlates of CKD regression remain undefined in the setting of nephrology care. This is a multicenter prospective study in 1418 patients with established CKD (eGFR: 60-15 ml/min/1.