COVID-19 clinical phenotypes and short-term outcomes: differences between the first and the second wave of pandemic in Italy.

There are no comparative studies between patients belonging to the first and second waves of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the virus triggering coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this retrospective observational study, we analyzed the clinical characteristics and the short-term outcomes of two groups of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients with moderate-to-severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) belonging to two different waves of the pandemic.  We analyzed 97 consecutive patients from 11 March 2020 to 31 May 2020 and 52 consecutive patients from 28 August 2020 to 15 October 2020.

Patient radiation dose in percutaneous biliary interventions: recommendations for DRLs on the basis of a multicentre study.

Objective: Percutaneous biliary interventions (PBIs) can be associated with a high patient radiation dose, which can be reduced when national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) are kept in mind. The aim of this multicentre study was to investigate patient radiation exposure in different percutaneous biliary interventions, in order to recommend national DRLs.

Methods: A questionnaire asking for the dose area product (DAP) and the fluoroscopy time (FT) in different PBIs with ultrasound- or fluoroscopy-guided bile duct punctures was sent to 200 advanced care hospitals.

PillCamColon2 after incomplete colonoscopy - A prospective multicenter study.

Aim: To evaluate the ability of PillCamColon2 to visualize colonic segments missed by incomplete optical colonoscopy (OC) and to assess the diagnostic yield.

Methods: This prospective multicentre study included 81 patients from nine centres who underwent second-generation colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) following incomplete OC performed by an experienced gastroenterologist (> 1000 colonoscopies). Patients with stenosis were excluded.

Thrombin may modulate dendritic cell activation in kidney transplant recipients with delayed graft function.

Background: Coagulation and complement activation represent key events in ischaemia-reperfusion-induced renal injury leading to delayed graft function (DGF). It is still unclear whether the coagulation cascade may also influence the acquired immunity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1), the main thrombin receptor, by graft-infiltrating dendritic cells (DCs), and to evaluate whether thrombin may influence DCs complement production and T-cell response.

S3 guideline for chronic pancreatitis - diagnosis, classification and therapy for the radiologist.

Unlabelled: Chronic pancreatitis shows an increasing prevalence and incidence mainly in the Western Hemisphere. Early diagnosis and therapy are frequently delayed because of non-specific symptoms as well as non-specific blood values. The German Society of Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS) organized the preparation and publication of an interdisciplinary S3 level guideline with the support of the German Radiological Society (DRG) as 1 of 11 contributing societies.

Bone mineral density in human immunodeficiency virus-1 infected men with hypogonadism prior to highly-active-antiretroviral-therapy (HAART).

Alterations of bone metabolism have been observed in numerous studies of HIV-infected patients. Sex steroids are known to profoundly influence bone mass and bone turnover. Hypogonadism is common in HIV-infection.

Growth hormone and bone mineral densitiy in HIV-1-infected male subjects.

The aim of this study was to characterize the GH-IGF-I axis of patients with HIV-1-infection without any symptoms of AIDS-associated wasting. A special emphasis was placed on determine bone mineral density (BMD) and biochemical markers of bone metabolism. Therefore 42 male fasting HIV-1-infected outpatients were included and estimation of serum GH, IGF-I, IGFBP-1 and 3, osteocalcin, TNF-alpha, 1,25dihydroxycholecalciferol, and endocrine markers of the gonad function by commercially available RIA's performed.

Alterations of vitamin D3 metabolism in young women with various grades of chronic pancreatitis.

Background: There are still too few conclusive reports about conspicuous vitamin D-deficiency in young female patients with chronic pancreatitis, or any connection of the deficiency to the severity of the disease. Therefore the aim of this study was to examine marker of vitamin D3 metabolism in female patients with episode of biliary pancreatitis to determine if increased severity of the disease would correlate with impaired vitamin D3 metabolism.

Methods: Between 1996 and 2003, we investigated 53 premenopausal patients with an average age of approximately 33 years suffering from an episode of chronic pancreatitis, as well as 30 female healthy controls with an average age of 32.

Atypical, cytoplasmic and perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Atypical, cytoplasmic and perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (x-, c- and pANCA, respectively) are associated with a variety of inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies are more common in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) than in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Most publications only refer to p- and cANCA in relation to IBD.

Reversible delirium in terminally ill patients.

Delirium is reported to be a common problem in terminally ill patients. The poor prognosis given to these patients may result in the failure to recognize the causes that are easily treated and may be reversible. We present four patients in whom a comprehensive assessment revealed a number of reversible causes of delirium, resulting in a treatment approach that significantly improved the patients' cognition and quality of life.

Endoscopic injection therapy of Forrest II and III gastroduodenal ulcers guided by endoscopic Doppler ultrasound.

Endoscopic Doppler ultrasound enables the reliable identification of vessels in the base of gastroduodenal ulcers. In a prospective study including 114 patients with acute ulcer bleeding, pulsed Doppler ultrasound was able to demonstrate superficial blood vessels in the ulcer base in 62% of 106 cases where complete Doppler assessment was possible (93%). Agreement between the endoscopic pattern of visible vessels and the Doppler ultrasound findings was attained in only 52% of the cases.

The endoscopic Doppler: its value in evaluating gastroduodenal ulcers after hemorrhage and as an instrument of control of endoscopic injection therapy.

In this prospective study of 80 patients with active bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract a Doppler ultrasonographic investigation of the gastroduodenal ulcers was performed, in addition to immediate endoscopic examination. Admitted to this study were ulcers with the stigmata of acute bleeding, such as a visible blood vessel in the ulcer floor, a blood clot, or a black base and Forrest III lesions. In 52 patients Doppler ultrasonography was able to document unequivocally a superficial blood vessel.