Relationship between noise levels and intensive care patients' clinical complexity: An observational simulation study.

Background: Noise pollution in intensive care units is a relevant problem, associated with psychological and physiological consequences for patients and healthcare staff. Sources of noise pollution include medical equipment, alarms, communication tools, staff activities, and conversations.

Aims: To explore the cumulative effects of noise caused by an increasing number and type of medical devices in an intensive care setting on simulated patients with increasing clinical complexity.

Effects of Dietary Sodium and Protein Intake on Glomerular Filtration Rate in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes Treated with Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors.

Background: Approximately one-fourth of patients treated with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) experience an acute estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) reduction of more than 10% ("dippers"). High sodium and protein intake can increase intraglomerular pressure and predispose to a decline in renal function. We investigated whether measured creatinine clearance (CrCl) is a sensitive enough method to detect the initial dip of GFR and if dietary sodium and protein intake might influence the extent of the early change in GFR.

Low intensity shockwave therapy in combination with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors is an effective and safe treatment option in patients with vasculogenic ED who are PDE5i non-responders: a multicenter single-arm clinical trial.

Low-intensity shockwave therapy (Li-ESWT) has been shown to be an effective and safe treatment for vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (ED). We aim to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of LiESWT in treating patients affected from vasculogenic ED who did not respond to oral treatment with Phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5-i). It is a multicentric open-label prospective study, in a cohort of patients non-responders to PDE-5i.

Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions in 100 patients hospitalized for COVID-19: sex differences and recovery time in real-life.

Purpose: COVID-19 displays a variety of clinical manifestations; in pauci-symptomatic patients olfactory (OD) and gustatory dysfunctions (GD) may represent the first or only symptom. This topic is currently arousing great interest, and a growing number of papers are being published. Aim of this study is to investigate the timing of recovery from OD and GD in a real-life population hospitalized for COVID-19.

Comparing the Italian and North American prospective registries on penile prosthesis surgery: are there relevant differences in treatment indications and patients' management?

Previous studies have shown discrepancies among countries in terms of treatment indications and patients' management due to different health care policies. Penile prosthesis implantation (PPI) is a highly effective treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), which may have different accessibility according to the type of health system. We compared clinical characteristics of patients included in two national registries on PPI to investigate the influence of different health care systems on treatment indication and accessibility.

The intra-meatal application of alprostadil cream (Vitaros®) improves drug efficacy and patient's satisfaction: results from a randomized, two-administration route, cross-over clinical trial.

To investigate the efficacy, tolerability, and patient's preference of alprostadil cream for topical use administered within the urethral meatus versus the standard administration route, in erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment. Seventy-one patients (mean age 59.7 ± 9.

Improving Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agent Hyporesponsiveness in Hemodialysis Patients: The Role of Hepcidin and Hemodiafiltration Online.

Hyporesponsiveness to erythropoietin stimulating agents (ESAs) is a condition associated with increased mortality. Even after identifying the condition, the causes are difficult to treat and only partially reversible in end-stage renal disease patients. Thus, the role of more recent hemodialysis (HD) techniques in improving such conditions is an emerging issue.

Decreased usage and increased effectiveness of percutaneous coronary intervention in complex older patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Background: Application of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is suboptimal in older frail individuals. This study was conducted to verify if background risk is a risk factor for underuse and diminished effectiveness of PCI in older patients.

Methods: An observational cohort study was conducted using data from the Acute Myocardial Infarction in Florence 2 registry, including all ACS hospitalised in 1 year in the area of Florence, Italy.

Physical injuries caused by a transient loss of consciousness: main clinical characteristics of patients and diagnostic contribution of carotid sinus massage.

Aims: To evaluate the prevalence and the characteristics of secondary trauma among patients referred to the emergency department (ED) for a transient loss of consciousness (TLOC).

Methods And Results: Over a 24 months period, all the patients referred to our ED for a TLOC were evaluated according to the ESC Guidelines on Syncope and enrolled in the study. Among 1253 consecutive patients with TLOC (1114 with a true syncope and 139 with a non-syncopal condition) 365 (29.

Hospital admission of patients referred to the Emergency Department for syncope: a single-hospital prospective study based on the application of the European Society of Cardiology Guidelines on syncope.

Aims: To evaluate the applicability and the clinical impact of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines' recommendations for hospital admission of patients with syncope in a District Hospital Emergency Department (ED).

Methods And Results: From September 2002 to August 2004, 1124 patients with syncope [out of 1308 with transient loss of consciousness (TLC)] were evaluated according to the ESC Guidelines. Overall, 566 patients with syncope (50.