A streamlined pathway for transcatheter aortic valve implantation: the BENCHMARK study.

Background And Aims: There is significant potential to streamline the clinical pathway for patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of implementing BENCHMARK best practices on the efficiency and safety of TAVI in 28 sites in 7 European countries.

Methods: This was a study of patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing TAVI with balloon-expandable valves before and after implementation of BENCHMARK best practices.

Sentinel node mapping in high-intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer: Analysis of 5-year oncologic outcomes.

Objective: To assess 5-year oncologic outcomes of apparent early-stage high-intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer undergoing sentinel node mapping versus systematic lymphadenectomy.

Methods: This is a multi-institutional retrospective, propensity-matched study evaluating data of high-intermediate and high-risk endometrial cancer (according to ESGO/ESTRO/ESP guidelines) undergoing sentinel node mapping versus systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy (with and without para-aortic lymphadenectomy). Survival outcomes were assessed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard methods.

Confocal Assessment of Pigmented-Mucosal Lesions: A Monocentric, Retrospective Evaluation of Lip and Genital Area.

Introduction: Pigmentation of lip and/or genitalia is mainly due to the development of benign melanotic macules, with a less occurrence of melanocytic and other non-melanocytic lesions. Mucosal melanoma has worse prognosis compared with cutaneous counterpart, hence identification of atypical features for an early diagnosis is crucial.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to report further data of confocal features characterizing pigmented mucosal lesions of genital area and of the lips and test the diagnostic role of the reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM)lip score.

Distribution of the hexanucleotide repeat expansion in healthy subjects: a multicenter study promoted by the Italian IRCCS network of neuroscience and neurorehabilitation.

Introduction: High repeat expansion (HRE) alleles in have been linked to both amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD); ranges for intermediate allelic expansions have not been defined yet, and clinical interpretation of molecular data lacks a defined genotype-phenotype association. In this study, we provide results from a large multicenter epidemiological study reporting the distribution of repeats in healthy elderly from the Italian population.

Methods: A total of 967 samples were collected from neurologically evaluated healthy individuals over 70 years of age in the 13 institutes participating in the RIN (IRCCS Network of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation) based in Italy.

Audiovestibular Findings in Patients with Concurrent Superior Canal Dehiscence and Vestibular Schwannoma.

Objective: To describe the clinical-instrumental findings in case of concurrent superior canal dehiscence (SCD) and ipsilateral vestibular schwannoma (VS), aiming to highlight the importance of an extensive instrumental assessment to achieve a correct diagnosis.

Study Design: Retrospective case review.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

Drug survival of IL-12/23, IL-17 and IL-23 inhibitors for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: a retrospective multicenter real-world experience on 5932 treatment courses - IL PSO (Italian landscape psoriasis).

Introduction: The development of several effective biological drugs for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis has dramatically changed the lives of patients. Despite the wide use of interleukin (IL) inhibitors, limited data are available to date regarding long-term treatment persistence.

Method: This multicenter retrospective real-world study evaluated 5932 treatment courses across 5300 patients, all treated with interleukin inhibitors.

Effectiveness, Tolerability, and Drug Survival of Risankizumab in a Real-World Setting: A Three-Year Retrospective Multicenter Study-IL PSO (ITALIAN LANDSCAPE PSORIASIS).

Background: Risankizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively inhibits interleukin-23. It has been approved for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and has shown efficacy and safety in clinical trials and real-world experiences. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness, safety, and drug survival of risankizumab in a real-life setting.

Long-term Effects of Kidney Transplantation Compared With Dialysis on Intima-media Thickness in Children-Results From the 4C-T Study.

Background: Children requiring kidney replacement therapy experience high burden of cardiovascular (CV) disease leading to increased mortality. Intima-media thickness (IMT) indicating atherosclerosis is a validated surrogate marker for future CV events.

Methods: We investigated the effect of different treatment modalities (dialysis, preemptive kidney transplantation (KTx), late KTx after dialysis) on IMT by multivariable linear mixed-effect modeling.

Ophthalmic and Systemic Factors of Acute Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy in the Quark207 Treatment Trial.

Purpose: We describe the baseline ophthalmic and cardiovascular risk factors across countries, race, and sex for the Quark207 treatment trial for acute nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).

Design: Prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial.

Participants: Adults 50 to 80 years of age with acute NAION recruited from 80 sites across 8 countries.

Understanding Barriers Impacting upon Patient Wellbeing: A Nationwide Italian Survey and Expert Opinion of Dermatologists Treating Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis.

A nationwide cross-sectional online survey was administered to dermatologists managing patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis across Italy to obtain real-world dermatologists' perspectives on the impact of psoriasis and its treatment on patients' daily lives and quality of life (QoL). A total of 91 dermatologists (aged 39.1 ± 11.

Thirteen-gene DNA methylation analysis of oral brushing samples: A potential surveillance tool for periodic monitoring of treated patients with oral cancer.

Background: We evaluated the prognostic role of 13-gene DNA methylation analysis by oral brushing repeatedly performed during the follow-up of patients surgically treated for oral cancer.

Methods: This is a nested case-control study including 61 patients for a total of 64 outcomes (2/61 patients experienced multiple relapses). Samples were collected at baseline (4-10 months after OSCC resection) and repeatedly every 4-10 months until relapse or death.

Machine-learning prediction of treatment response to stereotactic body radiation therapy in oligometastatic gynecological cancer: A multi-institutional study.

Background And Purpose: We aimed to develop and validate different machine-learning (ML) prediction models for the complete response of oligometastatic gynecological cancer after SBRT.

Material And Methods: One hundred fifty-seven patients with 272 lesions from 14 different institutions and treated with SBRT with radical intent were included. Thirteen datasets including 222 lesions were combined for model training and internal validation purposes, with an 80:20 ratio.

Detection of Cleaved Stx2a in the Blood of STEC-Infected Patients.

Typical hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is mainly caused by Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) releasing Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2). Two different structures of this AB5 toxin have been described: uncleaved, with intact B and A chains, and cleaved, with intact B and a nicked A chain consisting of two fragments, A1 and A2, connected by a disulfide bond. Despite having the same toxic effect on sensitive cells, the two forms differ in their binding properties for circulating cells, serum components and complement factors, thus contributing to the pathogenesis of HUS differently.

The interaction of patients' physical status and time to endoscopy on mortality risk in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding: A national prospective cohort study.

Background And Aim: The correct time to perform an upper endoscopy is decisive in acutely GI bleeding patients. However, patients' physical status may affect mortality. We speculated that the physical status and procedural time could be the principal factors accountable for death-risk.

Echocardiographic functional determinants of survival in heart failure with abnormal ejection fraction.

Background And Aims: Patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) have a heterogeneous prognosis, and assessment of coronary physiology with coronary flow velocity (CFV) and coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) may complement established predictors based on wall motion and EF.

Methods And Results: In a prospective multicenter study design, we enrolled 1,408 HF patients (age 66 ± 12 years, 1,035 men), with EF <50%, 743 (53%) with coronary artery disease, and 665 (47%) with normal coronary arteries. Recruitment (years 2004-2022) involved 8 accredited laboratories, with inter-observer variability <10% for CFV measurement.

Line-Field Confocal Optical Coherence Tomography Evaluation of Eyelid Skin Lesions.

Background: Periocular malignancies may be clinically different from the examples arising at other sites, with possible delayed diagnosis and greater challenges for treatment and repair. Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) is a recently developed technique characterized by an unprecedented capacity to acquire high-definition images in vertical and horizontal modes. In this study, we aimed to investigate the LC-OCT morphological features of a series of eyelid skin lesions, correlating them to histopathological findings.

Guidelines on the diagnosis, treatment and management of visceral and renal arteries aneurysms: a joint assessment by the Italian Societies of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery (SICVE) and Medical and Interventional Radiology (SIRM).

The objective of these Guidelines is to provide recommendations for the classification, indication, treatment and management of patients suffering from aneurysmal pathology of the visceral and renal arteries. The methodology applied was the GRADE-SIGN version, and followed the instructions of the AGREE quality of reporting checklist. Clinical questions, structured according to the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome) model, were formulated, and systematic literature reviews were carried out according to them.