Real-World Impact of Olaparib Exposure in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Patients Harboring Germline BRCA1-2 Pathogenic Variants.

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer arising in the context of BRCA predisposition may benefit from poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors. We analyzed real-world data on the impact of olaparib on survival in metastatic pancreatic cancer patients harboring germline BRCA mutations in Italy, where olaparib is not reimbursed for this indication.

Methods: Clinico/pathological data of pancreatic cancer patients with documented BRCA1-2 germline pathogenic variants who had received first-line chemotherapy for metastatic disease were collected from 23 Italian oncology departments and the impact of olaparib exposure on overall survival (OS) was analyzed.

Optimizing the antiretroviral treatment focusing on long-term effectiveness and a person-centered approach. Consensus Guidance Using a Delphi Process.

Definitive data on the long-term success of the latest antiretroviral therapy (ART) strategies are still lacking. A panel of infectious diseases specialists was convened to develop a consensus on how to tailor and follow ART over time. Panelists used a Delphi technique to develop a list of statements describing preferred management approaches for ART and patient monitoring and quality of life evaluation.

Clinical Remission in Patients Affected by Severe Eosinophilic Asthma on Dupilumab Therapy: A Long-Term Real-Life Study.

Nowadays, highly selective biological drugs offer the possibility of treating severe type 2 asthma. However, in the real-life setting, it is crucial to confirm the validity of the chosen biological treatment by evaluating the achievement of clinical remission. The main aims of this real-life study were to evaluate the efficacy of dupilumab in terms of clinical, functional, and inflammatory outcomes at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of treatment and to estimate the percentage of patients achieving partial or complete clinical remission at 12 and 24 months of treatment.

Osteoimmunology of Spondyloarthritis.

The mechanisms underlying the development of bone damage in the context of spondyloarthritis (SpA) are not completely understood. To date, a considerable amount of evidence indicates that several developmental pathways are crucially involved in osteoimmunology. The present review explores the biological mechanisms underlying the relationship between inflammatory dysregulation, structural progression, and osteoporosis in this diverse family of conditions.

Low dose aspirin and clinical outcomes in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia: a propensity score-matched cohort analysis from the National SIMI‑COVID‑19 Registry.

Background: SARS- CoV-2 virus has had dramatic consequences worldwide being able to cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), massive thrombosis and pulmonary embolism and, finally, patients' death. In COVID-19 infection, platelets have a procoagulant phenotype that can cause thrombosis in the pulmonary and systemic vascular network. Aspirin is a well-known anti-platelet drug widely used for the prevention of cardiovascular events and systematic reviews suggest a possible benefit of low-dose aspirin (LDA) use in the prevention and treatment of ARDS in patients with COVID-19 infection.

The Good, the Bad, and the Serum Creatinine: Exploring the Effect of Muscle Mass and Nutrition.

Muscle wasting (sarcopenia) is one of the hallmarks of critical illness. Patients admitted to intensive care unit develop sarcopenia through increased protein catabolism, a decrease in protein syntheses, or both. Among the factors known to promote wasting are chronic inflammation and cytokine imbalance, insulin resistance, hypermetabolism, and malnutrition.

Thoracic ultrasound combined with low-dose computed tomography may represent useful screening strategy in highly exposed population in the industrial city of Taranto (Italy).

Objectives: We validated a screening protocol in which thoracic ultrasound (TUS) acts as a first-line complementary imaging technique in selecting patients which may deserve a second-line low-dose high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan among a population of asymptomatic high-risk subjects for interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) and lung cancer. Due to heavy environmental pollution burden, the district Tamburi of Taranto has been chosen as "case study" for this purpose.

Methods: From July 2018 to October 2020, 677 patients aged between 45 and 65 year and who had been living in the Tamburi district of Taranto for at least 10 years were included in the study.

A Review on Biological Effects of Ultrasounds: Key Messages for Clinicians.

Ultrasound (US) is acoustic energy that interacts with human tissues, thus, producing bioeffects that may be hazardous, especially in sensitive organs (i.e., brain, eye, heart, lung, and digestive tract) and embryos/fetuses.

The Association of Tobacco Smoking, Second-hand Smoke, and Novel Tobacco Products With COVID-19 Severity and Mortality in Italy: Results From the COSMO-IT Study.

Background: Despite the robust evidence of an excess risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity and mortality in ever smokers, the debate on the role of current and ex-smokers on COVID-19 progression remains open. Limited or no data are available on the link between electronic cigarette (e-cigarette), heated tobacco product (HTP) and second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure and COVID-19 progression. To fill this knowledge gap, we undertook the COvid19 and SMOking in ITaly (COSMO-IT) study.

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Distinguishing between Malignant and Benign Peripheral Pulmonary Consolidations: The Debated Utility of the Contrast Enhancement Arrival Time.

Limited studies and observations conducted on a too small number of patients prevent determining the actual clinical utility of pulmonary contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). The aim of the present study was to examine the efficacy of contrast enhancement (CE) arrival time (AT) and other dynamic CEUS findings for differentiating between malignant and benign peripheral lung lesions. 317 inpatients and outpatients (215 men, 102 women; mean age: 52 years) with peripheral pulmonary lesions were included in the study and underwent pulmonary CEUS.

[Rationale and significance of the Italian Network for Cardiac Amyloidosis].

The perspective on amyloidosis has changed deeply over the last 10 years following major advances in diagnosis and treatment options, especially in cardiac amyloidosis. This intrinsically heterogeneous disease exposes to the risk of fragmentation of knowledge and requires the interaction among experts of different specialties and subspecialties. Suspicion of disease, timely recognition and confirmation of final diagnosis, prognostic stratification, clinical management and therapeutic strategies represent essential steps to be taken.

Spring Plates as a Valid Additional Fixation in Comminuted Posterior Wall Acetabular Fractures: A Retrospective Multicenter Study.

The posterior wall fracture is the most frequent pattern of acetabular fractures. Many techniques of fixation have been described in the literature and involve plates, screws, or a combination of both. This study aims to investigate the clinical and radiological outcomes of spring plates in the treatment of comminuted posterior wall acetabular fractures.

Conversion Strategy in Left-Sided RAS/BRAF Wild-Type Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients with Unresectable Liver-Limited Disease: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients frequently develop liver metastases. Different treatment strategies are available according to the timing of appearance, the burden of metastatic disease, and the performance status of the patient. Systemic treatment (ST) represents the cornerstone of metastatic disease management.

Arthritis in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: From 2022 International GISEA/OEG Symposium.

Musculoskeletal involvement is one of the most common manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with a negative impact on both quality of life and overall prognosis. SLE arthritis can be classified into three different subtypes, with different prevalence and characteristic biomarkers and MRI findings. Identifying the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying musculoskeletal manifestations' development is crucial to develop therapeutic strategies to suppress synovial inflammation, prevent erosions and deformities, and improve SLE patients' quality of life.

Economic impact of implementing prescription of single-inhaler triple therapies versus current multiple-inhaler triple therapies for COPD in the Apulia Region.

Background: The most impacting direct costs associated to COPD for the National Health Systems (NHS) are those related to accesses to the emergency room and hospital admissions, due to the onset of one or more COPD exacerbations. At the same time, severe COPD treatment, that often require a combination of medicaments, represents a substantial economic burden for the National Health Systems (NHS). This study aimed to evaluate the potential saving deriving from the implementation in the prescription of the two currently available single-inhaler triple therapies (SITTs) versus the currently used multiple-inhaler triple therapies (MITTs) in an eligible COPD population residing in the Apulia Region.

Pediatric Thymoma: A Review and Update of the Literature.

Pediatric thymomas are extremely rare and slow-growing malignant tumors. The recent publication of the first Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)/American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stage classification and updated treatment guidelines for thymomas has prompted us to perform a review of the literature on pediatric thymomas. A search of English-language articles in the PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Embase databases was conducted.

The effects of a new protocol on blood loss in total knee arthroplasty.

The aim of study was to evaluate the efficacy of blood loss prevention with Tranexamic acid in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The Authors defined a new protocol that foresees the use of Tranexamic acid both pre-intra and post-operatively. Seventy patients indicated for TKA were enrolled.

Effectiveness of Golimumab as Second Anti-TNFα Drug in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Axial Spondyloarthritis in Italy: GO-BEYOND, a Prospective Real-World Observational Study.

In this prospective observational study, data were collected from 34 rheumatology clinics in Italy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) who started golimumab (GLM) as a second anti-TNFα drug. The primary objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of GLM after 6 months. Changes in quality of life using the EQ-5D-5L were also assessed.

Management of Patients with Severe Asthma and Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps: A Multidisciplinary Shared Approach.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is one of the most frequent comorbidities associated with asthma and it contributes to an amplified global disease burden in asthmatics. CRS prevalence is much higher in asthmatic patients compared to the general population and it is more frequently related to severe asthma, especially in presence of nasal polyps (chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, CRSwNP). Moreover, asthma exacerbation has a higher occurrence in CRSwNP.