immunotherapy versus -venom immunotherapy in allergy: a comparison study in field re-stings.

Background: In ascertained allergic sensitization to (VC) venom, the European guidelines still consider venom immunotherapy (VIT) with (VE) venom sufficient to achieve an adequate protection against VC. However, antigen 5 immunoblotting studies showed that a genuine sensitization to VC venom may exist. In such cases, a specific VC venom would be preferable for VIT treatment.

Tocilizumab after a first-line with anti-TNF in rheumatoid arthritis: a cost-consequence analysis in the Italian setting.

Objectives: Switching to a different mechanism of action in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients after a first anti-TNF-α has proved to be effective. The objective of this study was a health economic assessment in Italy.

Methods: The study was conducted using a pharmacoeconomic model with a 3-year time horizon.

Effect of the replacement of dietary vegetable oils with a low dose of extravirgin olive oil in the Mediterranean Diet on cognitive functions in the elderly.

Background: Numerous studies have investigated the role of the monounsaturated fatty acid and other dietary factors in the prevention of cognitive decline but the short-term effect of a low dose of extravirgin olive oil on cognitive performances in the elderly have not still been investigated. Our aim was to investigate whether the replacement of all vegetable oils with a lower amount of extravirgin olive oil, in the contest of a Mediterranean Diet, would improve cognitive performances, among elderly Italian individuals.

Methods: 180 elderly individuals were randomly assigned to these treatment groups for 1 year: (1) MedDiet plus extravirgin OO, 20-30 g/day; (2) control MedDiet.

Reflex testing of speckled cytoplasmic patterns observed in routine ANA HEp-2 indirect immunofluorescence with a multiplex anti-synthetase dot-blot assay: a multicentric pilot study.

Immunofluorescence on HEp2-cells is the standard diagnostic assay for the detection of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA). Cytoplasmic speckled patterns are a common finding, and are associated with various antibodies, including anti-synthetase antibodies. However, classic ENA testing generally identifies only anti-Jo-1.

The inter-observer reading variability in anti-nuclear antibodies indirect (ANA) immunofluorescence test: A multicenter evaluation and a review of the literature.

Recently there has been an increase demand for Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) tools to support clinicians in the field of Indirect ImmunoFluorescence (IIF), as the novel digital imaging reading approach can help to overcome the reader subjectivity. Nevertheless, a large multicenter evaluation of the inter-observer reading variability in this field is still missing. This work fills this gap as we evaluated 556 consecutive samples, for a total of 1679 images, collected in three laboratories with IIF expertise using HEp-2 cell substrate (MBL) at 1:80 screening dilution according to conventional procedures.

Timing of onset affects arthritis presentation pattern in antisyntethase syndrome.

Objectives: To evaluate if the timing of appearance with respect to disease onset may influence the arthritis presentation pattern in antisynthetase syndrome (ASSD).

Methods: The patients were selected from a retrospective large international cohort of ASSD patients regularly followed-up in centres referring to AENEAS collaborative group. Patients were eligible if they had an antisynthetase antibody testing positive in at least two determinations along with arthritis occurring either at ASSD onset (Group 1) or during the course of the disease (Group 2).

Mean cost per number needed to treat with tocilizumab plus methotrexate versus abatacept plus methotrexate in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in patients previously treated with methotrexate.

Introduction: Biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs are particularly recommended for use in patients who are poor responders, are intolerant to conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (cDMARDs), or in whom continued treatment with cDMARDs is deemed inappropriate. We estimated the efficacy and treatment costs associated with the use of tocilizumab (TCZ) plus methotrexate (Mtx) versus abatacept (ABT) plus Mtx in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients previously treated with Mtx.

Methods: Clinical data from a Technology Appraisal Guidance published in January 2016 by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence were used.

The impact of biological treatments on the anti-dsDNA and anti-nucleosome tests.

Background Anti-double stranded DNA antibodies are a very heterogeneous group of antibodies, quite specific for systemic lupus erythematosus. Newer technologies, such as addressable laser bead immunoassays (ALBIA), show great potential as a diagnostic application. The production of anti-double stranded DNA antibodies is often encountered in inflammatory arthritis; however, literature reports that the actual onset of drug induced lupus in patients treated with biological drugs is a rare event.

Symptomatic efficacy of buckwheat products in Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS).

Background And Objectives: Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is a gluten-free grain with acclaimed benefi-cial effects on human health. Our aim was to assess the effect of buckwheat products on intestinal/extra-intestinal symptoms and biochemical parameters in patients with Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS).

Methods And Study Design: A randomized, crossover trial with two intervention phases was conducted on 19 NCGS patients over a 12 week-period.

Evolving treatment implementation among HIV-infected pregnant women and their partners: results from a national surveillance study in Italy, 2001-2015.

Background: The current global and national indications for antiretroviral treatment (ART, usually triple combination therapy) in adolescent and adults, including pregnant women, recommend early ART before immunologic decline, pre-exposure chemoprophylaxis (PrEP), and treatment of HIV-negative partners in serodiscordant couples. There is limited information on the implementation of these recommendations among pregnant women with HIV and their partners.

Methods: The present analysis was performed in 2016, using data from clinical records of pregnant women with HIV, followed between 2001 and 2015 at hospital or university clinics within a large, nationally representative Italian cohort study.

Assessment of physical activity, capacity and nutritional status in elderly peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of sedentarism, and to assess physical capacity and nutritional status in a cohort of older patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD), with respect to age-matched non-dialysis CKD population, using highly accessible, simple methods, namely the Rapid Assessment of Physical activity (RAPA) test and the 30″ Sit-to-stand (STS) test.

Methods: This cross-sectional multicenter study included 151 renal patients older than 60 years; 71 pts. (44 m, age 72 ± 7 yrs) were on PD and 80 pts.

Impact of legumes and plant proteins consumption on cognitive performances in the elderly.

Background: Numerous studies have investigated the role of the dietary factors in the prevention of cognitive decline but the short-term effects of foods choice on cognitive performances in the elderly are poorly explored. Our aim was to investigate the choice of foods among elderly Italian individuals and the association with cognitive function.

Methods: In this longitudinal study, the participants were 214 individuals aged ≥65 years with a score >20 at the Mini Mental State Examination.

Musculoskeletal ultrasonography for psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis patients: a systematic literature review.

Objective: To systematically review the role of musculoskeletal US in patients suffering from PsA or psoriasis (Pso) in terms of prevalence, diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring and treatment.

Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted through medical databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase) and the grey literature up to September 2015 to inform a new study of the Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Study Group of the Italian Society for Rheumatology. All articles reporting data on musculoskeletal US in PsA or Pso were included and extracted according to the underlying clinical question.

An Italian multicentre study on adult atopic dermatitis: persistent versus adult-onset disease.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, recurrent, inflammatory skin disease which predominantly affects children. However, AD may persist until adulthood (persistent AD), or directly start in adults (adult-onset AD). AD often shows a non-flexural rash distribution, and atypical morphologic variants in adults and specific diagnostic criteria are lacking.

Brain tumor location influences the onset of acute psychiatric adverse events of levetiracetam therapy: an observational study.

To explore possible correlations among brain lesion location, development of psychiatric symptoms and the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in a population of patients with brain tumor and epilepsy. The medical records of 283 patients with various types of brain tumor (161 M/122 F, mean age 64.9 years) were analysed retrospectively.

Macular Pigment Optical Density and Measures of Macular Function: Test-Retest Variability, Cross-Sectional Correlations, and Findings from the Zeaxanthin Pilot Study of Response to Supplementation (ZEASTRESS-Pilot).

We report on the short-term test-retest baseline variability in macular function tests in ZEASTRESS-Pilot participants ( = 18), on their cross-sectional correlation with macular pigment optical density (MPOD), and on the effects of four months (FUV4) of 20 mg/day zeaxanthin (ZX), followed by a four-month washout (FUV8; = 24, age 50-81 years old). Outcomes included: MPOD at 0.5 and 2.

Cognitive impairment is correlated with insulin resistance degree: the "PA-NICO-study".

Several epidemiological studies have shown that Diabetes Mellitus (DM) or Insulin Resistance (IR) increases the risk of dementia. Besides, some authors suggested that poor glucose control to be associated with worse cognitive function. We aimed to assess cognitive functions and IR-degree over time in diabetic.

Comparison of methods and TAT assessment: Volumetric AQUIOS CL and bead-based FACS CANTO II cytometers.

Background: Measurement of lymphocyte subpopulations is a crucial parameter in the diagnosis and monitoring of therapy in a wide variety of clinical conditions. We compared different flow cytometry-based methods to determine lymphocyte subsets counts of routine samples by volumetric AQUIOS CL (Beckman Coulter) and bead-based FACS CANTO II (BD Biosciences) cytometers. We evaluated the possible decrease of the labor intensive technical work using the fully automated AQUIOS CL system in the pre and post analytical steps in comparison with our routine flow cytometer FACS CANTO II, toward the reduction of laboratory analytical turnaround time (TAT).

Impact of Oral Chlorhexidine on Bloodstream Infection in Critically Ill Patients: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Objectives: Oropharyngeal overgrowth of microorganisms in the critically ill is a risk factor for lower respiratory tract infection and subsequent invasion of the bloodstream. Oral chlorhexidine has been used to prevent pneumonia, but its effect on bloodstream infection never has been assessed in meta-analyses. The authors explored the effect of oral chlorhexidine on the incidence of bloodstream infection, the causative microorganism, and on all-cause mortality in critically ill patients.

Aseptic HLA B27-positive spondylodiscitis: decreased 18F-FDG uptake after etanercept treatment.

We observed a 69-year old man suffering from HLA B27 ankylosing spondylitis with persistent night back pain. 18F-FDG-PET/CT showed an increased metabolism at the level of the spinal space of L2-L3, L3-L4 with increased uptake compatible with spondylodiscitis. He started therapy with etanercept 50 mg/week.