The Role of Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 as a Therapeutic Target and Serum Biomarker in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review.

Background: The roles dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4), aminopeptidase N (APN), and their substrates in autoimmune diseases are being increasingly recognized. However, their significance in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is not entirely understood. This systematic review aims to discuss the pathophysiological processes related to these ectopeptidases while comparing findings from preclinical and clinical settings.

Clinical, Endoscopic and Histological Outcomes in Induction of Moderate-to-Severe Ulcerative Colitis: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Background And Aims: Interest in histology for ulcerative colitis [UC] has increased recently. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess, for the first time, whether histological outcomes are more informative than endoscopic and clinical outcomes in distinguishing the impact of intervention over placebo in induction trials.

Methods: MEDLINE, ScienceDirect and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to identify randomized placebo-controlled trials [RCTs] enrolling moderate-to-severe UC patients.

Recommendations for interventional pulmonology during COVID-19 outbreak: a consensus statement from the Portuguese Pulmonology Society.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging infectious disease caused by a novel SARS-CoV-2 pathogen. Its capacity for human-to-human transmission through respiratory droplets, coupled with a high-level of population mobility, has resulted in a rapid dissemination worldwide. Healthcare workers have been particularly exposed to the risk of infection and represent a significant proportion of COVID-19 cases in the worst affected regions of Europe.

Squamous cell carcinoma in a pregnant woman with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa.

We report the case of a pregnant woman with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. During pregnancy, she presents with a large, rapidly growing, tumor on her right forearm, whose biopsy revealed an invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Amputation by the middle third of the forearm was performed at 21 weeks of pregnancy, without intra- or post-operative complications.

NF1 microdeletion syndrome: a phenotypical characterization of a rare case of neurofibromatosis type 1.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is one of the most common neurocutaneous disorders, resulting from a wide spectrum of mutations in the NF1 gene. The NF1 microdeletion syndrome is characterized by a more severe clinical presentation than the majority of NF1 patients, with facial dysmorphic features, cognitive impairment, developmental delay, early-onset neurofibromas, and an increased risk of malignant tumors. This report provides the phenotypical characterization of a young boy diagnosed with this syndrome.

Is tofacitinib a game-changing drug for ulcerative colitis?

The increasing knowledge on ulcerative colitis' pathophysiology has contributed to the expansion of the therapeutic arsenal for this condition. However, to date, 25-40% of patients with ulcerative colitis remain primary or secondary non-responders to therapy, and up to 10% need to eventually undergo a colectomy. Janus kinase inhibitors block cytokine signalling involved in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory conditions.

Arthroscopically Assisted Reduction and Internal Fixation of Talar Neck Fracture: A Case Report.

Introduction: Arthroscopic-assisted reduction and internal fixation (ARIF) is a recent concept and is increasingly used for articular fractures, due to the minimally invasive nature and high accuracy. However, there are few reports in literature about this procedure in talar fractures.

Case Report: The authors describe a clinical case of a 22-year-old woman with a closed right articular talar neck fracture, Hawkins type II, treated with arthroscopically ARIF.

Transcatheter treatment of native aortic valve regurgitation: Results from an international registry using the transfemoral ACURATE valve.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been validated for the treatment of severe symptomatic aortic stenosis in patients at high and intermediate surgical risk. Recently, TAVR has been proposed as an alternative to medical therapy in inoperable patients with severe native aortic valve regurgitation (NAVR). This multicenter international registry sought to evaluate safety and efficacy of TAVR with the self-expandable ACURATE valve in a cohort of patients with NAVR.

Takayasu's Arteritis and Cardiac Surgery: an Anaesthetic Challenge.

Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a rare inflammatory vascular disease, which causes a chronic progressive pan-endarteritis involving the aorta and its main branches, leading to persistent and uncontrolled hypertension and symptoms related to ischemia such as claudication, visual disturbances, stroke and transient ischemic attack. Limited information is available concerning anaesthetic management. We present the successful anaesthetic management of a 55 years old woman with TA scheduled for mitral valve replacement, tricuspid valve annuloplasty and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Prehospital Anticholinergic Burden Is Associated With Delirium but Not With Mortality in a Population of Acutely Ill Medical Patients.

Objectives: Anticholinergic drugs have several side effects, and they have been associated with adverse outcomes, particularly in older patients. The aim of this study was to analyze anticholinergic burden and its relationship to delirium and mortality in older acutely ill medical patients.

Design: Cohort study.

Acute Prosthetic Aortic Valve Obstruction Leading to Free Aortic Insufficiency Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation as a bridge to surgery.

Introduction: Mechanical prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT) and obstruction is a lifethreatening event. The significant morbidity and mortality associated with this condition warrants rapid diagnostic evaluation and treatment.

Case Report: A 66-year-old female patient with a history of aortic valve replacement 13 years before, was admitted to our intensive cardiac care unit with symptoms and signs of prosthetic aortic valve dysfunction.

Preventive therapy compliance in pediatric tuberculosis - A single center experience.

Introduction: Despite its importance, there are some barriers to patient compliance in preventive therapy (PT) of tuberculosis (TB). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the compliance to appointments, PT and follow-up in a pediatric population after TB exposure, followed in a single TB outpatient center, and the subsequent identification of compliance determinants.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of all pediatric patients who underwent PT in Gaia TB outpatient center from January 2015 to June 2016.

Autosomal recessive hyper-IgE syndrome successfully treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Autosomal recessive hyper-IgE syndrome is a primary immunodeficiency that results from a mutation in the DOCK8 gene. We report a case of a patient presenting with severe eczema, atopy, and recurrent skin infections since the first months of life. The diagnosis of autosomal recessive hyper-IgE syndrome was made at the age of 7 by a positive DOCK8 genetic test.

Porphyrias: A clinically based approach.

Background: Porphyrias are a group of metabolic diseases, individually rare but with an important combined prevalence. Because of their pathological complexity and clinical heterogeneity, they present a challenging diagnosis. The present review aims to provide a clinically based approach to the recognition and treatment of these disorders.

The effects on the acoustic parameters and auditory-perceptive characteristics of voice in children submitted to adenoidectomy with or without tonsillectomy.

Objectives: To analyse the possible changes on the acoustic parameters and auditory-perceptive characteristics of children's voice after adenoidectomy with or without tonsillectomy.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of children aged 5-12 years at one month before surgery (t0) and one (t1), three (t3) and six (t6) months after adenoidectomy with or without tonsillectomy. On each assessment the acoustic parameters (fundamental frequency, jitter %, shimmer % and harmonics-to-noise ratio) and auditory-perceptive analysis (nasal resonance, loudness, pitch, GRBAS scale and maximum phonation time) were recorded.

A rare case series of mitral valve clefts diagnosed by 3D echocardiography and mini-review of the literature.

Mitral valve cleft is a rare entity. However, it must be recognized as a differential mechanism for mitral valve regurgitation. 3D transesophageal echocardiography plays an essential role in the evaluation of single and multiple mitral valve clefts, improving morphological and functional assessment of the valve, with potential implications on surgical planning.

Peripheral Biomarkers for First-Episode Psychosis-Opportunities from the Neuroinflammatory Hypothesis of Schizophrenia.

Objective: Schizophrenia is a disabling disorder of unknown aetiology, lacking definite diagnostic method and cure. A reliable biological marker of schizophrenia is highly demanded, for which traceable immune mediators in blood could be promising candidates. We aimed to gather the best findings of neuroinflammatory markers for first-episode psychosis (FEP).

Computed tomography-guided pericardiocentesis: a systematic review concerning contemporary evidence and future perspectives.

Background: Pericardial effusion (PE) can develop in several pathological scenarios, and is often initially evaluated by means of echocardiography. Computed tomography (CT) has been used as an aid in the management of patients presenting with PE, in selected cases. The role of CT-guided pericardiocentesis in contemporary practice, however, remains not fully ascertained.

Multiple myocardial crypts: multimodality imaging evaluation.

We describe a rare case of multiple myocardial crypts with atypical septal localization, evaluated with multimodality imaging. Although myocardial crypts seem to be more prevalent in hypertensive and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients, they are also occasionally found in apparently normal patients. Their clinical significance remains poorly understood.

Persistent Type I Endoleak after Endovascular Treatment with Chimney Technique.

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is increasingly used in the treatment of acute type B aortic dissection. Type Ia endoleaks are a common complication of the procedure, but its clinical significance and the best treatment strategy remain poorly defined. We present a case of a type Ia endoleak following TEVAR in the treatment of acute type B aortic dissection.