A multicenter survey on access to care in Multiple Sclerosis-related trigeminal neuralgia

The prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is higher than in the general population and its management can be particularly challenging due to a number of reasons including high recurrence rates, lack of MS-specific treatment guidelines and uncertainties about pain pathophysiology. Aim of this cross-sectional, multicentre survey was to gather information on the current treatment modalities and options of MS-related TN across 23 Italian MS centres. Initial medical management (carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine) of MS-related TN was fairly homogeneous throughout Italian centres. The most commonly available surgical procedure was microvascular decompression…

What changed in the Italian internal medicine and geriatric wards during the lockdown

A total of 48 internal medicine or geriatric wards among the 93 adhering to the register REPOSI answered an online questionnaire aimed to investigate the characteristics and activities of converted and non-converted wards in the crucial period of the first wave of the epidemic, 22 February-4 May 2020

Sample design and weighting strategies in SHARE Wave 5

This chapter provides a description of the sampling design and weighting strategies adopted in the fifth wave of SHARE. We begin by defining the target population that SHARE aims to represent. Next, we describe the sampling design focusing on the basic principles guiding the construction of the SHARE sample, the role played by sampling frames for coverage of the target population, and other important aspects of sampling - such as stratification, clustering and variation in selection probabilities - that affect the efficiency of sample-based inference. The chapter concludes with a description of the weighting strategies adopted by SHARE to handle problems of unit nonresponse in the baseline …

Real-life impact of early interferon beta therapy in relapsing multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: Recent findings support greater efficacy of early vs. delayed interferon beta (IFNbeta) treatment in patients with a first clinical event suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of early IFNbeta treatment in definite relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and to assess the optimal time to initiate IFNbeta treatment with regard to the greatest benefits on disability progression. METHODS: A cohort of 2,570 IFNbeta-treated RRMS patients was prospectively followed for up to 7 years in 15 Italian MS Centers. A Cox proportional hazards regression model adjusted for propensity score (PS) quintiles was used to assess differences between groups of patients wit…

The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis: pinpointing the concept of "no better explanation"

Pruritus characteristics in a large Italian cohort of psoriatic patients

Background: Psoriasis (Ps) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease associated with pruritus in 64–98% of patients. However, few modestly sized studies assess factors associated with psoriatic pruritus. Objective: To investigate factors associated with Ps pruritus intensity. Methods: Psoriasis patients 18 years or older seen in one of 155 centres in Italy between September 2005 and 2009 were identified from the Italian PsoCare registry. Patients without cutaneous psoriasis and those with missed information on pruritus were excluded. Results: We identified 10 802 patients, with a mean age 48.8 ± 14.3 years. Mild itch was present in 33.2% of patients, moderate in 34.4%, severe in 18.7% and ve…

Informing MS patients on treatment options: a consensus on the process of consent taking

Abstract\ud In the last years, change in multiple sclerosis (MS) therapeutic scenario has highlighted the need for an improved doctor-patient communication in advance of treatment initiation in order to allow patient’s empowerment in the decision-making process.\ud Aims\ud The aims of our project were to review the strategies used by Italian MS specialists to inform patients about treatment options and to design a multicentre shared document that homogenizes the information about disease-modifying treatment (DMTs) and the procedure of taking informed consent in clinical practice.\ud Results\ud The new resource, obtained by consensus among 31 neurologists from 27 MS Centres in Italy with the…

Prevalence and clinical association of gene mutations through multiplex mutation testing in patients with NSCLC

[EN] Background Reported prevalence of driver gene mutations in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is highly variable and clinical correlations are emerging. Using NSCLC biomaterial and clinical data from the European Thoracic Oncology Platform Lungscape iBiobank, we explore the epidemiology of mutations and association to clinicopathologic features and patient outcome (relapse-free survival, time-to-relapse, overall survival). Methods Clinically annotated, resected stage I¿III NSCLC FFPE tissue was assessed for gene mutation using a microfluidics-based multiplex PCR platform. Mutant-allele detection sensitivity is¿>1% for most of the ~150 (13 genes) mutations covered in the multiplex test.…

Pullout Force and Inlet Oscillation in Telescopic Carbon Nanotubes: A Quantum Study

The noncovalent interaction energy as a function of the core extension in double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNT) was accurately calculated in the frame of density functional theory, considering dis...

Reliability of adapted version of Italian Label tobacco Impact Index for the adolescent: ALII

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the reliability of the Adolescent Label Impact Index (ALII) , it is an adolescent adapted version of Italian LII of the tobacco products warnings. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A sample including students aged 13-15 years was considered. The ALII is constructed by 4 items: salience, harm, quitting and forgo. The questionnaire was self-administered to study participants twice with 3 days between each administration (T1 and T2) to measure reliability. The internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha and Corrected Item-Total Correlations (CITC) and the test-retest reliability applying Pearson's correlation were computed. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha ranges fro…

Efficacy of switching between tumor necrosis factor-alfa inhibitors in psoriasis: results from the Italian Psocare registry

Background: Some studies have shown that switching patients from one tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alfa inhibitor to another may be beneficial when they have an inadequate response or an adverse event. Objective: We sought to assess the variables predicting the efficacy of the second TNF-alfa inhibitor in patients discontinuing the first TNF-alfa inhibitor. Methods: Data from all 5423 consecutive patients starting TNF-alfa inhibitor therapy for psoriasis between September 2005 and September 2010 who were included in the Italian Psocare registry were analyzed. Results: In 105 patients who switched to a second TNF-alfa inhibitor who had complete follow-up data, 75% improvement in the Psoriasis …

Transition to secondary progression in relapsing-onset multiple sclerosis: Definitions and risk factors

Background: No uniform criteria for a sensitive identification of the transition from relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) to secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) are available. Objective: To compare risk factors of SPMS using two definitions: one based on the neurologist judgment (ND) and an objective data-driven algorithm (DDA). Methods: Relapsing-onset MS patients ( n = 19,318) were extracted from the Italian MS Registry. Risk factors for SPMS and for reaching irreversible Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 6.0, after SP transition, were estimated using multivariable Cox regression models. Results: SPMS identified by the DDA ( n = 2343, 12.1%) were older, more disa…

Alemtuzumab treatment of multiple sclerosis in real-world clinical practice: A report from a single Italian center

Abstract Background Alemtuzumab, is a compound approved for highly active MS, and, in Europe, employed after the use of other disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) with an escalation approach or used as a first therapeutic option. The occurrence of secondary autoimmune adverse events and or infections can differ depending on the employed approach. Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of alemtuzumab in real-world MS population that encompassed patients previously treated with other DMTs. Methods 35 patients, treated with alemtuzumab in a single MS Center, were followed for at least 36 months. The study investigated the prevalence of patients reaching the phase of the non-active diseas…