From the oxygen to the organ protection: Erythropoietin as protagonist in internal medicine

Erythropoietin (EPO), already known as the stimulating hormone for erythropoiesis, has shown different and interesting pleiotropic actions. It does not only affect erythroid cells, but also myeloid cells, lymphocytes and megakaryocytes. This hormone can also enhance phagocytic function of the polymorphonuclear cells and reduce the activation of macrophages, thus modulating the inflammatory process.Moreover, hematopoietic and endothelial cells probably have the same cellular origin, and the discovery of erythropoietin receptors (EPO-R) also on mesangial and myocardial cells, smooth muscle fibrocells and neurons has prompted the study of the non-erythropoietic functions of this hormone.The in…

Il neridronato previene il bone loss durante la terapia antiandrogena condotta per il carcinoma prostatico.

Treatment adherence and QoL with intermittent PTH therapy: Results from a multicentre Italian study after 6 months

This ongoing multicentre study was carried out to investigate the adherence to intermittent parathyroid hormone treatment and the effect on QoL in a typical Italian population eligible for drug reimbursement (i.e. a new vertebral or hip fracture following at least one year of anti-resorptive therapy or three severe vertebral fractures or two severe and one femur fracture). 204 female patients (mean age: 72.6±8.3) were enrolled between March 2008 and April 2009. These patients were treated with PTH (PTH 1–34 or PTH 1–84) according to Italian legislation. Here, we report the results obtained at month 6.

The Italian observational study on severe osteoporosis (ISSO): 24-month results on incidence of fractures and adherence to treatment

Objective To estimate the proportion of patients with very severe osteoporosis (those covered by the reimbursement criteria of the Italian National Health Service) experiencing new vertebral and non-vertebral fragility fractures in the first 24 months of a new anti-osteoporosis treatment. Methods Prospective observational study in men and post-menopausal women (aged > 21 years) initiating anti-osteoporosis treatment for very severe osteoporosis. Eligibility was based on teriparatide (TPD) reimbursement criteria in Italy: Incident of vertebral or hip fracture during anti-resorptive treatment (minimum 1 year), or at least three prevalent severe vertebral fractures, or two prevalent severe ver…