Search results for " Clinical Trials as Topic"
showing 10 items of 39 documents
Targeting Angiogenesis in Biliary Tract Cancers: An Open Option
2017
Abstract: Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are characterized by a bad prognosis and the armamentarium of drugs for their treatment is very poor. Although the inflammatory status of biliary tract represents the first step in the cancerogenesis, the microenvironment also plays a key role in the pathogenesis of BTCs, promoting tumor angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. Several molecules, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF), are involved in the angiogenesis process and their expression on tumor samples has been explored as prognostic marker in both cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer. Recent studies evaluated the genomic landscape of BTCs and…
International consensus: What else can we do to improve diagnosis and therapeutic strategies in patients affected by autoimmune rheumatic diseases (r…
2017
Autoimmune diseases are a complex set of diseases characterized by immune system activation and, although many progresses have been done in the last 15 years, several unmet needs in the management of these patients may be still identified. Recently, a panel of international Experts, divided in different working groups according to their clinical and scientific expertise, were asked to identify, debate and formulate a list of key unmet needs within the field of rheumatology, serving as a roadmap for research as well as support for clinicians. After a systematic review of the literature, the results and the discussions from each working group were summarised in different statements. Due to th…
Association between obesity and periodontal disease. A systematic review of epidemiological studies and controlled clinical trials.
2016
Background: Obesity is a very prevalent chronic disease worldwide and has been suggested to increase susceptibility of periodontitis. The aim of this paper was to provide a systematic review of the association between obesity and periodontal disease, and to determine the possible mechanisms underlying in this relationship. Material and Methods: A literature search was carried out in the databases PubMed-Medline and Embase. Controlled clinical trials and observational studies identifying periodontal and body composition parameters were selected. Each article was subjected to data extraction and quality assessment. Results: A total of 284 articles were identified, of which 64 were preselected…
Safety Evaluation of α-Lipoic Acid Supplementation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Studies
2020
Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a natural short-chain fatty acid that has attracted great attention in recent years as an antioxidant molecule. However, some concerns have been recently raised regarding its safety profile. To address the issue, we aimed to assess ALA safety profile through a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis of the available randomized placebo-controlled clinical studies. The literature search included EMBASE, PubMed Medline, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, and ISI Web of Science by Clarivate databases up to 15th August 2020. Data were pooled from 71 clinical studies, comprising 155 treatment arms, which included 4749 subjects with 2558 subjects treated with ALA an…
[Herpes Zoster and its prevention in Italy. Scientific consensus statement].
2014
In this paper, an Italian group of experts presents a revision of the available data about epidemiology and prevention of Herpes Zoster (HZ). HZ is an acute viral diseases caused by the reactivation of Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV). HZ is characterized by neurological and dermatological symptoms with a dermatomeric localization. The reactivation of the virus from the latent status in the sensitive ganglia increases with age and failing cell mediated immunity. In Europe, more than 95% of adults presents antibodies against VZV. Incidence of HZ is similar all over the world, related to the age of the population: from 2-3/1000 persons/year in the age group 20 to 50 years to 5/1000 in the 60 year…
What proportion of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease outpatients is eligible for inclusion in randomized clinical trials?
2013
<b><i>Background and Objective:</i></b> We aimed to explore to what extent an unselected population of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) outpatients would be eligible for inclusion in randomized clinical trials (RCTs). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Retrospective analysis of the clinical records of outpatient subjects with an ascertained diagnosis of COPD. COPD outpatients were assessed against the following inclusion criteria: 40 < age < 80 years, current or former smokers, forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV<sub>1</sub>) <70% predicted, no long-term oxygen therapy, no other concomitant lung diseases and …
Interferon as treatment for acute hepatitis C
1996
The efficacy of short-course (three months), low-dose (3 million units three times a week) interferon as treatment for acute hepatitis C was evaluated in a meta-analysis of controlled trials. Nine studies (five randomized and four nonrandomized) found by MEDLINE search were eligible for analysis. The outcomes assessed were the rate of patients with normal serum aminotransferases (all trials) and without HCV RNA in blood (five trials) after posttreatment follow-up. Eight trials compared interferon to no treatment, and one compared different schedules of interferon. The methodological quality of the studies was high. However, all trials had been planned for a short-term evaluation based on bi…
Urinary metabolites of histamine and leukotrienes before and after placebo-controlled challenge with ASA and food additives in chronic urticaria pati…
2002
Background: The recovery of mediator metabolites from urine has the potential to provide a rapid, safe, and easily available index of release of mediators. We aimed to determine urinary metabolites of both histamine and leukotrienes (LTs) in patients affected by chronic urticaria (CU). Methods: Twenty patients with CU were studied. They were selected on the basis of double-blind placebo-controlled challenge (DBPC) with acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) and food additives. Ten patients (group B) were negative to both challenges. Ten patients (group C) presented urticaria and/or the appearance of angioedema during or 24 h after challenge, with reactions to ASA (five patients) or food additives (fiv…
Effectiveness and safety of once-daily aminoglycosides: A meta-analysis
1996
The effectiveness and safety of once-daily versus several-times-daily aminoglycosides were studied in a meta-analysis. MEDLINE for 1988 to 1995 was searched, and additional studies were identified from review articles and references in retrieved articles. Studies selected for meta-analysis were randomized controlled clinical trials in nonneutropenic adult patients comparing the clinical effectiveness or nephrotoxicity or ototoxicity of once-daily with several-times-daily aminoglycosides. Differences between groups were expressed as odds ratios. The results were combined by the procedure of Mantel and Haenszel, and 95% confidence intervals and exact confidence intervals were computed. An odd…
How should we manage atherogenic dyslipidemia in women with polycystic ovary syndrome?
2007
Despite their young age, women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have increased cardiovascular risk. Besides normal concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, dyslipidemia is very common and includes elevated triglyceride levels and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. Recent findings also showed that women with PCOS have qualitative LDL alterations, with increased levels of atherogenic small, dense LDL particles. Such lipid abnormalities constitute a common form of dyslipidemia, the so-called atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype (ALP), associated with a greater cardiovascular risk. Weight reduction and increased physical activity may constitute first-…