Search results for "Follow-up studies"
showing 10 items of 2210 documents
Viral and host factors in the prediction of response to interferon-alpha therapy in chronic hepatitis C after long-term follow-up.
1998
Acute infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) develops into a chronic hepatitis in about 50-70% of patients. Treatment of these patients with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) results in a sustained long-term response in only 15-20% but causes numerous unwanted side-effects in a higher percentage of patients. The aim of our study was to define host or viral parameters that would allow identification of responders and non-responders to IFN-alpha prior to the onset of treatment. We studied a group of 87 patients suffering from chronic hepatitis C who were treated with IFN-alpha. After long-term follow-up, 18 patients (21%) showed a sustained response to IFN-alpha therapy (normalization of serum tra…
Desmopressin in the Treatment of Nocturia: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study
2007
Objectives: To investigate efficacy, safety, and impact on quality of sleep of desmopressin in the treatment of nocturia. Methods: Adults aged >= 18 yr with nocturia (>= 2 voids/night) received desmopressin tablets (0.1, 0.2, or 0.4 mg) during a 3-wk dose-titration period. Patients should show sufficient response during the dose-titration period (>= 20% reduction in nocturnal diuresis) and a return of nocturnal diuresis to >= 80% of baseline levels during washout. Eligible patients then entered a 3-wk double-blind treatment period and received either desmopressin or placebo. Results: 127 patients were randomised to either desmopressin (n = 61) or placebo (n = 66). Twenty (33%) desmopressin-…
Bilateral synchronous sporadic renal cell carcinoma: surgical management, oncological and functional outcomes
2007
OBJECTIVE To analyse the functional and oncological outcomes of surgical treatment of bilateral synchronous sporadic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Between 1969 and 2006, 57 patients with bilateral synchronous sporadic RCC were identified from our kidney database. The mean (range) follow-up was 4.8 (0.1–23.8) years; 28 patients (49%) had radical nephrectomy (RN) and contralateral nephron-sparing surgery (NSS), and 22 (39%) had bilateral NSS. The oncological outcome and long-term renal function were analysed. RESULTS After excluding four patients (7%) with bilateral benign renal tumours, six (11%) with metastatic bilateral RCC and three (5%) who had bilateral RN, the cancer…
Association of kidney disease measures with risk of renal function worsening in patients with type 1 diabetes
2018
Background Albuminuria has been classically considered a marker of kidney damage progression in diabetic patients and it is routinely assessed to monitor kidney function. However, the role of a mild GFR reduction on the development of stage ≥3 CKD has been less explored in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of kidney disease measures, namely albuminuria and reduced GFR, on the development of stage ≥3 CKD in a large cohort of patients affected by T1DM. Methods A total of 4284 patients affected by T1DM followed-up at 76 diabetes centers participating to the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (Associazione Medici D…
The Laparoscopic Approach to Control Intractable Pelvic Neuralgia: From Laparoscopic Pelvic Neurosurgery to the LION Procedure
2007
OBJECTIVE: To present different aspects and advantages of the laparoscopic approach to the pelvic nerves aimed at treating intractable pelvic neuralgia. METHODS: We report on a nonconsecutive series of 7 patients with different types and etiologies of chronic pelvic neuralgia, all of whom underwent laparoscopy. In all 7 cases, the neuralgia was refractory to medical management and had profound socioeconomic consequences for the patients. RESULTS: Techniques of laparoscopic transperitoneal neurolysis of several pelvic somatic nerves are described but also our technique of laparoscopic implantation of neuroprothesis for neuromodulation on somatic pelvic nerves or on autonomic pelvic nerves as…
Low Trough Plasma Concentrations of Nevirapine Associated with Virologic Rebounds in HIV-Infected Patients Who Switched from Protease Inhibitors
2005
BACKGROUND:The substitution of a nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) for protease inhibitors (PIs) has demonstrated its suitability to maintain virologic response. However, the switch from PIs to an NNRTI could fail for a number of reasons, including NNRTI-associated toxicity and emergence of NNRTI-resistant variants.OBJECTIVE:To describe the virologic failures among 74 HIV-infected patients who switched from PIs to nevirapine.METHODS:Virologic failure was defined as any rebound of the plasma HIV-RNA (pVL) levels >1000 copies/mL on one occasion or 2 consecutive intermittent viremia episodes defined as increases of the pVL >20 copies/mL but <1000 copies/mL. Virolog…
Variants of CARD15 are associated with an aggressive clinical course of Crohn's Disease. An IG-IBD Study
2005
Three major variants of the CARD15 gene confer susceptibility to Crohn's disease (CD). Whether or not these variants correlate with specific clinical features of the disease is under evaluation.We investigated the possible association of CARD15 variants with specific clinical characteristics, including the occurrence of anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), in a large cohort of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and their unaffected relatives.Three hundred and sixteen CD patients (156 with positive family history), 408 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients (206 with positive family history), 588 unaffected relatives, and 205 unre…
Cognitive therapy for autogenous and reactive obsessions: Clinical and cognitive outcomes at post-treatment and 1-year follow-up
2009
This study provides data about the differential effectiveness of cognitive therapy (CT) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom presentation. Two OCD manifestations, autogenous and reactive, are considered. Seventy OCD patients started CT; 81.40% completed it and 72.85% were available 1 year later. Fifteen of the 57 treatment completers had autogenous obsessions, whereas 33 had reactive obsessions. Nine patients had both obsession modalities. Reactive patients were more severe, as they scored higher on thought suppression and on the dysfunctional beliefs of intolerance to uncertainty and perfectionism. Autogenous patients scored higher on the over-importance of thoughts beliefs. Alt…
Group versus individual cognitive treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Changes in non-OCD symptoms and cognitions at post-treatment and one-y…
2011
Current cognitive approaches postulate that obsessions and compulsions are caused and/or maintained by misinterpretations about their meaning. This assumption has led to the development of cognitive therapeutic (CT) procedures designed to challenge the dysfunctional appraisals and beliefs patients have about their obsessions. Nonetheless, few studies have compared the efficacy of individual and group CT in changing the dysfunctional cognitions that hypothetically underlie Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In this study, 44 OCD patients were assigned to individual (n = 18) or group (n = 24) CT. Sixteen completed the individual CT, and 22 completed the group CT. The effects of the two CT c…
Group Versus Individual Cognitive Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Changes in Severity at Post-Treatment and One-Year Follow-up
2009
Background: Very few studies have compared the efficacy of individual and group cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for the treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) by taking into consideration the change in OCD severity in both the short and long term. Aims: To conduct an open trial of individual versus group CBT for OCD, comparing the clinical and statistically significant changes in severity both at post-treatment and one year later. Method: Forty-two OCD subjects were assigned to individual (n = 18) or group CBT (n = 24, in four groups). Sixteen and 22 subjects completed the treatment in the individual and group conditions, respectively. The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale w…