Search results for "Original article"
showing 10 items of 1187 documents
Impact of COVID-19 on hand surgery in Italy: A comparison between the Northern and the Southern regions
2021
The aims of this study were to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency and elective hand surgery in four Italian regions that had either a high (Lombardy and Piemonte) or a low (Sicilia and Puglia) COVID-19 case load to discuss problems and to elaborate strategies to improve treatment pathways. A panel of hand surgeons from these different regions compared and discussed data from the centers they work in. The COVID-19 pandemic had an enormous impact on both elective and emergency surgery in Italy, not only in highly affected regions but also – and paradoxically even at a higher extent – in regions with a low COVID-19 case load. A durable and flexible redesign of hand surge…
Optimization of hepatitis C virus screening strategies by birth cohort in Italy
2020
Abstract Background and Aims Cost‐effective screening strategies are needed to make hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination a reality. We determined if birth cohort screening is cost‐effective in Italy. Methods A model was developed to quantify screening and healthcare costs associated with HCV. The model‐estimated prevalence of undiagnosed HCV was used to calculate the antibody screens needed annually, with a €25 000 cost‐effectiveness threshold. Outcomes were assessed under the status quo and a scenario that met the World Health Organization's targets for elimination of HCV. The elimination scenario was assessed under five screening strategies. Results A graduated birth cohort screening strat…
Clinical course and prognostic factors of hepatorenal syndrome: A retrospective single-center cohort study
2013
AIM: To investigate clinical and biochemical features of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), to assess short and long-term survival evaluating potential predictors of early mortality. METHODS: Sixty-two patients with liver cirrhosis and renal failure, defined as a serum creatinine value > 1.5 mg/dL on at least two measurements within 48 h, admitted to our tertiary referral Unit from 2001 to 201, were retrospectively reviewed. Among them, 33 patients (53.2%) fulfilled the revised criteria of the International Ascites Club for the diagnosis of HRS. Twenty-eight patients were treated with combinations of terlipressin and albumin, two with dopamine and albumin, and three with albumin alone. No patients…
Decreased Esophageal Sensitivity to Acid in Morbidly Obese Patients: A Cause for Concern?
2017
Background/Aims: To evaluate esophageal sensitivity to acid between morbidly obese (MO) patients and non-MO controls with abnormal esophageal acid exposure. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 58 patients: 30 MO (cases) and 28 non-MO (controls). Esophageal symptoms and esophageal sensitivity to 0.1 M hydrochloric acid solution (Bernstein test) were compared between MO and non- MO patients with a prior diagnosis of abnormal esophageal acid exposure. Results: MO patients were less symptomatic than non-MO controls (14% vs 96%; odds ratio [OR], 0.006; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.001 to 0.075; p=0.000). MO patients were more likely to present with decreased esophageal sensitivit…
A Decision Support Tool for Appropriate Glucose-Lowering Therapy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
2015
Contains fulltext : 152084.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) BACKGROUND: Optimal glucose-lowering therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus requires a patient-specific approach. Although a good framework, current guidelines are insufficiently detailed to address the different phenotypes and individual needs of patients seen in daily practice. We developed a patient-specific decision support tool based on a systematic analysis of expert opinion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on the American Diabetes Association (ADA)/European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2012 position statement, a panel of 12 European experts rated the appropriateness (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method) of tre…
Global public awareness about atrial fibrillation
2017
Essentials Early recognition of atrial fibrillation helps in stroke prevention. Survey in 10 countries to assess public awareness of atrial fibrillation. Overall global awareness of atrial fibrillation was 48%. Less than 46% of participants were aware atrial fibrillation leads to stroke. Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important cause of ischemic stroke that often remains undetected until stroke occurs. Awareness of the risk factors and symptoms is important so that AF can be diagnosed and thromboprophylaxis given. However, the extent of public awareness of AF is uncertain. We assessed public awareness of AF across six continents and compared it with that of other thrombotic and n…
Long-term effects of graduated compression stockings on cardiorespiratory performance
2015
ABSTRACT: The use of graduated compression stockings (GCS) in sport has been increasing in the last years due to their potential positive effects for athletes. However, there is little evidence to support whether these types of garments actually improve cardiorespiratory performance. The aim of this study was to examine the cardiorespiratory responses of GCS during running after three weeks of regular use. Twenty recreational runners performed three tests on different days: test 1) ¿ a 5-min maximal effort run in order to determine the participants¿ maximal aerobic speed; and tests 2) and 3) ¿ a fatigue running test of 30 minutes at 80% of their maximal aerobic speed with either GCS or PLAC…
Open versus laparoscopic approach in the treatment of abdominal emergencies in elderly population
2016
AIM: To evaluate the role of laparoscopy in the treatment of surgical emergency in old population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Over-70 years-old patients submitted to emergency abdominal surgery from January 2013 to December 2014 were collected and grouped according to admission diagnoses. These accounted small bowel obstruction, colonic acute disease, appendicitis, ventral hernia, gastro-duodenal perforation, biliary disease. In each group it was analyzed the operation time (OT), the morbidity rate and the mortality rate comparing open and laparoscopic management using T-test and Chi-square test. RESULTS: 159 over 70-years-old patients underwent emergency surgery in the General and Emergency sur…
Prevention of lumbar reherniation by the intraoperative use of a radiofrequency bipolar device: A case-control study.
2019
Objective: The most common complication after lumbar discectomy is reherniation. Although many studies have investigated factors that may increase the reherniation risk, few are agreed upon all. It has been suggested that limited nucleus removal is associated with higher reherniation risk, while more aggressive nucleus removal can result in increased disc degeneration. Here, we assessed the efficacy of a coblation-assisted microdiscectomy in adult patients undergoing single-level disc surgery. Methods: We prospectively compared the reherniation rate in 75 patients (Group 1) undergoing single-level lumbar disc surgery completed with the radiofrequency bipolar system Aquamantys® (Medtronic, M…
Real‐world evidence of the effectiveness on glycaemic control of early simultaneous versus later sequential initiation of basal insulin and glucagon‐…
2020
Abstract Aim To assess the impact of the timing of initiating both basal insulin and glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1 RAs) on reaching glycaemic control targets over 6 and 12 months in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) uncontrolled on oral antihyperglycaemic drugs with an HbA1c of 9% or higher. Methods This retrospective cohort study assessed the impact of the timing of initiating both basal insulin and GLP‐1 RA therapies on reaching glycaemic targets (HbA1c < 7% and <8%, and ≥1% and ≥2% HbA1c reduction) over 12 months in people with markedly uncontrolled T2D (HbA1c ≥ 9%) on oral antihyperglycaemic drugs identified on the Optum Humedica database (electronic medical records; …