Search results for "testing"

Cost-effectiveness of switching from omalizumab to mepolizumab in uncontrolled severe eosinophilic asthma

2020

Background: Severe asthma is burdened by frequent exacerbations and use of oral corticosteroids (OCS) which worsen patients’ quality of life and increased healthcare spending. Objectives: To assess the clinical and economic impact of switching from omalizumab (OMA) to mepolizumab (MEP) in patients eligible for both biologics but not optimally controlled with OMA. Methods: Uncontrolled patients referred to 6 asthma clinics in south of Italy switched from OMA to MEP, were enrolled and followed-up to Jan 2020. Clinical information included blood eosinophil count, asthma control test (ACT), pulmonary function, IgE, exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), OCS intake, drugs, exacerbations/hospitalizations, …

Evaluation of efficacy and biocompatibility of a novel semisynthetic collagen matrix as a dural onlay graft in a large animal model

2011

Background Semisynthetic collagen matrices are promising duraplasty grafts with low risk of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistulas, good tissue integration and minor foreign body reaction. The present study investigates the efficacy and biocompatibility of a novel semisynthetic bilayered collagen matrix (BCM, B. Braun Aesculap) as dural onlay graft for duraplasty. Methods Thirty-four pigs underwent osteoclastic trepanation, excision of the dura, and placement of a cortical defect, followed by duraplasty using BCM, Suturable DuraGen™ (Integra Neuroscience), or periosteum. CSF tightness and intraoperative handling of the grafts were evaluated. Pigs were sacrificed after 1 and 6 months for histolo…

Reproducibility and concordance of 4 clinically developed programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays in triple-negative brea…

2020

Abstract Background Atezolizumab (an anti–PD-L1 antibody) has shown clinical activity alone or in combination with nab-paclitaxel in patients (pts) with first-line metastatic TNBC who have PD-L1 expression on their tumour-infiltrating immune cells (IC). We analysed the performance of 4 PD-L1 IHC assays for PD-L1 IC expression in TNBC. Methods Thirty archival TNBC tissue specimens were selected from a set of 107 based on PD-L1 IC expression per VENTANA SP142 ( 5%: 8 cases), to represent the distribution of PD-L1 IC–positivity in the pivotal atezolizumab studies (Emens et al., SABCS 2018; JAMA Oncol 2019). Serial histologic sections were stained with VENTANA SP142 and SP263, and DAKO 22C3 and…

Inspiratory muscle training combined with pursed lip technique in women with chronic osbtructive pulmonary disease: a case study.

2020

Objective. To improve pulmonary function, exercise capacity and quality of life of two women with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Material and Methods. Study of two clinical cases, both women. An intervention of 8 weeks was performed, in which the patients performed 3 weekly sessions, of which 1 was performed with supervision of the physiotherapist and 2 sessions were performed at home. The treatment sessions consisted of inspiratory muscle training with an inspiratory threshold and controlled breathing exercises with the pursed lip technique. Results. Quality of life of both women improved at the end of the study. In the woman with severe COPD, Maximal Inspiratory Pressure (M…

The impact of information given to patients' families: breast cancer risk notification

2012

ABSTRACT: A family history of breast cancer is a clear risk for developing the disease. Therefore, when a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer all her female first degree relatives become population at risk. This involve a number of important aspects to be taken into account by psychooncology professionals. (a) First, in addition to the stress associated with the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in a close relative, first degree relatives of breast cancer patients have the added stress of learning that they are at risk of this disease. (b) Second, these women become the main target of secondary breast cancer prevention strategies. However, various reports show that a considerable p…

Genetic counselling in ALS: facts, uncertainties and clinical suggestions

2013

The clinical approach to patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been largely modified by the identification of novel genes, the detection of gene mutations in apparently sporadic patients, and the discovery of the strict genetic and clinical relation between ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). As a consequence, clinicians are increasingly facing the dilemma on how to handle genetic counselling and testing both for ALS patients and their relatives. On the basis of existing literature on genetics of ALS and of other late-onset life-threatening disorders, we propose clinical suggestions to enable neurologists to provide optimal clinical and genetic counselling to patients and…

103 Tibial Guided Wave Ultrasound in the Assessment of Osteoporosis in Elderly Women

2009

Psychometric Testing Of The Finnish Version Of The Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire

2016

Current and Future Trends in the Laboratory Diagnosis of Sexually Transmitted Infections

2021

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to exert a considerable public health and social burden globally, particularly for developing countries. Due to the high prevalence of asymptomatic infections and the limitations of symptom-based (syndromic) diagnosis, confirmation of infection using laboratory tools is essential to choose the most appropriate course of treatment and to screen at-risk groups. Numerous laboratory tests and platforms have been developed for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, trichomoniasis, genital mycoplasmas, herpesviruses, and human papillomavirus. Point-of-care testing is now a possibility, and microfluidic and high-throughput omics technologies promise to revo…

Systematic search for neutropenia should be part of the first screening in patients with poikiloderma.

2011

Poikiloderma occurs in a number of hereditary syndromes, the best known of which is Rothmund-Thomson syndrome (RTS). Differential diagnoses include Dyskeratosis Congenita (DC) with high genetic heterogeneity and Clericuzio-type Poikiloderma with Neutropenia (CPN) due to mutations in the C16orf57 gene. Mutations in the RECQL4 gene are only observed in two thirds of RTS patients. In this study, 10 patients referred for syndromic poikiloderma and negative for RECQL4 sequencing analysis were investigated for C16orf57 mutations. Two C16orf57 heterozygous nonsense mutations (p.W81X and p.Y89X) were identified in a 5-year-old female child presenting with generalized poikiloderma, dental dysplasia,…