Aim: To investigate the efficacy and safety of micropulse laser trabeculoplasty (MLT) using a 577... more Aim: To investigate the efficacy and safety of micropulse laser trabeculoplasty (MLT) using a 577 nm yellow wavelength laser randomly assigned to either 1500 or 1000 mW in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Methods: A prospective, double-blinded study of POAG patients was performed in a single center. MLT treatment included a 577 nm micropulse laser (IRIDEX IQ 577TM, IRIDEX, Mountain View, CA, USA) to 360° of the trabecular meshwork at randomly assigned varying powers: 1500 mW in one eye (MLT 1500 group) and 1000 mW in the other (MLT 1000 group). Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal central thickness (CCT), and endothelial cell count (ECC) were evaluated at baseline (T0), post-operative 1 h (T1), 24 h (T2), 1 month (T3), 3 months (T4), and 6 months (T5) after laser treatment. Topical medications were assessed pre-treatment and at T4. Results: Among the 18 eyes included, we achieved a success rate (IOP reduced > 20%) in 77% of sam...
Background: The role of statins among patients with established cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) wh... more Background: The role of statins among patients with established cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) who are hospitalized with COVID-19 is still debated. This study aimed at assessing whether the prior use of statins was associated with a less severe COVID-19 prognosis. Methods: Subjects with CVDs infected with SARS-CoV-2 and hospitalized between 20 February 2020 and 31 December 2020 were selected. These were classified into two mutually exclusive groups: statins-users and non-users of lipid-lowering therapies (non-LLT users). The relationship between statins exposure and the risk of Mechanical Ventilation (MV), Intensive Care Unit (ICU) access and death were evaluated by using logistic and Cox regressions models. Results: Of 1127 selected patients, 571 were statins-users whereas 556 were non-LLT users. The previous use of statins was not associated with a variation in the risk of need of MV (Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.00; 95% Confidence Intervals [CI]: 0.38–2.67), ICU access (OR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0...
Background: MatriDerm and Integra are both widely used collagenic acellular dermal matrices (ADMs... more Background: MatriDerm and Integra are both widely used collagenic acellular dermal matrices (ADMs) in the surgical setting, with similar characteristics in terms of healing time and clinical indication. The aim of the present study is to compare the two ADMs in terms of clinical and histological results in the setting of dermato-oncological surgery. Methods: Ten consecutive patients with medical indications to undergo surgical excision of skin cancers were treated with a 2-step procedure at our Dermatologic Surgery Unit. Immediately after tumor removal, both ADMs were positioned on the wound bed, one adjacent to the other. Closure through split-thickness skin grafting was performed after approximately 3 weeks. Conventional histology, immunostaining and ELISA assay were performed on cutaneous samples at different timepoints. Results: No significant differences were detected in terms of either final clinical outcomes or in extracellular matrix content of the neoformed dermis. However,...
Introduction: Mucosal melanoma is a rare neoplasm. Late diagnosis is caused by occult anatomic s... more Introduction: Mucosal melanoma is a rare neoplasm. Late diagnosis is caused by occult anatomic sites and scarcity of symptoms. Novel biological therapies have now become available. Demographic, therapeutical and survival records on mucosal melanoma are scarce. Objectives: To provide an 11-year retrospective clinical review of real-world data on mucosal melanomas managed in a tertiary referral center in Italy. Methods: We included patients with histopathological mucosal melanoma diagnosis from January 2011 to December 2021. Data were collected until last known follow up or death. Survival analysis was performed. Results: Among 33 patients, we found 9 sinonasal, 13 anorectal and 11 urogenital mucosal melanomass (median age 82, females 66.7%). Eighteen cases (54.5%) presented with metastasis (p<0.05). In the urogenital subgroup, only 4 patients (36.4%) had metastasis at diagnosis, all in regional lymph nodes. Sinonasal melanomas were surgically managed with a debulking procedure (...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Background: Nurses dealing with a patient’s sexuality must start from an awareness of their own e... more Background: Nurses dealing with a patient’s sexuality must start from an awareness of their own experience, specific attitudes, and possible limits. What emerges from the literature is a conservative tendency in nurses, which underlines the difficulty in this awareness, but even a difficulty in improving the necessary knowledge/skills. It is, therefore, essential to create tools that can raise awareness of these limits. Objective: the present study aims to explore the psychometric properties of the Attitudes and Beliefs about Sexuality Scale, adapted and validated for the Italian context. Method: This is an instrumental, cross-sectional piece of research, whose SABS validation process applies the steps of Beaton and Valmi. The convenience sample collected data from 223 participants in the first approach. This was followed by a retest involving 44 students randomly selected from those who responded in the first phase. Ethical principles were respected. Results: The SABS questionnaire...
Background: The aim of this study was to assess long-term macular vascular changes and their corr... more Background: The aim of this study was to assess long-term macular vascular changes and their correlation with functional recovery in patients successfully treated for Macula-ON and Macula-OFF rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Methods: This retrospective observational study included 82 eyes of 82 patients who received primary successful retinal detachment surgery, 33 Macula-ON and 49 Macula-OFF. Superficial and deep capillary plexuses (SCP and DCP) were evaluated by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), and were correlated with visual acuity (VA), surgical technique and tamponade at 12 months after surgery. The fellow eyes were used as controls. Results: At 12-month follow-up, there was a significant decrease in the vessel density (VD) in the SCP in the operated eyes compared to control eyes (p < 0.05) in both the Macula-ON and Macula-OFF groups. Vessel length density (VLD) decrease in SCP was more extended in the Macula-OFF group. No difference in the DCP perfus...
ImportancePrevious systematic reviews and meta-analyses have concluded that given data paucity, a... more ImportancePrevious systematic reviews and meta-analyses have concluded that given data paucity, a comparison of reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) with dermoscopy is complex. They recommend comparative prospective studies in a real-world setting of suspect lesions.ObjectiveTo test the hypothesis that RCM reduces unnecessary lesion excision by more than 30% and identifies all melanoma lesions thicker than 0.5 mm at baseline.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis randomized clinical trial included 3165 patients enrolled from 3 dermatology referral centers in Italy between January 2017 and December 2019, with a mean (SD) follow-up of 9.6 (6.9) months (range, 1.9-37.0 months). The consecutive sample of 3165 suspect lesions determined through dermoscopy were eligible for inclusion (10 patients refused). Diagnostic analysis included 3078 patients (48 lost, 39 refused excision). Data were analyzed between April and September 2021.InterventionsPatients were randomly assigned 1:1 to standa...
Italian Journal of Dermatology and Venereology, 2021
BACKGROUND Psoriasis is a chronic, relapsing disease and most epidemiological studies include sel... more BACKGROUND Psoriasis is a chronic, relapsing disease and most epidemiological studies include selected patients undergoing systemic therapies only. Epidemiological data suggest that psoriasis affects 2-3% of the general population, and that men and women are equally affected. The objective was to identify differences in gender for disease severity, patient characteristics and comorbidities in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, independent of therapy. METHODS A retrospective medical chart review of consecutive patients diagnosed with moderate-severe psoriasis at a single center between 2004 and 2017, with a complete set of medical records, was undertaken. Both univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed. Statistical significance was defined as P<0.05. RESULTS The male-to-female ratio revealed a higher prevalence for male gender (2:1, P<0.05). Whilst no significant differences were found for most factors according to gender, age at first evaluation was significantly higher for women. Logistic regression analysis indicated that autoimmune/autoinflammatory diseases were more frequently observed in women, as well as phenotypes other than plaque psoriasis and hypertension. Inversely, dyslipidemia was more frequently associated with male gender. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that moderate-severe psoriasis is more common in men and suggests a differential gender distribution of some specific comorbidities in the setting of this disease.
AD patients associated risks of individual and collective autoimmune diseases, mental illnesses a... more AD patients associated risks of individual and collective autoimmune diseases, mental illnesses and cardiovascular diseases.
Aim: To investigate the efficacy and safety of micropulse laser trabeculoplasty (MLT) using a 577... more Aim: To investigate the efficacy and safety of micropulse laser trabeculoplasty (MLT) using a 577 nm yellow wavelength laser randomly assigned to either 1500 or 1000 mW in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Methods: A prospective, double-blinded study of POAG patients was performed in a single center. MLT treatment included a 577 nm micropulse laser (IRIDEX IQ 577TM, IRIDEX, Mountain View, CA, USA) to 360° of the trabecular meshwork at randomly assigned varying powers: 1500 mW in one eye (MLT 1500 group) and 1000 mW in the other (MLT 1000 group). Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal central thickness (CCT), and endothelial cell count (ECC) were evaluated at baseline (T0), post-operative 1 h (T1), 24 h (T2), 1 month (T3), 3 months (T4), and 6 months (T5) after laser treatment. Topical medications were assessed pre-treatment and at T4. Results: Among the 18 eyes included, we achieved a success rate (IOP reduced > 20%) in 77% of sam...
Background: The role of statins among patients with established cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) wh... more Background: The role of statins among patients with established cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) who are hospitalized with COVID-19 is still debated. This study aimed at assessing whether the prior use of statins was associated with a less severe COVID-19 prognosis. Methods: Subjects with CVDs infected with SARS-CoV-2 and hospitalized between 20 February 2020 and 31 December 2020 were selected. These were classified into two mutually exclusive groups: statins-users and non-users of lipid-lowering therapies (non-LLT users). The relationship between statins exposure and the risk of Mechanical Ventilation (MV), Intensive Care Unit (ICU) access and death were evaluated by using logistic and Cox regressions models. Results: Of 1127 selected patients, 571 were statins-users whereas 556 were non-LLT users. The previous use of statins was not associated with a variation in the risk of need of MV (Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.00; 95% Confidence Intervals [CI]: 0.38–2.67), ICU access (OR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0...
Background: MatriDerm and Integra are both widely used collagenic acellular dermal matrices (ADMs... more Background: MatriDerm and Integra are both widely used collagenic acellular dermal matrices (ADMs) in the surgical setting, with similar characteristics in terms of healing time and clinical indication. The aim of the present study is to compare the two ADMs in terms of clinical and histological results in the setting of dermato-oncological surgery. Methods: Ten consecutive patients with medical indications to undergo surgical excision of skin cancers were treated with a 2-step procedure at our Dermatologic Surgery Unit. Immediately after tumor removal, both ADMs were positioned on the wound bed, one adjacent to the other. Closure through split-thickness skin grafting was performed after approximately 3 weeks. Conventional histology, immunostaining and ELISA assay were performed on cutaneous samples at different timepoints. Results: No significant differences were detected in terms of either final clinical outcomes or in extracellular matrix content of the neoformed dermis. However,...
Introduction: Mucosal melanoma is a rare neoplasm. Late diagnosis is caused by occult anatomic s... more Introduction: Mucosal melanoma is a rare neoplasm. Late diagnosis is caused by occult anatomic sites and scarcity of symptoms. Novel biological therapies have now become available. Demographic, therapeutical and survival records on mucosal melanoma are scarce. Objectives: To provide an 11-year retrospective clinical review of real-world data on mucosal melanomas managed in a tertiary referral center in Italy. Methods: We included patients with histopathological mucosal melanoma diagnosis from January 2011 to December 2021. Data were collected until last known follow up or death. Survival analysis was performed. Results: Among 33 patients, we found 9 sinonasal, 13 anorectal and 11 urogenital mucosal melanomass (median age 82, females 66.7%). Eighteen cases (54.5%) presented with metastasis (p<0.05). In the urogenital subgroup, only 4 patients (36.4%) had metastasis at diagnosis, all in regional lymph nodes. Sinonasal melanomas were surgically managed with a debulking procedure (...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Background: Nurses dealing with a patient’s sexuality must start from an awareness of their own e... more Background: Nurses dealing with a patient’s sexuality must start from an awareness of their own experience, specific attitudes, and possible limits. What emerges from the literature is a conservative tendency in nurses, which underlines the difficulty in this awareness, but even a difficulty in improving the necessary knowledge/skills. It is, therefore, essential to create tools that can raise awareness of these limits. Objective: the present study aims to explore the psychometric properties of the Attitudes and Beliefs about Sexuality Scale, adapted and validated for the Italian context. Method: This is an instrumental, cross-sectional piece of research, whose SABS validation process applies the steps of Beaton and Valmi. The convenience sample collected data from 223 participants in the first approach. This was followed by a retest involving 44 students randomly selected from those who responded in the first phase. Ethical principles were respected. Results: The SABS questionnaire...
Background: The aim of this study was to assess long-term macular vascular changes and their corr... more Background: The aim of this study was to assess long-term macular vascular changes and their correlation with functional recovery in patients successfully treated for Macula-ON and Macula-OFF rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Methods: This retrospective observational study included 82 eyes of 82 patients who received primary successful retinal detachment surgery, 33 Macula-ON and 49 Macula-OFF. Superficial and deep capillary plexuses (SCP and DCP) were evaluated by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), and were correlated with visual acuity (VA), surgical technique and tamponade at 12 months after surgery. The fellow eyes were used as controls. Results: At 12-month follow-up, there was a significant decrease in the vessel density (VD) in the SCP in the operated eyes compared to control eyes (p < 0.05) in both the Macula-ON and Macula-OFF groups. Vessel length density (VLD) decrease in SCP was more extended in the Macula-OFF group. No difference in the DCP perfus...
ImportancePrevious systematic reviews and meta-analyses have concluded that given data paucity, a... more ImportancePrevious systematic reviews and meta-analyses have concluded that given data paucity, a comparison of reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) with dermoscopy is complex. They recommend comparative prospective studies in a real-world setting of suspect lesions.ObjectiveTo test the hypothesis that RCM reduces unnecessary lesion excision by more than 30% and identifies all melanoma lesions thicker than 0.5 mm at baseline.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis randomized clinical trial included 3165 patients enrolled from 3 dermatology referral centers in Italy between January 2017 and December 2019, with a mean (SD) follow-up of 9.6 (6.9) months (range, 1.9-37.0 months). The consecutive sample of 3165 suspect lesions determined through dermoscopy were eligible for inclusion (10 patients refused). Diagnostic analysis included 3078 patients (48 lost, 39 refused excision). Data were analyzed between April and September 2021.InterventionsPatients were randomly assigned 1:1 to standa...
Italian Journal of Dermatology and Venereology, 2021
BACKGROUND Psoriasis is a chronic, relapsing disease and most epidemiological studies include sel... more BACKGROUND Psoriasis is a chronic, relapsing disease and most epidemiological studies include selected patients undergoing systemic therapies only. Epidemiological data suggest that psoriasis affects 2-3% of the general population, and that men and women are equally affected. The objective was to identify differences in gender for disease severity, patient characteristics and comorbidities in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, independent of therapy. METHODS A retrospective medical chart review of consecutive patients diagnosed with moderate-severe psoriasis at a single center between 2004 and 2017, with a complete set of medical records, was undertaken. Both univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed. Statistical significance was defined as P<0.05. RESULTS The male-to-female ratio revealed a higher prevalence for male gender (2:1, P<0.05). Whilst no significant differences were found for most factors according to gender, age at first evaluation was significantly higher for women. Logistic regression analysis indicated that autoimmune/autoinflammatory diseases were more frequently observed in women, as well as phenotypes other than plaque psoriasis and hypertension. Inversely, dyslipidemia was more frequently associated with male gender. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that moderate-severe psoriasis is more common in men and suggests a differential gender distribution of some specific comorbidities in the setting of this disease.
AD patients associated risks of individual and collective autoimmune diseases, mental illnesses a... more AD patients associated risks of individual and collective autoimmune diseases, mental illnesses and cardiovascular diseases.
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