Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza

About: Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza is a healthcare organization based out in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 2234 authors who have published 6183 publications receiving 239811 citations. The organization is also known as: Home for Relief of the Suffering.

Effect of a CYP2D6 polymorphism on the efficacy of donepezil in patients with Alzheimer disease.

Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the influence of the single nucleotide polymorphism rs1080985 in the cytochrome P450 2D6 ( CYP2D6 ) gene on the efficacy of donepezil in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods: This was a multicenter, prospective cohort study of 127 white patients with AD according to the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke–Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association Work Group criteria. Patients were treated with donepezil 5–10 mg/daily for 6 months. Cognitive and functional statuses were evaluated at baseline and at 6-month follow-up. Response to therapy was defined according to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence criteria. Compliance and drug-related adverse events were also evaluated. The analyses identifying the CYP2D6 and APOE polymorphisms were performed in blinded fashion. Results: At 6-month follow-up, 69 of 115 patients (60%) were responders and 46 patients (40%) were nonresponders to donepezil treatment. A significantly higher frequency of patients with the G allele of rs1080985 was found in nonresponders than in responders (58.7% vs 34.8%, p = 0.013). Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, Mini-Mental State Examination score at baseline, and APOE demonstrated that patients with the G allele had a significantly higher risk of poor response to donepezil treatment (odds ratio 3.431, 95% confidence interval 1.490–7.901). Conclusions: The single nucleotide polymorphism rs1080985 in the CYP2D6 gene may influence the clinical efficacy of donepezil in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease (AD). The analysis of CYP2D6 genotypes may be useful in identifying subgroups of patients with AD who have different clinical responses to donepezil.

MBOAT7 rs641738 increases risk of liver inflammation and transition to fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C

Abstract: Cirrhosis likely shares common pathophysiological pathways despite arising from a variety of liver diseases. A recent GWAS identified rs641738, a polymorphism in the MBOAT7 locus, as being associated with the development of alcoholic cirrhosis. Here we explore the role of this variant on liver inflammation and fibrosis in two cohorts of patients with chronic hepatitis C. In 2,051 patients, rs641738 associated with severe hepatic inflammation and increased risk of fibrosis, as well as fast fibrosis progression. At functional level, rs641738 associated with MBOAT7 transcript and protein levels in liver and blood, and with serum inflammatory, oxidative stress and macrophage activation markers. MBOAT7 was expressed in immune cell subsets, implying a role in hepatic inflammation. We conclude that the MBOAT7 rs641738 polymorphism is a novel risk variant for liver inflammation in hepatitis C, and thereby for liver fibrosis.

Intergenerational instability and marked anticipation in SCA-17.

Abstract: The authors describe an Italian family with autosomal dominant ataxia, dementia, psychiatric and extrapyramidal features, epilepsy, mild sensorimotor axonal neuropathy, and MRI findings of cerebral and cerebellar atrophy A child had a distinctive presentation with onset at 3 years, growth retardation, fast progression, and early death Molecular analysis demonstrated an expanded CAG/CAA repeat in the TBP gene (SCA-17) The repeat size was 66 triplets in the child and 53 in all the other patients

Recommendations of the ESSR Arthritis Subcommittee for the Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Musculoskeletal Rheumatic Diseases.

Abstract: This article presents the recommendations of the European Society of Musculoskeletal Radiology Arthritis Subcommittee regarding the standards of the use of MRI in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal rheumatic diseases. The recommendations discuss (1) the role of MRI in current classification criteria of musculoskeletal rheumatic diseases (including early diagnosis of inflammation, disease follow-up, and identification of disease complications); (2) the impact of MRI on the diagnosis of axial and peripheral spondyloarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and juvenile spondyloarthritis; (3) MRI protocols for the axial and peripheral joints; (4) MRI interpretation and reporting for axial and peripheral joints; and finally, (5) methods for assessing MR images including quantitative, semiquantitative, and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI studies.