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.

Lenalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone for newly diagnosed primary plasma cell leukemia.

Abstract: 1 Patel AK, Sheehan W, Jenkins A, Lane C, Kell J. Prophylactic treatment for cytosine arabinoside-induced keratoconjunctivitis. Int Ophthalmol 2011; 31: 191–195. 2 Matteucci P, Carlo-Stella C, Di Nicola M, Magni M, Guidetti A, Marchesi M et al. Topical prophylaxis of conjunctivitis induced by high-dose cytosine arabinoside. Haematologica 2006; 91: 255–257. 3 Higa GM, Gockerman JP, Hunt AL, Jones MR, Horne BJ. The use of prophylactic eye drops during high-dose cytosine arabinoside therapy. Cancer 1991; 68: 1691–1693. 4 Watson SL, Coroneo MT. Steroids and the eye. Med Today 2001; 2: 79–85. 5 Nerkelun S, Kellermann S, Nenning H. [Acute blindness caused by fungal infection in chronic myeloid leukemia]. Klin Monatsbl fur Augenheilkunde 1997; 211: 272–274. 6 Gressel MG, Tomsak RL. Keratitis from high doses intravenous cytarabine. Lancet 1982; 2: 273. 7 Lass JH, Lazarus HM, Reed MD, Herzig RH. Topical corticosteroid therapy for corneal toxicity from systemically administered cytarabine. Am J Ophthalmol 1982; 94: 617–621. 8 Elliott GA, Schut AL. Studies with cytarabine HCl (CA) in normal eyes of man, monkey and rabbit. Am J Ophthalmol 1965; 60: 1074–1082. 9 Kaufman HE, Capella JA, Maloney ED, Robbins JE, Cooper GM, Uotila MH. Corneal toxicity of cytosine arabinoside. Arch Ophthalmol 1964; 72: 535–540.

Transthoracic Ultrasound in the Evaluation of Pulmonary Fibrosis: Our Experience

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to identify the ultrasonographic features of mild, moderate and severe pulmonary fibrosis. Between December 2005 and November 2007, transthoracic ultrasonography (US) was performed by a single operator with specific training in lung sonography on 84 consecutive patients (51 males and 33 females, aged 46 to 73 y) with pulmonary fibrosis. The obtained data were compared with those from a sample of 162 healthy subjects (78 men and 84 women, aged 18 to 76 y). The disease was idiopathic (biopsy confirmed) in 53/84 cases (63%). In the remaining (all histologically confirmed) cases, it was associated with systemic sclerosis (n = 18), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 4), mixed connective tissue disease (n = 4), Sjogren syndrome (n = 4), polymyositis (n = 2) or primary biliary cirrhosis (n = 1). Disease severity was classified as mild, moderate or severe based on clinical findings and the results of standard chest radiography, high-resolution computed tomography and pulmonary function tests. Pulmonary fibrosis was associated with the following US findings: (1) fragmented, irregular thickening (micro3 mm) of the "pleural line" distributed over the whole surface of the lung, especially in the lower posterior lobe (observed in all 84 patients); (2) subpleural cysts (seen in 57/84 (68%) cases of moderate-severe disease); (3) reduction or absence of the physiological "gliding sign" related to disease severity (observed in 33/84 to 39% cases); and (4) increased number of horizontal (and to a lesser extent vertical) reverberation artifacts (seen in 41 patients with advanced fibrosis, 34% of the total series). All abnormalities were detected in both lungs. Although lung biopsy is still the gold standard for diagnosis of interstitial lung disease, transthoracic ultrasound can document early and late-stage changes associated with this disease.

Insulin signaling regulating genes: effect on T2DM and cardiovascular risk.

Abstract: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex disorder that has a heterogeneous genetic and environmental background. In this Review, we discuss the role of relatively infrequent polymorphisms of genes that regulate insulin signaling (including the K121Q polymorphism of ENPP1, the G972R polymorphism of IRS1 and the Q84R polymorphism of TRIB3) in T2DM and other conditions related to insulin resistance. The biological relevance of these three polymorphisms has been very thoroughly characterized both in vitro and in vivo and the available data indicate that they all affect insulin signaling and action as well as insulin secretion. They also affect insulin-mediated regulation of endothelial cell function. In addition, several reports indicate that the effects of all three polymorphisms on the risk of T2DM and cardiovascular diseases related to insulin resistance depend on the clinical features of the individual, including their body weight and age at disease onset. Thus, these polymorphisms might be used to demonstrate how difficult it is to ascertain the contribution of relatively infrequent genetic variants with heterogeneous effects on disease susceptibility. Unraveling the role of such variants might be facilitated by improving disease definition and focusing on specific subsets of patients.

Serum levels of cytokines and soluble antigens in polytransfused patients with beta-thalassemia major: relationship to immune status

Abstract: BACKGROUND. A series of immunological abnormalities has been described in patients with beta-thalassemia. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the measurement of serum levels of selected cytokines and soluble molecules (deriving from cell membrane antigens) involved in the immune response could be useful for a better definition of such alterations. PATIENTS AND METHODS. Serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), soluble (s) CD4, sCD8, sCD23 and sCD25 were measured using immunoenzymatic assays in 45 transfusion-dependent patients affected by beta-thalassemia major and correlated to conventional immunological indexes, such as peripheral lymphocyte subpopulations and circulating immunoglobulins. RESULTS. Patients with beta-thalassemia major showed increased TNF, sCD8, sCD23 and sCD25 and lower sCD4 values compared to normal controls. IL-2 and IL-6 were found to be undetectable or within the normal range in all patients. Splenectomized patients presented lower levels of sCD8 and sCD23 than those observed in unsplenectomized ones. A series of correlations involving TNF, sCD8, sCD23, sCD25, serum immunoglobulins and some lymphocyte subpopulations was observed. In addition, serum markers of immune activation (TNF, sCD23, sCD25) correlated directly with the annual blood transfusion requirement. Despite this series of immunological anomalies, no patient had a history of repeated infectious episodes. CONCLUSIONS. Polytransfused beta-thalassemic patients are characterized by a partial functional immunodeficiency determined by increased activity of CD8+ suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes and possibly reduced activity of the CD4+ helper/inducer subset. B-lymphocytes also appear highly activated. The allo-antigenic stimulation of transfusions seems to play a major role in the determination of these defects; however, this functional immunological imbalance does not seem to have any clinical relevance.