IAP administration approach.

<p>This figure reports women who had indication for GBS chemoprophylaxis among study cohort and intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis administration approach.</p

Study population.

<p>This figure shows population of women who delivered in selected maternity units and overall study cohort.</p

Additional file 1: of Prospective surveillance of healthcare-associated infections and patterns of antimicrobial resistance of pathogens in an Italian intensive care unit

Data Collection Form. (DOC 330 kb

Additional file 1: of Immunogenicity and safety of intradermal influenza vaccine in immunocompromized patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

PRISMA checklist. (DOC 69 kb

BMI scatterplot and regression line according to mean daily sleeping hours.

<p>BMI scatterplot and regression line according to mean daily sleeping hours.</p

Role of serum ferritin level on overall survival in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes: Results of a meta-analysis of observational studies

<div><p>Background</p><p>The role of serum ferritin (SF) as a prognostic factor has been analyzed in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) who have undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), but the prognostic role of elevated SF levels is still controversial in lower risk MDS patients. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis of all available published literature to evaluate whether elevated SF levels are associated with a worse overall survival (OS) among patients with low risk MDS.</p><p>Material and methods</p><p>A systematic bibliographic search of relevant studies was undertaken in accordance with guidelines for meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology. Electronic databases were searched through July 2016 for studies examining the level of SF as a prognostic factor in the adults affected by MDS.</p><p>Results</p><p>Six articles were included in the meta-analysis. A significant association between OS and SF was achieved for the threshold of SF≥1000 ng/mL, when the only study that used SF cut-off ≥2000 ng/mL was not included in the meta-analysis (RR = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.06–1.67). The estimated risk was 2.58 (95% CI = 1.41–4.74) when a SF cut-off≥500 ng/mL was considered.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>Our findings underlined a worse survival in patients with MDS who had higher SF levels. The association was stronger and achieved statistical significance after stratification of analyses in which we excluded cut-offs of SF level considered as outliers. These results suggest that negative impact on OS already exist at SF level ≥500 ng/mL. Prospective studies, are needed to better understand this relationship and, above all, to clarify whether earlier iron chelation therapy could improve patients’ OS.</p></div

Forest plot of the subgroup analyses of the association of OS and SF according to SF≥1000 ng/mL and SF≥500 ng/mL cut-offs.

<p>Forest plot of the subgroup analyses of the association of OS and SF according to SF≥1000 ng/mL and SF≥500 ng/mL cut-offs.</p

Forest plot of the association of OS and SF according to SF≥1000 ng/ml and SF≥300 ng/ml cut-offs.

<p>Forest plot of the association of OS and SF according to SF≥1000 ng/ml and SF≥300 ng/ml cut-offs.</p

Selected characteristics of the study population and results of univariate and multivariate analyses relating several variables to BMI.

a<p>N = 496 subjects after exclusion of participants with missing data.</p>b<p>The mean and standard deviation (SD) of BMI of the sample is 19.45±3.4.</p>c<p>referred to the age of 10 years.</p>d<p>the number that do not add to 542 are due to missing data for the variable.</p>e<p>referred to the parental education of 13 years.</p>f<p>referred to birth weight ≥4 kilograms.</p>g<p>referred to recommended daily servings.</p

Appraising Hospital Performance by Using the JCHAO/CMS Quality Measures in Southern Italy

<div><h3>Objectives</h3><p>The main objective of the present study was to estimate the uptake to quality indicators that reflect the current evidence-based recommendations and guidelines.</p> <h3>Methods</h3><p>A retrospective review of medical records of patients admitted to two hospitals in the South of Italy was conducted. For the purposes of the analysis, a sets of quality indicators has been used from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospital Organizations and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Four areas of care were selected: acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF), pneumonia (PN), and surgical care improvement project (SCIP). Frequency or median was calculated, as appropriate, for each indicator. A composite score was calculated to estimate the overall performance for each area of care.</p> <h3>Results</h3><p>A total of 1772 medical records were reviewed. The adherence rates showed a wide-ranging variability among the selected indicators. The use of aspirin and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) for AMI, the use of ACEI or ARB for HF, the use of appropriate thromboembolism prophylaxis and appropriate hair removal for surgical patients almost approached optimal adherence. At the other extreme, rates regarding adherence to smoking-cessation counseling in AMI and HF patients, discharge instructions in HF patients, and influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in pneumonia patients were noticeably intangible. Overall, the recommended processes of care among eligible patients were provided in 70% for AMI, in 32.4% for HF, in 46.4% for PN, and in 46% for SCIP.</p> <h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The results show that there is still substantial work that lies ahead on the way to improve the uptake to evidence-based processes of care. Improvement initiatives should be focused more on domains of healthcare than on specific conditions, especially on the area of preventive care.</p> </div