The COVID-19 Assessment for Survival at Admission (CASA) Index: A 12 Months Observational Study

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease with a high rate of progression to critical illness. However, the stratification of patients at risk of mortality is not well defined. In this study, we aimed to define a mortality risk index to allocate patients to the appropriate intensity of care. Methods: This is a 12 months observational longitudinal study designed to develop and validate a pragmatic mortality risk score to stratify COVID-19 patients aged ≥18 years and admitted to hospital between March 2020 and March 2021. Main outcome was in-hospital mortality. Results: 244 patients were included in the study (mortality rate 29.9%). The Covid-19 Assessment for Survival at Admission (CASA) index included seven variables readily available at admission: respiratory rate, troponin, albumin, CKD-EPI, white blood cell count, D-dimer, Pa02/Fi02. The CASA index showed high discrimination for mortality with an AUC of 0.91 (sensitivity 98.6%; specificity 69%) and a better performance compared to SOFA (AUC = 0.76), age (AUC = 0.76) and 4C mortality (AUC = 0.82). The cut-off identified (11.994) for CASA index showed a negative predictive value of 99.16% and a positive predictive value of 57.58%. Conclusions: A quick and readily available index has been identified to help clinicians stratify COVID-19 patients according to the appropriate intensity of care and minimize hospital admission to patients at high risk of mortality

Preliminary Results of Thyroid Disease Screening Program "Ambulatorio Mobile" of 6153 Thyroid Ultrasounds Performed on the Population of a Geographical Area in Belarus Contaminated by Chernobyl Accident.

The abstract deals with the effects of Chernobyl release of 131I on thyroid volume in subjects exposed to the fall-out. In particular no difference in thyroid volume was found as a consequence of 131I exposure

Preliminary results of thyroid disease screening program “Ambulatorio Mobile” of 6153 thyroid ultrasounds performed on the population of a geographical area in Belarus contamined by Chernobyl accident

The radio iodine exposure does not influence thyroid volume not it changes the predictor (age, sex, BMI, body area surface) of thyroid volume

Analisi di una serie di esami citologici da agoaspirato tiroideo ecoguidato eseguiti in bambini, adolescenti ed adulti in un’area geografica della Bielorussia contaminata dall’incidente di Chernobyl

Analysis of 285 FNAB of thyroid nodules in a population living in a rural area exposed to radiation after Chernobyl radiation accident

Effects of a Dietary Supplement Composed of Baicalin, Bromelain and Escin for Venous Chronic Insufficiency Treatment: Insights from a Retrospective Observational Study

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) represents a risk factor for cardiovascular events. The first-line treatment includes the use of compression stockings and lifestyle changes. Natural products, such as flavonoids, could be used to improve the effects of compression therapy due to their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. This study aims to evaluate the effects of a dietary supplement containing baicalin, bromeline and escin in CVI patients. A retrospective cohort study was performed by using the medical records of CVI affected outpatients. Patients treated with the dietary supplement were defined as “users”. A modified Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) was calculated, including pain, inflammation, vessels induration and skin pigmentation. All clinical variables were evaluated at baseline (T0), after 30 (T1) and 90(T2) days in “users” and “non-users”. Out of 62 patients, 30 (48.4%) were “users”. No difference was observed between groups at baseline. A lower VCSS value was recorded in “users” than that observed in “non-users” at T2 (7.0 (4.0–9.0) vs. 9.0 (5.0–10.0); p = 0.025). Vessels’ induration and pain significantly reduced in 53.3% and 43.3% of “users” and in 18.8% and 9.4% of “non-users”. Only “users” (33.3%) showed a reduction of the inflammatory signs as well as a decrease in malleolar circumference, from 29.0 (26.5–30.0) to 27.5 (26.0–28.5) (p p = 0.006). These findings suggest that implementation of a dietary supplement could improve the clinical outcomes of CVI patients

Risultati preliminari del progetto di screening della patologia tiroidea ‘Ambulatorio Mobile’ su 6153 ecografie tiroidee eseguite in una popolazione di un’area geografica della Bielorussia contaminata dall’incidente di Chernobyl.

Preliminary results of a study conducted on a population living in a rural area exposed to radiation after Chernobyl accident. Ultrasound screening of thyroid gland was performed in 6153 patients and showed no effect on thyroid volume