Characteristics, comorbidities and laboratory measures associated with disease severity and poor prognosis in young and elderly patients with COVID-19 admitted to medical wards in Emilia-Romagna region, Italy: a multicentre retrospective study

Background and Objectives. A relatively small number of studies have investigated the characteristics, comorbidities and laboratory measures associated with prognosis in patients with COVID-19, admitted to Internal Medicine Units (IMU) in Italy. Therefore, we performed a retrospective multicentre study to identify baseline features, predisposing to severe disease and poor outcomes, in adult individuals with SARS-CoV2 infection, hospitalized in 5 IMUs in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy). Materials and Methods. We included 129 consecutive patients (male 75, median age 68 years) from 1st March 2020 to 31st October 2021. Patients' baseline characteristics, comorbidities, laboratory measures, and outcomes were collected. Results. At admission, the factors significantly associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality included: age (median 68 vs. 83 years in survived vs. dead patients, P=0.000), diabetes [Odds Ratio (OR) 4.00, P=0.016], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR 4.60, P=0.022), cancer (OR 5.81, P=0.021), acute- (OR 9.88, P=0.000) and chronicrenal failure (OR 6.76, P=0.004). During the study period, 16 individuals died (12.4%), all over 70 years old. In deceased vs. non-deceased patients were detected: i) more elevated white blood cells and neutrophils-counts and lower lymphocytes count; ii) higher levels of total/direct bilirubin, creatinine, C-reactive-protein, lactate-dehydrogenase, ferritin, but only a slight Interleukin-6 increase; iii) a trend of lower vitamin D values. Conclusions. We proposed a new I index, a modified form of the Age-Adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index, by considering pO(2)/FiO(2) ratio, to better characterize the severity of COVID-19. Furthermore, we critically discuss our results with the current assumption which considers COVID-19 as a pathological condition associated with cytokine storm

Complexity in hospital internal medicine departments: What are we talking about?

Internal medicine (IM) patients are mostly elderly, with multiple complex co-morbidities, usually chronic. The complexity of these patients involves the intricate entanglement of two or more systems (e.g. body and disease, family-socio-economic and environmental status, coordination of care and therapies) and this requires comprehensive, multi-dimensional assessment (MDA). Despite attempts to improve management of chronic conditions, and the availability of several MDA tools, defining the complex patient is still problematic. The complex profile of our patients can only be described through the best assessment tools designed to identify their characteristics. In order to do this, the Federation of Associations of Hospital Doctors on Internal Medicine FADOI has created its own vision of IM. This involves understanding the different needs of the patient, and analyzing diseases clusters and the possible relationships between them. By exploring the real complexity of our patients and selecting their real needs, we can exercise holistic, anthropological and appropriate choices for their treatment and care. A simpler assessment approach must be adopted for our complex patients, and alternative tools should be used to improve clinical evaluation and prognostic stratification in a hierarchical selection of priorities. Further investigation of complex patients admitted to IM wards is needed

Medicina interna, paziente complesso, evidence based medicine e le non evidenze

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Generic - equivalent drugs use in internal and general medicine patients: distrust, confusion, lack of certainties or knowledge? Part 1. Pharmacological issues

Despite compelling evidence and guidelines, in Italy, generic/equivalent drugs are still underused. The failure to adopt existing generic drugs may result into a missed opportunity to further reduce healthcare costs. Equivalent drugs are approved based on data deriving from bioequivalence studies. In the first part of the article, the concepts of generic/equivalent drugs are defined, emphasizing the differences between pharmaceutical equivalence, therapeutic equivalence, bioequivalence and bioavailability. A summary of the methods adopted to define bioequivalence (pharmacokinetic studies; pharmacodynamic studies; comparative clinical trials; in vitro studies) is also included

Generic - equivalent drugs use in internal and general medicine patients: distrust, confusion, lack of certainties or of knowledge? Part 3. Clinical issues

There are several clinical areas or types of drugs that make prescribing branded drugs preferable, because of potential therapeutic inequivalence or confusion. Bioequivalence criteria may be fine for most drugs, but some conditions may require drug levels with modified variations, like in the case of narrow therapeutic index and critical dose drugs, highly variable drugs and modified-release formulations. Moreover, substitution with generics can be problematic in some patient subpopulations, such as elderly frail people, immunocompromised and transplant patients and patients with epilepsy. We include a list of branded drugs that are considered safer, more effective or with a lower risk of error. The therapeutic substitution is markedly different from therapeutic interchange. The replacement of a brand product with an equivalent has to occur under the control of the physician. At some point in their interaction with individual patients, physicians should let them know that generics are available as substitutes for the more expensive brand-name medications and are equivalent in terms of efficacy and safety. Finally, we hope that a tool like the American Orange book will be also implemented in Italy: it would serve as an accurate reference, that can be useful both to physicians for prescription appropriateness and to patients for their own informed consent

Generic - equivalent drugs use in internal and general medicine patients: distrust, confusion, lack of certainties or of knowledge? Part 2. Misconceptions, doubts and critical aspects when using generic drugs in the real world

A lot of issues have been raised to argue that equivalent drugs may not work as well or at least the same as what the drug industry likes to call innovator products. Many doubts and biases are also reported in connection with the use of generic drugs. Doctors are mostly concerned about their efficacy, their tolerability, the quality and amount of active ingredients, their formulation or excipients, their packaging, their pharmaceutical form and their palatability. We describe the differences between prescribability (equivalence when prescribing a drug to a patient for the first time) and switchability (interchangeability of drugs for a patient already in treatment) considering the notions of average bioequivalence, population bioequivalence and individual bioequivalence as well as the usefulness of the U.S. Orange Book in the assessment of bioequivalence. Other key issues deserve attention, such as: duplicate applications for medicinal products, different salt forms, formulations used in the development of each medicinal product and excipients, product quality. Clinicians in collaboration with pharmacists and research pharmacologists have to find solutions for unanswered questions and unsolved doubts, by developing targeted studies, communication tools and shared guidelines

Vitamin E for the treatment of children with hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM to assess vitamin E efficacy, defined as its ability to induce hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion, in children with HBeAg-positive persistent hepatitis. METHODS In July 2016, we extracted articles published in MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library using the following search terms: "chronic hepatitis B", "children", "childhood", "therapy", "treatment", "vitamin E", "tocopherols", "tocotrienols". Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English language were collected. RESULTS Three RCTs met inclusion criteria and were considered in the present meta-analysis. Overall, 23/122 children in the treatment group underwent HBeAg seroconversion vs 3/74 in the control group (OR = 3.96, 95%CI: 1.18-13.25, p = 0.025). CONCLUSION Although our meta-analysis has several limits, including the very small number of available studies and enrolled children with HBeAg positivity-related hepatitis, it suggests that vitamin E use may enhance the probability to induce HBeAg seroconversion in these patients. Further well designed and adequately sized trials are required to confirm or deny these very preliminary results

Ortner's syndrome: a rare case of cardiovocal hoarseness

Introduction Ortner's syndrome, also known as cardiovocal syndrome, is a rare clinical entity with hoarseness due to left recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy owing to a cardiovascular disease. Norbert Ortner ascribed hoarseness of voice RLN palsy in patients with several mitral stenosis, postulating that an enlarged left atrium could be responsible for the recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. Case report A 63-year-old man with a history of progressive hoarseness of voice developed since over three months. Flexible laryngoscopy revealed a fixed left vocal cord in the paramedian position. The chest enhanced axial computed tomography confirmed a large left ventricular aneurysm. Conclusions Hoarseness has significant public health implications. Patients suffer from social deprivation, depression and a poor quality of life. Several underlying conditions are associated with the cardiovocal syndrome, including iatrogenic, congenital, mitral valve disorders, aortic and ventricular aneurysms. Laryngoscopy is indicated for the assessment of hoarseness if symptoms fail to improve or resolve within three months, or at any time when the clinician suspects a serious underlying disorder

Management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations in Internal Medicine

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the second leading cause of hospitalization in Internal Medicine departments in Italy and the fourth leading cause of death all over the word. By 2020, COPD will be the third leading cause of death and the fifth leading cause of disability. It is — along with chronic congestive heart failure — one of the most common causes of unscheduled hospital readmissions, and as such it represents a significant economic burden for the health-care system. Exacerbations of COPD are important events in the natural history of this prevalent condition. Discussion: This review provides a comprehensive state-of-the-art look at prevention and management of COPD exacerbations. Treatment of these episodes has to be tailored to the severity of the clinical presentation. We now have a wide range of therapeutic available options, based on the results of clinical trials. Management of the acute event should include the necessary measures (mainly the administration of inhaled short-acting bronchodilators, inhaled or oral corticosteroids, and antibiotics), with or without oxygen and ventilator support. Conclusions: To improve the management of COPD exacerbations, the focus of care must be shifted from the episodic acute complications to their systematic prevention. The management of COPD, which is often associated with multiple co-morbidities, is complex and requires a tailored, multifaceted and multidisciplinary approach. Integrated care for COPD also requires that patients be informed about their condition, that they participate actively in their care, and that they have easy access to the necessary health-care services