Glaucoma: Biological trabecular and neuroretinal pathology with perspectives of therapy innovation and preventive diagnosis

Glaucoma is a common degenerative disease affecting retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and optic nerve axons, with progressive and chronic course. It is one of the most important reasons of social blindness in industrialized countries. Glaucoma can lead to the development of irreversible visual field loss, if not treated. Diagnosis may be difficult due to lack of symptoms in early stages of disease. In many cases, when patients arrive at clinical evaluation, a severe neuronal damage may have already occurred. In recent years, newer perspective in glaucoma treatment have emerged. The current research is focusing on finding newer drugs and associations or better delivery systems in order to improve the pharmacological treatment and patient compliance. Moreover, the application of various stem cell types with restorative and neuroprotective intent may be found appealing (intravitreal autologous cellular therapy). Advances are made also in terms of parasurgical treatment, characterized by various laser types and techniques. Moreover, recent research has led to the development of central and peripheral retinal rehabilitation (featuring residing cells reactivation and replacement of defective elements), as well as innovations in diagnosis through more specific and refined methods and inexpensive tests

Comparison of visual outcomes, spectacles dependence and patient satisfaction of multifocal and accommodative intraocular lenses: innovative perspectives for maximal refractive-oriented cataract surgery

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate visual outcomes for different working distances (far, 60 cm and 33 cm) and impact on vision quality of multifocal IOLs AcrySof ResTOR SN6AD1 and SN6AD3 (Alcon, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, USA) as well as REVIEW FIL611PV multifocal and OPTOFLEX FIL618 accommodative IOLs (Soleko, Ltd., Rome, Italy) in patients undergoing bilateral phacoemulsification. METHODS: In this observational prospective study 63 patients undergoing binocular cataract surgery were divided into four groups for implantation of one of the IOLs under evaluation. Visual outcomes were evaluated at 1 day, 7 days, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after surgery. Patients’ satisfaction and spectacle independence were evaluated with questionnaires administered at the 6-months follow-up. RESULTS: Improvements in visual acuity for the three working distances were statistically significant in all cases compared to the preoperative status, especially after binocular implantation. The AcrySof ReSTOR SN6AD1 multifocal IOL provided the best visual acuity results and tolerability for all working distances. While performing worse than SN6AD1, FIL611PV and FIL618 provided better uncorrected visual acuity and spectacles independence for intermediate/close-up and far distances respectively, in comparison with the SN6AD3 group. CONCLUSIONS: SN6AD1 was confirmed the best choice for all working distances. However, FIL611PV IOL may represent a valid and more cost-effective alternative, especially if surgeons intend to prioritize spectacle independence and patient autonomy at intermediate and close-up distances, in accordance to specific needs and requests. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial retrospectively registered in ISRCTN Registry on 02/02/2017. TRN: ISRCTN14145737

Unemployment benefits : discursive convergence, distant realities

Production of INCASI Project H2020-MSCA-RISE-2015 GA 691004Unemployment protection systems have certain characteristics in common in Argentina, Uruguay, Spain and Italy: they are compulsory and contributory-proportional, although in Uruguay, it also has a capitalisation supplement. Despite the similarities, they work differently because the context of informal employment chiefly, and unemployment, low salaries and precariousness differ greatly. Consequently, the unemployment protection coverage rate varies. Theories of the Active Welfare State, the Investor State and the reforms of unemployment protection systems have led to a certain modernising language being adopted in these countries: activation, employability, conditionality, lifelong learning, flexibility, which are, among others, words shared with Europe. However, the meanings of these words differ according to the institutional context of each country. In Latin America the welfare state is low institutionalised even almost non-existent, while in Europe it is a diverse institution. Despite this, the four countries share an upward trend in benefit policies, in accordance with the increase in poverty risk

Teleconsultation service to improve healthcare in rural areas: acceptance, organizational impact and appropriateness

Background: Nowadays, new organisational strategies should be indentified to improve primary care and its link with secondary care in terms of efficacy and timeliness of interventions thus preventing unnecessary hospital accesses and costs saving for the health system. The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of the use of teleconsultation by general practitioners in rural areas. Methods: General practitioners were provided with a teleconsultation service from 2006 to 2008 to obtain a second opinion for cardiac, dermatological and diabetic problems. Access, acceptance, organisational impact, effectiveness and economics data were collected. Clinical and access data were systematically entered in a database while acceptance and organisational data were evaluated through ad hoc questionnaires. Results: There were 957 teleconsultation contacts which resulted in access to health care services for 812 symptomatic patients living in 30 rural communities. Through the teleconsultation service, 48 general practitioners improved the appropriateness of primary care and the integration with secondary care. In fact, the level of concordance between intentions and consultations for cardiac problems was equal to 9%, in 86% of the cases the service entailed a saving of resources and in 5% of the cases, it improved the timeliness. 95% of the GPs considered the overall quality positively. For a future routine use of this service, trust in specialists, duration and workload of teleconsultations and reimbursement should be taken into account. Conclusions: Managerial and policy implications emerged mainly related to the support to GPs in the provision of high quality primary care and decision-making processes in promoting similar services