Modeling the contribution of male testosterone levels to the duration of positive COVID testing among hospitalized male COVID-19 patients

Background: A growing body of evidence is emerging suggesting testosterone can affect all cells involved in the immune response to both bacterial and viral infections, and the testosterone effect on the immune response could explain the greater susceptibility of men to infections including COVID-19. We aimed to explore the predictive role of male serum total testosterone (TT) levels on the time till viral negativity testing among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Methods: The univariate effect of risk factors for the duration of COVID-19 viral positivity was evaluated using the log-rank test and Kaplan-Meier estimates. A multivariable Cox regression model was developed to test the role of TT levels and the subsequent odds for shorter viral positivity intervals. Results: Increasing serum TT levels and the need for an oxygen administration strategy were independently predictive for respectively reduced and increased days to negativization (Hazard Ratio [HR]: 1.39, 95% CI: 0.95-2.03 and HR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.03-1.18). Conclusion: Baseline higher TT levels for male COVID-19 patients at hospital admission are associated with shorter durations of positive COVID-19 testing and thus viral clearance. Our preliminary findings might play a relevant to help pandemic control strategies if these will be verified in future larger multicentric and possibly randomized trials

Lenalidomide in Pretreated Mantle Cell Lymphoma Patients: An Italian Observational Multicenter Retrospective Study in Daily Clinical Practice (the Lenamant Study)

Background: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) has the worst prognosis of B-cell subtypes owing to its aggressive clinical disease course and incurability with standard chemo-immunotherapy. Options for relapsed MCL are limited, although several single agents have been studied. Lenalidomide is available in Italy for patients with MCL based on a local disposition of the Italian Drug Agency. Subjects, Materials, and Methods: An observational retrospective study was conducted in 24 Italian hematology centers with the aim to improve information on effectiveness and safety of lenalidomide use in real practice. Results: Seventy patients received lenalidomide for 21/28 days with a median of eight cycles. At the end of therapy, there were 22 complete responses (31.4%), 11 partial responses, 6 stable diseases, and 31 progressions, with an overall response rate of 47.1%. Eighteen patients (22.9%) received lenalidomide in combination with either dexamethasone (n = 13) or rituximab (n = 5). Median overall survival (OS) was reached at 33 months and median disease-free survival (DFS) at 20 months: 14/22 patients are in continuous complete response with a median of 26 months. Patients who received lenalidomide alone were compared with patients who received lenalidomide in combination: OS and DFS did not differ. Progression-free survivals are significantly different: at 56 months, 36% in the combination group versus 13% in patients who received lenalidomide alone. Toxicities were manageable, even if 17 of them led to an early drug discontinuation. Conclusion: Lenalidomide therapy for relapsed MCL patients is effective and tolerable even in a real-life context. Implication for Practice: Several factors influence treatment choice in relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma (rrMCL), and the therapeutic scenario is continuously evolving. In fact, rrMCL became the first lymphoma for which four novel agents have been approved: temsirolimus, lenalidomide, ibrutinib, and bortezomib. The rrMCL therapeutic algorithm is not so well established because data in the everyday clinical practice are still poor. Lenalidomide for rrMCL patients is effective and tolerable even in a real-life context

Civiltà della Campania. Anno III, n. 4 (gennaio-marzo 1976)

A. III, n. 4 (gennaio-marzo 1976): Ricordo di Alfonso, P. 3 ; A. Gatto, Un sodalizio d’arte sotto lo stesso cielo, P. 4 ; R. Causa, Itinerari nell’arte catalana, P. 12 ; B. Gatta, Un altro inglese che ama Garibaldi, P. 18 ; A. Garzya, Napoli e Bisanzio, P. 26 ; S. Ferraretti, Il grande Archivio Napoletano, P. 32 ; B.G., L’Abate Galiani tra Napoli e Parigi, P. 34 ; M. Stefanile, Campania a tavola, P. 36 ; D. Rea, Pulcinella: il mistero di una maschera, P. 44 ; L. Compagnone, Il piccolo teatro di Raffaele Petra, P. 56 ; V. Ricciuti, Quando il cinema si chiamava Napoli, P. 58 ; R. Cantarella, C’era una volta una piccola città, P. 62 ; E. Mallardo, La cattedrale di Avellino, P. 66 ; V. Gramignazzi-Serrone, S. Guglielmo al Goleto, P. 70 ; F. de Ciuceis, I fasti del San Carlo, P. 78 ; L. Orsini, Faito una selva nel cielo, P. 82 ; S. Ferraro, Archeologia a Sorrento, P. 86 ; G. Blasi, Un parco negli Alburni, P. 88 ; D. Lanzara, Il convento di Ischia, P. 92 ; Notiziario, P. 93

Civiltà della Campania. Anno I, n. 1 (dicembre 1974)

A.I, n. 1 (dicembre 1974): M. Parrilli, Editoriale, P. 3 ; R. Virtuoso, Civiltà della Campania, P. 3 ; G. Galasso, Fisionomìa storica della regione, P. 6 ; Natale in Campania, P. 11, R. Causa, Cinque secoli di Presepe di, P. 12 ; M. Stefanile, I presepi d’una volta di, P. 20 ; D. Rea, L’universo mangereccio del Presepe di, P. 28 ; M. Prisco, Il presepe in provincia di, P. 34 ; B. Gatta, Una storia che non fu, P. 42 ; A. Mozzillo, Stendhal a Napoli, P. 47 ; E. Perrin, Viaggio a Cava d’un abate francese, P. 52 ; A.P. Carbone, Ravello: Villa Rufolo un paradiso per tutti, 54 ; D. Fernandez, Lettera d’amore a Napoli, P. 60 ; A. Gatto, Un mazzetto di poesie con la mia mano, 54 ; M. Parrilli, Vocazione turistica e culturale del Salernitano, P. 60 ; E. Comito, Poesia di Casertantica, P. 64 ; A. Fratta, Majorca e le Sirene, P. 67 ; V. Ricciuti, De Sica addio, P. 72 ; M. Perrotta, Il motoscafo spazzino del mare di Capri, P. 76 ; F. Canessa, Ritorna l’« opera buffa », P. 78 ; P. Gargano, Archeologia in villa, P. 83 ; E. Corsi, Per un nuovo equilibrio alberghiero, P. 86 ; F. Garbaccio, Un termalismo per tutte le stagioni, P. 88; G. Blasi, Amalfi by night, P. 90 ; A. Scelzo, La maratona Paestum-Salerno, P. 91 ; Notiziario, P. 92 ; F. De Ciuceis, Segnalazioni bibliografiche, P. 95

Comutations and KRASG12C Inhibitor Efficacy in Advanced NSCLC

Molecular modifiers of KRASG12C inhibitor (KRASG12Ci) efficacy in advanced KRASG12C-mutant NSCLC are poorly defined. In a large unbiased clinicogenomic analysis of 424 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we identified and validated coalterations in KEAP1, SMARCA4, and CDKN2A as major independent determinants of inferior clinical outcomes with KRASG12Ci monotherapy. Collectively, comutations in these three tumor suppressor genes segregated patients into distinct prognostic subgroups and captured ∼50% of those with early disease progression (progression-free survival ≤3 months) with KRASG12Ci. Pathway-level integration of less prevalent coalterations in functionally related genes nominated PI3K/AKT/MTOR pathway and additional baseline RAS gene alterations, including amplifications, as candidate drivers of inferior outcomes with KRASG12Ci, and revealed a possible association between defective DNA damage response/repair and improved KRASG12Ci efficacy. Our findings propose a framework for patient stratification and clinical outcome prediction in KRASG12C-mutant NSCLC that can inform rational selection and appropriate tailoring of emerging combination therapies

Psychological and functional effect of different primary treatments for prostate cancer: a comparative prospective analysis

Objectives: The aim of the study was to comparatively evaluate the psychological and functional effect of different primary treatments in patients with prostate cancer. Methods and materials: We conducted a single-center prospective non randomized study in a real-life setting using functional and psychological questionnaires in prostate cancer cases submitted to radical prostatectomy, external radiotherapy, or active surveillance. Totally, 220 cases were evaluated at baseline and during the follow-up at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month interval after therapy. Patients self-completed questionnaires on urinary symptoms and incontinence, erectile and bowel function, psychological distress (PD), anxiety, and depression. Results: Several significant differences among the three groups of treatment were found regarding the total score of the functional questionnaires. Regarding PD, cases submitted to radical prostatectomy showed stable scores during all the 12 months of follow-up whereas cases submitted to radiotherapy showed a rapid significant worsening of scores at 1-month interval and persistent also at 6- and 12-month interval. Cases submitted to active surveillance showed a slight and slow worsening of scores only at 12-month interval. PD and depression resulted to be more associated with urinary symptoms than sexual function worsening whereas anxiety resulted to be associated either with urinary symptoms or sexual function worsening. Conclusions: The results of our comparative and prospective analysis could be used to better inform treatment decision-making. Patients and their teams might wish to know how functional and psychological aspects may differently be influenced by treatment choice

Influence of operative time and blood loss on surgical margins and functional outcomes for laparoscopic versus robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy: a prospective analysis

Introduction The aim of this article was to analyze whether operative time and blood loss during radical prostatectomy (RP) can significantly influence surgical margins (SM) status and post-operative functional outcomes.Material and methods We prospectively analyzed prostate cancer (PC) patients undergoing RP, using robot-assisted (RARP) or laparoscopic (LRP) procedures. Blood loss was defined using the variation in hemoglobin (Hb, g/dl) values from the day before surgery and no later than 4 hours after surgery.Results From a whole population of 413 cases considered for RP, 67% underwent LRP and 33.0% RARP. Positive SM (SM+) were found in 33.9% of cases. Mean surgical operative time was 172.3 +/- 76 min (range 49-485), whereas blood loss was 2.3 +/- 1.2 g/dl (range 0.3-7.6). Operative time and blood loss at RP were not significantly correlated (r =-0.028275; p = 0.684). SM+ rates significantly (p = 0.002) varied by operative time; a higher SM+ rate was found in cases with an operative time <120 min (41.2%) and >240 min (53.4%). The risk of SM+ significantly increased 1.70 and 1.94 times in cases with an operative time <120 min and >240 min, respectively, independently to the surgical approach. The rate of erectile disfunction (ED) varied from 22.4% to 60.3% between <120 min and >240 min procedures (p = 0.001). According to blood loss, SM+ rates slightly but significantly (p = 0.032) varied; a higher rate of SM+ was found in cases with a Hb variation between 2-4 g/dl (35.9%).Conclusions Independently to the surgical approach, operative time, more than blood loss at RP, represents a significant variable able to influence SM status and post-operative ED