Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Guido Stirnimann, Thomas Berg, Laurent Spahr, Stefan Zeuzem, Stuart McPherson, Frank Lammert, Federico Storni, Vanessa Banz, Jana Babatz, Victor Vargas, Andreas Geier, Cornelius Engelmann, Adam Herber, Claudia Trepte, Jeroen Capel, Andrea De Gottardi
Summary: This observational cohort study investigated the safety and efficacy of the alfapump(R) device in a real-world cohort of patients with cirrhotic refractory ascites and contraindications for TIPSS. The device significantly reduced the need for large-volume paracentesis, but did not show any survival benefits. Device-related reinterventions were mainly caused by device deficiencies.
LIVER INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Naosuke Yokomichi, Kengo Imai, Masaki Sakamoto, Masashi Horiki, Toshihiro Yamauchi, Satoru Miwa, Satoshi Inoue, Yu Uneno, Hidekazu Suzuki, Toru Wada, Yuri Ichikawa, Tatsuya Morita
Summary: This study assessed the feasibility of using cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy (CART) for patients with refractory malignant ascites. The results showed that CART is feasible, and the efficacy and safety should be further evaluated in future trials.
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Florence Wong
Summary: Approximately 10% of decompensated cirrhosis patients develop refractory ascites, indicating the progression to an advanced stage of cirrhosis. The pathogenesis involves significant hemodynamic changes caused by portal hypertension, leading to renal hypoperfusion and sodium retention. Inflammation also contributes to refractory ascites by causing portal microthrombi.
CLINICAL AND MOLECULAR HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Niels Kristian Aagaard, Massimo Malago, Andrea De Gottardi, Michael Thomas, Gerd Sauter, Cornelius Engelmann, David Aranovich, Michal Cohen, Thierry Thevenot, Thomas Ehmann, Jeroen Capel, Paolo Angeli, Rajiv Jalan, Guido Stirnimann
Summary: The study aimed to improve outcomes for alfapump(R) implantation and patient management by developing consensus recommendations. Through two meetings, 23 consensus recommendations were developed, covering areas such as pre-implantation procedure, surgical implant procedure, immediate post-implant care, and long-term management. These consensus statements serve as a valuable reference resource for physicians managing patients and considering management strategies for refractory ascites.
BMC GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Rafael Banares, Agustin Albillos, Mitesh Nakum, Salvador Gea, Angel Varghese, William Green
Summary: The cost-effectiveness of TIPSS in two indications, acute variceal bleeding and refractory ascites, was evaluated from a Spanish perspective. The results indicate that TIPSS is cost-effective and cost-saving compared with standard treatments for both indications.
ADVANCES IN THERAPY
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Dhan Bahadur Shrestha, Pravash Budhathoki, Yub Raj Sedhai, Ramkaji Baniya, Shila Awal, Jashpal Yadav, Lila Awal, Brian Davis, Markos G. Kashiouris, Casey A. Cable
Summary: The use of human albumin significantly reduces the risk of paracentesis induced circulatory dysfunction (PICD) and hyponatremia in patients with cirrhotic ascites undergoing therapeutic paracentesis.
ANNALS OF HEPATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Yu Jun Wong, Huey Ming Lum, Pei Ting Tan, Eng Kiong Teo, Jessica Tan, Rahul Kumar, Prem Harichander Thurairajah
Summary: The study found that removing the ascitic drain within 24 hours of Large-volume paracentesis (LVP) can reduce the risk of ascitic drain-related bacterial peritonitis (AdBP) and acute kidney injury (AKI), without affecting overall survival rates in patients.
SINGAPORE MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Surgery
E. Nguyen-Khac, R. Sarba, L. Spahr, W. Staszewicz, A. DeGottardi, F. Storni, L. Elkrief, S. Dokmak, D. Valla, D. Pricope, C. Sabbagh, J. M. Regimbeau
Summary: Based on the comparison of patients with cirrhosis undergoing implantation of alfapump(R) combined with concomitant hernia repair versus those receiving standard treatment, it was found that the former group had reduced need for peritoneal drainage, lower rate of infectious complications, shorter hospital stay, and improved paracentesis-free survival.
JOURNAL OF VISCERAL SURGERY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Margarita Kunin, Sharon Mini, Nabil Abu-Amer, Pazit Beckerman
Summary: Regular at-home abdominal paracentesis via Tenckhoff catheter was found to be effective in treating refractory CHF patients with massive ascites. Long-term survivors showed improvements in NYHA functional class, kidney function, CRP, and BNP levels, while shorter-term survivors were more likely to have evidence of liver cirrhosis and lower serum sodium levels.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Tammo L. Tergast, Marie Griemsmann, Lena Stockhoff, Benjamin Heidrich, Hendrik Schirmer, Henrike Lenzen, Heiner Wedemeyer, Markus Cornberg, Elmar Jaeckel, Benjamin Maasoumy
Summary: The implantation of PeCa for home-based therapy of refractory ascites in patients with liver cirrhosis and contraindications for TIPS is feasible, but the risk of complications such as AKI or hyponatremia must be considered, and prospective studies are needed to confirm.
ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS
(2022)
Article
Nursing
Brendan Smith-Hanratty
Summary: Ascites is the accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, usually caused by diseases such as cirrhosis, heart failure, and malignancy. When ascites becomes refractory to fluid restriction and diuretics, regular abdominal paracentesis is commonly performed. This review provides an overview of the indications, complications, proper technique, fluid drainage, drain removal, and complication reduction in paracentesis procedures.
JNP- THE JOURNAL FOR NURSE PRACTITIONERS
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Karim T. Osman, Ahmed M. Abdelfattah, Syed K. Mahmood, Lina Elkhabiry, Fredric D. Gordon, Amir A. Qamar
Summary: Refractory hepatic hydrothorax is an independent predictor of mortality and provides additional prognostic value.
DIGESTIVE DISEASES AND SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Marta Tonon, Salvatore Piano
Summary: In summary, ascites is the most frequent complication of cirrhosis. The prevention of further deterioration and acute-on-chronic liver failure is crucial in the management of these patients. Treatment of ascites should be based on the grade of ascites and the presence of complications.
MEDICAL CLINICS OF NORTH AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Tetsuya Ito, Naosuke Yokomichi, Hiroto Ishiki, Takashi Kawaguchi, Ken Masuda, Hiroaki Tsukuura, Hiromi Funaki, Kozue Suzuki, Kiyofumi Oya, Jun Nakagawa, Masanori Mori, Takuhiro Yamaguchi
Summary: For terminally ill cancer patients with malignant ascites, even small-volume paracentesis can alleviate abdominal distension without shortening the paracentesis interval compared to moderate-volume paracentesis, making it a well-balanced treatment option.
JOURNAL OF PAIN AND SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Mina Bakhtiar, Kimberly A. Forde, Gregory J. Nadolski, Michael C. Soulen, Ethan M. Weinberg
Summary: The study compared patients treated with different methods for ascites and found that the survival rates in the PVS and TIPS groups were similar, with lower healthcare utilization, and PVS was a satisfactory alternative.
JOURNAL OF VASCULAR AND INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Cristina Scavone, Annamaria Mascolo, Concetta Rafaniello, Liberata Sportiello, Ugo Trama, Alice Zoccoli, Francesca Futura Bernardi, Giorgio Racagni, Liberato Berrino, Giuseppe Castaldo, Enrico Coscioni, Francesco Rossi, Annalisa Capuano
Summary: Treatment of COVID-19 faces challenges in drug selection, with antivirals and immunomodulatory drugs showing conflicting results while corticosteroids are supported. Heparins are preferred in critically ill patients, while convalescent plasma and vitamin D usage have inconsistent data. Multiple vaccines are in Phase III clinical trials, and drug repurposing has been a main approach for COVID-19 treatment. Analysis of real-life efficacy and safety data for drugs and vaccines is urgently needed.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Letter
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Luigi Carbone, Antonio Raffone, Laura Sarno, Antonio Travaglino, Gabriele Saccone, Olimpia Gabrielli, Sonia Migliorini, Angelo Sirico, Rita Genesio, Giuseppe Castaldo, Alessandra Capponi, Fulvio Zullo, Giuseppe Rizzo, Giuseppe Maria Maruotti
ARCHIVES OF GYNECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS
(2022)
Article
Surgery
A. Perrella, A. Giuliani, M. De Palma, M. Castriconi, C. Molino, G. Vennarecci, C. Antropoli, C. Esposito, F. Calise, A. Frangiosa
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the utility of CRP and PCT as markers of infection and sepsis following non-emergency major abdominal surgery. CRP rapidly increased after infection while PCT showed a trend of increase in patients undergoing liver surgery.
UPDATES IN SURGERY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Alessandro Perrella, Sara Mucherino, Ilaria Guarino, Mariagiovanna Nerilli, Alberto Enrico Maraolo, Nicolina Capoluongo, Enrico Coscioni, Ugo Trama, Enrica Menditto, Valentina Orlando
Summary: This study assessed the occurrence of post-vaccination infections among healthcare professionals (HCPs) and found that the risk of infection was lower after receiving at least one vaccine dose, with the risk decreasing with age. Furthermore, not having full vaccination coverage may predict a severe/critical evolution of the disease.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Veronica Folliero, Federica Dell'Annunziata, Emanuela Roscetto, Marcella Cammarota, Anna De Filippis, Chiara Schiraldi, Maria Rosaria Catania, Vincenzo Casolaro, Alessandro Perrella, Massimiliano Galdiero, Gianluigi Franci
Summary: This study demonstrates the antimicrobial activity of the anthelmintic drug niclosamide against multidrug-resistant Corynebacterium striatum, showing bactericidal action and biofilm biomass degradation. These findings suggest the potential repurposing of niclosamide as a therapeutic agent for C. striatum infections.
Article
Microbiology
Novella Carannante, Claudia Tiberio, Raffaele Bellopede, Michela Liguori, Filomena Di Martino, Nicola Maturo, Raffaele Di Sarno, Sabrina Scarica, Giovanna Fusco, Lorena Cardillo, Claudio de Martinis, Luigi Atripaldi, Alessandro Perrella
Summary: There have been a total of 2103 laboratory-confirmed cases of Monkeypox globally, with one death. The report highlights the first case of Monkeypox in the Campania Region of Italy and emphasizes the challenges in differential diagnosis, particularly in distinguishing it from Varicella Zoster Virus. Varicella should be carefully considered for prompt diagnosis and public health response during this ongoing pandemic season.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Marina Lugara, Stefania Tamburrini, Maria Gabriella Coppola, Gabriella Oliva, Valeria Fiorini, Marco Catalano, Roberto Carbone, Pietro Paolo Saturnino, Nicola Rosano, Antonella Pesce, Raffaele Galiero, Roberta Ferrara, Michele Iannuzzi, D'Agostino Vincenzo, Alberto Negro, Francesco Somma, Fabrizio Fasano, Alessandro Perrella, Giuseppe Vitiello, Ferdinando Carlo Sasso, Gino Soldati, Luca Rinaldi
Summary: This study aims to assess the role of lung ultrasound (LUS) in the diagnosis and prognosis of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, comparing it with High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT). The results demonstrate the synergistic role of LUS and HRCT in the diagnosis and disease severity evaluation of COVID-19.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Raffaele Galiero, Vittorio Simeon, Giuseppe Loffredo, Alfredo Caturano, Luca Rinaldi, Erica Vetrano, Giulia Medicamento, Maria Alfano, Domenico Beccia, Chiara Brin, Sara Colantuoni, Jessica Di Salvo, Raffaella Epifani, Riccardo Nevola, Raffaele Marfella, Celestino Sardu, Carmine Coppola, Ferdinando Scarano, Paolo Maggi, Cecilia Calabrese, Pellegrino De Lucia Sposito, Carolina Rescigno, Costanza Sbreglia, Fiorentino Fraganza, Roberto Parrella, Annamaria Romano, Giosuele Calabria, Benedetto Polverino, Antonio Pagano, Fabio Giuliano Numis, Carolina Bologna, Mariagrazia Nunziata, Vincenzo Esposito, Nicola Coppola, Nicola Maturo, Rodolfo Nasti, Pierpaolo Di Micco, Alessandro Perrella, Miriam Lettieri, Luigi Elio Adinolfi, Paolo Chiodini, Ferdinando Carlo Sasso
Summary: This study evaluates the association between the severity of renal impairment and in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients and finds a strong correlation between the stage of CKD at admission and mortality risk.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Nicola Coppola, Alberto Enrico Maraolo, Lorenzo Onorato, Riccardo Scotto, Federica Calo, Luigi Atripaldi, Anna Borrelli, Antonio Corcione, Maria Giovanna De Cristofaro, Emanuele Durante-Mangoni, Amelia Filippelli, Gianluigi Franci, Maria Galdo, Gaspare Guglielmi, Pasquale Pagliano, Alessandro Perrella, Ornella Piazza, Marco Picardi, Rodolfo Punzi, Ugo Trama, Ivan Gentile
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance is a serious threat to global health, requiring urgent development of new treatment strategies. Several drugs and combinations have been introduced in recent years to treat multi-drug-resistant bacteria, but their efficacy must be preserved through proper use. This paper provides an overview of the epidemiology and mechanisms of resistance of the most common MDR Gram-negative bacteria, proposing a treatment algorithm based on the latest clinical evidence for infections caused by carbapenem-resistant bacteria.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Alessandro Perrella, Filomena Fortinguerra, Andrea Pierantozzi, Nicolina Capoluongo, Novella Carannante, Andrea Lo Vecchio, Francesca Futura Bernardi, Francesco Trotta, Agnese Cangini
Summary: This study aimed to compare the data on hospital antibiotic consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic with previous years to evaluate the impact on prescription patterns and appropriate use. The study found an overall increase in antibiotic prescriptions during the pandemic, with variations in geographical distribution and prescription strategies. Therefore, new approaches or strategies to antimicrobial stewardship should be proposed.
Editorial Material
Virology
Pierpaolo Di Micco, Alessandro Perrella, Giuseppe Camporese
Article
Immunology
Francesca Futura Bernardi, Annamaria Mascolo, Marina Sarno, Nicolina Capoluongo, Ugo Trama, Rosanna Ruggiero, Liberata Sportiello, Giovanni Maria Fusco, Massimo Bisogno, Enrico Coscioni, Anna Iervolino, Pierpaolo Di Micco, Annalisa Capuano, Alessandro Perrella
Summary: This study aimed to estimate the occurrence of thromboembolic events after COVID-19 vaccination and compare different COVID-19 vaccines. Using real-world safety data, it was found that viral-vector-based vaccines (Oxford-AstraZeneca and Janssen) had higher reporting of thromboembolic events compared to mRNA vaccines (Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna), and individuals vaccinated with Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine had a higher likelihood of experiencing thromboembolic events compared to those vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna vaccines.
Article
Microbiology
Veronica Folliero, Federica Dell'Annunziata, Biagio Santella, Emanuela Roscetto, Carla Zannella, Nicoletta Capuano, Alessandro Perrella, Anna De Filippis, Giovanni Boccia, Maria Rosaria Catania, Massimiliano Galdiero, Gianluigi Franci
Summary: The emergence of multidrug-resistant strains requires the urgent discovery of new antibacterial drugs. In this study, the anthelmintic avermectins were screened for antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative strains. Selamectin, a subset of avermectins, showed potent antibacterial activity against gram-positive strains, particularly Staphylococcus aureus. Further studies demonstrated its ability to inhibit bacterial growth, alter cell surface, and reduce biofilm biomass. Synergistic effects were also observed with other antibiotics. These findings suggest that selamectin may be a promising candidate for the treatment of S. aureus infections.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Nicolina Capoluongo, Annamaria Mascolo, Francesca Futura Bernardi, Marina Sarno, Valentina Mattera, Giusy di Flumeri, Bruno Pustorino, Micaela Spaterella, Ugo Trama, Annalisa Capuano, Alessandro Perrella
Summary: Tixagevimab-cilgavimab is effective for treating COVID-19 in patients with risk factors for severe illness. This retrospective study evaluated the hospital stay, prognosis, and negativity rate in patients treated with tixagevimab-cilgavimab. The results showed that the time of treatment initiation influenced the negativity rate in patients with hematological malignancies.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Alessandro Perrella, Massimo Bisogno, Angelo D'Argenzio, Ugo Trama, Enrico Coscioni, Valentina Orlando
Summary: SARS-CoV-2 infection can still occur after vaccination, especially for those who are partially or unvaccinated, with a higher risk of hospitalization. The protective effect of the vaccine against infection decreases in the months following vaccination for those who have received an effective dose, regardless of age, gender, or vaccine type.