Search

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was a great challenge for healthcare professionals globally and also for allergists/immunologists. The Pegaso low-care COVID center’s experience in managing a low-care center for COVID-19 patients was reported, trying to bring out the relevance of this type of structure in reducing the length of stay of patients in high-care settings with the consequent effect of avoiding the collapse of major hospitals. The experience of managing a low-care setting with a day hospital service inside emphasizes, even more, the role of the allergists/immunologists during the COVID-19 pandemic contributing to keeping the medical staff’s specialty in a strategic role in the battle against this common enemy. Sharing all the information on public health organizations is crucial to cope in the best possible way with the present and future challenges.

The prevalence of asthma in Italy is estimated to be around 4%; it affects approximately 2,000,000 citizens, and up to 80-90% of patients have mild-to-moderate asthma. Despite the clinical relevance of mild-to-moderate asthma, longitudinal observational data are very limited, including data on disease progression (worsening vs. improvement), the response to treatment, and prognosis. Studies are needed to develop long-term, observational, real-life research in large cohorts. The primary outcomes of this study will be based on prospective observation and the epidemiological evolution of mild and moderate asthma. Secondary outcomes will include patient-reported outcomes, treatments over time, disease-related functional and inflammatory patterns, and environmental and life-style influences.This study, called the Mild/Moderate Asthma Network of Italy (MANI), is a research initiative launched by the Italian Respiratory Society and the Italian Society of Allergology, Asthma and Clinical Immunology. MANI is a cluster-based, real world, cross-sectional, prospective, observational cohort study that includes 20,000 patients with mild-to-moderate asthma. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04796844).Despite advances in asthma care, several research gaps remain to be addressed through clinical research. This study will add important new knowledge about long-term disease history, the transferability of clinical research results to daily practice, the efficacy of currently recommended strategies, and their impact on the burden and evolution of the disease.MANI:Mild/Moderate Asthma Network of ItalySANI:Severe Asthma Network ItalyGINA:Global Initiative for AsthmaSABA:short acting β2-agonistsICS:inhaled corticosteroidsCRF:Case Report Form.

Cell death mechanisms are crucial to maintain an appropriate environment for the functionality of healthy cells. However, during viral infections, dysregulation of these processes can be present and can participate in the pathogenetic mechanisms of the disease. In this review, we describe some features of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and some immunopathogenic mechanisms characterizing the present coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Lymphopenia and monocytopenia are important contributors to COVID-19 immunopathogenesis. The fine mechanisms underlying these phenomena are still unknown, and several hypotheses have been raised, some of which assign a role to cell death as far as the reduction of specific types of immune cells is concerned. Thus, we discuss three major pathways such as apoptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis, and suggest that all of them likely occur simultaneously in COVID-19 patients. We describe that SARS-CoV-2 can have both a direct and an indirect role in inducing cell death. Indeed, on the one hand, cell death can be caused by the virus entry into cells, on the other, the excessive concentration of cytokines and chemokines, a process that is known as a COVID-19-related cytokine storm, exerts deleterious effects on circulating immune cells. However, the overall knowledge of these mechanisms is still scarce and further studies are needed to delineate new therapeutic strategies.

To analyse the short-term effectiveness of an intensive multidimensional inpatient programme specifically developed for patients with severe obesity. A multidisciplinary team managed a 3-week residential programme characterised by the integration of nutritional and physical rehabilitation with psychological and educational intervention. All patients consecutively admitted in 10 months were analysed at admission and discharge for changes in the following domains: anthropometry (weight, body mass index (BMI), waist and neck circumferences), cardiovascular risk factors (glycaemia, HbA1c, lipid profile, blood pressure), quality of life, eating behaviour, and physical performance (VO2peak by incremental cycle ergometer test, 6-min walking test (6MWT), chair stands test). 136 subjects (61% females, median age 52.7 years) with obesity (mean BMI 43.2 kg/m2) and multiple comorbidities were analysed. A 3.9% BMI reduction and a reduction in waist (−3.8%) and neck (−3.3%) circumferences were observed. Glycaemic control was achieved in 68% of patients with uncontrolled diabetes at admission. Blood pressure control was achieved in all patients with uncontrolled hypertension at admission. Total cholesterol (−16%), LDL-cholesterol (−19%) and triglycerides (−9%) were significantly reduced. Psychometric assessment showed improvements in quality of life perception and binge eating disorder. Finally, a significant improvement in physical performance (+4.7% improvement in VO2peak, with longer distances in 6MWT and a higher number of standings) was observed. Our preliminary data prove that a 3-week programme determined a clinically significant multi-dimensional improvement in patients with severe obesity. Long-term follow-up data are needed to confirm the efficacy of our rehabilitation setting.

Background To present our experience of extended endovascular management for thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger’s disease) patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). Methods Between January 2005 and July 2010, a consecutive series of 17 Buerger’s disease patients with CLI in 20 limbs were admitted and the diagnosis confirmed. The mean age of the patients was 41.5 years (standard error: ±1.7). All patients presented with history of smoking, one patient presented with hypertension, and eight patients presented with dyslipidemia. According to Rutherford classification, all patients were found to be between grades 3 and 5. Ultrasonography first, and angiography examination later, confirmed a severe arterial disease involving almost exclusively below-the-knee and foot arteries in all cases. A new approach for revascularization, defined as extended angioplasty of each tibial and foot artery obstruction, was performed to achieve direct perfusion of at least one foot artery. Results An extensive endovascular treatment was intended in all patients with success in 19 of 20 limbs, achieving a technical success in 95%. No mortality or complication related to the procedure was observed. During a mean follow-up of 23 months (standard error: ±4.05), amputation-free survival with no need of major amputation in any case and sustained clinical improvement was achieved in 16 of the 19 limbs (84.2%) successfully treated, resulting in a 100% limb salvage rate (19/19). Conclusion In this first experience, in patients with thromboangiitis obliterans, extended endovascular intervention was a feasible and effective revascularization procedure in case of CLI. High technical success, amputation-free survival, and sustained clinical improvement rates were achieved at midterm follow-up was achieved.