Viral load at the time of liver transplantation and risk of hepatitis B virus recurrence.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence after liver transplantation is significantly reduced by prophylaxis with hepatitis B immune globulins (HBIG) or antiviral drugs in nonreplicating patients and by the combination of both drugs in replicating patients. However, the load of HBV DNA, which defines replicating status in patients undergoing liver transplantation, remains unclear. This study analyzes the correlation between the viral load, tested with a single amplified assay, at the time of liver transplantation, and the risk of hepatitis B recurrence in 177 HBV carriers who underwent transplantation in a single center from 1990 to 2002. Overall, HBV relapsed after surgery in 15 patients (8.5%) with a 5- and 8-year actuarial rate of recurrence of 8% and 21%, respectively. After liver transplantation hepatitis B recurred in 9% of 98 selected subjects treated only with immune globulins and in 8% of 79 viremic patients who received immune globulins and lamivudine (P = NS). A linear correlation was observed between recurrence and viral load at the time of surgery. In transplant patients with HBV DNA higher than 100,000 copies/mL, 200-99,999 copies/mL, and DNA undetectable by amplified assay, hepatitis B recurred in 50%, 7.5%, and 0% of patients, respectively. Overall, a viral load higher than 100,000 copies/mL at the time of liver transplantation was significantly associated with hepatitis B recurrence (P = .0003). In conclusion, spontaneous or antiviral-induced HBV DNA viral load at the time of surgery classifies the risk of HBV recurrence after liver transplantation and indicates the best prophylaxis strategy.     

Comparison of Two Absorbable Monofilament Polydioxanone Threads in Intradermal Buried Sutures

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Two absorbable polydioxanone threads are compared regarding intraoperative handling qualities, scar dehiscence, and possible side effects. METHODS: In 30 excisions, half of each suture was performed with PDS II (Ethicon GmbH, Norderstedt, Germany), whereas the other half was closed with Serasynth (Serag-Wiessner, Naila, Germany). Clinical evaluation for scar spreading, spitting of the sutures, hypertrophic scarring, or suture granuloma was performed 3 and 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: No significant difference in scar spreading, hypertrophic scarring, or the incidence of suture granuloma was noted. A significantly lower frequency of spitting was seen with Serasynth than with PDS. The handling and suturing properties of SerasynthM were estimated to be slightly superior compared with those of PDS. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that PDS and Serasynth provide equal cosmetic results when applied in an appropriate suturing technique. Possibly owing to its better pliability, the frequency of spitting was lower with Serasynth.     

Efficacy of a short-term psychoeducational intervention for persistent non-organic insomnia in severely mentally ill patients. A pilot study.

Insomnia in psychiatric patients is frequently underestimated in clinical practice. Usually drugs are prescribed for the treatment of this disorder but non-pharmacological intervention can be successfully used. The present study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of a two-session psychoeducational intervention in improving persistent non-organic insomnia and reducing the administration of PRN therapy in severely mentally ill patients. A pre-post study was performed on 36 psychiatric patients admitted to a residential psychiatric unit. The Nocturnal Sleep Onset Scale (NSOS) and Daytime Sleepiness Scale (DSS), the sleep onset latency, the time awake after sleep onset and the numbers of awakenings were gathered 2 weeks before the intervention (T0), immediately prior the intervention (T1), 2 weeks after the last session of the intervention (T2) and a 3-month follow-up (T3). The total number of administrations of PRN therapy from T0 to T1 and from T1 to T2 were also examined. A significant reduction was shown on the NSOS, the sleep onset latency and in the time awake after sleep onset from T1 to T2 and from T1 to T3, while no significant difference was found between T0 and T1. A significant decrease on the mean number of administrations of PRN therapy was also found between 15 days before the intervention (T0-T1) and 15 days after intervention (T1-T2). The initial results of this study seems to suggest the possible efficacy of a short-term psychoeducational intervention on improving persistent non-organic insomnia in severely mentally ill patients. Further control studies are necessary to confirm these findings.     

Sleep polygraphy in Angelman syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Sleep disturbances are frequent in Angelman syndrome (AS); however, beside the few studies which have investigated sleep disorders in AS by means of questionnaires, to our knowledge, no systematic polysomnographic recordings have been carried out in AS patients. The present study represents the first attempt to study sleep patterns of AS by polysomnography, to evaluate the influences of sleep on the paroxysmal electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns of AS and to assess the eventual age-related changes of sleep architecture and of sleep EEG abnormalities in children and adolescents with AS. METHODS: Fifteen children with AS (7 males and 8 females, mean age 7.2 years, range 3-16 years), attending the Sleep Center of the Department of Child Neurology and Psychiatry of the University of Rome 'La Sapienza' and the Sleep Research Centre of the Oasi Institute (IRCCS) of Troina were included and subdivided into two subgroups by age: subgroup 1, aged 3-5 years, and subgroup 2, aged 9-17 years. Two control groups of age-matched normal subjects were also included: one aged less than 8 years and another aged more than 8 years; additionally, two other groups of age-matched children with epilepsy and mental retardation of different origin, one aged less and one aged more than 9 years were taken into consideration. The statistical comparison between the sleep parameters obtained from the patients and those from the other groups was carried out by means of the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA and the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The most frequent EEG abnormality found in AS patients appeared to be the 2-3 c/s poorly defined spike/waves complexes. This pattern was influenced by sleep stages; the duration of the runs showed an increasing length with sleep deepening from sleep stage 1 to slow-wave sleep (SWS). Moreover, the 2-3 c/s bursts activity present in sleep stage 2 showed a slowing to 1-2 c/s during SWS. Regarding sleep architecture, in subjects with AS aged <8 year there was a significant reduction in sleep efficiency as compared to normal controls, while the percentage and duration of REM sleep was significantly lower and the percentage of SWS was significantly higher. REM sleep time was reduced in AS subjects aged >8 years than in normal controls. The comparison between AS groups and mental retardation with epilepsy groups did not show significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: Similarly to other types of genetically determined mental retardation syndromes, also subjects with AS seems to show important abnormalities of their sleep polysomnographic patterns. SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first study which reports, in detail, these abnormalities and opens a new path for further insight into the knowledge of additional sleep-related disturbances which are reported in sleep questionnaires by the caregivers of AS subjects.     

Sympathetic reinnervation after heart transplantation, assessed by iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine imaging, and heart rate variability.

OBJECTIVE: Complete allograft denervation occurs during heart transplantation. Partial ventricular sympathetic reinnervation may develop one year or later after transplantation and can be measured with iodine-123-meta-iodobenziylguanidine (MIBG) uptake. Aim of this study was to assess sinus node sympathetic reinnervation measured with heart rate variability and ventricular sympathetic reinnervation evaluated with MIBG. METHODS: Twelve patients and 14 healthy controls were included. In patients, MIBG scintigraphy with early and late imaging was performed. Heart to mediastinum ratio (HMR) was calculated and patients were divided in groups with (HMR>1.3) and without left ventricular reinnervation (HMR<1.3). Bipolar ECG with high sampling rate and resolution was recorded over 8.5 min in supine position and in upright position after 10 min interval. R-R intervals in time domain and heart rate variability in frequency domain through spectral power analysis of R-R intervals were analysed to evaluate sinus node reinnervation. Spectral power in low frequency range (0.04-0.15 Hz) above 4.5 ms(2) was considered as sinus node sympathetic reinnervation. RESULTS: Six (50%) patients had evidence of left ventricular sympathetic reinnervation on scintigraphy. Sinus node sympathetic reinnervation based on heart rate variability was detected in 6 (50%) patients in supine, and in 4 (33%) patients in upright body position. Four patients groups were discerned: (1) with ventricular and sinus node sympathetic reinnervation, (2) with sinus node sympathetic reinnervation, (3) with ventricular sympathetic reinnervation and (4) without atrial or ventricular sympathetic reinnervation. Ventricular reinnervation process was time dependent and sinus node reinnervation was not. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous ventricular sympathetic reinnervation assessed by MIBG and sinus node sympathetic reinnervation assessed by heart rate variability in supine as in upright position were detected only in two patients (17%). The results of our study show that eventual sinus node sympathetic reinnervation and left ventricular sympathetic reinnervation do not occur simultaneously.     

Management of status dystonicus: our experience and review of the literature.

Status dystonicus (SD) is a life threatening disorder that develops in patients with both primary and secondary dystonia, characterized by acute worsening of symptoms with generalized and severe muscle contractions. To date, no information is available on the best way to treat this disorder. We review the previously described cases of SD and two new cases are reported, one of which occurring in a child with static encephalopathy, and the other one in a patient with pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration. Both patients were admitted to an intensive care unit and treated with midazolam and propofol. This approach proved to be useful in the former while the progressive nature of the dystonia of the second patient required the combination of intrathecal baclofen infusion and bilateral pallidal deep brain stimulation. We believe that a rapid and aggressive approach is justified to avoid the great morbidity and mortality which characterize SD. Our experience, combined with the data available in the literature, might permit to establish the best strategies in managing this rare and severe condition.     

Hand hygiene and glove use behavior in an Italian hospital.

In an Italian hospital, we observed that hand hygiene was performed in 638 (19.6%) of 3,253 opportunities, whereas gloves were worn in 538 (44.2%) 1,218 of opportunities. We observed an inverse correlation between the intensity of care and the rate of hand hygiene compliance (R2=0.057; P<.001), but no such association was observed for the rate of glove use compliance (R2=0.014; P=.078). Rates of compliance with hand hygiene and glove use recommendations follow different behavioral patterns.     

Nasal lavage leukotrienes in infants with RSV bronchiolitis

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis is a very common infection in infants and, after the acute phase, a number of patients develop a reactive airway disease that lasts for years. Although the pathogenesis of the lung damage after RSV bronchiolitis is still largely unknown, previous studies suggest that leukotrienes may play an active part in it. The aim of this study was to measure leukotriene levels in the nasal lavage fluid (NLF) collected in infants during RSV bronchiolitis and 1 month later. Cysteinyl leukotrienes (Cys-LTs) and leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) were measured in the NLF of 22 infants with their first episode of RSV bronchiolitis and 16 healthy infants. A second NLF sample was collected to measure leukotriene levels 1 month after the acute disease. NLF Cys-LT levels were significantly higher in infants with RSV bronchiolitis than in healthy controls [950 pg/ml (285.5-2155.9) vs. 110.5 pg/ml (66.5-451.3), p = 0.01], and they remained so a month after the acute infection (p = 0.02). A subanalysis showed no difference in Cys-LTs concentrations, either between bronchiolitis infants with and without a family history of atopy, or between those with and without passive exposure to cigarette smoke. No significant difference was found between the LTB(4) levels measured in the bronchiolitis cases and the control children. Cys-LTs are significantly increased in the NLF of infants with acute RSV bronchiolitis, and remain so at 1-month follow-up, suggesting a possible role of these eicosanoids in the pathogenesis of the disease.     

Mortality study of asbestos cement workers

The present study describes cause-specific mortality of asbestos cement workers in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. The cohort included workers in ten factories, most of which started operating between 1955 and 1965. Asbestos, mainly chrysotile, constituted 10%–20% of the dry component of the mixture. Crocidolite range between 5% and 50% of total asbestos. Asbestos concentrations up to 44 ff/cc were reported prior to 1975, while in recent years they have usually been below 0–1 ff/cc. The cohort included 3341 workers who had at some time been employed in the ten factories under study. Their mortality experience was compared with that of the population resident in Emilia Romagna. Vital status was ascertained at 1989. Seventy-three subjects were lost to followup (2.2%). Mortality from all causes and from all types of cancer was increased in the cohort. Malignant neoplasms of the respiratory tract showed a significant increase (SMR: 134; 90% confidence interval: 101–175; 40 observed) due to lung cancer (SMR: 124; 90% confidence interval: 91–166; 33 observed) and neoplasms of the pleura, mediastinum, and other parts of the respiratory tract (SMR: 602; 90% confidence interval 237–1267; 5 observed). The discrepancy between observed and expected mortality mainly concerned subjects with at least 20 years of employment in the factories. Five more cases of histologically confirmed mesothelioma occurred after the end of follow-up.