Search Results for: Nuovo test rapido per distinguere le infezioni virali

A hospitalized patient in Louisiana has the nation’s first severe illness with highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus, or H5N1 bird flu, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced in mid-December. Testing revealed that the virus that infected the patient is related to those circulating in wild birds and poultry. The person had contact with sick and dead birds in backyard flocks and, according to news reports, was an older adult with underlying medical conditions.

Nuovo test al Bambino Gesù le scova evitando le reazioni gravi

Un prelievo scova i cibi a rischio e la gravità della reazione

Introduction
Pre-eclampsia is a condition associated with significant maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. The prediction of pre-eclampsia in high-risk populations using angiogenic markers, such as serum placental growth factor (PlGF) assessment, has been shown to improve maternal outcomes and is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). However, such tests are not yet available at the point of care (POC). Glycosylated fibronectin (GlyFn) level for the prediction of pre-eclampsia development is available as a POC test (Lumella) and has the potential to aid rapid clinical decision making. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the sensitivity of the GlyFn test is not inferior to that of the current gold standard of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase (sFlt)/PlGF-based laboratory testing for pre-eclampsia.

Methods and analysis
This is a multicentre prospective study. Women at risk for pre-eclampsia based on predefined clinical and/or obstetric risk factors will be invited to participate in the study. The recruitment target is 400 participants. Consenting participants will have paired samples for sFlt/PlGF together with POC GlyFn testing. Two follow-up visits are planned at 2 and 4 weeks after the initial recruitment where repeat testing with both tests will be performed. The clinical team will be blinded to the results of the GlyFn test but not that of the sFlt/PlGF test. Clinical care will be based on established protocols incorporating maternal/fetal evaluation and the results of sFlt/PlGF levels. Maternal and neonatal outcome data will be collected to compare the sensitivity and specificity of the tests, with the primary outcome being delivery for pre-eclampsia within 4 weeks.

Ethics and dissemination
Ethical approval has been obtained from the Health Research Authority and Health and Care Research Wales Ethics Committee. The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific conferences.

Trial registration number
ISRCTN13430018

Introduction
Only 30%–50% of people referred to clinics during community-based eye screening are able to access care in Botswana, India, Kenya and Nepal. The access rate is even lower for certain population groups. This platform trial aims to test multiple, iterative, low-risk public health interventions and simple service modifications with a series of individual randomised controlled trials (RCT) conducted in each country, with the aim of increasing the proportion of people attending.

Methods and analysis
We will set up a platform trial in each country to govern the running of a series of pragmatic, adaptive, embedded, parallel, multiarm, superiority RCTs to test a series of service modifications suggested by intended service users. The aim is to identify serial marginal gains that cumulatively result in large improvements to equity and access. The primary outcome will be the probability of accessing treatment among the population group with the worst access at baseline. We will calculate Bayesian posterior probabilities of clinic attendance in each arm every 72 hours. Each RCT will continually recruit participants until the following default stopping rules have been met: >95% probability that one arm is best; >95% probability that the difference between the best arm and the arms remaining in the trial is

Objective
To examine longitudinal trends in infertility management in women attending general practice.

Design
Cohort study using the national general practice dataset, MedicineInsight.

Setting
Australian general practice.

Intervention(s)
Not applicable.

Participants
The cohort included 2 552 339 women aged 18–49 years with one or more general practice clinical encounters between January 2011 and December 2021.

Primary and secondary outcome measures(s)
The primary outcome assessed was the proportion of women who had a clinical encounter related to infertility, stratified by year and age group. Second, the proportions of women receiving relevant clinical management actions, including selected pathology tests, imaging ordered and selected medications, were calculated. Univariable logistic regression analyses compared the likelihood of women having a documented clinical encounter related to infertility and receiving selected management actions based on individual characteristics. We also examined practice-level variation in the proportion receiving selected management for infertility by stratifying proportions based on practice site.

Results
A total of 2 552 339 women had one or more clinical encounters with their general practitioner (GP) between January 2011 and December 2021, of which 27 671 (1.1%) had a clinical encounter related to infertility management. The rate of infertility encounters increased from 3.4 per 1000 in 2011 to 5.7 per 1000 in 2021. Over episodes of care, half (50.9%) of women presenting for an infertility encounter had at least one specified pathology test, and almost a quarter (23.1%) had a specified imaging test. A relatively small proportion of infertility encounters (5.4%) resulted in prescribing of a selected infertility medication by the GP.
Large variation in clinical management (pathology, imaging and medication prescribing) was evident according to both individual characteristics and also at the clinical-practice level. Factors associated with increased likelihood of being provided infertility medications included younger age, holding a Commonwealth concession card (indicating low income), lower socioeconomic status and living outside a major city.

Conclusions
Clinical encounters related to infertility are increasing in primary care, with large variation evident in corresponding clinical management. These findings support the development of clinical practice guidelines to enhance standardised and equitable approaches towards the management of infertility in primary care.

The study by Vaghani et al reports the prevalence of diagnostic errors (also known as diagnostic opportunities) among veterans cared for and discharged from a national sample of Veterans Affairs emergency departments (EDs). Cases were identified retrospectively using administrative data, using definitions for high-risk initial ED presentation (high-risk stroke, high-risk abdominal pain), unexpected ED or hospital return, symptom-disease dyads, or abnormal test results not followed up. Once identified, random samples of medical records were then directly examined by physicians to identify diagnostic errors.

In Reply We appreciate the thoughtful Letters to the Editor about our article. We agree with Myles and Kopp that additional research is needed to determine the directionality of association between sodium consumption and atopic dermatitis (AD) and that hydration status is likely to be an important factor in this relationship. In support of the hypothesis that increased transepidermal water loss could lead to increased water retention, there are data from animal models showing that increased transepidermal water loss may induce water retention through adaptive water conservation responses known as aestivation motifs. In addition, it has been proposed that sodium can create a concentration gradient within the skin to help prevent water loss (but also accelerate inflammatory processes involved in AD). Additional research that includes measures of sodium intake, hydration, and skin sodium is needed to test these hypotheses.

Objectives
Cement and most other materials used by bricklayers and brick masons for construction purposes could heighten the risk for occupational skin diseases (OSDs) which mostly include occupational contact dermatitis (OCD) and others. The activities of the bricklayers or brick masons are essentially manual as they work as artisans involving mixing sands and gravels with cement and water for building and block moulding, respectively. This can lead to a significant decline in the quality of life and psychosocial function. We determined the prevalence of OSDs and their correlates among bricklayers and brick masons.

Design
This was a comparative case–control study which involved 200 bricklayers/brick masons and 200 healthy non-bricklayers/non-brick masons.

Settings
This study was carried out in two local governments (LGAs) in Ogbomoso community.

Methods
Respondents were selected using a multistage random sampling technique. Interviewer–administer semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, the prevalence of OCD and other OSD were determined, 2 test and logistic regression were obtained. A p

Introduction
Gastric cancer is a major global health concern, being the final stage of a long-term process, primarily associated with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Early childhood acquisition of H. pylori with low spontaneous eradication rates underscores the need for preventive measures. Our previous pilot treatment study revealed high eradication rates, favourable tolerance profile and a decline in serum biomarkers indicative of gastric damage in asymptomatic school-aged children. The purpose of this study is to determine the potential benefit of a ‘screen-and-treat’ strategy targeting persistently infected, asymptomatic adolescents. Specific aims are to assess eradication efficacy, its clinical and molecular outcomes and potential clinical and microbiological side effects.

Methods and analysis
The screening phase will involve testing 500–1000 asymptomatic adolescents aged 14–18 from three cities in Chile using the urea breath test (UBT) to identify 210 participants with persistent infection. They will proceed to a randomised, non-blinded, controlled trial, receiving either a sequential eradication scheme for H. pylori or no treatment. Follow-up will span up to 24 months post-treatment, involving UBT, gastroenterological assessments and blood and stool sample collections. Concurrently, a subset of 60 uninfected adolescents will undergo matched follow-up. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) commercial kits will evaluate gastric damage biomarkers in serum (pepsinogen I and II, gastrin-17, VCAM-1, CXCL13). Stool samples will be employed for Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp—culture, assessing AMR via the disk diffusion method. H. pylori clarithromycin resistance will be determined by molecular method from stool samples. The gut microbiome will be characterised by amplifying and sequencing the 16S rRNA gene from stool samples, followed by bioinformatics analysis.

Ethics and dissemination
Approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile (073–2022). Findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and scientific meetings to guide future practices.

Trial registration number
NCT05926804.

Stroke, Volume 56, Issue Suppl_1, Page AWP188-AWP188, February 1, 2025. Introduction:Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is an age-related cerebral small vessel disease that can lead to poor outcomes due to cerebral hemorrhage. The same applies to hypertensive cerebral small vessel disease (HTN-CSVD). Cerebral atrophy is a common imaging manifestation of CSVD, but its imaging patterns in both CAA and HTN-CSVD and clinical relevance have not been fully elucidated.Hypothesis:Based on the differences in the distribution of affected vessels between CAA and HTN-CSVD, it is hypothesized that there is a spatial distribution difference in cerebral atrophy. This may lead to different clinical characteristics between the two conditions. Previous small sample studies have shown a correlation between medial temporal lobe atrophy and cognitive levels in CAA patients, which still needs further validation.Methods:Statistical Parametric Mapping 12 was used to obtain automated, quantitative, voxel-based morphology of cerebral atrophy shown on 5.0T MRI, including total intracranial volume, gray matter volume, white matter volume and cerebrospinal fluid volume. Two-sample t test explores the differences in the spatial distribution characteristics of cerebral atrophy between 36 CAA patients and 51 HTN-CSVD patients. A voxel-wise multiple regression analysis clarifies the correlation between cerebral atrophy and cognitive decline in CAA.Results:After adjusting for age, gender, and total intracranial volume, cerebral atrophy differences between CAA and HTN-CSVD were mainly observed in the cortex of bilateral cerebellar hemispheres and vermis (p< 0.05 FWE). There is a spatial correlation between cerebral atrophy and cognitive levels in CAA after adjusting for age, gender, and total intracranial volume. Regional brain volume in the left medial temporal lobe, insula, parietal lobe, and thalamus was associated with mini-mental state examination scores (p< 0.05 FDR), and cerebral atrophy in the left lateral temporal lobe and right cerebellar hemisphere was associated with Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores (p< 0.05 FDR).Conclusion:Cerebral atrophy in CAA is predominantly in the cerebellum, compared to HTN-CSVD, and is independently associated with overall cognitive levels prominantly in left temporal lobe. In conclusion, this study provides valuable reference for a better understanding of the differences of cerebral atrophy between CAA and HTN-CSVD, as well as the clinical relevance of cerebral atrophy.

Stroke, Volume 56, Issue Suppl_1, Page ATP312-ATP312, February 1, 2025. Background/Objectives:Perioperative stroke is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing cardiac, vascular, and neurosurgical procedures. We assessed the rate, characteristics, risk factors and survival outcomes of perioperative stroke following surgical resection of glioma.Design:This is a retrospective chart review of a single quaternary care center of patients with glioma between 2005-2021 who underwent resection. Stroke within 30 days of surgical resection was identified based on the radiology read of MRI brain for ischemic stroke and CT brain for hemorrhagic stroke that was obtained as part of clinical care. This was then confirmed retrospectively by a neurologist who reviewed imaging and medical records, excluding expected post-operative changes. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression were conducted. Overall survival was estimated with Kaplan-Meier methods from the date of surgery to death and compared with the log rank test.Results:Out of 738 patients who underwent surgical resection of their glioma and underwent brain MRI or CT head, 20 (2.71%) had radiographic evidence of strokes, with the mean (SD) time from surgery to stroke 5.4 (16.2) days. Of these, 13 (65%) had ischemic strokes, 7 (35%) had hemorrhagic strokes. Out of all perioperative strokes, 9 (45%) were symptomatic (total incidence of 1.2%), and 11 (55%) were asymptomatic. Patients who had a stroke were older [mean (SD); 60.4 (13.7) vs. 52.8 (15.0) years; p=0.026], had a higher rate of atrial fibrillation (p= 0.002), and had comorbid hyperlipidemia (p=0.039) and hypertension (p=0.047). Descriptive analysis of this cohort is summarized in Table 1. Older age, carrying a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, and having hyperlipidemia were associated with higher odds of having a perioperative stroke (Table 2). In an attempt to generate a multivariate logistic model, stepwise selection yielded no significant results likely due to the low number of strokes in this cohort. The median survival for patients with stroke was 24.6 months (95% CI:21.8-32.1), which was lower than for patients who did not suffer a stroke (29.3 months, 95% CI: 25.6-32.9) (p=0.052).Conclusion:Older age, atrial fibrillation, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension were associated with perioperative stroke risk after glioma resection. Future studies should evaluate underlying mechanisms and stroke etiologies to better identify high risk patients.

Stroke, Volume 56, Issue Suppl_1, Page AWP186-AWP186, February 1, 2025. Background and Purpose:Primary aldosteronism (PA) is characterized by the autonomous overproduction of aldosterone leading to the risk of occurrence of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), but the exact prevalence of PA is unknown in patients with AIS. PA induces oxidative stress and inflammation through vascular endothelial cells, which may damage small vessel disease (SVD). We conducted a prospective study to investigate the prevalence of screening and definite diagnosis of PA in patients with AIS. Next, we aimed to reveal whether SVD markers could be associated with PA.Methods:We screened consecutive patients with AIS who participated in our prospective study to investigate the prevalence of PA and followed up for PA evaluation from October 2020 to December 2022. Inclusion criteria were patients with AIS hospitalized and diagnosed with hypertension. Exclusion criteria were patients taking medications affecting renin, aldosterone, and catecholamines. The screening criteria for PA was defined as the aldosterone-to-renin ratio > 200. Final diagnosis of PA was judged by endocrinologist if one of the captopril challenge test, saline infusion test, and furosemide-upright test was positive following discharge. We evaluated total SVD score based on white matter hyperintensities (separately scored by periventricular hyperintensity [PVH] and deep and subcortical white matter hyperintensity), cerebral microbleeds (CMBs; categorized into deep, lobar, and infratentorial lesions), enlarged perivascular spaces (separately scored in basal ganglia and centrum semiovale), and old lacunes on MRI.Results:We included 120 patients with AIS (93 [78%] male, median age 62 years, Figure 1). The screening for PA was positive in 33 (28%) patients and 8 (7%) patients were finally diagnosed with definite PA. In Poisson regression analysis with a robust variance estimator, total SVD score was related to positive PA screening (prevalence ratio [PR] 1.261, 95% CI 1.021-1.556,p= 0.031) and definite PA diagnosis (PR 1.946, 95% CI 1.229-3.082,p= 0.005, Figure 2). In terms of each SVD marker, severe PVH, and deep and lobar CMBs were associated with positive PA screening and definite PA diagnosis (Figure 3).Conclusions:Twenty-eight percent of patients with AIS were positive for PA screening, and then about a quarter of them were confirmed as definite PA. SVD burden, especially PVH, and deep and lobar CMBs, might be associated with positive screening and definite diagnosis of PA.

Stroke, Volume 56, Issue Suppl_1, Page ATP311-ATP311, February 1, 2025. Introduction:Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) used for treatment of malignancies might promote atherosclerosis and increase the risk of ischemic stroke (IS). We aimed to compare IS characteristics of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received ICIs compared to those who did not. We hypothesized that IS associated with atherosclerosis will be more common among those treated with ICIs than other treatments.Methods:A retrospective single center study of patients,18 or older, with NSCLC presenting between 2013 and 2023, treated with either ICIs, chemotherapy, or a combination and had an IS any time following treatment. Patients without vessel imaging were excluded. We collected demographics and stroke characteristics. Two sample Mann-Whitney U and chi-square test were used to compare demographics and stroke etiologies among patients who received chemotherapy and those who received ICIs with or without chemotherapy.Results:A total of 58 patients were identified, 22 received chemotherapy only and 36 received ICIs. The mean age was 68.8, with 50% male (29/58). ICI treated groups had significantly more stage IV diagnoses (chemotherapy only 3.6%, ICI 67%, p=0.04). There was no difference in median time from treatment to stroke onset in days between groups; chemotherapy 90.5 (range 27-386) vs. ICI 337.5 (range 95-665), p= 0.39. The stroke etiology in those treated with chemotherapy alone were as follows: Large artery atherosclerosis (3), cardioembolic (8), small vessel disease (5), ESUS (5), other (1). For those treated with either ICI alone or ICI and chemotherapy: Large artery atherosclerosis (5), cardioembolic (6), small vessel disease (2), ESUS (23), other (0). Stroke etiology consistent with embolic stroke with unknown source (ESUS) was more common in the ICI group (chemotherapy only 2.3%, ICI 64%, p=0.02).Conclusions:Contrary to prior research suggesting atherogenesis with ICI, the most common stroke etiology in the ICI group was ESUS.

Stroke, Volume 56, Issue Suppl_1, Page ATP325-ATP325, February 1, 2025. Introduction:The Cameron County Hispanic Cohort (CCHC) represents a random sample of the Hispanic community residing in Cameron County, Texas. Participants were invited, regardless of their medical history, to participate every five years and went through extensive interviews and laboratory workout. This is the first report on the incidence of stroke in this cohort and provides a comprehensive examination for the associations between strokes and several cardiometabolic indicators.Methods:We conducted a case-cohort analysis to measure the associations between incident stroke and several cardiometabolic risk factors in the CCHC. Strokes were self-reported and we exclude subjects who reported strokes at their first visit as well as those who did not report on their stroke status. Chi square and Student t-test were used to test for univariate associations of several cardiometabolic indicators with incident strokes. We ran logistic regression models to estimate the associations of several cardiometabolic indicators with incident strokes after adjusting for age, diabetes, and hypertension. We used multiple imputation to estimate missing values for variables with more than 25% missingness. All analyses were conducted in R software (version 4.4.2)Results:The cumulative incidence for strokes was 0.02 (87 out of 4692 subjects). Those who presented with incident strokes were older (mean(sd): 61.4 (13.9) vs. 45.3 (15.9)), more likely to be diabetic (44 (50.6%) vs. 759 (16.5%)), and hypertensive (58 (66.7%) vs. 1194 (25.9%)), have higher inflammatory profile (e.g., C-Reactive Protein) (11.0 (26.3)vs. 7.92 (14.8)), thicker carotid intima (0.796 (0.250) vs. 0.681 (0.179)), lower left ventricular ejection fraction (60.8 (8.69) vs. 63.9 (4.89)), and higher left ventricular mass (159 (45.7) vs. 141 (36.9)) when compared to those without strokes at baseline. Adjusted logistic regression models comparing those with strokes to those without strokes at baseline showed that Low Density Lipoprotein (OR: 0.99, 95%CI: 0.98 – 0.99) and metabolic syndrome (OR: 0.53, 95%CI: 0.33-0.84) to be significantly associated (p

Stroke, Volume 56, Issue Suppl_1, Page ATP314-ATP314, February 1, 2025. Introduction:Blood pressure (BP) control after a stroke is crucial in lowering the risk of stroke recurrence. Our prior work found that over 60% of patients recently discharged from a regional health system with stroke did not achieve BP control according to current guidelines. Less is known about the impact of insurance type and co-morbidities on post-stroke BP control.Objective:To analyze the relationship between insurance type, comorbidities and post-stroke BP control among patients within a regional health system.Methods:This report is an observational cohort study. Patients were admitted between 2013-2021 for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and had seen a PCP/PCAPP (primary care physician/primary care advance practice provider) in a regional health system or affiliated outpatient clinics using the EPIC electronic health record. We excluded patients who died during hospitalization, were lost to follow-up, or were on dialysis.Results:The analysis included 2,750 patients. Six months after hospital discharge, the insurance coverage among stroke survivors with uncontrolled BP ( >130/80 mm Hg) was 61.1% for public, 35.8% for private, 1.9% for other/unknown, and 1.3% for self-pay. In comparison, among those with controlled BP (