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À l’aube de l’Unité d’Italie le choix d’écrire des poèmes sur le vin répond à de nouvelles motivations par rapport au siècles précedents. Le vin en vers peut aborder le discours politique nationaliste, le discours social sur l’égalité et les droits de l’homme, le discours économique lié à la production vinicole, les polémiques littéraires, l’anticléricalisme. Entre poésie, politique et oenologie cet article présente les différentes facettes de cette innovation thématique. Keywords : vin, oenologie, politique, poésie, Italie post-unitaire

Qua e là, nell’imponente opera letteraria e saggistica, Carducci ci parla della sua infanzia tra Versilia e Maremma toscana, attribuendo a brevi ricordi, a volte ricorrenti, funzioni che vanno ben al di là della mera cronaca autobiografica. Essi concorrono infatti alla costruzione del personaggio pubblico, del poeta come dell’intellettuale, e alla creazione di un mito identitario maremmano. Il presente articolo analizza alcuni di questi ricordi d’infanzia, iniziando da quelli in prosa e passando poi a quelli in versi.

Abstract

Introduction and Objectives: After ST-segment myocardial infarction (STEMI), the impact of different adverse events on prognosis remains unknown. We aimed to assess very long-term predictors of patient-oriented composite endpoints (POCE) and investigate whether the occurrence of target vessel failure (TVF) vs a non-TVF event as the first event could potentially influence subsequent outcomes., Methods: The EXAMINATION-EXTEND trial randomized STEMI patients to receive either an everolimus-eluting stent or a bare-metal stent. The follow-up period was 10 years. Predictors of POCE (a composite of all-cause death, any myocardial infarction, or any revascularization) were evaluated in the overall study population. The patients were stratified based on the type of first event (TVF-first vs non-TVF-first) and were compared in terms of subsequent POCE. TVF was defined as a composite of cardiac death, TV myocardial infarction, or TV revascularization., Results: Out of the 1498 enrolled patients, 529 (35.3%) experienced a POCE during the 10-year follow-up. Independent predictors of POCE were age, diabetes mellitus, previous myocardial infarction, peripheral arterial disease, and multivessel coronary disease. The first event was a TVF in 296 patients and was a non-TVF in 233 patients. No significant differences were observed between TVF-first and non-TVF-first patients in terms of subsequent POCE (21.7% vs 39.3%, time ratio 1.79; 95%CI, 0.87-3.67;P=.12) or its individual components., Conclusions: At the 10-year follow-up, approximately one-third of STEMI patients had experienced at least 1 POCE. Independent predictors of these events were age, diabetes, and more extensive atherosclerotic disease. The occurrence of a TVF or a non-TVF as the first event did not seem to influence subsequent outcomes., Trial Registration Number: NCT04462315., (Copyright © 2023 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Objectives: Changes in sex hormone levels are a known triggering factor for spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) in women. However, it is unknown whether exposure to exogenous hormone therapy (HT) at the time of SCAD presentation modifies the clinical course of this condition. We investigated the association between HT in female patients presenting with SCAD and short-term clinical outcomes., Methods: We enrolled consecutive patients presenting with SCAD from the DISCO-IT/SPA (dissezioni spontanee coronariche Italian-Spanish) registry. Women on HT (estrogens, progestagens, or gonadotropins) at the time of presentation were identified, and their clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes were compared with those not receiving active HT. The outcome measure was nonfatal myocardial infarction and/or unplanned percutaneous coronary intervention during the first 28 days after the index catheterization., Results: Of 224 women presenting with SCAD (mean age 52.0±10.0 years), 39 (17.4%) were currently using HT while 185 (82.6%) were not. No significant differences were noted in the baseline demographics, clinical presentation, angiographic features, or initial treatment received between the 2 groups. All patients on systemic HT (n=36, 92%) discontinued it at the time of diagnosis. The composite outcome occurred in 7 (17.9%) patients with prior HT compared with 14 (7.6%) without (P=.039). After multivariable adjustment, HT remained associated with the composite outcome recorded in the first 28 days of follow-up (HR, 3.53; 95%CI, 1.30-9.61; P=.013)., Conclusions: In women with SCAD, exposure to HT at the time of clinical presentation was associated with short-term recurrent cardiovascular events such as nonfatal myocardial infarction and/or unplanned percutaneous revascularization., (Copyright © 2023 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Mixed infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) consists in the simultaneous coexistence in the same patient of two different strains of Mtb or 2 different variants of the same strain. When one of the variants selects for resistance mutations, it is called monoclonal heteroresistance (HTR); if there are 2 different strains, one sensitive and one resistant (or with different resistance patterns), it is called polyclonal HTR. Three cases of HIV/AIDS patients are presented, all with repeated treatment adherence problems, in whom monoclonal HTR was diagnosed through Mtb complete genomic sequentiation with the coexistence of two variants of the same strain isolated from samples from lung and lymph nodes, with different resistance profiles in each case. It is important to consider the possibility of HTR, especially in patients with multiple previous therapeutic attempts and high bacillary populations, such as in advanced AIDS, since this situation potentially compromises treatment results by coexisting sensitive and resistant variants of a strain (or strains).

Plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels are twice as high in hibernating brown bears (Ursus arctos) than in healthy humans. Yet, bears display no sign of atherosclerosis development. To explore this apparent paradox, we analyzed lipoproteins from same ten individual bears plasma collected during winter (hibernation; February) and summer (active; June) in the same year. Plasma from fourteen healthy humans were analyzed as comparator. We used standard methods for lipoprotein isolation, composition and functional investigation. The results shows that in brown bears the absence of atherosclerosis despite elevated cholesterol is likely associated with two main athero-protective properties of circulating lipoproteins. First, a significant ten times lower affinity of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) particles for arterial proteoglycans and secondly, an elevated plasma cholesterol efflux capacity. What does the brown bear data tell us? That elevated total cholesterol and ApoB-containing lipoproteins not always associates with atherosclerosis disease. We need to look also at the lipoprotein biochemical features and functionality as they are relevant for arterial pathophysiology. What is the translatability into human of these results? We humans need to control our total and LDL-cholesterol levels. We are not brown bears!, (Copyright © 2022 AstraZeneca. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate if thulium laser vapoenucleation of the prostate (ThuVEP) is equally safe and effective in a selected cohort of elderly patients when compared to "younger" patients., Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients who underwent ThuVEP between September 2018 and February 2020. After application of the inclusion/exclusion criteria, patients were stratified according to the 75 years-old cut-off point suggested by the WHO. Group A included patients ≤75 years-old; Group B included patients >75 years-old. Preoperative assessment included urological consultation, prostate specific antigen (PSA), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and quality of life index, transrectal ultrasound to estimate prostate volume (PVol), and uroflowmetry to assess preoperative Qmax, Qave and post-void residual volume (PVR). Perioperative and postoperative data were analyzed during 3-month follow-up., Results: After propensity-score analysis, 51 versus 51 patients were 1:1 matched according to PVol, PSA, Qmax, IPSS and QoL. Patients were comparable at baseline excluding age (65 (IQR 59-70) versus 79 (IQR 77-82) years, Group A versus B, respectively, P-value <.001). No differences were found in terms of hemoglobin drop, complications rate, catheterization time and length of hospital stay. Group A (younger) patients had more significant improvement in 30-days absolute Qmax, Qave and ΔQmax. At 90-days follow-up, the differences between the groups disappeared. Within the 90-days follow-up, no significant differences were found in the readmission rate, with no need of reinterventions., Conclusions: In our hands, even in elderly patients affected by BPH, ThuVEP appears to be a safe and effective treatment option., (Copyright © 2021 AEU. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare and heterogeneous disease, with challenging management and poor prognosis. Surgery withcurative intent is the preferred treatment option for localized disease, with a reported 5-year survival rate of 55% for complete resections. However, owing to the high risk of recurrence there is a need for adjuvant therapies, such as mitotane, an adrenolytic drug, or irradiation, while in advanced disease the standard of careis a combined chemotherapy scheme. The aim of this study was to report our experience in the surgical management and outcomes of ACC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective observational study was performed in a cohort of ACC patients who had undergone surgical resection (open or laparoscopic approach) and were followed up at our tertiary hospital. Patients with localized or locally advanced disease were included in the analysis. All medical records, including clinical, surgical, pathologic, and follow-updata, were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 19 ACC patients were managed at our center between August 1990 and August 2013. The median age at diagnosis was 50.5 years (range 19-72), and most patients were males. Abdominal pain was the most common clinical presentation (n=9,47.4%). Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) was performed in all cases. Only 3 tumors (15.8%) were functional and most were stage II at diagnosis (n=9, 47.4%). No patient presented metastasis. Of the 19 patients, 18 (94.7%) under went surgerywith curative intent, while one (5.3%) received adjuvant radiotherapy (ART). The open approach was used in 17 patients (89.5%), while the remaining 2 (10.5%) underwent laparoscopy. Postoperative complications occurred in 8 patients (42.1%); none were of grade IV or V. Median follow-up was 66 months (range 3-312). The majority of patients (n=15, 78.9%) were disease free with surgery alone. None received adjuvant mitotane therapy (AMT). Four patients (21%) experienced metachronous metastases and 3 (15.8%) local recurrence after a median time of 10.5 months (range 2-60) and 9.3 months (range 1.5-30), respectively. The 5-year overall survival rate was 47.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings confirm both the unpredictable nature of ACC and the accepted primary role of surgery. The use of adjuvant therapy was less frequent in this series than is supported currently. However, a multidiscipinary approach should be the initial step in the management of this rare malignancy.

Introduction: Endoscopic resection offers advantages over surgical resection for early colorectal cancer (ECC). However, there might be a presumed risk of recurrence. We aimed to determine the risk of recurrence after endoscopic removal of ECC., Methods: A single-centre series of endoscopic resections for ECC. Patients were stratified according to four risk factors: positive resection margins, Haggitt 4, lymphatic/vascular invasion and tumour budding., Results: We included 127 patients. Haggitt classification was grade 4 in 54.0%. Positive margins were found in 43 (33.9%), 16 (12.6%) had lymphatic or vascular invasion, and 5 (4.0%) had high grade budding. In 82 (64.5%) endoscopic excision was the definitive treatment, 45 (35.4%) underwent surgery. Six patients (13.3%) had residual tumour on specimen and/or node metastases. Postoperative complications occurred in ten (22.2%). At a median follow-up of 63 months, none of the 82 patients treated with endoscopic resection alone had recurrence. After stratifying patients according to risk factors, those who had residual tumour also had ≥2 risk factors., Conclusions: Endoscopic follow up might be a valid option for patients with ECC. A risk-adjusted management seems prudent., (Copyright © 2021 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: To investigate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) accuracy for determining the location of rectal tumors with respect to the peritoneal reflection (PR) and its potential involvement., Methods: Prospective study of 161 patients ongoing surgery for rectal cancer. A double-ink method has been aplied to examine surgical specimen, orange ink for the serosal surface and indian ink for the mesorrectal margin, and assess preoperative MRI accuracy., Results: Twenty-two tumors were located above, 65 at and 74 below PR. MRI accuracy was 90.6% for determining tumor's location with respect to the PR and 80.5% for defining peritoneal involvement. For classifying tumors according to their intra or extraperitoneal location an accuracy of 92.5% was set for MRI. Histophatologic peritoneal involvement was found in 28.7% of tumors located above or at the PR., Conclusions: Magnetic resonance imaging accurately predicts the location of rectal tumors with respect to the PR and its potential involvement. The double-ink method is useful to assess serosal involvement (pT4a) and to distinguish mesorrectal fascia from the peritonealized surface., (Copyright © 2021 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Nutrition is tightly associated with the risk of stone events. A part from genetic predisposition, a correct and balanced diet might prevent incident kidney stones. Several studies analyzed each dietary component and different diets to better understand their impact on stone recurrence. Fluids: High fluids intake is the most important factor for preventing kidney stones disease and for every 200 mL of water, the risk of stones is reduced by 13%. Soft drinks seems to be associated to a greater risk of stone events, whereas caffeine and citrus fruits juice are not. Calcium: Normally calcium intake with diet does not exceed 1.2 g/day. A balanced consumption of dairy products is capable of reducing oxalate intestinal absorption and urinary excretion compared to low calcium diet, being protective for stone disease. Oxalate: The exact amount of oxalate contained in different foods is difficult to estimate for its variability, even in the same aliment. In addition, the amount of oxalate consumed was shown to be only a minor risk factor for stone disease, whereas its intestinal absorption is strongly influenced by external factors, such as calcium intake. Dietary oxalate restriction is advisable only in patients with known elevated consumption. Sodium: High sodium intake is both associated with hypertension, heart disease and stone risk. Increased sodium consumption is directly associated to hypercalciuria in both calcium stone formers and healthy subjects. Although dietary sodium restriction to recommended values is always desirable in stone formers, it is difficult to achieve for its broad use in food preparation. Proteins: Animal proteins are associated to increased risk for stone formation, whereas vegetable and dairy proteins are not. Increased meat intake was associated to acidic urine pH, negative calcium balance and reduced anti-lithogenic urinary solutes excretion.Fruits and vegetables: Alkalizing foods are one of the most important factors for stone protection. Their consumption increases anti-lithogenic solutes as citrate, potassium and magnesium. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is strongly recommended for stone formers. Uric acid: Elevated meat consumption is either associated to increased purine metabolism and acid load, favoring uric acid nephrolithiasis by reducing urine pH and increasing urinary excretion of uric acid, especially in patients affected by metabolic syndrome and diabetes.In conclusion, the most effective diet for stone protection is rich in fruits and vegetables, low in animal proteins and salt, with balanced dairy product consumption and obviously, with elevated fluid intake. These characteristics make vegetarian and Mediterranean diets protective and useful for stone formers, whereas western diet is at risk for stone formation.

Introduction and Objectives: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for aorto-ostial chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO) can be a particularly challenging lesion subset. The aim of this study was to analyze the technical aspects and outcomes of aorto-ostial CTO PCI in a multicenter registry., Methods: Patients undergoing aorto-ostial CTO PCI at 4 centers between February 2013 and December 2018 were included. Success rates, as well as procedural aspects and outcomes, were analyzed., Results: A total of 103 patients were included. Mean age was 64±10 years and the mean J-CTO score was 3.1±1.1. Thirty-one lesions (30.4%) were flush ostial CTOs. Technical and procedural success were achieved in 79 (76.7%) and 78 (75.7%) of the patients, respectively. The retrograde approach was the most frequent successful crossing technique (n=49; 62.0%), especially in flush vs nonflush aorto-ostial CTOs (82.6% vs 53.5%; P=.02). The only variable independently associated with technical failure was the absence of interventional collaterals (OR, 12.38; 95%CI, 4.02-38.15; P <.001). Coronary perforation occurred in 4 patients (3.9%) requiring covered stent implantation (without subsequent cardiac tamponade) and 2 patients (1.9%) had a stroke (one of which was a transient ischemic attack). During a median follow-up of 31 months, 3 (2.9%) patients died from cardiovascular causes and 13 (12.6%) required repeat target vessel revascularization., Conclusions: Aorto-ostial occlusions represent a challenging subset for PCI. However, an acceptable success rate with favorable outcomes during follow-up can be achieved by experienced operators. The presence of interventional collaterals allowing the use of the retrograde approach is key for achieving procedural success., (Copyright © 2020 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: A proper quantification of the inflammatory activity in Crohn's disease (CD) lesions is needed to establish the appropriate management for each patient. The aim of this study is to evaluate the inflammatory activity of affected segments in small bowel lesions using dynamic studies of magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) in patients undergoing surgery, and their correlation with the level of inflammation and histological fibrosis of the surgical piece., Methods: A prospective, consecutive, observational, clinical study was conducted that included all the patients with small bowel CD that underwent surgery in this center between March 2011 and September 2013. Diagnosis was established according to Lennard-Jones criteria and the Montreal classification. All the patients underwent MRE within three months before surgery, using a routine protocol involving Liver Acquisition with Volume Acceleration-Extended Volume (LAVA-XV) sequence for the dynamic studies before intravenous administering of gadolinium and 30, 70, 120, and 420s after administering this. The results allowed the designing of graphics with different uptake patterns. The Chiorean classification was used in the histological analysis, as well as a modified version published previously by this study group., Results: A total of 28 patients with 47 lesions were analyzed. There was a significant correlation between both curve patterns, including the modified Chiorean classification (P<0.0001) as well as the level of inflammation (P<0.0001) and fibrosis (P<0.002). Inflammatory patterns of dynamic studies are related to histological findings with 80.9% accuracy (sensitivity=75.7%; specificity=100%)., Conclusion: There is a high correlation between dynamic enhancement studies and the level of inflammatory activity. MRE is a suitable tool to differentiate between inflammatory and fibrotic lesions, making it useful to decide the appropriate management of each patient., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Intra-abdominal septic complications (IASC) affect short-term outcomes after surgery for colon cancer. Blood transfusions have been associated with worse short-term results. The role of IASC and blood transfusions on long-term oncologic results is still debated. This study aims to assess the impact of these two variables on survival after curative colon cancer resection., Patients and Methods: Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database of patients who underwent curative surgery for colon cancer at a university hospital, between 1993 and 2010. Cox regression was used to identify the role of IASC and transfusions (alone and combined) on local recurrence (LR), disease-free survival (DFS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS)., Results: Out of the 1686 patients analyzed, 1277 fit in the inclusion criteria. Colorectal surgeons performed the procedure in 82.2% of the patients. Blood transfusions were administered to 25.8% of the patients. Thirty-day complication and mortality rates were 34.5% and 6.1%. IASC occurred in 9.9%. The mean follow-up was 66 months. The 5-year rates of LR, DFS, and CSS were 7%, 79.8%, and 85.1%. The year of surgery and pT (Hazard ratio 9.35, 95% CI 1.23-70.9, for T4) and pN (Hazard ratio 2.57, 95% CI 1.39-4.72, for N2) stages were independent risk factors for LR. The same variables, bowel obstruction and surgeries performed by surgeons not specialized in colorectal surgery, were also associated with worse DFS and CSS. IASC and blood transfusions were not associated with LR, DFS, and CSS, whether alone or combined., Conclusions: IASC and transfusions were not associated with worse oncological outcomes after curative colon cancer surgery per se. Other factors were more important predictors of survival., (Copyright © 2019. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

The staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome is a rare dermatological entity that in early stages may be confused with a flare-up of a rush of atopic dermatitis. We present the case of an 8-year-old boy with a history of atopic dermatitis and egg allergy that went to the Emergency Department for erythematous-bullous lesions on the skin. Symptoms began as an erythema in areas of flexures, which associated conjunctivitis and bilateral eyelid erythema. After 24 hours, a generalized erythema appeared with flaccid blisters predominating in flexural areas, accompanied by hyperkeratosis and perioral xerosis. Due to the clinical suspicion of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome, empirical treatment with cloxacillin with favorable response was initiated. This case highlights the importance of making a correct differential diagnosis of skin lesions of patients with atopic dermatitis in order to apply the most appropriate treatment., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

Objective: The purpose of this prospective study was to assess the effects of selenium supplementation on TSH and interferon-γ inducible chemokines (CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11) levels in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis., Patients and Methods: Patients with subclinical hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto thyroiditis were prospectively enrolled in the SETI study. They received 83mcg of selenomethionine/day orally in a soft gel capsule for 4 months with water after a meal. No further treatment was given. All patients were measured thyroid hormone, TPOAb, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, iodine, and selenium levels at baseline and at study end., Results: 50 patients (43/7 female/male, median age 43.9±11.8 years) were enrolled, of which five withdrew from the study. At the end of the study, euthyroidism was restored in 22/45 (48.9%) participants (responders), while 23 patients remained hypothyroid (non-responders). There were no significant changes in TPOAb, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, and iodine levels from baseline to the end of the study in both responders and non-responders. TSH levels were re-tested six months after selenomethionine withdrawal: 83.3% of responding patients remained euthyroid, while only 14.2% of non-responders became euthyroid., Conclusions: The SETI study shows that short-course supplementation with selenomethionine is associated to a normalization of serum TSH levels which is maintained 6 months after selenium withdrawal in 50% of patients with subclinical hypothyroidism due to chronic autoimmune thyroiditis. This TSH-lowering effect of selenium supplementation is unlikely to be related to changes in humoral markers of autoimmunity and/or circulating CXCL9., (Copyright © 2019 SEEN y SED. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Accurate quantification of the inflammatory activity in Crohn's Disease is essential to determine adequate treatment for each patient. The aim of the present study is to assess the correlation between the pre-operative Magnetic Resonance Index of Activity (MaRIA) and the histologic degree of inflammation from surgically resected intestinal Crohn's Disease lesions., Methods: This is a prospective study including a consecutive case series of patients with small bowel Crohn's Disease, who underwent surgical resection. Magnetic resonance enterography was performed in the 3months prior to surgery, applying a pre-established protocol. Relative contrast enhancements, wall thickness, presence of edema or ulcerations were the parameters used to calculate the MaRIA Index. All patients underwent surgery and every specimen was analyzed. The modified Chiorean classification was applied for the histological analysis and an ordinal regression analysis was used to correlate MaRIA and the grade of inflammation for each lesion., Results: 59 lesions from 35 different patients were analyzed. The degree of inflammation of the lesions was statistically correlated to the MaRIA values (P=.002). The MaRIA index was significantly different (P<.001) between the different histological types of the Crohn's Disease lesions (inflammatory/ fibrotic). The best cut-off for detecting severe inflammation using MaRIA was 20 (AUC: 0.741; 74.1% sensitivity and 78.1% specificity)., Conclusion: MaRIA is a reliable tool to distinguish inflammatory from fibrotic lesions. Therefore, it could be considered essential for determining the most appropriate Crohn's Disease treatment for each patient., (Copyright © 2019 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

INTRODUCTION THE AIM: was to analyse the stoma reversal rate after surgery for complicated acute diverticulitis (CAD), and more specifically the end-stoma-reversal, as well as the delay, feasibility, complications and risk factors for stoma maintenance., Methods: A multicentre retrospective study of patients who had undergone urgent surgery for CAD with stoma formation in ten hospitals during a period of 6 years. The frequency of reversal over time and the factors affecting the decision for reversal were analysed., Results: Out of 385 patients operated for CAD, 312 underwent stoma creation: 292 end colostomies and 20 diverting stomas. During follow-up, stoma reversal surgery was performed in 161 patients (51.6%) after a median of 9 months. The main causes for not performing stoma reversal were comorbidities and the death of the patient. Advanced age was an adverse factor in the multivariate analysis, and the actuarial rate of reversal was higher in men and in patients with no previous Hartmann's operation. Stoma reversal surgery was completed in all but one patient, and a loop ileostomy was associated in four. Morbidity and mortality rates were 35.7% and 1.9%, respectively. A total of 8.4% of patients underwent re-operation, and 6% experienced an anastomotic leak. Twelve patients remained with a stoma after the attempted reconstruction surgery., Conclusions: Surgery for CAD is frequently associated with an end stoma, which will ultimately not be reversed in almost 50% of patients. Moreover, reversal surgery is frequently delayed and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality., (Copyright © 2018 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Objectives: There is uncertainty on the correct management of antithrombotic therapies after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) being currently recommended on an empirical basis. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to assess the safety and effectiveness of DAPT in patients undergoing TAVR., Methods: Studies comparing different antithrombotic regimens after TAVR were included. The primary endpoint was 30-day overall mortality., Results: We included 9 studies, 5 comparing DAPT with aspirin monotherapy and 4 comparing DAPT with monoantiplatelet therapy (MAPT) + oral anticoagulation. Among 7991 patients, 72% were on DAPT. The median follow-up was 3.5 months. Mortality was significantly lower in the DAPT group (12.2% vs 14.4%; OR, 0.81; 95%CI, 0.70-0.93; P = .003; P het = .93), with similar benefits compared with aspirin monotherapy (OR, 0.80; 95%CI, 0.69-0.93; P = .004; P het = .60), which were not statistically significant when compared with MAPT + oral anticoagulation (OR, 0.86; 95%CI, 0.55-1.35; P = .51; P het = .97). A similar trend for DAPT was observed for stroke (OR, 0.83 95%CI, 0.63-1.10; P = .20; P het = .67), with no increase in the rate of major bleedings (OR, 1.69; 95%CI, 0.86-3.31; P = .13; P het < .0001). On indirect comparison analysis, no benefit in survival, stroke, or bleedings was identified for additional oral anticoagulation., Conclusions: The present meta-analysis supports the use of DAPT after TAVR, reducing mortality and offering slight benefits in stroke, with no increase in major bleedings compared with MAPT. The strategy of aspirin + oral anticoagulation did not provide significant benefits compared with MAPT or DAPT., (Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Compare the number of recurrences in patients with WHO Grade I meningiomas that underwent microsurgical resection., Introduction: In 1957 Simpson established five grades for surgical resection for intracranial meningiomas and recurrence rate. He thought that an aggressive removal of these tumors with dura and bone was necessary to cure them. Development of new diagnostic methods, advances in anatomopathology and microsurgical technique lead us to question if this scale has a value nowadays., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed. All patients operated from grade I meningiomas between February 2006 to December 2015 were included. Pre and postoperative MRI as well as histology were analyzed. A multivariate analysis was performed, a P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant., Results: There was no statistical significant difference between patients undergoing Simpson Grade I, II, III or IV resection ( P = 0,3117). This could be best stated for Simpson Grade I and II resection, where the number of patients included in the study was higher. When we analyze tumor location there was not significant difference in recurrence between groups ( P = 0,2203)., Conclusion: For grade I meningiomas there is no significant difference in the recurrence between patients with a Simpson Grade I or II resection, thus increasing morbidity of the surgery is not justified. A new resection scale should be designed taking into account the WHO classification., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to analyze the safety and efficacy of stent-graft endovascular treatment for visceral artery aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms., Methods: Multicentric retrospective series of patients with visceral aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms treated by means of stent graft. The following variables were analyzed: Age, sex, type of lesion (aneurysms/pseudoaneurysms), localization, rate of success, intraprocedural and long term complication rate (SIR classification). Follow-up was performed under clinical and radiological assessment., Results: Twenty-five patients (16 men), with a mean age of 59 (range 27-79), were treated. The indication was aneurysm in 19 patients and pseudoaneurysms in 6. The localizations were: splenic artery (12), hepatic artery (5), renal artery (4), celiac trunk (3) and gastroduodenal artery (1). Successful treatment rate was 96% (24/25 patients). Intraprocedural complication rate was 12% (4% major; 8% minor). Complete occlusion was demonstrated during follow up (mean 33 months, range 6-72) in the 24 patients with technical success. Two stent migrations (2/24; 8%) and 4stent thrombosis (4/24; 16%) were detected. Mortality rate was 0%., Conclusion: In our study, stent-graft endovascular treatment of visceral aneurysmns and pseudoaneurysms has demonstrated to be safe and is effective in the long-term in both elective and emergent cases, with a high rate of successful treatment and a low complication rate., (Copyright © 2017 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The use of a self-expanding metallic stent as a bridge to surgery in acute malignant left colonic obstruction has been suggested as an alternative treatment to emergency surgery. The aim of the present study was to compare the morbi-mortality, cost-benefit and long-term oncological outcomes of both therapeutic options., Methods: This is a prospective, comparative, controlled, non-randomized study (2005-2010) performed in a specialized unit. The study included 82 patients with left colon cancer obstruction treated by stent as a bridge to surgery (n=27) or emergency surgery (n=55) operated with local curative intention. The main outcome measures (postoperative morbi-mortaliy, cost-benefit, stoma rate and long-term oncological outcomes) were compared based on an "intention-to-treat" analysis., Results: There were no significant statistical differences between the two groups in terms of preoperative data and tumor characteristics. The technically successful stenting rate was 88.9% (11.1% perforation during stent placement) and clinical success was 81.4%. No difference was observed in postoperative morbi-mortality rates. The primary anastomosis rate was higher in the bridge to surgery group compared to the emergency surgery group (77.8% vs. 56.4%; P=.05). The mean costs in the emergency surgery group resulted to be €1,391.9 more expensive per patient than in the bridge to surgery group. There was no significant statistical difference in oncological long-term outcomes., Conclusions: The use of self-expanding metalllic stents as a bridge to surgery is a safe option in the urgent treatment of obstructive left colon cancer, with similar short and long-term results compared to direct surgery, inferior mean costs and a higher rate of primary anastomosis., (Copyright © 2017 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Lately there has been an increasing interest in identifying quality standards in different pathologies, among them colon cancer due to its great prevalence. The main goal of this study is to define the quality standards of colon cancer surgery based on a large prospective national study dataset., Methods: Data from the prospective national study ANACO were used. This study included a consecutive series of patients operated on for colon cancer in 52 Spanish hospitals (2011-2012). Centers with less than 30 patients were excluded. The present analysis finally included 42 centers (2975 patients). Based on the results obtained in 4main indicators from each hospital (anastomotic leak, lymph-nodes found in the specimen, mortality and length of stay), a nomogram that allows the evaluation of the performance of each center was designed. Standard results for further 5 intraoperative and 5 postoperative quality indicators were also reported., Results: Median of anastomotic leak and mortality rate was 8.5% (25 th -75 th percentiles 6.1%-12.4%) and 2.5% (25 th -75 th percentiles 0.6%-4.7%), respectively. Median number of nodes found in the surgical specimen was 15,1 (25 th -75 th percentiles 18-14 nodes). Median length of postoperative stay was 7.7 days (25 th -75 th percentiles 6.9-9.2 days). Based on these data, a nomogram for hospital audit was created., Conclusions: Standard surgical results after colon cancer surgery were defined, creating a tool for auto-evaluation and allowing each center to identify areas for improvement in the surgical treatment of colon cancer., (Copyright © 2016 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: To analyze short and medium-term results of different surgical techniques in the treatment of complicated acute diverticulitis (CAD)., Methods: Multicentre retrospective study including patients operated on as surgical emergency or deferred-urgency with the diagnosis of CAD., Results: A series of 385 patients: 218 men and 167 women, mean age 64.4±15.6 years, operated on in 10 hospitals were included. The median (25 th -75 th percentile) time from symptoms to surgery was 48 (24-72) h, being peritonitis the main surgical indication in a 66% of cases. Surgical approach was usually open (95.1%), and the commonest findings, a purulent peritonitis (34.8%) or pericolonic abscess (28.6%). Hartmann procedure (HP) was the most used technique in 278 (72.2%) patients, followed by resection and primary anastomosis (RPA) in 69 (17.9%). The overall postoperative morbidity and mortality was 53.2% and 13% respectively. Age, immunosupression, presence of general risk factors and faecal peritonitis were associated with increased mortality. Laparoscopic peritoneal lavage (LPL) was associated with an increased reoperation rate frequently involving a stoma, and anastomotic leaks presented in 13.7 patients after RPA, without differences in morbimortality when compared with HP. Median postoperative length of stay was 12 days, and was correlated with age, surgical risk, ASA score, hospital and postoperative complications., Conclusions: Surgery for CAD has important morbidity and mortality and is frequently associated with an end-stoma. Moreover LPL presented high reoperation rates. It seems better to resect and anastomose in most cases, even with an associated protective stoma., (Copyright © 2016 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

In the framework of the INSuLa project, supported by Italian Ministry of Health, a national survey was conducted to evaluate the perceptions of employers about Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) activities. Main findings of this survey are presented in this paper. The survey was conducted on a sample of 1,010 employers weighted by economic activity sector, company size and geographic area. An ad hoc questionnaire was administered through Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing methodology. Most of employers "mostly" or "completely" agree with the usefulness of OSH activities and the efficacy of specific prevention and protection measures. Around 37.7% of employers consider OSH management a shared responsibility with workers and 56.1% of them feel the OSH level to be increased following the implementation of Legislative Decree no. 81/08. The findings of this survey provide a picture of Italian employers' point of view about OSH and identify gaps and needs, thus contributing to choose proper actions for the improvement of OSH

The ageing workforce is one of the major issues in Europe. Ageing has an important effect on work ability, especially in manual jobs where physical demand is high. Musculoskeletal disorders are the most common health problems among European workers and are able to affect work ability. In order to increase the employment rate of people aged 45-65, measures to sustain work ability and proper age management should be promoted: return to work strategies include adjustment of the job to the worker's health conditions and abilities. The contribution of health surveillance.programs in the management of workers affected by musculoskeletal disorders is discussed.

Large scale retail industry and catering industry are characterized by the widespread presence of several risk factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD): repetitive movements, incongruous postures and manual handling tasks. We reviewed current epidemiological evidence related to musculoskeletal disorders within these two sectors, distinguishing between symptoms and clinically documented disorders. In retail industry cashier is the most investigated figure, regarding upper limbs disorders as a consequence of repetitive tasks. In the catering sector there are few studies, mostly focused only on the job as a cook. The majority of studies showed a high prevalence of WMSD and, to a lesser extent, a high frequency ofmusculoskeletal alterations; suggesting the presence of a not negligible risk. These findings, however, are affected by a number of methodological limitations: they derive from cross-sectional studies, are based on voluntary self-selected workers, are focused on not unequivocally defined health outcomes, and are usually lacking a proper comparison. with the prevalence in less exposed/reference working groups. In order to achieve an effective control of the workers' risk, it is therefore necessary to design and conduct prospective studies that compare the risk of developing disorders and/or diseases in workers exposed to different levels of biomechanical load. It appears essential to involve occupational physicians in active health surveillance programs in order to identify critical areas and to develop effective preventive measures.

Objective: We present our experience in the reconstruction of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks according to their size and location., Material and Methods: Fifty-four patients who underwent advanced skull base surgery (large defects) and 62 patients with CSF leaks of different origin (small and medium-sized defects) were included. Large defects were reconstructed with a nasoseptal pedicled flap positioned on fat and fascia lata and lumbar drainage was used. In small and medium-sized leaks of other origin, intrathecal fluorescein 5% was applied previously to identify the defect. Fascia lata in an underlay position was used for reconstruction, which was then covered with mucoperiosteum from the turbinate. Perioperative antibiotics were administered for 5-7 days. Nasal packing was removed after 24-48 hours., Results: The most frequent aetiology for small and medium-sized defects was spontaneous (48.4%), followed by trauma (24.2%), iatrogenic (5%) and others. The success rate was of 91% after the first surgery and 98% in large skull base defects and small/medium-sized respectively. After rescue surgery, the rate of closure achieved was 100%. The follow-up was 15.6 ± 12.4 months for large defects and 75.3 ± 51.3 months for small/medium-sized defects without recurrence., Conclusions: Endoscopic surgery for closure of any type of skull base defect is the gold standard approach. Defect size does not play a significant role in the success rate. Fascia lata and mucoperiosteum allow a reconstruction of small/medium-sized defects. For larger skull base defects, a combination of fat, fascia lata and nasoseptal pedicled flaps provide a successful reconstruction., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)

Perineal wound complications after abdomino-perineal rectal resection are frequent and clinically relevant for their impact on the length of hospitalization, costs, patients' quality of life and oncologic results. With the diffusion of the preoperative radiotherapy and the gradual shift to the extra-elevator technique, the perineal morbidity rate has increased. Many series describing different techniques of primary closure of the perineal defect have been published, but high-quality clinical studies, indicating which is the best option, are missing. A biologic mesh, associated if possible to an omentoplasty, seems to be sufficient to close the perineal defect after extra-elevator abdomino-perineal rectal resection. However, when the proctectomy is associated to the resection of other organs, as for example vagina or sacrum, resulting in an ample perineal defect, the vertical rectus abdominis flap seems to be the best option. If the perineal defect is smaller, the gracilis or gluteus flaps could be other valid alternatives., (Copyright © 2014 Asociación Española de Cirujanos. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Approximately 10% of all low rectal cancer needs surgical resection extended to other pelvic structures. Indication for extended resection should be given according to a precise systemic and local preoperative staging. Magnetic Resonance Imaging is the most important instrument utilized by the Multidisciplinary Team to decide therapeutic strategy according to the surgical risk. The status of the pathological circumferential resection margin is the most important prognostic factor determining local recurrence risk and oncological outcome and for this reason it should be considered pivotal in the decision of the strategy of treatment. When extended resection is performed, the presence of an expert colorectal surgeon is mandatory, often coordinating a group of specialists including urologist, plastic surgeon, vascular surgeon and orthopaedist when sacrectomy is necessary. The most frequent extended resection in women with low rectal cancer is the partial resection of vagina. In men, the infiltration of the prostate could be treated with partial prostatectomy, total prostatectomy with bladder preservation or pelvic exenteration, total or posterior, when the bladder is infiltrated. Rectal cancer infiltration of the pelvic sidewalls or of the sacrum is less frequent and obliges to perform a total pelvic exenteration including sometimes the hypogastric vessel or extended to the sacrum., (Copyright © 2014 Asociación Española de Cirujanos. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

The Miles operation is every day more in the limelight. The abdominoperineal resection compared to anterior resection results in increased rate of circumferential resection margin (CRM) infiltration, increased iatrogenic tumor perforation rate and poorer quality of the mesorectum. These worse results may be caused by excessive dissection between the distal mesorectum and the plane of the levator ani and the consequent "resection waist" or "cone" effect in the specimen. A wider excision of the pelvic floor muscles, known as extraelevator abdominoperineal resection (ELAPE), would provide a "cylindrical" specimen which would hypothetically reduce the risk of tumor perforation and CRM infiltration and local recurrence rate. However, there is insufficient evidence to conclude that the ELAPE is oncologically superior compared to standard abdominoperineal resection. Independently from the surgical technique adopted, another actual point of discussion is the position of the patient during the perineal part of the operation. The position on "prone" provides excellent pelvic exposure, a top-down dissection under direct vision and is very comfortable for the operating surgeons. However, there is no clear scientific evidence of the superiority of prone ELAPE over supine ELAPE in terms of oncologic results, morbidity and mortality. The laparoscopy seems to be the best surgical approach for the abdominal part of the operation, although it has not been validated so far by large prospective studies. Prospective, controlled and randomized trials are necessary to resolve all these issues. The current interest in a more accurate and standardized perineal surgery to obtain a cylindrical specimen, undoubtedly, will improve results., (Copyright © 2014 Asociación Española de Cirujanos. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To ascertain the number of diabetic foot units (DFUs) in Spain, the specialists working in them, and the population covered by them., Material and Methods: The Spanish Group on the Diabetic Foot (SGDF) prepared and agreed a questionnaire based on the recommendations of the 2011 International Consensus on the Diabetic Foot (ICDF). From October to December 2012, the questionnaire was sent to members of three scientific societies formed by professionals involved in the care of patients with diabetes mellitus. Population coverage of the responding centers and DFUs was estimated using the 2012 population census., Results: Seventy five questionnaires were received, 64 of them from general hospitals, which accounted for 13% of the general hospitals of the National Health System. It was calculated that they provided coverage to 43% of the population. Thirty four centers answered that they had a DFU. Specialized diabetic foot care was only provided to 25% of the population. The number of different professionals working at diabetic foot units was 6.3±2.7. Classification of DFUs based on their complexity was as follows: 5 basic units (14.7%), 20 intermediate units (58.8%), and 9 excellence units (26.5%)., Conclusions: The number of DFUs reported in this study in Spain is low, and allow for foot care of only one out of every four patients with diabetes. Spanish health system needs to improve diabetic foot care by creating new DFUs and improving the existing ones., (Copyright © 2013 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Objectives: Encouraging results at long-term follow-up have been reported from non-randomized registries and randomized trials following percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent implantation for unprotected left main stenosis. However, information on very long-term (>5-year) outcomes is limited. The aim of this study was to assess the very long-term outcomes (6-years) following drug-eluting stent implantation for left main disease., Methods: All consecutive patients with unprotected left main stenosis electively treated with drug-eluting stent implantation, between March 2002 and May 2005, were analyzed according to the location of the left main lesion (distal bifurcation vs ostial/body)., Results: The study included 149 patients: 113 with distal bifurcation and 36 with ostial/body lesion. Triple-vessel disease was significantly higher in the distal than in the ostial/body group (52.2% vs 33.2%, P=.05). At 6-years of follow-up, the cumulative major adverse cardiovascular event rate was 41.6% (45.1% distal vs 30.6% ostial/body, P=0.1), including 18.8% any death (22.1% distal vs 8.3% ostial/body, P=.08), 3.4% myocardial infarction (3.5% distal vs 2.8% ostial/body, P=1), and 15.4% target lesion revascularization (18.6% distal vs 5.6% ostial/body, P=.06). The composite of cardiac death and myocardial infarction was 10.7% (13.3% distal vs 2.8% ostial/body, P=.1) while the definite/probable stent thrombosis rate was 1.4% (all in the distal group)., Conclusions: At 6-year clinical follow-up, percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent implantation for unprotected left main disease was associated with acceptable rates of cardiac death, myocardial infarction and stent thrombosis. Favorable long-term outcomes in ostial/body lesions compared to distal bifurcation lesions were confirmed at long-term clinical follow-up., (Copyright © 2012 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)