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This is a critical review of the current literature data about sexual dysfunction as a potential side effect related to drugs commonly used for the treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms. In this narrative review, we analyzed data from the literature related to the development of sexual dysfunctions during the treatment of BPH or LUTS. Both α-blockers and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) can induce erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory disorders and a reduction in sexual desire. The sexual side effect profile of these drugs is different. Among the α-blockers, silodosin appears to have the highest incidence of ejaculatory disorders. Persistent sexual side effects after the discontinuation of finasteride have been recently reported; however, further studies are needed to clarify the true incidence and the significance of this finding. However, most of the published studies are affected by a weak methodology and other important limitations, with only a few RCTs available. Therefore, it is desirable that future studies will include validated tools to assess and diagnose the sexual dysfunction induced by these medications, especially for ejaculation and sexual desire disorders.

Background: Anti-leukotriene anti-(LT) drugs induce a more effective control of asthma in female much more than in male subjects, partially due to genetic factors. However, the well-known correlations between “single nucleotide polymorphism” (SNPs) and asthma are still poor investigated in gender difference. Aims and Objectives: The first aim of this study is to characterize the effectiveness of an anti-LT therapy, in sex-matched asthmatic subjects. The second one is to investigate the distribution of SNPs involved in the LTs pathway in female and male asthmatic patients. Methods: In a prospective cohort study of sex-matched asthmatic subjects, pulmonary function tests (higher forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1], forced vital capacity [FVC]) and asthma control tests [ACT] were performed. The fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and blood levels of both 5- lipoxygenase (5-LO) and LTs were also measured. Moreover, 13 SNPs involved in LTs pathway were genotyped in saliva samples. Results: In the first part of the study, female subjects treated with anti-LT have been better control of the asthmatic symptoms and improvement of pulmonary function, compared with male subjects. Interestingly, treated female patients had significantly lower levels of FeNO compared with male patients in the same group. In the second part of the study, 5-LO, LTs blood levels and SNPs have been evaluated, but need to be confirmed. Conclusions: The better control of asthmatic symptoms, lung function and inflammation in females compared to males induced by anti-LT could potentially reflect a different distribution of SNPs according to sex. This evidence could contribute to the development of personalized asthma therapy.

One year on from the worldwide outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), medicine has made several steps towards increasing the therapeutic options against its treatment. Despite the lack of specific therapies, international societies have introduced new guidelines and launched several trials to test the efficacy of new protocols and drugs. Drug repurposing has been a fundamental strategy to find quick ways to fight the pathogen, even if it is new compounds that are drawing the attention of the scientific community. Tailored therapy should be considered to be a milestone in treatment in order to increase drug efficacy and to reduce drug toxicity. Therefore, both drug characteristics (i.e., pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and safety) and the patient characteristics (i.e., stage of disease, comorbidity, concomitant treatments and the mutation of single nucleotides) could represent the key to achieving this objective. In the present study we performed a narrative review of the pharmacological treatment used to date in the management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Vitamin D is necessary for normal bone development and conservation. Moreover, it has extraskeletal effects, which play a pivotal role as a modulator of innate and adaptive immune responses. Many studies have highlighted the beneficial effect of vitamin D in protecting against acute respiratory viral infection, including COVID-19. Within this context, we described the effect of vitamin D supplementation in the immunological response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Long-term IgG SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses were assessed in a cohort of twenty-two subjects diagnosed with COVID-19 by chemiluminescence assay (CLIA). Among them, a 61-year-old nurse undergoing vitamin D therapy showed a positive IgG response against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid over nine months after infection, suggesting vitamin D played a role in modulating early antibody response against SARS-CoV-2. This result provides evidence of a positive effect of vitamin D on the decrease of functional humoral immunity.