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In the published article, there was an error in affiliation number 2. Instead of “Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy”, it should be removed. In the published article, there was an error in affiliation number 3. Instead of “Pediatric Surgery Department, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Bologna, Italy”, it should be “Pediatric Surgery Department, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy”. In the published article, there was an error in affiliation number 4. Instead of “Division of Gynaecology and Human Reproduction Physiopathology, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Bologna, Italy”, it should be affiliation number 2 and changed as following “Division of Gynaecology and Human Reproduction Physiopathology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy”. In the published article, there was an error in affiliation number 5. Instead of “Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Division of Gynaecology and Human Reproduction Physiopathology, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy”, it should be removed. The authors apologize for these error sand state that they do not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The original article has been updated.

Introduction: Few data on the diagnostic performance of serological tests for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are currently available. We evaluated sensitivity and specificity of five different widely used commercial serological assays for the detection of SARS-CoV-2–specific IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies using reverse transcriptase-PCR assay in nasopharyngeal swab as reference standard test.Methods: A total of 337 plasma samples collected in the period April–June 2020 from SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positive (n = 207) and negative (n = 130) subjects were investigated by one point-of-care lateral flow immunochromatographic assay (LFIA IgG and IgM, Technogenetics) and four fully automated assays: two chemiluminescence immunoassays (CLIA-iFlash IgG and IgM, Shenzhen YHLO Biotech and CLIA-LIAISON® XL IgG, DiaSorin), one electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA-Elecsys® total predominant IgG, Roche), and one enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA IgA, Euroimmune).Results: The overall sensitivity of all IgG serological assays was >80% and the specificity was >97%. The sensitivity of IgG assays was lower within 2 weeks from the onset of symptoms ranging from 70.8 to 80%. The LFIA and CLIA-iFlash IgM showed an overall low sensitivity of 47.6 and 54.6%, while the specificity was 98.5 and 96.2%, respectively. The ELISA IgA yielded a sensitivity of 84.3% and specificity of 81.7%. However, the ELISA IgA result was indeterminate in 11.7% of cases.Conclusions: IgG serological assays seem to be a reliable tool for the retrospective diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. IgM assays seem to have a low sensitivity and IgA assay is limited by a substantial rate of indeterminate results.

Background: The Italian Group for Cervical Cancer Screening (GISCi) promoted the update of recommendations for post Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia grade 2 or 3 (CIN2/3) treatment follow up. Methods: A multidisciplinary panel including all the professionals involved in cervical cancer screening and CIN treatment was set up. Systematic reviews have been conducted searching in PubMed. The GRADEpro online tool was used for: defining and prioritizing clinical questions framed in PICOs (Population Intervention Comparator Outcomes); defining and scoring outcomes as critical, important or not important; synthetizing results of the systematic reviews in Evidence to Decision tables and to grade recommendations. Results: A systematic review identified the main prognostic factors, but these have almost no impact in HPV-negative women. Six questions were prioritized for the first phase: 3 about the test (Pap, HPV-DNA or Pap + HPV cotesting or co-testing + colposcopy); 1 about the number of episodes before returning to screening; 2 about the timing of episodes. For the test accuracy direct evidence was available, while for other questions mostly indirect evidence was retrieved in systematic reviews. Conclusions: The panel recommends HPV test or co-testing (conditional either the two), but not Pap test as follow up test (strong). Colposcopy can be added to assess surgical outcomes (conditional either yes or not). Two episodes instead of one, before referring women to regular screening, should be preferred (conditional). The first episode should be 6 months (vs. 12) after treatment (strong), in order to avoid progression of undiagnosed prevalent invasive cancers; the interval between first and second episode may be either 6 or 12 months (conditional).

Background: To verify if in lean polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients, the smok- ing habitude might increase the risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease. Materials and Methods: In this prospective observational study, eighty-one women were divided into the following three groups: group I with 27 non-smokers, group II with 26 light-smokers (1-10 cigarettes/day), and group III with 28 heavy smokers (>10 cigarettes/ day). They were submitted to fasting blood sampling; blood measurement of nitrites/ni- trates (NO2-/ NO3), biochemical and hormonal parameters; ovarian ultrasonographic (US) analysis; doppler evaluation of uterine and ophthalmic arteries; brachial artery flow-medi- ated vasodilatation; 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; and oral glucose toler- ance test (OGTT). Results: Doppler analysis revealed higher uterine and ophthalmic arteries pulsatility in- dex (PI) and ophthalmic artery back pressure in group III compared with group I. The brachial artery diameter and PI, at baseline, was similar among all groups. After the re- active hyperemia, a more intense vasodilatation was observed in group I in comparison with group III. The 24-hour blood pressure demonstrated that, in group III patients, the 24-hour, day- and night-time diastolic blood pressure (DBP), was higher in comparison with non-smokers. The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) was higher in heavy smokers than in non-smokers. The leukocytes and homocysteine (HCY) values were increased in group III. The NO2-/ NO3- plasma levels were reduced in heavy smokers in compari- son with non-smokers. The insulin, glucose and C-peptide plasma values were higher in group III than in other groups. In heavy smokers, the estimates of insulin sensitivity (ISI) and pancreatic β-cell function (HOMA-B) were higher compared to the other groups. Conclusion: Smoking habitude in lean PCOS patients may increase the soft markers of CV risk.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic staging of overweight women with endometrial cancer and to compare the surgical outcomes among these patients with those managed by laparotomy. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis (Canadian Task-force Classification II-3). We reviewed operative and hospital records of 70 patients with a body mass index >25 kg/m2 who underwent surgical treatment for endometrial cancer between 2001 and 2008. Thirty-five patients treated laparoscopically were compared to an equivalent group of patients treated by laparotomy. Operative and postoperative variables were afterwards assessed. RESULTS: Women in laparoscopic group had a significantly lower blood loss (median, 25th-75th percentiles: 1.2, 0.8-2.0 in laparoscopic versus 1.8, 1.0-2.8 in laparotomic group, P0.05) and mean number of pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes removed (22 ± 8.4 versus 24 ± 6.2 and 9.2 ± 2.5 versus 9.3 ± 5 respectively; P>0.05). Length of urethral catheter and hospital stay were statistically higher in laparotomic group (two days versus three days; four days versus seven days respectively; P

In the last years, advances in diagnosis and new treatments of cancer patient have increased the life expectancy of children, adolescent and women with cancer. Unfortunately, the ovaries are very sensitive to chemio-radiotharapy that may induce the loss of ovarian function and fertility with consequent Premature Ovarian Failure. The different cryopreservation options available for fertility preservation in cancer patients are embryo cryopreservation, oocyte cryopreservation and ovarian tissue cryopreservation. The choice depends on different parameters: the type and timing of cancer treatment, the type of disease, the patient’s age. The advances in reproductive technology have made fertility preservation a real possibility for patients whether they are girls or young women whose gonadal function is threatened by natural premature menopause, or by cancer therapy or surgical sterilisation.