Waterbirth: current knowledge and medico-legal issues

Water immersion during labour and birth has become increasingly popular and widespread in many countries, in particular in midwifery-led care settings. Nevertheless, there is a dearth of quality data about waterbirth, with currently available findings mostly arising from observational studies and case series. The lack of high-quality evidence and the controversial results reported by different studies determined a "behavioral gap" without clearly objective, consistent indications allowing for a sound and evidence-based decision making process. Although water immersion in the first stage of labour is generally considered a safe and cost-effective method of pain management for women in labor, concerns still linger as to the safety of immersion during the second stage of labor and delivery, particularly in terms of neonatal risks and medico-legal implications.

Evaluation of Three Immunoassays for the Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigens

Three assays for SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection in nasopharyngeal swabs (Lumipulse® G SARS-CoV-2 Ag [LPG], STANDARD^TM F COVID-19 Ag FIA [STF] and AFIAS COVID-19 Ag [AFC] were evaluated. Compared to RT-PCR, LPG, AFC and STF showed a variable sensitivity (87.9%, 37.5%, and 35.7%, respectively) and an overall high specificity (> 95%).

JAK inhibition reduces SARS-CoV-2 liver infectivity and modulates inflammatory responses to reduce morbidity and mortality

Using AI, we identified baricitinib as having antiviral and anticytokine efficacy. We now show a 71% (95% CI 0.15 to 0.58) mortality benefit in 83 patients with moderate-severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia with few drug-induced adverse events, including a large elderly cohort (median age, 81 years). An additional 48 cases with mild-moderate pneumonia recovered uneventfully. Using organotypic 3D cultures of primary human liver cells, we demonstrate that interferon-α2 increases ACE2 expression and SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in parenchymal cells by greater than fivefold. RNA-seq reveals gene response signatures associated with platelet activation, fully inhibited by baricitinib. Using viral load quantifications and superresolution microscopy, we found that baricitinib exerts activity rapidly through the inhibition of host proteins (numb-associated kinases), uniquely among antivirals. This reveals mechanistic actions of a Janus kinase-1/2 inhibitor targeting viral entry, replication, and the cytokine storm and is associated with beneficial outcomes including in severely ill elderly patients, data that incentivize further randomized controlled trials.

Beneficial impact of Baricitinib in COVID-19 moderate pneumonia; multicentre study

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Baricitinib, an anti-JAK1/JAK2, reduces cytokine release and SARS-Co-V2 entry.

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In a retrospective multicenter study baricitinib reduces COVID-19 mortality rate.

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Baricitinib reduces intensive care unit admissions of COVID-19 pneumonia.

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Baricitinb reduces SARS-CoV-2 viral burden detected by nasopharyngeal swab.

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Baricitinib used for 2 weeks was not associated with serious adverse events.

Waiting times for prostate cancer: A review

Prostate cancer is one of the most common diagnosed cancers in men and the waiting time has become an important issue not only for clinical reasons, but also mostly for the psychological implications on patients. The aim of our study was to review and analyze the literature on waiting times for prostate cancer. In February-March 2019 we performed a search for original peerreviewed papers in the electronic database PubMed (MEDLINE). The key search terms were "prostate cancer AND waiting list", "prostate cancer AND waiting times". We included in our narrative review articles in Italian, English or French, published in 2009-2019 containing original data about the waiting times for prostate cancer. The literature search yielded 680 publications. Finally, we identified 8 manuscripts eligible for the review. The articles were published between 2010 and 2019; the studies involved a minimum of 16 to a maximum of 95438 participants. Studies have been conducted in 6 countries. The waiting times from cancer suspicion to histopathological diagnosis and to treatment had an important reduction in the last years, and this constant decrease could lead to an increase of patients' satisfaction.

In Hospital and 3-Month Mortality and Functional Recovery Rate in Patients Treated for Hip Fracture by a Multidisciplinary Team

Objectives

Medical comorbidities affect outcome in elderly patients with hip fracture. This study was designed to preliminarily evaluate the usefulness of a hip-fracture unit led by an internal medicine specialist.

Methods

In-hospital and 3-month outcomes in patients with hip fracture were prospectively evaluated in 121 consecutive patients assessed before and followed after surgery by a multidisciplinary team led by internal medicine specialist; 337 consecutive patients were recalled from ICD-9 discharge records and considered for comparison regarding in-hospital mortality.

Results

In the intervention period, patients treated within 48 hours were 54% vs. 26% in the historical cohort (P<0.0001). In-hospital mortality remained stable at about 2.3 per 1000 person-days. At 3 months, 10.3% of discharged patients had died, though less than 8% of patients developed postoperative complications (mainly pneumonia and respiratory failure). The presence of more than 2 major comorbidities and the loss of 3 or more BADL were independent predictors of death. 50/105 patients recovered previous functional capacity, but no independent predictor of functional recovery could be identified. Mean length of hospital stay significantly decreased in comparison to the historical cohort (13.6± 4.7 vs 17 ± 5 days, p = 0.0001). Combined end-point of mortality and length of hospitalization < 12 days was significantly lower in study period (27 vs 34%, p <0.0132).

Conclusions

Identification and stabilization of concomitant clinical problems by internal medicine specialists may safely decrease time to surgery in frail subjects with hip fracture. Moreover, integrated perioperative clinical management may shorten hospital stay with no apparent increase in in-hospital mortality and ultimately improve the outcome. These results are to be confirmed by a larger study presently ongoing at our institution.

[Mortality aftermyocardial infarction: when the health local organization network has a role in interpreting themarkers of theNational Agency for RegionalHealth Services]

The Italian National Outcome Programme has assessed the performance of Italian hospitals regarding several clinical performance indicators, including 30-daymortality after admission for acute myocardial infarction. Risk adjustment was obtained using demographic and comorbidity data based on the hospital discharge databases in the index admission, as well as in those of the previous two years. Noticeably, the ICD-9-CM 410.7* classification coding for NSTEMI (Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction)myocardial infarction, i.e. the less severe form, was not used, due to known variability in its use. We found that hospital-specific adjusted relative risk of death versus the national mean, as computed by the programme, is negatively associated with the proportion of NSTEMI infarctions at each Tuscan and Florentine hospital, coherently with the hypothesis of a selection by the emergency network, which addresses STEMI (ST elevation myocardial infarction) patients to hospitals offering haemodynamic laboratory with reperfusive services. Individual level clinical data of 3,200 patients in the AMI-Florence study in the period April 2008-March 2010 found that ICD-9-CM410.7* is underused. The analysis based on hospital discharge diagnoses (410.7* vs. other 410* codes) cannot explain differences in mortality among Florentine hospitals, as opposed to the use of a classification of myocardial infarction type (STEMI vs. NSTEMI) based on clinical data collected in AMI-Florence.

[Epidemiology of hospital loads in patients with multiple hospitalizations due to diabetes]

This study describes the results of a retrospective study carried out to evaluate the hospitalizations of patients with type 2 diabetes admitted from January to June 2001 in the teaching hospital "SS. Annunziata" of Chieti. This research evaluates the generic appropriateness using the PRUO manual and the specific appropriateness using the guidelines approved by Italian Diabetes Association, Italian Diabetes Society and Italian College of General Practitioners. A sample of 196 medical charts was examined. The percentage of inappropriate admission was 21.9%. The "critical" clinical conditions of patients were responsible for only 23.7% of inappropriate admissions. The first reason of the inappropriateness of the admission was the execution of diagnostic examinations (60.5%), followed by the execution of medical therapy (23.2%) and waiting for surgical intervention (16.3%). 46.5% of inappropriate hospitalization was prescribed by specialists. Concerning specific appropriateness, 42.3% of hospitalization was inappropriate. These findings suggest that a system for the assessment of disease management of diabetes should be started up in the Abruzzo region. Moreover, guidelines utilization should be implemented in order to get a more correct utilization of acute hospital by specialists and GPs.

[Appropriateness of hospitalization in the teaching hospital of Chieti using the P.R.U.O. approach]

This study describes the results of a research carried out to evaluate inappropriate admissions and totally inappropriate hospitalizations (RTI) in the teaching hospital "SS. Annunziata" of Chieti using the 1999 version of the PRUO manual. A random sample of 1218 medical charts, drawn from all the medical charts of patients admitted from June to December 2000 in the units of Medicine, Surgery and Orthopaedics, was selected. The percentage of inappropriate admissions was 38.2%, while totally inappropriate hospitalizations were 18.1%. The highest percentage of inappropriate admissions was in the class of age 55-64 years. Moreover, inappropriate admissions were more frequent in the morning hours (7:00-12:59) and, within the week, on Monday. The first reason of inappropriateness of the admission, was the execution of diagnostic examinations (62.2%), followed by the execution of medical therapy (19.3%) and waiting of surgical intervention (13.4%). Short hospitalizations (2-3 days) are more frequently totally inappropriate as compared to longer hospitalizations. These findings suggest that a system for the assessment of appropriateness of hospitalizations should be established in the Abruzzo region including all accredited public and private hospitals.