Quantitative and qualitative features of acute phase-adverse events following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in a large sample of people with multiple sclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: Few data are available on adverse events (AE) associated to vaccines in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). AIMS: to study the incidence of acute phase AE (AP-AE) related to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines in pwMS compared to a control group, and to analyze the association between AP-AE and disease modifying treatments (DMT). METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study on 438 PwMS and 481 age- and sex-matched subjects not affected by dysimmune diseases that underwent two doses of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer/BioNtech). RESULTS: Two hundred and twenty five (51.4%) pwMS complained of ≥1 AP-AE after the first dose, 269 (61.4%) after the second dose. A logistic regression analysis revealed that only pwMS on Fingolimod and Ocrelizumab did not show a higher risk of developing AP-AE. The likelihood to present with ≥1 AP-AE, after correcting for age and sex, was significantly higher in pwMS than controls. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports qualitative and quantitative features of AP-AE associated with the first and second doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in a large sample of pwMS. The only risk factor identified for developing AP-AE is female gender. AntiCD-20 monoclonal antibodies and S1P inhibitors are associated with a lower risk of AP-AE occurrence.

Secretory patterns of growth hormone in dogs: circannual, circadian, and ultradian rhythms.

The objective was to characterize the circannual, circadian, and ultradian secretory patterns of growth hormone (GH) in intact crossbred and purebred dogs. In all experiments, blood samples were collected with minimal stress by direct peripheral venipuncture and GH was measured in plasma by a homologous radioimmunoassay. For circannual studies, samples were collected monthly from 6 male dogs between 15:00 and 17:30 h over a 1-year time span. For circadian studies, blood samples were collected at 145-minute intervals from 09:00 to 06:45 h of the following day in 14 female dogs. In ultradian experiments, blood samples were collected at 15-minute intervals for 2.5 h (15:00 to 17:30 h) in 7 males and 7 females. Plasma GH in male dogs remained without change in summer, autumn, and winter but declined (P < 0.01) in spring (LSM +/- SEM; 6.9 +/- 0.5; 6.0 +/- 0.5; 6.3 +/- 0.5; 4.3 +/- 0.5 ng/mL, respectively). No plasma GH circadian rhythmicity was detected. Nor was any ultradian pattern evident in either males or females. No gender-related differences were observed in ultradian GH plasma profiles. It is concluded that, while basal GH levels show seasonal fluctuations in dogs, neither circadian nor ultradian GH secretory fluctuations were present in the dogs assessed.

[Hemo-lymphopoietic tumors in agriculture. Case-control study in an epidemiologic area of southern Bari]. / Tumori emolinfopoietici ed agricoltura. Studio caso-controllo in un'area epidemiologica del sud-barese.

In order to evaluate the association between hemolymphoietic tumors and agriculture, we are carrying out a case-control study in the southern province of Bari (Italy). In the period 1st July 1987-30 June 1989, seventy-one incident cases of limphomes, leukemias and multiple myeloma and three fold higher number of controls (other tumors) aged more than fourteen years old were selected. A structured questionnaire was carried out to collect informations, focusing attention to the use of pesticides. For the evaluation of the exposure to specific substances a crop exposure matrix with "multiple circumstantial determinants" (crops and/or type of breeding, phytopatologies, areas and time windows) will be used. In this update a specific pesticides analysis was not conducted. Therefore, we classified as exposed farmers, farm laboures, breeders and whoever affirmed the regular use of pesticides. Up to 1st July 1995, one hundred and seventy-three subjects were contacted. Twenty-three (13%) of them refused to participate to the study, one hundred and fifteen (87%) of them, thirty-one (21%) case and one hundred and nineteen (79%) controls, were interviewed. Nineteen (61%) of cases were males, twelve (39%) of cases were exposed; seventy-two (60.5%) of controls were males, fourty-five (38%) of controls were exposed. The risk of hemolymphoietic tumors associated with exposure was null (O.R. = 1.04; I.C. 95% = 0.42-2.50); no job category (farmer, farm labourer, breeder) was statistically significant associate with cases. An association with farmer (O.R. = 4.87; I.C. 95% - 1.12-20.52) and breeder (O.R. = 4.83; I.C. = 1.19-18.11) was statistically significant if those fourteen subjects with leukemia were considered as cases. Using a logistic model (which independent variables were age, sex, information gathered directly from the subject of from relatives and smoking habit) O.R. for leukemia and farmer resulted statistically significant (O.R. = 5.38; I.C. 95% = 1.31-21.99); instead a considerable decreased O.R. was observed for leukemia and breeder (O.R. = 1.20; I.C. 95% = 0.73-2.00). These results could be subject to variation after the next data input.

Quantitative EEG effects and plasma concentration of sodium valproate: acute and long-term administration to epileptic patients.

The quantitative background EEG effects (power spectral analysis) and plasma concentration of sodium valproate were studied after acute single-dose administration and during long-term single-drug treatment, in 10 previously untreated epileptic patients with generalized nonconvulsive seizures. A transient decrease of the signal amplitude (preponderant on anterior scalp areas) and of the 12.5 to 45.0-Hz relative power (limited to the posterior electrode derivations) was observed during the first weeks of chronic treatment. These EEG effects were not correlated with the drug plasma concentration levels or with the occurrence of behavioral side effects (e.g. drowsiness), while being concomitant with the reduction of specific epileptic EEG phenomena. Opposite trends of variation were observed after single-dose acute administration, though with limited statistical significance across subjects.