Use of a probiotic mixture containing Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 and Enterococcus faecium L3 as prophylaxis to reduce the incidence of acute gastroenteritis and upper respiratory tract infections in children.

BACKGROUND: For healthy children, attending communities such as nurseries, kindergartens or schools, exposes them to the risk of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and/or upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). We therefore evaluated whether the use of a well-documented probiotic formula could act as prophylaxis for AGE and URTIs, reducing the risk of occurrence. METHODS: In a randomized study, we tested a probiotic mixture containing Bifidobacterium animalis subspecies lactis BB-12 and Enterococcus faecium L3 on 94 healthy children, comparing the incidence and duration of episodes of AGE and the incidence of URTIs to those of a control group of 109 healthy, untreated subjects. In a subgroup consisting of 34 healthy, treated children, we also evaluated salivary IgA levels. RESULTS: The use of the probiotic formula significantly reduced the incidence and duration of episodes of AGE by 82% and 45%, respectively, and the incidence and duration of episodes of URTIs by 84% and 50%. Salivary IgA levels significantly increased three-fold after 90 days of probiotic treatment. The probiotic formula was well tolerated and no side effects occurred. CONCLUSIONS: According to our results, use of the probiotic strains BB-12 and L3 statistically reduced the risk of AGE and URTIs in healthy children and increased levels of salivary IgA.

Sequential Strategy Including FFRCT Plus Stress-CTP Impacts on Management of Patients with Stable Chest Pain: The Stress-CTP RIPCORD Study.

Stress computed tomography perfusion (Stress-CTP) and computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve (FFRCT) are functional techniques that can be added to coronary computed tomography angiography (cCTA) to improve the management of patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). This retrospective analysis from the PERFECTION study aims to assess the impact of their availability on the management of patients with suspected CAD scheduled for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and invasive FFR. The management plan was defined as optimal medical therapy (OMT) or revascularization and was recorded for the following strategies: cCTA alone, cCTA+FFRCT, cCTA+Stress-CTP and cCTA+FFRCT+Stress-CTP. In 291 prospectively enrolled patients, cCTA+FFRCT, cCTA+Stress-CTP and cCTA+FFRCT+Stress-CTP showed a similar rate of reclassification of cCTA findings when FFRCT and Stress-CTP were added to cCTA. cCTA, cCTA+FFRCT, cCTA+Stress-CTP and cCTA+FFRCT+Stress-CTP showed a rate of agreement versus the final therapeutic decision of 63%, 71%, 89%, 84% (cCTA+Stress-CTP and cCTA+FFRCT+Stress-CTP vs cCTA and cCTA+FFRCT: p < 0.01), respectively, and a rate of agreement in terms of the vessels to be revascularized of 57%, 64%, 74%, 71% (cCTA+Stress-CTP and cCTA+FFRCT+Stress-CTP vs cCTA and cCTA+FFRCT: p < 0.01), respectively, with an effective radiation dose (ED) of 2.9 ± 1.3 mSv, 2.9 ± 1.3 mSv, 5.9 ± 2.7 mSv, and 3.1 ± 2.1 mSv. The addition of FFRCT and Stress-CTP improved therapeutic decision-making compared to cCTA alone, and a sequential strategy with cCTA+FFRCT+Stress-CTP represents the best compromise in terms of clinical impact and radiation exposure.

Use of a probiotic mixture containing Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB12 and Enterococcus faecium L3 in atopic children.

BACKGROUND: Imbalance of the human gut microbiota in childhood, mainly due to low gut biodiversity and a low bifidobacterial load, has been suggested as a risk factor for atopy. Administration of Enterococcus faecium L3 in infants has been shown to increase the gut bifidobacterial count. The aim was to verify if a mixture of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB12 and E. faecium L3 could reduce the signs, symptoms and need for drugs in atopic children. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed, and compared with controls, clinical outcomes following use of BB12 and L3 strains when administered 3 months before or during the development of signs and symptoms of atopy. RESULTS: When administered in the 3 months before the development of atopy, the BB12 and L3 strains significantly reduced (P<0.001) rhinitis, watery eyes and cough/bronchospasm. However, reduced efficacy was observed when the mixture was given during the 3 months of atopy. The mixture of strains also significantly reduced the use of oral antihistamines, inhaled corticosteroids (in the same children in two different years) and oral corticosteroids (in different children in the same year). CONCLUSIONS: When administered as a prophylactic, the mixture of BB12 and L3 (iNatal Ped®) statistically decreases the signs and symptoms of atopy and reduces the use of drugs. Administration of the same probiotics as treatment after the appearance of atopy is less effective.

Cardiac thrombi mistaken for metastasis in recurrent melanoma.

Intra-cardiac thrombi can be incidentally found in recurrent melanoma and need careful assessment. An 81-year-old woman, with a history of malignant nasopharyngeal melanoma, was evaluated by echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance due to the detection of undefined masses localized both in right atrium and ventricle during contrast-enhanced thoraco-abdominal computed tomography.