Tailored treatment for tuberculosis in transgender individuals: a call for a patient-centered approach from a large Italian cohort.

Tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and management in special populations remain challenging. Data about TB and transgender individuals is scarce, and strategies aimed at reducing the TB burden in this at-risk group are needed. We conducted an observational monocentric study from a national reference center for TB, including transgender individuals with active TB in a low-TB burden country (Italy), over 34 years (1990-2023). Sixty-six transgender males and two transgender females (median age 30 years, interquartile range 26-38 years, 65 migrants) were included. Most patients (38/66, 57.6%) lived in poor social conditions. 65.2% (43/66) of patients were people living with HIV. Multidrug- and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis and isoniazid-resistant TB were diagnosed in five (7.6%) and three (4.5%) patients, respectively. The overall treatment success rate was 72.7% (48/66 patients), with differences observed according to social conditions. Our study highlights the need for a tailored approach to increase treatment success in this at-risk population.

Is personality the key in cognitive-behavioural therapy for eating disorders? A review.

The efficacy of individual cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for eating disorders can be assessed by investigating the potential predictors, mediators and moderators of treatment. The present review focused on personality since its crucial role has been emphasized both by research and practice. Sixteen studies were collected, and data were extracted through a highly operationalized coding system. Overall, personality disorders were the most investigated construct; however, their influence was somewhat contradictory. A more cogent result occurred for borderline personality disorder (BPD) when considered as a moderator (not a predictor nor a mediator). Patients with a more disturbed borderline personality benefited to a greater extent from treatments including booster modules on affects, interpersonal relationships and mood intolerance, rather than symptoms exclusively. Nine additional personality dimensions, beyond BPD, were investigated sparsely, and results regarding them were barely indicative in this review. However, some of these dimensions (e.g., affective lability and stimulus-seeking behaviours) could be traced back to BPD, thereby strengthening evidence of the role of borderline disorder as a moderator. Although research on the relationship between personality and eating disorders needs to be increased and methodologically improved, personality, taken as a whole, emerged as a promising variable for enhancing the efficacy of CBT.

ERS International Congress 2023: highlights from the Respiratory Infections Assembly.

The 2023 European Respiratory Society Congress took place on a hybrid platform, with participants joining online and in-person in Milan, Italy. The congress welcomed over 20 000 attendees, bringing together exciting updates in respiratory science and medicine from around the world. In this article, early career members of Assembly 10 (Respiratory Infections) summarise a selection of sessions across a broad range of topics, including presentations on bronchiectasis, nontuberculous mycobacteria, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis and coronavirus disease 2019.

Ischaemic Priapism: A Complication of Self-Administered Hyaluronic Acid Gel as an Injectable Filler for Penile Augmentation.

BACKGROUND: Injectable hyaluronic acid (HA) gel has emerged as a widely used soft tissue filler for surgeries. In penile reconstructive surgery, HA gel has been employed for penile or glans augmentation in selected patients diagnosed with micropenis. This augmentation technique involves injecting the gel into submucosal tissue and increasing the size of the penis for approximately 1 year. A few studies have investigated the possible complications correlated with medically assisted penile injections of HA gel. However, no previous reports have shown the complications of self-administered HA injection. This case report aims to present the first documented case of ischaemic priapism as a complication of self-administered HA injection. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 43-year-old male who self-administered a 20 mL injection of HA into the dorsal side of his penis. The injected material probably reached the corpora cavernosa, leading to priapism within a few hours. However, the patient did not seek medical attention until 72 h later. The first two initial conservative attempts of blood drainage were unsuccessful because the gel had obstructed vein drainage, causing the penis to remain in a state of priapism. The final treatment approach involved shunting, high enoxaparin doses and oral Effortil administration. CONCLUSIONS: While complications from medically assisted HA injections have been documented, this case report sheds light on the complications arising from self-administered penile injections. Priapism is a severe medical condition that requires immediate treatment to avoid potentially serious long-term consequences. Healthcare providers and patients must acknowledge its symptoms and its appropriate course of treatment, especially in the context of penile medical injections.