Mental Disorders Among Healthcare Students Attending a Large University Hospital in Milan, Italy.

BACKGROUND: The high incidence rates, treatment difficulties, and tendency to become chronic, which subsequently affects personal and occupational functioning, make mental health disorders among the most important public health concerns. In this context, healthcare university students (HS) appear to be more vulnerable to psychological distress than others. OBJECTIVE: Investigate the prevalence of diagnosed mental illness among different groups of HS to detect students who may be psychologically vulnerable and determine whether the implementation of support interventions is necessary. METHODS: All HS who had a clinical examination performed by an occupational physician at our occupational health unit between 2021 and 2022 were included in our case series. Data were collected and analyzed as part of the occupational physicians' health surveillance program. RESULTS: out of 679 HS (507 females, 172 males, aged 22.2±3.9 mean±s.d) undergone clinical examination at our Occupational Health Unit, 36 (5.3%) reported a diagnosed psychiatric illness, and 20 were receiving pharmacological therapy at the time of the visit. A higher prevalence of psychological disorders has been highlighted in females (6.1% vs 2.9% in males) and students of the mental health sector (11.1%) when compared with others. A fit-to-work judgment with prescription was necessary for 16.7% of students with mental diseases. The presence of psychiatric disorders was associated with underweight (27.8%) and higher smoking habit (44.4%). CONCLUSIONS: These results underline the necessity of improving the current health surveillance protocols, which should also evaluate students' psychological fragility and implement effective intervention strategies to promote their health and wellbeing.

Combined endoscopic-laparoscopic surgery (CELS) can avoid segmental colectomy in endoscopically unremovable colonic polyps: a cohort study over 10 years.

BACKGROUND: Combined-Endoscopic-Laparoscopic-Surgery (CELS) was developed for benign colonic polyps, endoscopically unresectable, to avoid segmental colectomy. This observational study aims to compare surgical outcomes of endoscopically unresectable colonic polyps treated laparoscopically before and since the institutional introduction of CELS. Primary endpoint was postoperative morbidity and mortality; secondary endpoints were time of hospitalization and histopathological findings. METHODS: Charts of all patients with preoperative diagnosis of benign colonic tumors, treated laparoscopically at our institution from 1/2010 to 2/2020 were reviewed. Patients with polyps (1) affecting ileocecal valve, (2) occupying > 50% of the circumference, (3) ≥ 3 endoscopically unresectable polyps, (4) inflammatory bowel disease, (5) polyps within diverticular area post diverticulitis, (6) rectal polyps (7) foreseen impossibility of laparoscopy (8) preoperatively biopsy proven invasive adenocarcinoma were excluded. Group I consists of all patients potentially treatable by CELS but operated by laparoscopic colonic resection as CELS was not yet institutionally established. Group II includes all patients treated with CELS (since 11/2017). RESULTS: One hundred-fifteen consecutive patients were reviewed. Applying exclusion criteria, twenty-three patients form group I and twenty-three group II (female 30.4%, median age 68 years). Groups distributed homogenously for age, BMI (body mass index) and polyps´ localization with most polyps (60.4%) localized in right colon; group II patients had significantly higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score. Median operating time, hospital stay and morbidity were significantly less in group II. Postoperative morbidity occurred overall in 14 patients (30.4%), mostly Clavien-Dindo class I-II (26.1%) and significantly less in group II (p = 0.017), Clavien-Dindo III-IV distributed equally (one patient each group) without postoperative mortality. Definitive histopathology showed invasive adenocarcinoma in 8.3% without differences between groups. Two patients with invasive adenocarcinoma after CELS were advised for oncological resection. CONCLUSION: CELS is safe and efficient to treat complex, benign colonic polyps by a complete minimal invasive laparoscopic approach. CELS showed better surgical outcomes with less morbidity, no mortality and appropriate pathological results avoiding unnecessary laparoscopic surgery with intestinal anastomosis.

Survival of dental implants in patients with Down syndrome: A case series.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The need for tooth replacement in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) is explained by the high prevalence of dental agenesis and by the premature loss of teeth through severe periodontal disease. Dental implants may be the dental procedure of choice in some of these patients. PURPOSE: The purpose of this clinical study was to analyze dental implant survival in a series of patients with DS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a multicenter, retrospective, observational study. Information on patients was gathered using a standardized questionnaire designed specifically for this study, including personal details, oral health status, information on the surgical and prosthetic phases, and follow-up visits. The questionnaire was sent to centers registered with the research network of the Spanish Society of Special Needs Dentistry (SEOENE). Patients with DS aged 18 years or older were included in the study if they had at least 1 dental implant and the corresponding prosthesis and had been followed up for at least a year. RESULTS: The study population was formed of 25 adult patients (13 men and 12 women) aged between 19 and 60 years. The interventions were performed by 5 different dental surgeons, usually under general anesthesia or deep sedation (n=17 patients). A total of 73 implants were inserted, 30 in the maxilla and 43 in the mandible, most commonly in the anterior region (n=51). The mean time to loading the implants was 4.1 ±1.3 months after surgery (range, 1 to 7 months). All patients completed prosthetic rehabilitation; the most frequent design used was the single fixed prosthesis (n=13 patients). A total of 17 (23.2%) implants failed in 8 (32%) patients; the majority (n=14 implants) failed in the postsurgical period before implant loading. The distribution by patients was 1 implant failure in 6 patients, 3 failures in 1 patient, and 8 failures in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS: Dental implant survival is lower in individuals with DS than in the general population. The reasons for early implant failure in these patients have still not been clearly identified.

Fusion of Scores in a Detection Context Based on Alpha Integration.

We present a new method for fusing scores corresponding to different detectors (two-hypotheses case). It is based on alpha integration, which we have adapted to the detection context. Three optimization methods are presented: least mean square error, maximization of the area under the ROC curve, and minimization of the probability of error. Gradient algorithms are proposed for the three methods. Different experiments with simulated and real data are included. Simulated data consider the two-detector case to illustrate the factors influencing alpha integration and demonstrate the improvements obtained by score fusion with respect to individual detector performance. Two real data cases have been considered. In the first, multimodal biometric data have been processed. This case is representative of scenarios in which the probability of detection is to be maximized for a given probability of false alarm. The second case is the automatic analysis of electroencephalogram and electrocardiogram records with the aim of reproducing the medical expert detections of arousal during sleeping. This case is representative of scenarios in which probability of error is to be minimized. The general superior performance of alpha integration verifies the interest of optimizing the fusing parameters.

State anxiety and depression as factors modulating and influencing postoperative pain in dental implant surgery. A prospective clinical survey.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether preoperative state anxiety and depression modulate or influence objective and subjective postoperative pain following dental implant insertion. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, clinical study with 7-day follow-up of a sample of 105 subjects who preoperatively completed the state anxiety questionnaire (STAI-E) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and postoperatively, at 2 and 7 days, recorded objective pain with the Semmes-Weinstein mechanical esthesiometer (SW test) and subjective pain with the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). RESULTS: 85.6% and 81.5% of patients, respectively, recorded no signs of state anxiety or depression. The correlation between anxiety and depression for both maxillary bones was the lower (P=0.02). The correlation between subjective and objective pain at 2 and 7 days, and the anatomic regions intervened, was statistically significant in the mandible at day 7 (P<0.01), and highly significant (P<0.001) for the other variables. The correlation between state anxiety and objective pain at day 7 was nearly statistically significant (P=0.07). CONCLUSIONS: The correlation between state anxiety and depression, and objective and subjective pain at day 7 was not statistically significant. A strong correlation was found between objective and subjective pain in the immediate postoperative period.

Implants in disabled patients: a review and update.

The range of indications for dental implants has broadened enormously owing to their predictability and the improvement of patient satisfaction in terms of stability, comfort, aesthetics and functionality. The aim of this article is to review those indications in patients with mental or physical disabilities as the difficulty to cope with oral hygiene often leads to teeth extraction, adding edentulousness to the impairments already present. Following that goal, available literature in Pubmed database, Scopus, Web of Knowledge and The Cochrane Library database about dental implants placement in these patients has been reviewed, assessing the variables of each study: number of patients, sex, average age, oral hygiene, parafunctional habits, impairment, bone quality, protocol of implant surgery, necessity of deep intravenous sedation or general anesthesia, follow-up period and number of failures. The comparison with studies involving other patient populations without mental or physical impediments did not show statistically significant differences in terms of the failure rate recorded. Although there is not much literature available, the results of this review seem to suggest that osseointegrated oral implants could be a therapeutic option in patients who suffer from any physical or psychological impairment. The success of an oral rehabilitation depends mainly on an adequate selection of the patients.

Indications and contraindications of dental implants in medically compromised patients: update.

The aim of this study was to review the current scientific literature in order to analyse the indications and contraindications of dental implants in medically compromised patients. A reference research was carried out on PubMed using the key words "implant" AND (oral OR dental) AND (systemic disease OR medically compromised), in articles published between 1993 and 2013. The inclusion criteria were the following: clinical studies in which, at least, 10 patients were treated, consensus articles, reviewed articles and meta-analysis performed in humans treated with dental implants, and which included the disease diagnosis. A total of 64 articles were found, from which 16 met the inclusion criteria. Cardiac systemic diseases, diabetic endocrine pathologies or controlled metabolic disorders do not seem to be a total or partial contraindication to the placement of dental implants. Tobacco addiction, and head and neck radiotherapy are correlated to a higher loss of dental implants. Patients suffering from osteoporosis undergoing biphosphonates therapy show an increased risk of developing bone necrosis after an oral surgery, especially if the drugs are administered intravenously or they are associated to certain concomitant medication.

Consensus report of the XI Congress of the Spanish Society of Odontology for the handicapped and special patients.

This article summarizes the findings of consensus of the XI congress of the SEOEME. All of these conclusions are referring to the review articles responsible to the general rapporteurs in order to bringing up to date knowledge with regard to the use of implants in patients medically compromised and with special needs and, in the dental management of autism and cerebral palsy, in the dental treatment of patients with genetic and adquired haematological disorders, the dental implications of cardiovascular disease and hospital dentistry.

Guidelines on the treatment of chronic coinfection by Trypanosoma cruzi and HIV outside endemic areas.

As a result of population migration, Chagas disease is no longer limited to the North and South American continents. In HIV-infected patients, chronic infection by Trypanosoma cruzi behaves as an opportunistic infection in severely immunosuppressed patients and is responsible for high morbidity and mortality. Unlike other opportunistic infections, information on the natural history, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Chagas disease is scarce. Spain has the highest number of cases of Chagas disease outside the North and South American continents, and coinfection with HIV is increasingly prevalent. In this article, the Spanish Society for Tropical Medicine and International Health (Sociedad Española de Medicina Tropical y Salud Internacional) reviews the current situation of coinfection with HIV and T. cruzi infection and provides guidelines on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in areas where Chagas disease is not endemic. It also identifies areas of uncertainty where additional research is necessary.

Effects of growth hormone on initial bone formation around dental implants: a dog study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of topical application of growth hormone (GH) on the osteointegration of dental implants in dogs at 5 and 8 weeks after surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mandibular premolars and molars were extracted from 12 Beagle dogs. Four screw implants were placed in each mandible. Before implant placement, 4 IU of GH were applied to the test sites (TS); no treatment was applied to control sites (CS). Morphometric parameters, bone-to-implant contact (BIC), peri-implant connective tissue, interthread bone and newly formed bone were measured. The Student's t-test for was used for statistical analysis of data obtained. RESULTS: After 5 weeks of treatment, BIC values varied slightly between 34.33 ± 2.35% (CS) and 35.76 ± 2.96% (TS). Interthread bone tissue was 64.08 ± 8.68 at CS and 72.86 ± 2.93 at TS, with statistical significance (P<0.05). Bone neoformation was 72.53 ± 4.54 at the CS and 80.74 ± 1.65 for the GH group, these being statistically significant differences (P<0.05). After 8 weeks, BIC had slightly increased for the GH group (36.47 ± 3.09 vs. 39.61 ± 2.34). Interthread bone was 80.57 ± 2.28 at the CS and 82.58 ± 2.44 at the GH site, which was statistically significant. Bone neoformation was 88.09 ± 1.38 at CS and 91.01 ± 1.52 at TS, showing statistical significance (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Topical application of 4 IU of GH like a biomimetic agent at the moment of implant placement has no significant effects on the BIC at 5 and 8 weeks, although bone neoformation and inter-thread bone values did increase significantly.

Beneficial effect of corticosteroids in preventing mortality in patients receiving tocilizumab to treat severe COVID-19 illness.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the characteristics and risk factors for mortality in patients with severe coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) treated with tocilizumab (TCZ), alone or in combination with corticosteroids (CS). METHODS: From March 17 to April 7, 2020, a real-world observational retrospective analysis of consecutive hospitalized adult patients receiving TCZ to treat severe COVID-19 was conducted at our 750-bed university hospital. The main outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: A total of 1,092 patients with COVID-19 were admitted during the study period. Of them, 186 (17%) were treated with TCZ, of which 129 (87.8%) in combination with CS. Of the total 186 patients, 155 (83.3 %) patients were receiving noninvasive ventilation when TCZ was initiated. Mean time from symptoms onset and hospital admission to TCZ use was 12 (±4.3) and 4.3 days (±3.4), respectively. Overall, 147 (79%) survived and 39 (21%) died. By multivariate analysis, mortality was associated with older age (HR = 1.09, p < 0.001), chronic heart failure (HR = 4.4, p = 0.003), and chronic liver disease (HR = 4.69, p = 0.004). The use of CS, in combination with TCZ, was identified as a protective factor against mortality (HR = 0.26, p < 0.001) in such severe COVID-19 patients receiving TCZ. No serious superinfections were observed after a 30-day follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with severe COVID-19 receiving TCZ due to systemic host-immune inflammatory response syndrome, the use of CS in addition to TCZ therapy, showed a beneficial effect in preventing in-hospital mortality.

Gastrointestinal obstruction caused by solidification and coagulation of enteral nutrition: pathogenetic mechanisms and potential risk factors.

Enteral nutrition (EN) is preferred in order to provide nutrition and reduce catabolism in critically ill patients. Recent studies suggest that the use of EN is successful and complications are rare. However, an underestimated mechanical complication of tube feedings seen in critically ill patients is the coagulation and solidification of the EN causing gastrointestinal obstruction. This report describes two clinical cases (1.23% of all cases seen at our clinic) of obstruction and perforation of the small bowel secondary to the solidification of EN. The understanding and early recognition of this potential complication are essential for the prevention and successful treatment of this condition.

Prescription drugs associated with false-positive results when using faecal immunochemical tests for colorectal cancer screening.

BACKGROUND: The most common side effect in population screening programmes is a false-positive result which leads to unnecessary risks and costs. AIMS: To identify factors associated with false-positive results in a colorectal cancer screening programme with the faecal immunochemical test (FIT). METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 472 participants with a positive FIT who underwent colonoscopy for confirmation of diagnosis between 2013 and 2014. A false-positive result was defined as having a positive FIT (≥20µg haemoglobin per gram of faeces) and follow-up colonoscopy without intermediate/high-risk lesions or cancer. RESULTS: Women showed a two-fold increased likelihood of a false-positive result compared with men (adjusted OR, 2.3; 95%CI, 1.5-3.4), but no female-specific factor was identified. The other variables associated with a false-positive result were successive screening (adjusted OR, 1.5; 95%CI, 1.0-2.2), anal disorders (adjusted OR, 3.1; 95%CI, 2.1-4.5) and the use of proton pump inhibitors (adjusted OR, 1.8; 95%CI, 1.1-2.9). Successive screening and proton pump inhibitor use were associated with FP in men. None of the other drugs were related to a false-positive FIT. CONCLUSION: Concurrent use of proton pump inhibitors at the time of FIT might increase the likelihood of a false-positive result. Further investigation is needed to determine whether discontinuing them could decrease the false-positive rate.

Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts affect sensitivity to oxaliplatin and 5FU in colorectal cancer cells.

The importance of tumor microenvironment (TME) as a relevant contributor to cancer progression and its role in the development of de novo resistance to targeted therapies has become increasingly apparent. However, the mechanisms of microenvironment-mediated drug resistance for nonspecific conventional chemotherapeutic agents, such as platinum compounds or antimetabolites, are still unclear.Here we describe a mechanism induced by soluble factors released by carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that induce the translocation of AKT, Survivin and P38 to the nucleus of tumor cells. These changes are guided to ensure DNA repair and the correct entrance and exit from mitosis in the presence of chemotherapy. We used conditioned media (CM) from normal-colonic fibroblasts and paired CAFs to assess dose response curves of oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil, separately or combined, compared with standard culture medium. We also evaluated a colony-forming assay and cell death to demonstrate the protective role of CAF-CM. Immunofluorescence confirmed the translocation of AKT, P38 and Survivin to the nucleus induced by CAF-soluble factors. We also have shown that STAT3 or P38 inhibition provides a promising strategy for overcoming microenvironment-mediated resistance. Conversely, pharmacologic AKT inhibition induces an antagonistic effect that relieves a cMET and STAT3-mediated compensatory feedback that might explain the failure of AKT inhibitors in the clinic so far.

Intravenous antimicrobial therapy in the hospital-at-home setting: data from the Spanish Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy Registry.

AIM: To evaluate outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) in the hospital-at-home (HaH) model, using data from a Spanish registry. PATIENTS & METHODS: We describe episodes/characteristics of patients receiving OPAT. RESULTS: Four thousand and five patients were included (mean age 66.2 years), generating 4416 HaH episodes, 4474 infections and 5088 antibiotic treatments. Most patients were from the hospital admission ward and emergency department. Respiratory, urinary and intra-abdominal infections predominated (72%). Forty-six different antimicrobials were used, including combinations of ≥ 2 drugs (20.7%). Most HaH episodes had a successful outcome (91%). CONCLUSION: Our findings are similar to those obtained previously although our study case profiles differ, suggesting that disease processes of greater severity and complexity can be treated using this healthcare model, without compromising patient safety.