[Does chorioamnionitis worsen the outcome of preterm infants? A controversial issue]. / La corioamnionite peggiora l'outcome del neonato prematuro? Una questione controversa.

The term chorioamnionitis is used to describe an intrauterine status of infection/inflammation of either mixed fetal-maternal (choriodecidual space) or fetal origin (chorioamniotic membranes, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord). Histological, microbiological, biochemical and clinical criteria are used to define chorioamnionitis. Histopathological examination of the placenta is the gold standard for evaluating antenatal inflammatory processes that might influence fetal development. Chorioamnionitis is the leading cause of very preterm delivery and its incidence increases with decreasing gestational age. Therefore, it contributes to the high morbidity and mortality of infants born prematurely. In the last decades, several studies have been performed to assess a gestation-independent effect of chorioamnionitis on neonatal and long-term outcome with variable results. The discrepancy observed across studies may be attributable to differences in inclusion and exclusion criteria, disease definitions, methods, and whether potential confounding factors such as gestational age were considered. As underlined by several Authors, the increasingly widespread use of antenatal steroids may have contributed to improve neonatal outcome and can therefore partially explain the different results between studies. In the current review we aim to give an overview and synthesis of a vast amount of existing literature on the association between antenatal infection/inflammation and neonatal and long-term outcome.

Minocycline in the treatment of acne: latest findings.

Minocycline is a semi-synthetic tetracycline antibiotic effective against a wide range of aerobic and anaerobic Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. It is highly active in the pilosebaceous complex, due to its great lipophilicity, and therefore it has been used in the treatment of moderate to severe papulo-pustular acne for a long time. It has an optimal therapeutic range and the percentage of P. acnes resistant strains are still inferior to 5%. Besides the antimicrobial activity, minocycline has an anti-inflammatory action, due to the reduction in neutrophilic chemotaxis, the inhibitory effect on pro-inflammatory cytokines, and the reduction in sebum free fatty acids and bacterial lipases. In 2006 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new extended-release formulation of minocycline. This formulation allowed the reduction of some dose-related adverse events, such as those affecting the vestibular system. Besides the dose-related events (nausea, vomiting, and dizziness), minocycline is also known to induce hyperpigmentation, even if less frequently than doxycycline, and is rarely responsible for autoimmune disorders, hypersensitivity reactions, and serum sickness-like reactions. The latest guidelines in the treatment of acne recommend a dose of 50-100 mg, once or twice a daily for the non-modified release minocycline, and 1 mg/kg daily for the new extended-release formulation. This agent is most appropriately used in combination with a topical regimen containing benzoyl peroxide and/or retinoid.