Adolescent health care in Italy: a mini-review.

The purpose of this mini-review is to present the National Health System and services available for adolescents in Italy, and to review the most relevant data on morbidity and mortality in Italian teens. Adolescent medicine in Italy is not a separate speciality, but there are some distinct services for adolescents in paediatric departments or gynaecologic wards, mostly in large cities where university hospitals or hospital of national relevance are located. Primary health care in Italy is provided mainly by general practitioners (GPs) and pediatricians, and on-call physicians (Guardia Medica) for after-hours medical care and services. The number of centres providing care for adolescents in Italy is 4097 (50% of these are in the North of Italy, 20% in the Central regions and 20% in the South and Islands). The population of Italy on January 1st 2011 was approximately 60,477,881 and the number of adolescents, aged 10 to 19 years, was 6,214,000. The most frequent causes of death in adolescents are motor vehicle accidents - more than half of which are related to drug or alcohol use - followed by cancer and suicide. In primary care, adolescents present with a large number of issues, particularly upper respiratory infections, musculoskeletal problems, pain syndromes, obesity, eating disorders, dermatological issues, mood and somatoform disorders, school and mental health problems, and chronic fatigue, many of which require a coordinated, multidisciplinary management approach. The estimated population with a chronic illness is 8%. There are no specific protocols for the transition to adult medicine physicians for patients with chronic diseases or special health needs. In order to improve the quality and quantity of education in adolescent health for paediatricians and GPs, the Study Group of Emilia and Romagna Region for Adolescent Health Care (SGA-ER) is going to organize, beginning in 2012, a two year educational intervention course in adolescent health.

The SGA-ER educational intervention in adolescent health care for Italian physicians: goals, content and instructional design.

Adolescent medicine is a field dedicated to helping young people grow and thrive, in relation to their particular stage of development. In Italy, adolescent medicine is not a distinct speciality, but it is practised in some services for adolescents in paediatric departments. Increasing educational opportunities in adolescent health may help to accelerate the development and dissemination of new and improved therapeutic approaches for serving youth and also attract a larger cadre of physicians. Other pediatric subspecialties, e.g. oncology, rheumatology and adolescent psychiatry, have developed successfully and may represent excellent models for adolescent medicine specialists to emulate. The Adolescent Health Study Group of the Emilia and Romagna Region (SGA-ER) was established in 2010 in an effort to generate strategies and possible solutions to improve the quality and quantity of knowledge in adolescent health care for pediatricians and GPs. Several methods and approaches have been implemented to improve physicians' skills in adolescent health care. The authors report the goals, content and instructional design of an educational course in adolescent medicine. Alliances with other adolescent health groups may provide an additional opportunity for networking, interaction and exchange of ideas amongst professionals.

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma in thalassaemia: an emerging concern for physicians?

The occurrence of malignancies in thalassaemic patients is an emerging concern for physicians. In the last five years, in a single Thalassaemia Unit following 195 thalassaemic patients, eleven cases of carcinoma were diagnosed: 4 cases of liver, 1 of lung, 1 of adrenal gland and 5 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma (patient mean age 42.6 years).Therefore, we decided to perform a thyroid ultrasonography (US) in addition to the periodic (6-12 months) assessment of FT4 and TSH in all adult patients with thalassaemia followed at the Thalassaemia Unit of Siracusa and at the Outpatient Clinic of Quisisana Hospital of Ferrara. Thyroid nodules were found in 8.6% of 58 examined thalassaemia major or intermedia patients. To exclude thyroid malignancy, fine needle biopsy (FNAC) under US guidance was performed. A diagnosis of incidental papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) was made in 3 female patients with iron overload. According to the World Health Organization, PTMC is defined as papillary thyroid carcinoma measuring < or = 10 mm in the greatest dimension. Two patients were HCV positive. All underwent a total or subtotal thyroidectomy with histological confirmation of the FNAC cytology diagnosis. In conclusion, it seems that patients with thalassaemia have a substantial risk for malignancies. Further studies are needed in these patients to clarify the possible link between cellular iron content, hepatitis C virus infection and cancer development. A thyroid ultrasonography is recommended for all adult thalassaemic patients in addition to the annual FT4 and TSH assessment.

International network on endocrine complications in thalassaemia (I-CET): an opportunity to grow.

Most of the endocrine complications in thalassaemia are attributable to iron overload which may be the result of economic circumstances (expense of the chelation therapy), late onset of chelation therapy or poor compliance with the iron chelation therapy. The major difficulties reported by hematologists or pediatric endocrinologists experienced in thalassaemias or thalassaemia syndromes in following growth disorders and endocrine complications were: lack of familiarity with medical treatment of endocrine complications (40%), interpretation of endocrine tests (30%), costs (65%), absence of paediatric endocrinologist for consultation on growth disorders and endocrine complications (27%), facilities (27%), other (e.g. lack of collaboration and on-time consultation between thalassaemic Centers supervised by hematologists and endocrinologists) (17%). Because any progress we make in research into growth disorders and endocrine complications in thalassaemia should be passed on to all those suffering from it, guaranteeing them the same therapeutic benefits and the same quality of life, on the 8th of May, 2009 in Ferrara (Italy), the International Network on Endocrine Complications in Thalassemia (I-CET) was founded. The I-CET group is planning to conduct, in Ferrara in May 2012, a workshop, "MRI and Endocrine Complications in Thalassaemia", and in Doha (Qatar) in September 2012, a 3-day intensive course entitled, "Growth disorders and Endocrine Complications in Thalassaemia", to provide interested pediatricians, physicians and hematologists from all over the world with an in-depth approach to the diagnosis and management of growth and endocrine disorders in thalassaemic patients.

Prolactin and thyroid status in prepubertal children with mild to moderate obesity.

Prolactin (PRL) response to thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) in 21 prepubertal children with mild to moderate obesity was compared with that in 21 normal prepubertal children (controls). Basal PRL levels were normal but the mean peak PRL response and mean increment in PRL levels following TRH administration were significantly lower in prepubertal obese children (p less than 0.001). The mean PRL responses to TRH were significantly impaired at all time intervals in prepubertal obese boys and girls compared to the control subjects. Linear regression and correlation coefficient analysis did not reveal any significant relation between the percent overweight and PRL response. Basal T4, T3 levels and T3 and TSH response to TRH were similar in both groups. The findings suggest that neuroendocrine regulation of prolactin is impaired in prepubertal children even with mild to moderate obesity. This could be secondary to altered neurotransmitter status at the hypothalamic level. Further studies are needed to determine whether the defect is innate or acquired, primary or secondary.

Gonococcicidal action of capper in vitro.

PIP: Several copper and cupric ion sources were shown to kill or inhibit the growth of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in vitro. The media used was GC Agar Base supplemented with Isovitalex. Pure copper shot, cupric sulfate, and cupric chloride were used as copper sources. E. coli and Neisseria meningitis were used in addition to Neisseria gonorrhoeae to test the effects of the copper. It was found that micromolar amounts of the copper sulfate and copper chloride killed gonococci during relatively brief incubation while the organisms were in suspension. Inhibition of gonococcal or meningococcal growth was achieved by concentrations of cupric ion several-fold more dilute than was necessary to inhibit growth of E. coli. The sensitivity of gonococci is primarily of interest because of recent contraceptive uses of copper. The copper-containing intrauterine devices might offer prophylactic protection against gonococcal infection of the female genitalia.^ieng