63,154 research outputs found
Treatment of chronic hepatitis C in haemophilic patients with interferon and ribavirin: a meta-analysis.
No full textBackground: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among haemophilic patients who were treated with clotting factor concentrates before the availability of virus-inactivated factors in the mid 1980s. In order to analyse the effect of the current combination anti-HCV treatment [i.e. ribavirin plus interferon (IFN)] in this subset of HCV-infected patients, we performed a systematic review with meta-analysis of the available literature. Methods: The outcome was sustained viral suppression. When trials included for the main predictors two arms (positive and negative), the effect size was described as a comparative index [odds ratio (OR)] and a standard meta-analytical procedure was applied. However, when trials did not report the outcome in separate study arms, the effect size was a non-comparative index (success rate) and comparisons between predictor-positive and -negative studies were performed by meta-regression. Results: Data involving 824 haemophilic HCV-infected patients treated with IFN plus ribavirin were collected from 18 articles (14 prospective cohort studies, 1 retrospective study and 3 randomized controlled trials). The higher rate of sustained viral response was observed in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative naive haemophiliacs treated with pegylated-IFN in combination with ribavirin (61%, ranging from 45% for genotype 1 to 79% for non-1 genotypes). Genotype 1 (OR, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.09-0.25) and co-infection with HIV (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.08-0.81) were strong predictors of worse response to IFN therapy. Conclusions: Our meta-analysis shows that the pattern of response to combination anti-HCV therapy of chronically HCV-infected haemophiliacs is similar to that achieved in the general HCV-infected population. © The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved
Breast granulomatosis with polyangiitis mimicking breast cancer
No full textInflammatory lesions of the breast encompass primary reactive processes and local manifestation of systemic diseases. They are very rare and they are generally treated without resort to biopsy. Nevertheless they could be clinically challenge mimicking malignant process and needing surgery to reach a correct diagnosis. Here we describe a rare case of breast granulomatosis with polyangiitis, which presented with radiological and clinical alarming features that immediately raised the suspicious of malignancy leading to breast-conserving surgery
Effect of helicobacter pylori eradication on platelet count in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura: a systematic review and met-analysis
No full textAn evaluation of near patient tests for detecting herpes simplex virus type-2 antibody
No full textObjectives: To examine the 'in use' test characteristics of the POCkit 'near patient' HSV-2 rapid test for the detection of HSV-2 IgG antibodies for use in the clinic. This test relies on a visual interpretation of the result. Methods: 2093 serum samples, 229 from UK and 919 from Italian genitourinary medicine clinic patients and 945 from obstetric and gynaecology clinic patients in Italy were tested. Tests were carried out according to manufacturers' protocol in the United Kingdom and Italy. Three readers independently recorded a score for each test carried out and the results were compared. Results: In the UK study, the three readers disagreed on the result on 5.2% of tests. In the Italian study, there was disagreement in 10.2% of tests. Conclusions: This study has demonstrated a problem in the subjective nature of the interpretation of the POCkit HSV-2 test. It highlights the need for adequate training of clinic staff and the need for clinics to adopt policies of quality assurance a..
Celiac disease in adult patients
No full textCeliac disease (CD) may affect individuals of any age and sex and may present with various clinical presentations. Specifically, CD has proteiform manifestations, spacing from a totally asymptomatic presentation (silent CD) to few or mild signs or symptoms, such as isolated anemia, osteoporosis, vague or unspecific gastrointestinal symptoms (subclinical CD), and to a frank malabsorption syndrome, including steatorrhea, weight loss, electrolyte imbalance, hypoalbuminemia. Additionally, different extraintestinal manifestations may accompany CD, such as dermatitis herpetiformis, other skin/oral diseases, neuropsychiatric alterations, and liver function test abnormalities. In this Chapter, we will discuss the possible clinical manifestations of CD in adults, also including specific populations (e.g., the elderly, patients with other autoimmunity), how to follow-up CD patients, the mortality related to CD, and the impact of the recent Covid-19 pandemic on CD patients
A computer vision system for apple fruit sizing by means of low-cost depth camera and neural network application
No full textFruit size is crucial for growers as it influences consumer willingness to buy and the price of the fruit. Fruit size and growth along the seasons are two parameters that can lead to more precise orchard management favoring production sustainability. In this study, a Python-based computer vision system (CVS) for sizing apples directly on the tree was developed to ease fruit sizing tasks. The system is made of a consumer-grade depth camera and was tested at two distances among 17 timings throughout the season, in a Fuji apple orchard. The CVS exploited a specifically trained YOLOv5 detection algorithm, a circle detection algorithm, and a trigonometric approach based on depth information to size the fruits. Comparisons with standard-trained YOLOv5 models and with spherical objects were carried out. The algorithm showed good fruit detection and circle detection performance, with a sizing rate of 92%. Good correlations (r > 0.8) between estimated and actual fruit size were found. The sizing performance showed an overall mean error (mE) and RMSE of + 5.7 mm (9%) and 10 mm (15%). The best results of mE were always found at 1.0 m, compared to 1.5 m. Key factors for the presented methodology were: the fruit detectors customization; the HoughCircle parameters adaptability to object size, camera distance, and color; and the issue of field natural illumination. The study also highlighted the uncertainty of human operators in the reference data collection (5–6%) and the effect of random subsampling on the statistical analysis of fruit size estimation. Despite the high error values, the CVS shows potential for fruit sizing at the orchard scale. Future research will focus on improving and testing the CVS on a large scale, as well as investigating other image analysis methods and the ability to estimate fruit growth
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