1,721,049 research outputs found
Potential roles for tenascin in (very) early diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
No full textLe Matrici di Portfolio Attività: uno strumento di pianificazione strategica per orientare le decisioni gestionali in sanità
No full textSummary Management of healthcare organizations relies on the availability of decisionmaking
tools. The Portfolio Activities Matrices is a method that can be applied to healthcare
management. It allows simultaneous evaluation of indicators of efficiency, case-mix, cost and
demand, so that the strengths and weaknesses of the organization may be identified. The method
is complex and may have some degree of subjectivity. Nevertheless, it is a useful tool for performing
the evaluations necessary for strategic planning management decisions, which must consider
available resources as well as the social role of the organization
Degenza preoperatoria nel quadriennio 1998-2001: determinazione dei valori medi regionali per i DRG chirurgc
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Dissecting the inflammatory response in polymyalgia rheumatica: the relative role of IL-6 and its inhibition
No full textThe efficacy of tocilizumab (TCZ), a monoclonal antibody to the interleukin (IL)-6 receptor, in suppressing disease activity in glucocorticoid-naïve patients with new-onset polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) was studied. Its effect on a panel of cytokines and growth factors was evaluated. Three patients, fulfilling the PMR ACR/EULAR criteria, received TCZ at the dosage of 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks for three times followed by prednisone 0.2 mg/kg in case of inefficacy. Concentrations of IL-10, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-1β, IL-10, IL-17, interferon (IFN)-γ, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) were measured at baseline, after 72 h of the first TCZ infusion and then at weeks 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16, and 22. A slight clinical improvement was seen only after the first TCZ infusion, but was largely inferior to that of conventional doses of GC administered subsequently. An ischaemic visual accident suggestive of GCA occurred in one patient during TCZ treatment. IL-6 was increased at baseline compared to controls, further increased after the first TCZ infusion, and was suppressed by GC. IL-17 production decreased during TCZ treatment and reverted to pre-treatment levels after GC. VEGF e PDGF showed a less constant pattern, but an increase of VEGF concentration antedated visual symptoms. The other cytokines were not detectable in patients and controls. In our small sample, TCZ was not able to suppress inflammation at the same degree as GC. As a result, monotherapy with TCZ in PMR cannot be recommended, although its efficacy as adjunctive treatment in GC-resistant patients should be further evaluate
Influence of Seasonal Vitamin D Changes on Clinical Manifestations of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Sclerosis
No full textVitamin D [1,25(OH)2D—calcitriol] is basically a steroid hormone with pleiotropic biologic effects, and its impact on the regulation of immune system may influence several clinical conditions. Calcidiol (25OHD), as precursor of calcitriol, derives, for the most part (80%), from cutaneous cholesterol (7-dehydrocholesterol) under the action of UV-B (sunlight). Consequently, serum concentrations fluctuate during the year following the circannual rhythm of sun exposition. We will update about the available evidence regarding the complex influence of seasonal vitamin D changes on two different chronic connective tissue diseases, namely rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic sclerosis (SSc). Notably, RA is an emblematic model of autoimmune disease with prevalent joint inflammatory features, while SSc is mainly an autoimmune progressive pro-fibrotic disease. However, in both conditions, low serum concentrations of 25OHD are involved in the pathogenesis of the diseases, and emerging data report their impact on clinical manifestations
I Data.base amministrativi nella valutazione degli outcome: la mortalità intraospedaliera per infarto miocardico acuto
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