Minerva medica
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To date, the European experience with COVID-19 mortality has been different to that observed in China and Asia. We aimed to forecast mortality trends in the 27 countries of the European Union (EU), plus Switzerland and the UK, where lockdown dates and confinement interventions have been heterogeneous, and to explore its determinants. ⋯ The European experience confirms that early, effective interventions of lockdown are fundamental to minimizing the COVID-19 death toll.
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Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive diffuse lung disease leading to chronic respiratory failure and death in 3-5 years. Among potential prognostic biomarkers, alveolar nitric oxide (CaNO) and serum periostin showed to predict mortality and disease progression in these patients. The aim of this study is to investigate potential correlations between CaNO and serum periostin and evaluate their prognostic value. ⋯ CaNO was significantly higher in IPF patients and was related to functional severity of disease. CaNO levels correlated with periostin, suggesting a potential common pathway between the biomarkers.
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Meta Analysis
Combined resection for hepatocellular carcinoma with diaphragmatic invasion: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
According to the Staging System of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC), diaphragmatic invasion (DI) is generally considered to be a manifestation of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with nearly no cure. However, some studies have indicated that combined liver and diaphragmatic resection may be a reasonably safe treatment option for HCC patients with diaphragmatic invasion. In this article, we conduct a systematic review to compare the short- and long-term surgical outcomes between HCC patients without diaphragmatic involvement who underwent hepatectomy alone and HCC patients with diaphragmatic involvement who underwent combined liver and diaphragmatic resection. ⋯ For HCC patients with diaphragmatic involvement, combined liver and diaphragmatic resection might be considered no matter whether its diaphragmatic invasion or not.