Minerva medica
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Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a hepatotropic virus that causes hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Twenty percent of HBV patients may develop extra-hepatic manifestations, such as polyarthritis nodosa, glomerulonephritis, dermatitis, poly-arthralgia and arthritis, and aplastic anemia. The association of HBV and cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (CV) has been highlighted by several epidemiological investigations. ⋯ In patients with severe vasculitis and/or skin ulcers, peripheral neuropathy and glomerulonephritis treatment with rituximab (RTX) and NAs should be considered as a first line treatment. The long-term administration of low-medium glucocorticoid doses has been widely used in few studies to control clinical symptoms, but it should be used as a second option, when RTX is ineffective or not tolerated and in association with NAs. This review focuses on novel treatments for HBV related CV.
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Observational Study
Impact of ultra-long sirolimus-eluting stents on coronary artery lesions: one-year results of real-world FLEX-LONG study.
The FLEX-LONG study assessed the safety and clinical outcomes of ultra-long (44 mm/48 mm) biodegradable polymer-coated Supraflex (Sahajanand Medical Technology Pvt. Ltd., Surat, India) sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) in real-world patients with complex, long coronary artery lesions. ⋯ The results of the FLEX-LONG study support the use of ultra-long (44 mm/48 mm) Supraflex SES, in the treatment of high-risk real-world patients. The stent appeared to be safe and effective at one-year with low clinical events in complex, long coronary artery lesions.
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To investigate the bactericidal effect of tea polyphenols on multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and its antibacterial efficacy in combination with common antibiotics, and to explore its mechanism. ⋯ Tea polyphenols could be used in combination with commonly used antibiotics (imipenem, piperacillin, piperacillin/tazobactam, cefepime, cefotaxime and ceftazidime) against multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. It has a synergistic bactericidal effect and affects the formation of bacterial outer membrane and the production of extracellular slime-like substances (slime).