Objectives: In this multicenter survey, we assessed the impact of sensitization to cypress in atopic patients in Italy and determined whether cypress pollen concentration changed over time. Methods: Allergists were required to collect the results of 100-200 consecutive skin prick tests (SPTs) performed during 2012. Seasonal symptoms were also recor....

PMID: 24488996 DOI: 10.1183/09031936.00099513 No abstract available full article

Objective: The aim of this review was to understand whether FEV1 decline measured during the follow-up of asthmatic subjects (FEV1 variation between two different measurements at a distance of at least 5 years) may have a role in their management. Methods: Articles, commentaries and reviews relating to the topic were searched in PubMed. Results: Pa....

Background: Literature is still arguing about a possible relationship between airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and body mass index (BMI). This study aimed at evaluating the influence of BMI on AHR and pulmonary function in children and adolescents that performed a methacholine test for suggestive asthma symptoms. Methods: 799 consecutive children/a....

No abstract availableComment on Epidemiology of cypress pollen allergy in Montpellier.Caimmi D, Raschetti R, Pons P, Dhivert-Donnadieu H, Bousquet PJ, Bousquet J, Demoly P.J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2012;22(4):280-5.PMID: 22812197full article

Background: The diagnostic and staging approach for the mediastinal lymphadenopathies, with or whithout pulmonary lesions endoscopically visible, is based on transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) during fiberoptic bronchoscopy and on mediastinoscopy. One important factor impacting on TBNA sensitivity is the rapid on site cytological examination (....

 Background: Epidemiological data indicate that obesity is a risk factor for asthma, but scientific literature is still debating the association between changes in body mass index (BMI) and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Methods: This study aimed at evaluating the influence of BMI on AHR, in outpatients with symptoms suggestive of asthma.4,....

 Objective: This study tried to evaluate whether a methacholine test may be influenced by the seasons. Methods: We considered 4826 consecutive subjects with normal spirometry (50.53% males; age: 35.1±16.2; forced expiratory volume in one second: 99.5±13.0%) who underwent a methacholine test for suspected asthma symptoms between 2000 and 2010. ....

Introduction: Statins are at the forefront of strategies to manage dyslipidemia, although they are not always well tolerated. At 6-7 months after the drug was supplied, discontinuation rates averaged 30%. Alternate agents to statins have been studied. Some nutraceuticals demonstrated an efficacy in reducing cholesterol concentrations. However, ther....

Objective: The aim was to evaluate the impact of Cupressus sempervirens (Cs) and Juniperus communis (Jc) sensitisations in "Maremma" in southern Tuscany. Methods: 811 consecutive outpatients (357 F - 57.86%; age: 36.9 ± 16.6) with suspected allergic respiratory symptoms underwent skin prick tests (SPT) for common allergens and for Cs and Jc. Result....

Background: Beta-blockers improve left ventricular (LV) systolic function and prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), but their different pleiotropic properties may influence their cardiovascular effects. This open-label study compared the effects of long-term treatment with nebivolol versus carvedilol on LV ejection fraction (LVEF)....

 Background: Horses play a significant role in people's leisure time in Italy and other countries, but few data are available on IgE-mediated sensitization to horse allergens in patients without occupational exposure. We assessed, in a multicentric survey, the prevalence of horse sensitization in atopic subjects and its clinical characteristic....

Objectives: Many asthmatics take therapy intermittently because of their scarce compliance. It is not known if this is effective in controlling and slowing down the lung function decline in asthma. Our aim was to compare the effect of a regular treatment and an intermittent one on some clinical aspects and on the forced expiratory volume 1 (FEV1) d....

Mesalazine therapy for ulcerative colitis has been reported to be effective and safe. Rare cases of mesalazine-induced renal, pancreatic, myo-pericardial, pleuro-pulmonary and haematological toxicity have been described separately. We report a case characterized by the simultaneous presence of fever, pericarditis, peripheral eosinophilia, eosinophi....

The pandemic influenza A H1N1 will affect millions of subjects. This influenza can cause respiratory complications with possible death. We have described two case reports of acute severe asthma exacerbation combined to influenza A H1N1, caracterized by severe respiratory failure. The diagnosis of influenza A H1N1 was confirmed with the multiplex re....

 Subjects with bronchial asthmatic symptoms, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) and FEV(1)/forced vital capacity [FVC] > 80% could show a positive reversibility test with salbutamol in about 25% of the cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate if a limit functional value for spirometry exists where a reversibility test using s....

The protective effect of inhaled anticholinergic drugs in the methacholine-induced bronchospasm is well-known. The objective of this study was to assess if any possible differences may be found among Ipratropium (IB), Oxitropium (OXI) and Tiotropium (TIO) pre-treatments to obtain the protective effect. Forty-four patients with intermittent bronchia....

Patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diurnal PaO2 > 60 mmHg may have transient oxygen desaturation during sleep. The effect of bronchodilators on nocturnal hypoxemia is not known. The aim of this study was to evaluate if a single dose of Formoterol or Tiotropium, administered in the evening, could improve nocturn....

'9The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a short therapy cycle of oral methylprednisolone plus conventional therapy might improve isolated nocturnal hypoxemia evidenced through pulse-oxymetry in 28 patients (19 M/9 F; mean age 71 +/- 8.31) with stable moderate to severe COPD (average FEV1 of 43.33 +/- 9.38 of theoretical) and daytime PaO2 &g....

 Neurotrophin (NT) and NT receptor expression was assessed in 12 typical (TC) and 8 atypical (AC) human pulmonary carcinoids by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. TC and AC carcinoid express to different extent NT and NT receptor proteins. Nerve growth factor (NGF) was expressed by 83% of the TC but not by the AC carcinoids. Brain derived ....