ABSTRACT
The recent events of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, have dramatically and suddenly changed the dynamic interactions among the various elements of the complex social and economic texture of most countries around the globe, such as Italy, accelerating the digital transformation in many areas of human activity and in particular in the health care sector. After having defined e-health (Figure 1) and some of its applications, with particular reference to telemedicine, the following important research question is addressed: what are the factors that contribute to the successful introduction of telemedicine? To answer this question, this article focuses on the recent efforts of the Italian Health Legislation to increase e-health literacy and to incentivize the health care system to adopt the new tools of information and communication technologies. In particular, the role of telemedicine is highlighted for its cost-reducing effect, particularly when dealing with patients affected by chronic, noncommunicable diseases. For this purpose, the author considers as a special case study the implementation strategy of the Telemedicine project of the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, a private Catholic hospital in Southern Italy, as an example of excellence.
ABSTRACT
La rosácea es una dermatosis crónica que se manifiesta clínicamente con eritema, telangiectasias, pápulas y pústulas en la parte central de la cara. Afecta, sobre todo, a los adultos y, en raras ocasiones, a los niños. La rosácea puede también presentar afección ocular y preceder, aparecer en forma simultánea o con posterioridad a las lesiones cutáneas; es mayor el riesgo de complicaciones oculares en los niños. La baja prevalencia de esta patología en la infancia origina demoras en el diagnóstico. Se presenta a un paciente de 1 año de edad con rosácea ocular y cutánea que desarrolló opacidades corneales con compromiso de la agudeza visual. Se destaca la importancia del diagnóstico y del tratamiento precoz para evitar el desarrollo de secuelas.
Rosacea is a chronic skin disease characterized by erythema, telangiectasia, papules and pustules in the central facial region. It most often affects adults and is rare in children. Rosacea can also present ocular involvement. Symptoms can precede cutaneous findings, appear simultaneously or after them, with a higher risk of ocular complications in children. Because of low prevalence of rosacea in childhood, the diagnosis is frequently delayed. We report a 1-year-old boy with ocular and cutaneous rosacea who developed corneal opacities and visual impairment. Early diagnosis and treatment is considerable to avoid sequels.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Infant , Child , Eye Injuries , RosaceaABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To assess if arylsulfatase A activity (ASA) and sulfatide (SL) concentration in the human endometrium can be predictive of the development of endometrial polyps over the years, since ASA activity reflects the endometrial sensitivity to hormones. METHODS: ASA activity and SL concentration were determined by biochemical procedures on endometrial samples collected between 1990 and 1994 in non-menopausal women. These women underwent a new endometrial sampling following the clinical indication some years after the first endometrial sampling. The histological assessment of the second endometrial specimens found four patients with normal endometrial pattern and 10 patients with one or more endometrial polyps. ASA activity/years elapsed and SL concentration/years elapsed were compared using two tailed Mann-Whitney test for unpaired data between patients with normal pattern and patients with endometrial polyps. RESULTS: Median ASA activities were 2.62 (normal pattern) versus 1.85 (endometrial polyps) nmol hydrolized substrate/min. Median activity/years elapsed is higher in patients with second endometrial sample presenting normal pattern (p=0.006) and median SL concentration/years elapsed does not differ significantly among groups, even if median SL concentration seems to be higher in patients who subsequently developed polyps (1031 µg/g of fresh tissue versus 341,5 µg/g of fresh tissue). CONCLUSIONS: ASA activity can predict the onset of endometrial polyps over the years.
OBJETIVO: Avaliar se a atividade da arilsulfatase A (ASA) e a concentração de sulfatida (SL) no endométrio humano pode ser preditivo em relação ao desenvolvimento de pólipos endometriais ao longo dos anos, posto que atividade da ASA reflete a sensibilidade do endométrio aos hormônios. MÉTODOS: A atividade da ASA, assim como a concentração de SL, foi determinada por meio de procedimentos bioquímicos em amostras de endométrio coletadas entre 1990 e 1994, em mulheres que não se encontravam na menopausa. Essas mulheres foram submetidas a uma nova amostragem endometrial após indicação clínica alguns anos depois da primeira amostragem endometrial. A avaliação histológica dos segundos espécimes endometriais permitiu identificar quatro pacientes com padrão endometrial normal e 10 com um ou mais pólipos endometriais. A atividade da ASA/anos depois e a concentração de SL/anos depois foram comparadas, utilizando o teste bilateral U de Mann-Whitney para dados não pareados entre as pacientes com padrão normal e as pacientes com pólipos endometriais. RESULTADOS: A ativitade da ASA foi 2,62 (padrão normal) em comparação com 1,85 (endometrial pólipos) de substrato hidrolisado/min. A atividade da ASA/anos depois é maior em pacientes com segunda amostra endometrial a apresentarem um padrão normal (p=0,006), e a concentração mediana de SL/anos depois não difere de forma significativa entre os grupos, apesar de a concentração mediana de SL parecer maior em pacientes que posteriormente desenvolveram pólipos (1031 µg/g de tecido fresco em comparação com 341,5 µg/g de tecido fresco). CONCLUSÕES: A atividade da ASA pode prever a aparição de pólipos endometriais ao longo dos anos.