Effectiveness and safety of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation in the treatment of COVID-19-associated acute hypoxemic respiratory failure: a single center, non-ICU setting experience.

The role of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) in COVID-19 patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) is uncertain, as no direct evidence exists to support NIPPV use in such patients. We retrospectively assessed the effectiveness and safety of NIPPV in a cohort of COVID-19 patients consecutively admitted to the COVID-19 general wards of a medium-size Italian hospital, from March 6 to May 7, 2020. Healthcare workers (HCWs) caring for COVID-19 patients were monitored, undergoing nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 in case of onset of COVID-19 symptoms, and periodic SARS-CoV-2 screening serology. Overall, 50 patients (mean age 74.6 years) received NIPPV, of which 22 (44%) were successfully weaned, avoiding endotracheal intubation (ETI) and AHRF-related death. Due to limited life expectancy, 25 (50%) of 50 NIPPV-treated patients received a "do not intubate" (DNI) order. Among these, only 6 (24%) were weaned from NIPPV. Of the remaining 25 NIPPV-treated patients without treatment limitations, 16 (64%) were successfully weaned, 9 (36%) underwent delayed ETI and, of these, 3 (33.3%) died. NIPPV success was predicted by the use of corticosteroids (OR 15.4, CI 1.79-132.57, p 0.013) and the increase in the PaO2/FiO2 ratio measured 24-48 h after NIPPV initiation (OR 1.02, CI 1-1.03, p 0.015), while it was inversely correlated with the presence of a DNI order (OR 0.03, CI 0.001-0.57, p 0.020). During the study period, 2 of 124 (1.6%) HCWs caring for COVID-19 patients were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Apart from patients with limited life expectancy, NIPPV was effective in a substantially high percentage of patients with COVID-19-associated AHRF. The risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among HCWs was low.

Male sexuality and cardiovascular risk. A cohort study in patients with erectile dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION: Although penile blood flow (PBF) has been recommended as an additional diagnostic test in identifying erectile dysfunction (ED) patients at risk for latent cardiovascular disease, no study has ever assessed the possible association of PBF and the relational component of sexual function with incident major cardiovascular events (MACE). AIM: The aim of this study is to investigate whether severity of ED, PBF, and other factors related to a couple's relationship predict incident MACE. METHODS: A consecutive series of 1,687 patients was studied. Different clinical, biochemical, and instrumental (penile flow at color Doppler ultrasound) parameters were evaluated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Information on MACE was obtained through the City of Florence Registry Office. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 4.3 +/- 2.6 years, 139 MACE, 15 of which were fatal, were observed. Cox regression analysis, after adjustment for age and Chronic Disease Score, showed that severe ED predicted MACE (hazard ratio [HR] 1.75; 95% confidence interval 1.10-2.78; P < 0.05). In addition, lower PBF, evaluated both in flaccid (before) and dynamic (after prostaglandin-E1 stimulation) conditions, was associated with an increased risk of MACE (HR = 2.67 [1.42-5.04] and 1.57 [1.01-2.47], respectively, for flaccid [<13 cm/second] and dynamic [<25 cm/second] peak systolic velocity; both P < 0.05). Reported high sexual interest in the partner and low sexual interest in the patient proved to have a protective effect against MACE. CONCLUSIONS: The investigation of male sexuality, and in particular PBF, and sexual desire, could provide insights not only into present cardiovascular status but also into prospective risk.

Low testosterone is associated with an increased risk of MACE lethality in subjects with erectile dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION: Although testosterone (T) has been suggested to play a protective role against the development of atherosclerosis, studies demonstrating an association between low T and incident major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) are scanty in the general population and absent in subjects with erectile dysfunction (ED). AIM: To investigate whether low T in subjects with ED predict incident fatal or nonfatal MACE. METHODS: This is an observational prospective cohort study evaluating a consecutive series of 1687 patients attending our andrological unit for ED. Patients were interviewed using the structured interview on erectile dysfunction (SIEDY) and ANDROTEST structured interviews measuring components relative to ED and hypogonadal-related symptoms, respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total T was evaluated at baseline. Information on MACE was obtained through the City of Florence Registry Office. RESULTS: Among the patients studied, 5.2, 13.8, and 22.4% were hypogonadal according to different thresholds (T < 8, 10.4 and 12 nmol/L or 230, 300 and 350 ng/dL, respectively). During a mean follow-up of 4.3 + or - 2.6 years, 139 MACE, 15 of which were fatal, were observed. Unadjusted incidence of MACE was not associated with T levels. Conversely, the proportion of lethal events among MACE was significantly higher in hypogonadal patients, using either 10.4 nmol/L (300 ng/dL) or 8 nmol/L (230 ng/dL) thresholds. However, after adjustment for age and Chronic Diseases Score in a Cox regression model, only the association between incident fatal MACE and T < 8 nmol/L (230 ng/dL) was confirmed (HR = 7.1 [1.8-28.6]; P < 0.001). Interestingly, measuring hypogonadal-related symptoms and signs through ANDROTEST, only fatal MACE were also associated with a higher score (HR = 1.2 [1.0-1.5] for each ANDROTEST score increment; P = 0.05 after adjustment for age and Chronic Diseases Score). CONCLUSIONS: T levels are associated with a higher mortality of MACE. The identification of low T levels should alert the clinician thus identifying subjects with an increased cardiovascular risk.

Quantitative evaluation of somatostatin receptor subtype 2 expression in sporadic colorectal tumor and in the corresponding normal mucosa.

PURPOSE: The somatostatin (SS) receptor subtype 2 (sst2) is the principal mediator of the antiproliferative effects of SS and has the highest affinity for the commercially available SS analogues. The purpose of this study was to evaluate sst2 mRNA expression by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) in colon cancers and in corresponding normal tissues. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The expression of sst2 mRNA was measured with a quantitative method based on real time RT-PCR with TaqMan assay in 100 colon cancers and in the corresponding normal tissues. In a limited number of patients, these results were compared with those obtained by in situ hybridization (n = 26) and by in vivo imaging with (111)In-pentetreotide (n = 17). RESULTS: Results obtained by quantitative RT-PCR on sst2 expression in colorectal cancer were significantly related to those obtained by in situ hybridization and (111)In-pentetreotide scintigraphy. Sst2 was expressed in all of the tumors investigated without any relationship with localization, grading, and stage of disease. Although the paired, unaffected mucosa tends to express a higher abundance of sst2 than the corresponding cancer samples, this difference did not reach a statistical significance. However, in patients with elevated carcinoembryonic antigen levels (>5 ng/ml) there was a significant loss of sst2 mRNA in the tumor when compared with its paired normal tissue. CONCLUSIONS: In this study we confirmed, by a quantitative method, that colorectal cancer does not express higher concentrations of sst2 mRNA than the corresponding unaffected tissue. Conversely, a loss of sst2 was found in patients with elevated preoperative concentrations of carcinoembryonic antigen, an unfavorable prognostic marker for colorectal cancer.