Benzene-Exposed Army Soldiers: Nasal Cytology as a Screening Tool.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of the nasal cytology in revealing early nasal mucosa alteration of workers exposed to benzene. METHODS: Nasal cytology was compared among non-exposed and exposed workers to benzene. A comparison of the two groups was performed considering rhino-cytological features. RESULTS: In the exposed group neutrophils count range was 14 to 70, compared to 2 to 5 in control group. Ciliated cells ratio range was respectively 0.28 to 2.8 and 0.25 to 0.31. In subjects exposed to benzene >10 years, nasal mucosa showed an inflammatory status and an ongoing mucipar metaplasia, defined by an alteration of mucipar/ciliated cells ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Nasal cytology may be a useful research tool for the health surveillance of workers exposed to benzene and may be applied to study the effects of other upper airways chemicals irritants.

[Injuries among Sapienza University students]. / Il fenomeno infortunistico tra gli studenti della Sapienza nel periodo 2010-2015.

SUMMARY: Background. The phenomenon of accidents during the university course is a public health problem. Students spend a lot of time at university and in structure for training. This this leads them to be exposed to biological, chemical and ergonomic risk of accidents or occupational diseases. Aim. The aim of this study is to describe accidents that occurred to students of Sapienza University in Rome during the period 2010-2015. Materials and Methods. Retrospective study conducted on a cohort of students from Sapienza University in the years 2010-2015. As a source of data was used register of accidents reported by the students. Results. During the period considered, injuries were recorded in 791 students, mainly female (71.8%). Nursing students were the most affected (92.8%), followed by medical students (5.7%) and finally students of other faculties (1.5%). Point wounds were the most frequent (n=462) representing 58.4% of the total and occur mainly at the wrist and hand (n=380); the second most frequent type of injury is contact with biological liquid (n=159) followed by contusions (n=72), the most affected site in this case are the head and the face (n=81; n=23). Contusions often also involve multiple regions (n=17). In lesser numbers there are also the distortions (n=55), and fractures (n=26) the most frequent first ankle and foot (25.5%), the second most frequent wrist and hand (34.6%) The incidence of accidents ranged from 0.079% in 2011 to 0.161% in 2012. Conclusion. There is a need to design measures for more intensive specific training on biomedical students, especially nursing students, as the most exposed category, in order to reduce the accident phenomenon. Particular attention should be paid to the safe handling of sharp objects. It would be beneficial to include in the course of teaching lessons aimed at security and greater awareness of the risk.

Post Vaccinal Temporary Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

In our systematic research we identified four studies concerning the onset of neurological adverse events following vaccination and two excluding this association. A 33-year-old Italian man, belonging to the Italian Army was hospitalized because he suffered from vertigo, nausea and sudden right hearing loss not classified (NDD), that set in 24 h after the administration of tetanus-diphtheria and meningococcal vaccines. Some neurological events arising after vaccination are very difficult to treat. In our case, the functional recovery on low and medium frequencies was possible about 6 months after the morbid event.

Past and present of risk management in healthcare.

The present article describes the history of risk management, how it was born and how it has evolved, with a specific focus on healthcare. Risk management was a strategy initially used primarily in the economic and business sector. We analysed how the continuous increase of medical malpractice lawsuits involving demands for compensation led to the adoption of risk management strategies in healthcare. The various clinical risk-management strategies adopted in different countries and in different historical periods are also described.