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1.
J Endocr Soc ; 8(8): bvae122, 2024 Jul 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38979402

ABSTRACT

Context: The cardiovascular benefits of semaglutide are established; however, its effects on surrogate vascular markers and liver function are not known. Objective: To investigate the effects of semaglutide on vascular, endothelial, and liver function in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods: Overall, 75 consecutive subjects with T2DM and NAFLD were enrolled: 50 patients received semaglutide 1 mg (treatment group) and 25 patients received dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (control group). All patients underwent a clinical, vascular, and hepatic examination with Fibroscan elastography at 4 and 12 months after inclusion in the study. Results: Treatment with semaglutide resulted in a reduction of Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP) score, E fibrosis score, NAFLD fibrosis score, Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score and perfused boundary region (PBR) at 4 and at 12 months (P < .05), contrary to controls. Patients treated with semaglutide showed a greater decrease of central systolic blood pressure (SBP) (-6% vs -4%, P = .048 and -11% vs -9%, P = .039), augmentation index (AIx) (-59% vs -52%, P = .041 and -70% vs -57%, P = .022), and pulse wave velocity (PWV) (-6% vs -3.5%, P = .019 and -12% vs -10%, P = .036) at 4 and at 12 months, respectively. In all patients, ΔPWV and ΔPBR were correlated with a corresponding reduction of CAP, E fibrosis, NAFLD fibrosis, and FIB-4 scores. Conclusion: Twelve-month treatment with semaglutide simultaneously improves arterial stiffness, endothelial function, and liver steatosis and fibrosis in patients with T2DM and NAFLD.

2.
Emerg Radiol ; 29(3): 479-489, 2022 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35253080

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Admission chest CT is often included in COVID-19 patient management. PURPOSE: To evaluate the inter- and intraobserver variability of the Covid Visual Assessment Scale ("Co.V.A.Sc.") used for stratifying chest CT disease extent and to estimate its prospect to predict clinical outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This single-center, retrospective observational cohort study included all RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 adult patients undergoing admission chest CT, between 01/03/2021 and 17/03/2021. CTs were independently evaluated by two radiologists according to the "Co.V.A.Sc." (0: 0%, 1: 1-10%, 2: 11-25%, 3: 26-50%, 4: 51-75%, 5: > 75%). Patient demographics, laboratory, clinical, and hospitalization data were retrieved and analyzed in relation to the "Co.V.A.Sc." RESULTS: Overall, 273 patients (mean age 60.7 ± 14.8 years; 50.9% male) were evaluated. Excellent inter- and intraobserver variability was noted between the two independent radiologists' "Co.V.A.Sc." EVALUATIONS: "Co.V.A.Sc." classification (Exp(B) 0.391, 95%CI 0.212-0.719; p = 0.025) and patient age (Exp(B) 0.947, 95%CI 0.902-0.993; p = 0.25) were the only variables correlated with ICU admission, while age (Exp(B) 1.111, p = 0.0001), "Co.V.A.Sc." (Exp(B) 2.408; p = 0.002), and male gender (Exp(B) 3.213; p = 0.028) were correlated with in-hospital mortality. Specifically, for each "Co.V.A.Sc." unit increase, the probability of ICU admission increased by 1.47 times, and the probability of death increased by 11.1 times. According to ROC analysis, "Co.V.A.Sc." could predict ICU admission and in-hospital death with an optimal cutoff value of unit 3 (sensitivity 56.0%, specificity 84.3%) and unit 4 (sensitivity 41.9%, specificity 93.6%), respectively. CONCLUSION: "Co.V.A.Sc." upon hospital admittance seems to predict ICU admission and in-hospital death and could aid in optimizing risk-stratification and patient management.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Adult , Aged , Female , Hospital Mortality , Hospitalization , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , SARS-CoV-2 , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods
3.
Infect Dis Ther ; 10(4): 2333-2351, 2021 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34363189

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The anti-inflammatory effect of macrolides prompted the study of oral clarithromycin in moderate COVID-19. METHODS: An open-label non-randomized trial in 90 patients with COVID-19 of moderate severity was conducted between May and October 2020. The primary endpoint was defined at the end of treatment (EOT) as no need for hospital re-admission and no progression into lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) for patients with upper respiratory tract infection and as at least 50% decrease of the respiratory symptoms score without progression into severe respiratory failure (SRF) for patients with LRTI. Viral load, biomarkers, the function of mononuclear cells and safety were assessed. RESULTS: The primary endpoint was attained in 86.7% of patients treated with clarithromycin (95% CIs 78.1-92.2%); this was 91.7% and 81.4% among patients starting clarithromycin the first 5 days from symptoms onset or later (odds ratio after multivariate analysis 6.62; p 0.030). The responses were better for patients infected by non-B1.1 variants. Clarithromycin use was associated with decreases in circulating C-reactive protein, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6; by increase of production of interferon-gamma and decrease of production of interleukin-6 by mononuclear cells; and by suppression of SARS-CoV-2 viral load. No safety concerns were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Early clarithromycin treatment provides most of the clinical improvement in moderate COVID-19. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04398004.

4.
Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis ; 40(7): 1405-1412, 2021 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33515095

ABSTRACT

Recent publications on the probable role of heparin-binding protein (HBP) as a biomarker in sepsis prompted us to investigate its diagnostic and prognostic performance in severe COVID-19. HBP and IL-6 were measured by immunoassays at admission and on day 7 in 178 patients with pneumonia by SARS-CoV-2. Patients were classified into non-sepsis and sepsis as per the Sepsis-3 definitions and were followed up for the development of severe respiratory failure (SRF) and for outcome. Results were confirmed by multivariate analyses. HBP was significantly higher in patients classified as having sepsis and was negatively associated with the oxygenation ratio and positively associated with creatinine and lactate. Logistic regression analysis evidenced admission HBP more than 18 ng/ml and IL-6 more than 30 pg/ml as independent risk factors for the development of SRP. Their integration prognosticated SRF with respective sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive 59.1%, 96.3%, 83.9%, and 87.8%. Cox regression analysis evidenced admission HBP more than 35 ng/ml and IL-6 more than 30 pg/ml as independent risk factors for 28-day mortality. Their integration prognosticated 28-day mortality with respective sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value 69.2%, 92.7%, 42.9%, and 97.5%. HBP remained unchanged over-time course. A prediction score of the disposition of patients with COVID-19 is proposed taking into consideration admission levels of IL-6 and HBP. Using different cut-offs, the score may predict the likelihood for SRF and for 28-day outcome.


Subject(s)
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides/blood , COVID-19/blood , Interleukin-6/blood , Respiratory Insufficiency/blood , Adult , Biomarkers/blood , Blood Proteins , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/mortality , COVID-19/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Male , Pneumonia, Viral/blood , Pneumonia, Viral/diagnosis , Pneumonia, Viral/mortality , Pneumonia, Viral/physiopathology , Predictive Value of Tests , Prognosis , Respiratory Insufficiency/diagnosis , Respiratory Insufficiency/mortality , Respiratory Insufficiency/physiopathology , SARS-CoV-2/isolation & purification , Sepsis/blood , Sepsis/diagnosis , Sepsis/mortality , Sepsis/physiopathology
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