Evaluation of the Effect on Sexual Performance of a Nutraceutical Combination Containing Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitis vinifera L. and Ginkgo biloba, Compared to Placebo, Avanafil or a Combination of Nutraceutical Plus Avanafil in Males With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus With Erectile Dysfunction.

Aim: To evaluate if therapy with a nutraceutical combination of alpha lipoic acid, Vitis vinifera L. and Ginkgo biloba (Blunorm forte®) can be helpful and be synergic with Avanafil. Methods: The trial included 123 males with type 2 diabetic mellitus and with erectile dysfunction (ED), aged ≥18 years. Patients were divided in four different arms: 1st arm: placebo during the three months of treatment and before sexual act; 2nd arm: placebo for three months and Avanafil: 1 tablet, 200 mg, 15-30 minutes before sexual act; 3rd arm: Blunorm forte: 1 tablet, 40 minutes before the meal (breakfast) during the three months and Avanafil: 1 tablet, 200 mg, 15-30 minutes before sexual act; 4th arm: Blunorm forte: 1 tablet, 40 minutes before the meal (breakfast and dinner) during the three months and placebo 15-30 minutes before sexual act. Results: A significant reduction of fasting plasma glucose, and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance index were recorded both in Avanafil + Blunorm forte and with Blunorm forte. Metalloproteinases-2, and -9 were reduced in the Avanafil + Blunorm forte group. High sensitivity-C-reactive protein was decreased by both Avanafil, and Avanafil + Blunorm forte group. No variations were recorded with the other treatments. The group treated with Blunorm forte and Avanafil reached a higher International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score after 3 months of therapy compared to baseline and placebo and compared to Avanafil and Blunorm forte taken alone. Conclusion: Blunorm forte® can be helpful and synergic with Avanafil in increasing sexual performance compared to placebo.

Haemophilic Pelvic Pseudotumour: A New Surgical Option.

BACKGROUND: Haemophilia is an inherited coagulopathy caused by the absence or dysfunction of clotting factor VIII or IX. Clinical manifestations are generally secondary to recurrent bleeding episodes mainly in the musculoskeletal system. Bleeding symptoms appear early in life and, when the disease is severe (when plasma factor VIII or IX activity is <1% of normal), joint and muscle bleeding may occur spontaneously. A pseudotumour is a recurrent, chronic, encapsulated, slowly expanding, muscle hematoma. Haemophilic pseudotumour is a rare complication of haemophilia which occurs, as a condition either from repeated spontaneous bleeding or coming from a traumatic origin, in 1-2% of haemophilic patients. CASE REPORT: A 32-year-old man with severe haemophilia A referred to our Clinic with a massive right iliac wing pseudotumour complicated by Staphylococcus aureus superinfection and skin fistulisation. In this report we describe the medical management and surgical treatment by the adoption of a novel surgical technique which involves the use of a pedicle-screw and rod system (PSRS), a polyglycolic acid MESH and bone cement in order to build up an artificial ilium-like bony mass. This case report highlights the importance of interdisciplinary approach and the efficacy of eradicating surgery as treatment, especially in the case of large and long-lasting lesions.

Preoperative bleeding risk assessment with ISTH-BAT and laboratory tests in patients undergoing elective surgery: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with inherited haemorrhagic disorders may bleed during surgery. No questionnaire on bleeding diathesis has been yet validated for the preoperative period and current guidelines provide conflicting recommendations. AIM: We aimed to assess if preoperative assessment with ISTH-BAT (International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis Bleeding Assesment Tool) and laboratory screening tests is useful to identify mild previously undiagnosed bleeding disorders (BDs) and to predict bleeding complications in selected patients undergoing elective surgery. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing elective surgery received ISTH-BAT evaluation and laboratory screening for platelet count, Prothrombin Time (PT) and activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT). Subjects with an abnormal ISTH-BAT and/or laboratory results underwent further testing, and they were compared with a 1:1 random gender-, age- and type of surgery- matched control group. RESULTS: Overall, 1502 consecutive surgical patients (1186 adults, 316 children) were enrolled. Of these, 83 (5.5%, 95% confidence interval 4.4-6.8) patients (37 adults and 46 children) had an abnormal ISTH-BAT, and/or prolonged PT and/or prolonged aPTT and/or low platelet count; of them, one subject had low von Willebrand factor level, three Factor XII deficiency and four anticardiolipin and/or antiB2GPI antibodies. No major bleeding was reported in these 83 patients and their controls. CONCLUSION: ISTH-BAT and laboratory screening tests do not accurately detect mild BDs in selected patients undergoing elective surgery.

Venous thromboembolism and COVID-19: a single center experience from an academic tertiary referral hospital of Northern Italy.

Preliminary evidence supports the notion that COVID-19 patients may have an increased susceptibility to develop venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, the magnitude of this association still needs to be defined. Furthermore, clinical predictors of thrombogenesis, and the relationship with the inflammatory status are currently unknown. On this basis, we conducted a retrospective, observational study on 259 consecutive COVID-19 patients admitted to an academic tertiary referral hospital in Northern Italy between March 19th and April 6th, 2020. Records of COVID-19 patients with a definite VTE event were reviewed for demographic information, co-morbidities, risk factors for VTE, laboratory tests, and anticoagulation treatment. Twenty-five cases among 259 COVID-19 patients developed VTE (9.6%), all of them having a Padua score > 4, although being under standard anticoagulation prophylaxis since hospital admission. In the VTE subcohort, we found a significant positive correlation between platelet count (PLT) and either C reactive protein (CRP) (p < 0.0001) or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (p = 0.0013), while a significant inverse correlation was observed between PLT and mean platelet volume (p < 0.0001). Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio significantly correlated with CRP (p < 0.0001). The majority of VTE patients was male and younger compared to non-VTE patients (p = 0.002 and p = 0.005, respectively). No significant difference was found in D-dimer levels between VTE and non VTE patients, while significantly higher levels of LDH (p = 0.04) and IL-6 (p = 0.04) were observed in VTE patients in comparison to non-VTE patients. In conclusion, our findings showed a quite high prevalence of VTE in COVID-19 patients. Raised inflammatory indexes and increased serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines should raise the clinical suspicion of VTE.