Publications by authors named "Daniela d'Angela"

Introduction: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a leading cause of severe lower respiratory tract infections and is one of the primary causes of hospitalization in high income countries and death among children aged ≤ 1 year in lower income countries where the healthcare systems not always have the resources to provide appropriate intensive care to all infants with severe RSV infection. On the basis of the results of a large programme of clinical trials, the European Medicine Agency has recently approved a Bivalent Stabilized Prefusion F Subunit Vaccine (RSVpreFV) for maternal immunization, with a year-round administration between 24-36 weeks of gestation. The objective of the study is providing an estimation of the efficiency of complementary strategy RSVpreF and monoclonal antibodies for the prevention of RSV among Italian infants.

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Background: Chronic ischemic cardiovascular disease (CICD) is a common cardiovascular disease and a frequent cause of hospitalization, with significant differences between men and women. It is also an important comorbidity, affecting hospitalization length and mortality. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the clinical and economic impact of CICD on hospital admissions of non-surgical patients.

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  • Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive genetic disorder that currently has no cure, and its management relies on physiotherapy and medications to slow progression.
  • Gene therapy presents a promising treatment option but requires a well-organized delivery system, such as the hub-and-spoke model, to effectively support DMD patients in Italy.
  • A study mapped existing DMD centers in Italy, evaluated their readiness for gene therapy, and identified areas for improvement, ultimately proposing a flexible organizational model to enhance patient care.
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  • The study focused on gathering expert consensus in Italy regarding the management of hypophosphatemia in adults through a Delphi method.
  • A multidisciplinary advisory board reviewed existing literature and guidelines, identifying key areas of uncertainty to guide the consensus process.
  • The results showed strong agreement on most key issues, underscoring the need for clearer national guidelines to aid healthcare professionals in managing hypophosphatemia effectively.
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Introduction: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) incidence is known to be underestimated in adults due to its infrequent diagnostic testing and lower sensitivity of single nasal/nasopharyngeal swab PCR testing outside of the early childhood period. RSV can trigger acute cardiac events as well as cause respiratory disease. Consequently, we used a model-based study to estimate RSV-attributable hospitalization and mortality incidence among adults in Italy between 2015 and 2019.

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The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Working Group of the Emerging Technology Division of International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) aims to develop a methodological approach for producing structured HTA information for laboratory medicine technologies. This approach seeks to support decision-making processes at the country, regional, and/or hospital levels regarding the introduction of specific technologies. The focus of this model will primarily be on defining assessment elements within the domains of 'organizational aspects' and 'costs and economic evaluations', potentially differentiated by the type of diagnostic technology (e.

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  • The paper discusses the challenge of balancing early access to innovative cancer therapies with thorough value assessment in Italy, noting that the country lacks a formal strategy for such medicines.
  • A scoping review and expert interviews were conducted to explore early access strategies, with a quantitative analysis providing insights into the clinical and economic impacts of innovative oncology drugs.
  • The findings suggest that adapting early access models from Germany and France could be beneficial for Italy, and the study calls for ongoing discussions about the advantages and potential drawbacks of implementing these schemes.
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Objective: Our study's objective was to assess the incidence trends and healthcare resource utilization of hospitalizations for Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE) and associated costs in Italy in order to improve public awareness and preventive measures.

Methods: This retrospective observational study was based on the Italian Ministry of Health's Hospital Discharge Record (HDR) database. Data were gathered across Italy from 2015 to 2019, selecting hospitalizations with ICD-9 code 063 related to TBE, both in primary and secondary diagnoses.

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  • RSV affects a significant percentage of infants below one year old, being the leading cause of acute bronchiolitis, and this study aimed to analyze hospitalization trends in Italy from 2015 to 2019.
  • The research found a notable increase in hospitalizations for RSV (Group 1) and acute bronchiolitis not caused by RSV (Group 2), with RSV patients generally requiring longer hospital stays and more critical care.
  • The study concluded that RSV infections have led to rising hospitalization rates and costs, reinforcing the seasonal impact of the virus on infant health care.
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  • - Defining innovation in medical devices is complex due to factors like short product life-cycles, varying impact, and organizational context, making a clear definition essential.
  • - A Delphi method comprising two rounds was used to gather feedback from a multistakeholder panel, resulting in consensus on seven out of twelve proposed criteria after participation from 53 panelists.
  • - The highest consensus criteria highlighted clinical impact, specifically in terms of improving outcomes and addressing unmet needs, alongside significant agreement on organizational benefits and cost-reduction capabilities of the technology.
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  • - The study investigates the global epidemiology of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in children, aiming to fill the gap in existing literature since no systematic review has been previously published.
  • - A total of 9 epidemiological studies from 1974 to 2022 were examined, revealing a prevalence range of 1 in 1,107 to 1 in 8,646, with incidence figures varying between 1 in 28,800 to 1 in 46,700 cases per year.
  • - The research highlights that most findings stem from Europe, indicating the need for international studies to better understand GHD across different populations and to improve resource allocation for its treatment.
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This study analyzed hospital admissions for invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in epidemiological and economic terms in Italy from 2015 to 2019. The volume of acute admissions for meningococcal diagnosis was analyzed in the period from 2015 to 2019. IMD admissions were identified by ICD-9-CM diagnoses.

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Objective: This systematic review aims to update the evidence on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in Italy, describing the epidemiology, quality of life (QoL) of patients and caregivers, treatment adherence, and economic impact of DMD.

Methods: Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science up to January 2023. Literature selection process, data extraction and quality assessment were performed by two independent reviewers.

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  • The study compared the efficacy, safety, adherence, quality of life (QoL), and cost-effectiveness of long-acting growth hormone (LAGH) versus daily growth hormone (GH) in treating growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in children, analyzing data from 16 efficacy/safety studies, 8 adherence studies, and 2 QoL studies.
  • Results showed no significant differences in height velocity or other efficacy and safety outcomes between LAGH and daily GH formulations, although most studies included had some risk of bias.
  • The authors highlighted the need for future high-quality studies to confirm their findings, as well as more real-world data on adherence and QoL, and
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  • Hospitalizations for pneumonia in Italy increased significantly from 2010 to 2019, with a total of over 2.4 million cases reported, predominantly among the elderly aged 75-86 years.
  • Most cases had an unspecified pneumonia diagnosis, with 13% resulting in in-hospital death, and the total cost of hospitalizations amounted to over EUR 11 billion.
  • The study highlights the need for enhanced public health initiatives, focusing on promoting vaccinations for influenza and pneumococcus to reduce pneumonia's impact, especially in vulnerable populations.
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  • - The study assesses the cost-effectiveness of a new 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in Italy, using a Markovian model from the Italian National Health Service perspective, comparing it to 13-valent and 15-valent PCVs.
  • - Results show that the 20-valent PCV is more effective and cheaper, reducing disease events significantly, leading to a gain of over 6,500 life years and nearly 4,800 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Cost savings amount to EUR 7.464 million despite an increase in vaccination costs.
  • - The analysis concludes that transitioning to the 20-valent PCV is a sustainable and efficient investment,
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Objectives: This systematic review aims to describe 1) the epidemiology of the diseases indicated for treatment with growth hormone (GH) in Italy; 2) the adherence to the GH treatment in Italy and factors associated with non-adherence; 3) the economic impact of GH treatment in Italy; 4) the quality of life of patients treated with GH and their caregivers in Italy.

Methods: Systematic literature searches were performed in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science from January 2010 to March 2021. Literature selection process, data extraction and quality assessment were performed by two independent reviewers.

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Fabry disease (FD) is a genetic disease included in the group of lysosomal storage disorders, caused by X-linked deficiency of the enzyme alpha-galactosidase A. The aim of this study was to evaluate different aspects related to the quality of life (QoL) of a multicentre cohort of Italian patients with FD. An observational survey was conducted to measure health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in FD patients using the CAPI (Computer-Assisted Personal Interview) method: 106 patients (mostly women) responded to the questionnaire.

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  • Viscosupplementation with hyaluronic acid (HA) is used when traditional treatments for knee osteoarthritis fail or are not an option; this study compares the efficacy, safety, and costs of three HA treatments: hyalgan, Sinovial® Forte, and sinovial one.
  • Ninety patients with early-stage knee osteoarthritis were treated with different HA regimens: hyalgan over five weeks, Sinovial® Forte over three weeks, and a single injection of sinovial one.
  • All treatments were effective with similar reductions in pain scores, but sinovial one was found to be the most cost-effective option, making it a viable alternative for managing symptoms in early knee osteoarthritis.
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  • * A simulation model was created using existing data on PC incidence, prevalence, progression, and mortality, estimating 462,570 prevalent PC patients in Italy as of January 1, 2019.
  • * The majority (94.8%) had non-metastatic PC, with 85.6% of those classified as T1/T2, and among metastatic patients, 66.1% had castration-resistant PC.
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Purpose: Follow-up of automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) has been improved by data transmission by cellular modem and internet cloud. With the new remote patient monitoring (RPM) technology, clinical control and prescription of dialysis are performed by software (Baxter Claria-Sharesource), which allows the center to access home operational data. The objective of this pilot study was to determine the impact of RPM compared to traditional technology, in clinical, organizational, social, and economic terms in a single center.

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Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases significantly the risk of comorbidities and premature death. This paper aims to estimate: 1) the current prevalence of AF in Italy as a whole and within individual local health authorities (LHA); 2) the proportion of strongly eligible patients receiving oral anticoagulants; 3) the impact of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs).

Methods: The prevalence of AF and the proportion of patients strongly eligible for anticoagulant treatment (defined by a CHADS2 score ≥2) were obtained by applying the results of a systematic literature search to the Italian population stratified by gender, age and LHA.

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Between western European countries, the hepatitis C virus (HCV) endemic is highest in Italy. The main objective of this paper is to estimate the endemic diffusion of hepatitis C at the national level and by geographical area, with an extrapolation at the regional level and by uniform cohorts of subjects (by sex and year of birth). The secondary objective is a stratification by gravity of the estimated statistical figures to provide an overview of possible targets of the new anti-HCV treatments.

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