Biologic Therapy in Severe Asthma: A Phenotype-Driven and Targeted Approach.

Asthma is a highly heterogeneous respiratory disease that, in its severe forms, is characterized by persistent symptoms, frequent exacerbations, and a significant impact on patients' quality of life. Despite high-dose inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting bronchodilators, a subset of patients remains uncontrolled, necessitating advanced therapeutic strategies. The advent of biologic therapies has revolutionized the management of severe asthma, offering targeted interventions based on the underlying inflammatory endotypes, primarily T2-high and T2-low.

Appearances can be deceiving: differences in FeNO values among COPD and severe asthmatic patients stratified according to peripheral eosinophilic count.

Eosinophilic COPD (eCOPD) and eosinophilic severe asthma (eSA) appear to share relevant clinical features, including responsiveness to steroids and higher exacerbation rates. However, data on the expression of T2-high inflammation biomarkers and, in particular comparison of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels between the two diseases is lacking. The aim of the current retrospective observational study was to investigate whether FeNO values might differ between eCOPD and eSA patients.

UYSD: a novel data repository accessible via public website for worldwide population frequencies of Y-SNP haplogroups.

For decades, there has been scientific interest in the variation and geographic distribution of paternal lineages associated with the human Y chromosome. However, the relevant data have been dispersed across numerous publications, making it difficult to consolidate. Additionally, understanding the relationships between different variants, and the tools used to analyze them, have evolved over time, further complicating efforts to harmonize this information.

[From Chronic health center to Territorial operations center: the experience of the ASL Tuscany South East].

The ASL TSE was founded in 2016 from the union of 3 ASLs: Siena, Arezzo and Grosseto. The population is older than the regional one: easy access to care must be guaranteed despite the wide dispersion across the territory. Therefore, the Chronic Health Center takes on a crucial role.

Benralizumab and the integrated management of co-morbid severe eosinophilic asthma with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

Background: Type 2 (T2) inflammation, characterized by blood and airway eosinophilia, underlies severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). In line with the Global Airways theory, SEA and CRSwNP frequently co-occur, creating a multimorbid phenotype. Separately, SEA and CRSwNP are burdensome: when concomitant, they compound each other, creating a more difficult-to-treat disease with increased complications.

Durability of benralizumab effectiveness in severe eosinophilic asthma patients with and without chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps: a analysis from the ANANKE study.

Introduction: Severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) often co-occurs with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), worsening asthma symptoms. Earlier studies have shown that benralizumab improves asthma outcomes with greater efficacy if patients present CRSwNP.

Methods: This analysis of the ANANKE study (NCT04272463) reports data on the long-term effectiveness of benralizumab between SEA patients with and without CRSwNP ( = 86 and  = 75, respectively) treated for up to 96 weeks.

Sex and environment shape cochlear sensitivity in human populations worldwide.

Hearing remains an underexplored aspect of human evolution. While the growing prevalence of hearing issues worldwide highlights the need to investigate factors beyond age, ototoxic substances, and recreational noise- factors affecting only a subset of the population -the role of environmental influences remains relatively unaddressed. In contrast, hearing and vocalizations have been extensively studied in many vertebrates through the Acoustic Adaptation Hypothesis, which suggests that acoustic communication adapts to the structure of the immediate environment.

Proposal of a New Composite Score (DAMADECO) to Simultaneously Evaluate Asthma and CRSwNP Severity in Comorbid Patients.

: Asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) are chronic respiratory conditions that frequently coexist. However, an integrated assessment tool for both conditions is currently lacking. This study aimed to develop and preliminarily evaluate a composite score capable of simultaneously assessing asthma and CRSwNP in comorbid patients.

Organisational management of the time-dependent network for the treatment of acute coronary syndrome.

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Italy, being responsible for 227,350 deaths in 2020, according to the National Institute of Statistics. The implementation of timely reperfusion therapy is crucial to improve patient outcomes, and time-dependent networks for the treatment of Acute Coronary Syndrome, particularly ST-elevation myocardial infarction, have been established. In Tuscany, the network for the treatment of Acute Coronary Syndrome-ST-elevation myocardial infarction covers a vast area encompassing three Local Health Authorities, including all of South-Eastern Tuscany.

Emerging biological treatments for asthma.

Introduction: Severe asthma is a chronic airway disease characterized by many pathomechanisms known as endotypes. Biological therapies targeting severe asthma endotypes have significantly improved the treatment of this disease, thus remarkably bettering patient quality of life.

Areas Covered: This review aims to describe current biological therapies for severe asthma, highlighting emerging ones.

Evaluating the impact of changing inhaler color on perception of symptoms and disease burden in patients with asthma: the FEEL study.

Objectives: Patient perception of treatment effectiveness is key to optimizing adherence. This is potentially impacted by color, yet no such studies have been conducted in asthma. This study assessed the influence of pink vs.

Assessment of an organizational model during the first wave of COVID -19 in the South-Eastern Tuscany Health Unit: intensifying community services as prescribed by Ministerial Decree 77 of 2022.

Introduction: At the end of 2019 a new virus, called SARS-CoV-2, emerged in Wuhan, China. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health system of the Tuscany Region and the response implemented by the South-Eastern Local Health Unit, also in view of the new reform of territorial healthcare established by Ministerial Decree No. 77 of 2022.

Revealing the gap: fractional exhaled nitric oxide and clinical responsiveness to biological therapy in severe asthma - a retrospective study.

https://bit.ly/3xWszYJ.

Long-Term Clinical and Sustained REMIssion in Severe Eosinophilic Asthma Treated With Mepolizumab: The REMI-M Study.

Background: Biological therapies, such as mepolizumab, have transformed the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma. Although mepolizumab's short-term effectiveness is established, there is limited evidence on its ability to achieve long-term clinical remission.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term effectiveness and safety of mepolizumab, explore its potential to induce clinical and sustained remission, and identify baseline factors associated with the likelihood of achieving remission over 24 months.

Novel buffer for long-term preservation of DNA in biological material at room temperature.

The collection and preservation of biological material before DNA analysis is critical for inter alia biomedical research, medical diagnostics, forensics and biodiversity conservation. In this study, we evaluate an in-house formulated buffer called the Forensic DNA Laboratory-buffer (FDL-buffer) for preservation of biological material for long term at room temperature. Human saliva stored in the buffer for 8 years, human blood stored for 3 years and delicate animal tissues from the jellyfish comb jelly sp.

Sustained remission induced by 2 years of treatment with benralizumab in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma and nasal polyposis.

Background And Objective: Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have shown that benralizumab is characterized by a good profile of efficacy and safety, thereby being potentially able to elicit clinical remission on-treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA). The main goal of this multicentre observational study was to verify the effectiveness of benralizumab in inducing a sustained remission on-treatment of SEA in patients with or without comorbid chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP).

Methods: Throughout 2 years of treatment with benralizumab, a four-component evaluation of sustained remission of SEA was performed, including the assessment of SEA exacerbations, use of oral corticosteroids (OCSs), symptom control and lung function.

Sustained Effectiveness of Benralizumab in Naïve and Biologics-Experienced Severe Eosinophilic Asthma Patients: Results from the ANANKE Study.

Purpose: Severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) patients often present overlapping inflammatory features rendering them eligible for multiple biologic therapies; switching biologic treatment is a strategy adopted to optimize asthma control when patients show partial or no response to previous biologics.

Patients And Methods: ANANKE is a retrospective, multicenter Italian study (NCT04272463). Here, we outline the characteristics and long-term clinical outcomes in naïve-to-biologics and biologics-experienced patients treated with benralizumab for up to 96 weeks.

Impact of biologics on lung hyperinflation in patients with severe asthma.

Background: In asthma, inflammation affects both the proximal and distal airways and can cause significant hyperinflation, which is thought to be a major cause of dyspnea.

Methods: This is a retrospective observational study evaluating the effect of three months of treatment with different biologic drugs (benralizumab, dupilumab and omalizumab) on pulmonary hyperinflation in a cohort of patients with severe asthma already receiving regular triple inhaled therapy. Changes in RV, RV/TLC ratio, FRC and FRC/TLC ratio were the primary efficacy measures.

Features of severe asthma response to anti-IL5/IL5r therapies: identikit of clinical remission.

Introduction: Clinical remission (CliR) achievement has been recognized as a new potential outcome in severe asthma. Nevertheless, we still lack a detailed profile of what features could better identify patients undergoing clinical remission. In this study, we aim to address this issue, tracing a possible identikit of patients fulfilling remission criteria.

Patient and physician perspectives on biological treatment in severe asthma: a Severe Asthma Network Italy survey.

https://bit.ly/48vP70w.

Pollen respiratory allergy: Is it really seasonal?

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a highly prevalent respiratory condition that carries a heavy burden and can have a significant impact on patient quality of life. AR is caused by seasonal or perennial exposure to outdoor pollens and molds as well as indoor allergic triggers. In this review article, we discuss the factors associated with the development of AR throughout the year and the fact that patients with AR need continuous treatment rather than seasonal treatment.