Long-term Tomographic, Refractive, and Visual Analysis of Keratoconus Eyes With Extreme Corneal Flattening After Corneal Cross-linkingHenriquez, Izquierdo, Zenteno
et alCornea (2025)
Abstract: To evaluate the long-term tomographic, refractive, and visual characteristics of eyes with extreme corneal flattening after corneal cross-linking (CXL) for progressive keratoconus.A retrospective observational study included eyes that underwent corneal CXL with epithelial removal between June 2006 and March 2017 and had extreme keratometric flattening [greater than 5 diopters (D)] and a minimum follow-up of 5 years. Visual, tomographic, pachymetric, and refractive characteristics were evaluated.Mean follow-up time was 7.6 ± 2.6 years (range 5-13 years). Fifteen eyes were included in the study. Mean maximum keratometric (Kmax) flattening was -7.58 ± 2.63 D [range 5.0-12.2 D, (P <0.001)]. Approximately 56.25% (9/15) of the eyes experienced progressive flattening over the years. And 40% (6/15) presented an improvement of one or more lines of corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), and 26.6% (5/16) of the eyes showed a worsening of CDVA. Logistic regression analysis revealed that postoperative Kmax flattening greater than 2 D at the first year postop (odds ratio 17.7, 95% confidence interval, 4.4-71.2) and preoperative Kmax greater than 55 D (odds ratio 8.8, 95% confidence interval, 2.7-28.3) were significant risk factors for extreme postop keratometric flattening.Progressive extreme corneal flattening when accompanied with a decrease of CDVA was a late complication of CXL that may have required corneal transplantation for visual rehabilitation. Preoperative steeper corneas and keratometric flattening greater than 2 D at the first year postoperative period were risk factors associated with long-term extreme postoperative corneal flattening.Copyright © 2025 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
[ANMCO Position paper: Management of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction]Iacovoni, Navazio, De Luca
et alG Ital Cardiol (Rome) (2025) 26 (4), 270-299
Abstract: Heart failure is the leading cardiovascular cause of hospitalization with an increasing prevalence, especially in older patients. About 50% of patients with heart failure have preserved ventricular function, a form of heart failure that, until a few years ago, was orphaned by pharmacological treatments effective in reducing hospitalization and mortality. New trials, which have tested the use of gliflozins in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), have for the first time demonstrated their effectiveness in changing the natural history of this insidious and frequent form of heart failure. Therefore, diagnosing those patients early is crucial to provide the best treatment. Moreover, the diagnosis is influenced by the patient's comorbidities, and some HFpEF patients have symptoms common to other rare diseases that, if unrecognized, develop an unfavourable prognosis. This position paper aims to provide the clinician with a useful tool for diagnosing and treating patients with HFpEF, guiding the clinician towards the most appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic pathway.
Systemic inflammatory response markers improve the discrimination for prognostic model in hepatocellular carcinomaRocco, Sgamato, Pelizzaro
et alHepatol Int (2025)
Abstract: We aimed to evaluate the performance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and their combination (combined NLR-PLR, CNP) in predicting overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in a large cohort of unselected hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.Training and validation cohort data were retrieved from the Italian Liver Cancer (ITA.LI.CA) database. The optimal cut-offs of NLR and PLR were calculated according to the multivariable fractional polynomial and the minimum p value method. The continuous effect and best cut-off categories of NLR and PLR were analyzed using multivariable Cox regression analysis. A shrinkage procedure adjusted over-fitting hazard ratio (HR) estimates of best cut-off categories. C-statistic and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were calculated to evaluate the discrimination properties of the biomarkers when added to clinical survival models.2,286 patients were split into training (n = 1,043) and validation (n = 1,243) cohorts. The optimal cut-offs for NLR and PLR were 1.45 and 188, respectively. NLR (HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.11-2.28, p = 0.014) and PLR (HR 1.79, 95% CI 1.11-2.90, p = 0.018) were independent predictors of OS. When incorporated into a clinical prognostic model that includes age, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), the CHILD-Pugh score, and the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system, CNP had a significant incremental value in predicting OS (IDI 1.3%, p = 0.04). Data were confirmed in the validation cohort. Neither NLR nor PLR significantly predicted RFS in the training cohort.NLR, PLR, and CNP independently predicted shorter OS in HCC patients. The addition of CNP to the survival prediction model significantly improved the model's accuracy in predicting OS.© 2025. The Author(s).
Penile urethral anastomosis to the vesico-urethral junction, after transabdominal wall passage of the penis, as treatment for intrapelvic stent-related urethral obstruction in a dogFoglia, Cola, Del Magno
et alVet Surg (2025)
Abstract: The objective of the present study was to report the outcome of a novel technique of urethral intra-abdominal anastomosis after transabdominal wall passage of the penis in a dog with stent-related urethral obstruction.Case report.A seven-year-old neutered male Cocker Spaniel.The dog was evaluated for urinary retention and overflow incontinence of approximately 1-year duration. The dog had a urethral self-expanding metallic stent placed 6 years prior as treatment for pelvic urethral stricture, secondary to severe pelvic trauma. Stent fracture and stent-related tissue hyperplasia were diagnosed leading to intrapelvic urethral obstruction and concomitant atonic bladder complicated by cystolithiasis and urinary tract infection. An intra-abdominal urethral anastomosis was performed to restore urethral patency, after passing the penis through the abdominal wall, into the inguinal area; the surgery was successful in bypassing the urethral obstruction.No contrast leakage was noted on positive contrast cystourethrography 10 days postoperatively. The urinary bladder was easily emptied by manual expression and bethanechol was started. At 6-months follow-up, the urinary bladder remained atonic but was easily emptied by manual expression, with mild urinary incontinence remaining. No signs of recurrent urinary tract infections were noted. Nine months after surgery the dog was euthanized for reasons unrelated to the surgery.The transabdominal wall urethral anastomosis, after penile abdominal tunnelization resulted in bypassing the urethral obstruction in this dog, restoring urethral patency. The technique reported could be a viable surgical option for restoring urethral patency in dogs with severe pelvic urethral damage or obstructive lesions.© 2025 The Author(s). Veterinary Surgery published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
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