The role of migraine as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events has been debated for several years, while it is more established for ischemic stroke. Recently, new studies have examined the likelihood of migraine to determine cardiovascular events, supporting the hypothesis of a predominant role in patients with migraine with aura, the risk including both sexes. In the literature, multiple pathophysiological mechanisms are described to explain this association, and are here discussed. Furthermore, the emerging evidence that a higher headache frequency and long-term migraine may worsen the cardio-metabolic profile in migraineurs (e.g. with a higher Framingham risk score and risk of developing atherosclerosis, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome) makes it increasingly necessary to reduce the number and severity of attacks, not only to alleviate the painful symptoms, but also to improve the prognosis in these patients.

Aims and background: Microinvasive biopsy techniques are increasingly employed in the diagnostic assessment of non-palpable breast lesions (NPBLs). This study reports the four-year experience of an Italian surgical center in the evaluation of the diagnostic effectiveness versus adverse effects of vacuum-assisted core biopsy (Mammotome). Methods: 314 NPBLs with a dubious ultrasound and/or radiographic appearance were subjected to mammography-guided (86) or ultrasound-guided (228) Mammotome biopsy. Results: The procedure could be completed and was diagnostic in 305 cases (P <0.0001). Adverse events were transient lightheadedness. in two cases and moderate bleeding in three cases. Histological processing of the biopsies showed 227 cases of benign disease (74.42%), 68 cases of carcinoma (20 carcinomas in situ and 48 infiltrating carcinomas) (22.29%), nine cases of atypical ductal hyperplasia (2.95%) and one atypical lobular hyperplasia (0.33%). Only 12 patients reported mild discomfort relative to the procedure. The difference between the number of patients reporting discomfort and that of patients reporting no discomfort at all was highly significant (P <0.0001). Conclusions: The results confirm that Mammotome biopsy is a highly effective procedure for the diagnosis of NPBLs, with minimal negative effects.

Fibromyalgia, a chronic syndrome of diffuse musculoskeletal pain and somatic hyperalgesia from central sensitization, is very often comorbid with visceral pain conditions. In fibromyalgia patients with gallbladder calculosis, this study assessed the short and long-term impact of laparoscopic cholecystectomy on fibromyalgia pain symptoms. Fibromyalgia pain (VAS scale) and pain thresholds in tender points and control areas (skin, subcutis and muscle) were evaluated 1week before (basis) and 1week, 1,3,6 and 12months after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in fibromyalgia patients with symptomatic calculosis (n = 31) vs calculosis patients without fibromyalgia (n. 26) and at comparable time points in fibromyalgia patients not undergoing cholecystectomy, with symptomatic (n = 27) and asymptomatic (n = 28) calculosis, and no calculosis (n = 30). At basis, fibromyalgia+symptomatic calculosis patients presented a significant linear correlation between the number of previously experienced biliary colics and fibromyalgia pain (direct) and muscle thresholds (inverse)(p<0.0001). After cholecystectomy, fibromyalgia pain significantly increased and all thresholds significantly decreased at 1week and 1month (1-way ANOVA, p<0.01-p<0.001), the decrease in muscle thresholds correlating linearly with the peak postoperative pain at surgery site (p<0.003-p<0.0001). Fibromyalgia pain and thresholds returned to preoperative values at 3months, then pain significantly decreased and thresholds significantly increased at 6 and 12months (p<0.05-p<0.0001). Over the same 12-month period: in non-fibromyalgia patients undergoing cholecystectomy thresholds did not change; in all other fibromyalgia groups not undergoing cholecystectomy fibromyalgia pain and thresholds remained stable, except in fibromyalgia+symptomatic calculosis at 12months when pain significantly increased and muscle thresholds significantly decreased (p<0.05-p<0.0001). The results of the study show that biliary colics from gallbladder calculosis represent an exacerbating factor for fibromyalgia symptoms and that laparoscopic cholecystectomy produces only a transitory worsening of these symptoms, largely compensated by the long-term improvement/desensitization due to gallbladder removal. This study provides new insights into the role of visceral pain comorbidities and the effects of their treatment on fibromyalgia pain/hypersensitivity.

In migraine patients with cervical myofascial trigger points whose target areas coincide with migraine sites (M + cTrPs), TrP anesthetic injection reduces migraine symptoms, but the procedure often causes discomfort. This study evaluated if a topical TrP treatment with 3% nimesulide gel has similar efficacy as the injection but produces lesser discomfort with higher acceptability by the patients. Retrospective analysis of medical charts of M + cTrPs patients in the period January 2012–December 2016 at a single Headache Center. Three groups of 25 patients each were included, all receiving migraine prophylaxis (flunarizine 5 mg/day) for 3 months and symptomatic treatment on demand. Group 1 received no TrP treatment, group 2 received TrP injections (bupivacaine 5 mg/ml at basis, 3rd, 10th, 30th and 60th day), group 3 received daily TrP topical treatment with 1.5 g of 3% nimesulide gel for 15 consecutive days, 15 days interruption and again 15 consecutive days. The following were evaluated: monthly number of migraine attacks and rescue medications, migraine intensity; pain thresholds to skin electrical stimulation (EPTs) and muscle pressure stimulation (PPTs) in TrP and target (basis, 30th, 60th and 180th days); discomfort from, acceptability of and willingness to repeat treatment (end of study). ANOVA for repeated measures and 1-way ANOVA were used to assess temporal trends in each group and comparisons among groups, respectively. Significance level was set at p < 0.05. Migraine improved over time in all groups, but significantly more and earlier in those receiving TrP treatment vs no TrP treatment (0.02 < p < 0.0001, 30–180 days for intensity and rescue medication, 60–180 days for number). All thresholds in the non-TrP-treated group did not change over time, while significantly improving in both the injection and nimesulide gel groups (0.01 < p < 0.0001, 30–180 days). Improvement of migraine and thresholds did not differ in the two TrP-treated groups. Discomfort was significantly lower, acceptability and willingness to repeat treatment significantly higher (0.05 < p < 0.0001) with gel than injection. In migraine patients, topical treatment of cervical TrPs with 5% nimesulide gel proves equally effective as TrP injection with local anesthetics but more acceptable by the patients. This treatment could be effectively associated to standard migraine prophylaxis to improve therapeutic outcomes.

Aims and Background: Occult/obscure gastrointestinal bleeding is often problematic to diagnose. It often leads to delayed treatment, a particularly dangerous circumstance when tumor origins are involved. This study reports the six-year experience of an Italian Surgery Center in the identification of the nature (tumor versus non tumor) and site of origin (upper, middle, lower gastrointestinal tract) of occult/obscure bleeding requiring hospitalization, as well as in its treatment. Methods: Diagnostic instrumental examinations employed were: esophagogastroduodenoscopy, rectocolonoscopy, computerized tomography small bowel follow-through examination, capsule endoscopy, biopsy, angiography, abdominal computerized tomography scans and ultrasound. Therapies included: interventional radiology and surgery. Results: Thirty-five cases of obscure and 27 cases of occult bleeding were examined; all received a definite diagnosis during hospitalization. In the cases with obscure bleeding the diagnosis was inflammatory bowel disease (n = 7), angiodysplasia (5 gastric, 2 duodenal, 2 jejunal, 3 ileal, 4 right colon), small bowel tumors (4 non-Hodgkin lymphomas, 1 leiomyoma, 6 adenocarcinomas), and gastric metaplasia of Meckel's diverticulum (n = 1). There were significantly more nontumor lesions than tumors (P <0.005), and a middle tract source was significantly more frequent than upper/lower tract sources (P <0.0001). Intestinal resections were performed for all small bowel tumors (8 laparotomic, 3 laparoscopic), 5 angiodysplasias, all cases of inflammatory bowel disease and gastric metaplasia of Meckel's diverticulum; arterial embolization was performed for 11 angiodysplasias. In the cases with occult bleeding the diagnosis was sigmoid colon polyps in 6 (treatment, endoscopic polypectomy) and right colon cancer in 21 (treatment, right hemicolectomy). There were significantly more tumors than nontumor lesions (P <0.0001); all derived from the lower gastrointestinal tract. In all cases, the interventions resolved the bleeding completely. Conclusions: The results show that more than 50% of cases with obscure/occult bleeding requiring hospitalization are motivated by malignant gastrointestinal tumors, 34% of which are located in the small bowel, usually a difficult tract to explore. Thanks to modern technology, however, their diagnosis and treatment can nowadays be promptly and successfully achieved.