Liver fibrosis predicts liver-related and cardiovascular outcomes in chronic liver disease patients. We compared the diagnostic performance of various liver fibrosis biomarkers for identifying histological significant/advanced fibrosis. Additionally, the correlations of such liver fibrosis biomarkers with cardiovascular risk (CVR) scores were evaluated. 173 patients with viral hepatitis (157 HCV and 16 HBV) and 107 with a non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were consecutively enrolled. Various liver fibrosis biomarkers: aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio (ARR), AST to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI), Fibrosis-4 (FiB-4), Forns index, NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS), BARD (body mass index (BMI), AAR, Diabetes) score, and Hepamet fibrosis score (HFS), were used to identify significant/advanced fibrosis. CVR was assessed by using the SCORE, the Progetto CUORE, or the Framingham risk scoring systems. Liver fibrosis biomarkers performed better in predicting advanced rather than significant liver fibrosis in all patients, regardless of chronic liver disease aetiology. Forns index and HFS performed best in predicting advanced fibrosis in patients with viral chronic liver disease and NAFLD. Lower cut-offs of these liver fibrosis biomarkers had high negative predictive values for advanced fibrosis overall, as well as in patients with NAFLD or viral chronic liver disease. FIB-4, Forns index, NFS, and HFS were positively correlated with SCORE and Framingham risk scores. In conclusion, liver fibrosis biomarkers accurately exclude advanced fibrosis and positively correlate with CVR scores in patients with chronic liver disease.

Aim: Diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) is a complication of diabetes in which the presence of infections, ulceration and/or destruction of deep tissue associated with neuropathy, peripheral atherosclerosis and comorbidity affect the prognosis, the need for limb amputation and quality of life. Purpose of the present study is to report the features of patients with acute DFS admitted to our Diabetic Foot Unit tertiary Center in 2019. Methods: In all patients admitted, the approach was performed through a multidisciplinary team (Diabetic Foot Care Team) and described in a specific diagnostic-therapeutic-assistance program. Criteria of inclusion were presence of sepsis and/or suspected osteomyelitis and/or critical limb ischemia. Clinical features and interventions performed were registered. Primary endpoints were mortality and amputation (major, minor). Secondary endpoints were length of hospitalization, type of revascularization and duration of antibiotic therapy. Results: Among 75 consecutive patients (mean age 70.9 years) enrolled, prevalence of acute DFS was higher among men (M/F 3:1). Poor glycemic control [mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 67.9 ± 22.3 mmol/mol], long duration of diabetes (mean 19 ± 16.3 years), high low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (mean 89.5 ± 45.1 mg/ dL) and obesity (mean Body Mass Index 30.2 ± 7.6 kg/m2) were common. Diabetes-related complications as peripheral arterial disease (PAD) (76%), ischemic heart disease (48%), retinopathy (40.5%), hepatic steatosis (50%), heart failure (17.8%) were present. During hospitalization, 21 subjects (28.4%) underwent lower limb amputations (overall rate of major amputation 4%), and 41.3% underwent percutaneous angioplasty. Long period of hospitalization (18.4 ± 7.9 days) and prolonged antibiotic therapy (23.9 ± 15.9 days) were observed. Major amputation was associated with C-reactive protein > 6.5 mg/dL (P = 0.03), osteomyelitis (P = 0.001), prior insulin therapy (P = 0.015). Conclusions: Male sex, co-morbidity, PAD, systemic inflammation and poor glycemic control are major features of acute hospitalized DFS. An approach through a multidisciplinary team is recommended in order to treat vascular and extra-vascular complications aimed at reducing mortality and at improving quality of life.

Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) is a rare manifestation of osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) which involves the pons and causes significant morbidity and mortality. CPM usually occurs in the setting of rapid correction of severe chronic hyponatremia. A rare case of CPM due to hyperglycemia in a 27-year-old man with type 1 diabetes is reported. During the patient’s hospitalization, his plasma glucose level showed a wide variability ranging from 38 mg/dL to 530 mg/dL, while plasma sodium level was constantly normal. At computed tomography (CT) scans, areas of hypodensity with a hyperdense ring were identified in the anterior part of the pons. At magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, pontine abnormalities compatible with CPM were observed. According to laboratory tests, we concluded that CPM resulted from rapid and wide shifts in osmolar gradient owing to variability in plasma glucose levels. While universally recognized in several clinical settings, CPM is rarely observed in diabetic patients. Our report supports the notion that hyperosmolarity per se plays a key role in the pathogenesis of CPM, which may occur independently of sodium abnormalities.

Background/Objectives: Diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) is a serious complication of diabetes that poses a high risk of morbidity/mortality. The management of these patients requires a multidisciplinary team approach, as these patients are “complex” and “fragile”. Despite this, the rate of re-amputation remains high. This study aims to evaluate the degree of multidimensional complexity in patients with DFS using specific tools and to determine if it is an additional risk factor for amputation. Methods: The study was conducted on a cohort of 115 patients referred to a Tertiary Center of University Hospital of Modena from January to December 2021. The study used 12 variables to assess patients, including age, sex, caregiver presence, BARTHEL INDEX, LAWTON-BRODY SCALE, Mini Mental State Examination, Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS), SINBAD system, Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool and Italian National Association of Social Workers Tool. All patients were taken care of by the Multidisciplinary Team in order to standardize care according to the updated guidelines. Patients were classified based on amputation and revascularization status. Statistical analyses were performed using R software version 4.1.1. Results: The analysis showed that a greater clinical complexity and more severe ulcer had a greater risk of amputation (respectively OR 3.13, p 0.035 and OR 1.53, p 0.015). The study confirms the predictive value of tools such as CIRS and SINBAD in amputation risk stratification for patients with DFS. Conclusions: Although limitations, due to a small sample size, the use of multidisciplinary approach and multidimensional evaluation tools can identify “unconventional” risk factors that, if modified, could delay and/or reduce the risk of amputation. Further studies are needed to investigate the role of caregiving in the prevention of amputation in patients with DFS.

Background/Objectives: Diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) is a serious complication of diabetes that poses a high risk of morbidity/mortality. The management of these patients requires a multidisciplinary team approach, as these patients are “complex” and “fragile”. Despite this, the rate of re-amputation remains high. This study aims to evaluate the degree of multidimensional complexity in patients with DFS using specific tools and to determine if it is an additional risk factor for amputation. Methods: The study was conducted on a cohort of 115 patients referred to the Tertiary Center of the University Hospital of Modena from January to December 2021. The study used 12 variables to assess the patients, including age, sex, caregiver presence, Barthel Index, Lawton–Brody Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination, Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS), SINBAD system, Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool and the Italian National Association of Social Workers Tool. All patients were taken care of by a multidisciplinary team in order to standardize care according to updated guidelines. Patients were classified based on amputation and revascularization status. Statistical analyses were performed using the R software version 4.1.1. Results: The analysis showed that a greater clinical complexity and a more severe ulcer had a greater risk of amputation (respectively, OR 3.13, p 0.035 and OR 1.53, p 0.015). The study confirms the predictive value of tools such as CIRS and SINBAD in amputation risk stratification for patients with DFS. Conclusions: Although this study has limitations due to the small sample size, the use of a multidisciplinary approach and multidimensional evaluation tools can identify “unconventional” risk factors that, if modified, could delay and/or reduce the risk of amputation. Further studies are needed to investigate the role of caregiving in the prevention of amputation in patients with DFS.