Gaetano Alfano

Dr. Gaetano Alfano

Nephrology Dialysis and Transplant Unit, University Hospital of Modena, 41124 Modena, Italy
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

10Years (2017-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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4 January 2021 in Clinical and Experimental Nephrology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
Gaetano AlfanoGaetano Alfano
Gaetano Alfano
AFAnnachiara Ferrari
Annachiara Ferrari
FFFrancesco Fontana
Francesco Fontana
RPRossella Perrone
Rossella Perrone
GMGiacomo Mori
Giacomo Mori
GGGiovanni Guaraldi
Giovanni Guaraldi

13 May 2020 in American Journal of Transplantation
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
FFFrancesco Fontana
Francesco Fontana
Gaetano AlfanoGaetano Alfano
Gaetano Alfano
GMGiacomo Mori
Giacomo Mori
AAAlessio Amurri
Alessio Amurri
LTLorenzo Tei
Lorenzo Tei
GCGianni Cappelli
Gianni Cappelli
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia has been poorly reported in solid organ transplanted patients; prognosis is uncertain and best management unclear. We describe the case of a 61-year-old kidney transplant recipient with several comorbidities who was hospitalized and later received a diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia; the infection was successfully managed with the use of hydroxychloroquine and a single administration of tocilizumab, after immunosuppression reduction; the patient did not require mechanical ventilation. During the rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, transplant clinicians should be readily informed about new cases of COVID-19 pneumonia in solid organ transplant recipients, with focus on therapeutic strategies employed and their outcome.

19 August 2019 in Journal of Clinical Medicine
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Gaetano AlfanoGaetano Alfano
Gaetano Alfano
GCGianni Cappelli
Gianni Cappelli
FFFrancesco Fontana
Francesco Fontana
LLLuca Di Lullo
Luca Di Lullo
BIBiagio Raffaele Di Iorio
Biagio Raffaele Di Iorio
GGGiovanni Guaraldi
Giovanni Guaraldi
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly improved life expectancy of infected subjects, generating a new epidemiological setting of people aging withHuman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). People living with HIV (PLWH), having longer life expectancy, now face several age-related conditions as well as side effects of long-term exposure of ART. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common comorbidity in this population. CKD is a relentlessly progressive disease that may evolve toward end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and significantly affect quality of life and risk of death. Herein, we review current understanding of renal involvement in PLWH, mechanisms and risk factors for CKD as well as strategies for early recognition of renal dysfunction and best care of CKD.

28 October 2022 in Life
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Gaetano AlfanoGaetano Alfano
Gaetano Alfano
RPRossella Perrone
Rossella Perrone
FFFrancesco Fontana
Francesco Fontana
GLGiulia Ligabue
Giulia Ligabue
SGSilvia Giovanella
Silvia Giovanella
GDGabriele Donati
Gabriele Donati
The process of aging population will inevitably increase age-related comorbidities including chronic kidney disease (CKD). In light of this demographic transition, the lack of an age-adjusted CKD classification may enormously increase the number of new diagnoses of CKD in old subjects with an indolent decline in kidney function. Overdiagnosis of CKD will inevitably lead to important clinical consequences and pronounced negative effects on the health-related quality of life of these patients. Based on these data, an appropriate workup for the diagnosis of CKD is critical in reducing the burden of CKD worldwide. Optimal management of CKD should be based on prevention and reduction of risk factors associated with kidney injury. Once the diagnosis of CKD has been made, an appropriate staging of kidney disease and timely prescriptions of promising nephroprotective drugs (e.g., RAAS, SGLT-2 inhibitors, finerenone) appear crucial to slow down the progression toward end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). The management of elderly, comorbid and frail patients also opens new questions on the appropriate renal replacement therapy for this subset of the population. The non-dialytic management of CKD in old subjects with short life expectancy features as a valid option in patient-centered care programs. Considering the multiple implications of CKD for global public health, this review examines the prevalence, diagnosis and principles of treatment of kidney disease in the aging population.

11 June 2021 in International Urology and Nephrology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
Gaetano AlfanoGaetano Alfano
Gaetano Alfano
FFFrancesco Fontana
Francesco Fontana
GMGiacomo Mori
Giacomo Mori
FGFrancesco Giaroni
Francesco Giaroni
AFAnnachiara Ferrari
Annachiara Ferrari
GGGiovanni Guaraldi
Giovanni Guaraldi

6 February 2025 in Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
Yuri BattagliaYuri Battaglia
Yuri Battaglia
RSRukshana Shroff
Rukshana Shroff
Björn MeijersBjörn Meijers
Björn Meijers
INIonut Nistor
Ionut Nistor
Gaetano AlfanoGaetano Alfano
Gaetano Alfano
CBCarlo Basile
Carlo Basile
Haemodialysis (HD) is a life-saving therapy for individuals with kidney failure. Post-filter haemodiafiltration (HDF) and high-flux HD are the most widely used treatment modalities. To date, five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been performed that compare all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality between HDF and low- or high-flux HD in adults receiving maintenance dialysis for at least 1 year. RCTs, meta-analyses and pooled individual patient data analyses have been published on this topic. However, all of them are limited by the heterogeneity of inclusion criteria and significant methodological shortcomings, including informative selection bias and the exclusion of poorly performing patients from the HDF arm after randomization. Given this background, the European Dialysis Working Group of the European Renal Association presents a Consensus Statement on HDF and high-flux HD, addressing three key outcomes: survival, health-related quality of life, and biochemical endpoints. A separate section is dedicated to paediatric patients. We searched five large electronic databases to identify parallel or cross-over RCTs comparing HDF with high-flux HD on pre-defined outcome measures. Using a mini-Delphi method, we developed 22 key consensus points by combining meta-analyses, clinical experience, and expert opinion. They aim to inform and assist in decision making and are not intended to define a standard of care. The key summary point is that HDF appears to be associated with improved overall and CV survival, provided high convection volumes are achieved. The generalizability of these findings to the entire dialysis population depends on the patient's overall health and requires further study.