Publications (4)7.4 Total impact
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Article: Teleconsulting for minor head injury: the Piedmont experience.
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ABSTRACT: We evaluated the benefits of teleconsulting for patients hospitalised with minor head injuries in centres without neurosurgery. In the Piedmont region, 1462 consultation requests were received at specialist centres in 2009, relating to 519 patients with a minor head injury diagnosis (ICD 850-854). These were compared with the details of 1895 patients admitted with the same diagnosis during 2009, but for whom no consultations were requested. The mortality risk in the two groups was estimated using logistic regression, after adjusting for the principal confounding factors (sex, age, seriousness of the patient's injury at diagnosis, referral centre). The estimated risk of death for patients for whom no consultation was requested was an odds ratio of 1.32 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.74) compared to those who received a teleconsultation. However, after adjusting for the confounding factors, the risk was not significant (odds ratio = 1.25, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.91). A stratified analysis identified a significant effect for elderly people, aged over 70 years, in whom the odds ratio was 1.14 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.82). The results confirm the benefits of telemedicine, in particular for elderly patients, when teleconsultation is requested in the case of minor head injury.Journal of telemedicine and telecare 03/2013; · 0.92 Impact Factor -
Article: Neuropathic pain in post-burn hypertrophic scars: a psychophysical and neurophysiological study.
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ABSTRACT: Pain complicates hypertrophic post-burn pathologic scars (PPS) METHODS: To investigate the possible neuropathic origin of pain, 13 patients with painful PPS involving at least 1 hand underwent clinical examination, including the Douleur Neuropathique en 4 questions (DN4) questionnaire; median, ulnar, and radial nerve conduction studies (NCS); cold- (CDT) and heat-induced pain threshold evaluation by quantitative sensory testing; and cutaneous silent period (CSP) testing of the abductor pollicis brevis. Controls included 9 patients with non-painful PPS, 52 healthy subjects, and 28 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). All patients with painful PPS had possible neuropathic pain (DN4 score ≥4). NCS signs of CTS were similarly present in PPS subjects with or without pain. Hands with painful PPS had lower CDT and CSP duration, more frequent cold- and heat-pain hypesthesia, and more thermal allodynia than controls. In PPS, possible neuropathic pain is associated with psychophysical and neurophysiological abnormalities suggestive of small-fiber damage.Muscle & Nerve 06/2012; 45(6):883-90. · 2.37 Impact Factor -
Article: Chiari and Syringomyelia Consortium: a model of multidisciplinary and sharing path for rare diseases.
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ABSTRACT: Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta Interregional Network for Rare Diseases (RD) is a model of "diffuse" network; it involves all the health system specialists devoted to the diagnosis, the therapy and the follow-up of a RD. The Consortium is a multidisciplinary team operating throughout the Region composed of volunteer Physicians and Biologists that promotes periodical meetings to develop shared protocols. In 2008 the Specialist-Technical Committee for the Interregional RD Network approved the set up of the "Chiari and Syringomyelia Consortium" (CSC) with two specific objectives: to identify the shared diagnostic criteria and to develop the interdisciplinary diagnostic-therapeutic-assistance path (DTAP) to be used interregionally. Other objectives are: to define the prevalence of the pathologies (both symptomatic and asymptomatic, both in adults and children) and to improve collaboration between the patient Associations and the Physicians.Neurological Sciences 09/2011; 32 Suppl 3:S271-3. · 1.32 Impact Factor -
Article: Traumatic peripheral nerve injuries: epidemiological findings, neuropathic pain and quality of life in 158 patients.
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ABSTRACT: The objectives of this study were (1) epidemiological analysis of traumatic peripheral nerve injuries; (2) assessment of neuropathic pain and quality of life in patients affected by traumatic neuropathies. All consecutive patients with a diagnosis of traumatic neuropathies from four Italian centres were enrolled. Electromyography confirmed clinical level and site diagnosis of peripheral nerve injury. All patients were evaluated by disability scales, pain screening tools, and quality of life tests. 158 consecutive patients for a total of 211 traumatic neuropathies were analysed. The brachial plexus was a frequent site of traumatic injury (36%) and the radial, ulnar, and peroneal were the most commonly involved nerves with 15% of iatrogenic injuries. Seventy-two percent of the traumatic neuropathies were painful. Pain was present in 66% and neuropathic pain in 50% of all patients. Patients had worse quality of life scores than did the healthy Italian population. Moreover, there was a strong correlation between the quality of life and the severity of the pain, particularly neuropathic pain (Short Form-36 [SF-36] p < 0.005; Beck Depression Inventory [BDI] p < 0.0001). Traumatic neuropathies were more frequent in young males after road accidents, mainly in the upper limbs. Severe neuropathic pain and not only disability contributed to worsening the quality of life in patients with traumatic neuropathies.Journal of the Peripheral Nervous System 06/2010; 15(2):120-7. · 2.80 Impact Factor
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2013
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Università degli Studi di Torino
Torino, Piedmont, Italy
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