Publications by authors named "Bojan A"

Article Synopsis
  • Castleman disease (CD) is a rare non-cancerous condition that can be unicentric or multicentric (MCD), with MCD leading to serious symptoms due to cytokine issues, particularly involving interleukin-6 (IL-6).
  • This study examined the real-world effectiveness of siltuximab, an anti-IL-6 therapy recommended for idiopathic MCD, in treating patients in Greece and Romania from 2017 to 2022.
  • Out of 48 patients treated, 71.1% had a response to the treatment, with a 3-year survival rate of 74%, but some patients experienced adverse effects like elevated liver enzymes and anxiety.
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  • Coronary aneurysms are defined as sections of a coronary artery that are significantly enlarged, with giant aneurysms being particularly large and lacking a clear consensus definition.
  • Atherosclerosis is a common cause in adults, while Kawasaki disease and Takayasu arteritis are key contributors in children, but complications from these aneurysms can lead to serious health issues like heart failure and arrhythmias.
  • Recent studies are investigating the molecular mechanisms behind these aneurysms, highlighting the roles of specific molecules like MMPs and inflammatory cytokines in causing arterial wall degradation and subsequent aneurysm formation.
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Hemophilia, which is a rare disease, results from congenital deficiencies of coagulation factors VIII and IX, respectively, leading to spontaneous bleeding into joints, resulting in hemophilic arthropathy (HA). HA involves complex processes, including synovial proliferation, angiogenesis, and tissue remodeling. Despite ongoing research, factors contributing to HA progression, especially in adults with severe HA experiencing joint pain, remain unclear.

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Multiple myeloma, the disease characterized by the malignant proliferation of plasma cells that invades the bone marrow, produces osteolytic lesions and secretes monoclonal proteins. Several biomarkers have been shown to represent important tools in the pathogenesis of myeloma and offer insights into bone degradation and formation. The objectives of this current study were to assess the associations of modern biomarkers (TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor; IFN: Interferon; FreeRANKL: Free Receptor Activator for Nuclear Factor kappa B Ligand; RANKL: Receptor Activator for Nuclear Factor kappa B Ligand, Beta crosslaps, IL-6: Interleukin 6) with osteolytic lesions status after first-line treatment and to evaluate the correlations between modern and classical biomarkers (LDH: Lactate Dehydrogenase; VSH: Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate; Hgb: Hemoglobin, Calcium, Albumin, B2microglobulin) stratified by osteolytic lesions status.

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Navigating through antithrombotic therapy in patients with both hemophilia and cardiovascular pathology presents a complex scenario with inherent challenges and opportunities. The presence of hemophilia, characterized by impaired blood clotting, adds a layer of complexity to the management of cardiovascular conditions requiring antiplatelet therapy and anticoagulation. Striking a delicate balance between the necessity for antithrombotic treatment to prevent cardiovascular events and the heightened risk of severe bleeding in individuals with hemophilia demands a nuanced and carefully considered approach.

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Cardiovascular diseases, among which includes coronary artery disease, represent one of the most important causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Research aimed at determining the risk factors involved recognizes a group of "traditional" risk factors, but also more recent studies identified over 100 "novel" ones which may have a role in the disease. Among the latter is the thrombophilia profile of a patient, a pathology well-established for its involvement in venous thromboembolism, but with less studied implications in arterial thrombosis.

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Gallbladder disorders encompass a spectrum from congenital anomalies to inflammatory and neoplastic conditions, frequently requiring surgical intervention. Epithelial abnormalities like adenoma and metaplasia have the potential to progress to carcinoma, emphasizing the importance of histopathological assessment for early detection of malignancy. Gallbladder cancer (GBC) may be incidentally discovered during cholecystectomy for presumed benign conditions, underscoring the need for a thorough examination.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The erythropoietin (EPO) pathway, triggered by low oxygen levels, enhances the growth, survival, and maturation of these progenitor cells, while numerous factors—like transcription factors and cytokines—regulate this process.
  • * By studying the irregularities in erythropoiesis linked to conditions such as anemia and cancer, researchers aim to understand the differences in red blood cell populations and develop gene therapies for blood-related diseases.
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Objective: Hyperuricaemia is necessary for gout. High urate concentrations have been linked to inflammation in mononuclear cells. Here, we explore the role of the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) in urate-induced inflammation.

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Periarticular fractures are complex injuries affecting the joint articular surface, the subchondral area, the metaphyseal region, the surrounding soft tissue envelope and not infrequently the ligamentous structures. The management of these injuries has evolved over the years, from one stage to two stage procedures thus facilitating soft tissue resuscitation, adequate pre-operative planning and the use of biologics optimizing the conditions for definitive fixation for a successful long-term outcome. Provisional fixation constitutes an essential step in the surgical treatment of these fractures.

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  • Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) has a poor prognosis despite recent treatment advancements, and this study focused on 133 AML patients treated in Romania from 2015 to 2021.
  • The study included a predominantly middle-aged population, revealing a median overall survival of 8.7 months, a 26.3% disease-free survival rate, and a 48.9% complete remission rate, with high early mortality primarily due to septic shock.
  • Results indicated lower remission rates and overall survival compared to other studies, emphasizing the need to address infection risks, especially in older patients who experienced worse outcomes.
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Aortic aneurysms represent a very common pathology that can affect any segment of the aorta. These types of aneurysms can be localized on the thoracic segment or on the abdominal portion, with the latter being more frequent. Though there are similarities between thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms, these pathologies are distinct entities.

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The gallbladder undergoes different types of pathologies, ranging from inflammatory to preneoplasia and finally to malignant lesions. Gallbladder carcinoma can be highly invasive, and it is known that chronic inflammation of the gallbladder can lead to preneoplastic abnormalities and subsequently malignant phenotypes. Gallbladder neoplasia has a low incidence but is associated with a very poor prognosis.

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Background: The widespread use of intramedullary nails (IMNs) compared with sliding hip screws (SHSs) in extracapsular hip fractures (AO/OTA 31-A1, 31-A2, 31-A3) has been questioned because of a higher complication rate, although the outcome might have improved through more recent implant designs and the learning curve. This study aimed to investigate if there is a difference with regard to the cumulative incidence of conversion to arthroplasty or any reoperation during the first 5 years after IMN or SHS fixation of extracapsular hip fractures.

Methods: In this nationwide, observational cohort study, individuals who were ≥60 years of age and were registered in the Swedish Fracture Register (SFR) from 2012 to 2018 due to extracapsular fracture and were primarily treated with an IMN or SHS were followed in the SFR and the Swedish Arthroplasty Register (SAR) for a minimum of 1 year.

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Despite evidence associating the use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices with increased survival and quality of life in patients with advanced heart failure (HF), significant complications and high costs limit their clinical use. We aimed to design an innovative MCS device to address three important needs: low cost, minimally invasive implantation techniques, and low risk of infection. We used mathematical modeling to calculate the pump characteristics to deliver variable flows at different pump diameters, turbomachinery design software CFturbo (2020 R2.

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Introduction: The fixation of small intraarticular bone fragments is clinically challenging and an obvious first orthopaedic indication for an effective bone adhesive. In the present study the feasibility of bonding freshly harvested human trabecular bone with OsStic, a novel phosphoserine modified cement, was evaluated using a bone cylinder model pull-out test and compared with a commercial fibrin tissue adhesive.

Methods: Femoral heads (n=13) were collected from hip fracture patients undergoing arthroplasty and stored refrigerated overnight in saline medium prior to testing.

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Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have an important role in innate immunity, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of genes influence the risk of developing hematological malignancies. We aimed to evaluate the effect of (rs5743708), (rs11536889, rs4986790, rs4986791), (rs187084, rs352140, rs5743836) on AML risk, the relation between investigated SNPs and somatic mutations, clinical features, and the overall survival of adult AML patients. All mentioned SNPs were genotyped in 511 AML cases and 503 healthy controls.

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Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represent a break-through treatment for a large number of cancer types. This treatment is increasingly being recommended. ICIs are prescribed for primary tumours and for metastases, adjuvant/neo-adjuvant therapy.

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Introduction: Primary central nervous system lymphoma is an uncommon form of extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, with increasing incidence, a relatively aggressive course and a poor 5-year survival. Because of its localization, the therapeutic compounds used in this disease must be able to pass through the blood-brain barrier. Chemotherapy regimens based on high-dose methotrexate are currently the standard of care for all patients who can tolerate such drugs.

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Multiple myeloma (MM) is a bone marrow neoplasia with increasing incidence compared to previous years. Although new therapeutic molecules have been introduced, it remains an incurable disease with severe repercussions to patients. For many patients, bone disease represents a severe problem often causing pain, pathological bone fractures, and spinal cord compression, which affects the quality of life.

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What started with 41 hospitalized patients identified as having laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China, by January 2, 2020, turned into an unprecedented pandemic with more than 113 million confirmed cases and a mortality exceeding 2.5 million deaths worldwide by the beginning of March 2021. Although the course of the disease is uneventful in most cases, there is a percentage of patients who become critically ill and need admission in the intensive care unit for severe respiratory failure.

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Recent years have brought about new understandings regarding the pathogenesis of anemia in sports. From hemodilution and redistribution considered to contribute to the so-called "sports anemia" to iron deficiency caused by increased demands, dietary restrictions, decreased absorption, increased losses, hemolysis, and sequestration, to genetic determinants of different types of anemia (some related to sport), the anemia in athletes deserves a careful and multifactorial approach. Dietary factors that reduce iron absorption (e.

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Article Synopsis
  • Hemophilia A and B are genetic disorders linked to the X chromosome that result in improper blood clotting due to deficiencies in specific coagulation factors, leading to spontaneous bleeding after injuries.
  • An individualized patient-centered approach to treatment is essential, taking into account factors like age, bleeding history, and personal goals, while recent innovations in diagnostics and therapies aim to enhance patient care.
  • While recombinant factors are the current standard treatment despite short half-lives, extended half-life (EHL) factors and gene therapies show promise for better adherence and outcomes in future hemophilia management.
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  • Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a serious inflammatory condition that can arise from various sources like infections or autoimmune diseases, but it is often misdiagnosed as sepsis or other complications.
  • Effective early diagnosis is crucial, as many patients miss out on timely treatment, leading to high mortality rates.
  • This review analyzes 40 studies to identify key diagnostic criteria for MAS, highlighting symptoms like fever and hyperferritinemia, and anticipates a comprehensive diagnostic score from a current international consensus effort, the Delphi International Survey.
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