Comparison of Glasgow-Blatchford Score and Rockall Score in Patients with Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

Introduction: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding can be a life-threatening condition and requires careful evaluation from the very first episode in order to reduce the risk of rebleeding, hemorrhagic shock and death. The outcome of a patient with upper gastrointestinal bleeding depends on resuscitation measures taken during admission to the hospital and an adequate assessment of the patient's risk level.

Aim: The aim of the study is to compare Glasgow Blatchford score and Rockall score and to identify the most accurate score used in predicting unfavorable outcomes and the need for intervention.

Impact of Different Sources of Infection on Therapy Response in Chronic Hepatitis C.

Introduction: Prior to the 1990s, the most common sources of HCV infections were blood transfusions, unsafe injections and I.V drug use. Screening of blood products for HCV has eradicated transfusion-transmitted hepatitis C in most countries since 1992-in Bosnia and Herzegovina, however, since 1995, due to the war.

Prognostic Significance of Ascites and Serum Sodium in Patients with Low Meld Scores.

Objective: to determine ascites and serum sodium significance in short term mortality prediction in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis.

Methods: a cohort of 115 cirrhotic patients referred to our Department were followed up for 6 months in non-transplant settings. The c index equivalent to the area under the receiver operating curve (ROC) was calculated and compared to estimate the short-term prognostic accuracy of the following parameters: ascites, serum sodium and MELD score.

Prognostic markers in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Aim: To evaluate the easily available laboratory and clinical markers in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and compare their prognostic value.

Methods: The study sample included a group of 80 patients with an established diagnosis of decompensated cirrhosis, hspitalizsed at the Department of Gastroenterohepatology, Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo, between 2009 and 2011, followed up for 6 months either as outpatients or through repeated hspitalizsation. It was estimated that the accuracy (c-index) of the six variables, laboratory (serum bilirubin, creatinine, International Normalised Ratio (INR) and albumine) and clinical variables (hepatic encephalopathy and ascites) reflect the function of the liver in their ability to predict 6-month mortality.

Clinical significance of haemostatic tests in chronic liver disease.

Objective: To determine different haemostatic tests in patients with various degrees of liver parenchymal damage and to rule out their role in assessing parenchymal hepatocyte dysfunction.

Methods: Seventy-five patients with chronic liver disease were included and due to their degree of liver damage categorized into three groups: group one patients with chronic viral hepatitis and early stage of fibrosis (n=30), group two patients with compensated cirrhosis (n=17) and group three patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis (n=28). The following haemostatic tests were measured: activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, plasma fibrinogen, antithrombin III and protein C and plasma D-dimer.

Evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of the endoscopic ultrasonography results in the patients examined in a period of three years.

Introduction: Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is a well-established method of evaluating patients with gastrointestinal diseases, especially malignancies. EUS is like other similar endoscopy techniques, based on high frequency ultrasonography. This high level technology allows examination of tissue to almost microscopic level, not only in digestive system but its surrounding structures.

Portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG).

Portal hypertenisive gastropathy (PHG) and GAVE syndrome are recently discovered entities who can be associated with bloodloss from gastrointestinal tract at patients with or without liver cirrhosis. PHG will be developed at 65% of patients with portal hypertension caused by liver cirrhosis but it could be developed at portal hypertension which is not caused by the liver cirrhosis. PHG is often assosiated with portal hypertension patients and presence of esofageal and /or gastric varices.

[Therapy of chronic viral hepatitis B].

In chronic HBV infection, studies of outcome have shown that successful antiviral treatment undertaken early in course of diseases, may improve health and quality of life. Aims of treatment are: decrease of aminotransferase level to normal, histological necroinflammatory reduction, sustain loss of HbeAg and HBV DNA, antibodies on Hbe occurrence and loss of HbsAg with complete eradication of viral infection. Three therapeutical options are available: thymosine, lamivudine and standard interferon alpha.

[Imaging procedures in gastroenterology].

Recent achievements in fields of physics, microelectronical devices and informatical sciences opened huge possibilities of applications in medical specialities. Spread imaging over routine high-resolution instruments continue to be in focus of scientific researches varying from simple staining techniques to most sophisticated photodynamical techniques. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography are radiological specialties, however; we mentioned them for promising achievements in computed data analysis and further improvements of virtual colonoscopy.