Hemoperfusion with CytoSorb in Pediatric Patients: A Monocentric Case Series.

Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines help regulate the inflammatory response. A cytokine storm is a dysregulated cytokine response associated with sepsis and other conditions that result in a hyper-inflammatory state. Extracorporeal cytokine adsorption has the potential to restore a balanced inflammatory response.

Inadvertent Intoxication with Salbutamol, Treated with Hemodialysis: A Case Report and Brief Review of the Literature.

Introduction: Salbutamol is a moderately selective beta-2-adrenergic agonist. Various side effects can occur because of beta-1 and beta-2 receptor activation. Due to the large volume of distribution, it is not considered dialyzable.

Pharyngeal reconstruction after total laryngectomy with sliding epiglottis: technical aspects with retrospective review.

Introduction: Several techniques have been employed for defect reconstruction after total laryngectomy, among others sliding epiglottoplasty. As there is a paucity of data on sliding epiglottoplasty after total laryngectomy, this study aimed to present this reconstruction technique in detail with the retrospective analysis of the patients.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed single-center medical records of patients who underwent pharyngeal reconstruction after total laryngectomy between 2007-2013, with a follow-up to 2020.

A matched case-control study on the effectiveness of extracorporeal cytokine adsorption in critically ill patients.

Extracorporeal cytokine adsorption aims to reduce cytokine levels in critically ill patients. However, little convincing data exist to support its widespread use. This retrospective study compared interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in patients treated with or without cytokine adsorber (CytoSorb®).

Sialendoscopy-Based Analysis of Submandibular Duct Papillae with a Proposal for Classification.

Identifying a submandibular (Wharton's) duct punctum often hinders sialendoscopy; however, there is a paucity of evidence on whether the appearance of Wharton's duct papilla impacts the sialendoscopic procedure. A classification of Wharton's duct papillae based on the macroscopic appearance, size of dilatation probes, and sialendoscopic approach was proposed herein. The classification describing four main types of papillae, A, B, C, and D, was prospectively evaluated on 351 Wharton's duct papillae in 315 patients.

Predictive value of inflammatory and coagulation biomarkers for venous thromboembolism in COVID-19 patients.

Background: The predictive value of coagulation markers for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in COVID-19 patients has been investigated with conflicting results.

Objective: Our aim was to investigate the correlation between biomarkers and VTE and the predictive value of D-dimer for VTE in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Methods: Complete blood count, inflammatory and coagulation biomarkers at admission were collected.

Comparison of the feasibility and safety of infrazygomatic and suprazygomatic approaches to pterygopalatine fossa using virtual reality.

Background: Injections of local anesthetics into pterygopalatine fossa gained popularity for treating acute and chronic facial pain and headaches. Injury of maxillary artery during pterygopalatine fossa injection can result in pseudoaneurysm formation or acute bleeding. We aimed to identify the optimal approach into pterygopalatine fossa by comparing feasibility and safety of suprazygomatic and two infrazygomatic approaches.

Effect of CytoSorb Coupled with Hemodialysis on Interleukin-6 and Hemodynamic Parameters in Patients with Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Excessive release of cytokines during systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) often leads to refractory hypotension and multiple organ failure with high mortality. Cytokine removal with hemoadsorption has emerged as a possible adjuvant therapy, but data on interleukin-6 (IL-6) reduction and outcomes in clinical practice are scarce. We aimed to evaluate the effect of CytoSorb hemoadsorption on laboratory and clinical outcomes in shocked patients with SIRS.

Sialendoscopy in Management of Juvenile Recurrent Parotitis-A Single Centre Experience.

Juvenile recurrent parotitis is a rare inflammatory disease of the parotid gland that shares diverse therapeutic management between institutions. Sialendoscopy has been demonstrated as an efficient diagnostics and therapeutic method with minimal complications; however, due to the rarity of the disease and limited data, there is a lack of universal guidelines on its optimal management. Herein, we retrospectively analysed patients with juvenile recurrent parotitis who had the sialendoscopy performed at our tertiary centre.

Comparable Triglyceride Reduction With Plasma Exchange and Insulin in Acute Pancreatitis - A Randomized Trial.

Background And Aims: Both insulin and plasma exchange (PE) are used in hypertriglyceridemic acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP). Our aim was to compare the efficacy of both treatments.

Methods: A randomized, parallel group study performed in a tertiary hospital in 22 HTG-AP patients with non-severe prognosis and triglycerides between 15 and 40 mmol/L.

Extracorporeal Removal of Myoglobin in Patients with Rhabdomyolysis and Acute Kidney Injury: Comparison of High and Medium Cut-Off Membrane and an Adsorber Cartridge.

Introduction: The role of extracorporeal myoglobin removal in the treatment of rhabdomyolysis-associated severe acute kidney injury (AKI) is not yet fully established. High cut-off (HCO) and medium cut-off (MCO) dialysis membrane and cytokine adsorber (CytoSorb®) have been used to this purpose in clinical practice. The data on comparative effectiveness of those methods are scarce.

The predictive value of urinary erythrocyte morphology for proliferative glomerular kidney disease.

Background And Aim: Glomerular erythrocyturia (GlomEry) is usually associated with proliferative kidney diseases. In our retrospective cohort, we aimed to validate the predictive value of GlomEry criteria ≥ 40% dysmorphic erythrocytes (DysEry) or ≥ 5% acanthocytes (AcaEry) or at least 1 erythrocytic cast (CastEry) and of two new indices - the count of DysEry per high power field (HPF) and per microliter of urine (Stansfeld-Webb (SW)) method, for proliferative disease.

Materials And Methods: We included patients with erythrocyturia from 2015 to 2016.

Current state of the morphological assessment of urinary erythrocytes in The Netherlands: a nation-wide questionnaire.

Background The morphological assessment of urinary erythrocytes (uRBC) is a convenient screening tool for the differentiation of nephrological (dysmorphic) and urological (isomorphic) causes of hematuria. Considering the morphological heterogeneity, this analysis is often perceived as difficult. There is no clear (inter)national consensus and there is a lack of external quality assessment programs.

Association of Uremic Toxins and Inflammatory Markers with Physical Performance in Dialysis Patients.

Association of higher serum levels of uremic toxins and inflammatory markers with poorer physical performance is understudied. We measured the six-minute walk test (6MWT), 10 repetition sit-to-stand test (STS-10), handgrip strength (HGS), and Human Activity Profile (HAP) questionnaire score in 90 prevalent hemodialysis patents, with low comorbidity to reduce the potential confounding of concomitant disease. Midweek pre-dialysis serum levels of asymmetric dimethyl-arginine (ADMA), β2-microglobulin (B2M), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), indoxyl sulfate (IS), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6), myostatin, and urea were analyzed as predictor parameters of physical performance measures in adjusted models.

Rituximab for the treatment of membranous nephropathy: a single-center experience.

Background: Treatment of idiopathic membranous nephropathy with rituximab was introduced more than a decade ago following experimental data that suggested involvement of B-cell-mediated reactions in its pathogenesis. It was a logical step towards a more selective therapy with less severe side effects as compared to the recommended first-line immunosuppressive therapy with corticosteroids and different immunosuppressant drugs.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the anonymous data of patients who were treated with rituximab for idiopathic membranous nephropathy at our institution from January 2006 to July 2016.

Psychosocial Risk Factors for Low Back Pain and Absenteeism among Slovenian Professional Drivers.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the most common psychosocial risk factors for absenteeism and the extent to which low back pain occurs among Slovenian professional drivers as result of various psychosocial risk factors.

Method: The study involved 275 professional drivers, mostly men (mean age 41.6 years).

Prevalence and risk factors for nonvertebral bone fractures in kidney transplant recipients - a single-center retrospective analysis.

Background: Complex and longstanding bone disease superimposed by harmful influences of immunosuppression is the reason for increased risk of bone fracture in kidney transplant recipients. The aim of our study was to analyze the incidence and prevalence of nonvertebral bone fractures and early (in the first post-transplant year) clinical and laboratory risk factors for suffering bone fracture in the long-term post-transplant period.

Methods: Clinical and laboratory data as well as bone mineral density (BMD) measurements of 507 first kidney transplant recipients who were transplanted in the period from 1976 to 2011 were analyzed.

Rhabdomyolysis and interferon-β: case report and short review.

Background: We present a case of acute rhabdomyolysis in the setting of interferon-β treatment and concomitant pomelo juice ingestion, with concern of possible pharmacological interaction, which has not yet been described in the literature.

Case Presentation: A young Caucasian female with multiple sclerosis on chronic therapy with interferon-β presented with acute rhabdomyolysis after mild exercise and concomitant ingestion of pomelo extract. After stopping the suspected drugs, the signs of rhabdomyolysis diminished, the subsequent course was favorable.

Determination of red blood cells in urinary sediment: Do pH and specific gravity of urine matter?

Introduction: It has been postulated that erythrocyte cell lysis in urine is common in the case of low urine specific gravity and high urine pH. We aimed to verify the influence of urine dipstick pH and specific gravity on erythrocyturia in the urine sediment in the case of positive dipstick hemoglobinuria.

Methods: We retrospectively collected data on dipstick specific gravity, pH, and urine sediment analysis done by nephrologists in the clinical and research urine laboratory at the Department of Nephrology, University Medical Center Ljubljana.

Lower back pain and absenteeism among professional public transport drivers.

Drivers in public transport are subjected to lower back pain. The reason for the pain is associated with the characteristics of the physical position imposed on the worker while performing the job. Lower back pain is the main cause of absenteeism among drivers.

Intraosseous hibernoma: case report and tumor characterization.

Intraosseous hibernoma is a rare finding that has only recently come to light in the literature. We report a case of intraosseous hibernoma in the sacrum identified as an incidental finding in a 40 year-old female with chronic lower back pain. The tumor was characterized with all routine imaging modalities.

The behavioral medicine service. An administrative model for biopsychosocial medical care, teaching, and research.

The biopsychosocial model has been promoted for its advantages in many important health problems. However, the lack of administrative practice models specifically designed to develop and promote the model hinder the development of systematic clinical applications. This article describes a successful clinical teaching and research practice, The Behavioral Medicine Service, that was conceptualized and developed based on the biopsychosocial model.