Prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of patients with diabetic retinopathy in Slovakia: 12-month results from the DIARET SK study.

Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Slovakian patients with Type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) in the DIARET SK study.

Patients And Methods: An epidemiological multi-center survey that included 4,078 adult patients (aged ≥18 years) from 51 diabetologists and 47 ophthalmologists. Data were collected from February to December 2015.

[Octreotide in the treatment of thyrotropin-secreting pituitary adenomas].

The authors detected in a 30-year-old patient a very rare type of hyperthyroidism caused by a thyrotropin secreting pituitary adenoma. Scintigraphic examination of the pituitary by means of 111In radiolabelled octreotide revealed an increased accumulation of the radiopharmaceutical preparation in the tumour, which confirmed the high density of somatostatin receptors. After onset of octreotide treatment (Sandostatin, Sandoz, Switzerland) 3 x 100 ug/day by the s.

The need to protect patients' rights.

This article addresses the need to protect patients' rights against the backdrop of the influence of institutions of health, the industry of diagnostic and therapeutic weapons, advances in science and the interests of third parties in the patient's state of health. What is required is setting up and sorting out a health care providers' network, regulating the relations concerning the economic activities of health care providers and determining the participation of health care providers in primary prevention and curative care.

[Elevated indicators of liver metabolism in patients with giardiasis].

The authors present an account on 60 patients where, based on the clinical picture, parasitological examination and laboratory parameters, the diagnosis of giardiasis was established. Among these patients a rise of one or several indicators of liver metabolism was found in 31%. The authors discuss whether the above conditions can be considered hepatitis within the framework of the basic parasitic disease.