Serum Fibrinogen and Renal Dysfunction as Important Predictors of Left Atrial Thrombosis in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: As has been shown previously, patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who have left atrial thrombus (LAT) also have elevated plasma concentrations of fibrinogen. In this study, we tried to determine if this is the consequence of a genetic trait and whether elevated concentrations of fibrinogen could be used to predict LAT in patients with AF.

Methods: We recruited 181 consecutive patients scheduled for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) or direct current cardioversion.

Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Can Predict Atrial Thrombosis Even in Non-High-Risk Individuals with Atrial Fibrillation.

Background—Current guidelines do not recommend routine use of transesophageal echocardiography (TOE) in anticoagulated patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of our study was to identify predictors for left atrial thrombosis (LAT) in patients with AF that would require TOE despite anticoagulation therapy, using clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic data which are usually obtained in those patients in a real-world setting. Methods—We analyzed data from electronic medical records (EMR) of consecutive AF patients referred to two university hospitals between January 2014 and December 2017 for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) or direct current cardioversion.

Predictive value of faecal calprotectin in ulcerative colitis - single centre experience.

Objectives: Faecal calprotectin is an important biomarker used in the evaluation of inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of this study was to establish the value of faecal calprotectin concentration as a predictor of remission in ulcerative colitis and its correlation with laboratory, endoscopic and clinical findings.

Methods: The single centre study included 126 adult patients with established diagnosis of ulcerative colitis consecutively visiting our Day clinic from March 2017 to March 2019.

Estrogen receptor 1 gene (TA)n polymorphism is associated with lone atrial fibrillation in men.

Aim: To determine the association between the number of thymine-adenine (TA)n dinucleotide repeats in the promoter region of the gene coding for the estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) and the prevalence of lone atrial fibrillation (AF) in men.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study involving 89 men with lone AF and 166 healthy male controls. The ESR1 genotype was established by polymerase chain reaction and capillary electrophoresis.

Work ability as a major determinant of clinical nurses' quality of life.

Aims And Objectives: To examine quality of life determinants among clinical nurses in Croatia with an emphasis on their work ability.

Background: An important personnel management challenge is to explore factors that stimulate or hinder the development of individual work ability and quality of life throughout a career.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Interactions of MinK and e-NOS gene polymorphisms appear to be inconsistent predictors of atrial fibrillation propensity, but long alleles of ESR1 promoter TA repeat may be a promising marker.

Interactions of MinK and e-NOS Gene Polymorphisms Appear to Be Inconsistent Predictors of Atrial Fibrillation Propensity, but Long Alleles of ESR1 Promoter TA Repeat May Be a Promising Marker. We analyzed minK, e-NOS and ESR1 gene polymorphisms in 40 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) without major structural heart disease compared to 35 healthy controls. A missense polymorphism in the minK gene with A/G substitution at nucleotide 112 causing serine (S) to glycine (G) change, 786 T/C polymorphism in the 5' flanking region of e-NOS gene and TA polymorphism in the regulatory region of estrogen receptor ESR1 gene with long (> or = 19 TA repeats) and short alleles were examined.

What do grades in clinical subjects depend on? Case study of the Zagreb University School of Medicine.

Aim: To investigate the influence of clinical site, student's and preceptor's sex, and preceptor's academic rank on grading in eight clinical subjects at the Zagreb University School of Medicine between 1999 and 2002.

Methods: We analyzed oral exam grades from five fourth-year clinical courses (radiology, oncology, nuclear medicine, internal medicine, and psychiatry) and three fifth-year clinical courses (surgery; ear, nose and throat diseases (ENT); and pediatrics). Internal medicine course also had a written test, common for all students.