Echocardiographic assessment of tricuspid regurgitation and pericardial effusion after cardiac device implantation.

Background: The frequency of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) implantations is constantly increasing. Pericardial effusion (PE) and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) may occur after CIED implantation. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors for new occurrences or progression of TR and PE early after CIED implantation.

[Barriers of the initiation of insulin treatment in type 2 diabetic patients - conquering the "psychological insulin resistance"].

Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease and its consequence is the gradual decrease of endogenous insulin secretion to a very low level. Beyond this point, without insulin it is not possible to achieve proper metabolic compensation. The authors are trying to explain why the insulin therapy is often delayed in type 2 diabetic patients despite existing guidelines about its initiation and continuation.

Changes of procalcitonin level in multiple trauma patients.

Background: Some aspects of the pathophysiology of complications in multiple-trauma patients still remain unclear. Mediators of inflammation have been postulated as playing a key role in being responsible for life threatening complications of multiple trauma patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of procalcitonin (PCT) level in multiple trauma patients.