Haemoglobin A1c-based screening for prediabetes and diabetes mellitus: a multi-center study in Croatian adult population.

Introduction: Based on the hypothesis that there is a substantial rate of adults with prediabetes and undiagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM), our aim was to perform haemoglobin A1c (HbA)-based screening in a cohort of Croatian adults and estimate the prevalence of prediabetes and undiagnosed DM according to American Diabetes Association criteria.

Materials And Methods: This multi-center, cross-sectional study performed in six Croatian hospitals included 5527 patients aged 40 to 70 years admitted to the Emergency Department or undergoing a primary care check-up. Haemoglobin A1c was measured from leftover whole blood samples using the enzymatic method on either Alinity c or Architect c-series analyser (Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, USA).

[First experiences with the new financing system and health care plans].

Our experience on the new health reimbursement system and further plans for secondary care. The author gives a short review about the steps of the health reform emphasizing the importance of initiation of performance based reimbursement which has supported to reach the aims of our reform. The results of the new reimbursement system, its practical difficulties, the actions taken to overcome them are also presented.

[Unity of diagnostic pathology, continuing education and research at our institute].

Authors give a brief view on the activity in Institute of Pathology and Histopathology of Post-graduate University of Medicine. In its frame, close relation of diagnostic, post-graduate education and research activity is illustrated by examples of different fields (intestinal, cardiac, vascular system, respiratory tract, organ of locomotion, urological diseases, electronmicroscopic tumor diagnostics, endocrinology). Importance of modern morphological methods and their place both in practical and scientific activity are dealt with.

Immunohistochemical markers of tonsillar crypt epithelium.

The crypt epithelium of human palatinal tonsils is a specialized squamous epithelium characterized by the presence of intraepithelial passages which are filled by non-epithelial cells. The passages are covered by the so-called M cells. This reticulated epithelium (reticulum = network) is a highly differentiated one.

Tonsils and lympho-epithelial structures in the pharynx as immuno-barriers.

The tonsils are mucosa-associated lymphoid organs. Several details regarding their normal function and pathological alteration are still unknown. In this review the relationship of the tonsils to similar lymphoid organs is discussed, the possibilities of antigen uptake (M cells and micropores of the crypt epithelium) are demonstrated, and alterations of the crypt epithelium due to recurrent tonsillitis are described.