Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cardiology Emergency Department Visits.

In 2020, decreased emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalization rates during the COVID-19 outbreak were reported. There is no data about cardiovascular emergencies and mortality for the whole COVID-19 year.This study aimed to compare the rates of cardiology ED visits, hospital admissions, and intrahospital mortality between the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 years in a single high-volume center.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Physical Activity among Medical Students from the Western Balkans.

The student population includes young adults who need nutrition and regular physical activity (PA) for mental, cognitive, and physical development. It is estimated that, globally, only 25-40% of the university student population is involved in regular PA. To date, no research has been conducted in the Western Balkans to address the PA of medical students.

Risk and severity of SARS-CoV-2 reinfections during 2020-2022 in Vojvodina, Serbia: A population-level observational study.

Background: Data on the rate and severity of SARS-CoV-2 reinfections in real-world settings are scarce and the effects of vaccine boosters on reinfection risk are unknown.

Methods: In a population-level observational study, registered SARS-CoV-2 laboratory-confirmed Vojvodina residents, between March 6, 2020 and October 31, 2021, were followed for reinfection ≥90 days after primary infection. Data were censored at the end of follow-up (January 31, 2022) or death.

Cigarette Smoking among Medical Students from the Western Balkan.

University student's smoking is a significant public health problem. It is estimated that, globally, every fifth medical student is a smoker. So far, no research dealing with cigarette smoking among medical students has been conducted in the countries of the Western Balkans.

N-Terminal Prohormone of Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) as a Diagnostic Biomarker of Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Patients with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (AECOPD).

Introduction: Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) and cardiac decompensation often accompany AECOPD. Differentiation between the two is difficult and mainly relies on clinical and echocardiographic diagnostic procedures. The value of biomarkers, such as NT-proBNP, as diagnostic tools is still insufficiently investigated.

Seroepidemiology of varicella zoster virus infection in Vojvodina, Serbia.

The present cross-sectional serosurvey constitutes the first effort to describe the varicella zoster virus (VZV) seroepidemiology in Serbia. An age-stratified serum bank of 3570 residual samples collected between 2015 and 2016 in each of the seven districts of the Vojvodina Province was tested for IgG anti-VZV antibodies with an enzyme immunoassay. Results were standardised into common units according to the European Sero-Epidemiology Network (ESEN2) methodology.

Varicella zoster virus transmission dynamics in Vojvodina, Serbia.

This study aimed at establishing baseline key epidemiological parameters for varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection in Vojvodina, Serbia, with the ultimate goal to quantify the VZV transmission potential in the population. Seroprevalence data generated during the first large cross-sectional VZV serosurvey were modelled, using a two-tiered modelling approach to calculate age-specific forces of infection (FOI), the basic reproduction number (R0) and herd immunity threshold (H). Seroprevalence and modelling data were compared with corresponding pre-vaccination epidemiological parameters from 11 countries participating in the European Sero-Epidemiology Network 2 (ESEN2) project.

Early pregnancy angiogenic proteins levels and pregnancy related hypertensive disorders.

Introduction: Normal placental vascular development depends on multiple interactions of many regulatory molecules including pro and antiangiogenic proteins. It is considered that these vascular modulators might be one of the factors responsible for development hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.

Objective: To evaluate and compare the early pregnancy (11-14 week of gestation) serum level of angiogenic proteins sFlt1, VEGF i PIGF between different types of pregnancy related hypertensive disorders.

Clinical significance of determining plasma homocysteine: case-control study on arterial and venous thrombotic patients.

Aim: To determine the differences in plasma homocysteine levels between three MTHFR 677 genotype subgroups in patients with thrombosis and in controls, as well as between patients with thrombosis and controls with the same MTHFR 677 genotype.

Methods: This case-control study was conducted in Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, from June to December 2011. We included 65 patients with either arterial or venous thrombosis (mean age, 40.

Heart rate recovery after submaximal exercise in four different recovery protocols in male athletes and non-athletes.

The effects of different recovery protocols on heart rate recovery (HRR) trend through fitted heart rate (HR) decay curves were assessed. Twenty one trained male athletes and 19 sedentary male students performed a submaximal cycle exercise test on four occasions followed by 5 min: 1) inactive recovery in the upright seated position, 2) active (cycling) recovery in the upright seated position, 3) supine position, and 4) supine position with elevated legs. The HRR was assessed as the difference between the peak exercise HR and the HR recorded following 60 seconds of recovery (HRR60).