The effect of cognitive emotion regulation on direct-acting antivirals adherence in patients with hepatitis C.

Introduction: Adherence to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) could be a predictor of chronic viral hepatitis C (HCV) therapeutic failure. We examined the perceptions of patients receiving DAAs to determine how cognitive factors influence their decision to maintain adherence. Also, we explored the threshold of DAAs adherence for obtaining sustained virologic response (SVR) among patients with HCV, in order to better implement a strategy that improves the DAAs adherence in the future clinical practice.

Digging in real-word electronic database for assessing CDK 4/6 inhibitors adherence in breast cancer patients from Romania.

It is imperative for patients to respect the prescribed treatments to achieve the anticipated clinical outcomes, including the outpatients receiving oral anti-cancer drugs such as selective cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK 4/6i). With the introduction of three CDK 4/6i drugs in the Romanian pharmaceutical market in 2018, our study aimed to evaluate medication adherence and the influencing factors among patients undergoing treatment with palbociclib, ribociclib, or abemaciclib for advanced or metastatic breast cancer. Medication adherence was assessed using the Proportion of Days Covered (PDC) method, and Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to explore the relationships between adherence, age, gender, and follow-up duration.

C-Reactive Protein as a Marker of Inflammation in Children and Adolescents with Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the pediatric population has been reported in many studies to be associated with an inflammatory response. However, to our knowledge, there is no definitive conclusion in the form of a meta-analysis. The issue we aimed to address is whether C-reactive protein (CRP) is a trustworthy marker in detecting inflammation in children and adolescents with MetS.

The Effects of Arginine-Based Supplements on Fatigue Levels following COVID-19 Infection: A Prospective Study in Romania.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two arginine-based supplements on the fatigue level of patients following the COVID-19 infection. This is a prospective study of the SARS-CoV-2-infected patients divided into two groups (according to family physicians' prescriptions, Group 1 of patients were treated with Astenor Energy containing arginine aspartate, B6 vitamin, biotin and magnesium, and Group 2 of patients were treated with Astenor Forte containing L-arginine and malic acid). The patients visited their family physicians from October 2021 to January 2022, complaining of physical and/or mental fatigue following the COVID-19 infection.

Calcium and Phosphorus Deficiencies in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis.

Patients with cirrhosis often develop malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, leading to a worse prognosis and increased mortality. Our purpose was to assess the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies especially calcium and phosphorus in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis (LC). This was a retrospective study including 143 consecutive patients hospitalized for acute decompensation of cirrhosis, most of them with alcoholic etiology along with viral B or viral C and autoimmune induced cirrhosis.

Osteoporosis Assessment among Adults with Liver Cirrhosis.

Osteopenic bone disease occurs frequently in patients with chronic liver cirrhosis, which most frequently presents with hepatic osteodystrophy. Thus, the relationship between nutritional status and bone mineral density has been poorly measured in liver cirrhosis. This single-center study consisted of a group of 70 patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Machine-Learning Models on Predicting Chemo-Brain in Breast Cancer Survivors Previously Treated with Chemotherapy: A Meta-Analysis.

We performed a meta-analysis of chemo-brain diagnostic, pooling sensitivities, and specificities in order to assess the accuracy of a machine-learning (ML) algorithm in breast cancer survivors previously treated with chemotherapy. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus for eligible articles before 30 September 2022. We identified three eligible studies from which we extracted seven ML algorithms.

Screening performance of C-reactive protein for active pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV-positive patients: A systematic review with a meta-analysis.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading infectious cause of mortality worldwide. In the last years, resistant strains of the etiological agent, , have emerged, thus demanding more triage tests to identify active pulmonary TB (PTB) patients and to evaluate their disease severity. Therefore, acute-phase reaction serum tests are required for monitoring TB patients, among WHO symptom screening recommendations.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Metabolic Bone Disease in Patients with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

Data about the association between primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and metabolic bone disease are still unclear. PSC is a chronic cholestatic liver disease (CCLD) which affects the biliary tract, and it has a highly variable natural history. We systematically searched until 28 February 2022 MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the ISI Web of Science, and SCOPUS, for studies in patients with PSC.

Pharmacist's Perspectives on Administering a COVID-19 Vaccine in Community Pharmacies in Four Balkan Countries.

Community pharmacists expanded their roles and engaged in vaccination services in many countries around the world, but not in Balkan countries. This research aimed to assess the perceptions of pharmacists on involvement in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine administration in four Balkan countries (Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia). A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online questionnaire that was distributed to community pharmacists across these countries between February and March 2021.

Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Measure Medication Adherence to Direct-Acting Agents in Patients with Hepatitis C.

This study aims to develop a new self-report tool (HCV-AD) measuring adherence factors, intentional or unintentional, during Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAA) aiming to achieve high efficacy, otherwise resulting in drug resistance and treatment failure. Two phases were conducted: in the first phase, items were generated based on an extensive literature review, and, in the second phase, a prospective cohort study was conducted using HCV patients from Gastroenterology Department from University County Hospital of Craiova, Romania (n = 222), to evaluate the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. A number of 19 items were generated following a systematic review and through expert opinion.

Do Advanced Therapies Have a Future in the Low- and Middle-Income Countries - The Case of Bulgaria, Romania, and Poland.

The significant therapeutic potential of the advanced therapies (ATs) has predetermined the increased interests in their development mainly in the context of rare diseases most of which are genetically determined. However, there are still many challenges in front of the health insurance funds related to the cost-effectiveness and budget impact issues of these therapies. Our aim was to review and analyze the potential of low- and middle-income countries for health technology assessment (HTA) of advanced therapies focusing on Bulgaria, Romania and Poland as reference countries.

Can Incobotulinumtoxin-A Treatment Improve Quality of Life Better Than Conventional Therapy in Spastic Muscle Post-Stroke Patients? Results from a Pilot Study from a Single Center.

Post-stroke spasticity frequently occurs in patients with stroke, and there is a need for more quality-of-life assessments for different therapies. We evaluated for the first time in Romania the quality of life among patients with post-stroke spasticity, comparing two therapies over a 6-month period: botulinum toxin type A (BOT) with conventional therapy (CON). We also assessed the reduction of spasticity and functionality secondary to the increase in the mobility in upper limbs.

Prediction of Treatment Outcome with Inflammatory Biomarkers after 2 Months of Therapy in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients: Preliminary Results.

Pro-inflammatory mediators play an important role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary tuberculosis. Consecutively, 26 pulmonary tuberculosis patients were enrolled in our study based on the exclusion criteria. We have used Spearman's correlation analysis, hierarchical clustering and regression modelling to evaluate the association of 11 biomarkers with culture status after antituberculosis treatment.

Telemedicine Chronic Viral Hepatitis C Treatment during the Lockdown Period in Romania: A Pilot Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic is currently delaying the process of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) eradication, since most of the chronic diseases are neglected. Thus, there is a need for alternative programs for HCV therapy implementation and disease monitoring. Our aim was to provide a multidisciplinary approach, so that HCV-infected patients from distant locations may benefit from HCV antivirals during the COVID-19 outbreak and within the lockdown period in Romania.

Influence of COVID-19 on Health-Related Quality of Life and the Perception of Being Vaccinated to Prevent COVID-19: An Approach for Community Pharmacists from Romania and Bulgaria.

Community pharmacists are essential front-line health workers, involved in relieving the COVID-19 burden. Their health-related quality of life status needs to be assessed, as lower levels could affect their functioning. In order to evaluate the current status of community pharmacists' quality of life from Romania and Bulgaria during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify factors associated with their decision on being vaccinated to prevent COVID-19, an online survey involving 395 community pharmacists was conducted from 15th July 2020 to 15th August 2020.

Personal Autonomy as Quality of Life Predictor for Multiple Sclerosis Patients.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, severe disease, characterized by a progressive alteration in neuronal transmission, which decreases personal independence and quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between QoL and personal autonomy in patients with MS, as well as its correlation with age, educational level, and diseases severity. Twenty-six MS patients were followed-up for six months.

The Influence of Socio-Demographic Factors, Lifestyle and Psychiatric Indicators on Adherence to Treatment of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a severe autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the joints accompanied by the progressive deformation and destruction of cartilage and joint bones. This study aims to gain insight into the outcomes related to adherence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Predicting the medication adherence in RA patients is a key point to improve the treatment outcome.

Possible Involvement of Vitamin C in Periodontal Disease-Diabetes Mellitus Association.

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is an important water-soluble vitamin found in many fruits and vegetables. It has well-documented beneficial effects on the human body and is used as a supplement, alone or in combination with other vitamins and minerals. Over recent years, research has focused on possible new therapeutic actions in chronic conditions including periodontal disease (PD).

Cost-Utility Analysis of Incobotulinumtoxin-A Compared With Conventional Therapy in the Management of Post-Stroke Spasticity in Romania.

In Romania, the strokes' incidence is of 61,500 per year and improving upper limb function is the essence in rehabilitation after a stroke to maximize the patient quality of life and reduce disability. In this study, it is compared the cost-effectiveness of the treatment of post-stroke upper limb spasticity with incobotulinumtoxin-A (INCO), with or without electromyographic control, against the conventional therapy programme alone (CON). A Markov state transition model was developed to effectuate a cost-utility analysis (CUA).