Definition and reporting of composite outcomes are often inadequate in randomized clinical trials on pharmacological interventions for coronary artery disease.

Objectives: To estimate the frequency and critically appraise the use and reporting of composite outcomes in randomized clinical trials on pharmacological interventions for coronary artery disease.

Study Design And Setting: A metaresearch study. A search strategy was developed to retrieve references from MEDLINE.

Family Physician's Educational Interview with Patients Helps in Early Recognition of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms.

Purpose: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) can have an etiology outside the lower urinary tract (LUT) and are therefore an important diagnostic indicator for assessing the overall health of a person. However, LUTS is still mainly neglected by primary health care providers as well as by patients. In this study, we assessed the importance of an educational interview (EI) conducted by a GP on the patients' ability to recognize LUTS.

Cost effectiveness of antihypertensive drugs and treatment guidelines.

Purpose: Arterial hypertension (AH) is associated with a high economic burden for the individual patient and for society in general. The study evaluates antihypertensives and their cost-effectiveness, comparing diuretics (D), beta-blockers (B), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin-II receptor blockers (A) and calcium channel blockers (C) with no intervention (NI).

Methods: The study included five health states in a Markov model.

Reporting quality and adherence of randomized controlled trials about statins and/or fibrates for diabetic retinopathy to the CONSORT checklist.

Background: A considerable amount of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been published on statins and/or fibrates for diabetic retinopathy, a clinical condition associated with high social and economic burden. Adherence to the CONSORT statement items is imperative to ensure transparency and reproducibility in clinical research. The aim of this study is to assess the reporting quality and the adherence to CONSORT of RCTs assessing statins and/or fibrates for diabetic retinopathy.

Statins and/or fibrates for diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Evidence from observational studies have found a relationship between serum cholesterol and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Apart of the assumption that cholesterolemic control has benefits for patients with diabetes with or without retinopathy, the effects of lipid-lowering drugs have not been properly mapped and critically assessed so far. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of statins and/or fibrates on prevention and progression of DR.

What do Cochrane systematic reviews say about diabetic retinopathy?

Context And Objective:: Diabetic retinopathy is a disease caused by increased permeability of retinal vessels. Its incidence and prevalence have been increasing due to urbanization, greater life expectancy and the habits of modern life. Its onset is insidious and it may lead to blindness in 75% of individuals who have been diabetic for more than 20 years.

Statins and Fibrates for Diabetic Retinopathy: Protocol for a Systematic Review.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus, and more than 75% of patients who have had diabetes for more than 20 years will have some degree of DR. This disease is highly destructive to self-esteem and puts a high burden on public health and pension systems due to the effects that it has on people of working age. The current mainstay of treatment is laser photocoagulation, which causes impairment of vision and discomfort to patients.

[THE FIRST CROATIAN GUIDELINES FOR DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND FOLLOW-UP OF PERSONS WITH PREMATURE EJACULATION].

Premature ejaculation (PE) is a sexual disorder with high prevalence, defined by three characteristics: short intravaginal ejaculation latency time, poor control over delaying ejaculation and personal and/or partner distress. The diagnosis is reached by a thorough and comprehensive history taking, which should include presence/absence of other ­co-morbid conditions (e.g.

Nuclear EGFR characterize still controlled proliferation retained in better differentiated clear cell RCC.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common solid kidney tumor representing 2-3% of all cancers, with the highest frequency occurring in Western countries. There was a worldwide and European annual increase in incidence of approximately 2% although incidence has been stabilized in last few years. One third of the patients already have metastases in the time of the diagnosis with poor prognosis because RCC are radio and chemoresistant.

Matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 immunoexpression in prostate carcinoma at the positive margin of radical prostatectomy specimens.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) in prostate cancer in the main tumor mass and tumor cells at the positive margin as well as the influence of these biomarkers on the biochemical recurrence of the disease in prostatectomy patients. Tissue microarrays of 120 archival prostate carcinoma samples were immunohistochemically evaluated for MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression and compared with clinicopathological parameters. Tumors with positive surgical margins showed significantly higher overall expression of MMP-9 versus tumors with negative resection margins (P = 0.

Hypoalbuminemia and complication incidence in hemodialysed uremic patients.

Discussions whether hypoalbuminemia is just a marker for the malnutrition-inflammation syndrome as well as for the increased morbidity and mortality of those patients or is it an etiological factor, are becoming more and more intense. In this research of the relation between hypoalbuminemia and the complications that threaten the vascular access with special reference to infection, and consequently to the life of the patients treated with chronic haemodialysis, we have chosen 120 patients with terminal renal insufficiency (ESRD) treated at the Clinical Hospital Mostar by chronic haemodialysis. The chosen patients for this study were observed throughout a time period of 18 months.

Might telesonography be a new useful diagnostic tool aboard merchant ships? A pilot study.

Background: Developments of new, ultra-light diagnostic ultrasound systems (UTS) and modern satellite telecommunication networks are opening new potential applications for diagnostic sonography. One such area is maritime medicine. It is our belief that ship officers can be trained to use diagnostic ultrasound systems with the aim to generate ultrasound images of sufficient quality to be interpreted by medical professionals qualified to read sonograms.

Prognostic significance of vascular endothelial growth factor expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

The purpose of this investigation was to analyze and correlate the immunohistochemical pattern of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression with the average of microvessel density (MVD) and other clinicopathologic parameters in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) in order to determine its prognostic significance. Surgical specimens of 93 CCRCC were immunohistochemically analyzed for VEGF expression, MVD with anti-CD31, and Ki 67 proliferative index. VEGF expression was recorded as the percentage of positive tumor cells (<75% and >75%) and as diffuse or perimembranous VEGF expression according to cytoplasmic distribution.

Osteopontin expression correlates with prognostic variables and survival in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Background And Objectives: Osteopontin (OPN) is a phosphorylated glycoprotein with diverse functions including tumorigenesis and tumor cell metastasis. Recently, it has been detected in a growing number of human tumors, and assessed as a potential prognostic marker. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of OPN in normal renal tissue and clear cell renal cell carcinomas (CRCCs), and to assess its prognostic significance.

Endoscopic evacuation of a hematoma resulting from strain injury of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle.

Strain of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle (GM) is a common injury that can be confirmed by ultrasound (US) or magnetic resonance imaging. We report a case of strain injury of the medial head of the GM, with a hematoma between the soleus muscle and the GM. US revealed an enlarged hypoechoic area between the soleus and the GM.

Expression of osteopontin and CD44 molecule in papillary renal cell tumors.

The aim of the study was to analyze the expression of CD44 adhesion molecule and its ligand osteopontin in papillary renal cell tumors, and to assess the possible prognostic significance of CD44 and osteopontin expression in papillary renal cell carcinomas. The expression of the standard and v6 exon containing isoforms of CD44 molecule, as well as of its ligand osteopontin, was immunohistochemically evaluated in 43 papillary renal cell tumors, which included 5 adenomas and 38 carcinomas. In order to assess their prognostic significance, the results obtained in papillary renal cell carcinomas were compared to usual clinicopathological parameters such as tumor size, histological grade, pathological stage, and Ki-67 proliferation index.

[Carcinoma of the Bellini duct with an unusual clinical picture].

A 37-year-old male patient presented with a Bellini duct carcinoma, at first as a metastatic illness of the paraaortal lymph nodes, without significant radiologic signs of a kidney tumor. Cytological diagnostics did not recognize this tumor. Macroscopically and microscopically the tumor fulfilled the major and minor criteria of Sringly et al.

Vascular complications after 725 kidney transplantations during 3 decades.

Among 725 renal transplantations, the most common vascular complication was arterial stenosis, which was observed in 23 patients (3.17%). The majority of 20 (6.

Ultrasonography in the evaluation of hemoperitoneum in war casualties.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values of emergent ultrasound examination in the detection of hemoperitoneum among war casualties, and to compare the results of this method in a specific war situation and civil conditions. Ninety-four wounded individuals with suspected blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma were treated at a level I war hospital (group W), and 242 civilians with multiple injuries with suspected blunt abdominal trauma were evaluated at the emergency center of a university hospital (group C). All examinations were performed in less than 5 minutes with a portable ultrasonographic scanner, and typical points were scanned (Morison's pouch, Douglas and perisplenic spaces, paracolic gutter).

Kidney length in postoperative acute renal failure.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate kidney length in patients with postoperative acute renal failure (PARF).

Methods: The effect of PARF on renal size was prospectively studied in 76 patients with PARF and 40 healthy volunteers. Sonographic measurements of kidney length and the level of serum creatinine were obtained each day patients stayed in our surgical intensive care unit.

Sonographic measurement of absolute and relative renal length in adults.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate sonographically measured absolute and relative lengths of normal kidneys according to subject height, sex, and age.

Methods: Real-time sonography was performed on 202 subjects. Measurements of longitudinal renal diameter represented absolute renal length.