Clinical Course of 53 Previously Vaccinated Patients Admitted to the National Hospital in Warsaw, Poland with COVID-19 Between November 2021 and March 2022.

BACKGROUND Current vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) and vaccine booster programs aim to reduce hospitalizations due to severe COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). It is now accepted that vaccination does not completely prevent infection and that breakthrough COVID-19 does occur. This study included 53 vaccinated patients who were hospitalized at a single center in Poland with breakthrough COVID-19 and aimed to evaluate the factors associated with their clinical course.

The Course of COVID-19 among Unvaccinated Patients-Data from the National Hospital in Warsaw, Poland.

Introduction: Studies to date indicate the relatively high effectiveness of vaccinations in preventing severe COVID-19 symptoms. However, in Poland, 40% of the population remains unvaccinated.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the natural history of COVID-19 in unvaccinated hospital patients in Warsaw, Poland.

Falsified Medicines Directive in a Secondary Care Environment-Impact on Supply Chain.

The Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) and the Delegated Regulation (DR) impact the pharmaceutical supply chain. Ahead of the deadline for implementation, in February 2019, every entity of the supply chain had to adapt its operations to the regulatory requirements to be compliant with the directive. This paper analyzes the supply chain of a hospital pharmacy and the impact of the FMD implementation.

Public Perception of Pharmacists in Poland.

Background: Pharmacists constitute one of the largest groups of medical professionals and play a significant role in public health. Pharmaceutical care in community pharmacies is one of the key elements that impact the clinical outcomes of patients. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the public perception of pharmacists in Poland, as well as the knowledge of and willingness of Polish people to use pharmaceutical care services.

First nation-wide study of diabetic retinopathy in Poland in the years 2013-2017.

Aims: To assess the prevalence and time trends of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in the overall population of Poland from 2013 to 2017 and diagnose the risk factors of occurring DR among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods: Data from all levels of healthcare services at public and private institutions recorded in the National Health Fund (NHF) database were evaluated. International Classification of Diseases codes (ICD-9 and ICD-10) and unique NHF codes were used to identify DM type 1 and type 2 patients, DR and treatment procedures including laser photocoagulation, pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), anti-VEGF and steroid intravitreal injections.

Age at onset of obesity, transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) rs7903146 polymorphism, adiponectin levels and the risk of type 2 diabetes in obese patients.

Introduction: Interaction between obesity and genetic factors involved in the regulatory pathways of glucose homeostasis may play a significant role in diabetes development in the obese. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between the TCF7L2 rs7903146 polymorphism, adiponectin levels, age at onset of obesity and the occurrence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a sample of obese Polish adults.

Material And Methods: A total of 474 unrelated obese subjects were included in this study.

The Giant Geriatric Syndromes Are Intensified by Diabetic Complications.

By 2015, diabetes has affected more than 415 million people over the world. It is anticipated that 640 million adults will suffer from diabetes in 2040. The elongation of the life expectancy, as the result of better general health care, extends also the time when diabetic complications may develop together with other senility-specific problems.

Retinal Photoreceptors and Microvascular Changes in Prediabetes Measured with Adaptive Optics (rtx1™): A Case-Control Study.

Background: Patients with prediabetes are at risk for diabetes, cardiovascular events, and microvascular complications. The rtx1 (Imagine Eyes, France) permits early detection of changes in the retinal photoreceptors and vessels.

Objective: Cone parameters and retinal microvasculature were analyzed with the rtx1 in 12 prediabetic patients and 22 healthy subjects.

An association between bone mineral density and anabolic hormones in middle-aged and elderly men with prediabetes.

Introduction: Prediabetes (PD) leads to reduced testosterone (T) in males, but the association between the anabolic hormones and bone mineral density (BMD) remains unknown.

Objectives: We investigated an association between the anabolic hormones and BMD in middle-aged and elderly men with PD.

Methods: We investigated 84 prediabetic and 56 control men.

Prevalence of ocular abnormalities in prediabetic patients.

Aim: The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of ocular abnormalities in prediabetic individuals.

Material And Methods: 61 subjects aged 37-78 (41 women, 20 men), with impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance, were enrolled in the study and compared to 30 healthy volunteers, aged 39-75 (20 women, 10 men), without prediabetes and history of previous ocular diseases. Both groups of patients underwent a complete physical examination, biochemical tests and ophthalmic examination: visual acuity testing, intraocular pressure measurement, anterior and posterior segment evaluation, fundus photographs, optical coherence tomography, colour vision and letter contrast sensitivity tests.

NK cell count and glucotransporter 4 (GLUT4) expression in subjects with type 2 diabetes and colon cancer.

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and colon cancer (CC) are numbered among the most common diseases in the world. The decreased activity of natural killer (NK) cells previously revealed in both mentioned pathological states may be correlated with impaired expression of GLUT4 as the major insulin-dependent glucose transporter in these cells.

Methods: The aim of this study was to evaluate GLUT4 expression and NK cells number in subjects with T2D and/or CC in comparison with control group.

The Relationships between Anabolic Hormones and Body Composition in Middle-Aged and Elderly Men with Prediabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The influence of anabolic hormones and body composition in men with prediabetes (PD) is unknown. In a cross-sectional study we investigated the relationships between total testosterone (TT), calculated free testosterone (cFT), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and body composition assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) method in 84 patients with PD (40-80 years) and 56 men in control group. Patients with PD had lower TT, cFT, and DHEAS levels but similar IGF-1 levels in both groups.

Severe hypoglycaemia in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes and coexistence of cardiovascular history.

Background: Hypoglycaemia is a condition that occurs when blood glucose levels fall below 3.9 mmol/L (70 mg/dL), while hypoglycaemic coma is usually associated with glycaemia around 1.1 mmol/L (20 mg/dL).

Hormonal determinants of erectile dysfunction and lower urinary tract symptoms in middle-aged and elderly men with prediabetes.

Objectives: Erectile dysfunction (ED) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common in diabetic men. The aim of this study was to investigate hormonal determinants, the prevalence and severity of ED and LUTS in middle-aged and elderly men with prediabetes (PD).

Methods: We investigated 176 men with PD and 184 healthy peers.

Hormonal determinants of the severity of andropausal and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly men with prediabetes.

Andropausal and depressive symptoms are common in aging males and may be associated with hormone deficiency. We investigated the severity of andropausal and depressive symptoms, as well as their hormonal determinants, in 196 middle-aged and elderly men (age range: 40-80 years) with prediabetes (PD) and in 184 healthy peers. PD was diagnosed according to the definition of the American Diabetes Association.

Late-onset hypogonadism among old and middle-aged males with prediabetes in Polish population.

Objectives: Around 40% of diabetic men have lowered testosterone and symptoms of hypogonadism but the prevalence of hypogonadism among prediabetic men is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) in population of Polish men with prediabetes.

Methods: This study was performed in 196 prediabetic men and in 184 normoglycemic, control group.

The prevalence of prediabetes in population of Polish men with late-onset hypogonadism.

Objective: Prediabetes patients are likely to develop type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Low testosterone is a risk factor for impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in men. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of prediabetes in population of Polish men with late-onset hypogonadism (LOH).

[Ocular abnormalities in patients with prediabetes].

Prediabetes is recognized as the major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Nearly 7% of adults worldwide are estimated to have prediabetes and the prevalence is increasing. There is evidence of microvascular and macrovascular complications in patients with prediabetes.

The incidence of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in type 2 diabetic men in Polish population.

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) in type 2 diabetic men (T2DM) in population of Polish men and examine the possible influence of estradiol levels and glycemic control. We evaluated TT, cfT, estradiol, and glycemic control (HbA1c) in 184 diabetic men and in 149 nondiabetic control group. The mean HbA1c was 8.

Vitamin D and the central nervous system.

Vitamin D is formed in human epithelial cells via photochemical synthesis and is also acquired from dietary sources. The so-called classical effect of this vitamin involves the regulation of calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. Apart from this, non-classical effects of vitamin D have recently gained renewed attention.

The dysfunction of NK cells in patients with type 2 diabetes and colon cancer.

Glucose metabolism disorders influence anticarcinogenic function of natural killer (NK) cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the number and cytotoxic activity of NK cells in type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients with negative family history of cancer, type 2 diabetic subjects with newly diagnosed untreated colon cancer (T2DCC) and patients without type 2 diabetes with newly diagnosed, untreated colon cancer (CC). Incubation tests were performed in 18 T2D patients, treated with diet and oral antidiabetic agents, 16 T2DCC; cT1-4N0M0 (c-clinical diagnosis based on computed tomography, colonoscopy and histopathology) treated with diet and oral antidiabetic agents and 16 normoglycemic CC; cT1-4N0M0.

The expression of particular glucose transporters and insulin resistance indicators in the risk groups of type 2 diabetes--a two-year follow-up.

Introduction: The proper expression of particular glucotransporter (GLUT) isoforms determines a sufficient supply of glucose to tissues. The impairment of cellular glucose transport observed in insulin resistance leads to glucose metabolism disturbances. The aim of this study was the estimation of insulin resistance indicators and the quantitative expression of GLUT-1, GLUT-3 and GLUT-4 on peripheral blood lymphocytes in prediabetic subjects and persons with a positive family history of type 2 diabetes during 24 months of observation.

Glucose metabolism disorders and the risk of cancer.

Diabetes and cancer are diseases which take the size of an epidemic spread across the globe. Those diseases are influenced by many factors, both genetic and environmental. Precise knowledge of the complex relationships and interactions between these two conditions is of great importance for their prevention and treatment.

Insulin as the main regulator of cellular glucose utilization--aetiological aspects of insulin resistance.

This review presents the advances in the molecular biology and the pathophysiology of insulin resistance with emphasis on disturbances in cellular glucose transport. New scientific information about the structure and function of glucotransporters from the GLUT4 and SLGT families underline their significance in endocrinopathies and metabolic disease pathogenesis as related to insulin resistance. The new discoveries in this area also contribute to a better understanding of the regulation of insulin receptor and post-receptor reactivity by hormones and by drugs.