The Correlation between Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Findings and Post-COVID-19: The Impact of Myocardial Injury on Quality of Life.

Background: In the post-COVID-19 era, there is growing concern regarding its impact on cardiovascular health and the following effects on the overall quality of life of affected individuals. This research seeks to investigate cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) findings following COVID-19 and their impact on the quality of life of affected individuals.

Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted in consecutive patients with persistent cardiovascular symptoms after COVID-19 who were referred to CMR due to suspected myocardial injury.

Contemporary Diagnostics of Cardiac Sarcoidosis: The Importance of Multimodality Imaging.

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory condition that can affect multiple organ systems and is characterized by the formation of non-caseating granulomas in various organs, including the heart. Due to suboptimal diagnostic rates, the true prevalence and incidence of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) remain to be determined. In patients with suspected CS, an initial examination should include 12-lead ECG or ambulatory ECG monitoring, and echocardiography with the estimation of LV, RV function, and strain rate.

Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction and Hypertension: A Bond More Important than We Think.

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is a clinical entity linked with various risk factors that significantly affect cardiac morbidity and mortality. Hypertension, one of the most important, causes both functional and structural alterations in the microvasculature, promoting the occurrence and progression of microvascular angina. Endothelial dysfunction and capillary rarefaction play the most significant role in the development of CMD among patients with hypertension.

The emergence of multi-drug-resistant bacteria causing healthcare-associated infections in COVID-19 patients: a retrospective multi-centre study.

Introduction: We evaluated the prevalence, aetiologies and antibiotic resistance patterns of bacterial infections in hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2. We also investigated comorbidities, risk factors and the mortality rate in COVID-19 patients with bacterial infections.

Methods: This retrospective observational study evaluated medical records of 7249 randomly selected patients with COVID-19 admitted to three clinical centres between 1 January 2021 and 16 February 2022.

Alcohol, Inflammation, and Microbiota in Alcoholic Liver Disease.

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a consequence of excessive alcohol use. According to many studies, alcohol represents a significant socioeconomic and health risk factor in today's population. According to data from the World Health Organization, there are about 75 million people who have alcohol disorders, and it is well known that its use leads to serious health problems.

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in Hypertensive Heart Disease: Time for a New Chapter.

Hypertension is one of the most important cardiovascular risk factors, associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Chronic high blood pressure leads to various structural and functional changes in the myocardium. Different sophisticated imaging methods are developed to properly estimate the severity of the disease and to prevent possible complications.

Aging of Liver in Its Different Diseases.

The proportion of elderly people in the world population is constantly increasing. With age, the risk of numerous chronic diseases and their complications also rises. Research on the subject of cellular senescence date back to the middle of the last century, and today we know that senescent cells have different morphology, metabolism, phenotypes and many other characteristics.

Bradykinin and Galectin-3 in Survived and Deceased Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia: An Increasingly Promising Biochemical Target.

Introduction: There are still no definite curative or preventive strategies for COVID-19 disease. It is crucial to fully comprehend the pathogenesis of COVID-19 infection so that we can develop expedient pharmacological protocols. While the impact of cytokine storm on COVID-19 severity has been one of the most tested hypotheses, the role of bradykinin and various other oxidative stress markers has been relatively under-researched.

Point-of-Care Echocardiographic Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients with Pulmonary Embolism.

Introduction: Thrombotic complications, such as pulmonary embolism, are common in COVID-19 patients. Point-of-care ultrasound is a highly recommended tool for orientation in critically ill patients with suspected or confirmed complications.

Methods: An observational study was conducted on 32 consecutive patients with confirmed pulmonary embolism and COVID-19 infection treated in the Intensive Care Unit of the University Hospital Medical Center "Bežanijska kosa", Belgrade, Serbia, between April 2021 and March 2022.

Point-of-Care Abdominal Ultrasonography (POCUS) on the Way to the Right and Rapid Diagnosis.

Point-of-Care ultrasound (POCUS) is based on target ultrasound that is performed wherever a patient is being treated, and by a non-radiologist directly involved in the patient's care. It is used either for quick diagnosis or procedural guidance. Abdominal pain is one of the most common complaints in emergency departments, and POCUS can help in the differentiation of patients who need additional diagnostic tests or hospital treatment, which eventually reduces the overall costs of health care.

Elevated Transaminases as Predictors of COVID-19 Pneumonia Severity.

Background: This study aimed to calculate the frequency of elevated liver enzymes in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and to test if liver enzyme biochemistry levels on admission could predict the computed tomography (CT) scan severity score of bilateral interstitial pneumonia.

Methods: This single-center study comprised of 323 patients including their demographic data, laboratory analyses, and radiological findings. All the information was taken from electronic health records, followed by statistical analysis.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Risk: The Role of Dyslipidemia, Inflammation, and Obesity.

The present study aimed to establish the role of lipid abnormalities and inflammatory markers for developing cardiovascular risk, as well as to address the importance of obesity as a common comorbidity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The study was conducted as a prospective cohort study including 120 patients with newly diagnosed OSA between 2019 and 2020, at University Clinical Hospital Center "Bezanijska kosa", Belgrade, Serbia. The diagnosis was established by polysomnography.

Correlation of Dyslipidemia and Inflammation With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Severity.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious condition linked with various metabolic disorders and associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Although the potential mechanisms of pathophysiological processes related to OSA are relatively well known, the data regarding the correlation between obstructive sleep apnea, dyslipidemia, and systemic inflammation are still inconclusive. The study was conducted as a retrospective cohort study including 328 patients with newly diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea during the period between April 2018, and May 2020, in University Clinical Hospital Center "Bezanijska kosa", Belgrade, Serbia.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome and COVID-19.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in patients with COVID-19 is triggered by various mechanisms and can significantly affect the patient’s further treatment and prognosis. The study aimed to investigate the characteristics, major complications, and predictors of mortality in COVID-19 patients with ACS. All consecutive patients hospitalized from 5 July 2020 to 5 May 2021 for ACS with confirmed SARS-Co-2 were prospectively enrolled and tracked for mortality until 5 June 2021.

D-dimer, CRP, PCT, and IL-6 Levels at Admission to ICU Can Predict In-Hospital Mortality in Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia.

Introduction: Health care workers have had a challenging task since the COVID-19 outbreak. Prompt and effective predictors of clinical outcomes are crucial to recognize potentially critically ill patients and improve the management of COVID-19 patients. The aim of this study was to identify potential predictors of clinical outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Development and Validation of a Multivariable Predictive Model for Mortality of COVID-19 Patients Demanding High Oxygen Flow at Admission to ICU: AIDA Score.

Introduction: Risk stratification is an important aspect of COVID-19 management, especially in patients admitted to ICU as it can provide more useful consumption of health resources, as well as prioritize critical care services in situations of overwhelming number of patients.

Materials And Methods: A multivariable predictive model for mortality was developed using data solely from a derivation cohort of 160 COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe ARDS admitted to ICU. The regression coefficients from the final multivariate model of the derivation study were used to assign points for the risk model, consisted of all significant variables from the multivariate analysis and age as a known risk factor for COVID-19 patient mortality.