Serological Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in Hemodialyzed Patients and the Association with Later COVID-19 Positivity.

Background: The effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine may differ in hemodialysis patients. The aim of this prospective multicenter study was to determine the degree of serological response to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in the population of dialysis patients and its association with later SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Methods: A blood sample was taken for the determination of COVID-19 serological status (IgG antibodies) in 706 dialysis patients 16 weeks after vaccination with the second dose (Pfizer-BioNTech).

Undiagnosed hypertension in Croatia.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension in Croatia, and to assess its association with various demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle, and health care usage factors.

Methods: We used the data from European Health Interview Survey wave 3, conducted in Croatia in 2019. The representative sample consisted of 5461 individuals aged 15 years and older.

CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE IN RURAL POPULATION.

The aims of the study were to provide data on chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence in rural population and to analyze the association with cardiovascular risk factors and aging. A random sample of 2193 farmers (1333 female (F) and 860 male (M), mean age 50.61±17.

Chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation: European Society of Hypertension project - ESH A Fib.

Our aim was to analyze characteristics of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) from the Croatian cohort of the ESH A Fib survey and to determine the association of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with cardiovascular (CV) mortality after 24 months of follow-up.Consecutive sample of 301 patients with AF were enrolled in the period 2014 to 2018. Hypertension was defined as BP > 140/90 mm Hg and/or antihypertensive drugs treatment, CKD was defined as eGFR (CKD Epi) < 60 ml/min/1.

Impact Assessment of an Innovative Integrated Care Model for Older Complex Patients with Multimorbidity: The CareWell Project.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact in terms of use of health services, clinical outcomes, functional status, and patient's satisfaction of an integrated care program, the CareWell program, for complex patients with multimorbidity, supported by information and communication technology platforms in six European regions.

Data Sources: Primary data were used and the follow-up period ranged between 8 and 12 months.

Study Design: A quasi-experimental study, targeting chronic patients aged 65 or older, with 2 or more conditions - one of them necessarily being diabetes, congestive heart failure or congestive obstructive pulmonary disease.

The epidemiological and clinical features of odontogenic infective endocarditis.

Antibiotic prophylaxis (AP) of infective endocarditis (IE) in dental practice is a controversial topic. We evaluated the characteristics of the odontogenic IE and assessed the practice and sources of information pertaining to the topic utilized by the Croatian dentists. We conducted a retrospective review of consecutive medical charts of adult patients with IE, admitted to the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Zagreb, Croatia, between January 2007 and December 2017.

Prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Croatia: data from national and non-governmental organization registries.

Aim: To update the estimate of multiple sclerosis (MS) prevalence in Croatia using multiple epidemiological tools.

Methods: This level IV, epidemiological study gathered data from three national patient registries and one database of a non-governmental MS patients' organization. Data were extracted on all individuals who had undergone hospital MS treatment, consulted their primary health care providers about MS-related symptoms, been listed as having MS-related disability, or been members of the mentioned non-governmental organization in 2015.

Disease characteristics and causes of early and late death in a group of Croatian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus deceased over a 10-year period.

Aim: To assess the causes of early death (ED) and late death (LD) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and determine the features of deceased SLE patients followed-up in a single Croatian tertiary hospital center, because little if any data on causes of death (CODs) in SLE patients are available for Croatia.

Method: We identified SLE patients regularly followed-up at the Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Center Zagreb, who died from 2002 to 2011. Death was ascertained by matching our institutional records with the Croatian National Death Database.

The Child Health Care System of Croatia.

The Republic of Croatia is a Parliamentary Republic with a population of 4.2 million people that sits on the Adriatic coast within Central Europe. Gross domestic product is approximately 60% of the European Union average, which in turn, limits health service spending.

Health and Economic Burden of Skin Melanoma in Croatia - Cost-of-illness Study.

Melanoma incidence is increasing, especially in the younger population. The aim of this study was to investigate the cost of this disease in the Croatian population and to identify costs through types of care and types of costs. The secondary goal was to estimate the prevalence of certain types of melanoma (as well as staging distribution) and to connect each stage and its prevalence in Croatia to related costs.

Cardiovascular drugs consumption--comparison between two Croatian regions, City of Zagreb and Lika-Senj County.

The aim of this paper is to determine the differences in the outpatient consumption of cardiovascular drugs between Croatian regions: the City of Zagreb and Lika-Senj County. The data on the number of packages and the purchase price for each drug have been obtained from all pharmacies in Lika-Senj County and all pharmacies in the City of Zagreb. Defined daily doses/1000 inhabitants/day (DDD/1000/day) was calculated for every drug in accordance with its code name and Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical/Defined Daily Dose (ATC/DDD) index of the World Health Organization (WHO) for 2007.

Health related quality of life in parents of children with speech and hearing impairment.

Objectives: Hearing impairment and specific language disorder are two entities that seriously affect language acquisition in children and reduce their communication skills. These children require specific treatment and higher levels of care than healthy children. Their language abilities also strongly influence parent-child interactions.

The economic burden of disease-related undernutrition in selected chronic diseases.

Background & Aims: Undernutrition is a common and aggravating problem in people suffering from various chronic diseases as well as a source of material costs. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of disease-related undernutrition among adults in Croatia in the year 2012, as well as the cost of undernutrition associated with tumour cachexia, chronic pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, hepatic encephalopathy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic renal insufficiency requiring dialysis, cerebrovascular insult, pressure ulcers, and femoral fractures in the elderly.

Methods: A cost-of-illness analysis was conducted, including direct costs only.

[Preventive work in family medicine--proactive approach].

The role of general practitioner/family physician (GP/FP) in disease prevention and health promotion is strongly supported by research and health policies. The position of GPs/FPs in the health care system and their close, sustained contact with their patients and local community makes preventive care an integral part of GP/FP routine work. The spectrum of caring for patients in general practice/family medicine is actually very large, going from intervention on health care determinants to palliative care.

Risk behavior of customers in centers for free voluntary HIV counselling and testing in two Croatian cities--Osijek and Zadar.

The primary goal of this research is to compare risks and occurrence of HIV infection in Osijek-Baranja and Zadar County. Several chosen socioeconomic factors controlled by sex and age were investigated including level of education, employment and marital status of the free-of charge voluntary counseling and testing center (VCT) customers in the towns of Osijek and Zadar and their risk behaviors for acquiring HIV. Bivariate analysis of the differences between the customers from Osijek and Zadar showed statistically significant differences in the following variables: gender, education, number of VCT clients who use intravenous drugs (IDU), promiscuous behavior, number of homosexual clients, mode of receiving information on the VCT services, marital and partnership status, having children, inclination towards homosexual and bisexual relations, the main reasons for not using condoms, injecting drugs (IDU) needle sharing and the occurrence of hepatitis C.

[The role of county health center in the management of patients with acute coronary syndrome].

Health emergency service teams play an important role in the management of patients with acute coronary syndrome. They have to be educated, equipped, skilful and supported by the entire health care system. The role of county health center in the management of patients with acute coronary syndrome is illustrated in the article, based on the experience acquired at Medimurje County Health Center from Cakovec.

Use of preventive health care services among the unemployed in Croatia.

Aim: To analyze the association between unemployment and the use of preventive health care services in Croatia.

Methods: Data on the use of preventive health care services and employment status were taken from the 2003 Croatia Adult Health Survey. A multistage stratified sample design was used to define a representative sample (n=9070 individuals) of the Croatian general adult population.

Primary healthcare information system--development and deployment issues.

Croatian national primary healthcare ICT Implementation strategy is determined by Croatian national health strategy and plan, Croatian ICT development strategy for 21st century, and requirements specifications for the heath information system. National primary healthcare ICT implementation strategy components are accented: purpose of the ICT implementation strategy, information principles, need and ICT enablement in domains of patients, healthcare professionals, policy-makers and managers and public. Based on the determinants, three organizational levels have been established - government, ministerial and project levels.

[Uropathogens and antimicrobial susceptibility in outpatients].

In 2003, primary health care reported 230,356 (2.7% of diagnosed diseases and conditions) cases of urinary bladder infections in Croatia. Results of this study including 815 outpatient urine samples confirmed the diagnosis of urinary system infection in 27.

Life expectancy and mortality differences between populations on Croatian islands and the mainland.

Aim: To examine the differences in life expectancy and mortality between the populations on Croatian islands and the mainland, and among the islands themselves.

Method: Data on population size and mortality collected in Croatia in 2001 were analyzed by life table and standardized mortality rates.

Results: Life expectancy at birth (95% confidence interval) of the population on Croatian islands was 76.