Aortic pulse wave velocity predicts cardiovascular mortality among middle-aged metabolic syndrome subjects without overt cardiovascular disease.

Background: The objective of this cohort study was to assess the predictive value of main arterial markers for cardiovascular death in middle-aged subjects with metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Methods: This prospective longitudinal study analyzed data from 5829 metabolic syndrome subjects without overt cardiovascular disease aged between 40 and 64 years and enrolled in the Lithuanian High Cardiovascular Risk primary prevention program. Initial assessment comprised the evaluation of aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV), carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), carotid stiffness index, cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), ankle-brachial index (ABI), aortic augmentation index adjusted for a heart rate of 75 bpm (AIXHR75), and endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilatation (FMD).

Assessment of the disease severity in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 based on the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) using statistical and machine learning methods: An electronic health records database analysis.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was a cause of concern in the healthcare system and increased the need for disease severity indicators. However, they still vary in use to evaluate in-hospital outcomes and severity. The National Early Warning Score (NEWS) is routinely used to evaluate patient health status at the hospital.

Development and Integration of Patient-Reported Measures into E-Health System: Pilot Feasibility Study.

Patient-centered care is recognized as a key element in recent healthcare management strategies. However, the integrated collection of patient feedback capturing the entire journey of patients with complex medical conditions remains understudied. Herein, we aimed to describe the development of an instrument prototype for the collection of PROMs and PREMs that would encompass a whole patient journey at a single time point.

Integrated Collection of Patient-Reported Outcomes and Experiences in Children with Kidney and Hematological Diseases: A Pilot Study.

We aimed to explore the feasibility and potential relevance of integrated electronic collection of patient-reported outcome and experience measures (PROM and PREM) in children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) by using the example of children with kidney and hematological diseases. We performed a cross-sectional, single-center study of children <18 years of age. Children (≥10 years) and their parents received Generic PedsQL Core Scale 4.

Determinants of Patient-Perceived Primary Healthcare Quality in Lithuania.

Patient-centered care is considered to be one of the essential pillars of a modern healthcare system. Thus, quality assessment based on patients' perceptions, views and experiences in their journey through the healthcare system is recognized as one of the key principles for quality improvement initiatives. Measuring patient satisfaction can be confounded by expectations and prior experiences, which can be at least partly overcome by evaluating patient-perceived healthcare quality (PPHQ).

The association of catestatin and endocan with the effects of cardiac shock wave therapy: Biomarker sub-study of the randomized, sham procedure-controlled trial.

Introduction: Cardiac shock-wave therapy (CSWT) is a non-invasive regenerative treatment method based on low-frequency ultrasound waves, which stimulate angiogenesis. Current data about the effects of revascularization procedures on angiogenesis biomarkers is limited. Recently, an association of catestatin and endocan with coronary collateral development was shown in several trials.

Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Middle-Aged Lithuanian Men Based on Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference Group Results from the 2006-2016 Lithuanian High Cardiovascular Risk Prevention Program.

: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged Lithuanian men categorized according to body mass index and waist circumference results. : The data were from the Lithuanian High Cardiovascular Risk primary prevention program between 2009 and 2016. This community-based cross-sectional study comprised 38,412 men aged 40 to 54 years old.

Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged Lithuanian women in different body mass index and waist circumference groups.

Background And Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged Lithuanian women in different body mass index and waist circumference groups.

Methods And Results: Data selected from the Lithuanian High Cardiovascular Risk (LitHiR) primary prevention program between 2009 and 2016. This community-based cross-sectional study comprised 53,961 women aged 50-64 years old.

Effects of COVID-19 on the liver: The experience of a single center.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was perhaps the most severe global health crisis in living memory. Alongside respiratory symptoms, elevated liver enzymes, abnormal liver function, and even acute liver failure were reported in patients suffering from severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 2 pneumonia. However, the precise triggers of these forms of liver damage and how they affect the course and outcomes of COVID-19 itself remain unclear.

Mobile health app for monitoring allergic rhinitis and asthma in real life in Lithuanian MASK-air users.

Background: MASK-air is an app whose aim is to reduce the global burden of allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma. A transfer of innovative practices was performed to disseminate and implement MASK-air in European regions. The aim of the study was to examine the implementation of the MASK-air app in Lithuanian adults in order to investigate (i) the rate of acceptance in this population, (ii) the duration of app use and (iii) the evaluation of the app after its use.

Physical Activity Evaluation Using Activity Trackers for Type 2 Diabetes Prevention in Patients with Prediabetes.

Background: Prediabetes is a reversible condition, but lifestyle-changing measures, such as increasing physical activity, should be taken. This article explores the use of Fitbit activity trackers to assess physical activity and its impact on prediabetic patient health.

Methods: Intervention study.

Changes in health-related quality of life, motivation for physical activity, and the levels of anxiety and depression after individualized aerobic training in subjects with metabolic syndrome.

Objective: Numerous studies associate metabolic syndrome (MetS) with poor life quality, depression, and anxiety. Aerobic exercise training has proven its value in promoting health among subjects with MetS. We aimed to evaluate the changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL), motivation for physical activity, and the levels of anxiety and depression in subjects with MetS after individualized aerobic training.

Which Clusters of Metabolic Syndrome Are the Most Associated with Serum Uric Acid?

: Metabolic syndrome is defined as three or more of five components; therefore, there are 16 possible different clusters of metabolic risk factors that are under one diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. In this study, we evaluated the different clusters of metabolic syndrome (MetS) across serum uric acid (SUA) quartiles and analyzed the association of these clusters with SUA levels, respectively, in both men and women. : A total of 606 subjects were recruited to a cross-sectional study from the ongoing Lithuanian High Cardiovascular Risk primary prevention program (LitHiR).

Epidemiology of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Comorbidities in Lithuanian National Database: A Cluster Analysis.

Various comorbidities and multimorbidity frequently occur in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), leading to the overload of health care systems and increased mortality. We aimed to assess the impact of COPD on the probability and clustering of comorbidities. The cross-sectional analysis of the nationwide Lithuanian database was performed based on the entries of the codes of chronic diseases.

Research on physical activity variability and changes of metabolic profile in patients with prediabetes using Fitbit activity trackers data.

Background: Monitoring physical activity with consumers wearables is one of the possibilities to control a patient's self-care and adherence to recommendations. However, clinically approved methods, software, and data analysis technologies to collect data and make it suitable for practical use for patient care are still lacking.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the potential of patient physical activity monitoring using Fitbit physical activity trackers and find solutions for possible implementation in the health care routine.

A computational method to differentiate rheumatoid arthritis patients using thermography data.

Background: The traditional rheumatoid arthritis (RA) diagnosis is very complicated because it uses many clinical and image data. Therefore, there is a need to develop a new method for diagnosing RA using a consolidated set of blood analysis and thermography data.

Objective: The following issues related to RA are discussed: 1) Which clinical data are significant in the primary diagnosis of RA? 2) What parameters from thermograms should be used to differentiate patients with RA from the healthy? 3) Can artificial neural networks (ANN) differentiate patients with RA from the healthy?

Methods: The dataset was composed of clinical and thermal data from 65 randomly selected patients with RA and 104 healthy subjects.

Screening for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the Pediatric Emergency Department During Different Pandemic Phases.

The wide spectrum of COVID-19 symptoms complicates the selection of target groups for screening. We aimed to compare data of children screened for COVID-19 at the pediatric emergency department in Vilnius between different phases throughout 1 year (Phase I: March-May, 2020; Phase II: June-September, 2020; and Phase III: October, 2020-February, 2021) and to evaluate the possible predictors of the disease. SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests were positive for 2.

Hypertriglyceridemia impact on arterial parameters in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Background: The development of metabolic syndrome (MS) augments risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), but pathophysiological mechanisms of this relation are still under discussion. Overlapping CVD risk factors make it difficult to assess the importance of individual elements. This study aimed to analyze subclinical atherosclerosis based on arterial structure and function parameters in patients with MS and different triglycerides levels.

Short-Term Functional Outcomes and Quality of Life after B2.1 Type Pelvic Fractures for Surgically and Non-Surgically Treated Young Patients.

: Lateral compression injuries of the pelvic ring are most common among young and elderly patients. Of all pelvic ring fracture injuries, the B2.1 type-involving lateral compression of the pelvic ring-is the most common.

Structure and Distribution of Health Care Costs across Age Groups of Patients with Multimorbidity in Lithuania.

Background: Patients with multimorbidity account for ever-increasing healthcare resource usage and are often summarised as big spenders. Comprehensive analysis of health care resource usage in different age groups in patients with at least two non-communicable diseases is still scarce, limiting the quality of health care management decisions, which are often backed by limited, small-scale database analysis. The health care system in Lithuania is based on mandatory social health insurance and is covered by the National Health Insurance Fund.

Comparison of One-Year Functional Outcomes and Quality of Life between Posterior Pelvic Ring Fixation and Combined Anterior-Posterior Pelvic Ring Fixation after Lateral Compression (B2 Type) Pelvic Fracture.

: The treatment algorithm of lateral compression B2 type pelvic fractures are still under debate. Some authors advocate conservative treatment, while others recommend surgical approach. The clear indications for isolated anterior or posterior ring fixation or combined anterior-posterior pelvic ring fixation of B2 type fractures remain unclear.

Trends in cardiovascular risk factor prevalence among Lithuanian middle-aged adults between 2009 and 2018.

Background And Aims: The aim of the study was to estimate trends and differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor prevalence among middle-aged men and women based on the data from the Lithuanian High Cardiovascular Risk (LitHiR) primary prevention program between 2009 and 2018.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study included men aged 40-54 years and women aged 50-64 years without overt CVD. Nationally representative data comprised 110,370 Lithuanian adults (42.

The Role of Cardiac T-Cadherin in the Indicating Heart Failure Severity of Patients with Non-Ischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

: T-cadherin (T-cad) is one of the adiponectin receptors abundantly expressed in the heart and blood vessels. Experimental studies show that T-cad sequesters adiponectin in cardiovascular tissues and is critical for adiponectin-mediated cardio-protection. However, there are no data connecting cardiac T-cad levels with human chronic heart failure (HF).