An Opportunity to Harmonise the Approach to Patients' Care Pathways for Rare and Complex Diseases: RarERN Path™.

As a matter of fact, organisation always matters when discussing about healthcare, since it is fundamental in order to ensure the delivery of the most appropriate care to patients in the most appropriate way. Unfortunately, the pandemic brought by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) imposed a huge reorganisation of the healthcare systems, with several repercussions on the care of several chronic conditions, that were in many cases discontinued. This was the case of rare diseases (RDs), conditions that even under normal circumstances can experience diagnostic delays and difficulties in receiving appropriate care.

Real world evidence: Perspectives from a European Society of Cardiology Cardiovascular Round Table with contribution from the European Medicines Agency.

Real world data (RWD) refers to healthcare information that is routinely collected in electronic healthcare records (EHR), hospital and pharmacy records, patient and disease registries, and health insurance databases. The collection and analysis of this vast amount of data is an important complement to that obtained from conventional randomised controlled trials (RCT). Real world data has been used for healthcare quality improvements, to conduct clinical trials, to support drug and device development, and to inform medical guidelines.

Comparison of concentrations of chemical species and emission sources PM before pandemic and during pandemic in Krakow, Poland.

Observations of air pollution in Krakow have shown that air quality has been improved during the last decade. In the presented study two factors affecting the physicochemical characteristic of PM fraction at AGH station in Krakow were observed. One is the ban of using solid fuels for heating purposes and the second is COVID-19 pandemic in Krakow.

CHA2DS2-VASc score and fibrinogen concentration in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Assessment of thromboembolic risk is crucial in choosing appropriate treatment in atrial fibrillation (AF). Current guidelines recommend basing the decision on the CHA2DS2-VASc score. However, the score is based only on clinical parameters and therefore its relationship with laboratory-assessed coagulation status might not always be objective.

An EU approach to health system performance assessment: Building trust and learning from each other.

EU countries have recently joined forces to carry out common work on health systems performance assessment (HSPA). After the signature of the Tallinn Charter in 2008, a small group of countries brought the issue of HSPA on the EU agenda; this led the European commission and member states to set up an expert group on HSPA in 2014. This group started by facilitating the exchange of best practices and lessons learnt, with an eye to avoiding duplications with activities of international organisations.

Utilisation of lipid-lowering therapies in outpatient settings in Poland: epidemiological survey Economedica Dyslipidaemia 2015.

Background: Dyslipidaemia, especially elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), is one of the most important cardiovascular risk factors. Treatment of dyslipidaemia and prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) with lipid-lowering drugs is one of the key issues in reducing cardiovascular mortality. Nevertheless, underutilisation of statins and lipid-lowering drugs is still a problem globally.

Peripheral ARtery Atherosclerotic DIsease and SlEep disordered breathing (PARADISE) trial - protocol for an observational cohort study.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is in fact a group of disease entities with different symptoms and course but a common underlying cause, i.e. atherosclerosis.

Assessment of cardiovascular risk in patients undergoing total joint alloplasty: the CRASH-JOINT study.

Background: Risk assessment is of particular importance for patients undergoing surgical interventions. Orthopaedic procedures, especially total joint alloplasty, are major procedures associated with high perioperative risk, as well as one of the highest rates of complications.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to establish the prevalence of classical and non-classical cardiovascular risk factors in patients undergoing total hip or knee alloplasty.

Evaluation of overhead guide sign sheeting materials to increase visibility and safety for drivers.

Overhead guide sign visibility must increase to improve driver safety on roadways. Two methods increase overhead guide sign visibility: sign illumination and use of retroreflective sheeting materials. This paper compares three types of retroreflective sheeting: Engineering Grade (type I), Diamond Grade (type XI), and High Intensity (type IV).

[The most popular poisons from Graeco-Roman world].

Article presents the most popular antique poisons. Information from encyclopaedic literature and literary texts of the Roman Empire period has been compared with the etymology of the names of some poisons of plant and animal origin.

[Bezoars in history--not only a perfect antidote].

Bezoar is a concretion found in gastrointestinal tract. The word "bezoar" is derived from the Arabic 'padzahr', and means antidote. Animal bezoars were widely used in medicine until the 18th century.

[Bull's blood as an ancient poison].

Article presents ancient tradition about poisoning with bull's blood and the modern attempts of its explanation. Greek and Roman literary sources are compared with the ancient medical texts.

Silver paper: the future of health promotion and preventive actions, basic research, and clinical aspects of age-related disease--a report of the European Summit on Age-Related Disease.

BACKGROUND. In September 2008, under the French Presidency of the European Union and with the support of the Polish Minister of Health, a European Summit on Age-Related Disease was organised inWroclaw (Poland). At this meeting, European politicians, gerontologists and geriatricians gathered to discuss a common approach to future challenges related to age-related disease.