Sex differences in the correlation between lipids related to cardiovascular risk factors and small dense LDL particles in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: Sex differences in lipid metabolism associated with prevalent small dense (S-) low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol particles are not elucidated. An LDL to apolipoprotein B (ApoB) ratio < 1.2 can estimate how prevalent S-LDL particles are and, thus, reflect cardiovascular risk.

[Carcinoid syndroma - diagnosis and management].

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs, originally termed “carcinoids”) create a relatively rare group of neoplasms with an approximate incidence rate of 5 to 8 cases per 10 000 persons. NETs predominantly demonstrate indolent disease biology for many years. They become symptomatic when they are large enough or when they metastasize to the liver or the lungs, bones, or other sites.

[24-hours mortality in seniors hospitalised with medical conditions].

Aim: Mortality is the hardest outcome characterising the severity of diseases and the result of the health care. It is connected mainly with elderly patients (pts.).

[Multimodal treatment of thymic carcinoid: a case report].

Thymic carcinoid account for cca 0.4 % of all carcinoid tumors in the body [1]. As compared to other neuroendocrinne tumors, high rates of reccurences after surgery, more aggressive behaviour and relatively high rates of paraneoplastic syndromes are characteristic for thymic carcinoid.

Positive pharmacokinetic effect of azathioprine co-medication on infliximab trough levels is dose-dependent.

Background: Thiopurines seem to have positive effect on the pharmacokinetics of anti-tumor necrosis factor biologics. It has been suggested that a reduced dose of thiopurines is sufficient to achieve this synergism.

Aims: To assess the differences of infliximab (IFX) trough levels according to the dose of concomitantly used azathioprine (AZA).

Medical and surgical co-management - A strategy of improving the quality and outcomes of perioperative care.

With the increase of ageing population, rates of chronic diseases and complex medical conditions, the management of high-risk surgical patients is likely to become a great concern in most countries. Considering all these factors, it is certainly rational and intuitive that internists should be included into a collaborative model of medical and surgical co-management, where their multi-potentiality and synthesis capacity require them to coordinate the multidisciplinary team and to be the leading agent of change. In this regard, our aim was to present the official position and approach of the Working Group on Professional Issues and Quality of Care of the European Federation of Internal Medicine (EFIM), for implementation of this strategy of care, encouraging internists to assume an important role and to provide continuity of multidisciplinary care, from the decision to operate through to rehabilitation and recovery.

Hospital ambulatory medicine: A leading strategy for Internal Medicine in Europe.

Addressing the current collision course between growing healthcare demands, rising costs and limited resources is an extremely complex challenge for most healthcare systems worldwide. Given the consensus that this critical reality is unsustainable from staff, consumer, and financial perspectives, our aim was to describe the official position and approach of the Working Group on Professional Issues and Quality of Care of the European Federation of Internal Medicine (EFIM), for encouraging internists to lead a thorough reengineering of hospital operational procedures by the implementation of innovative hospital ambulatory care strategies. Among these, we include outpatient and ambulatory care strategies, quick diagnostic units, hospital-at-home, observation units and daycare hospitals.

Abnormalities in the relationship of paraoxonase 1 with HDL and apolipoprotein A1 and their possible connection to HDL dysfunctionality in type 2 diabetes.

Aims: Lipid parameters, lipid risk indexes and lipid-related oxidative stress markers (paraoxonase 1 [PON1] and lipid peroxides [LPO]) reflect the actual status of lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We hypothesized that relationships of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) with PON1 and apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) and/or PON1 with ApoA1 under conditions of hyperglycaemia and oxidative stress might reveal HDL functionality. We investigated relationships between PON1, LPO, and lipid risk markers in T2DM subjects and compared them with those in healthy subjects.

[Treatment of dyslipidemia - is here still place for CETP-inhibitors?].

In the treatment of dyslipidemias about 5-6 years back a new class of drugs emerged, CETP (cholesteryl ester transfer protein)-inhibitors. Their benefit was due to an increase of HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) serum levels. This treatment mode was supported by epidemiological and clinical studies, as people with high serum HDL-C levels suffered less from cardiovascular (CV) events.

[Management of treatment in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasmas of digestive tract].

Neuroendocrine neoplasmas are a form of cancer arising from cells of diffuse neuroendocrine system. They produce peptides or amines that act as hormones or neurotransmitters. Incidence of NENs is relatively low.

[Management of treatment in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasmas of digestive tract].

Unlabelled: Neuroendocrine neoplasmas are a form of cancer arising from cells of diffuse neuroendocrine system. They produce peptides or amines that act as hormones or neurotransmitters. Incidence of NENs is relatively low.

[What may cause diabetes].

Unlabelled: The case study describes a case of 49-year-old man with morbid obesity since childhood (BMI 40 kg/m2), arterial hypertension (approx. since aged 15, treated since 2004), dyslipidemia (since 2006), type 2 diabetes mellitus (since 2006, on insulin therapy since 2008) and smoking (until 2011, 20 cigarettes a day).

Treatment: 16 types of medication, 8 for hypertension, statin, therapy for diabetes, aspirin, allopurinol.

[Heart failure - can be treated by affecting cardiac metabolism?].

Chronic heart failure is a disease of epidemic extent and has a high mortality and morbidity. Etiology is multifactorial, but the issue is that heart does not have "enough fuel" to produce energy for its work or available fuel can´t be properly utilized. Components of cardiac energy metabolism are substrate utilization, oxidative phosphorylation and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) transfer and utilization.

Calcitonin-secreting pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: a case report and review of the literature.

Objective: We report the presentation and novel therapy of a calcitonin-secreting pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET) and review the literature on this unusual neoplasm.

Methods: We cite the history of a 38-year-old male who presented with fatigue, weight loss, and diarrhea and was found to have a pancreatic head mass on cross-sectional imaging, as well as liver metastases.

Results: The patient's laboratory evaluation was notable for a >100-fold elevation of the peptide hormone calcitonin in serum.

Carney complex with biatrial cardiac myxoma.

Cardiac myxomas make up approximately 50% of all benign cardiac tumors and represented 86% of all surgically treated cardiac tumors. Most of them originated from the left atrium, in some cases from both of atria. We report a case of male patient with biatrial myxomas and other extra-cardiac involvement: hypophyseal adenoma, enlargement of thyroid gland, tubular adenoma polyp of colon and bilateral large cell calcifying Sertoli cell tumor (LCCSCT) of testis.

Tailored intermittent therapy of carcinoid.

Background/aims: There is no established standard care of carcinoids as all experts agree. Endogenous somatostatin diurnal rhythm is influenced by administration of lanreotid. The purpose of this study is to evaluate efficacy of lanreotid on the clinical course in a group of patients with metastatic carcinoid.