YKL-40 as a risk stratification marker in acute pancreatitis: A prospective study.

Background/objectives: Increased systemic concentrations of YKL-40 are seen in various inflammatory conditions. We explored the relationship between the serum YKL-40 concentrations and subsequent disease severity in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP).

Methods: Consecutive adults with AP were prospectively enrolled, and classified as having mild, moderate or severe disease.

The determination of endogenous steroids in hair and fur: A systematic review of methodologies.

Background: Endogenous steroid hormone assessment is essential for clinical practice. These hormones are typically measured in blood. More recently, measurement of steroids in hair samples has been gaining in popularity, so we have reviewed the methodologies used for this to-date.

Midseptal and Anteroseptal Accessory Pathway Ablation in Children.

The goal of this study is to document outcomes of ablation for high-risk accessory pathways in paediatrics using 3D mapping systems with minimal to zero fluoroscopy. It is a cross-sectional, multicentre study, conducted between 2013 and 2023, and involving four different centres in Hungary, Croatia, Kuwait, and Slovenia. A total of 128 procedures were performed on 111 patients.

PREVALENCE, Characteristics, and Awareness of Chronic Kidney Disease in Croatia: The EH-UH 2 Study.

. National surveys have reported variable prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD), due to differences in the characteristics of the population, study design, equations used for the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and definitions. The EH-UH 2 survey is the first study evaluating CKD prevalence, characteristics, and awareness in Croatia.

Systemic Lipid Metabolism Dysregulation as a Possible Driving Force of Fracture Non-Unions?

Introduction: Non-unions are fractures that do not heal properly, resulting in a false joint formation at the fracture site. This condition leads to major health issues and imposes a burden on national healthcare systems. The etiology of non-unions is still not fully understood; therefore, we aimed to identify potential systemic factors that may contribute to their formation.

[Ac]Ac-PSMA for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Approximately 10%-20% of prostate cancers progress to metastatic and castration-resistant forms (mCRPC). Radioligand (RLT) therapy with [Lu]Lu-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is an approved treatment for metastasized mCRPC. Moreover, Actinium-225 (Ac), an alpha-emitter isotope, has also been used to label PSMA and, recently, to treat mCRPC patients with encouraging results.

Ascorbic acid and glucose can cause significant interference on quantitative measurement of biochemistry analytes in urine.

Background And Aims: Preanalytical errors due to interferences can lead to inaccurate results, necessitating an understanding of potential interferences for each test. This study explores the impact of elevated concentrations of ascorbic acid and glucose on urine analysis, a pivotal diagnostic tool.

Methods: Conducted at the Clinical Institute of Chemistry, KBC Sestre milosrdnice, the research utilized a 24-hour urine sample.

Herpes Simplex Keratitis Following Corneal Crosslinking for Keratoconus: A One-Year Case Series Follow-Up.

Corneal crosslinking (CXL) is a medical procedure used to treat keratoconus. CXL works by strengthening the collagen fibers of the cornea through the application of riboflavin (vitamin B2) and ultraviolet (UV) light, which helps to stabilize the cornea and prevent further deterioration. There is a recognized risk that CXL can trigger the reactivation of dormant herpes simplex virus (HSV), leading to herpetic keratitis even in patients with no history of herpetic disease.

Transient clitoromegaly in an extremely preterm twin infant with popliteal pterygium.

Clitoromegaly can be congenital or acquired, and it is usually associated with exposure to androgen excess. Pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for transient clitoromegaly in premature female infants have not been fully elucidated. Herein, we present the case of an extremely premature female twin infant, with an extensive web of skin on the back of the left leg, hypoplastic left labia majora, and normal clitoris appearance at birth.

Glucose inhibitor tubes in Croatian laboratories: are we doing well?

Introduction: Reliable and accurate measurement of blood glucose concentration is of crucial importance for making clinical decisions in diagnosis diabetes, gestational diabetes and impaired fasting glucose tolerance.

Materials And Methods: Survey was performed in form of questionnaire. Questionnaire was sent to all Croatian laboratories (N = 204) in electronic form using SurveyMonkey cloud-based software (SurveyMonkey, Inc.

CCL20 chemokine and other proinflammatory markers after Ad26.COV2.S vaccination.

Introduction: In highly stressed circumstances, such as COVID-19 pandemic, biomarkers of the vaccine-induced immunity could be especially convenient. The main aim of our study was to determine C-C motif ligand 20 (CCL20) concentration after Ad26.COV2.

A multimodal treatment of basilar artery re-occlusion - case report.

Background: Stroke due to basilar artery occlusion (BAO) is a severe neurovascular condition with only recently proven effectiveness of mechanical thrombectomy as treatment. Early re-occlusion of the basilar artery (RE-BAO) is an even more challenging form of stroke to treat, associated with poor outcomes and still no optimal treatment guidelines. There are only a few reported cases covering this topic thus far.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ALLERGIC REACTIONS AND LIP INFLAMMATORY LESIONS (CHEILITIS).

The purpose of this study was to examine the possible association between cheilitis and allergic reactions, and to use allergy skin tests to identify the allergens that induce allergic reactions in cheilitis patients (type I and type IV). We included 50 patients with recurrent cheilitis (reversible cheilitis) who were dermatologically examined and agreed to undergo allergy skin tests, i.e.

THE ROLE OF INTERFERON-GAMMA RELEASE ASSAYS IN DIAGNOSIS OF LATENT TUBERCULOSIS INFECTION IN CHILDREN.

Despite numerous published papers, diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in children is still an undefined area. The importance of this topic lies in the fact that one third of the world's population is infected with . The majority of infected individuals are LTBI cases which make a reservoir for future active tuberculosis (TB) patients.