Differences in respiratory function, depressive symptoms and quality of life between patients with hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy and myotonic dystrophy undergoing maintenance rehabilitation.

Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN) and myotonic dystrophy (MD) are chronic neuromuscular diseases that cause progressive muscular impairment and impact patient's quality of life. Conflicting findings in existing literature underscore the need for focussed research on specific health aspects in these patients. The aim of the study was to explore the differences in respiratory function, depressive symptoms and quality of life between patients with HMSN and MD undergoing maintenance rehabilitation.

Ustekinumab concentrations shortly after escalation to monthly dosing may identify endoscopic remission in refractory Crohn's disease.

Objectives: Some patients with Crohn's disease do not achieve remission with the approved maintenance dosing of ustekinumab every 8 weeks, possibly due to insufficient drug exposure. We aimed to study the exposure-response relationship for endoscopic remission and biomarker normalization with ustekinumab dose escalation to every 4 weeks.

Methods: Out of 135 consecutive patients, 44 with active Crohn's disease despite standard maintenance dosing [at least one of C-reactive protein (CRP) >5 mg/L, fecal calprotectin >100 mg/kg, simple endoscopic score (SES) for Crohn's disease >3] underwent dose escalation to every 4 weeks.

Idarucizumab for dabigatran reversal in daily clinical practice: A case series.

Background: Real-life experience with idarucizumab, which reverses the anticoagulant effect of dabigatran, is currently limited.

Objective: To evaluate efficacy and safety of the clinical use of idarucizumab after its availability in Slovenia.

Methods: We analysed consecutive cases treated with idarucizumab in Slovenia from January to October 2016.

Efficacy and durability of radiopaque gelified ethanol in management of herniated discs.

Background Percutaneous image-guided intradiscal injection of gelified ethanol was introduced to treat herniated disc disease lately. The aim of the study was to assess clinical efficacy and durability over a 36 months' period. Patients and methods Eighty-three patients (47 males, 36 females, mean age 48.

Interobserver variability and accuracy of p16/Ki-67 dual immunocytochemical staining on conventional cervical smears.

Background: p16/Ki-67 dual immunocytochemical staining (DS) has been proven as a sensitive and specific test for triage of HPV positive women with good reproducibility and accuracy. However, implementation of the test into an organized screening program (OSP) is not easy. The aims of this study were to compare the performance and agreement of DS results among three Slovenian cytopathological laboratories involved in the national OSP, and to define cases where staining results can be difficult to interpret.

Drug survival of biological therapy is showing class effect: updated results from Slovenian National Registry of psoriasis.

Background: Drug survival is an important measure of successful treatment of patients with chronic diseases such as psoriasis. Therefore, the objective was to calculate drug survival and examine safety profile of biologics and immunomodulators (adalimumab, apremilast, etanercept, ixekizumab, infliximab, secukinumab, and ustekinumab) from the Slovenian National Registry of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis.

Methods: Data about the patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis treated with biologics were collected from 2005 until July 2018.

Randomised trial of HPV self-sampling among non-attenders in the Slovenian cervical screening programme ZORA: comparing three different screening approaches.

Background To overcome obstacles within the Slovenian organised cervical cancer screening programme, a randomised pilot study of human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling among non-attenders was performed, aiming to assess three different screening approaches. Participants and methods Non-attenders aged 30-64 years from two Slovenian regions were randomised to two HPV self-sampling groups-the opt-in (I1, n = 14.400) and the opt-out (I2, n = 9.

Drug survival of biologic therapies for the treatment of psoriasis: Results of Slovenian national registry.

The study was designed as observational retrospective analysis of the data from Slovenian Registry of patients with moderate and severe psoriasis treated with adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab or ustekinumab from 2005 to 2015. The survival rates of biologics were compared using survival analysis, and predictors of discontinuation were evaluated using a Cox regression model. All biologics have been prescribed as a first line therapy for moderate or severe psoriasis; 650 (94.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of nasal obstruction symptom evaluation questionnaire in Slovenian language.

Objectives: Nasal obstruction is highly subjective perception with numerous efforts being made towards objective measuring. Many instruments in quality of life studies encompass subjective symptom of nasal obstruction, but only NOSE has been properly validated and is easy to use in every day practice.

Methods: Multicenter prospective instrument validation and cross-cultural adaptation cohort study was conducted on patients with deviated nasal septum, with or without inferior turbinate hypertrophy, to develop the Slovenian version of NOSE questionnaire.

Triaging Atypical Squamous Cells-Cannot Exclude High-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion With p16/Ki67 Dual Stain.

Objectives: The management of women with Pap cytology results categorized as "atypical squamous cells, cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion" (ASC-H) can often be challenging. We assessed the performance of p16/Ki67 dual-stained cytology as a potential triage tool for the detection of biopsy-confirmed high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) in women with ASC-H.

Materials And Methods: Women with ASC-H were followed for a period of 36 months by repeat cytology and colposcopy.

Lung scintigraphy in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism: current methods and interpretation criteria in clinical practice.

Background: In current clinical practice lung scintigraphy is mainly used to exclude pulmonary embolism (PE). Modified diagnostic criteria for planar lung scintigraphy are considered, as newer scitigraphic methods, especially single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are becoming more popular.

Patients And Methods: Data of 98 outpatients who underwent planar ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scintigraphy and 49 outpatients who underwent V/Q SPECT from the emergency department (ED) were retrospectively collected.

Long term results of operative treatment of knee osteochondritis dissecans.

Purpose: This retrospective study was designed to evaluate the hypothesis that open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) of an unstable osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesion results in a high percentage of acceptable outcomes at long-term follow-up.

Methods: Eight patients who had been treated with ORIF for unstable knee OCD lesions were identified. Long-term outcomes were assessed with a Subjective Knee Evaluation Form and Knee Examination Form of the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC 2000) and an OCD specific Hughston rating scale.

Acute gouty arthritis in a patient after total knee arthroplasty.

Symptomatic gout in an artificial joint is exceptionally rare. We present a 68-year-old male patient who developed progressive knee pain and swelling one year after the cemented total arthroplasty of his left knee. The diagnosis was confirmed by crystal identification in the synovial fluid.

Case report: femoral neuropathy secondary to total hip arthroplasty wear debris.

Femoral nerve palsy after THA is well known, but delayed palsy is rare. We describe a 58-year-old man who had progressive thigh pain, weakness, and numbness develop 13 years after cementless arthroplasty of his left hip. Plain radiographs showed substantial liner wear.

Osteopenia and osteoporosis can be predicted from Pap test.

Objective: To determine sensitivity and specificity of Pap tests for osteopenia and osteoporosis using bone mineral density (BMD) with dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as the reference standard.

Study Design: DXA measurement was performed on 136 routine Pap smears. Results of DXA measurement were expressed in T-scores, indicating degree of deviation compared to a young adult population of same age and gender.

Long-term results after open Bankart operation for anterior shoulder instability. A 3- to 16-year follow-up.

The open Bankart procedure is still considered the gold standard for patients with recurrent posttraumatic anterior shoulder instability. The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyze long-term results after open Bankart procedure in 83 patients that were operated between 1987 and 2000 and to evaluate the rate of recurrent instability, level of function and range of motion. The mean follow-up time was 9 (3-16) years.

Effect of etidronate in preventing periprosthetic bone loss following cemented hip arthroplasty: a randomized, double blind, controlled trial.

Introduction: Periprosthetic bone loss occurs after insertion of a total hip prosthesis and is often a result of stress shielding or altered loading of the proximal femur. Preventing the bone loss, which may threaten the prosthesis survival, with an antiresorptive drug would be highly advantageous.

Materials And Methods: Our study investigated the effect of cyclic etidronate therapy on periprosthetic, contralateral hip, and spine bone mineral density (BMD) in a one-year, prospective, randomized, double-blind study in 31 patients after cemented hip arthroplasty.

Patient-based outcomes for the operative treatment of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.

Study Design: A retrospective surgical case series was conducted using a condition-specific, patient-based outcomes assessment.

Objective: The goal of this study was to describe the outcome predictors of decompressive surgery for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS).

Summary Of Background Data: Surgical decompression is the recommended treatment for patients with moderate to severe DLSS.

Etidronate does not suppress periprosthetic bone loss following cemented hip arthroplasty.

Periprosthetic bone loss after arthroplasty may threaten prosthesis survival. The current study investigated the effect of etidronate therapy on periprosthetic, contralateral hip, and spine bone mineral density (BMD) in a one-year, prospective, randomized, double-blind study on 46 patients after cemented hip arthroplasty. BMD was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Morphological analysis of squamous cells in routine Pap smears as a predictor of bone mineral density in asymptomatic women.

Objective: The present study attempted to find out possible coherence between morphologic characteristics in Pap smears and bone mineral density (BMD) as measured by DEXA.

Study Design: DEXA measurement (with the result expressed as T-score) was performed in 79 women in whom Pap smears for routine cervical cancer screening were obtained. The smears were grouped into atrophic and mature cell patterns.