Dysfunctions of Neutrophils in the Peripheral Blood of Children with Cystic Fibrosis.

Dysfunction of neutrophils in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is best characterized in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), whereas peripheral blood neutrophils are less examined, and the results are contradictory, especially in younger populations. Therefore, this work aimed to study functional and phenotypic changes in circulating neutrophils in children with CF. The study included 19 CF children (5-17 years) and 14 corresponding age-matched healthy children.

Six-month prospective study of quality of life in Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Objective: Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an acute disease of the peripheral nerves and their roots. Quality of life (QoL) in the first year after acute episode of GBS is still underresearched area. The aim of our study was to investigate QoL in GBS patients during a 6-month follow-up period.

The impact of betaplus program on patient treatment satisfaction with interferon beta-1b in multiple sclerosis: Multicentric cross-sectional survey in the western Balkan countries.

Background: Long-term treatment adherence to disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) may have significant impact on clinical outcomes in multiple sclerosis (MS). It has been recently emphasized that low treatment satisfaction (TS) may be an important factor for achieving high rates of treatment adherence. Interferon (IFN) beta-1b was the first DMD approved for the treatment of MS.

Modern Strategy for Identification of Congenital Heart Defects in the Neonatal Period.

Introduction: Congenital heart defects are the most common congenital anomalies and occur with an incidence from 0.8 to 1% per 1000 live births. In recent years, the pulse oximetry has become a strong candidate for detecting cyanogen congenital heart defects and in combination with routine clinical exam can improve diagnostic of congenital heart diseases.

Open Repair of AAA in a High Volume Center.

Objective: To assess results of open repair (OR) of AAA in a single high volume center.

Methods: We analyzed prospectively collected data of 450 patients who underwent elective OR of AAA at the Clinic for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery of the Serbian Clinical Centre in the period between January 2013 and September 2014.

Results: Postoperative death occurred in seven patients (1.

Efficacy of Sublingual Immunotherapy with Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus: A Real-life Study.

Sublingual allergen immunotherapy (SLIT) is considered to be safer and more convenient than subcutaneus immunotherapy. SLIT trials with house dust mites involving patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma reported discordant results. The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of SLIT with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D.

Reperfusion therapy for ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction in Eastern Europe: the ISACS-TC registry.

Aims: Widespread availability of tertiary hospitals with catheterization facilities, although vigorously promoted, has yet to become a reality in many countries with economy in transition. We sought to evaluate the clinical profile and mortality of patients who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and either received reperfusion therapy or remained without reperfusion in Eastern Europe.

Methods And Results: Data were obtained from the International Survey of Acute Coronary Syndromes in Transitional Countries (ISACS-TC; NCT01218776) on STEMI patients admitted to 57 hospitals in Eastern European countries from January 2010 to February 2015.

Gender Representation of Osteoporosis in Patients with Urolithiasis.

Introduction: A great number of clinical studies has indicated that the patients with calcium urolithiasis have a reduced mineral bone density.

Aim: The aim of our research was to establish representation of osteoporosis, by measuring mineral bone density using the DEXA method, in patients with calcium urolithiasis, by gender.

Material And Methods: The research was a prospective one, performed at the University Hospital of the Clinical Center of Banja Luka, at the Urology Clinic and Clinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases.

Comparison of tolerance of venlafaxine, paroxetine and amitriptyline in depression therapy.

Introduction: There are no controlled studies dedicated to research of side effects of antidepressants. It is a well known fact that antidepressants reciprocally differ according to their type, intensity and frequency of appearance of certain side effects. For example, cardiovascular and anticholinergic effects are essential feature of the tricyclics whereas gastrointestinal and sexual side effects are registered during the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Unfractionated heparin-clopidogrel combination in ST-elevation myocardial infarction not receiving reperfusion therapy.

Objective: We sought explore the relative benefits of unfractionated heparin (UFH) compared with enoxaparin, alone or in combination with clopidogrel, in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients not undergoing reperfusion therapy.

Methods: This is a propensity score study from The International Survey on Acute Coronary Syndromes in Transition Countries (ISACS-TC/NCT01218776) on patients admitted between October 2010-June 2013. There were a total of 1175 STEMI patients who did not receive mechanical or pharmacological reperfusion.

Significance of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)-C and VEGF-D in the Progression of Cutaneous Melanoma.

Introduction: Induction of tumor lymphangiogenesis by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C and VEGF-D promotes metastasis in many human cancers.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the role of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in lymphangiogenesis and lymph node metastasis in patients with cutaneous melanoma.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-four melanoma specimens (18 with lymph node metastasis, 36 nonmetastatic) were investigated by immunostaining for VEGF-C, VEGF-D, and for lymphatic endothelial marker D2-40.

Incidence of osteoporosis in patients with urolithiasis.

Introduction: Clinical researches have shown an increased bone disintegration and lower bone mass in patients with calcium urolithiasis.

Goal: The goal of our research was to establish the incidence of osteoporosis in adult patients with calcium urolithiasis, on the basis of measuring mineral bone density, using DEXA method, with a special reflection on age subgroups.

Material And Methods: Clinical research was prospective and it was implemented at the University Clinical Center of Banja Luka, at the Clinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases and at the Urology Clinic.

Correlation of the body mass index and calcium nephrolithiasis in adult population.

Introduction: Prevalence of the kidney stones (renal calculi) increase in several countries in parallel with the increase of overweight, diabetes (type 2 diabetes) and hypertension.

Goal: The goal of our research was to evaluate the connection between the calcium nephrolithiasis and overweight, as quantified using the Body Mass Index (BMI) of the adult population, with a particular reflection on the age groups within it.

Material And Methods: The research was prospective and it was implemented at the Clinical Center of Banja Luka, at the Urology Clinic in the period from 1(st) April 2012 to 1(st) January 2013.

Cervical length measured by transvaginal ultrasonography and cervicovaginal infection as predictor of preterm birth risk.

Introduction: The study shows possibilities of transvaginal sonographic measurement of the cervix in prediction of premature birth risk.

Goals: The aim of the study was to follow up the cervical length in the pregnant from 16(th) to 37(th) week, as well as to do a microbiological analysis of the vaginal and cervical flora and to identify relation between the cervical shortening and microbiological flora as well as with a premature birth.

Material And Methods: The investigation was conducted as a prospective study on two groups of female patients in Clinical Centre of Banja Luka.

Management in child and adolescent psychiatry: how does it look in the Balkans?

This paper examines the situation of child and adolescent psychiatry in the following Balkan countries: Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYROM, and Montenegro. With the exception of Greece, these countries are new democracies, with their mental health services in a transitional stage of organization. Overall, they have initiated programmes to move psychiatric care towards deinstitutionalization, developing outpatient infrastructures to handle psychiatric disorders.

MRI in evaluation of neoplastic invasion into preepiglottic and paraglottic space.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can accurately predict invasion of the preepiglottic and paraglottic space in patients with laryngeal carcinoma. Identification of these fat filling spaces is important for surgical treatment and prognosis.

Materials And Methods: The study was based on the prospective analysis of MRI images in a series of 40 patients (90% males), overall average age 60.

Importance of the cytoplasmic super-oxide dismutase in the normal tissue of the endometrium and the endometrium carcinoma.

Objectives: The objective of the study is comparing pathohistological picture and test results of the activity of the enzymes of the anti-oxidative protection -cytoplasmic super-oxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) from the blood and endometrium in the promotion of the progression or regression of the hyperplasia and endometrium carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: The study has been carried out on 70 patients. We have analysed:The age patients, the supersonic test - transvaginal probe, pathohistological diagnosis (PHD) analysis of the curet of the patient-we have gathered the tissue of the normal and the pathologicaly changed endometrium from the exploratory curretage, determining the CuZnSOD in the blood and in the tissue of the normal and pathological endometrium of the uterus.