Obinutuzumab in Combination with Alternative Chlorambucil Schedules in Front-Line Treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Study by KroHem, the Croatian Cooperative Group for Hematologic Diseases.

Obinutuzumab was approved for front-line treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in combination with chlorambucil pulses administered every 2 wks. Alternative schedules of chlorambucil enable the administration of higher total chlorambucil doses, and have better antileukemia activity. So far, evidence on the feasibility of combining obinutuzumab with alternative chlorambucil schedules is lacking.

Key challenges of post-liver transplant weight management.

Liver transplantation serves as a life-saving intervention for patients with end-stage liver disease, yet long-term survival remains a challenge. Post-liver transplant obesity seems to have a significant contribution to this challenge and it emerges as a significant risk factor for graft steatosis, metabolic syndrome and de-novo malignancy development. This review synthesizes current literature on prevalence, risk factors and management strategies for post-liver transplant obesity, emphasizing its impact on graft and patient survival.

Association of Ego Defense Mechanisms with Electrolyte and Inflammation Marker Levels, Interdialytic Weight Gain, Depression, Alexithymia, and Sleep Disorders in Patients Undergoing Chronic Hemodialysis.

: Ego defense mechanisms are subconscious processes that help individuals cope with stressors from both external and internal realities. They are divided into three levels based on their adaptive function. Patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis are those who have been treated with this method for longer than three months.

Outcomes of Ixazomib Treatment in Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma: Insights from Croatian Cooperative Group for Hematologic Diseases (KROHEM).

: Ixazomib, used in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (IRd), has shown efficacy in clinical trials for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). : This study evaluates the real-world effectiveness and safety of IRd in Croatian RRMM patients. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 164 RRMM patients treated with ixazomib at nine Croatian haematology centres from November 2016 to February 2023.

Longer Telomere Length in Patients with Balkan Endemic Nephropathy Undergoing Chronic Hemodialysis Is Associated with Lower Cardiovascular Mortality.

Key Points: Longer telomeres are associated with less cardiovascular mortality in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. In patients with Balkan endemic nephropathy, telomere length was negatively associated with arterial stiffness and positively associated with survival. The association of Balkan endemic nephropathy with slower vascular aging and longer telomere length may partially explain this phenomenon.

Education and cooking methods in the management of calcium and PTH serum levels in patients on hemodialysis: a randomized controlled study.

Background: Chronic kidney disease associated mineral bone disorder (CKD-MBD) is one of the major causes of excess morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether education about dietary intakes and specific food processing methods affect serum calcium and PTH concentrations in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: Forty-seven hemodialysis patients were randomly divided into a control and an intervention group.

Systemic Inflammatory Index in Polycythemia Vera and Its Prognostic Implications.

: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and prognostic associations of the systemic inflammatory index (SII) in polycythemia vera (PV) patients. SII integrates information on absolute neutrophil (ANC), lymphocyte (ALC), and platelet counts into one index (calculated as ANCxALC/platelet count) and was previously shown to predict thrombotic and mortality risks in the general population. : A total of 279 PV patients treated in several hematologic centers in Croatia and Serbia was retrospectively evaluated.

THE RELIABILITY OF URODYNAMIC ASSESSMENT IN CONFIRMATION OF STRESS URINARY INCONTINENCE IN RELATION TO BONNEY TEST.

According to the International Continence Society, stress (static) urinary incontinence is defined as any involuntary loss of urine on effort or physical exertion, due to which intravesical pressure overcomes urethral pressure, with no detrusor activity. Urodynamic testing accurately assesses the function of the bladder and urethra. The urodynamic assessment includes three tests: cystometry, uroflowmetry and profilometry (determination of urethral pressure profile).

The band count imprecision - a Croatian multicentric pilot study.

Introduction: Due to high inter-observer variability the 2015 International Council for Standardization in Haematology (ICSH) recommendations state to count band neutrophils as segmented neutrophils in the white blood cell (WBC) differential. However, the inclusion of bands as a separate cell entity within the WBC differential is still widely used in hematology laboratories in Croatia. The aim of this multicentric study was to assess the degree of inter-observer variability in enumerating band neutrophils within the WBC differential among Croatian laboratories.

Evaluation of Absolute Neutrophil, Lymphocyte and Platelet Count and Their Ratios as Predictors of Thrombotic Risk in Patients with Prefibrotic and Overt Myelofibrosis.

Aim: To investigate the prognostic contribution of absolute neutrophil (ANC), lymphocyte (ALC), platelet count and their ratios, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), to thrombotic risk in patients with prefibrotic and overt fibrotic myelofibrosis (MF).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 256 patients with prefibrotic (85 patients) and overt fibrotic MF (171 patients) treated in six Croatian hematological centers.

Results: Prefibrotic compared to overt fibrotic MF patients presented with significantly higher ALC, platelet count and PLR, and experienced longer time to thrombosis (TTT).

Association of intestinal inflammation and permeability markers with clinical manifestations of Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: Intestinal inflammation and gut microbiota dysbiosis can stimulate degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and development of Parkinson's disease (PD) via the gut-brain axis in certain patients.

Methods: In a case-control study, fecal markers of intestinal inflammation and permeability were measured using the ELISA method in PD patients and healthy controls. Motor and nonmotor symptoms were assessed using the Movement Disorder Society (MDS) Unified PD Rating Scale, Hoehn & Yahr scale, MDS Non-Motor Symptom Scale, Scales for Outcomes in PD - Autonomic Dysfunction, PD Sleep Scale - 2, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory-II.

The Association between Functional Dyspepsia and Metabolic Syndrome-The State of the Art.

Functional dyspepsia is a common functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that is responsible for many primary care visits. No organic changes have been found to explain its symptoms. We hypothesize that modern lifestyles and environmental factors, especially psychological stress, play a crucial role in the high prevalence of functional dyspepsia and metabolic syndrome.

Comparison of Tooth Size Measurements in Orthodontics Using Conventional and 3D Digital Study Models.

(1) The objective of this study was to assess which digitization method produces the biggest deviation in the 3D images of tooth size from plaster models made using alginate impressions, which are considered the gold standard in orthodontics. (2) The sample used in this study included 30 subjects (10 males and 20 females). Measurements were made on four types of models: (1) digital models obtained through intraoral scanning and digitized models of plaster cast made from (2) alginate impressions, (3) silicone impressions, and (4) conventional plaster models.

Prolonged Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Thrombohemorrhagic Risk in Essential Thrombocythemia and Polycythemia Vera Patients Treated with Long-Term Aspirin: A Pilot Study.

Introduction: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are known to decrease the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. However, concerns have been raised regarding the potential pharmacodynamic interactions of PPIs and antiplatelet drugs with respect to cardiovascular risk. Patients with BCR::ABL1-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and polycythemia vera (PV) often suffer from peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and frequently receive low-dose aspirin due to an intrinsically high thrombotic risk.

An association between PPARα-L162V polymorphism and increased plasma LDL cholesterol levels after risperidone treatment.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and antipsychotic medications both influence polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) homeostasis, and thus PPARα polymorphism may be linked to antipsychotic treatment response. Here we investigated whether the functional leucine 162 valine (L162V) polymorphism in PPARα influenced antipsychotic treatment in a group of psychosis patients (N = 186), as well as in a patient subgroup with risperidone, paliperidone, or combination treatment (N = 65). Antipsychotic-naïve first-episode patients and nonadherent chronic individuals were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction analysis.

RARE LARYNGEAL HAMARTOMA: A CASE REPORT.

Hamartoma (from the Greek language, where means defect or an error and denoting a tumor or neoplasm) is a benign tumor-like mass composed of mature tissue or cells that are present in abnormal proportions or show a disorganized arrangement. Hamartomas are rarely seen in the head and neck area and especially rare in the larynx. Only few cases of laryngeal hamartoma have been reported in the literature so far.

The Impact of Atopic Dermatitis and Corticophobia on the Quality of Family Life.

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of atopic dermatitis (AD) in children and corticophobia on the quality of family life. Children with AD and their parents were included in a cross-sectional study. The severity of AD was self-assessed using the Patient Oriented-Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (PO-SCORAD) index, and the severity of corticophobia using the Topical Corticosteroid Phobia (TOPICOP) score, and the general impact of AD on family quality of life using the Family Dermatology Life Quality Index (FDLQI).

Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis in Patients with Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive degenerative disease with an inflammatory background. Chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are clonal hematopoietic disorders characterized by chronic inflammation and a tendency for connective tissue remodeling.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors of symptomatic OA (sOA) in MPN patients.