Amlodipine as an antiischemic drug is superior to long acting nitrates.

European Society of Cardiology Guidelines cite results of meta-analysis that the use of calcium channel blockers results in fewer angina episodes per week vs. long-acting nitrates. Moreover, we listed 12 reasons more to prefer amlodipine over long-acting nitrates, especially in stable angina pectoris patients with arterial hypertension.

Cross-cultural development of a quality-of-life measure for patients with melanoma: phase 3 testing of an EORTC Melanoma Module.

Melanoma is an increasingly common skin cancer worldwide. Recent treatment advances have provided patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) with choices where quality of life (QoL) and toxicity are important considerations. A melanoma-specific QoL questionnaire is being developed in a cross-cultural setting using a four phase process developed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Group.

Hartmann's procedure vs loop colostomy in the treatment of obstructive rectosigmoid cancer.

Introduction: Colorectal carcinoma is the most common malignant gastrointestinal tumour. There is still a considerable controversy when it comes to urgent surgical treatment of obstructive carcinoma of the left colon and rectum.

Methods: Seventy-five patients from the randomized trial were followed up.

Possible involvement of glucocorticoids in 5α-dihydrotestosterone-induced PCOS-like metabolic disturbances in the rat visceral adipose tissue.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a reproductive and metabolic disorder characterized by hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, visceral obesity and insulin resistance. We hypothesized that changes in glucocorticoid metabolism and signaling in the visceral adipose tissue may contribute to disturbances of lipid metabolism in the rat model of PCOS obtained by 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) treatment of prepubertal female Wistar rats. The results confirmed that DHT treatment caused anovulation, obesity and dyslipidemia.

The role of D-dimer in prediction of the course and outcome in pediatric acute pancreatitis.

Background: Current predictive severity scores for pediatric acute pancreatitis are either extrapolated from adult studies or difficult to use in practice. The aim of this study was to assess the value of the plasma D-dimer level as a marker of severity and outcome in pediatric AP.

Methods: 36 patients (aged 1-17 yrs) with AP were included in the study.

Early left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction in patients with newly diagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea and normal left ventricular ejection fraction.

Unlabelled: The aim of the study was to evaluate whether obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) contributes directly to left ventricular (LV) diastolic and regional systolic dysfunction in newly diagnosed OSA with normal left ventricle ejection fraction.

Methods: 125 consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled in the study. Control group consisted of 78 asymptomatic age-matched healthy subjects who did not have any cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

Factor analysis of risk variables associated with iron status in patients with coronary artery disease.

Objectives: Epidemiological evidence concerning the role of iron, a lipid peroxidation catalyst, in atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD) is inconsistent.

Design And Methods: Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the potential clustering of variables known to be associated with CAD using data from 188 patients with angiographically-approved disease. The resulting factors were then tested for their association with serum ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) as indicators of body iron status.

Low paraoxonase 1 activity predicts mortality in surgical patients with sepsis.

Introduction: State of severe oxidative stress is encountered in sepsis. Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) protects against oxidative stress but also undergoes inactivation upon that condition. We investigated PON1 activity in surgical patients with sepsis in relation to oxidative stress status, inflammation, disease severity, and survival.

Comparison of prognostic impact of absolute lymphocyte count, absolute monocyte count, absolute lymphocyte count/absolute monocyte count prognostic score and ratio in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

Background: The combination of absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) and absolute monocyte count (AMC) at diagnosis has prognostic relevance in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

Aims: The present study was designed to investigate the prognostic significance of ALC and AMC and to determine whether ALC/AMC ratio or ALC/AMC prognostic score is better predictor of outcome in DLBCL.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the prognostic significance of ALC and AMC, ALC/AMC ratio and ALC/AMC prognostic score at diagnosis in 222 DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP.

Dihydrotestosterone deteriorates cardiac insulin signaling and glucose transport in the rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome.

It is supposed that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are prone to develop cardiovascular disease as a consequence of multiple risk factors that are mostly related to the state of insulin resistance and consequent hyperinsulinemia. In the present study, we evaluated insulin signaling and glucose transporters (GLUT) in cardiac cells of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) treated female rats as an animal model of PCOS. Expression of proteins involved in cardiac insulin signaling pathways and glucose transporters, as well as their phosphorylation or intracellular localization were studied by Western blot analysis in DHT-treated and control rats.

Molecular forms of the insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-2 in patients with colorectal cancer.

The components of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system and molecules with which they interact are associated with the neoplastic transformation of cells in colorectal cancer. The IGF-binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) plays a significant role in mitotic stimulation of the cancer cells and its concentration is significantly elevated in tumor states. Little is known about IGFBP-2 at the molecular level and the purpose of this study was to examine the interactions between IGFBP-2 and some other proteins, the fragmentation pattern and posttranslational modifications that might have occurred due to a disease.

Prevalence of arterial hypertension in Serbia: PAHIS study.

Background: Arterial hypertension (AH) is the most common cardiovascular disease risk factor, affecting between 30 and 50% of the adult population in developed countries. A steady increase of the prevalence of AH by about 60% is expected by year 2025.

Methods: Serbian Society of Hypertension conducted a prevalence study from February to May 2012 on a sample of 3878 adult respondents.

Detection and identification of oxidized insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins and receptors in patients with colorectal carcinoma.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide and also the one with the highest mortality rate. Tumor growth is assisted by various growth factors, and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are among the most important. A majority of the IGFs are bound to IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) and their release is dependent on the rate of IGFBP proteolysis.

Ultrasonography analysis of gallbladder motility in patients with functional dyspepsia.

Background: Gallbladder motility has been studied in patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders, such as functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome and biliary disorders without gallstones and results of these observations are often inconclusive and conflicting.

Methods: The investigation was performed on 180 therapy-naïve newly diagnosed patients with functional dyspepsia (97 females and 83 males), aged 20-79 in which we have investigate ultrasonographically parameters of gallbladder motility.

Results: Bonferroni post hoc correction stressed that fasting gallbladder volume and ejection fraction were significantly distorted in individuals with postprandial distress syndrome, although, the residual gallbladder volume was significantly lower in patients with epigastric pain syndrome comparing with other examinees.

Phyllodes tumors and fibroadenoma common beginning and different ending.

Phyllodes tumors and fibroadenomas are the most common benign breast tumors. They arise from intralobular fibrous tissue as a unique lesion and after a period of time they differentiate in two direction: to fibroadenoma and to phyllodes tumors. Fibroadenomas grow up to 2-3 cm and then stop growing but phyllodes tumors grow continually and sometimes are to 40 cm big.

Pulmonary events in antiphospholipid syndrome: influence of antiphospholipid antibody type and levels.

Objective: This prospective clinical study examined the association between subclasses of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) and pulmonary manifestations in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).

Methods: The cohort involved 329 patients: 214 patients with primary APS (PAPS) and 115 patients with secondary APS (SAPS). aPL analysis included detection of serum anticardiolipin antibodies [aCL (IgG/IgM)], β₂ glycoprotein I [β₂GPI (IgG/IgM)], and lupus anticoagulant (LA).

Influence of antiphospholipid antibody levels and type on thrombotic manifestations: results from the Serbian National Cohort Study.

Repeated thromboses are the most frequent clinical manifestation of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) in the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). The objective of this study was to observe the prevalence and localization of thrombosis, and to investigate the importance of aPL type and level for thrombosis-related events in patients diagnosed with APS. These are the first results of patients enrolled in Serbian National Cohort Study which comprises 256 patients: 162 with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) and 94 with APS associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Autonomic nervous system adjustment (ANSA) in patients with hypertension treated with enalapril.

Background And Aim: Reduced baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), decreased heart rate variability (HRV) and increased blood pressure (BP) variability have serious consequences for target organ damage in patients with hypertension, beside the BP level. The study was aimed to evaluate acute and long-term effects of enalapril, on BRS and HRV in individuals with prehypertension and mild essential hypertension.

Methodology: We enrolled in the study 85 patients (male 53%, age 42-67) with prehypertension and mild hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥120 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥80 mmHg).

Gender differences in acute coronary syndrome in Serbia before organized primary PCI network service.

Introduction: Numerous studies were focused on coronary artery disease, most of them in the male population and it seems that data on gender differences in CAD were extrapolated from these studies.

Goal: The multi-center prospective study was designed to analyze gender differences in features, clinical presentation, and early in-hospital mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) admitted to coronary units in 50 hospitals in Serbia, during a 12 month-period.

Methods: The data were collected from the central register of ACS, analyzed with respect to gender differences.

Neuropsychiatric lupus and association with cerebrospinal fluid immunoglobulins: a pilot study.

Background: Recent experimental evidence points to brain-reactive antibodies as a key factor in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (central nervous system-SLE). However, clinical studies in which circulating (serum) autoantibodies were correlated with neuropsychiatric manifestations have not produced consistent findings.

Objectives: To test the hypothesis that autoantibodies in cerebrospinal fluid are more reflective of functional brain damage.

Granular cell tumor of the common hepatic duct presenting as cholangiocarcinoma and acute acalculous cholecystitis.

Granular cell tumors (GCT) are rare benign tumors. Less than 1% of GCTs involve the extrahepatic biliary tree. Most researches favour a Schwann cell origin.

Clinical and laboratory features of the catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome.

Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS, Asherson's syndrome) is an unusual form of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) characterized by multi-organ failure and high mortality. Fortunately, CAPS accounts for less than 1% of APS cases. Due to the rarity of the condition, an international registry of CAPS patients was created in 2000 supported by the European Forum on Antiphospholipid Antibodies held in Taormina, Italy at the Tenth International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies.

The catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome in Serbia: diagnostic and management problems.

Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are a common cause of acquired thrombophilia, termed antiphospholipid syndrome (APS, Huges syndrome). Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS, Asherson's syndrome) is an unusual form of APS characterized with multi-organ failure and high mortality. Fortunately, CAPS accounts for less than 1% of APS cases.

Large cava septi pellucidi in schizophrenic patients, alcoholics, head-traumatized, and normal individuals: morpholgical features and forensic implications. A postmortem study.

Background: The enlarged cava septi pellucidi (CSP = 6 mm in length) have been reported as a reliable marker of an underlying neuropsychiatric disease or disorder. Differences in the dimensions of cava longer than 6 mm associated with a neuropsychiatric impairment could be of possible clinical and forensic significance.

Methods: We obtained 479 brains from autopsied persons (310 males and 169 females, aged 22-89 years) and observed that 110 brains (75 males and 35 females) had CSP, of which the length of CSP was equal to or longer than 6 mm on 69 (49 males and 20 females) of them.