Corrigendum to: Analytical evaluation of the new Seal Autoanalyzer 3 High Resolution for urinary iodine determination.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.11613/BM.2019.

Validation of a clinical score in predicting pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Background: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is one of the most severe complications after cephalic pancreaticoduodenectomy, with mortality as high as 30%. Risk scores may help predict the risk of POPF. Multiple external validations substantially improve generalized clinical acceptability of a scoring system.

Dynamics of exhaled breath temperature after smoking a cigarette and its association with lung function changes predictive of COPD risk in smokers: a cross-sectional study.

Exhaled breath temperature (EBT) is a biomarker of inflammation and vascularity of the airways already shown to predict incident COPD. This cross-sectional study was aimed to assess the potential of EBT in identifying "healthy" smokers susceptible to cigarette smoke toxicity of the airways and to the risk of developing COPD by analysing the dynamics of EBT after smoking a cigarette and its associations with their demographics (age, smoking burden) and lung function. The study included 55 current smokers of both sexes, 29-62 years of age, with median smoking exposure of 15 (10-71.

Analytical evaluation of the new Seal Autoanalyzer 3 High Resolution for urinary iodine determination.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to evaluate the analytical performance of the new colorimetric, automatic analyser, Seal AutoAnalyzer 3 High Resolution (Seal AA3 HR) (Seal Analytical, Wisconsin, USA) for urinary iodine measurement.

Materials And Methods: This study included testing of several analytical features of the method involving: imprecision (within-run %CVr, between-run %CVb and total laboratory precision %CVl), measurement uncertainty, carryover, linearity and method comparison, with 70 urine samples including the measuring range (20 - 700 µg/L).

Results: Within-run, %CVb and %CVl of two control levels were 2.

Hidden Carbapenem Resistance in OXA-48 and Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Positive .

The purpose of this study was to report the identification OXA-48 carbapenemase in seven extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-positive clinical isolates, fully susceptible to all carbapenems by disk diffusion and E-test methods, but with borderline minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of ertapenem. This report points to the necessity for determination of carbapenem MICs in ESBL-positive isolates and additional phenotypic testing for carbapenemases in all isolates with borderline ertapenem MIC defined by EUCAST. The isolates showed a high level of resistance to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins because of the production of an additional ESBL belonging to CTX-M family.

LABA/LAMA Fixed Dose Combination in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: The Impact on Health-Related Quality of Life.

Background: While fixed dose combinations (FDCs) of long-acting beta 2-agonists (LABAs) and long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) are increasingly tested on their efficacy in improving lung function, their effectiveness on Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) such as Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and Health Status (HS) deserve more attention.

Objectives: To review current available evidence about the treatment effect of fixed LABA/LAMA FDCs on HRQoL.

Methods: A systematic literature search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about the impact of LABA/LAMA FDCs versus placebo, LABA or LAMA or LABA/ICS on HRQoL in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients has been performed.

Impact of reslizumab on outcomes of severe asthmatic patients: current perspectives.

Approximately 5%-10% of asthmatics suffer from severe asthma. New biological treatments represent a great opportunity to reduce asthma burden and to improve asthma patients' lives. Reslizumab will soon be available in several European countries.

Psoriasis Severity-A Risk Factor of Insulin Resistance Independent of Metabolic Syndrome.

Background: It is still debatable whether psoriasis increases cardiovascular risk indirectly since it is associated with metabolic syndrome or is an independent cardiovascular risk factor. The aim of this study was to evaluate psoriasis severity as an independent predictor of insulin resistance (IR) irrespective of the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Methods: This was a case control study including 128 patients stratified into two groups: patients with psoriasis and metabolic syndrome vs.

Everolimus and papillomavirus lesions in female renal transplant recipient: A case report.

We describe the case of a transplanted patient with high-risk HPV infection that manifested as multiple genital condylomas and abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smear. Her immunosuppressants were corticosteroids, cyclosporine, and azathioprine. Since gynecologic treatments to eradicate condylomas were completely unsuccessful, cyclosporine was replaced by everolimus.

Epidemic spread of OXA-48 beta-lactamase in Croatia.

Purpose: A dramatic increase in OXA-48 β-lactamase was observed recently not only in large hospital centres, but also in smaller suburban hospital centres in geographic areas bordering Croatia. The aim of the study was to analyse the epidemiology, the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and the routes of spread of OXA-48 carbapenemase in Croatia.

Methods: Carbapenemase and other β-lactamase and fluoroquinolone resistance genes were detected by PCR and sequencing.

A novel mutation in a Croatian boy with brachytelephalangy and a thin corpus callosum.

Biallelic mutations in the post-GPI attachment to proteins 3 () gene cause hyperphosphatasia with mental retardation syndrome 4 (HPMRS4), which is characterized by elevated serum alkaline phosphatase, severe psychomotor developmental delay, seizures, and facial dysmorphism. To date, 15 mutations have been reported in humans. Here we report a novel homozygous mutation (c.

The role of weather conditions and normal level of air pollution in appearance of stroke in the region of Southeast Europe.

We investigated correlation between the normal level of air pollution, weather conditions and stroke occurrence in the region of Southeast Europe with a humid continental climate. This retrospective study included 1963 patients, 1712 (87.2%) with ischemic (IS) and 251 (12.

Health literacy of hospital patients using a linguistically validated Croatian version of the Newest Vital Sign screening test (NVS-HR).

The Newest Vital Sign (NVS) is a simple, quick and accurate screening test for health literacy (HL). It has been validated for different languages but, to date, not for the Croatian language. The aim of this study was to develop a linguistically validated Croatian version of the NVS and to use it at a later stage in a pilot study of health literacy assessment of hospital patients in Croatia.

Predictors of short-term LAMA ineffectiveness in treatment naïve patients with moderate to severe COPD.

Background: No specific (only subgroup) recommendations for the use of long-acting muscarinic antagonists in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exist. The aim of this exploratory hypothesis generating study was to assess whether different phenotypic/endotypic characteristics could be determinants of the short-term ineffectiveness of the initial tiotropium bromide monotherapy in treatment naïve moderate to severe COPD patients.

Methods: A total of 51 consecutively recruited COPD patients were followed for 3 months after the initial evaluation and prescribed initial treatment (tiotropium).

Anemia, hypoalbuminemia, and elevated troponin levels as risk factors for respiratory failure in patients with severe exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring invasive mechanical ventilation.

Aim: To determine in-hospital and post-discharge mortality, readmission rates, and predictors of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in patients treated at intensive care unit (ICU) due to acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).

Methods: A retrospective observational cohort study included all patients treated at a respiratory ICU for AECOPD during one year. A total of 62 patients (41 men) with mean age 68.

Eight weeks of omeprazole 20 mg significantly reduces both laryngopharyngeal reflux and comorbid chronic rhinosinusitis signs and symptoms: Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objectives: Gastroesophageal reflux recommended treatment (dose and duration) with proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) compared to placebo significantly reduces the signs and symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) and comorbid chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).

Design: Double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: Eight weeks of treatment with omeprazole 20 mg once daily (OD).

EUS-FNA of the Merkel cell carcinoma metastasis to the pancreas: Cytomorphology and immunocytochemistry on direct cytological smears.

Objective: To report two cases of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) metastatic to the pancreas diagnosed with endoscopic ultrasound-guided-fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) and to add the case of concomitant chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) and MCC to the literature. The aim is to alert the cytopathologists once more to the problems of differential diagnosis of pancreatic metastasis of MCC and to describe the possibilities of ancillary methods performed on direct cytological smears.

Methods: EUS-FNA procedures were performed according to standard institution protocol, using 22-G needles with cytopathologist on-site.

Mood disorders in adult asthma phenotypes.

Objective: Studies show high comorbidity of mood disorders in asthma. As asthma is a highly heterogeneous disease with different phenotypes it can be expected that there is a difference in this association with different asthma phenotypes. The aim of our cross-sectional study was to assess the association of specific asthma phenotypes with anxiety and/or depression and their impact on asthma control.

Long-term predictors of anxiety and depression in adult patients with asthma.

Background: It is well established that anxiety and depression are associated with asthma, but there is limited evidence about the persistence of anxiety/depression in asthma. The aim of our study was to assess the long-term predictors of anxiety and depression in adult asthmatic patients.

Methods: A total of 90 adult asthma patients (63 women, age 18-50 years) with different levels of disease control (28 uncontrolled and 34 partially controlled) were assessed at baseline and at follow-up after 7 years for anxiety, depression and asthma control.

Early detection of COPD patients in GOLD 0 population: an observational non-interventional cohort study - MARKO study.

Background: Main risk factor for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is smoking, although only less than 1/3 of smokers develop clinically manifest COPD. COPD's progressive nature with high disability and mortality makes it plausible to detect it as early as possible thus allowing for an early intervention. The only tool for an early diagnosis that could be used on the global scale is spirometry, even though symptoms and deprivation of health related quality of life (HRQoL) precede relevant spirometric changes.

Implementation of Elastography Score and Strain Ratio in Combination with B-Mode Ultrasound Avoids Unnecessary Biopsies of Breast Lesions.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the combination of B-mode ultrasound, elastography score (ES) and strain ratio (SR) improves diagnostic performance with respect to breast lesions. One hundred thirty lesions were prospectively evaluated by B-mode ultrasound and strain elastography, followed by fine-needle aspiration cytology/biopsy in 117 woman who were scheduled for regular breast BUS. The median ES (4.