CD44 Immunohistochemical Expression in Central and Peripheral Parts of Prostatic Adenocarcinoma: An Institutional Study.

: Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the male population and the fifth leading cause of cancer death worldwide in men as of 2022. One of the potential biomarkers that can predict the progression of the disease is the transmembrane adhesion molecule CD44s. The aims of this study were to determine the expression of CD44s in prostate cancer in the central tumor mass and in the tumor periphery of the disease and to compare it with the clinicopathological parameters (PSA, Gleason score, surgical margins, and biochemical recurrence of the disease) in patients treated with radical prostatectomy.

The Role of SHBG as a Marker in Male Patients with Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease: Insights into Metabolic and Hormonal Status.

: Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a spectrum of liver diseases linked to insulin resistance (IR), type 2 diabetes, and metabolic disorders. IR accelerates fat accumulation in the liver, worsening MAFLD. Regular physical activity and weight loss can improve liver function, reduce fat, and lower cardiovascular risk.

Short- and long-term stability of synovial fluid calprotectin.

Introduction: Information about analyte stability is of crucial importance. The aims of this study were to determine the short- and long-term stability of synovial fluid calprotectin at various temperature conditions (4-8 °C for 7 days, - 20 °C and - 80 °C for 6 weeks).

Materials And Methods: Eleven samples from patients were included in this study.

Thyroid Function Trends in Dialysis: Unveiling Peritoneal and Hemodialysis Disparities.

Background: The interplay between peritoneal dialysis (PD), residual kidney function (RKF), and thyroid function remains poorly understood, with limited prospective studies comparing thyroid function in PD versus hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: This prospective single-center study assessed thyroid function in 18 PD patients over a 24-month follow-up period at the Department of Nephrology, Dialysis, and Kidney Transplantation, UHC Rijeka, Croatia. Data were compared to 24 concurrently treated HD patients.

Middle Ear Neuroendocrine Tumor: Case Report of a Tympanic Adenoma.

Middle ear neuroendocrine tumors (MeNETs) are an exceptionally rare occurrence. These benign tumors stem from the tympanic mucosa and can easily be misinterpreted by the clinician and the pathologist. Clinical characteristics, otoscopic findings and medical imaging in these cases are non-specific.

Impact of the Type of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (imatinib or dasatinib) Used Before allo-HCT on Outcome of Patients with Philadelphia-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. A Study on Behalf of the Acute Leukemia Working Party of the EBMT.

The use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) during induction and consolidation, followed by allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT), is a standard of care for patients with Philadelphia (Ph)-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The goal of this study was to compare results of allo-HCT according to the type of TKI used pre-transplant, either imatinib, dasatinib or both. This was a retrospective, registry-based analysis including adult patients with Ph-positive ALL treated with allo-HCT between years 2010-2022.

Exploring Thyroid Function after Kidney Transplantation: The Complex Interplay Unacknowledged in Post-Transplant Care.

The interplay between thyroid function and kidney graft function following kidney transplantation remains incompletely understood. Thyroid disorders are more prevalent in kidney transplant recipients than in the general population and are associated with poorer outcomes. This prospective, single-center study was designed to estimate thyroid function (thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), free triiodothyronine (FT3), thyroxine (T4), free thyroxine (FT4), as well as anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti-TPO), anti-thyroglobulin antibody (anti-Tg), and thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI)) and its influence on kidney graft function among a cohort of 23 kidney transplant recipients during a follow-up period of 12 months.

Capacity for the management of kidney failure in the International Society of Nephrology Eastern and Central Europe region: report from the 2023 ISN Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA).

Delivery of care for kidney failure (KF) globally has a significant disparity; even in some countries, it means end of life for the person. The International Society of Nephrology Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA) tries to address gaps in KF care and standardize global nephrology care. From the third iteration of the ISN-GKHA, we present data for countries in the ISN Eastern and Central Europe region.

Assessing post-analytical phase harmonization in European laboratories: a survey promoted by the EFLM Working Group on Harmonization.

Objectives: Harmonization of the laboratory total testing process (TTP) is critical to improving patient outcome. In 2016, an EFLM survey on the harmonization of TTP underlined the serious shortcomings pertaining to the post-analytical phase. In 2023, the WG-H conducted a new survey aiming to update information in the 2016 harmonization report in order to ascertain whether countries that had declared they were keen to adopt SI units had continued with this program, the aim being to verify the state-of art in harmonization units in areas of laboratory medicine not included in the previous survey.

Management of Childhood Iron Deficiency Anemia in a Developed Country-A Multi-Center Experience from Croatia.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) continues to be a global public health concern, mostly in the developing countries. However, precise epidemiological data on childhood IDA in Croatia are lacking. In order to establish its frequency, underlying etiologies, the rationale for tertiary care visits, diagnostic practices, and current treatment regimens of IDA, medical records of children referred to pediatric hematologists for iron deficiency in a five-year period at tertiary institutions (Zagreb, Rijeka, Split, Osijek) throughout Croatia were retrospectively analyzed.

Post-COVID-19 Syndrome in Neurology Patients: A Single Center Experience.

Our aim was to determine the frequency and characteristics of neurological post-COVID-19 syndrome and the diagnostic and therapeutic measures that were used for the treatment of these patients. Data were collected for 243 patients examined during the period of 11 May 2021 to 22 June 2022. The inclusion criteria were COVID-19 illness and neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19.

Analysis of the Gut Microbiome and Dietary Habits in Metastatic Melanoma Patients with a Complete and Sustained Response to Immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy has improved the prognosis of metastatic melanoma patients, although most patients do not achieve a complete response. While specific gut microbiome and dietary habits might influence treatment success, there is a lack of concordance between the studies, potentially due to dichotomizing patients only into responders and non-responders. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether metastatic melanoma patients with complete and sustained response to immunotherapy exhibit differences in gut microbiome composition among themselves, and whether those differences were associated with specific dietary habits.

Development of simple descriptions of the ICF Generic-30 Set in different languages: laying the foundation for an ICF-based clinical tool for Europe.

Background: Functioning is considered a third indicator of health and a key outcome in rehabilitation. A universal practical tool for collecting functioning information is essential. This tool would be ideally based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Delphi-Based Consensus on Interstitial Lung Disease Screening in Patients with Connective Tissue Diseases (Croatian National-Based Study).

The aim of this study was to develop a Croatian Delphi-based expert consensus for screening interstitial lung disease (ILD) associated with connective tissue disease (CTD). A systematic literature review was conducted on risk factors for the development of ILD, prevalence and incidence of ILD, diagnostic and screening methods for ILD, and prognosis of ILD in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM), mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and systemic sclerosis (SSc) were performed. Based on the evidence found, experts developed questionnaires for screening and monitoring ILD in each CTD, which were provided via an online survey.

Ultrasound Methods for the Assessment of Liver Steatosis: A Critical Appraisal.

The prevalence of the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has reached major proportions, being estimated to affect one-quarter of the global population. The reference techniques, which include liver biopsy and the magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction, have objective practical and financial limitations to their routine use in the detection and quantification of liver steatosis. Therefore, there has been a rising necessity for the development of new inexpensive, widely applicable and reliable non-invasive diagnostic tools.

Gut peptide changes in patients with obstructive jaundice undergoing biliary drainage: A prospective case control study.

Background: Biliary obstruction is a relatively common condition that affects approximately 5 in 1000 people annually. Malnutrition is very common in patients with biliary obstruction and since it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, it is important to identify factors and mechanisms involved in its development.

Aim: To determine the influence of obstructive jaundice on the hormones controlling appetite and nutritive status.

Comprehensive Genomic Profiling in the Management of Ovarian Cancer-National Results from Croatia.

Today, in the era of precision medicine, the determination of genomic instability or other potentially targetable mutations, along with BRCA 1 and BRCA 2, is a crucial component of the diagnosis and treatment management of advanced ovarian cancer. Advanced technologies such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) have enabled comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) analysis to become more feasible for routine use in daily clinical work. Here, we present the results for the first two years of an analysis of patients with advanced ovarian cancer on a national level.

Elastographic parameters of liver steatosis and fibrosis predict independently the risk of incident chronic kidney disease and acute myocardial infarction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Aims: The aim of this prospective study was to examine the relationship between controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurements (LSM) with the risk of developing a composite endpoint inclusive of incident acute myocardial infarction (AMI), cerebrovascular insult (CVI) or chronic kidney disease (CKD) in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: This study included 238 T2DM outpatients without chronic liver diseases.

Results: The patient population was followed for a median period of 7.

Effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on people with Parkinson's disease: experience from a Croatian regional center.

Aim: To assess the effect of social isolation due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on physical and mental health of Parkinson's disease patients treated at the University Hospital Center Rijeka.

Methods: This cross-sectional telephone study involved Parkinson's disease patients who had at least one control examination at University Hospital Center Rijeka in 2020 and were Croatian citizens. A questionnaire was used to obtain data on the socio-demographic characteristics and the severity of motor, anxiety, depression, and non-motor symptoms.