Cardiac Obesity and Cardiac Cachexia: Is There a Pathophysiological Link?

Obesity is a risk factor for cardiometabolic and vascular diseases like arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, dyslipidaemia, and atherosclerosis. A special role in obesity-related syndromes is played by cardiac visceral obesity, which includes epicardial adipose tissue and intramyocardial fat, leading to cardiac steatosis; hypertensive heart disease; atherosclerosis of epicardial coronary artery disease; and ischemic cardiomyopathy, cardiac microcirculatory dysfunction, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and atrial fibrillation. Cardiac expression of these changes in any given patient is unique and multimodal, varying in clinical settings and level of expressed changes, with heart failure development depending on pathophysiological mechanisms with preserved, midrange, or reduced ejection fraction.

Gentamicin and Vancomycin Interference on Results of Clinical Chemistry Parameters on Abbott Architect c8000.

Context.—: Gentamicin and vancomycin are nephrotoxic antibiotics. Little is known about the influence of drug concentrations on results of clinical chemistry tests.

Comparison of Syndecan-1 Immunohistochemical Expression in Lobular and Ductal Breast Carcinoma with Nodal Metastases.

Syndecan-1 (Sdc1) is a transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan, an extracellular matrix receptor involved in intercellular communication, proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. This study determined and compared Sdc1 expression in the tumor cells and stroma of 30 invasive lobular and 30 invasive ductal breast carcinomas (ILCs/IDCs), also in the axillary node metastases of ductal type, and correlated it with clinical and tumor parameters. Sdc1 was expressed in the epithelium of 90% carcinoma of both histological types.

Fatal Case of Spontaneous Rectus Sheath Hematoma Caused by Anticoagulant and Steroid Therapy during Hospital Admission.

Background: Rectus sheath hematoma (RSH) is a rare but potentially dangerous clinical entity that requires medical supervision.

Case Report: Here we discuss one such case which describes the fatal course of spontaneous RSH during hospital admission.

Conclusion: Usually, RSH presents as a minimal abdominal wall swelling with self-limiting course but in the case of hematoma and size progression, specific conservative or invasive measures are necessary to prevent serious complications including hypovolemic shock and death.

RANKL/RANK/OPG Axis Is Deregulated in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Multiple Sclerosis Patients at Clinical Onset.

Objectives: Our study focused on the RANKL (receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand)/RANK/OPG (osteoprotegerin) axis and selected proinflammatory/immunoregulatory upstream mediators in the peripheral blood (PBL) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

Methods: PBL and CSF were collected from healthy controls (n = 35) and MS patients at the clinical onset of the disease (n = 33). In addition, PBL samples were obtained from relapse-remitting (RR)-MS patients (n = 30).

Targeted Mass Spectrometry-Based Assays for Relative Quantification of 30 Brain-Related Proteins and Their Clinical Applications.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a promising clinical sample for identification of novel biomarkers for various neurological disorders. Considering its direct contact with brain tissue, CSF represents a valuable source of brain-related and brain-specific proteins. Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory, demyelinating neurological disease affecting the central nervous system, and so far there are no diagnostic or prognostic disease specific biomarkers available in the clinic.

Ascorbic acid-A black hole of urine chemistry screening.

Background: Study was performed in order: (i) to assess the comparability of glucose, bilirubin, hemoglobin, leukocyte esterase, and protein; (ii) to assess accuracy of glucose, bilirubin, hemoglobin, leukocyte esterase, and protein; and (iii) to evaluate interference of ascorbic acid on the glucose, bilirubin, hemoglobin, and nitrite determination using 2 different dipsticks: iChem Velocity, Iris Diagnostics and Combur-10M, Roche Diagnostics.

Methods: Random urine specimens were included in the study. Comparability, accuracy, and ascorbic acid interference testing were performed.

Supplementary Diagnostic Landmarks of Left Ventricular Non-Compaction on Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Purpose: Diagnostic criteria for left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) are still a matter of dispute. The aim of our present study was to test the diagnostic value of two novel diagnostic cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) parameters: proof of non-compact (NC) myocardium blood flow using T2 sequences and changes in geometry of the left ventricle.

Materials And Methods: The study included cases with LVNC and controls, from a data base formed in a period of 3.

Auxiliary diagnostic potential of ventricle geometry and late gadolinium enhancement in left ventricular non-compaction; non-randomized case control study.

Background: There are still ambiguities existing in regard to left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) diagnostic imaging. The aim of our study was to analyze diagnostic potential of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and ventricle geometry in patients with LVNC and controls.

Methods: Data on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) studies for LVNC were reassessed from the hospital's database (3.

Monoamine Oxidase A Gene Methylation and Its Role in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: First Evidence from the South Eastern Europe (SEE)-PTSD Study.

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder is characterized by an overactive noradrenergic system conferring core posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms such as hyperarousal and reexperiencing. Monoamine oxidase A is one of the key enzymes mediating the turnover of noradrenaline. Here, DNA methylation of the monoamine oxidase A gene exonI/intronI region was investigated for the first time regarding its role in posttraumatic stress disorder risk and severity.

Renal Cell Carcinoma With Leiomyomatous Stroma: A Group of Tumors With Indistinguishable Histopathologic Features, But 2 Distinct Genetic Profiles: Next-Generation Sequencing Analysis of 6 Cases Negative for Aberrations Related to the VHL gene.

We have studied a cohort of renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) with smooth-muscle stroma (N=6), which lacked any of following genetic aberrations: mutations in the VHL-gene-coding sequence, loss of heterozygosity of chromosome 3p, or hypermethylation of VHL. Using targeted next-generation sequencing, no intronic VHL mutations or mutations in selected genes involved in angiogenesis and genes frequently mutated in clear cell RCC were identified. Tumors were also tested for the presence of hotspot mutations in the TCEB1 gene with negative results in all cases.

Does recreational scuba diving have clinically significant effect on routine haematological parameters?

Introduction: Scuba diving represents a combination of exercise and changes in environmental conditions. This study aimed to evaluate changes in haematological parameters after recreational scuba diving in order to identify clinically significant changes.

Materials And Methods: The study included males, 17 recreational divers, median age (range) 41 (30-52) years.

Impact of hypoglycaemia on patient-reported outcomes from a global, 24-country study of 27,585 people with type 1 and insulin-treated type 2 diabetes.

Aims: Data on the impact of hypoglycaemia on patients' daily lives and diabetes self-management, particularly in developing countries, are lacking. The aim of this study was to assess fear of, and responses to, hypoglycaemia experienced by patients globally.

Materials And Methods: This non-interventional, multicentre, 4-week prospective study using self-assessment questionnaires and patient diaries consisted of 27,585 patients, ≥18years, with type 1 diabetes (n=8022) or type 2 diabetes (n=19,563) treated with insulin for >12months, at 2004 sites in 24 countries worldwide.

Multi-morbidities of allergic rhinitis in adults: European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Task Force Report.

This report has been prepared by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Task Force on Allergic Rhinitis (AR) comorbidities. The aim of this multidisciplinary European consensus document is to highlight the role of multimorbidities in the definition, classification, mechanisms, recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of AR, and to define the needs in this neglected area by a literature review. AR is a systemic allergic disease and is generally associated with numerous multi-morbid disorders, including asthma, eczema, food allergies, eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE), conjunctivitis, chronic middle ear effusions, rhinosinusitis, adenoid hypertrophy, olfaction disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, disordered sleep and consequent behavioural and educational effects.

Follow-up of Vasospasm by Transcranial Doppler Sonography (TCD) in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH).

Introduction: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)represents hemorrhage in the space between arachnoidea and pia mater, due to aneurysm burst, spontaneously or as a consequence of trauma. It is condition that occurs more common in women than men, and its most common complications are rebleeding and vazospasm. As a result of vasospasm, develops ischemia in the portion of brain tissue that can cause additional neurological deficit.

Non-allergic rhinitis: Position paper of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

This EAACI position paper aims at providing a state-of-the-art overview on nonallergic rhinitis (NAR). A significant number of patients suffering from persistent rhinitis are defined as nonallergic noninfectious rhinitis (NANIR) patients, often denominated in short as having NAR. NAR is defined as a symptomatic inflammation of the nasal mucosa with the presence of a minimum of two nasal symptoms such as nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, sneezing, and/or itchy nose, without clinical evidence of endonasal infection and without systemic signs of sensitization to inhalant allergens.

Preanalytical external quality assessment of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine and CROQALM: finding undetected weak spots.

Introduction: The aim of this paper is to present results of first two years of preanalytical external quality assessment (EQA) in Croatia.

Materials And Methods: This paper summarizes results from 6 rounds of preanalytical EQA during 2014-2016 in 161-175 Croatian laboratories (number ranged between cycles). EQA was designed as an online survey of the compliance with National recommendations for phlebotomy (NRP).

Laboratory testing of extravascular body fluids in Croatia: a survey of the Working group for extravascular body fluids of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

Introduction: We hypothesized that extravascular body fluid (EBF) analysis in Croatia is not harmonized and aimed to investigate preanalytical, analytical and postanalytical procedures used in EBF analysis in order to identify key aspects that should be addressed in future harmonization attempts.

Materials And Methods: An anonymous online survey created to explore laboratory testing of EBF was sent to secondary, tertiary and private health care Medical Biochemistry Laboratories (MBLs) in Croatia. Statements were designed to address preanalytical, analytical and postanalytical procedures of cerebrospinal, pleural, peritoneal (ascites), pericardial, seminal, synovial, amniotic fluid and sweat.

Blood gas testing and related measurements: National recommendations on behalf of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

Blood gas analysis (BGA) is exposed to risks of errors caused by improper sampling, transport and storage conditions. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) generated documents with recommendations for avoidance of potential errors caused by sample mishandling. Two main documents related to BGA issued by the CLSI are GP43-A4 (former H11-A4) Procedures for the collection of arterial blood specimens; approved standard - fourth edition, and C46-A2 Blood gas and pH analysis and related measurements; approved guideline - second edition.

Bone health and adherence to vitamin D and calcium therapy in early breast cancer patients on endocrine therapy with aromatase inhibitors.

Objectives: Randomized trials involving aromatase inhibitors (AIs) in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer patients have reported increased osteoporosis risk. Bone loss can be reduced with appropriate life style, vitamin D and calcium supplements, and with bisphosphonate therapy. The aim of this analysis was to investigate adherence to vitamin D and calcium in postmenopausal breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant non-steroidal AIs, and oncologists' adherence to the bone health guidelines.

Interference of M-protein on prothrombin time test - case report.

The aim of this report was to present a case of interference on prothrombin time (PT) test that directed further laboratory diagnostics and resulted with final detection of monoclonal gammopathy in an 88-year old man. Routine coagulation testing during medical examination at Emergency Department revealed unmeasurable PT (< 7% activity) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) within reference range. After repeated sampling for coagulation testing, PT was unmeasurable again, as well as fibrinogen level (< 0.