TEI INDEX MIGHT BE THE UNIQUE ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC PARAMETER THAT DETECTS HYPERVISCOSITY SYNDROME: ACASE REPORT

Abstract: Hyperviscosity syndromes are disorders of infrequent prevalence in which changes of rheological characteristics cause increased resistance to blood flow, endothelial dysfunction, tissue ischemia and bleeding. Signs of hyperviscosity syndrome become clinically overt at the point of 4 centipoise units. We present a case of patient with hyperviscosity syndrome due to Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia with negative records on earlier cardiovascular illnesses. Laboratory diagnostic and standard echocardiography did not show any deviation towards increased cardiovascular risk, heart failure or ischemic heart disease. However, unique clinically significant change that could be indirectly related to hyperviscosity syndrome was found with the myocardium performance index (MPI). Tei-index showed median value of 0.75 corresponding to severe grades of myocardial dysfunction earlier described in the literature for other entities. Comprehensive roles of rheological changes in relation to echocardiography, pathophysiology of myocardial performance and cardiovascular continuum might be interesting point for further investigations

TUBERCULOUS PLEURAL EFFUSION IN THE PREVIOUSLY HEALTHY MAN-CASE REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Introduction: Although pleural effusion is a common clinical manifestation, the differential diagnosis of the cause of the pleural effusion is often challenging, especially in the early differentiation of tuberculous pleurisy (TP) from other pleural effusion. Case report: We present a previously healthy man who had no contagious or TB contact but developed massive tuberculous pleural effusion which eventually was unexpected tuberculous. He started with therapy per protocol and feeling well. The purpose of this case and review of literature was to remind the physicians that tuberculosis is not a sickening illness, but on the contrary, it is in the expansion. Discussion: When a patient presents with new pleural effusion, the diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis should be considered. The patient is at great risk for developing pulmonary or extra pulmonary TB if the diagnosis is not made properly. Between 3% and 25% of patients with TB will have TB pleuritic or more in immunocompromised patients.The treatment for TB pleuritis is the same as that for pulmonary TB. Conclusion:The gold standard for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion remains the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in pleural fluid, or pleural biopsy specimens, either by microscopy and/or culture, or the histological demonstration of caseating granulomas in the pleura along with acid fast bacilli

Preliminary outcomes of five-year survival for ovarian malignancies in profiled Serbian Oncology Centre

Objective: The present study purposed to determine characteristics of ovarian carcinoma and to analyze predictors of survival in patients with ovarian carcinoma. Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted including the patients with diagnosed ovarian carcinoma treated at the Clinic for Operative Oncology, Oncology Institute of Vojvodina in the period from January 2012 to December 2016. Seventy-two women with ovarian carcinoma were included in the analysis. The data about the histological type of tumor, disease stage, treatment, lymphatic infiltration, and surgical procedure were collected retrospectively, using the database of the institution where the research was conducted (BirPis 21 SRC Infonet DOO ‒ Information System Oncology Institute of Vojvodina). Descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazards model were performed. Results: The univariate Cox regression analysis identified histology, tumor grade, FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage, NACT (Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy), number of therapy cycles, type of surgery, and chemotherapy response as independent predictors of mortality. Finally, the type of tumor and chemotherapy response had an increased hazard ratio for mortality in the multivariate Cox regression model. Herewith, the percentage of high-grade, advanced-stage ovarian cancer patients with complete response to chemotherapy, absence of recurrent disease, and lymphovascular space invasion were significant predictors of survival in patients with ovarian carcinoma. Conclusions: Herein, emerging data regarding precision medicine and molecular-based personalized treatments are promising and will likely modify the way the authors provide multiple lines of treatments in the near future

Programmed cell death-1 and its ligands: Current knowledge and possibilities in immunotherapy

Programmed Cell Death-1 (PCD-1) is a key immune checkpoint receptor, which mainly expresses on activated T, B, Dendritic (DC), Natural Killer (NK), and Treg cells. On the surface of activated T-cells, PCD-1 expression is upregulated after the recognition of peripherals antigens by T cells; subsequently, the elevated binding of PD-1 to Programmed Death Ligand-1 (PD-L1) and Programmed Death Ligand-2 (PD-L2) becomes a key step for downstream inhibitory signaling. Although the role of PD-L1 has been evaluated more thoroughly by clinical research, and PD-L1 has also been used more widely in the clinical setting, PD-L2 also plays an important role in the negative regulation of T-cells, one of the necessary conditions that lead to immune tolerance. Expression of PD-L1 either in tumors or in infiltrating immune cells has been verified predominantly by Immunohistochemistry (IHC) in a variety of tumors, suggesting a role for the PD-1/PD-L1 axis as a prognostic trait and therapeutic target across multiple histotypes. The complex interplay between these factors plays a major role in the diffusion and clinical application of PD-L1 IHC assays as predictive biomarkers of response to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Checkpoint blockades are registered for the treatment of various cancers, including gynecological malignancies

It is time to define an organizational model for the prevention and management of infections along the surgical pathway: a worldwide cross-sectional survey

Background The objectives of the study were to investigate the organizational characteristics of acute care facilities worldwide in preventing and managing infections in surgery; assess participants' perception regarding infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, antibiotic prescribing practices, and source control; describe awareness about the global burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and IPC measures; and determine the role of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic on said awareness. Methods A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted contacting 1432 health care workers (HCWs) belonging to a mailing list provided by the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery. The self-administered questionnaire was developed by a multidisciplinary team. The survey was open from May 22, 2021, and June 22, 2021. Three reminders were sent, after 7, 14, and 21 days. Results Three hundred four respondents from 72 countries returned a questionnaire, with an overall response rate of 21.2%. Respectively, 90.4% and 68.8% of participants stated their hospital had a multidisciplinary IPC team or a multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship team. Local protocols for antimicrobial therapy of surgical infections and protocols for surgical antibiotic prophylaxis were present in 76.6% and 90.8% of hospitals, respectively. In 23.4% and 24.0% of hospitals no surveillance systems for surgical site infections and no monitoring systems of used antimicrobials were implemented. Patient and family involvement in IPC management was considered to be slightly or not important in their hospital by the majority of respondents (65.1%). Awareness of the global burden of AMR among HCWs was considered very important or important by 54.6% of participants. The COVID-19 pandemic was considered by 80.3% of respondents as a very important or important factor in raising HCWs awareness of the IPC programs in their hospital. Based on the survey results, the authors developed 15 statements for several questions regarding the prevention and management of infections in surgery. The statements may be the starting point for designing future evidence-based recommendations. Conclusion Adequacy of prevention and management of infections in acute care facilities depends on HCWs behaviours and on the organizational characteristics of acute health care facilities to support best practices and promote behavioural change. Patient involvement in the implementation of IPC is still little considered. A debate on how operationalising a fundamental change to IPC, from being solely the HCWs responsibility to one that involves a collaborative relationship between HCWs and patients, should be opened

It is time to define an organizational model for the prevention and management of infections along the surgical pathway : a worldwide cross-sectional survey

Background The objectives of the study were to investigate the organizational characteristics of acute care facilities worldwide in preventing and managing infections in surgery; assess participants' perception regarding infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, antibiotic prescribing practices, and source control; describe awareness about the global burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and IPC measures; and determine the role of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic on said awareness. Methods A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted contacting 1432 health care workers (HCWs) belonging to a mailing list provided by the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery. The self-administered questionnaire was developed by a multidisciplinary team. The survey was open from May 22, 2021, and June 22, 2021. Three reminders were sent, after 7, 14, and 21 days. Results Three hundred four respondents from 72 countries returned a questionnaire, with an overall response rate of 21.2%. Respectively, 90.4% and 68.8% of participants stated their hospital had a multidisciplinary IPC team or a multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship team. Local protocols for antimicrobial therapy of surgical infections and protocols for surgical antibiotic prophylaxis were present in 76.6% and 90.8% of hospitals, respectively. In 23.4% and 24.0% of hospitals no surveillance systems for surgical site infections and no monitoring systems of used antimicrobials were implemented. Patient and family involvement in IPC management was considered to be slightly or not important in their hospital by the majority of respondents (65.1%). Awareness of the global burden of AMR among HCWs was considered very important or important by 54.6% of participants. The COVID-19 pandemic was considered by 80.3% of respondents as a very important or important factor in raising HCWs awareness of the IPC programs in their hospital. Based on the survey results, the authors developed 15 statements for several questions regarding the prevention and management of infections in surgery. The statements may be the starting point for designing future evidence-based recommendations. Conclusion Adequacy of prevention and management of infections in acute care facilities depends on HCWs behaviours and on the organizational characteristics of acute health care facilities to support best practices and promote behavioural change. Patient involvement in the implementation of IPC is still little considered. A debate on how operationalising a fundamental change to IPC, from being solely the HCWs responsibility to one that involves a collaborative relationship between HCWs and patients, should be opened.Peer reviewe

ASTHMA AMONG ELITE ATHLETES, MECHANISM OF OCCURENCE AND IMPACT ON RESPIRATORY PARAMETERS: A REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Introduction: It is generally accepted that physical activity benefits every person but athletes diagnosed with asthma face various challenges during their training to keep the symptoms of the disease under control. Prolonged exposure to agents in the environment in which athletes train favors the development of permanent changes in the airways. Their action leads to permanent hyper reactivity with development of an inflammatory response and the release of mediators (IL-8, leucotriens, eicosanoids) that lead to damage epithelial cells with breaking connection between them and consequent dysfunction of the respiratory system. This condition is called exercise-induced asthma (EIA). This fact is especially important for athletes who have long endurance training. The best way to check the condition of breathing system is with a diagnostic method which is the „ gold“ standard- spirometry. Aim: The point of this systematic review is to get closer the mechanism occurrence of EIA/(exercise induced bronchoconstriction)-EIB, prevalence and incidence of EIA/EIB, changes of pulmonary function and quality of life in elite athletes. We searched papers from PubMed and Cochrane database using keywords: 'exercise-induced asthma', 'athletes', ' spirometry', 'bronchoconstriction', ’bronchospasm’, 'physical activity', 'physical training', 'prevalence', 'incidence'. We have studied 48 scientific papers in total. Conclusion: The prevalence of asthma among elite athletes, especially endurance athletes is higher than in general population. The explanation of this phenomenon is related to the whole mechanism of occurrence, it is still insufficiently clarified, but one thing is for sure that with good disease control athletes can play and compete undisturbed for many years

PULMONARY THROMBOEMBOLISM AND ROLE OF FACTOR V LEIDENIN ITS DEVELOPMENT-REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality, and for as much as twenty-five percent of PE patients the primary clinical appearance is unexpected death. Diagnosis of PE is based on clinical suspicious at first, but sometimes its diagnostics can be extremely difficult. Newly increased interest in an inherited thrombophilic states has been provoked by the discovery of several common inherited abnormalities, i.e. the prothrombin (PT) gene G20210A, Factor V Leiden (FVL) mutation (Arg506Gln), hyperhomocystenemia and homocysteiuria, Wein-Penzing defect, Sticky Platelet Syndrome (SPS), Quebec platelet disorder (QPD) and Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). PE incidence rates increase in recent years. The only explanation at this moment is increased awareness of PE, especially after any kind of surgery, immobile state or unexplained shorthness of breath

PHANTOM TUMOR OF THE LUNG IN PATIENT WITH PNEUMONIA

Introduction: Localized interlobar effusions in congestive heart failure (phantom or vanishing lung tumor/s) are infrequent, but widely recognized entities. Case report: A 80-years-old woman affected by progressive dyspnea over the previous three months, with productive cough. She was treated hypertension and had a pace maker implanted due to bradycardia. Chest X ray has shown right side pneumonia with high positive inflammatory markers. After resolution of pneumonia, phantom tumor of the lung was revealed, which disappear with intensive loop diuretics. Conclusions: The diagnosis of the phantom tumor ought to be pondered as a possibility in any patient with congestive heart failure and lung mass. The patient at hand featured no prior history of congestive heart failure, hence indicating that phantom tumor may occur in non-chronic heart failure patients. Albeid the reliable diagnosis of the phantom tumor through the utilization of imaging modalities in patients without congestive heart failure can be rather challenging, such possibility must be considered in a patient with a lung mass in the major fissure of the lungs. Due to accelerated expansion of the geriatric population and subsequent spread of the congestive heart failure, a rise in the incidence of vanishing tumors of the lung may be anticipated

ANALYZES OF ANTIPLATELETS AND ANTICOAGULANTS UTILIZATION IN PATIENTS TREATED IN CARDIOVASCULAR REHABILITATION CENTER FROM CROATIA

Purpose: Discordance with the guidelines and underutilization of pharmacotherapy for secondary prevention frequently exists in clinical practice. Aim of our study was to assess the prescription routine and drug utilization patterns for antiplatelets and peroral anticoagulants in tertiary medical center specialized for cardiovascular rehabilitation. Methods: study included 96 consecutive patients scheduled for cardiovascular rehabilitation in period 1-6 months after the acute treatment for ischemic 87(80.2%) and valvular heart disease 18(19.8%). Patients were divided according to etiology of heart disease and type of acute cardiovascular treatments (conservative, percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) and surgery). Results: Dual antiplatelet therapy was the most commonly applied regimen in 84(87.5%) of conservatively treated myocardial infarctions, 47(61.9%) of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) and 13(58.9%) of surgically treated group (p>0.05). Among studied group of patients significant differences in utilization were found for warfarin, or combinations of antiplatelets with warfarin(p<0.001), as well as studied etiologies of heart disease(p<0.001), whilst there were no differences for those groups for studied antiplatelets drugs(p>0.05). All four of patients that received triple therapy (4.17%) were from surgical group. Underutilization of antiplatelets in ischemic heart disease was at 11(14.3%) what was congruent with the developed industrial nations. Conclusions: Acute cardiovascular treatment type, but not heart disease etiology, had significant influence on subsequent prescription routine. Decreased use of pharmacological agents for secondary prevention in surgical patients was revealed. Drug utilization analyzes can offer improvement in optimizing medical treatments, quality of care and decrease unnecessary polypragmasia, as well as improve economical efficiency of medical management