Endolymphatic sac tumour (ELST). Case report of a rare tumour of the temporal bone, presenting as a mass in a cerebello-pontine angle

Endolymphatic sac tumour (ELST) is a primary low-grade, locally invasive adenocarcinoma of the endolymphatic sac, characterized by the proliferation of cuboidal cells forming a papillotubular pattern and colloid-filled cysts. Rare in the general population, it coincides significantly with the presence of von Hippel-Lindau disease. The natural history, mechanisms underlying the early symptoms, anatomical origin of ELST and optimal timing of their treatment are unknown. In this study, we report a Polish male patient with sporadic ELST (without a family history of VHL disease) along with a review of literature. The light microscopic and immunohistochemical features as well as clinical presentation were typical of ELST

Polimorfizm –455G/A genu β-fibrynogenu a ryzyko udaru niedokrwiennego w populacji polskiej

Background and purpose: Ischaemic stroke is considered to be multifactorial and interactions between environmental and genetic factors play an important role. Although vascular risk factors are well known, the genetic ones are still undiscover - ed. In the present study, we assessed the significance of the β-fibrinogen –455G/A gene polymorphism and the risk of ischaemic stroke in a Polish population. Material and methods: 426 ischaemic stroke patients classified according to stroke aetiologies (small vessel disease, large vessel disease or cardioembolic stroke) and 234 controls were included in the study. The association of the β-fibrinogen genotypes with ischaemic stroke was tested using logistic regression analysis under dominant, recessive or additive models of inheritance. Results: The allele and genotype distributions of the β-fibri - nogen –455G/A gene polymorphism did not differ significantly between patients and controls (patients: G – 75%, GG – 56.6%, GA – 36.8%, AA – 6.6%; controls: G – 73.7%, GG – 57.3%, GA – 32.9%, AA – 9.8%; p > 0.05, χ2). In addition, logistic regression analysis adjusted for the known risk factors, i.e. hypertension, ischaemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes mellitus and smoking, did not show a role of the studied polymorphism in ischaemic stroke. Conclusions: The β-fibrinogen –455G/A gene polymorphism is not a risk factor for ischaemic stroke in a Polish population

Polimorfizm rs2200733 na chromosomie 4q25 jest czynnikiem ryzyka udaru sercowozatorowego związanego z migotaniem przedsionków w populacji polskiej

Background and purpose A few single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosome 4q25, associated with atrial fibrillation (AF), are risk factors for ischaemic stroke. We studied the significance of the SNP rs2200733 on chromosome 4q25 in different types of cardioembolic (CE) stroke. Material and methods: We genotyped 428 controls and 301 CE stroke patients, among whom 197 (65.4%) presented with high risk sources of embolism (CE stroke related to AF) and 104 with medium risk sources (CE stroke unrelated to AF). The SNP rs2200733 was analysed using real-time polymorphism chain reaction. Results Both univariate and multivariate regression analyses showed that the studied variant affected risk of all CE strokes or CE strokes related to AF in recessive and additive models. The two types of CE stroke differed significantly in demographics and distribution of vascular risk factors. Conclusions The SNP rs2200733 on chromosome 4q25 is a risk factor for CE stroke related to AF only

Polimorfizm rs2200733 na chromosomie 4q25 jest czynnikiem ryzyka udaru sercowozatorowego związanego z migotaniem przedsionków w populacji polskiej

Background and purpose A few single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosome 4q25, associated with atrial fibrillation (AF), are risk factors for ischaemic stroke. We studied the significance of the SNP rs2200733 on chromosome 4q25 in different types of cardioembolic (CE) stroke. Material and methods: We genotyped 428 controls and 301 CE stroke patients, among whom 197 (65.4%) presented with high risk sources of embolism (CE stroke related to AF) and 104 with medium risk sources (CE stroke unrelated to AF). The SNP rs2200733 was analysed using real-time polymorphism chain reaction. Results Both univariate and multivariate regression analyses showed that the studied variant affected risk of all CE strokes or CE strokes related to AF in recessive and additive models. The two types of CE stroke differed significantly in demographics and distribution of vascular risk factors. Conclusions The SNP rs2200733 on chromosome 4q25 is a risk factor for CE stroke related to AF only.Wstęp i cel pracy Kilka polimorfizmów na chromosomie 4q25, związanych z migotaniem przedsionków, jest czynnikami ryzyka udaru niedokrwiennego mózgu. Przeanalizowano znaczenie polimorfizmu rs2200733 na chromosomie 4q25 w różnych typach udaru sercowozatorowego. Materiał i metody Badany polimorfizm oznaczono u 428 osób tworzących grupę kontrolną oraz u 301 chorych na udar sercowozatorowy, spośród których 197 (65,4%) miało źródło zatorowości o dużym ryzyku (udar sercowozatorowy związany z migotaniem przedsionków), a 104 o pośrednim ryzyku (udar sercowozatorowy niezwiązany z migotaniem przedsionków). Do analizy polimorfizmu rs2200733 wykorzystano reakcję łańcuchową polimerazy DNA z analizą ilości produktu w czasie rzeczywistym. Wyniki Zarówno jedno-, jak i wieloczynnikowa analiza regresji logistycznej wykazały, że badany wariant wpływał na ryzyko wystąpienia wszystkich udarów sercowozatorowych oraz tych związanych z migotaniem przedsionków w modelach recesywnym i addytywnym. Dwa typy udaru sercowozatorowego różniły się w zakresie czynników demograficznych oraz rozkładu naczyniowych czynników ryzyka. Wnioski Polimorfizm rs2200733 na chromosomie 4q25 jest czynnikiem ryzyka jedynie udaru sercowozatorowego związanego z migotaniem przedsionków

Mechanical thrombectomy in acute stroke – Five years of experience in Poland

Objectives Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is not reimbursed by the Polish public health system. We present a description of 5 years of experience with MT in acute stroke in Comprehensive Stroke Centers (CSCs) in Poland. Methods and results We retrospectively analyzed the results of a structured questionnaire from 23 out of 25 identified CSCs and 22 data sets that include 61 clinical, radiological and outcome measures. Results Most of the CSCs (74%) were founded at University Hospitals and most (65.2%) work round the clock. In 78.3% of them, the working teams are composed of neurologists and neuro-radiologists. All CSCs perform CT and angio-CT before MT. In total 586 patients were subjected to MT and data from 531 of them were analyzed. Mean time laps from stroke onset to groin puncture was 250±99min. 90.3% of the studied patients had MT within 6h from stroke onset; 59.3% of them were treated with IV rt-PA prior to MT; 15.1% had IA rt-PA during MT and 4.7% – emergent stenting of a large vessel. M1 of MCA was occluded in 47.8% of cases. The Solitaire device was used in 53% of cases. Successful recanalization (TICI2b–TICI3) was achieved in 64.6% of cases and 53.4% of patients did not experience hemorrhagic transformation. Clinical improvement on discharge was noticed in 53.7% of cases, futile recanalization – in 30.7%, mRS of 0–2 – in 31.4% and mRS of 6 in 22% of cases. Conclusion Our results can help harmonize standards for MT in Poland according to international guidelines

Impact of the Body Composition on Knee Osteoarthritis Assessed Using Bioimpedance Analysis

Osteoarthritis (OA) ranks among the most prevalent inflammatory diseases affecting the musculoskeletal system and is a leading cause of disability globally, impacting approximately 250 million individuals. This study aimed to assess the relationship between the severity of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and body composition in postmenopausal women using bioimpedance analysis (BIA). The study included 58 postmenopausal females who were candidates for total knee arthroplasty. The control group consisted of 25 postmenopausal individuals with no degenerative knee joint changes. The anthropometric analysis encompassed the body mass index (BMI), mid-arm and mid-thigh circumferences (MAC and MTC), and triceps skinfold thickness (TSF). Functional performance was evaluated using the 30 s sit-to-stand test. During the BIA test, electrical parameters such as membrane potential, electrical resistance, capacitive reactance, impedance, and phase angle were measured. Additionally, body composition parameters, including Total Body Water (TBW), Extracellular Water (ECW), Intracellular Water (ICW), Body Cellular Mass (BCM), Extracellular Mass (ECM), Fat-Free Mass (FFM), and Fat Mass (FM), were examined. The study did not find any statistically significant differences in the electrical parameters between the control (0–1 grade on the K–L scale) and study groups (3–4 grade on the K–L scale). However, statistically significant differences were observed in BMI, fat mass (FM), arm circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, and sit-to-stand test results between the analyzed groups. In conclusion, the association between overweight and obesity with KOA in postmenopausal women appears to be primarily related to the level of adipose tissue and its metabolic activity

Krakow International Studies no. 1 (XIV), 2017

Publikacja recenzowana / Peer-reviewed paperZe wstępu: Dwa numery „Krakowskich Studiów Międzynarodowych” (KSM) przygotowane w 2017 r. zawierają pogłębione analizy i oceny przyczyn, istoty i następstw postępującego w ostatnich dwóch latach kryzysu Unii Europejskiej (UE). Nawiązują one tematycznie do numerów, które ukazały się w latach 2014–2016, a omawiały między innymi: strategiczne oraz gospodarcze aspekty współpracy transatlantyckiej, współzależności bezpieczeństwa globalnego i transatlantyckiego oraz problemy współpracy Polski z Niemcami w UE

A decade of invasive meningococcal disease surveillance in Poland.

Neisseria meningitidis is a leading etiologic agent of severe invasive disease. The objective of the study was to characterise invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) epidemiology in Poland during the last decade, based on laboratory confirmed cases.The study encompassed all invasive meningococci collected between 2002 and 2011 in the National Reference Centre for Bacterial Meningitis. The isolates were re-identified and characterised by susceptibility testing, MLST analysis, porA and fetA sequencing. A PCR technique was used for meningococcal identification directly from clinical materials.In the period studied, 1936 cases of IMD were confirmed, including 75.6% identified by culture. Seven IMD outbreaks, affecting mostly adolescents, were reported; all were caused by serogroup C meningococci of ST-11. The highest incidence was observed among children under one year of age (15.71/100,000 in 2011). The general case fatality rate in the years 2010-2011 was 10.0%. Meningococci of serogroup B, C, Y and W-135 were responsible for 48.8%, 36.6%, 1.2% and 1.2% of cases, respectively. All isolates were susceptible to third generation cephalosporins, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, and 84.2% were susceptible to penicillin. MLST analysis (2009-2011) revealed that among serogroup B isolates the most represented were clonal complexes (CC) ST-32CC, ST-18CC, ST-41/44CC, ST-213CC and ST-269CC, and among serogroup C: ST-103CC, ST-41/44CC and ST-11CC.The detection of IMD in Poland has changed over time, but observed increase in the incidence of the disease was mostly attributed to changes in the surveillance system including an expanded case definition and inclusion of data from non-culture diagnostics

Molecular characterization of meningococcal isolates of serogroup B and C belonging to the most dominant clonal complexes (CC) represented at least by 10 isolates, 2009–2011.

a<p>ST – sequence type.</p