Acta clinica Croatica
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Acta clinica Croatica · Nov 2023
Observational StudyCLINICAL AND SURGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF POSTERIOR FOSSA TUMORS IN ADULTS - SINGLE-CENTER EXPERIENCE OF SURGICAL MANAGEMENT.
In contrast to tumors in children, between 6% and 20% of all brain tumors in adults arise solitary in the posterior cranial fossa. Given their rarity in adults, as well as the importance and complexity of their treatment, this paper reviews and discusses the clinical and surgical characteristics of such tumors. In a retrospective single-institution observational study, adult patients with posterior fossa tumors treated surgically over a ten-year period were analyzed. ⋯ Thus, it is crucial to schedule an appropriate surgical intervention as soon as possible, as it can significantly improve treatment outcome and prognosis of the disease. If possible, meticulous total tumor resection should be the treatment of choice. In the case of hydrocephalus, a ventriculoperitoneal shunt should be considered as an alternative surgical option after tumor resection.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Nov 2023
Case ReportsACUTE PAINFUL THYROIDITIS AND THYROTOXICOSIS AFTER PCI - A CASE STUDY.
Destructive thyroiditis is a self-limited disease characterized by acute release of preformed thyroid hormones. We present a patient with extremely rare acute painful thyroiditis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in acute myocardial infarction without ST-elevation. ⋯ Because of the increasing number of patients referred to cardiac catheterization, invasive cardiologists should be aware of the potentially serious thyroid dysfunction that can result from iodinated contrast use. The aim of our paper is, in the light of the patient presented, to discuss the pathophysiology, clinical presentations, therapy and potential preventive measures in patients that develop thyroid dysfunction after PCI.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Nov 2023
STUDY HYPOTHESIS: AGE, GENDER, PRESENCE OF DIABETES MELLITUS OR HYPERTENSION, AND ANTI-HYPERTENSIVE DRUGS ARE INDEPENDENT RISK FACTORS FOR COVID-19 MORTALITY.
We aimed to investigate the effects of comorbid diseases and antihypertensive drugs on the clinical outcome of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 infection. A total of 1045 patients whose data could be gathered and confirmed from both hospital files and Turkish National Health Network records were retrospectively screened, and 264 of 1045 patients were excluded because of having more than one comorbid disease. The study population consisted of a total of 781 patients, of which 482 had no comorbid disease, while the remaining 299 patients had only one comorbid disease. ⋯ While hypertension was not found to be an independent risk factor for COVID-19 mortality, age, gender, and presence of DM were independent risk factors for COVID-19 mortality. There was no association between antihypertensive drugs and mortality. Accordingly, age (>65 years), gender (male), and presence of DM were independent risk factors for COVID-19 mortality, whereas hypertension and use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers and their combinations with other antihypertensive drugs were not risk factors for COVID-19 mortality.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Nov 2023
GLUCOSE AND SODIUM LEVELS AS DISEASE OUTCOME PREDICTORS IN CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS.
The main aim of this study was to examine the association of glucose and sodium level with diagnosis and disease outcome of critically ill patients. Glucose and sodium concentrations of 283 patients admitted in critical condition to the Intensive Care Unit of the Department of Internal Medicine in a period from November 1, 2015 to February 28, 2017 were reviewed. The most common diagnoses in critically ill patients were acute kidney injury (26.1%) and sepsis (including septic shock, 22.3%). ⋯ Study results showed significantly lower glucose concentrations in patients with acute kidney injury, whereas in patients older than 65, glucose concentration was significantly higher. Patients in sepsis and septic shock had significantly higher sodium concentrations. Higher concentration of glucose was connected with higher mortality in the elderly, whereas sodium concentration did not show connection with mortality.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Nov 2023
PHARMACOVIGILANCE IN SERBIA: A TEN-YEAR PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGIC ANALYSIS.
Pharmacovigilance as a science and group of activities related to detection, collection, analysis, understanding and prevention of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) is an essential activity in the regulatory system of drugs of any country. Defining increased patient safety as the main purpose of ADR reporting, a well-designed national pharmacovigilance system achieves its ultimate goal, i.e., protection of public health. ⋯ Unlike the neighboring Croatia and Montenegro with similar pharmacovigilance systems, Serbia has only recently approached the WHO standard of 200 reports per million inhabitants despite a significant increase of 180 ADR reports per million inhabitants in 2019 (1251 in total). Considering this, our study aimed to provide a critical insight into the practice of pharmacovigilance in Serbia by pharmacoepidemiologic analysis of a ten-year period of ADR monitoring and reporting activities.