Search

Aim: To assess the potential of the soluble transforming growth factor β receptor type III (sTGFβrIII), a key regulator in TGFβ signaling, as a biomarker for diagnosis and stratification of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP). ------ Methods: In this small prospective pilot study, patients' (N=22) plasma samples were obtained at three time points: the first and fourth day of hospitalization and the day of hospital discharge. Healthy controls' plasma (N=25) was obtained at a single time point. Concentration of sTGFβrIII in plasma was determined by ELISA. Data were analyzed by fitting linear or linear mixed models. ----- Results: Plasma sTGFβrIII levels at presentation (day 1) were similar in AP patients and healthy participants, irrespectively of the disease severity. sTGFβrIII levels in patients were constant during hospital stay. ----- Conclusion: These observations do not support further evaluation of plasma sTGFβrIII levels in this setting, but do not exclude a potential biological role of TGFβ and membrane-bound TGFβrIII in AP pathophysiology.

Aim: To explore the prognostic value of modified Discriminant Function (mDF), Glasgow Alcoholic Hepatitis Score (GAHS), Model of End Stage Liver Disease (MELD), Age-Bilirubin-International Normalized Ratio-Creatinine score (ABIC), and the Lille Model for the 28- and 90-day mortality in patients with alcoholic hepatitis. ----- Methods: This retrospective study enrolled patients treated for alcoholic hepatitis in Dubrava University Hospital between January 2014 and May 2018. The diagnosis was established based on histology findings or the combination of patient´s history of ongoing alcohol consumption before hospitalization, serum bilirubin above 50 mmol/L, and aspartate transaminase to alanine transaminase ratio greater than 1.5. We calculated mDF, MELD, GAHS, and ABIC on the first and seventh day of hospitalization (including the Lille model). ----- Results: In total, 70 patients were enrolled. ABIC at admission most accurately predicted the 28-day mortality, with a cut-off of 9.92 (AUC 0.727; 95% CI 0.608-0.827, P=0.0119), while GAHS most accurately predicted the 90-day mortality, calculated both at admission (cut off >7, AUC 0.765, 95% CI 0.639-0.864, P8, AUC 0.835 95% CI 0.716-0.918, P

Aim To evaluate the impact of pharmacotherapeutic education on 30-day post-discharge medication adherence and adverse outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods The prospective, randomized, single-center study was conducted at the Medical Department of University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, between April and June 2018. One hundred and thirty adult patients with T2DM who were discharged to the community were randomly assigned to either the intervention or the control group. Both groups during the hospital stay received the usual diabetes education. The intervention group received additional individual pre-discharge pharmacotherapeutic education about the discharge prescriptions. Medication adherence and occurrence of adverse outcomes (adverse drug reactions, readmission, emergency department visits, and death) were assessed at the follow-up visit, 30 days after discharge. Results The number of adherent patients was significantly higher in the intervention group (57/64 [89.9%] vs 41/61 [67.2%]; χ2 test, P = 0.003]. There was no significant difference between the groups in the number of patients who experienced adverse outcomes (31/64 [48.4%] vs 36/61 [59.0%]; χ2 test, P = 0.236). However, higher frequencies of all adverse outcomes were consistently observed in the control group. Conclusion Pharmacotherapeutic education of patients with T2DM can significantly improve 30-day post-discharge medication adherence, without a significant reduction in adverse clinical outcomes. ClinicalTrial.gov identification number: NCT03438162

A 25-year-old woman was diagnosed with acquired hemophilia caused by factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitors two months after normal delivery of her first child. She presented with severe spontaneous bleeding in the right forearm and distal part of the right leg. After venipuncture for diagnostic purposes, severe hematoma developed, affecting the whole left arm and shoulder. The diagnosis of acquired hemophilia was confirmed by the presence of FVIII inhibitors (Bethesda units=76), low activity of factor VIII (5%), and prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT=89 s). The treatment with fresh frozen plasma, cryoprecipitate, red blood cells concentrate, methylprednisolone (3 mg/kg/day for 8 days, then 1 mg/kg/day), and cyclophosphamide (150 mg/day for 5 days, then 100 mg/day) was followed by the regression of hematomas and normalization of APTT and FVIII activity. The titer of FVIII inhibitors rapidly decreased and total disappearance of antibodies was achieved after 15 days. To the best of our knowledge, this is the shortest time to the disappearance of inhibitors to FVIII in postpartum acquired hemophilia ever reported. Transient reappearance of inhibitors occurred 10 months later and also promptly reacted to the same therapy. In the follow-up period of 4 years, the patient had two more pregnancies with no clinical and laboratory signs of illness recurrence. This case indicates important role of immunosuppressive therapy, which can rapidly induce a remission of this rare condition and be life-saving if introduced early in the course of illness and in doses higher than usually recommended.