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Robotic resections represent a novel approach to treatment of colorectal cancer. The aim of our study was to critically assess the implementation of robotic colorectal surgical program at our institution and to compare it to the established laparoscopically assisted surgery.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are often exposed to mistreatment by patients, which has negative effects on both staff and institutions. To take appropriate action to help HCWs in this context, patient-related social stressors (PSS) should be explored. The purpose of the research was to identify the most pronounced patient behaviour contributing to the social stress (SS) of HCWs, and compare PSS between different HCWs and different types of healthcare institutions.

To survey university students on their views concerning the respect for autonomy of patients and the best interest of patients in relation to the withholding of resuscitation.

Izhodišče. Lymska borelioza je posledica okužbe z bakterijami kompleksa Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Erythema migrans (EM) je najpogostejša klinična oblika lymske borelioze. Namen raziskave je bil pridobiti epidemiološke podatke in preučiti socialno-ekonomske značilnosti prijavljenih bolnikov z EM v Sloveniji.

Objectives: To evaluate effects of parental pain management educational interventions on postoperative pain assessment, intensity and duration of small children after a oneday- pediatric surgery. Methods: We conducted a prospective randomized, observational study of parental and nurse's pain assessments in children. The Parents' Postoperative Pain Management rating scale (PPPM), Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (W-B) or the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) was used. The children's pain was assessed by parents who were or were not (intervention vs. control groups) preoperatively educated about pain management postoperatively in the hospital and the first three days at home. Nurses who cared for the children postoperatively in the hospital, independently from the parents, assessed the children's postoperative pain with W-B and NRS. Results: One hundred and fifty-two parents and their children were included in the study. Complete data were available for 142 parents and their children, with one parent, usually the mother (108 (76.1%)), being involved at all stages of the study. No differences in children's postoperative pain scores and analgesic use at home were found between the two parental groups (intervention and control groups). Parental pain scores after surgery was strongly positively correlated with pain duration, and analgesic use by their children at home. Pain intensity scores assessed by nurses in the hospital were lower compared to parental pain intensity scores. There was high inter-rater reliability between the PPPM, Wong- Baker, and NRS scales. Conclusions: No differences in postoperative pain in children were found between the intervention and control groups of parents. Parents gave higher scores of pain intensity in children than nurses did. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: An echinocandin, such as micafungin, is recommended as first-line treatment for invasive Candida infections in immunocompromised patients. This multicenter, observational, prospective, non- interventional study evaluated the real-world use of micafungin in clinical practice in Slovenia and Romania, as this remains unexplored. Methodology: The primary endpoint was evaluation of micafungin use, including rationale for prescription, treatment duration, and daily dose. Secondary endpoints included recordings of patient baseline characteristics and evaluations of efficacy and safety. Across 11 centers in two countries, 118 patients (18 children [< 16 years] and 100 adults [≥ 16 years]) received micafungin for the first time according to their clinic's standard practice. Results: Micafungin was prescribed for treatment in 57.6% of patients and for prophylaxis in 40.7% of patients. The median (range) treatment duration was 9.0 (0 - 54) days and 13.0 (2 - 6)] days, respectively. The median dose of micafungin was higher than recommended for children receiving prophylaxis or treatment for invasive candidiasis and for adults receiving prophylaxis. Fever was the most commonly observed clinical sign at baseline (16 children [88.9%] and 31 adults [31%]) and hematologic malignancy was the most frequent primary diagnosis at admission (11 children [61.1%] and 40 adults [40%]). Candida species were the most commonly identified causal agents of invasive fungal infections (2 children [11.1%] and 48 adults [48%]). Conclusions: The efficacy and safety profiles of micafungin use in Slovenia and Romania based on clinician's own experiences in local clinical practice were consistent with those reported in other real-world studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring sales of medications is a potential candidate for an early signal of a seasonal influenza epidemic. To test this theory, the data from a traditional, consultation-oriented influenza surveillance system were compared to medication sales and a predictive model was developed. Weekly influenza-like incidence rates from the National Influenza Sentinel Surveillance System were compared to sales of seven groups of medications (nasal decongestants, medicines for sore throat (MST), antitussives, mucolytics, analgo-antipyretics, non-steroidal anti-inflamatory drugs (NSAIDs), betalactam antibiotics, and macrolide antibiotics) to determine the correlation of medication sales with the sentinel surveillance system - and therefore their predictive power. Poisson regression and regression tree approaches were used in the statistical analyses. The fact that NSAIDs do not exhibit any seasonality and that prescription of antibiotics requires a visit to the doctor's office makes the two medication groups inappropriate for predictive purposes. The influenza-like illness (ILI) curve is the best matched by the mucolytics and antitussives sales curves. Distinct seasonality is also observed with MST and decongestants. The model including these four medication groups performed best in prediction of ILI incidence rate using the Poisson regression model. Sales of antitussives proved to be the best single predictive variable for regression tree model. Sales of medication groups included in the model were demonstrated to have a predictive potential for early detection of influenza season. The quantitative information on medication sales proves to be a useful supplementary system, complementing the traditional consultation-oriented surveillance system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]