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Introduction. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative rheumatic disease of the peripheral joints. It mostly affects one joint, usually the hip and knee joints, as well as the distal interphalangeal joints of the wrist and thumb carpometacarpal joint. The clinical symptoms include pain, swelling, stiffness, crepitus, muscle atrophy, subluxation, as well as reduced joint mobility, greatly affecting the quality of life of patients. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life of patients with knee osteoarthritis and determine whether there is a difference in the quality of life of patients with unilateral and patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis. Material and Methods. The study was designed as a retrospective study including 60 patients, 30 patients with unilateral gonarthrosis and 30 patients with bilateral gonarthrosis. The EuroQoL five dimensions questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life. Results. There is no statistically significant difference in the quality of life between individuals with unilateral and bilateral knee osteoarthritis, but there is a significant positive correlation between the pain intensity and difficulties in the domains of quality of life. Conclusion. People with osteoarthritis of the knee mostly take painkillers and have a good or excellent response to therapy. There is no statistically significant difference in the quality of life among people with unilateral and bilateral knee osteoarthritis. There is a significant positive correlation between the pain intensity and difficulties in the domains of quality of life. There is a significant negative correlation between the perception of general health and all five domains of quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a disorder of the myocardium characterized by asymmetric or symmetric left ventricular hypertrophy. It is often an inherited disorder with an autosomal dominant pattern. The aim of this study was to evaluate the electrocardiographic characteristics of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, as well as to assess the accuracy of current electrocardiographic criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy used as indicators of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Material and Methods. This retrospective study was conducted using hospital medical records of 42 patients with the diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Detailed electrocardiography analysis, apart from all the usual parameters, included the calculation of indices used to diagnose left ventricular hypertrophy including Sokolow augmented vector left, Cornell voltage, Cornell product, and Sokolow-Lyon index. Results. Sinus rhythm was present in 95.2% of patients, while atrial fibrillation was found in 4.8%. The majority of patients presented with left axis deviation. A slight positive correlation was found between the Sokolow augmented vector left index and posterolateral wall thickness (r = 0.475; p < 0.05), and also between the Cornell voltage index and posterolateral wall thickness (r = 0.368; p < 0.05). A borderline positive correlation was found between the Cornell product index and posterolateral wall thickness (r = 0.290; p = 0.063). Interventricular septum thickness showed no significant correlation with any of the electrocardiographic indices of left ventricular hypertrophy. Conclusion. In patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the Sokolow augmented vector left and Cornell voltage indices were the best indicators of posterolateral wall hypertrophy, whereas none of the examined indices correlated well with the interventricular septum thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Timely detection of insulin resistance is of great importance and a number of indices have been developed for its evaluation, among which the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index is the most commonly used in clinical practice. However, it can be calculated via two different models – homeosta- sis model assessment 1 and homeostasis model assessment 2. Most studies determine the cut-off values of the study population using the homeostasis model assessment 1, while recently most physicians use homeostasis model assessment 2 in everyday clinical practice. The aim of our study was to examine whether there was a difference in the values of homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and homeostasis model assessment of panceratic beta cells function calculated using these two models. Material and Methods. Labora- tory findings of 42 patients who were diagnosed with glycemia and insulinemia were used in this study. Fasting and postprandial glycemia and insulinemia were used to calculate homeostasis model assessment indices using homeostasis model assessment 1 and homeostasis model assessment 2. Results. When comparing the values of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and homeostasis model assessment B indices, calculated via homeostasis model assessment 1 and homeostasis model assessment 2, we found a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) which was also obtained when comparing the values of the homeostasis model assessment B index. Linear correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between the measured values of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (calculated via both models) and postprandial insulinemia at 120 minutes (p < 0.005). Conclusion. The results indicate that homeostasis model assessment 2 yields significantly lower homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and homeostasis model assessment B index values than when calculated by the homeostasis model assessment, which may be a stumbling block in the use of homeostasis model assessment index. It is necessary to pay attention which homeostasis model assessment model was used to define the cut-off values of these indices, and to use the same model in the diagnosis of insulin resistance in each patient in everyday clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Human immunodeficiency virus infection is a disease of the modern era and it is estimated that there are more than 30 million infected individuals worldwide. Although the major cause is still unclear, patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus are at higher risk of ardiovascular diseases by 61% compared to general population. Material and Methods. This study included 111 male patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus treated at the Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Novi Sad, Serbia from January 2008 to December 2018. Five cardiovascular risk scores were used: Data Collection on Adverse Events of Antihuman immunodeficiency virus Drugs, Framingham 10-year Heart Score, Framingham 5-year Heart Score, prediction algorithm for cardiovascular disease and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk estimator, at the beginning of the treatment, whereas cardiovascular events were recorded during the following 10 years. Results. Data Collection on Adverse Events of Anti-human immunodeficiency virus Drugs, Framingham 10-year Heart Score, Framingham 5-year Heart Score, and prediction algorithm for cardiovascular disease are tools that can identify individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus at cardiovascular risk with statistical significance. The prediction algorithm for cardiovascular disease provides superior risk estimation compared to other scores. The atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk estimator did not show to be a marker of cardiovascular risk prediction among this population of patients. Conlusion. The above mentioned cardiovascular risk prediction algorithms, developed for general population, and Data Collection on Adverse Events of Anti-human immunodeficiency virus Drugs score, specific for population infected with human immunodeficiency virus, allow accurate cardiovascular risk estimation. Until the development of more specific algorithms, these scores are adequate tools for identification of patients at risk, providing prevention measures and treatment of cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-small cell lung cancers are among the leading causes of cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide. The prognosis is usually based on traditional pathohistological parameters and clinical stage, but additional prognostic survival factors have also been sought. The aim of this retrospective study was to explore the membranous expression of HER-2/neu and estrogen receptors in non-small cell lung cancers and their relation to survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancers and to traditional prognostic factors. The sample consisted of 132 consecutive, surgically resected patient tissues of non-small cell lung cancers, and the following parameters were examined: HER-2/neu and estrogen receptor expression, as well as the related clinical and pathological features: tumor, nodes, and metastases stage, level of tumor necrosis, histological and nuclear grade, lymphocytic infiltrate, and number of mitoses. HER-2/neu was positive in 28.8% of tumor samples, and estrogen receptor expression was positive in 29.5% of tumors, but neither was significantly associated with the outcome of non-small cell lung cancers. There was a significant association between HER-2/neu and nuclear grade (P=0.01). In addition, the association between estrogen receptor expression and histological type of tumor (P=0.04) and mitotic rate (P=0.008) was found. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a significant association of patients' overall survival with the tumor node metastasis stage (P<0.001) and the degree of tumor necrosis (P=0.02). Cox proportional hazard regression analysis showed that male gender (P=0.01), histological type (P=0.03), high degree of necrosis (P=0.006), and higher histological grade (P=0.037) were associated with the patients' survival. Our findings indicate that the expression of HER-2/neu and estrogen receptor is less reliable than traditional histological parameters in predicting the survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is estimated to become the fifth leading cause of death worldwide by 2020. The mortality and morbidity from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is getting higher and higher as a result of the epidemics in tobacco consumption all over the world, especially in developing countries. The study objectives were to determine the correlation between the smoking habits and mortality in the patients with chronic obstructive lung diseases, to evaluate the two-year and five-year survival depending on the smoking habits, to compare and correlate the smoking habits and a decrease in the lung function. Material and Methods This observational, retrospective-prospective study was carried out from 2001 to 2007 to monitor the two-year and five-year survival in respect to the smoking habits. During the study, both groups of smokers and non-smokers underwent spirometry, and the pulmonary function was measured at least once a year and the values were compared. The average values were calculated and compared between the two groups. Results The study revealed a statistically significant difference in the two-year and five-year survival in end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease depending on the smoking habits. In addition, it pointed to a higher relative decrease in the pulmonary function in smokers suffering from very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than in non-smokers and former smokers suffering from end-stage of this disease. Discussion and Conclusion According to this study, the progression to the end stage of this disease is faster in smokers suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than in the non-smokers and the former smokers who suffer from this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]