Search

The Polish-Russian border, closed since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, transformed into an iron curtain without any chance for its disappearance in a long-term perspective. The ongoing conflict between Russia and the EU started an experiment in the Polish zone bordering with Russia with respect to the planning of economic growth in the new reality – in a fully isolated area – where the border is a limitation and not an opportunity. According to the author’s research, the crisis caused by the permanent closing of the Polish-Russian border and suspension of contacts with the Kaliningrad Oblast, which initially was a hard blow for the border communes, with a particularly difficult economic situation, may – in the long-term perspective – turn out to be an important driving force for changes. The primary purpose of this paper is to identify the main actions taken by the Polish local authorities at the border with Russia, the aim of which is revitalisation of the local economy after the Polish-Russian border was closed. The article is based on a number of in-depth expert interviews carried out in the Polish border area.

The entry into force of the Agreement between the Republic of Poland and the Russian Federation on visa- free movement in 2012 caused an increase in border permeability, and hence a sudden increase in border crossings. The border which used to divide the neighbouring states started linking them instead. Crossing the border became part of the everyday life of local communities. Actors on both sides benefited from the commercial services of the other country. For Kaliningrad citizens, border-crossing points became gates to Europe, and for Poles, a resource improving the quality of life via petty trade. The aim of this article is to compare two border cities: Braniewo, a town located in the immediate vicinity of the border-crossing point, and Tri-City, which has become a new border centre after the introduction of small border traffic. Two viewpoints on the effect of local border traffic are presented. The first is the perspective of a typical border city. The other is that of the effect of an increase in border permeability on a major urban centre - Tri-City.

Introduction: Patients undergoing vascular procedures are prone to developing postoperative complications affecting their short‑term mortality. Prospective reports describing the incidence of long‑term complications after vascular surgery are lacking., Objectives: We aimed to describe the incidence of complications 1 year after vascular surgery and to evaluate an association between myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS) and 1‑year mortality., Patients and Methods: This is a substudy of a large prospective cohort study Vascular Events in Noncardiac Surgery Patients Cohort Evaluation (VISION). Recruitment took place in 28 centers across 14 countries from August 2007 to November 2013. We enrolled patients aged 45 years or older undergoing vascular surgery, receiving general or regional anesthesia, and hospitalized for at least 1 night postoperatively. Plasma cardiac troponin T concentration was measured before the surgery and on the first, second, and third postoperative day. The patients or their relatives were contacted 1 year after the procedure to assess the incidence of major postoperative complications., Results: We enrolled 2641 patients who underwent vascular surgery, 2534 (95.9%) of whom completed 1‑year follow‑up. Their mean (SD) age was 68.2 (9.8) years, and the cohort was predominantly male (77.5%). The most frequent 1‑year complications were myocardial infarction (224/2534, 8.8%), amputation (187/2534, 7.4%), and congestive heart failure (67/2534, 2.6%). The 1‑year mortality rate was 8.8% (223/2534). MINS occurred in 633 patients (24%) and was associated with an increased 1‑year mortality (hazard ratio, 2.82; 95% CI, 2.14-3.72; P <0.001)., Conclusions: The incidence of major postoperative complications after vascular surgery is high. The occurrence of MINS is associated with a nearly 3‑fold increase in 1‑year mortality.

Purpose: Several initiatives have recently focused on raising awareness about limitations of treatment in Poland. We aimed to assess if the propensity to limit LST among elderly patients in 2018-2019 increased compared to 2016-2017., Methods: We analysed Polish cohorts from studies VIP1 (October 2016 - May 2017) and VIP2 (May 2018 - May 2019) that enrolled critical patients aged >80. We collected data on demographics, clinical features limitations of LST. Primary analysis assessed factors associated with prevalence of limitations of LST, A secondary analysis explored differences between patients with and without limitations of LST., Results: 601 patients were enrolled. Prevalence of LST limitations was 16.1% in 2016-2017 and 20.5% in 2018-2019. No difference was found in univariate analysis (p = 0.22), multivariable model showed higher propensity towards limiting LST in the 2018-2019 cohort compared to 2016-2017 cohort (OR 1.07;95%CI, 1.01-1.14). There was higher mortality and a longer length of stay of patients with limitations of LST compared to the patients without limitations of LST. (11 vs. 6 days, p = 0.001)., Conclusions: The clinicians in Poland have become more proactive in limiting LST in critically ill patients ≥80 years old over the studied period, however the prevalence of limitations of LST in Poland remains low., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Elderly patients pose a significant challenge to intensive care unit (ICU) clinicians. In this study we attempted to characterise the population of patients over 80 years old admitted to ICUs in Poland and identify associations between clinical features and short-term outcomes., Material and Methods: The study is a post-hoc analysis of the Polish cohort of the VIP2 European prospective observational study enrolling patients > 80 years old admitted to ICUs over a 6-month period. Data including clinical features, clinical frailty scale (CFS), geriatric scales, interventions within the ICU, and outcomes (30-day and ICU mortality and length of stay) were gathered. Univariate analyses comparing frail (CFS > 4) to non-frail patients and survivors to non-survivors were performed. Multivariable models with CFS, activities of daily living score (ADL), and the cognitive decline questionnaire IQCODE as predictors and ICU or 30-day mortality as outcomes were formed., Results: A total of 371 patients from 27 ICUs were enrolled. Frail patients had significantly higher ICU (58% vs. 44.45%, P = 0.03) and 30-day (65.61% vs. 54.14%, P = 0.01) mortality compared to non-frail counterparts. The survivors had significantly lower SOFA score, CFS, ADL, and IQCODE than non-survivors. In multivariable analysis CFS (OR 1.15, 95% CI: 1.00-1.34) and SOFA score (OR 1.29, 95% CI: 1.19-1.41) were identified as significant predictors for ICU mortality; however, CFS was not a predictor for 30-day mortality ( P = 0.07). No statistical significance was found for ADL, IQCODE, polypharmacy, or comorbidities., Conclusions: We found a positive correlation between CFS and ICU mortality, which might point to the value of assessing the score for every patient admitted to the ICU. The older Polish ICU patients were characterised by higher mortality compared to the other European countries.

Background: Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) has been commonly used to treat acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19. In this study we aimed to compare outcomes of older critically ill patients treated with NIV before and during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: We analysed a merged cohort of older adults admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) due to respiratory failure. Patients were enrolled into one of two prospective observational studies: before COVID-19 (VIP2-2018 to 2019) and admitted due to COVID-19 (COVIP-March 2020 to January 2023). The outcomes included: 30-day mortality, intubation rate and NIV failure (death or intubation within 30 days)., Results: The final cohort included 1986 patients (1292 from VIP2, 694 from COVIP) with a median age of 83 years. NIV was used as a primary mode of respiratory support in 697 participants (35.1%). ICU admission due to COVID-19 was associated with an increased 30-day mortality (65.5% vs. 36.5%, HR 2.18, 95% CI 1.71 to 2.77), more frequent intubation (36.9% vs. 17.5%, OR 2.63, 95% CI 1.74 to 3.99) and NIV failure (76.2% vs. 45.3%, OR 4.21, 95% CI 2.84 to 6.34) compared to non-COVID causes of respiratory failure. Sensitivity analysis after exclusion of patients in whom life supporting treatment limitation was introduced during primary NIV confirmed higher 30-day mortality in patients with COVID-19 (52.5% vs. 23.4%, HR 2.64, 95% CI 1.83 to 3.80)., Conclusion: The outcomes of patients aged ≥80 years treated with NIV during COVID-19 pandemic were worse compared then those treated with NIV in the pre-pandemic era., (© 2023. La Société de Réanimation de Langue Francaise = The French Society of Intensive Care (SRLF).)

Non-coding RNAs constitute a heterogeneous group of molecules that lack the ability to encode proteins but retain the potential ability to influence cellular processes through a regulatory mechanism. Of these proteins, microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and more recently, circular RNAs have been the most extensively described. However, it is not entirely clear how these molecules interact with each other. For circular RNAs, the basics of their biogenesis and properties are also lacking. Therefore, in this study we performed a comprehensive analysis of circular RNAs in relation to endothelial cells. We identified the pool of circular RNAs present in the endothelium and showed their spectrum and expression across the genome. Using different computational strategies, we proposed approaches to search for potentially functional molecules. In addition, using data from an in vitro model that mimics conditions in the endothelium of an aortic aneurysm, we demonstrated altered expression levels of circRNAs mediated by microRNAs.

Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and peripheral artery disease significantly increase the risk of perioperative complications., Aim: The study aimed to determine the incidence of myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS), its association with 30-day mortality, as well as predictors of postoperative acute kidney injury (pAKI) and bleeding independently associated with mortality (BIMS) in patients undergoing open vascular surgeries involving the abdominal aorta., Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using a sample of consecutive patients who underwent open abdominal aortic surgery due to infrarenal AAA and/or aortoiliac occlusive disease in a single tertiary center. In each patient, at least two postoperative troponin measurements were performed (on the first and second postoperative day). Creatinine and hemoglobin levels were measured preoperatively and at least twice postoperatively. The outcomes included MINS (primary outcome), pAKI, and BIMS (secondary outcomes). We assessed the associations between them and 30-day mortality and performed multivariable analysis to identify risk factors for these outcomes., Results: The study group comprised 553 patients. The mean age was 67.6 years, and 82.5% of patients were male. The incidence of MINS, pAKI, and BIMS was 43.8%, 17.2%, and 45.8%, respectively. The 30-day mortality rate was higher in patients who developed MINS (12.0% vs. 2.3%; P <0.001), pAKI (32.6% vs. 1.1%; P <0.001), or BIMS (12.3% vs. 1.7%; P <0.001) compared to patients who did not develop these complications., Conclusion: This study demonstrated that MINS, pAKI, and BIMS are common complications after open aortic surgeries, and they are related to a substantial increase in the 30-day mortality rate.

Background: Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is a promising alternative to invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) with a particular importance amidst the shortage of intensive care unit (ICU) beds during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to evaluate the use of NIV in Europe and factors associated with outcomes of patients treated with NIV., Methods: This is a substudy of COVIP study-an international prospective observational study enrolling patients aged ≥ 70 years with confirmed COVID-19 treated in ICU. We enrolled patients in 156 ICUs across 15 European countries between March 2020 and April 2021.The primary endpoint was 30-day mortality., Results: Cohort included 3074 patients, most of whom were male (2197/3074, 71.4%) at the mean age of 75.7 years (SD 4.6). NIV frequency was 25.7% and varied from 1.1 to 62.0% between participating countries. Primary NIV failure, defined as need for endotracheal intubation or death within 30 days since ICU admission, occurred in 470/629 (74.7%) of patients. Factors associated with increased NIV failure risk were higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (OR 3.73, 95% CI 2.36-5.90) and Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) on admission (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.06-2.00). Patients initially treated with NIV (n = 630) lived for 1.36 fewer days (95% CI - 2.27 to - 0.46 days) compared to primary IMV group (n = 1876)., Conclusions: Frequency of NIV use varies across European countries. Higher severity of illness and more severe frailty were associated with a risk of NIV failure among critically ill older adults with COVID-19. Primary IMV was associated with better outcomes than primary NIV. Clinical Trial Registration NCT04321265 , registered 19 March 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov ., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Tracheostomy is performed in patients expected to require prolonged mechanical ventilation, but to date optimal timing of tracheostomy has not been established. The evidence concerning tracheostomy in COVID-19 patients is particularly scarce. We aimed to describe the relationship between early tracheostomy (≤10 days since intubation) and outcomes for patients with COVID-19., Methods: This was a prospective cohort study performed in 152 centres across 16 European countries from February to December 2020. We included patients aged ≥70 yr with confirmed COVID-19 infection admitted to an intensive care unit, requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. Multivariable analyses were performed to evaluate the association between early tracheostomy and clinical outcomes including 3-month mortality, intensive care length of stay, and duration of mechanical ventilation., Results: The final analysis included 1740 patients with a mean age of 74 yr. Tracheostomy was performed in 461 (26.5%) patients. The tracheostomy rate varied across countries, from 8.3% to 52.9%. Early tracheostomy was performed in 135 (29.3%) patients. There was no difference in 3-month mortality between early and late tracheostomy in either our primary analysis (hazard ratio [HR]=0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.70-1.33) or a secondary landmark analysis (HR=0.78; 95% CI, 0.57-1.06)., Conclusions: There is a wide variation across Europe in the timing of tracheostomy for critically ill patients with COVID-19. However, we found no evidence that early tracheostomy is associated with any effect on survival amongst older critically ill patients with COVID-19., Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04321265., (Copyright © 2021 British Journal of Anaesthesia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The current European guidelines recommend that a preoperative electrocardiogram (ECG) should be performed routinely in patients scheduled for high-risk surgery. However, the evidence regarding ECG as a predictor of perioperative cardiac complications is weak., Aim: To evaluate the association of preoperative ECG with short- and long-term outcomes in patients undergoing high-risk vascular procedures., Methods: This was a substudy of the international Vascular events In noncardiac Surgery patIents cohort evaluatioN (VISION) Study and included consecutive patients undergoing vascular procedures in a single tertiary center. In each patient, a preoperative 12-lead ECG was evaluated by two experienced clinicians following the Polish Cardiac Society recommendations. We performed routine perioperative troponin monitoring at five time points (one preoperative and four postoperative measurements) to evaluate whether preoperative ECG abnormalities are associated with myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS) and 1-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and stroke., Results: The study group comprised 348 patients, 80.5% of whom were male and the median age (interquartile range [IQR]) was 65 (59-72) years. The incidence of MINS and 1-year MACE was 18.7% and 14.4%, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed that none of the predefined ECG abnormalities (ST depression, left axis deviation, atrial fibrillation, and bundle branch block) was associated with the incidence of MINS or 1-year MACE., Conclusion: This study confirmed that preoperative ECG abnormalities are frequent in patients undergoing high-risk vascular surgery. However, we did not find evidence supporting the relation between preoperative ECG abnormalities and postoperative adverse cardiac outcomes in high-risk patients.

Objective: The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of renal masses suspected of malignancy and adrenal incidentalomas in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm based on the computed tomography angiography (CTA)., Methods: In the retrospective cross-sectional study, the CTA scans of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms and thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms type II-IV were assessed. Patients with thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms type I and V and history of abdominal aortic surgery were excluded from the study., Results: Study group comprised 937 patients with a median age of 73.0 years, 83.8% of whom were male. CTA revealed renal tumors in 11 patients (1.2% of the study population) with a median size of 26 mm (interquartile range 20-50). Adrenal incidentalomas were found in 61 patients (6.5% of the study population). In 20 patients (2.1%) adrenal lesions were found bilaterally., Conclusion: In the described cohort, the renal and adrenal tumors were relatively common findings among patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm and thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms type II-IV. Both anaesthesiologists and surgeons should be vigilant about the possibility of such coexistence in order to provide the patients with the best possible perioperative care and an optimal surgical modality.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are a complex disease with an unclear pathomechanism. A positive family history is emphasized as a significant risk factor, and a nonspecific model of inheritance suggests participation of epigenetic regulation in the pathogenesis of this disease. Past studies have implicated microRNAs in the development of AAA; therefore in this project, we measured miR-191 levels in AAA patients and compared them with a control group. We found that miR-191 levels were significantly elevated in aneurysmal patients, although this did not correlate with the available clinical data. We then developed an in vitro model where, using cells with an endothelial phenotype, we determined the effect of miR-191 on the transcriptome using RNA sequencing. Subsequent pathway analysis established that some of the perturbations mediated by miR-191 can be explained by several processes which have long been observed and described in literature as accompanying the development of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Purpose: We performed a retrospective cohort study in patients who underwent endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) to determine the incidence and predictors of myocardial injury and acute kidney injury (AKI)., Methods: We included 267 consecutive patients who underwent EVAR at two tertiary centres in Canada and Poland. The primary outcome was myocardial injury during hospital stay after EVAR defined as a troponin elevation (ultra-sensitivity troponin I Vidas ≥ 19 ng·L -1 , non-high-sensitivity troponin I Vidas ≥ 0.01 µg·L -1 , high-sensitivity troponin T ≥ 20 ng·L -1 , non-high-sensitivity troponin T ≥ 0.03 ng·mL -1 ). The secondary outcome was AKI defined using the stage 1 of the Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria., Results: Myocardial injury occurred in 78/267 patients (29%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 24.1 to 34.9) and with AKI occurring in 25/267 (9.4%; 95% CI, 6.4 to 13.5). In a multivariable analysis, the following variables were associated with an increased risk of myocardial injury: age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.65 per ten-year increase; 95% CI, 1.09 to 2.49), Revised Cardiac Risk Index score ≥3 (aOR, 2.85; 95% CI, 1.26 to 6.41), The American Society of Anesthesiology physical status score 4 (aOR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.12 to 4.47), duration of surgery (aOR, 1.27 per each hour; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.61), and perioperative drop in hemoglobin (aOR, 3.35 per 10 g·dL -1 decrease; 95% CI, 1.00 to 11.3). Predictors of AKI were duration of surgery (aOR, 1.72 per hour; 95% CI, 1.36 to 2.17), a preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 30-59 mL·min -1 (aOR, 3.82; 95% CI, 1.42 to 10.3), and an eGFR < 30 mL·min -1 (aOR, 37.0; 95% CI, 7.1 to 193.8)., Conclusion: Myocardial injury and AKI are frequent during hospital stay after EVAR and warrant further investigation in prospective studies.

Background: The aim of our study is to assess the prevalence of concomitant arterial abnormalities (true aneurysms of iliac, common femoral, renal, visceral arteries and stenoses of iliac and renal arteries) in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm, and to evaluate whether the type of the aneurysm (suprarenal versus solely infrarenal) is associated with this prevalence., Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we assessed computed tomography angiography scans of 933 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm, including thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms type II-IV, with no history of abdominal aortic surgery. We compared 2 groups of patients: group 1 (n = 859) with solely infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm and group 2 (n = 74) with the suprarenal aneurysm component. Patients with history of aortic dissection or thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms type I and V were excluded from the study. All computed tomography angiography scans were visually assessed by 2 independent experienced physicians., Results: Study group comprised 933 patients with the median age of 73.0 years, 83.8% of whom were male. We observed higher prevalence of common iliac artery aneurysms (44.6% vs. 30.6%, P = 0.013), internal iliac artery aneurysms (28.4% vs. 18.0%, P = 0.03), common femoral artery aneurysms (13.5% vs. 4.4%, P < 0.001), visceral artery aneurysms (5.4% vs. 1.2%, P = 0.019), renal artery stenosis (20.3% vs. 5.2%, P < 0.001), renal atrophy (6.7% vs. 1.1%, P = 0.004), and severe chronic kidney disease (14.1% vs. 1.8%, P < 0.001) in group 2 compared to group 1. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of iliac arterial stenoses between the groups., Conclusions: Among patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm, concomitant aneurysms and renal artery stenosis are more common in patients with suprarenal component when compared to those with solely infrarenal presentation., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The increasing population of very old intensive care patients (VIPs) is a major challenge currently faced by clinicians and policymakers. Reliable indicators of VIPs' prognosis and purposefulness of their admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) are urgently needed., Methods: This is a report from the Polish sample of the VIP1 multicentre cohort study (NCT03134807). Patients ≥ 80 years of age admitted to the ICU were included in the study. Information on the type and reason for admission, demographics, utilisation of ICU procedures, ICU length of stay, organ dysfunction and the decision to apply end-of-life care was collected. The primary objective was to investigate the impact of frailty syndrome on ICU and 30-day survival of VIPs. Frailty was assessed with the Clinical Frailty Scale (≥ 5 points on a scale of 1-9)., Results: We enrolled 272 participants with a median age of 84 (81-87) years. Frailty was diagnosed in 170 (62.5%) patients. The ICU and 30-day survival rates were equal to 54.6% and 47.3% respectively. Three variables were found to significantly increase the odds of death in the ICU in a multiple logistic regression model: SOFA score (OR = 1.16; 95%CI 1.16-1.24), acute mode of admission (OR = 5.1; 95%CI 1.67-15.57) and frailty (OR = 2.25; 95%CI 1.26-4.01)., Conclusion: Measuring frailty in critically ill older adults can facilitate making more informed clinical decisions and help avoid futile interventions.

Objective: The assessment of control of modifiable risk factors among elderly patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) admitted to the hospital angiology ward., Methods: The results of treatment of dyslipidemia (DL), hypertension (HT), diabetes mellitus (DM) and prevalence of cigarette smoking were assessed among older (>65 years old, group I) and younger patients (group II) with PAD in a admission day to hospital., Results: The study population included 154 patients (I--92 and II--65 subjects) aged 67.4 ± 9.4 years, 69.5% men. The study groups presented similar grades of PAD classification by Rutherford. Group I was older (73.5 ± 6.4 vs 58.3 ± 4.7 yrs, p < 0.001), had lower frequency of current smokers (21.7 vs 48.4%, P < 0.001) than group II. Diagnosis of DL, HT and DM were equally frequent in both groups. However, coronary heart disease was diagnosed more frequently in group I than II (52.2 vs 29.0%, p = 0.004). Both groups were similar according to systolic blood pressure (BP) values and levels of glucose and HDL cholesterol. Group I had lower diastolic BP than group II (69.5 ± 11.1 vs 74.0 ± 9.9 mmHg, p = 0.02), but control of HT was similar in both groups (71.7 vs 67.7%). LDL cholesterol levels were lower in a group I than II (2.2 ± 1.0 vs 2.5 ± 1.1 mmol/l, p = 0.04), but LDL cholesterol values < 1.8 mmol/l were observed with similar frequency in both groups (40.2 vs 27.4%)., Conclusions: Patient's age seems to have no important impact on the control of atherosclerosis risk factors in patients with PAD.