Prilozi (Makedonska akademija na naukite i umetnostite. Oddelenie za medicinski nauki)最新文献

{"title":"Early Risk Stratification in Acute Pulmonary Embolism using Inflammatory and Hematologic Biomarkers.","authors":"Bekim Pocesta, Lidija Poposka, Elif Vrajnko, Tomislav Konjanovski, Marijan Bosevski, Ljubica Georgievska-Ismail","doi":"10.2478/prilozi-2026-0004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/prilozi-2026-0004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: Accurate early risk stratification in acute pulmonary embolism (PE) remains challenging, particularly in intermediate-risk patients. Readily available hematologic and inflammatory markers may provide additional prognostic value. <b>Objective</b>: To evaluate the predictive role of hematologic and inflammatory markers for in-hospital adverse events in patients with acute pulmonary embolism. <b>Methods</b>: This retrospective study included 88 pts diagnosed with acute PE between 2023 and 2024. Clinical, echocardiographic, and laboratory data, including red blood cell distribution width (RDW), white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and C-reactive protein (CRP), were analyzed. Adverse events were defined as hemodynamic instability, cardiac arrest, or death during hospitalization. Logistic regression identified independent predictors; ROC curves assessed discriminative performance. <b>Results</b>: Adverse events occurred in 13 pts (14.8%), including four deaths. Pts with adverse events had significantly higher RDW (p = 0.008), WBC (p = 0.002), NLR (p = 0.001), PLR (p = 0.001), and CRP (p = 0.028). Multivariable analysis identified RDW (OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.12-1.96; p = 0.006), WBC (OR 1.20; 95% CI 1.02-1.41; p = 0.032), and NLR (OR 1.14; 95% CI 1.02-1.27; p=0.018) as independent predictors. ROC analysis showed improved discrimination when these markers were combined (AUC 0.880). <b>Conclusion</b>: Red blood cell distribution width, white blood cell count, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio independently predict in-hospital adverse events in acute pulmonary embolism. Their combined use may enhance early risk stratification.</p>","PeriodicalId":74492,"journal":{"name":"Prilozi (Makedonska akademija na naukite i umetnostite. Oddelenie za medicinski nauki)","volume":"47 1","pages":"47-55"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Liver Histiocytosis Masquerading as Hepatic Dysfunction: Rare Case Story.","authors":"Emilija Nikolovska Trpchevska, Meri Trajkovska, Dafina Nikolova, Beti Todorovska, Elena Curakova Ristovska, Gjorgji Deriban, Gregor Krstevski, Dragica Nikolova, Anita Ristoska Nanusheska","doi":"10.2478/prilozi-2026-0007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/prilozi-2026-0007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction</b>: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare histiocytic neoplasm occurring less frequently in adults than in children. Although various organs can be affected, resulting in a heterogenous clinical presentation, liver involvement is uncommon, particularly in adults. Herein, we present a case of LCH with liver involvement in an adult patient. <b>Case Report</b>: A 40-year-old man presented with painless jaundice and abnormal liver function tests. Diagnostic work-up revealed hepatosplenomegaly, and excluded common causes of liver dysfunction. Liver biopsy revealed microscopic findings typical of the disease and positive immunohistochemical markers. Hepatoprotective therapy resulted in improvement in liver function and withdrawal of symptoms. <b>Conclusions</b>: Isolated LCH-related liver injury is rare. The differential diagnosis with other liver pathology may pose a challenge for clinicians and radiologists.</p>","PeriodicalId":74492,"journal":{"name":"Prilozi (Makedonska akademija na naukite i umetnostite. Oddelenie za medicinski nauki)","volume":"47 1","pages":"75-78"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emotional Intelligence and Coping Styles in Adolescents and Young Adults: Differential Associations with Adaptive and Maladaptive Coping.","authors":"Haris Sulejmani, Nada Pop-Jordanova","doi":"10.2478/prilozi-2026-0002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/prilozi-2026-0002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: Emotional intelligence has been identified as an important psychological factor influencing how individuals manage stress and regulate emotions. However, evidence regarding its differential association with adaptive and maladaptive coping styles in adolescents and young adults remains limited. <b>Objective</b>: This study aimed to examine the relationships between emotional intelligence and adaptive and maladaptive coping styles in a large sample of adolescents and young adults. <b>Methods</b>: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 700 participants aged 15-25 years. Emotional intelligence was assessed using the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, while coping styles were measured using a 28-item COPE inventory aggregated into adaptive and maladaptive coping dimensions. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analyses, and multiple linear regression models adjusted for age, gender, and education level were performed. <b>Results</b>: Emotional intelligence was positively associated with both adaptive coping (r = .16, p < .001) and maladaptive coping (r = .54, p < .001). Regression analyses indicated that emotional intelligence independently predicted both coping styles; however, the effect size was substantially larger for maladaptive coping. Age, gender, and education level were not significant predictors in either model. <b>Conclusion</b>: Emotional intelligence is differentially associated with coping styles in adolescents and young adults, with a particularly strong relationship observed for maladaptive coping. These findings underscore the importance of emotional intelligence in coping processes and suggest that interventions targeting emotional intelligence may help reduce maladaptive coping behaviors in youth.</p>","PeriodicalId":74492,"journal":{"name":"Prilozi (Makedonska akademija na naukite i umetnostite. Oddelenie za medicinski nauki)","volume":"47 1","pages":"15-24"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Objective Memory Impairment in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: a Systematic Review and Multilevel Meta-Analysis of Trauma-Exposed Adult Populations.","authors":"Haris Sulejmani, Nada Pop-Jordanova","doi":"10.2478/prilozi-2026-0003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/prilozi-2026-0003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is traditionally conceptualized as a disorder of fear learning and emotional dysregulation; however, accumulating evidence indicates that objective cognitive dysfunction, particularly memory impairment, represents a core and enduring feature of the disorder. Prior quantitative syntheses have been limited by heterogeneous control groups, pooling of disparate cognitive outcomes, and inadequate handling of statistical dependence across outcomes. <b>Objective</b>: This systematic review and meta-analysis is aimed at determining whether trauma-exposed adults diagnosed with PTSD exhibit objective impairments in memory performance compared with trauma-exposed adults without PTSD. <b>Methods</b>: A comprehensive search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science was conducted up to December 17, 2025. Eligible studies included trauma-exposed adults (≥18 years) with PTSD diagnosed using DSM or ICD criteria and a trauma-exposed non-PTSD comparator group. Objective neuropsychological measures of verbal episodic memory and working memory were extracted. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Standardized mean differences (Hedges' g) were pooled using multilevel random-effects meta-analytic models to account for within-study dependence. <b>Results</b>: Ninety studies met the criteria for the systematic review, of which 88 contributed quantitative data to the meta-analysis. Across studies, individuals with PTSD demonstrated significantly poorer memory performance compared with trauma-exposed controls without PTSD. Impairments were most consistent for verbal episodic memory and working memory, with effects observed across diverse trauma types and assessment instruments. Considerable heterogeneity was present but did not negate the overall pattern of PTSD-specific cognitive impairment. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of findings. Although funnel plot asymmetry suggested possible publication bias, trim-and-fill-adjusted estimates remained statistically significant. <b>Conclusions</b>: Trauma-exposed adults with PTSD exhibit reliable and clinically meaningful impairments in objective memory performance beyond the effects of trauma exposure alone. These findings support conceptualizations of PTSD as a disorder involving maladaptive memory processing and underscore the importance of incorporating cognitive assessment and intervention into PTSD research and clinical care.</p>","PeriodicalId":74492,"journal":{"name":"Prilozi (Makedonska akademija na naukite i umetnostite. Oddelenie za medicinski nauki)","volume":"47 1","pages":"25-45"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492304","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Submucosal against Intramuscular Administration of Dexamethasone in Treatment of Postoperative Edema after Odontectomy of Impacted Mandibular Third Molars.","authors":"Spiro Spasovski, Edvard Janev, Zaklina Menceva, Mirjana Markovska-Arsovska, Ljuba Simjanovska, Vlatko Kokolanski, Mirjana Popovska","doi":"10.2478/prilozi-2026-0006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/prilozi-2026-0006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Aim</b>: To clinically evaluate the efficacy of Dexamethasone depending on the method of administration in the treatment of postoperative complications following odontectomy of lower impacted third molars. <b>Materials and Methods</b>: At the Clinic for Oral Surgery at USKC \"St. Panteleimon\" in Skopje, North Macedonia, 45 patients, 20 to 40 years, indicated for odontectomy of lower impacted third molars, were included. 15 patients were treated with DXP (Dexamethasone), ampule of 4mg/1ml, applied submucosally (SM). Another 15 patients were treated with DXP administered intramuscularly (IM) into the deltoid muscle. No DXP was applied to the control group (CG). Edema was monitored by measuring three facial lines: tragus to labial commissure (Tr-Co), tragus to gnathion (Tr-Gn), and lateral eye canthus to angulus mandibulae (Cn-Am). The clinical effects in the three study groups were monitored at 24 hours (T1), 48 hours (T2), and 7 days (T3) post-op. <b>Results</b>: Cn-Am direction in T1, showed significantly larger edema in the CG vs the examined groups. In all time points there were no statistically significant differences between the examined groups (p>0.05). In T1 and T2, in the Tr-Co direction, the results showed the biggest reduction of the edema with a statistically significant difference (p=0.012) in IM vs SM application at T2. T3 showed least edema in the SM group. Tr-Gn direction, at T1, a significant difference in edema dimensions was found between the IM and CG (p=0.015), indicating a significantly smaller measured edema in the IM group. Identical findings were seen at T2. T3 showed better results in edema control in the SM vs. other groups. <b>Conclusion</b>: The intramuscular application technique of DXP was more effective than the submucosal technique across all measurement lines and time points in managing postoperative edema following surgical extraction of lower impacted third molars.</p>","PeriodicalId":74492,"journal":{"name":"Prilozi (Makedonska akademija na naukite i umetnostite. Oddelenie za medicinski nauki)","volume":"47 1","pages":"63-74"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Response Rate in CLL Patients Treated with Obinutuzumab - Single Centre Experience from University Clinic of Hematology, Skopje.","authors":"Olivera Gjeorgjieva Janev, Tara Mojsovska, Martin Stojanoski, Marica Pavkovic, Marija Popova Labachevska, Lazar Chadievski, Aleksandra Pivkova Veljanovska, Zlate Stojanoski, Sonja Genadieva Stavrikj","doi":"10.2478/prilozi-2026-0010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/prilozi-2026-0010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The glycoengineered humanized monoclonal type II anti-CD20 antibody obinutuzumab is widely used in the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), most commonly in combination with other therapeutic agents. The aim of this single-centre retrospective study was to evaluate the treatment patterns and clinical responses in patients with CLL treated with obinutuzumab-based combination regimens at the University Clinic of Hematology, Skopje. We analyzed 90 patients with CLL treated with obinutuzumab-based regimens between 2019 and 2024. Obinutuzumab was administered in combination with chlorambucil (56.6%), fludarabine-cyclophosphamide (26.6%), bendamustine (11.1%), CVP (4.4%), or venetoclax (5.5%). The treatment was given as first-line therapy in 57.7% of patients and in the relapsed/refractory setting in 42.3%. The median age at initiation of obinutuzumab-based therapy was 66.9 years. The overall response rate to obinutuzumab-based treatment was 45.5%. The median follow-up after treatment was 15.6 months. In this real-world single-centre experience, obinutuzumab-based combination regimens showed measurable clinical activity in routine practice across different treatment lines. Longer follow-up and larger patient cohorts are required to better characterize the durability of the responses and outcomes in the specific treatment subgroups.</p>","PeriodicalId":74492,"journal":{"name":"Prilozi (Makedonska akademija na naukite i umetnostite. Oddelenie za medicinski nauki)","volume":"47 1","pages":"93-100"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"What Psychology Can Do For Everyday Life.","authors":"Nada Pop-Jordanova","doi":"10.2478/prilozi-2026-0001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/prilozi-2026-0001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>It was proven that psychology can help us in everyday life by improving communication skills, relationships, and ability to manage stress. It can also help us make better decisions in school, healthcare, and work, and improve mental health and general well-being. Results from different studies demonstrate that people are happier and less depressed after completing exercises targeting positive emotions. Consequently, the ultimate goal of psychology is to make people happier by understanding and building positive emotions, gratification, and meaning. Positive psychology focuses on enhancing wellbeing by studying what makes life worth living, emphasizing strengths, virtues, and positive experiences. It encourages the cultivation of positive emotions, engagement and meaning to improve overall life satisfaction or resilience. Applying positive psychology principles can lead to personal growth, improved relationships, and a more fulfilling life. In this article we focus on the role of positive psychology in the daily lives of children and adolescents suffering from malignancies, diabetes, chronic diseases, and poverty. Enhancing the well-being of the youth is an urgent public health need and concern today. Positive psychology aims to provide a comprehensive scientific knowledge of the human experience and better integrate and complement the illness framework with concepts related to positive mental health and then use them at scale to solve public health issues.</p>","PeriodicalId":74492,"journal":{"name":"Prilozi (Makedonska akademija na naukite i umetnostite. Oddelenie za medicinski nauki)","volume":"47 1","pages":"5-14"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Double Jeopardy - A Case of Overlapping Takotsubo Syndrome and Spontaneous Coronary Dissection.","authors":"Planinka Zafirovska, Ljubica Georgievska-Ismail, Fatmir Ferati, Darko Kitanoski, Arbijon Kolari, Robin Nijveldt","doi":"10.2478/prilozi-2026-0005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/prilozi-2026-0005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) includes a spectrum of clinical conditions, with increasing recognition of myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA). Among its potential etiologies, Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) and spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) present with overlapping clinical features, posing diagnostic challenges. We present a case of a 56-year-old postmenopausal woman with recurrent chest pain and elevated troponin levels, initially diagnosed with TTS based on apical ballooning and a lack of obstructive coronary artery disease. However, persistent symptoms and echocardiographic wall motion abnormalities prompted further evaluation with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), which demonstrated subendocardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in the right coronary artery (RCA) and left anterior descending (LAD) artery territories, raising suspicion for an ischemic etiology. A subsequent coronary angiogram with optical coherence tomography (OCT) confirmed SCAD of the LAD, establishing an overlapping diagnosis of TTS and MINOCA due to SCAD. This case underscores the essential role of the multimodal imaging in refining MINOCA diagnoses and highlights the potential interplay between TTS and SCAD. Further research is needed to clarify their shared pathophysiology and improve diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in similar cases..</p>","PeriodicalId":74492,"journal":{"name":"Prilozi (Makedonska akademija na naukite i umetnostite. Oddelenie za medicinski nauki)","volume":"47 1","pages":"57-61"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492316","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Rectus Sheath Block in Open Hysterectomy.","authors":"Goran Mitreski, Nevenka Laban Guceva, Valentina Mitreska","doi":"10.2478/prilozi-2026-0011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/prilozi-2026-0011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction</b>: Open gynecological surgery results in a large wound and severe postoperative pain, and adequate postoperative analgesia is necessary. Rectus sheath block (RSB) is used to block the sensory nerves of the anterior abdominal wall, thereby contributing to pain relief after lower abdominal surgeries. RSB provides effective perioperative analgesia and is related to lower perioperative opioid consumption and decreased opioid-related adverse effects. The prospective randomized study explores the effect of RSB on the evaluation of the postoperative pain following transabdominal open hysterectomy. <b>Objective</b>: The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of bilateral Ultrasound (US)-guided RSB on the evaluation of the postoperative pain. <b>Patients and Methods</b>: This prospective randomized study was carried out on 70 females, ASA I or II, presented for elective open hysterectomy under general anesthesia (GA) and randomly classified into 2 equal Groups 1 and 2, of 35 patients each; Group 1 (n=35) is the control Group, where the patients received standard general endotracheal anesthesia; patients in Group 2 (n=35), the tested Group, received RSB with 40 ml ropivacaine 0.375% (20ml each side) before surgery and standard endotracheal anesthesia. Mean arterial Blood pressure (MAP) and Heart rate (HR) were measured as baseline, after induction of general anesthesia (GA), every 15 min until completion of surgery, immediately after recovery, at 6h, 12h, and 24 h postoperatively. The primary outcome was the evaluation of the postoperative pain using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes included the measurement of the opioid consumption (intraoperative) and the amount of analgesics (postoperative) and some postoperative medical data as well. <b>Results and conclusion</b>: Postoperative VAS scores showed significantly high pain scores in patients in Group 1, VAS 0 with a mean value of 9.46 (9.14-9.78), VAS 1 mean value of 8.46 (7.49-8.97), and VAS 2 with a mean value of 7.03 (6.44-7.62). Comparatively, Group 2 recorded significantly low pain scores - VAS 0 with a mean value of 1.26 (-,65-1.87), VAS 1 had a mean value of 2.74 (2.18-3.3), and VAS 2 had a mean value of 3.75 (0.25-1.25), respectively. The use of RSB as an adjuvant to GA had reduced intraoperative opioid consumption, time to first bowel motility and discharge from bed, postoperative analgesic consumption and shorter post-anesthesia care unit discharge time. Furthermore, patients of the test Group 2 showed greater satisfaction.</p>","PeriodicalId":74492,"journal":{"name":"Prilozi (Makedonska akademija na naukite i umetnostite. Oddelenie za medicinski nauki)","volume":"47 1","pages":"101-110"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Presepsin in Neonatal Sepsis: A Single-Center Evaluation in Comparison to Conventional Markers.","authors":"Mojca Kavčič, Petja Fister, Aneta Soltirovska Šalamon, Joško Osredkar, Darja Paro Panjan","doi":"10.2478/prilozi-2026-0009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/prilozi-2026-0009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objective</b>: Neonatal sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in newborns. Timely and accurate diagnosis remains a challenge due to the nonspecific clinical signs and the limited sensitivity and specificity of conventional biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and white blood cell (WBC) count. Presepsin, a soluble CD14 subtype, has been proposed as a promising early marker of bacterial infection. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of serum presepsin in comparison with traditional inflammatory markers in neonates with suspected sepsis. <b>Methods</b>: In a prospective observational study conducted at a single tertiary care center, 18 neonates with clinical signs of sepsis were evaluated. The patients were divided into culture-proven (n=7) and culture-unproven (n=11) sepsis groups. Presepsin levels were measured using a chemiluminescent assay and compared to CRP, PCT, and WBC counts. <b>Results</b>: The median presepsin levels were higher in culture-proven cases (740 ng/L vs. 393 ng/L), but without statistical significance. Similar trends were observed for CRP and PCT, while WBC counts showed no diagnostic value. <b>Conclusion</b>: Although presepsin demonstrated potential as an early biomarker, its diagnostic performance in this small cohort was inconclusive. Combined use of presepsin with conventional markers and clinical evaluation may improve early sepsis diagnosis in neonates.</p>","PeriodicalId":74492,"journal":{"name":"Prilozi (Makedonska akademija na naukite i umetnostite. Oddelenie za medicinski nauki)","volume":"47 1","pages":"85-91"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147491659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}