Balkan Medical Journal最新文献

{"title":"Navigating the Complex Terrain of Cardiovascular Care in Azerbaijan: Challenges and Uncharted Opportunities.","authors":"Ulvi Mirzoyev","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-3-112","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-3-112","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":"41 3","pages":"159-160"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11077933/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140854266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bronchiectasis in Türkiye: Data from a Multicenter Registry (Turkish Adult Bronchiectasis Database).","authors":"Ebru Çakır Edis, Aykut Çilli, Deniz Kızılırmak, Ayşın Şakar Coşkun, Nurcan Güler, Sedat Çiçek, Can Sevinç, Meltem Çoban Ağca, İnci Gülmez, Benan Çağlayan, Mehmet Kabak, Elif Yelda Özgün Niksarlıoğlu, Nurdan Köktürk, Abdullah Sayıner","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2023-12-57","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2023-12-57","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Bronchiectasis is a chronic lung disease characterized by permanent bronchial wall dilatation. Although it has been known as an orphan disease, it has recently gained attention because of registry-based studies and drug research.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>We aimed to use a multicenter database to analyze and compare data regarding the etiology, associated comorbidities, microbiological characteristics, and preventive strategies of bronchiectasis in Türkiye to those of other countries.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>A multicenter prospective cohort study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The multicenter, prospective cohort study was conducted between March 2019 and January 2022 using the Turkish Adult Bronchiectasis Database, in which 25 centers in Türkiye participated. Patients aged > 18 years who presented with respiratory symptoms such as cough, sputum, and dyspnea and were diagnosed with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis using computed tomography were included in the study. Demographic information, etiologies, comorbidities, pulmonary functions, and microbiological, radiological, and clinical data were collected from the patients.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 1,035 study participants, 518 (50%) were females. The mean age of the patients was 56.1 ± 16.1 years. The underlying etiology was detected in 565 (54.6%) patients. While postinfectious origin was the most common cause of bronchiectasis (39.5%), tuberculosis was identified in 11.3% of the patients. An additional comorbidity was detected in 688 (66.5%) patients. The most common comorbidity was cardiovascular disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis was identified in 19.5% of the patients. The most commonly detected microbiological agent was <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> (29.4%). Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) were used in 70.1% of the patients, and the frequency of exacerbations in the last year was significantly higher in patients using ICS than in nonusers (p < 0.0001). Age [odds ratio (OR): 1.028; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.005-1.051], cachexia (OR: 4.774; 95% CI: 2,054-11,097), high modified medical research council dyspnea scale score (OR: 1,952; 95% CI: 1,459-2,611), presence of chronic renal failure (OR: 4,172; 95% CI: 1,249-13,938) and use of inhaled steroids (OR: 2,587; 95% CI: 1,098-6,098) were significant risk factors for mortality. Mortality rates were higher in patients with COPD than in those with no COPD (21.7-9.1%, p = 0.016). Patients with bronchiectasis and COPD exhibited more frequent exacerbations, exacerbation-related hospitalizations, and hospitalization in the intensive care unit in the previous year than patients without COPD.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This is the first multicenter study of bronchiectasis in Türkiye. The study results will provide important data that can guide the development of health policies in Türkiye on issues such as infection control, vaccinatio","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":"41 3","pages":"206-212"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11077934/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140852526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In Response to “Emphysematous Urinary Tract Infections in Diabetics”","authors":"Wei Yang, Chendong He","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-1-81.response","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-1-81.response","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"232-233"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11077927/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140292625","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hybrid Stenting Procedure for Aortic Coarctation in a Very Low Birth Weight Newborn","authors":"Aras Tulunoğlu, Fatma Sevinç Şengül, Sertaç Haydin, Alper Güzeltaş","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2023.2023-9-57","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2023.2023-9-57","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"224-225"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11077932/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138440190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emerging Technologies in Healthcare and Laboratory Medicine: Trends and Need for a Roadmap to Sustainable Implementation","authors":"Damien Gruson, Tuğba Kemaloğlu Öz","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-1-16","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2024-1-16","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"85-86"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10913117/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139485066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High Incidence of <i>CPLANE1</i>-Related Joubert Syndrome in the Products of Conceptions from Early Pregnancy Losses","authors":"Gjorgji Bozhinovski, Marija Terzikj, Katerina Kubelka-Sabit, Dijana Plaseska-Karanfilska","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2023-10-72","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2023-10-72","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The fetal monogenic causes of early pregnancy losses (EPLs) are mainly unknown, with only a few articles on the subject published. In our previous study of EPLs using whole-exome sequencing analysis, we confirmed a genetic diagnosis of <i>CPLANE1</i>-related Joubert syndrome (JS) in three EPLs from two couples and identified a relatively common <i>CPLANE1</i> allele among our population (NM_001384732.1:c.1819delT;c.7817T>A, further after referred as “complex allele”). Pathogenic variants in the <i>CPLANE1 (C5orf42)</i> gene are reported to cause JS type 17, a primary ciliopathy with various system defects.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>To examine the hypothesis that the <i>CPLANE1</i> “complex allele,” whether homozygous or compound heterozygous, is a common cause of EPLs in our population.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>Cohort study/case-control study.ontrol study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, we used polymerase chain reaction-based methods to screen for <i>CPLANE1</i> “complex allele” presence among 246 euploid EPLs (< 12 gestational weeks) from families in North Macedonia. We also investigated the impact of this allele in 650 women with EPLs versus 646 women with no history of pregnancy loss and at least one livebirth, matched by ethnic origin.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found a high incidence of JS in the total study group of EPLs (2.03%), with a considerably higher incidence among Albanian families (6.25%). Although not statistically significant, women with EPLs had a higher allele frequency of the <i>CPLANE1</i> “complex allele” (AF = 1.38%) than the controls (AF = 0.85%; <i>p</i> = 0.2). Albanian women had significantly higher frequency of the “complex allele” than the Macedonians (AF = 1.65% and 0.39%, respectively; <i>p</i> = 0.003).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest reported incidence of fetal monogenic disease that might cause EPLs. Targeted screening for the <i>CPLANE1</i> “complex allele” would be warranted in Albanian ethnic couples because it would detect one JS in every 16 euploid EPLs. Our findings have a larger impact on the pathogenesis of pregnancy loss and contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenicity of the variants in the <i>CPLANE1</i> gene.</p>","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"97-104"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10913109/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139728831","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein: Diagnostic and Prognostic Role in Psychomotor Development Dynamics in Patients with Congenital Heart Defects after Cardiovascular Surgery","authors":"Lacramioara Eliza Chiperi, Adina Hutanu","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2023.2023-11-10","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2023.2023-11-10","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"151-152"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10913118/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139085693","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microfilariae Prevalence and its Association with Anemia Among First-time Blood Donors in Lambaréné, Gabon","authors":"Soulemane Parkouda, Mahmoudou Saidou, Cyrille Bisseye","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2023.2023-9-86","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2023.2023-9-86","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Anemia remains a significant public health concern in Gabon, particularly among children, adolescents, and females. Gabon is also home to two major species of filarial worms, <i>Loa</i> and <i>Mansonella</i> spp., which cause microfilaremia. The epidemiological nexus between hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations and microfilaremia in Gabonese first-time blood donors remains unknown.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>To understand better the epidemiological relationship between anemia and microfilaremia to improve donor selection and management protocols.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>A retrospective cohort study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study was conducted among first-time blood donors in Lambaréné between March 2018 and October 2019. Participants aged 16-65 years old and weighing a minimum of 50 kg were enrolled using standard donor selection criteria. An automatic hematological analyzer was used to quantify Hb concentrations, and microscopy techniques were used to detect the presence of microfilariae.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Microfilariae were found in 4.8% (35/723) of the 723 first-time blood donors from Lambaréné. Anemia was classified as mild in 35.5% (257/723) and moderate in 1% (7/723). No significant associations were found between the distribution of microfilariae and variables such as age, sex, socioprofessional classification, marital status, or residence. Blood group O donors had a higher prevalence of microfilariae (6%) than non-O donors (2.7%). However, the observed difference was not statistically significant (AOR =2.3, <i>p</i> = 0.052). Furthermore, microfilariae were associated with increased moderate anemia (3.7% vs. 29%, AOR =15.6, <i>p</i> = 0.003).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings highlight microfilaremia as a possible etiological cause of anemia among Gabonese blood donors, emphasizing the need for further research and a potential review of donor management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"139-143"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10913112/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139519901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cutaneous Larva Migrans","authors":"Paulo Ricardo Martins-Filho, Daniele Machado Reinheimer, Roberto Fernandes Soares-Neto","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2023.2023-10-47","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2023.2023-10-47","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"144"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10913113/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139039448","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of a Nomogram Using the Inflammatory Risk Score for Prognostication in Moderate and Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Associated with Hepatitis B Virus.","authors":"Hongyao Chen, Renyi Yang, Xiaopeng Yu, Kexiong Li, Peisen Xue, Wei Peng, Puhua Zeng","doi":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2023-12-8","DOIUrl":"10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2024.2023-12-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The changes in risk scores of inflammatory markers among patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unknown.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>To investigate the relationship between the inflammation risk score and other contributing factors and the prognostic outcomes in patients with moderate and advanced hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>A retrospective cohort study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 174 patients with moderate and advanced HBV related HCC were recruited to investigate the impact of stratified inflammatory risk scores and other associated risk factors on disease prognosis. Based on the optimal cut-off values calculated by the Youden index, the patients were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups based on their inflammation risk scores.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study found a significant difference in median survival time between the low-risk and high-risk groups based on the inflammation risk score. Furthermore, the inflammation risk score, alpha-fetoprotein levels, transarterial chemoembolization treatment, and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage were identified as independent prognostic factors. The four variables were used to construct a prognostic nomogram for HCC. Subsequent evaluations using time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analysis and calibration curve tests revealed the nomogram's commendable discriminatory ability. As a result, the nomogram proved to be an effective tool for predicting survival at 2- to 4-years.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The inflammation risk score has been identified as a significant prognostic factor for HBV-related HCC. The development of nomogram models has provided a practical and effective tool for determining the prognosis of patients affected by HBV-related HCC.</p>","PeriodicalId":8690,"journal":{"name":"Balkan Medical Journal","volume":"41 2","pages":"130-138"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10913116/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139995490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}