Biomedical papers, 2024 (vol. 168), issue 3
Reviews
Chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) and chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) with a focus on pamidronate therapy
Katerina Bouchalova, Zuzana Pytelova
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2024, 168(3):191-199 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2024.007 
CNO/CRMO is a rare autoinflammatory bone disease of unknown etiology. The authors review the etiology, epidemiology, clinical course, diagnostic criteria, development of classification criteria, diagnostic methods, association with other diseases, methods for disease activity evaluation, treatment and tasks for the future. Tables comparing different diagnostic criteria, recently developed RINBO index (radiologic index for nonbacterial osteomyelitis) and summary of studies on CNO/CRMO therapy using pamidronate are included.
Interventions for increasing medication adherence in heart failure patients: A narrative review
Libor Jelinek, Jan Vaclavik, Marie Lazarova
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2024, 168(3):200-205 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2024.022
Heart failure is one of the critical and most costly medical challenges of the 21st century. It is a chronic debilitating condition and adherence to medication, a precondition for successful treatment is often poor. There are various interventions for improving adherence. Depending on the goal of the intervention, these are roughly patient centric, healthcare provider centric and system centric. The authors provide an overview of these interventions with a focus on effectiveness and appropriateness in different clinical situations. Their use can lead to improved patient outcomes and reduced economic burden of the disease.
Original papers
Challenges with hippocampal MR spectroscopy as a surrogate for pre-radiotherapy assessment of neurocognitive impairment in patients with brain metastasis
Iveta Selingerova, Klara Holikova, Tomas Chodur, Ludmila Hynkova, Petr Pospisil, Martin Bulik, Renata Belanova, Kamila Siffelova, Ivana Kolouskova, Marek Slavik, Petr Burkon, Roman Hrstka, Radim Jancalek, Jiri Sana, Pavel Slampa, Tomas Kazda
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2024, 168(3):206-215 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2024.012
Patients with multiple brain metastases (BM) benefit from hippocampal-avoiding whole brain radiotherapy (HA-WBRT), a less available form of WBRT. This study explores pre-radiotherapy (pre-RT) hippocampal magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) as a tool for assessing neurocognitive functions (NCF) in order to identify which patients may benefit from HA-WBRT. 43 BM patients underwent pre-RT hippocampal MRS, correlating N-acetylaspartate (neuronal density surrogate) with NCF tests (HVLT and BVMT). Borderline statistically significant correlations were found with speculative interpretation underlying the challenges of hippocampal MRS as a surrogate for neurocognitive impairment. Further studies are needed to validate hippocampal MRS as a predictor for memory sparing radiotherapy benefit.
Ultrasonographic signs as predictors of metastatic involvement in the axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients: from minimal changes to the appearance of the pathological lymph node. A retrospective analysis
Lucia Veverkova, Marketa Koleckova, Katherine Vomackova, Nora Zlamalova, Lubica Lowova
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2024, 168(3):216-222 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2023.009
This is a retrospective analysis of ultrasound findings in axillary lymph nodes in the patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer. The study focuses on the minimal morphological changes as early signs of metastatic involvement. This could be the basis for the design of a scoring system to evaluate axillary lymph nodes apropos sonographic features and with regard to the type of primary breast cancer and its aggressiveness. This retrospective evaluation and research may contribute to better ultrasound evaluation of lymph nodes in breast cancer patients
Influence of graft anastomosis and graft morphology on long-term patency of the saphenous vein after aortocoronary bypass
Okaikor Okantey, Tomas Jonszta, Jiri Sieja, Miriam Kende, Radim Brat, Lubomir Pavliska
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2024, 168(3):223-228 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2024.013
Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a surgical modality that resolves ischemic myocardial disease. The success of the procedure depends on a number of factors. Construction of the anastomosis and graft characteristics play a functional role in graft patency. This follow-up analysis of a study on the effects of endoscopic vein harvest after bypass surgery compared the outcome of sequential anastomoses and single grafts, vein graft length and diameter, calcium score, and target artery quality on long-term vein graft patency. The differences between sequential and individual grafts were not statistically significant. Graft and target artery diameters had a statistically significant influence on patency. Longer graft lengths and higher calcium scores were associated with statistically significant graft occlusion.
A comparison of heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction in the Moravian Midlands Registry with the LCZ696 patients in the Paradigm-HF trial
Ludek Pavlu, Marek Vicha, Jakub Flasik, Jana Petrkova, Milos Taborsky, Tereza Kacirkova, Ondrej Holy
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2024, 168(3):229-234 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2023.006
This study aspired to provide comprehensive real-world data on a population with heart failure in the Moravian region of the Czech Republic. The authors compared local clinically relevant data with those from the ground-breaking Paradigm-HF trial and they found that local patients had a more advanced state of heart failure. The high prevalence of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) confirms access to advanced and financially demanding treatment options in this region.
Severe congenital T-lymphocytopenia may affect the outcome of neonatal intensive care
Ivana Hulinkova, Veronika Medova, Andrea Soltysova, Veronika Dobsinska, Andrej Ficek, Peter Ciznar
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2024, 168(3):235-242 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2023.028
This study evaluated the amount of TREC in a group of risk newborns and found a significant association between low TREC values and the occurrence of sepsis. The authors identified an association between mortality in preterm neonates with sepsis in patients with TREC < 5th percentile and they hypothesize that low TREC values may be a surrogate marker for mortality in preterm neonates.
A stylet use may be beneficial for elective and rescue intubation of prematurely born infants < 30 weeks
Klara Dunajova, Tereza Lamberska, Truong An Nguyen, Adam Kubica, Petr Kudrna, Richard Plavka
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2024, 168(3):243-247 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2024.015
This study challenges the prevailing view that stylet use during intubation offers no benefit, specifically in the context of premature infants in the delivery room. Through the detailed analysis of 104 intubation attempts across 70 infants, the authors found that employing a stylet significantly enhances the success rate of initial intubation attempts, shortens the procedure's duration, and lowers the risk of severe desaturation events. The evidence suggests that the use of a stylet could be significant for stabilization of extremely premature infants during the golden hour of their life, marking a significant shift in current practices for this vulnerable population.
Changes in vascular density in the macula after pars plana vitrectomy for idiopathic macular hole with macular peeling and one type of flap
Anna Tarkova, Nada Jiraskova, Jaroslava Dusova, Jan Marak, Jan Studnicka
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2024, 168(3):248-255 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2023.017
In this study, the authors focused on changes in the vascular density of the superficial and deep vascular plexus in temporal and foveal-sparing flap after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with macular peel. The vascular density of the deep plexus increased in both groups and the vascular density of the superficial plexus was almost the same in the temporal flap and in the foveal-sparing flap was reduced during the one-year follow-up period. The results were also confirmed by the anatomical improvement. The authors demonstrated a statistical relationship between the duration of symptoms and changes in the microvasculature in the macula in both groups. No significant differences were found between the various forms of the flap method used in PPV.
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in acute hospitalized older patients focused on hydration
Vladimir Hrabovsky, Martina Skrobankova, Zdenek Lys, Adela Vrtkova, Veronika Spacilova, Jan Vaclavik
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2024, 168(3):256-261 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2023.038
Ultrasound examination is non-invasive, simple to perform and it provides valuable information on a patient´s condition, including geriatric. Patients as older individuals frequently suffer from dehydration. This study showed that ultrasound assessment provides immediate key information for comprehensive understanding of clinical status in older patients and can be beneficial for optimizing the treatment strategy, including fluid management decisions.
The Czech National MS Registry (ReMuS): Data trends in multiple sclerosis patients whose first disease-modifying therapies were initiated from 2013 to 2021
Dominika Stastna, Jiri Drahota, Michal Lauer, Aneta Mazouchova, Ingrid Menkyova, Jana Adamkova, Radek Ampapa, Michal Dufek, Marketa Grunermelova, Pavel Hradilek, Eva Kubala Havrdova, Jan Mares, Alena Martinkova, Zbysek Pavelek, Marek Peterka, Eva Recmanova, Petra Rockova, Ivana Stetkarova, Pavel Stourac, Marta Vachova, Dana Horakova
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2024, 168(3):262-270 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2023.015
Multiple sclerosis treatment strategies are changing in the Czech Republic. According to data from 2013-2021, the proportion of patients starting high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies is increasing. These findings come from the Czech National Multiple Sclerosis Registry ReMuS which provides a quality source of data for not only scientific publications, but national regulatory authorities as well. Its outputs offer feedback and a means for improving the management of multiple sclerosis in the future.
Case report
A severe case of pemphigoid gestationis persisting after labour - case report and review of the literature
Hynek Herman, Petr Krepelka, Adela T. Faridova, Klara Trojanova, Jiri Hanacek, Barbora Jaluvkova, Jaroslav Feyereisl, Spyridon Gkalpakiotis
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2024, 168(3):271-275 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2023.010
The communication on pemphigoid gestationis is of paramount importance not only because of the need to report such a serious disease in a professional journal, but also as a recommendation for possible treatment of this rare condition in pregnancy which a large number physicians and especially obstetricians may not encounter in their entire careers. As with other diseases, early and accurate diagnosis and subsequent early therapy is of primary importance, to obviate major deterioration in the condition, the risk to the pregnant woman and the fetus, and to the newborn after delivery.
This issue was published with support of Roche and Janssen-Cilag s.r.o. companies
