Presently few studies demonstrate improved outcomes in patients with schizophrenia treated in day rehabilitation centres. One reason is the absence of an evidence based protocol for rehabilitation in ...such centres. Hence further research is required to assess whether such a protocol will improve psychosocial outcomes.
We performed a controlled evaluation study of a protocol based rehabilitation day program (RDC) for persons suffering from schizophrenia.
Patients from the experimental group (N=50) were treated within the RDC for a 6 month period. The control group were patients on the waiting list for the RDC. Quality of life (MANSA), social functioning (OSA) and self-esteem (Rosenberg) were measured before and after the intervention.
Statistically significant improvement was shown in social functioning measured by OSA (F(1,96)=33.7; p<0.001), quality of life measured by MANSA (F(1,96)=69.3; p<0.001) and self esteem measured by Rosenberg scale (F(1,96)=84.5; p<0.001) for patients treated in the RDC compared with the control group, conversely, the control group outcomes deteriorated.
An evidence based protocol for rehabilitation within the RDC lead to improved social outcomes and recovery for persons suffering from schizophrenia.
Rad prikazuje različite faktore koji utječu na suradljivost uzimanja antipsihotika s ciljem sveobuhvatnog sagledavanja suradljivosti u uzimanju lijekova osoba oboljelih od shizofrenije i drugih ...psihotičnih poremećaja. Pregled literature o suradljivosti pokazuje da su najkonzistentniji faktori povezani s nesuradljivošću nedostatak dobroga terapijskog odnosa s pacijentom i nedostatak uvida u postojanje bolesti, stoga bi vodeće strategije u postupanju sa suradljivošću trebale biti psihosocijalne. Premda su se mnogi pristupi, poput psihoedukacije i motivacijskog intervjuiranja, pokazali korisnima za povećanje suradljivosti, uključujući i terapiju suradljivosti, ne može se zaključiti da je bilo koji pristup bolji. balansirani pristup psihološkim metodama koje uključuju elemente psihoedukacije, motivacijskog intervjuiranja, stvaranja odnosa povjerenja, aktivno uključenje u donošenje odluka o lije- čenju, orijentaciju prema osnaživanju i oporavku, točne informacije o bolesti i liječenju povezane s kontekstom osobnog života pacijenta i perspektivom oporavka te borbu protiv stigme i samostigmatizacije put je koji će pomoći da većina nesuradljivih bolesnika postane suradljiva i da suradljivi ostanu suradljivi.
The social functioning is an important criteria for evaluation when the decision about guardianship has to be made. Therefore, we investigated the differences in social functioning of persons under ...guardianship in comparison with persons without guardianship. Examinees (N=123) with diagnosed schizophrenia, accommodated at a social care institution for mentally ill persons, participated in the study. Adaptive function scale has been used for the evaluation of social functioning. The results were processed by statistic methods using SPSS and following methods have been used for statistics: descriptive analysis, regression analysis and group centroids. The results didn't show the statistically significant differences in social functioning between two groups of examinees. Also, there was no statistical significant difference in relation to the duration of illness, age and education. The results indicate the necessarily of taking into consideration the some other dimensions important for evaluation of mental capacity, especially when the decision about guardianship has to be made.
We studied influence of type of antipsychotics in relation with social functioning in sample of 123 patients diagnozed with schizophrenia accordingto lCD 10 criteria. On atypicals (olanzapin, ...risperidon, clozapin) were 39 patients, 26 female and 13 male. The social functioning scale according to Bellak et al was used for assessment of social functioning. Results of our study show that there is no difference in social functioning between patients on atypical in comapration with patients on typical antipsychotics. We observed a positive trend of better social functioning in group of patients who takes atypicals. Results also showed that women had better social functioning comparing to males Education and duration of illness were not in relation with social functioning.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the medical field has been forced to apply the basic knowledge of immunology with the most up-to-date SARS-CoV-2 findings and translate it to the population ...of the whole world in record time. Following the infection with the viral antigen, adaptive immune responses are activated mainly by viral particle encounters with the antigen-presenting cells or B cell receptors, which induce further biological interactions to defend the host against the virus. After the infection has been warded off, the immunological memory is developed. The SARS-CoV cellular immunity has been shown to persist even 17 years after the infection, despite the undetectable humoral component. Similar has been demonstrated for the SARS-CoV-2 T cell memory in a shorter period by assessing interferon-gamma levels when heparinized blood is stimulated with the virus-specific peptides. T cells also play an irreplaceable part in a humoral immune reaction as the backbone of a cellular immune response. They both provide the signals for B cell activation and the maturation, competence, and memory of the humoral response. B cell production of IgA was shown to be of significant influence in mediating mucosal immunity as the first part of the defense mechanism and in the development of nasal vaccines. Here, we interpret the recent SARS-CoV-2 available research, which encompasses the significance and the current understanding of adaptive immune activity, and compare it among naive, exposed, and vaccinated blood donors. Our recent data showed that those who recovered from COVID-19 and those who are vaccinated with EMA-approved vaccines had a long-lasting cellular immunity. Additionally, we analyze the humoral responses in immunocompromised patients and memory mediated by cellular immunity and the impact of clonality in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic regarding breakthrough infections and variants of concern, both B.1.617.2 (Delta) and B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variants.
Previous clinical and epidemiological studies have shown that over time antibody titers decrease, and they do not provide long-term mucosa protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, the ...increase in breakthrough infections that occur more frequently in the vaccinated than in the study participants with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection has recently become a priority public health concern. We measured the amount of interferon-gamma (Quan-T-Cell ELISA) and the level of antibodies (Anti-SARS-CoV-2 QuantiVac ELISA IgG) in the blood of the same patients simultaneously to compare cellular and humoral immunity. A total of 200 study participants (before Omicron variant appearance) were divided into four groups whose levels of cellular and humoral immunity we compared: study participants previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 (group 1); study participants vaccinated with EMA-approved vaccines (group 2); study participants previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, and vaccination history (group 3); and study participants without a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination (group 4). Our results showed that study participants who received one of the EMA-approved vaccines and who recovered from COVID-19 (group 3) had significantly higher levels of cellular immunity and antibody titers in comparison with groups 1 and 2. Additionally, we have noticed that the study participants previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 and the study participants vaccinated with EMA-approved vaccines had a long-lasting cellular immunity. Furthermore, antibody levels showed a negative correlation with time since the last contact with a viral antigen, while cellular immunity within 20 months showed as long-term protection. Moreover, out of 200 study participants, only 1 study participant who recovered from COVID-19 (0.5%) was re-infected, while a total of 6 study participants (3%) were infected with SARS-CoV-2 after receiving the vaccine. This study suggests that cellular immunity-unlike humoral immunity, thanks to memory T cells-represents long-term protection in individuals recovered from SARS-CoV-2 and after vaccination.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has become the best example of precision oncology's impact on outcomes in everyday clinical practice, significantly changing the expectations of all stakeholders, ...including medical professionals, society, and most importantly, patients. Consequently, the implementation of the precision oncology concept in medical systems, in order to achieve optimal and proven curative effects in NSCLC, is imperative. In this study, we investigated the development, challenges, and results associated with the implementation of precision oncology in NSCLC on a national level in Croatia. We conducted a multicenter, retrospective, cross-sectional analysis on the total population of Croatian patients with metastatic lung cancer, on whose tumors specimen comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) testing was performed during 2020 and 2021. A total of 48 patients were included in the study. CGP revealed clinically relevant genomic alterations (CRGA) in 37 patients (79%), with a median of 2 (IQR 1-3) CRGA per patient. From the panel of recommended tests,
,
, and
were the most common alterations, detected in 16 (34%), 5 (11%), and 3 (6%) patients, respectively. CGP revealed additional targetable mutations in 29 (60%) patients who would not have been tested (and consequently, whose mutations would not have been detected) according to the existing everyday standard of practice in Croatia. The tumor mutational burden was reported as high (≥10 Muts/Mb) in 19 patients (40%). CGP analysis reported some kind of targeted therapy for 34 patients (72%). CGP revealed other potentially targetable mutations, and it also determined TMB to be high in a significant number of patients. In conclusion, when possible, CGP should be used as an upfront backbone diagnostic and treatment-oriented work-up in patients with NSCLC.
Background. Although today it is almost preventable, cervical cancer still represents a significant cancer burden, especially in some developing parts of the world. Since the introduction of ...bevacizumab in the first-line treatment of metastatic disease, improvements of the outcomes were noted. However, results from randomized controlled trials are often hard to recreate in the real-world setting. Objective. To assess the real-world efficacy and safety of bevacizumab as a first-line treatment of advanced cervical cancer. Methods. We conducted a retrospective cohort study on the total population of Croatian patients diagnosed with metastatic cervical cancer from 2016 to 2019 who were treated with bevacizumab in combination with cisplatin and paclitaxel (TCB) in the first line. The comparison group was the consecutive sample of patients treated with chemotherapy alone. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate, incidence of adverse events, and the proportion of treatment discontinuation. Results. We enrolled 67 patients treated with TCB and a control group of 62 patients treated with chemotherapy alone. The TCB cohort had significantly longer unadjusted OS with a median of 27.0 (95% CI 18.5; not calculable) months, compared to 15.5 (10.7; 30.1) months in the chemotherapy-alone cohort. Adjusted OS was not significantly different. PFS was significantly longer for the TCB cohort, with a median of 10.6 (95% CI 8.5; 15.4) months, than for the chemotherapy-alone cohort, with a median of 5.4 (95% CI 3.9; 9.1) months, even after adjustment for baseline covariates (HRadjusted = 0.60; 95% CI 0.39; 0.94; p=0.027; false discovery rate <5%). Conclusions. In a real-world setting, TCB as a first-line treatment of metastatic cervical cancer was associated with longer PFS, better objective disease control rate, and acceptable toxicity profile in comparison to chemotherapy alone. These results may indicate its utility and potential applicability in other parts of the developing world.
Introduction
Patients treated with radiotherapy are under increased long-term risk of developing radiation-induced tumors. In this report we present an exceptionally rare case of a patient who, ...following radiotherapy for cervical cancer, developed 3 radiation-induced metachronous pelvic tumors.
Case presentation
In 1997, a 37-year-old patient with cervical adenocarcinoma (FIGO stage IB2) was subjected to adjuvant conventionally fractionated external-beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy following surgical treatment. Eleven, 14 and 15 years later, 3 radiation-induced malignant tumors developed: a leiomyosarcoma of the gluteus and 2 separate carcinomas of the rectum.
Discussion and conclusion
Radiotherapy for cervical carcinoma increases the standardized incidence ratios for rectal cancer and soft tissue sarcoma. Unfortunately, the current guidelines on contraindications to radiotherapy appear insufficient as they take into account a very limited number of clinical states and associated conditions, which is in disproportion to the rather high risk of radiation-induced malignancies of 0.45%. Information on the molecular characteristics of human radiation-induced tumors is still of no relevance for everyday clinical practice. Although radiotherapy is one of the most important modalities of oncological treatment, it should be judiciously used in cases where the benefits clearly outweigh the risk of serious untoward effects. In the case of patients undergoing pelvic irradiation, careful follow-up is needed for years.
The relative survival of elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is generally worse than that of younger patients because of more advanced stage at presentation, comorbidity and ...reduced use of optimal therapy. We conducted a prospective phase II trial of the combination of bevacizumab and capecitabine in elderly patients with mCRC. In total 41 patients aged more than or equal to 70 years with mCRC, who had not received chemotherapy earlier for metastatic disease, were enroled. Patients received capecitabine (1000 mg/m twice daily on days 1-14) and bevacizumab (7.5 mg/kg of body weight on day 1). The treatment cycles were repeated every 3 weeks. The overall response rate was 65%, including 13% of patients with a complete response and 53% of patients with a partial response. A further 13% of patients maintained stable disease. The median progression-free survival was 11.5 months and the median overall survival was 21.2 months. Despite the advanced age of participants, the rate of bevacizumab-related and capecitabine-related adverse events was consistent with that reported earlier in the general mCRC population. The combination of bevacizumab and capecitabine is effective and has a favourable tolerability profile and should be considered as an option for the initial treatment of mCRC in elderly patients.
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