INTRODUCTION Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) amplification is present in a subgroup of gastroo-esophageal cancers (GCs). HER2 inhibition with trastuzumab has shown to improve outcomes in advanced disease. Lapatinib ditosylate (LAP), a dual anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and anti-HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor with preclinical activity against GC, has been approved ...

BACKGROUND Early identification of patients who need post-acute care (PAC) may improve discharge planning. The purposes of the study were to develop and validate a score predicting discharge to a post-acute care (PAC) facility and to determine its best assessment time. METHODS We conducted a prospective study including 349 (derivation cohort) and 161 (validation cohort) consecutive patients i...

We compared self-reported handicap (Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly, HHIE) scores before and after a 6-week period of hearing aid use in subjects drawn from a pool of 115 elderly persons with hearing impairment. Study patients (PTs) were divided into two categories according to whether scores on a dichotic listening test (Dichotic Sentence Identification Test, DSI) were normal or abn...

OBJECTIVE Biventricular pacing has demonstrated improvement in cardiac function in treating congestive heart failure (CHF). Two different operative strategies (coronary sinus vs. epicardial stimulation) for left ventricular (LV) pacing were compared. METHODS Since April 1999, a total of 86 patients (pts, age: 63+/-10 years) with depressed systolic LV function (mean ejection fraction 24+/-9%),...

‘Complicated grief reactions’ is an umbrella term covering symptoms of prolonged disorder (PGS) and other post-loss complications, including depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress (PTS). While PGS often co-occurs with PTS, no pooled prevalence estimates their co-occurrence have yet been established. The present systematic review meta-analysis provided PTS based on the available literature, e...

Methods In prospective study of 63 polyarticular JIA pts (46 F, 17 M), median age 15 yrs. Treated with ETN 0,4 mg/kg/2× week. BMD and bone mineral content (BMC) by dual xray absorptiometry on the lumbar spine (L2-L4) were assessed. For statistical analysis Z score and bmdvol were taken as well. ACR pedi 50 criteria (physician global assessment-PGA, parent’s/patient’s global assessment, No of jo...

OBJECTIVE The biventricular pacing (BVP) approach has good results in the treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF) in patients (pts) with disorders of intraventricular conduction. METHODS We have applied BVP to 28 pts, with left ventricular pacing using minitoracotomy in 3 pts and the transvenous approach via coronary sinus in 25 pts. The mean duration of the QRS complexes was 187 ms, in t...

Methods Analyzed group consists of 225 patients (pts) with MVD operated in Institute from 01.01.1081 till 01.01.2008. Average age was 51,3±6,1 yy. 151 (67,1%) pts belonged to IV NYHA class, 69 (30,7%) – to III and 5 (2,2%) pts to II. There were 69 (30,7%) males and 156 (69,3%) females. Mitral stenosis was in 191(84,9%) pts, combined MVD in 34 (15,1%) pts. Isolated OMC was performed In 146 (64,9...

OBJECTIVE The Hancock II (HII) is a second-generation porcine bioprosthesis introduced into clinical use in 1982. This study aimed to evaluate very long-term outcomes for the HII valve in a large patient population. METHODS Between May 1983 and November 1993, 517 consecutive patients (pts) (309 male, mean age: 64+/-9 years) underwent valve replacement (VR) surgery with HII, with 302 (58.4%) i...