Biomedical papers, 2023 (vol. 167), issue 3
Reviews
Ascorbic acid intake during pregnancy
Kristina Podolska, Dana Mazankova, Maria Goboova, Ivan Vano
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2023, 167(3):213-218 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2023.035 
This review paper discusses ascorbic acid intake during pregnancy and ascorbic acid deficiency for the individual maternal and foetal organ systems. If ascorbic acid is able to lower the risk of pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia, premature rupture of membranes or lower foetal morbidity remains inconclusive or controversial. Ascorbic acid appears to increase the iron available for erythropoiesis, and thus improves the anemia response to treatment and positively impacts maternal immune function. In the maternal-foetal unit, deficiency can increase the risk for foetal, uterine, and placental haemorrhage. Sufficient serum ascorbic acid levels can positively impact foetal growth in mid-pregnancy, neurodevelopmental epigenetics, foetal immunity and foetal programming. The authors highlighted the fact that sufficient maternal serum ascorbic acid levels may influence foetal outcome and may have far-reaching impact on foetal health.
Probiotics and the microbiota-gut-brain axis: focus on patients with depression. A review of current research
Cristina Macrea, Tiberia Ilias, Ovidiu Fratila, Brata Roxana, Cristian Hocopan
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2023, 167(3):219-224 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2023.024
This article reviews the latest published papers related to the microbiota in patients with depressive disorders and the influence of probiotic treatment upon these patients. The authors consider that the modulation of microbiota using probiotics, besides classical treatment could improve the results of treatment. Due to this positive effect of probiotics and their high tolerability and safety, no recommendation against their routine use in depressed patients can be made.
Original papers
Effectiveness of ICD therapy in real clinical practice. The Olomouc ICD Registry
Milos Taborsky, Tomas Skala, Marian Fedorco, Vlastimil Doupal, Ingrid Sovova, Jiri Jarkovsky, Klara Benesova, Monika Bezdekova, Marek Vicha, Josef Danek, Josef Kautzner
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2023, 167(3):225-235 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2021.071
The authors report an analysis of 2,681 patients hospitalized in a single centre for a first implantation of any type of ICD during the last decade. No mortality difference was found between patients with ischemic or non-ischemic cardiomyopathy and in the device type; a higher mortality risk was found in men, patients older than 75 years, diabetics, and those with atrial fibrillation. These data confirm significant differences in the mortality of individual subgroups of patients and further support the need for a new approach to risk stratification for sudden cardiac death (SCD). A personalized assessment of the individual risk is warranted.
Infectious complications of induction treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia using the "7 + 3" protocol without antibiotic prophylaxis - 15 years of experience of one clinical site
Martin Cernan, Tomas Szotkowski, Jaromir Hubacek, Milan Kolar, Edgar Faber, Karel Indrak, Tomas Papajik
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2023, 167(3):236-245 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2022.010
Patients undergoing chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukaemia are at high risk for infectious complications during therapy-related neutropenia. Administration of induction treatment without antibiotic prophylaxis does not increase patient mortality.
Risk factors for tumors or leukemia development in the first two years of life
Hana Wiedermannova, Peter Mudry, Jan Pavlicek, Hana Tomaskova, Andrea Hladikova, Hana Palova, Petra Vesela, Ondrej Slaby, Jaroslav Sterba
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2023, 167(3):246-253 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2022.004
The etiology of tumors is multifactorial; non-hereditary and hereditary factors, congenital malformations, and syndromes all play a role. The mothers' medication (especially hormone therapy), low Apgar score at 1 min, and the presence of a congenital defect or genetic abnormality was associated with increased risk of tumor development.
Levels and avidities of antiphosphatidylethanolamine antibodies in patients with thrombotic events and immunologically-mediated diseases
Oliver Kuchar, Milada Petrackova, Marta Kalousova, Libuse Noskova, Tomas Zima, Lenka Fialova
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2023, 167(3):254-262 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2022.003
Antiphosphatidylethanolamine antibodies (aPE) may be related to venous thromboembolism and be part of the repertoire of aPL in immunologically-mediated diseases. aPE IgG may have various avidities and their avidities differ from those of anticardiolipin antibodies IgG.
Risk stratification using growth differentiation factor 15 in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation
Martin Sluka, Martin Hutyra, Radomir Nykl, Jiri Ostransky, Tomas Furst, Pavla Petrova, Jan Precek, Stepan Hudec, Milos Taborsky
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2023, 167(3):263-271 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2022.017
Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a cytokine that participates in inflammation and apoptosis. It has been identified as a strong and independent predictor of prognosis and adverse cardiac events in various cardiac conditions. Based on the data, this study supports a potential role of GDF15 in mortality and other clinical adverse outcomes such as bleeding complications and acute kidney injury prediction following transcatheter aortic valve implantation.
Real-world outcomes of mepolizumab treatment in severe eosinophilic asthma patients - retrospective cohort study in Slovakia
Milos Jesenak, Vaclav Vanecek, Martina Ondrusova, Veronika Urdova, Katarina Dostalova, Ludek Hochmuth
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2023, 167(3):272-280 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2023.029
Mepolizumab treatment has shown improved asthma control and lung function in randomized controlled trials. Real-world data are important to validate these results, may significantly expand the clinical view of the use of mepolizumab and highlight some aspects that cannot be drawn from clinical trials. Data on mepolizumab from the Slovak clinical environment were requested by health insurance payers for successful patient access to the drug, but such data were never published. The presented data from a non-interventional study provide the first clinical evidence in Slovakia of the efficacy of mepolizumab in a real sample of patients with severe asthma when it is administered in routine care.
Trends in management of ocular syphilis in tertiary uveitis centre in Prague, Czech Republic
Aneta Klimova, Michaela Brichova, Jarmila Heissigerova, Eva Rihova, Petra Svozilkova
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2023, 167(3):281-287 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2022.038
Visual field defects persist after antibiotic treatment in one third of patients with syphilitic uveitis. The observation supports adjacent systemic corticosteroid treatment for severe forms of syphilitic uveitis and/or neuritis.
Case reports
Ethambutol-induced optic neuropathy
Martin Kyncl, Martin Fus, Jan Lestak
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2023, 167(3):288-293 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2022.022
This case report describes a tuberculosis patient treated with ethambutol for 3 months, which resulted in ethambutol-induced optic neuropathy (EON). The use of electrophysiological examinations, visual field test, retinal nerve fiber layer and angiography of optic nerve head, and magnetic resonance imaging of the optic nerves confirmed the improvement of visual function after discontinuation of the medication, irreversible atrophy of the optical disc has still been confirmed.
Acute drug intoxication in childhood: a 10-year retrospective observational single-centre study and case reports
Petra Matalova, Michal Buchta, Vendula Drietomska, Alena Spicakova, Martin Wawruch, Peter Ondra, Karel Urbanek
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2023, 167(3):294-302 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2023.032
Medication poisoning in children is one of the severe conditions that can endanger a child's life. We examined the demographic and clinical data of children admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of the University Hospital Olomouc for acute drug-induced intoxication between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019. From the results and determination of the two most common age groups, we need to understand drugs from several perspectives. To young children, medicines, especially colored ones, are perceived as attractive-looking. For older children and adolescents, medication can be an unfortunate way out of their difficulties. Medicines should be kept out of the reach of children and parents should educate their children.
Chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS) syndrome: Treatment approach depends on disease course
Slavomira Kovacova, Petra Hnilicova, Jan Grossmann, Gabriel Hajas, Ema Kantorova, Egon Kurca
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2023, 167(3):303-308 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2022.013
This paper describes two cases of CLIPPERS. The first demonstrates the benefit of the early introduction of corticosteroids with side effects from long-term treatment. The second demonstrates the efficacy of ocrelizumab (anti-CD20 molecule) in a severe course of CLIPPERS. To the author s knowledge, this is only the second published case of CLIPPERS treated with ocrelizumab. The aim was to draw attention to this rare, often misdiagnosed but treatable disease.
This issue was published with support of Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche and Novartis companies
