Browsing by Author "Markovic, O. (57205699382)"

Purpose: The incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) in elderly people has increased in recent years because the world population is getting older. The aim of this study was to compare the biological and clinical features in patients diagnosed with NHLs younger and older than 65 years, and the possible influence of age on the choice of optimal therapeutic approach. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 193 patients with NHLs: 111 (68%) were <65 years and 82 (42%) ≥65 years. The following parameters were analysed: age, gender, clinical stage, International Prognostic Index (IPI), histological type, presence of B symptoms, disease localization, presence of bulky mass, Karnofsky performance status (PS), comorbidities, blood counts, liver and renal function and serum LDH. Results: Elderly patients had statistically more frequent indolent NHLs (p=0.036), IPI 3 and 4 (p<0.0001), presence of comorbidities (p<0.001), and less frequent presence of bulky disease (p=0.043). Response to therapy was different in the 2 age groups: 29% of patients ≥65 years achieved complete remission (CR) in contrast to 71% of patients <65 years (p<0.001). The most frequent cause of death was disease progression (PD) (86% of younger patients and 71% of elderly patients (p=0.150). Older patients died more frequently because of comorbidities compared younger ones (21 and 10%, respectively; p=0.250), and had more complications of therapy (8.1 and 4%, respectively (p=0.320). Overall survival (OS) was shorter in older patients in all lymphoma types: indolent lymphoma (36 vs. 17 months), aggressive (22 vs. 20 months) and very aggressive (14 vs. 1 months). Multivariate analysis showed that parameters for shorter survival in the elderly were Karnofsky PS <60, increased serum LDH and treatment toxicity. Conclusion: In elderly NHLs patients, treatment response and survival are significantly poorer. Since older patients mostly died of PD, they should be treated with standard regimens and best supportive measures. © 2012 Zerbinis Medical Publications.

Purpose: The incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) in elderly people has increased in recent years because the world population is getting older. The aim of this study was to compare the biological and clinical features in patients diagnosed with NHLs younger and older than 65 years, and the possible influence of age on the choice of optimal therapeutic approach. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 193 patients with NHLs: 111 (68%) were <65 years and 82 (42%) ≥65 years. The following parameters were analysed: age, gender, clinical stage, International Prognostic Index (IPI), histological type, presence of B symptoms, disease localization, presence of bulky mass, Karnofsky performance status (PS), comorbidities, blood counts, liver and renal function and serum LDH. Results: Elderly patients had statistically more frequent indolent NHLs (p=0.036), IPI 3 and 4 (p<0.0001), presence of comorbidities (p<0.001), and less frequent presence of bulky disease (p=0.043). Response to therapy was different in the 2 age groups: 29% of patients ≥65 years achieved complete remission (CR) in contrast to 71% of patients <65 years (p<0.001). The most frequent cause of death was disease progression (PD) (86% of younger patients and 71% of elderly patients (p=0.150). Older patients died more frequently because of comorbidities compared younger ones (21 and 10%, respectively; p=0.250), and had more complications of therapy (8.1 and 4%, respectively (p=0.320). Overall survival (OS) was shorter in older patients in all lymphoma types: indolent lymphoma (36 vs. 17 months), aggressive (22 vs. 20 months) and very aggressive (14 vs. 1 months). Multivariate analysis showed that parameters for shorter survival in the elderly were Karnofsky PS <60, increased serum LDH and treatment toxicity. Conclusion: In elderly NHLs patients, treatment response and survival are significantly poorer. Since older patients mostly died of PD, they should be treated with standard regimens and best supportive measures. © 2012 Zerbinis Medical Publications.

Purpose: Angiogenesis is an essential component in the growth and progression of multiple myeloma (MM). We studied the clinical significance of angiogenesis in patients with MM estimated by precise counting of the number of vessels (i.e. microvessel density, MVD) and compared these results with the results obtained using semi-quantitative grading of angiogenesis. Methods: Fifty-nine newly diagnosed cases of MM were analyzed with respect to clinical features, laboratory findings, histological features, angiogenesis parameters, and response to treatment. Bone marrow microvessels were examined using immunohistochemical staining for CD34. Bone marrow angiogenesis was estimated by two different methods. The mean number of vessels per area in each sample was characterized as the MVD. Microvessels were counted manually on light microscopy in 3 hot spots at x400 magnification. Semi-quantitative estimation of angiogenesis was based on visual assessment of slides at x100 magnification. Each slide was assigned as low, intermediate or high intensity of angiogenesis. Results: The median MVD was 15 vessels per 3 hot spots (range 1-89). Intensity of angiogenesis was assigned as low in 24 (40.7%) patients, intermediate in 17 (28.8%) and high in 18 (30.5%). Significant correlation between intensity of angiogenesis (estimated using both methods) and histological grade, extent of bone marrow infiltration, proliferative activity of myeloma cells and poor survival was found. Semi-quantitatively assessed intensity of angiogenesis additionally correlated with clinical stage. There was a statistically highly significant correlation between MVD and semi-quantitatively estimated intensity of angiogenesis (p <0.001). Conclusion: Tumor-associated angiogenesis is an important prognostic feature in MM and should be routinely done on bone marrow biopsies of these patients. Simple semi-quantitative grading of angiogenesis can be recommended for daily practice, as an alternative method for complicated and time-consuming estimation of MVD. © 2011 Zerbinis Medical Publications.

Purpose: Angiogenesis is an essential component in the growth and progression of multiple myeloma (MM). We studied the clinical significance of angiogenesis in patients with MM estimated by precise counting of the number of vessels (i.e. microvessel density, MVD) and compared these results with the results obtained using semi-quantitative grading of angiogenesis. Methods: Fifty-nine newly diagnosed cases of MM were analyzed with respect to clinical features, laboratory findings, histological features, angiogenesis parameters, and response to treatment. Bone marrow microvessels were examined using immunohistochemical staining for CD34. Bone marrow angiogenesis was estimated by two different methods. The mean number of vessels per area in each sample was characterized as the MVD. Microvessels were counted manually on light microscopy in 3 hot spots at x400 magnification. Semi-quantitative estimation of angiogenesis was based on visual assessment of slides at x100 magnification. Each slide was assigned as low, intermediate or high intensity of angiogenesis. Results: The median MVD was 15 vessels per 3 hot spots (range 1-89). Intensity of angiogenesis was assigned as low in 24 (40.7%) patients, intermediate in 17 (28.8%) and high in 18 (30.5%). Significant correlation between intensity of angiogenesis (estimated using both methods) and histological grade, extent of bone marrow infiltration, proliferative activity of myeloma cells and poor survival was found. Semi-quantitatively assessed intensity of angiogenesis additionally correlated with clinical stage. There was a statistically highly significant correlation between MVD and semi-quantitatively estimated intensity of angiogenesis (p <0.001). Conclusion: Tumor-associated angiogenesis is an important prognostic feature in MM and should be routinely done on bone marrow biopsies of these patients. Simple semi-quantitative grading of angiogenesis can be recommended for daily practice, as an alternative method for complicated and time-consuming estimation of MVD. © 2011 Zerbinis Medical Publications.

The aim of this study was to assess the early electrocardiogram (ECG) changes induced by physical training in preadolescent elite footballers. This study included 94 preadolescent highly trained male footballers (FG) competing in Serbian Football League (minimum of 7 training hours/week) and 47 age-matched healthy male controls (less than 2 training hours/week) (CG). They were screened by ECG and echocardiography at a tertiary referral cardio center. Sokolow-Lyon index was used as a voltage electrocardiographic criterion for left ventricular hypertrophy diagnosis. Characteristic ECG intervals and voltage were compared and reference range was given for preadolescent footballers. Highly significant differences between FG and CG were registered in all ECG parameters: P-wave voltage (p < 0.001), S-wave (V1 or V2 lead) voltage (p < 0.001), R-wave (V5 and V6 lead) voltage (p < 0.001), ECG sum of S V1-2 +R V5-6 (p < 0.001), T-wave voltage (p < 0.001), QRS complex duration (p < 0.001), T-wave duration (p < 0.001), QTc interval duration (p < 0.001), and R/T ratio (p < 0.001). No differences were found in PQ interval duration between these two groups (p > 0.05). During 6-year follow-up period, there was no adverse cardiac event in these footballers. None of them expressed pathological ECG changes. Benign ECG changes are presented in the early stage of athlete's heart remodeling, but they are not related to pathological ECG changes and they should be regarded as ECG pattern of LV remodeling. © 2017 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest.

Repeated thromboses are the most frequent clinical manifestation of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) in the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). The objective of this study was to observe the prevalence and localization of thrombosis, and to investigate the importance of aPL type and level for thrombosis-related events in patients diagnosed with APS. These are the first results of patients enrolled in Serbian National Cohort Study which comprises 256 patients: 162 with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) and 94 with APS associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). aPL analysis included detection of aCL (IgG/IgM), β2GPI, and lupus anticoagulant. Thrombosis was diagnosed in 119 (46.5%) patients, with higher prevalence in PAPS compared with SLE patients (51.2% and 38.3%, respectively, p = 0.045). There was similar prevalence of arterial thrombosis in PAPS and SLE groups (34.6% and 34%, respectively, p = 0.932) although venous thrombosis was more frequent in PAPS (25.9% and 8.5%, respectively, p = 0.001). Thrombosis was observed in 92 (55.8%) patients who had more than one type of antibody (category I), in 13 (41.9%) patients with category IIa, in 19 (46.3%) patients with category IIb, and in 73 (44.2%) patients with category IIc (p = 0.10). The patients with thrombosis were older than those without thrombosis (49.8 and 39.8 years, respectively, p = 0.001). Overall, older age was a risk factor for thrombosis. The prevalence of venous thrombosis was higher in the PAPS group, but with lower frequency than in literature data. Any aPL type and level is a risk factor for thrombosis. © The Author(s), 2012.

Survivin is one of the inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAP) that might play an important role in the pathogenesis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The present study was designed to investigate the clinical and prognostic significance of survivin expression in nodal DLBCL. We analyzed lymph node biopsy specimens obtained from 56 patients with newly diagnosed nodal DLBCL, treated with immunochemotherapy (R-CHOP). The expression of survivin was analyzed using the standard immunohistochemical method on formalin-fixed and routinely processed paraffin-embedded lymph node specimens and evaluated semiquantitatively as a percentage of tumor cells. Survivin immunoexpression (>45 % positive tumor cells) was found in 22 (39.28 %) and observed as cytoplasmic staining in 15 patients, or mixed (cytoplasmic and nuclear) staining in 7 patients. A significant difference in survivin immunoexpression was noticed between the GCB and the non-GCB subtypes of DLBCL (p = 0.031). However, survivin immunoexpression had no significant association with IPI, "bulky" disease, extranodal localization, hemoglobin, Ki-67 immunoexpression or other clinicopathological parameters. A univariate analysis showed that survivin positivity was an unfavorable factor for therapy response and a predictor of shorter survival in patients with DLBCL (p = 0.048 and p = 0.034, respectively). Patients with survivin overexpression experienced a relapse more often than patients without expression of this apoptotic protein (27.3 vs. 11.8 %), but this difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.131). The results of this study showed that disregulation of survivin expression had an important role in the determination of the course of the disease in patients with nodal DLBCL treated with R-CHOP. Therefore, survivin represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention in DLBCL. © 2012 The Author(s).

Survivin is one of the inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAP) that might play an important role in the pathogenesis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The present study was designed to investigate the clinical and prognostic significance of survivin expression in nodal DLBCL. We analyzed lymph node biopsy specimens obtained from 56 patients with newly diagnosed nodal DLBCL, treated with immunochemotherapy (R-CHOP). The expression of survivin was analyzed using the standard immunohistochemical method on formalin-fixed and routinely processed paraffin-embedded lymph node specimens and evaluated semiquantitatively as a percentage of tumor cells. Survivin immunoexpression (>45 % positive tumor cells) was found in 22 (39.28 %) and observed as cytoplasmic staining in 15 patients, or mixed (cytoplasmic and nuclear) staining in 7 patients. A significant difference in survivin immunoexpression was noticed between the GCB and the non-GCB subtypes of DLBCL (p = 0.031). However, survivin immunoexpression had no significant association with IPI, "bulky" disease, extranodal localization, hemoglobin, Ki-67 immunoexpression or other clinicopathological parameters. A univariate analysis showed that survivin positivity was an unfavorable factor for therapy response and a predictor of shorter survival in patients with DLBCL (p = 0.048 and p = 0.034, respectively). Patients with survivin overexpression experienced a relapse more often than patients without expression of this apoptotic protein (27.3 vs. 11.8 %), but this difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.131). The results of this study showed that disregulation of survivin expression had an important role in the determination of the course of the disease in patients with nodal DLBCL treated with R-CHOP. Therefore, survivin represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention in DLBCL. © 2012 The Author(s).