Ivan Kruljac

• MD, PhD, consultant endocrinologist and diabetologist
• Consultant at Poliklinika Solmed

Introduction: Dexketoprofen/tramadol 25/75 mg (DKP/TRAM) is a fixed-dose combination of a cyclooxygenase inhibitor and opioid receptor agonist. To better understand the efficacy and safety of DKP/TRAM in the treatment of moderate to severe acute lower back pain (LBP) with or without radiculopathy, we carried out a large explorative phase IV interna...

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. GC is a multifactorial disease influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. Its most critical features include invasiveness and high metastatic potential. Metastasis is a complex process, and our understanding of the...

Introduction: Tocilizumab is used in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and high concentration of IL-6. We studied potential prognostic role of neutrophil and lymphocyte count regarding tocilizumab treatment. Materials and methods: We enrolled 31 patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and higher serum IL-6 concentration. The samples were t...

Background: Sparsentan is a novel, non-immunosuppressive, single-molecule, dual endothelin and angiotensin receptor antagonist being examined in an ongoing phase 3 trial in adults with IgA nephropathy. We report the prespecified interim analysis of the primary proteinuria efficacy endpoint, and safety. Methods: PROTECT is an international, rando...

BACKGROUND-AIM: Urinary free cortisol in the 24-hour urine sample (UFC) is one of the three initial tests for evaluating hypercortisolism. Setting up the accurate upper reference limit (URL) for UFC is essential for the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome (CS). Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is considered the most ac...

Trastuzumab has improved the prognosis of HER2 positive breast cancer, but cardiotoxicity remains a concern. We aimed to identify risk factors for trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity, with an emphasis on the HER2 Ile655Val single nucleotide polymorphism. This single-center case–control study included 1056 patients with early-stage HER2 positive brea...

Background Hypofractionated post-prostatectomy radiotherapy is emerging practice, however with no randomized evidence so far to support it’s use. Additionally, patients with persistent PSA after prostatectomy may have aggressive disease and respond less well on standard salvage treatment. Herein we report outcomes for conventionally fractionated (C...

Gastric cancer is related to high mortality rates and advanced disease stage at the time of diagnosis. Its carcinogenesis is extensively studied and is associated with genetic and epigenetic changes, changed the interaction between tumor and adjacent stromal cells, and changes in the microenvironment molecule status. NEDD9 affects different signali...

Background. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the biggest challenges in global healthcare and society in general. Assessment of the patient’s level of knowledge regarding diabetes is an important step in adapting group education programs to achieve better treatment outcomes. The aim of this study was to validate Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire (DKQ...

PURPOSE Burnout is defined as a three-dimensional syndrome—emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and reduced personal accomplishment (PA)—caused by chronic occupational stress. The aim of the current study was to investigate the prevalence of burnout among oncologists in Eastern Europe and to identify the contributing factors. METHODS...

Background The aim of this study was to determine the possible predictive value of various dosimetric parameters on the development of hypothyroidism (HT) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with (chemo)radiotherapy. Patients and methods This study included 156 patients with HNSCC who were treated with (chemo)rad...

Objective Current recommendations for cochlear hydrops treatment include systemic glucocorticoids and diuretics. Cochlear cells express dopamine receptors, although their role is unknown in the pathophysiology of cochlear hydrops. Case Description We report the case of remission of recurrent right-sided cochlear hydrops in a young male patient tre...

Diet rich in lipids and hyperlipidaemia increases incidence of atrial premature beats and all supraventricular arrhythmias. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of hyperlipidaemia in patients with AV re-entry tachycardia (AVRT) and AV nodal re-entry tachycardia (AVNRT). We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional, case-control s...

Adiposity is a chronic disease and one of the major modifiable risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Its prevalence in the world could be considered epidemic with 80% of patients with T2DM being obese. Novel antidiabetic drugs, such as glucagone-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists have demonstrated benefitial effect on we...

Insulin resistance (IR) represents one of the key regulatory mechanisms in the development of non - alcoholic fatty liver disease. It is a common hepatocyte injury in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Higher plasma platelet-derived growth factor A (PDGF- A) concentration is associated with increased hepatic stea...

Background: Pituitary apoplexy may occur when a large tumor compresses or outgrows its nutrient supply, resulting in ischemic necrosis and hemorrhage. Although once deemed a neurosurgical emergency, increasing evidence suggests that conservative management of pituitary apoplexy leads to favorable neuro-ophthalmologic and endocrinologic outcomes as...

- A rare case of necrotizing hypophysitis (NH) in a 52-year-old man presenting with pituitary apoplexy and sterile meningitis is described. This case indicates that the diagnosis of NH could be made without biopsy, based on concomitant presence of diabetes insipidus, hypopituitarism and radiologic features of ischemic pituitary apoplexy. Conservati...

LMO2 (LIM domain only) is a member of transcription factor family of proteins characterized by their cysteine-rich, zinc-binding LIM domains. Its expression in prostate cancer cells, as well as in adjacent stroma, is described in a study in a cohort of 83 patients treated with radical prostatectomy for clinically localized prostate adenocarcinoma....

Background: Serum chromogranin A (CgA) is routinely used as a biomarker in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs). Several conditions and comorbidities may be associated with falsely elevated CgA, often leading to extensive diagnostic evaluation, which may be costly and harmful. The aim of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of acute...

BACKGROUND: Although it is considered that the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is primarily due to chronic hyperglycemia resulting in vascular changes and retinal ischemia, the red blood cells (RBCs) disorders might also represent an important pathophysiological risk factor. OBJECTIVE: to evaluate whethe...

Background: Chromogranin A (CgA) is a valuable biomarker for detection and follow-up of patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs). However, various comorbidities may influence serum CgA, which decreases its diagnostic accuracy. We aimed to investigate which laboratory parameters are independently associated with increased CgA in real-life sett...

Background: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) represents a life-threatening acute diabetic complication attributed to type 1 diabetes. In the past decades, the presence of DK or even DKA has been increasingly recognized among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Aim of the Study: We aimed to analyze characteristics and mortality rate prognostic...

Insulin resistance (IR) is a common denominator of metabolic and hemodynamic disorders simultaneously present in one person and responsible for elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular incidents. According to the latest research, IR is present in 25-45% of the general population. Therefore, the mechanism of its developm...

Background During the last few decades, Croatia has experienced a rapid socio-cultural development that resulted in westernized eating habits, which, progressively leads to increase in obesity and type 2 diabetes occurence among youth, especially adolestnts and students. A substantial policy and intervention efforts been have made to increase stude...

Aims We compared characteristics of patients with hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state (HHS) and patients with severe hyperglycemia without the signs of hyperosmolarity and ketoacidosis; analyzed long-term all-cause mortality and potential prognostic factors. Methods The studied population included 261 749 adults. HHS was diagnosed in patients with pla...

Purpose: To investigate the dosimetric impact of interobserver catheter reconstruction variability in transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy. Methods and materials: Twenty consecutive patients with intermediate- or high-risk prostate cancer were treated with a single, 15-Gy HDR brachytherapy boost as part of th...

Purpose: Diabetic neuropathy is a chronic and disabling condition that affects a significant number of individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM). Long considered a disease of the peripheral nervous system, there is now increasing evidence of central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Recent advances in neuroimaging methods have improved our understand...

It is estimated that 200 million people suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD) worldwide. Diabetes mellitus and its associated disorders: hypertension and arteriosclerosis represent its most common causes. Adequate glucoregulation may postpone its onset and/or progression. Although insulin is the most common used antidiabetic in CKD patients, now...

Introduction: Several predictors of one-year hip fracture mortality have been identified including advanced age, male sex, low bone mineral density, and preexisting comorbidities. However, the impact of metabolic parameters on hip fracture mortality remains unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of serum leptin and adiponectin le...

Aims: We aimed to analyze incidence and characteristics of patients with diabetic ketosis (DK) and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in Caucasian adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: Studied population included 261,749 adults. DK criteria included plasma glucose >13.9 mmol/L and ketonuria >2, while in DKA bicarbonate <18 mEq/L or pH<7.30...

This study investigates the influence of age and sex on the volumes of the pituitary fossa and gland in 91 males and 108 females from Croatia who underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the endocranium for complaints not related to the pituitary gland. Isometric 3DT1 MPRAGE and 3DT1 MPR sequences were obtained on 1.5. Tesla and analysed on ISSA sof...

e551Background: Data on hypofractionated radiotherapy in definitive treatment of prostate cancer are maturing; however, limited information is available for hypofractionated radiotherapy after prostatectomy. We aimed to compare hypofractionated and conventionally fractionated radiotherapy in salvage setting for biochemically recurrent prostate canc...

Purpose: colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, and detection of new prognostic markers is mandatory for patients to receive optimal oncological treatment. The aim of the study was to assess clinical and prognostic value of red cell distribution width (RDW) in patients with CRC. Methods: RDW values in 90 pat...

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus have impaired ketogenesis due to high serum insulin and low growth hormone levels. Evidence exists that ketone bodies might improve kidney and cardiac function. In theory, improved ketogenesis in diabetics may have positive effects. We aimed to assess the impact of diabetic ketosis on all-cause mortality in pa...

Aims: To investigate the effectiveness of cardiogoniometry, a novel, non-invasive method, in diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD) in women and compare it with exercise-ECG test, by using coronary angiography as a reference method. Methods: It was a single-centre, case-series study including consecutive female patients with stable angina pect...

Abstract Nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenomas (NFMA) make up 20% of pituitary adeno- mas. Previous studies have shown that patients treated for NFMA have disturbanc- es in sleep characteristics, circadian movement rhythm, subjective sleep quality, and decreased quality of life. Furthermore, studies have shown that NFMA patients have an increased...

Background: Although various metabolic hormones have been implicated in bariatric-related weight loss, their use as predictors of weight loss is unknown. Our study evaluates changes in metabolic hormones after bariatric surgery, and their role as predictors of weight loss. Methods: This nonrandomized study included 51 patients, 21 underwent lapo...

Background: The purpose of this study was to detect parameters that could serve as predictors of radioactive iodine (I-131) ablation failure in patients with low-risk and intermediate-risk differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). Methods: Our cohort study included 740 patients with DTC who received postoperative I-131 remnant ablation. Anthropome...

Purpose: Along with increased cancer incidence, there is also an increased use of targeted cancer therapy. One of the most potent classes of targeted therapy drugs are tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Several new TKIs have become available in clinical practice after the correlation of sunitinib and hypothyroidism was documented. The aim of this r...

Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare neuroendocrine tumour. Predisposing factors for its development are age, immunosuppression, ultraviolet light exposure, and exposure to the polyoma virus. It is usually localized in the head region, neck, and extremities. Primary neuroendocrine tumours of the vulva are extremely rare and so far there have been only 2...

The exact clinical role of diabetic ketosis in patients presenting to emergency departments with hyperglycemic crises is largely unknown. The aim of this brief review is to provide insights into possible mechanisms and clinical impact of diabetic ketosis in patients with hyperglycemic crises and clinical features of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)....

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of different radioactive iodine (I-131) activities used for re-ablation, to compare various combinations of treatment activities, and to identify predictors of re-ablation failure in low- and intermediate-risk differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) patients. The study included 128 consecutive low-...

Only 4-9% of patients with Cushing’s disease (CD) harbor pituitary macroadenomas. Clinical and biochemical features of macrocorticotropinomas are poorly understood. Some evidence exist that these tumors presents clinical features more similar to a non-functioning adenomas, being though defined silent corticotropinomas, rather than to ACTH-secreting...

The insulin tolerance test (ITT) is the gold standard for diagnosing adrenal insufficiency (AI) after pituitary surgery. The ITT is unpleasant for patients, requires close medical supervision and is contraindicated in several comorbidities. The aim of this study was to analyze whether tumor size, remission rate, preoperative, and early postoperativ...

Internal hernias have an overall incidence of less than 1% and are difficult to diagnose clinically due to their nonspecific presentation. Most internal hernias present as strangulating closed-loop obstruction and delay in surgical intervention is responsible for a high mortality rate (49%). We present a case of ileal herniation through the foramen...

Purpose: Increasing evidence exists that hyperprolactinemia alters metabolic profile. The mechanism of this effect is unknown. We aimed to investigate the differences between the metabolic profile of patients with prolactinomas and nonfunctional pituitary adenomas and to evaluate the impact of other pituitary hormones on their metabolic profile....

Risk factors for increased mortality in hip fracture patients include older age, male sex, fracture type, bone mineral density, and pre-existing co-morbidities. The role of biochemical and other anthropometric parameters on hip fracture mortality remains unclear. The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for one-year mortality in patie...

Introduction: The Croatian Association for Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders of the Croatian Medical Association has issued in 2011 the fi rst national guidelines for the nutrition, education, self-control, and pharmacotherapy of diabetes type 2. According to the increased number of available medicines and new evidence related to the effectiveness a...

Introduction: The Croatian Association for Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders of the Croatian Medical Association has issued in 2011 the first national guidelines for the nutrition, education, self-control, and pharmacotherapy of diabetes type 2. According to the increased number of available medicines and new evidence related to the effectiveness a...

Objectives: Hyperprolactinemia is a common endocrine problem seen in everyday practice. Therefore, the Croatian society for endocrine oncology decided to write Croatian guidelines for the management of hyperprolactinemia that implements current scientific evidence with acknowledgement of economic and cultural specificities in Croatia. Methods: Thes...

A case of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome (APS) is presented. A 45-year-old man was admitted due to fatigue, malaise and inappetence. He had a history of primary hypothyroidism and was on levothyroxine substitution therapy. One year before, he was diagnosed with normocytic anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency, which was treated with vitamin B12 subs...

We report a case of a 49-year-old woman with biopsy-proven multisystemic Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) with hypothalamic involvement documented on F-FDG PET/CT. Chemotherapy with a combination of vinblastine, prednisolone, methotrexate, and 6-mercaptopurine was carried out. Two months later, a 90% reduction of the hypothalamic tumor mass was...

To best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of pericardial and pleural effusions combined with ascites, precipitated with severe sunitinib-induced hypothyroidism. A 58-year-old man presented in our emergency department due to dyspnoea and dry cough. Sixteen months earlier, the patient underwent left nephrectomy due to metastatic renal...

Background: Bariatric procedures are effective options for weight loss (WL) in the morbidly obese. However, some patients fail to lose any weight after bariatric surgery, and mid-term weight maintenance is variable. The aim of this study was to investigate whether initial WL could predict mid-term weight maintenance. Methods: Eighty patients were...

Tumori jajnika građeni od granuloza stanica čine 1 - 3% svih tumora jajnika. Javljaju se postmenopauzi u 95 % slučajeva, ali i u svim životnim dobima, sa pikom incidencije od 50 do 55 godina.1 U 80% ovih tumora postoji produkcije estrogena zbog čega je glavni simptom ovih tumora krvarenje ili poremećaj krvarenja iz maternice što je posljedica hiper...

Purpose. In low-income countries, prolactinomas are difficult to manage with dopamine agonists (DA). We compared the effectiveness of DA in microprolactinomas as a first line treatment and as adjuvant therapy for residual macroprolactinomas treated surgically. Methods. Our retrospective study analyzed 78 patients, 38 with microprolactinomas and 40...

Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome by definition consists of two or more endocrinological insufficiencies or two organ specific autoimmune diseases. There are no stringent criteria for endocrinological evaluation of patients with one endocrine insufficiency. However, detailed endocrinological evaluation should be undertaken in patients with two auto...

To the Editor: In the article by Legro et al. (July 10 issue),(1) further clarification is needed regarding the eligibility criteria of male partners of patients with the polycystic ovary syndrome. In a separate article by the authors(2) (cited as reference 8 in their article), eligibility included a sperm concentration of 14 million per milliliter...

Unlabelled: Introduction and aims: The most recent hypothesis postulated that early restoration of euthyroid state in patients with Graves' disease changes the course of the disease and leads to better disease control. Therefore, we analyzed the efficacy of methimazole therapy and the course of disease in patients with restored euthyroidism and in...

Laparoscopic gastric banding (LAGB) is one of the most common surgical procedures in the treatment of morbid obesity since it provides good long-term outcomes in weight loss and decrease of comorbidities associated with obesity. Although the procedure has low morbidity and almost none-existing mortality, certain complications can occur. Erosion of...

Pituitary apoplexy (PA) typically results from infarction or hemorrhage in a pituitary adenoma, while PA in nonadenomatous pituitary gland is uncommon. Prothrombotic states have never been recognized as precipitating factors for PA. The authors report a case of an elderly female who received prophylactic fractionated heparin therapy due to sepsis,...

To analyze early remission, complications, and pituitary function recovery after pure endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (PEETS), a novel method in pituitary adenoma treatment. Testing of all basal hormone values and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed preoperatively and postoperatively (postoperative MRI only in nonfunctionin...

Intrathyroidal parathyroid carcinoma is extremely rare clinical entity with potentially multiple diagnostic pitfalls. We report a case of 40-year-old man presented with classical manifestations of primary hyperparathyroidism, severe hypercalcemia and profoundly increased serum parathyroid hormone level. Neck ultrasonography demonstrated multinodula...

Intracranial metastases from laryngeal carcinoma are rarely clinically diagnosed. To our knowledge, this is the first report of hypopituitarism due to pituitary metastasis from laryngeal carcinoma. We report on a 70-year-old man who had a supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma, which was resected surgically followed by local full dose radiation thera...