Professor Ismet Ceric, MD, PhD, was one of the last representatives of the recognizable Sarajevo Neuropsychiatry School in the former Yugoslav territory, which was founded by Professor Nedo Zec (1899-1971) in 1946/47 with professors Dimitrije Dimitrijevic (1900-1989), Josip Horvat (1911-1964), Salih Ridjanovic, Slobodan Loga (1936-), Dusan Kecmanovic (1940-2014) and others.

Introduction: Serum uric acid (SUA) is the final product of purine metabolism in humans. Aim: The present study aimed to identify a potential association between serum UA and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels and to find out whether uric acid could differentiate patients presenting with the acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and unstable angina pectoris (UAP) in hyperuricemic and normouricemic acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. Methods: Eighty ACS patients, aged 50-83 years, were enrolled in the study, 40 of them presenting with AMI and 40 with UAP. Frequency of patients with serum uric level over threshold for hyperuricemia was investigated and two groups of patients were formed such as hyperuricemic and normouricemic groups (A and B groups, respectively) independently of type of ACS. Those groups of patients were also subjected to cTnI measurement. Results: Levels of SUA are associated with the type of ACS in the hyperuricemic ACS patients (AMI versus UAP, 499(458-590), 425(400-447) mmol/L, p=0.007, respectively). Uric acid correlated significantly with cTnI, moderate positively in the group A (rho=0.358, p=0.038) and moderate negatively in the group B (r=-0.309, p=0.037) of ACS patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that cTnI and age were independently associated with the SUA levels in the group A of ACS patients. Conclusions: Serum uric acid differentiates AIM and UAP patients in hyperuricemic group of acute coronary syndrome. Therefore it can be used as nonspecific parameter for evaluation of the myocardial lesion extent only in hyperuricemic ACS patients. This is supported by finding that cTnI along with age predicts SUA level in hyperuricemic ACS patients.

1Travnik General Hospital, Travnik, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2Clinical Center University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina KeYWORdS: patent foramen ovale, management. citAtiON: Cardiol Croat. 2019;14(3-4):92-3. | https://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2019.92 *AddReSS FOR cORReSPONdeNce: Alma Sijamija, J.U. Bolnica Travnik, Kalibunar bb, 72270 Travnik, Bosna and Herzegovina. / Phone: +387-61-780-085 / E-mail: alma.sijamija@hotmail.com ORcid: Alma Sijamija, http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2818-0501 • Nermir Granov, http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6228-6230 Alma Agačević, http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4671-0991 • Omer Perva, http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2645-1558 Nedžad Hadžić, http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7186-7803

ABSTRACT Emergency contraception (EC) in Serbia is available in two products: Levonorgestel, which has nonprescription status, and Ulipristal acetate, which is a prescription-only medicine. Considering their dispensing statuses, gynecologists and pharmacists are health care professionals (HCPs) with the widest impact on EC use. Yet little is known about their beliefs and practices regarding these medicines. We surveyed 166 gynecologists (during October 2012—October 2013) and 452 community pharmacists (during January–April 2014). Results showed significant differences between these two groups, suggesting that provision of EC to users may be inconsistent. Gynecologists were more convinced than pharmacists that EC would reduce the abortion rate (86% versus 53%, p < .001). However, they were more concerned than pharmacists that easy access to EC would cause less regular contraceptive use (66% versus 29%, p < .001) and risky sexual behaviors, including initiating sexual activity at a younger age (37% versus 19%, p < .001) and having more sexual partners (33% versus 12%, p < .001). Additionally, more pharmacists than gynecologists (12% versus 2%, p < .001) said they would not provide EC to anyone under any circumstance, even to victims of sexual assault. These results indicated a need for reevaluating and establishing official guidelines for dispensing practices.

It was aimed to report the experience of actions of education in service of Infection Control Committee in intention to sensitize the multiprofissional healthcare team about the adoption of safe hand hygiene practices according to the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency. Thus, was developed a hand hygiene intervention in adult Intensive Care Unit. The importance of hand hygiene practice for prevention and control health care-associated infections and professional training are discussed. In this context, posters and pamphlets of Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency aiming better practices designed to patient safety were used with the purpose of fostering to health education and in order to awaken interest in the public to develop and/or to remain with the safety patient practice. It was considered there must be discussion about the subject by professionals to overcome challenges. Educational actions are an important tool for directing actions aimed at developing improvements in health care.

Objective: Tobacco cigarette smoking is one of the major leading causes of death throughout the world. Smoking has both acute and chronic effect on haematological parameters. The aim of the present study was to assess the extent of adverse effects of cigarette smoking on biochemical characteristics in healthy smokers. Subjects and Method: One hundred and fifty six subjects participated in this study, 56 smokers and 100 non-smokers. The smokers were regularly consuming 10-20 cigarettes per day for at least 3 years. Complete blood cell count was analyzed by CELL-DYN 3700 fully automatic haematological analyzer. Results: The smokers had significantly higher levels of white blood cell (p<0,001), hemoglobin (p=0,042), mean corpuscular volume (p=0,001) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (p<0,001). All other measured parameters did not differ significantly. Cigarette smoking caused a significant increase (p<0,001) in red blood cells, white blood cells (p=0,040), hemoglobin (p<0,001), hematocrit (p=0,047) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (p<0,001) in males in comparison to female smokers. Conclusion: In conclusion, our study showed that continuous cigarette smoking has severe adverse effects on haematological parameters (e.g., hemoglobin, white blood cells count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red blood cells count, hematocrit) and these alterations might be associated with a greater risk for developing atherosclerosis, polycythemia vera, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and/or cardiovascular diseases.