Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionize modern society in all its aspects. Encouraged by the variety and vast amount of data that can be gathered from patients (e.g., medical images, text, and electronic health records), researchers have recently increased their interest in developing AI solutions for clinical care. Moreover, a diverse repertoire of methods can be chosen towards creating performant models for use in medical applications, ranging from disease prediction, diagnosis, and prognosis to opting for the most appropriate treatment for an individual patient. In this respect, the present paper aims to review the advancements reported at the convergence of AI and clinical care. Thus, this work presents AI clinical applications in a comprehensive manner, discussing the recent literature studies classified according to medical specialties. In addition, the challenges and limitations hindering AI integration in the clinical setting are further pointed out.

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a common cause of acute kidney injury in patients with malignancies, and it is a frequent condition for which the nephrologist is consulted in the case of the hospitalized oncological patient. Recognizing the patients at risk of developing TLS is essential, and so is the prophylactic treatment. The initiation of treatment for TLS is a medical emergency that must be addressed in a multidisciplinary team (oncologist, nephrologist, critical care physician) in order to reduce the risk of death and that of chronic renal impairment. TLS can occur spontaneously in the case of high tumor burden or may be caused by the initiation of highly efficient anti-tumor therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, dexamethasone, monoclonal antibodies, CAR-T therapy, or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. It is caused by lysis of tumor cells and the release of cellular components in the circulation, resulting in electrolytes and metabolic disturbances that can lead to organ dysfunction and even death. The aim of this paper is to review the scientific data on the updated definition of TLS, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and recognition of patients at risk of developing TLS, as well as to point out the recent advances in TLS treatment.

Nephrotic edema stands out as one of the most common complications of nephrotic syndrome. The effective management of hypervolemia is paramount in addressing this condition. Initially, “the underfill hypothesis” suggested that proteinuria and hypoalbuminemia led to fluid extravasation into the interstitial space, causing the intravascular hypovolemia and activation of neurohormonal compensatory mechanisms, which increased the retention of salt and water. Consequently, the recommended management involved diuretics and human-albumin infusion. However, recent findings from human and animal studies have unveiled a kidney-limited sodium-reabsorption mechanism, attributed to the presence of various serine proteases in the tubular lumen-activating ENaC channels, thereby causing sodium reabsorption. There is currently no standardized guideline for diuretic therapy. In clinical practice, loop diuretics continue to be the preferred initial choice. It is noteworthy that patients often exhibit diuretic resistance due to various factors such as high-sodium diets, poor drug compliance, changes in pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics, kidney dysfunction, decreased renal flow, nephron remodeling and proteasuria. Considering these challenges, combining diuretics may be a rational approach to overcoming diuretic resistance. Despite the limited data available on diuretic treatment in nephrotic syndrome complicated by hypervolemia, ENaC blockers emerge as a potential add-on treatment for nephrotic edema.

(1) Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD), as well as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represent major global health problems, with important social and economic implications. It was reported that CKD is a risk factor for antimicrobial resistance, but evidence is scarce. In addition, CKD is recognized to be a risk factor for complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs). (2) Methods: We conducted an observational study on 564 adult in-hospital patients diagnosed with urinary tract infections. The aim of the study was to identify the risk factors for AMR, as well as multiple drug resistance (MDR) and the implicated resistance patterns. (3) Results: The mean age was 68.63 ± 17.2 years. The most frequently isolated uropathogens were Escherichia coli strains (68.3%) followed by Klebsiella species (spp. (11.2%). In 307 cases (54.4%)), the UTIs were determined by antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARBs) and 169 cases (30%) were UTIs with MDR strains. Increased age (≥65) OR 2.156 (95% CI: 1.404–3.311), upper urinary tract obstruction OR 1.666 (1.083–2.564), indwelling urinary catheters OR 6.066 (3.919–9.390), chronic kidney disease OR 2.696 (1.832–3.969), chronic hemodialysis OR 4.955 (1.828–13.435) and active malignancies OR 1.962 (1.087–3.540) were independent risk factors for MDR UTIs. In a multivariate logistic regression model, only indwelling urinary catheters (OR 5.388, 95% CI: 3.294–8.814, p < 0.001), CKD (OR 1.779, 95% CI: 1.153–2.745, p = 0.009) and chronic hemodialysis (OR 4.068, 95% 1.413–11.715, p = 0.009) were risk factors for UTIs caused by MDR uropathogens. (4) Conclusions: CKD is an important risk factor for overall antimicrobial resistance, but also for multiple-drug resistance.

Background and Objectives: Oral health values are an indicator of how people decide their priorities for oral health—an integral part of general health. The purpose of the study was the validation of the Oral Health Values Scale (OHVS), which measures the extent to which individuals invest in their oral health and which includes four factors: Professional dental care, Appearance, Flossing, and Retention of teeth. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of adults (n = 869; Mean age = 32.98) who completed the online questionnaire set. The OHVS was translated into Romanian through the forward-backward translation procedure. The construct validity was assessed through a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) based on the maximum likelihood estimation method. The convergent validity was assessed by associating the OHVS with scales that evaluate the oral health quality of life (OHIP-14), the attitude towards one’s dentist (R-DBS), oral self-care (DNS), and general health literacy (GHL). The internal consistency was examined using Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω. Results: The CFA supports the four-factor model of the scale. The OHVS total score and its subscales are negatively associated with the impact of oral health on the quality of life (except for the Appearance subscale) and with a distrust in the dentist’s treatments; they are positively associated with oral self-care and general health literacy. The gender difference shows females have higher scores on all four subscales. The internal consistency is good for Appearance, Flossing, and the OHVS total score, but weak for Professional dental care and Retention. Conclusions: OHVS is a valid instrument in the Romanian context that can enrich the set of tools that contribute to oral health research, especially in epidemiological studies.

Hantavirus infection is a rare zoonosis in South‑Eastern Europe. Depending on the serotype involved, the virus can cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome which is also known as endemic nephropathy, and cardiopulmonary syndrome. Prompt diagnosis of the disease is essential for reducing the risk of severe manifestations and complications like chronic kidney disease, secondary hypertension or even death because there is no specific treatment or vaccine approved. The present study reported two cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome diagnosed in the Department of Nephrology of The Fundeni Clinical Institute (Romania). In both patients, kidney needle biopsy played a major role in establishing the diagnosis. The difficulties encountered in diagnosing this disease were also emphasized, taking into consideration the rarity of this infection in South‑Eastern Europe. The key literature data on the epidemiology, pathogenesis and management of this infection were further reviewed.