BACKGROUND: Clinical judgment of initial baseline laboratory tests plays an important role in triage and preliminary diagnosis among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. OBJECTIVES: To determine the differences in laboratory parameters between COVID-19 and COVID-like patients, and between COVID-19 and healthy children. Additionally, to ascertain whether healthy children or patients with COVID-like symptoms would form a better control group. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study at the Institute for Child and Youth Health Care of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia.METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 42 pediatric patients of both sexes with COVID-19. Hematological parameters (white blood cell count, absolute lymphocyte count and platelet count) and biochemical parameters (natremia, kalemia, chloremia, aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine amino-transferase [ALT], lactate dehydrogenase [LDH] and C-reactive protein [CRP]) were collected. The first con-trol group was formed by 80 healthy children and the second control group was formed by 55 pediatric patients with COVID-like symptoms.RESULTS: Leukocytosis, lymphopenia, thrombocytosis, elevated systemic inflammatory index and neutro-phil-lymphocyte ratio, hyponatremia, hypochloremia and elevated levels of AST, ALT, LDH and CRP were present in COVID patients, in comparison with healthy controls, while in comparison with COVID-like con-trols only lymphopenia was determined.CONCLUSIONS: The presence of leukocytosis, lymphopenia, thrombocytosis, elevated systemic inflam-matory index and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, hyponatremia, hypochloremia and elevated levels of AST, ALT, LDH and CRP may help healthcare providers in early identification of COVID-19 patients. Healthy con-trols were superior to COVID-like controls since they provided better insight into the laboratory character-istics of children with novel betacoronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum, Hypericaceae) is the most well-known species in the genus Hypericum, which comprises several hundred species. This study investigates the biological and phytochemical potential of the under-researched Hypericum species, H. hirsutum, H. barbatum, and H. rochelii. A high level of similarity between the chemical profiles of H. hirsutum and H. barbatum and the official source of the herbal drug (H. perforatum) was shown, but a higher content of quercetin and rutin was also found in all three evaluated species (116–230 µg/g dry herb). The highest amount of phenolics (195 mg GAE/g) was recorded in H. hirsutum extract, while the highest amount of flavonoids (47 mg QE/g) was recorded in H. barbatum extract. The evaluated species were excellent scavengers of DPPH, OH, and NO radicals, as well as strong ferric ion reducers in the FRAP test. Prominent monoamine oxidase A and α-glucosidase inhibition was observed, compared to modest inhibition of monoamine oxidase B, α-amylase, and acetylcholinesterase. High activity against Gram-positive MRSA S. aureus was demonstrated for the tested species, with MIC/MBC values recorded at 12.5 µg/mL. Antifungal activity against Candida strains was not observed. The obtained results emphasize the need for further investigation of species of the genus Hypericum to discover potentially new sources of biologically active compounds.

Pathophysiology of thrombosis. Thrombosis, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, results from an imbalance between procoagulant, anticoagulant, and fibrinolytic factors. Virchow?s triad - endothelial injury, stasis of blood flow, and hypercoagulability - has long been the cornerstone for understanding thrombosis. However, evolving knowledge has refined our interpretation of how these factors contribute to venous and arterial thrombosis. Arterial thrombosis. Historically, arterial and venous thromboses were viewed as distinct pathophysiological entities. Over the past two decades, research has highlighted the complexity of etiopathogenesis of the thrombotic process, recognizing mutual risk factors offering a more comprehensive understanding the pathophysiological mechanism behind these diseases. Venous thrombosis. Recent insights focus on thrombotic potential, defined as an individual?s susceptibility to thrombosis resulting from a combination of congenital and acquired risk factors.. It has become clear that the interaction of these factors is not merely additive but synergistic, significantly increasing the risk of thrombosis. The significant social impact of thrombosis underscores the necessity of thoroughly understanding its underlying mechanisms to develop effective preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Background and Objectives: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and associated lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) can substantially impair health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We examined the relationship between LUTS severity, measured by the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and HRQoL assessed with the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) in men receiving pharmacological treatment for BPH. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study at the University Clinical Center of Vojvodina (May–July 2024). Seventy men aged 50–80 years on ≥1 year of pharmacological therapy for BPH were enrolled. LUTS severity was categorized by IPSS (mild, moderate, severe). HRQoL was measured across WHOQOL-BREF domains (physical, psychological, social, environmental). Group differences were tested with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc tests; associations were evaluated with Spearman’s rank correlation; multivariable linear regression adjusted for age, socioeconomic status, and therapy type. Results: Severe LUTS were associated with significantly lower HRQoL in the physical (p = 0.002), social (p = 0.007), and environmental (p = 0.008) domains compared with mild or moderate symptoms, while psychological scores did not differ. IPSS correlated negatively with the physical (ρ = −0.438, p < 0.001), social (ρ = −0.470, p < 0.001), and environmental (ρ = −0.449, p < 0.001) domains. In multivariable regression, IPSS remained independently associated with lower physical HRQoL (β = −0.768, p < 0.001), independent of age, socioeconomic status, and therapy type. Conclusions: Greater LUTS severity is associated with poorer health-related quality of life in men receiving pharmacological treatment for BPH. Integrating comprehensive symptom assessment with HRQoL measures may enhance clinical evaluation and support more personalized management. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether symptom improvement translates into meaningful gains in quality of life.

Objective. The role of the fibrinolytic mechanism in venous thrombosis risk remains controversial. The study aimed to examine the influence of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) on the risk of venous thrombosis. Methods. The research included 100 participants with deep vein thrombosis and 100 participants with no previous history of venous thrombosis. Global fibrinolytic activity was estimated by euglobulin clot lysis time (ECLT). The ELISA method was used for the determination of t-PA and TAFI concentrations. The chromogenic substrate method was used for the determination of PAI-1 concentrations. Results. A statistically significant difference was not obtained for t-PA and PAI-1 compared between the patients and controls. The patients had a significantly higher concentration of TAFI when compared to controls. Relative risk analysis showed a three-fold increase in the venous thrombosis risk connected with suppressed fibrinolytic activity. The crude OR was 2.70 (95% CI 1.22-5.98) and adjustments for confounding yielded an OR of 3.02 (95% CI 1.26-7.22). TAFI concentrations showed influence on venous thrombosis risk, as crude OR was 2.18 (95% CI 1.19-3.99) and fully adjusted one stayed in the same range (OR 2.25; 95% CI 1.16-4.35) indicating a two-fold increase in venous thrombotic risk associated with increased TAFI concentrations. Conclusion. Suppressed functionality of the fibrinolysis mechanism triples the risk of occurrence of deep vein thrombosis while elevated TAFI level doubles the risk of this disease. There is no influence of plasminogen concentrations, t-PA, and PAI-1 levels on venous thrombosis risk.