Ivna Akrapovic Olic

Mrs. Ivna Akrapovic Olic

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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2 January 2026 in Medicina
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
DBDorotea Bozic
Dorotea Bozic
ABAna Babić
Ana Babić
IOIvna Akrapovic Olic
Ivna Akrapovic Olic
MLMilos Lalovac
Milos Lalovac
MMMaja Mijic
Maja Mijic
AMAntonio Mestrovic
Antonio Mestrovic
The liver is the primary site of synthesis for most coagulation factors and the central organ responsible for maintaining hemostatic equilibrium. In individuals with advanced liver disease, significant disruptions in coagulation homeostasis occur and consequently predispose patients to both thrombotic and bleeding complications. This review summarizes the pathophysiologic basics of liver cirrhosis-associated coagulopathies and discusses the diagnosis and treatment of common procoagulant conditions such as portal vein thrombosis and post-transplant hepatic artery thrombosis. The review also systematically addresses the most common bleeding complications, including spontaneous, portal hypertension-related, and periprocedural bleeding. The proper pre-procedural assessment of the bleeding risk is often required due to the great number of invasive procedures to which these patients are frequently subjected. The viscoelastic testing (thromboelastogram and thromboelastometry) seems to emerge as the most appropriate diagnostic method. Specific treatment recommendations for the correction of coagulation abnormalities and the management of severe thrombocytopenia are hereby presented.

3 August 2024 in Journal of Clinical Medicine
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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IOIvna Akrapovic Olic
Ivna Akrapovic Olic
JVJonatan Vuković
Jonatan Vuković
Mislav RadićMislav Radić
Mislav Radić
ŽŠŽeljko Šundov
Željko Šundov
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is marked by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and encompasses two major subtypes, Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). IBD is frequently accompanied by extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs), with axial and peripheral spondyloarthritis (SpA) being the most common. Enthesitis, an inflammation of the bone insertions of capsules, ligaments, and tendons, represents an initial lesion in SpA. However, enthesitis remains an underestimated and often obscured EIM. The early detection of subclinical entheseal involvement in IBD patients using ultrasound (US) could provide an opportunity for timely intervention. US is a more feasible and affordable approach than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). While previous meta-analyses have reported on the incidence and prevalence of SpA in IBD, specific attention to enthesitis has been lacking. Therefore, this narrative review aims to assess the current knowledge on existing IBD-SpA cohorts, focusing specifically on enthesitis.

29 May 2025 in Biomedicines
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
IOIvna Akrapovic Olic
Ivna Akrapovic Olic
PZPiero Marin Zivkovic
Piero Marin Zivkovic
IHIvana Tadin Hadjina
Ivana Tadin Hadjina
IZIvan Zaja
Ivan Zaja
Subjects with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) have a higher opportunity for fractures due to the inflammatory potential of the disorder and because of the glucocorticoid therapy that is often inevitable. The fracture risk can be assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and can also be combined with assessing the trabecular bone score (TBS). The evaluation of the TBS offers additional advantages in particular conditions, such as glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, and thus optimizes the fracture risk evaluation in the IBD subject group. A limited number of studies involving TBS in other digestive diseases is unlikely to provide sufficient evidence regarding the usefulness of TBS in gastroenterology. Our aim is to review the clinical utility of TBS in digestive diseases.

11 September 2025 in Pharmaceuticals
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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IOIvna Akrapovic Olic
Ivna Akrapovic Olic
PZPiero Marin Zivkovic
Piero Marin Zivkovic
IZIvan Zaja
Ivan Zaja
NPNikola Pavlovic
Nikola Pavlovic
Marko KumricMarko Kumric
Marko Kumric
Josko BozicJosko Bozic
Josko Bozic
Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a long-term, immune-driven condition of the esophagus, which can lead to severe fibrostenosis of the esophagus, and the aim is to control clinical, endoscopic, and histopathologic disorder activity. Currently, treatment options include the use of proton pump inhibitors, topical steroids, and dietary elimination as basic treatments; however, the introduction of dupilumab has provided an additional therapeutic approach. Numerous biologic agents target specific immune pathways, which are promising pharmacologic options in managing this progressive disease. The final goal is to treat the target, with complete resolution as the final objective. To accomplish this, however, effective agents capable of modifying the disease process are required. In this review, we aimed to provide an overall review of EoE therapeutics options, as well as the benefits and safety of new treatment strategies for EoE.

2 August 2025 in Journal of Clinical Medicine
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
VSViktorija Sabljić
Viktorija Sabljić
DBDorotea Bozic
Dorotea Bozic
DADamir Alicic
Damir Alicic
ŽAŽarko Ardalić
Žarko Ardalić
IOIvna Akrapovic Olic
Ivna Akrapovic Olic
IZIvan Zaja
Ivan Zaja
Background/Objectives: Pneumatic dilation (PD) is a widely used treatment modality in the management of achalasia. It is particularly relevant in regions where many centers lack access to advanced therapeutic modalities. Therefore, we aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of PD in our local region. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed patients with achalasia that underwent PD from 1/2013 to 12/2019. The diagnosis of achalasia was established on the grounds of clinical symptoms, radiological and endoscopic findings, and esophageal manometry. Data on patient’s clinical characteristics, dilation technique and postprocedural follow-up were collected and statistically analyzed. Procedure effectiveness was defined as the postprocedural Eckardt score ≤ 3. Results: PD significantly reduced frequency of dysphagia, regurgitation, and retrosternal pain (p < 0.001). Body-weight increased significantly one month and one year after the procedure (p < 0.001). The procedural success rate was 100%. No severe complications were reported. Conclusions: PD is an effective and safe treatment modality in the management of achalasia. The study limitations include a single center design with the small number of participants, not all of whom underwent manometry, gender disproportion, absence of non-responders, and a short follow-up.

16 March 2026 in Biomedicines
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
ZHZeljka Belosic Halle
Zeljka Belosic Halle
VTVedran Tomasic
Vedran Tomasic
ABAlen Bišćanin
Alen Bišćanin
PĆPetra Ćaćić
Petra Ćaćić
IZIvona Saric Zeba
Ivona Saric Zeba
IMIvana Mikolasevic
Ivana Mikolasevic
Background/Objectives: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of various malignancies, but their use is frequently accompanied by immune-related adverse events, among which immune-mediated colitis (IMC) represents one of the most common and clinically significant gastrointestinal toxicities. IMC may lead to treatment interruption, increased morbidity, and compromised quality of life. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the pathophysiology, risk factors, diagnosis, management, and emerging therapeutic strategies with particular emphasis on the role of the gut microbiota and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Methods: This review integrates current international guidelines, meta-analyses, clinical trials, and recent translational studies addressing IMC. The available evidence on immunological mechanisms, predictive biomarkers, clinical presentation, diagnostic algorithms, and treatment options was critically synthesized to outline a structured and multidisciplinary management approach. Results: IMC is driven by dysregulated immune activation, cytokine release, and alterations in gut microbiota. Incidence and severity vary according to ICI class, combination regimens, tumor type, and patient-related factors. Diagnosis requires exclusion of infectious causes, laboratory assessment, and endoscopic and histologic evaluation with CTCAE-based severity grading. Corticosteroids remain the cornerstone of first-line therapy, while infliximab and vedolizumab are effective in steroid-refractory cases. Emerging therapies, including JAK inhibitors and FMT, have shown promising results in refractory disease. Conclusions: IMC is a complex and potentially severe complication of ICI therapy that necessitates early recognition, accurate grading, and individualized, multidisciplinary management. Severity-guided treatment, timely escalation to biologics, and careful balancing of immunosuppression with antitumor efficacy are essential for optimal outcomes. Future research should focus on biomarker validation, microbiome-targeted therapies, and prospective trials to refine therapeutic algorithms and define the optimal role and timing of FMT in clinical practice.