Nephrotic syndrome is a clinical syndrome characterized by massive proteinuria, called nephrotic range proteinuria (over 3.5 g per day in adults or 40 mg/m² per hour in children), hypoalbuminemia, oncotic edema, and hyperlipidemia, with an increasing incidence over several years. Nephrotic syndrome carries severe morbidity and mortality risk. The main pathophysiological event in nephrotic syndrome is increased glomerular permeability due to immunological, paraneoplastic, genetic, or infective triggers. Because of the marked increase in the glomerular permeability to macromolecules and the associated urinary loss of albumins and hormone-binding proteins, many metabolic and endocrine abnormalities are present. Some of them are well known, such as overt or subclinical hypothyroidism, growth hormone depletion, lack of testosterone, vitamin D, and calcium deficiency. The exact prevalence of these disorders is unknown because of the complexity of the human endocrine system and the differences in their prevalence. This review aims to comprehensively analyze all potential endocrine and hormonal complications of nephrotic syndrome and, vice versa, possible kidney complications of endocrine diseases that might remain unrecognized in everyday clinical practice.

Approximately 60% of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) have regional occult metastatic disease/distant metastases at the time of diagnosis, putting them at higher risk for disease progression. Therefore, biomarkers are needed for early prognostic purpose. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression pattern of connexins (Cx) 37, 40 and 45, pannexin1 (Panx1) and vimentin in LSCC and correlate with tumor grade (G) and outcome. Methods: Thirty-four patients who underwent (hemi-)laryngectomy and regional lymphadenectomy due to LSCC from 2017 to 2018 in University Hospital Split, Croatia, were studied. Samples of tumor tissue and adjacent normal mucosa embedded in paraffin blocks were stained using the immunofluorescence method and were semi-quantitatively analyzed. Results: The expression of Cx37, Cx40, and Panx1 differed between cancer and adjacent normal mucosa and between histological grades, being the highest in well-differentiated (G1) cancer and low/absent in poorly differentiated (G3) cancer (all p < 0.05). The expression of vimentin was the highest in G3 cancer. Expression of Cx45 was generally weak/absent, with no significant difference between cancer and the controls or between grades. Lower Panx1 and higher vimentin expression were found to be prognostic factors for regional metastatic disease. Lower Cx37 and 40 expressions were present in patients with disease recurrence after the three-year follow-up period. Conclusion: Cx37 and Cx40, Panx1, and vimentin have the potential to be used as prognostic biomarkers for LSCC.

Background: Postoperative macular edema may limit visual recovery following cataract surgery. Although smoking is recognized as a risk factor for ocular inflammation, its impact on early postoperative macular morphology following cataract surgery has not been investigated. Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled 88 elderly patients undergoing elective cataract surgery in a single university teaching hospital. The patients were divided into long-term smokers and lifelong non-smokers. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to assess the central subfoveal thickness (CST), cube volume (CV), cube average thickness (CAT), retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and cup-to-disk ratio (CDR) preoperatively and on the 1st, 7th, and 14th postoperative days (PODs). The phacoemulsification time and cumulative dissipated energy were recorded. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess group-by-time interactions, and multivariable regression, adjusted for baseline covariates, was employed for analyses. Results: Eighty patients were included in the final analysis. Smokers had significantly thinner baseline CST than non-smokers. Both groups showed early postoperative CST increases, but only smokers exhibited sustained and significantly greater increases in CV and CAT on POD 14 (CV Δ +0.30 mm³ vs. +0.04 mm³; p = 0.026; CAT Δ +6.5 µm vs. +1.2 µm; p = 0.037). The RNFL and CDR changes did not differ significantly at earlier timepoints. However, smokers showed a notably greater RNFL thickening on POD 14 (Δ +4.2 µm; p = 0.001). Smoking status remained the strongest independent predictor of these changes (p < 0.001), while phacoemulsification parameters showed no significant interaction effects. Conclusions: Cigarette consumption independently predicts pronounced postoperative macular and RNFL thickening after uncomplicated elective cataract surgery. These transient structural changes could complicate early glaucoma assessment and should be considered when interpreting postoperative OCT findings in smokers.

Diabetes mellitus and obesity represent a growing global health burden with high morbidity and mortality. In the last several years, novel incretin-based therapies have been developed, and their use has risen dramatically. Beyond their proven metabolic, glycemic, cardiovascular, renal, and many other benefits, there are some observational data linking anemia development with their use. From the era of gliptins to retatrutide, in this review we tried to explore whether erythroid suppression is the hidden paradigm of advanced incretin-based therapies. Potential pathophysiological explanations include micronutrient vulnerabilities due to reduced food intake, lower dietary diversity, gastrointestinal intolerance, delayed gastric emptying, and weight loss. The most important concerns involve deficiencies in iron, vitamin B12, vitamin B2, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, and zinc, along with others such as thiamine, folate, vitamin A, and potassium. The available evidence indicates a complex and heterogeneous relationship between incretin-based therapies and hematological parameters, with findings differing across therapies, study populations, and outcomes. Although observational studies suggest possible associations with anemia, iron deficiency, and nutritional deficiencies in selected populations, current evidence is insufficient to establish a direct causal relationship or a class-wide adverse effect. Further large-scale studies are needed, as well as increased clinician awareness of potential hematological and nutritional consequences that require laboratory follow-up before and during medication prescription.