Justinija Steiner

Justinija Steiner


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

9Years (2018-Present)

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

Representative Publications

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27 December 2018 in Asthma Research and Practice
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
SLSlavica Labor
Slavica Labor
ATAlba Maria Dalbello Tir
Alba Maria Dalbello Tir
Davor PlavecDavor Plavec
Davor Plavec
IJIva Juric
Iva Juric
MRMihovil Roglic
Mihovil Roglic
MLMarina Labor
Marina Labor
Although asthma is one of the most serious diseases causing complications during pregnancy, half of the women discontinue therapy thus diminishing the control of the disease, mostly due to the inadequate education and fear of adverse events. Sadly, this is sometimes encouraged by insufficiently educated physicians. Since the incidence and the prevalence of asthma is increasing, it is important to arouse the importance of proper asthma therapy during pregnancy. Inadequate therapy, as well as interrupting or discontinuing therapy, may result in adverse perinatal outcomes for both mother and child. The main goal of asthma control during pregnancy is control of symptoms and prevention of exacerbations, same as in every asthmatic, but even more important. Maintaining optimal lung function, as well as regular daily activities, ensures maintenance of optimal fetal oxygenation. The therapy should be adapted depending on the frequency and severity of daily and nocturnal symptoms, demand for reliever therapy, by the limitations in everyday activities and the frequency of emergency asthma-related hospitalizations. Pre-conceptual education and therapy are very important and should be supported by an asthma action plan adjusted for the period of pregnancy. It is very important to note that most of the drugs used before pregnancy can be safely continued during pregnancy. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy should be used in parallel. Pregnant women should be informed about the nature of the disease, therapy used during pregnancy, possible complications, avoidance of triggers, proper administration of therapy and, most important, why should the therapy be continued throughout the pregnancy on individual basis. Although drug treatment should be based on using drugs with less harm risk, if control of severe symptoms is needed to be achieved in order to protect both mother and child, any anti-asthmatic drug would have the beneficial benefit/harm ratio. There is no solid evidence that asthma treatment during pregnancy causes adverse outcomes for the mother and child but for many, especially new drugs, there is not enough data gathered. On the other hand, harmfulness of uncontrolled asthma during pregnancy is well documented so every effort should be put on preserving good control of asthma during pregnancy.

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
FKFarah Khaznadar
Farah Khaznadar
OKOmar Khaznadar
Omar Khaznadar
APAna Petrovic
Ana Petrovic
MHMarija Hefer
Marija Hefer
FGFabian Gjoni
Fabian Gjoni
KBKristina Bojanić
Kristina Bojanić
With around one billion of the world’s population affected, the era of the metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) pandemic has entered the global stage. MAFLD is a chronic progressive liver disease with accompanying metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity which can progress asymptomatically to liver cirrhosis and subsequently to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and for which to date there are almost no approved pharmacologic options. Because MAFLD has a very complex etiology and it also affects extrahepatic organs, a multidisciplinary approach is required when it comes to finding an effective and safe active substance for MAFLD treatment. The optimal drug for MAFLD should diminish steatosis, fibrosis and inflammation in the liver, and the winner for MAFLD drug authorisation seems to be the one that significantly improves liver histology. Saroglitazar (Lipaglyn®) was approved for metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in India in 2020; however, the drug is still being investigated in other countries. Although the pharmaceutical industry is still lagging behind in developing an approved pharmacologic therapy for MAFLD, research has recently intensified and many molecules which are in the final stages of clinical trials are expected to be approved in the coming few years. Already this year, the first drug (Rezdiffra™) in the United States was approved via accelerated procedure for treatment of MAFLD, i.e., of MASH in adults. This review underscores the most recent information related to the development of drugs for MAFLD treatment, focusing on the molecules that have come furthest towards approval.

5 January 2026 in Medicina
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
AFAntonia O Ferenčaba
Antonia O Ferenčaba
DGDora Galić
Dora Galić
GIGordana Ivanac
Gordana Ivanac
KKKristina Kralik
Kristina Kralik
MSMartina Smolic
Martina Smolic
KBKristina Bojanić
Kristina Bojanić
Background and Objectives: Contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) provides both morphological and functional information and may reflect breast cancer biology similarly to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods: This single-center retrospective study included 399 women with Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category 0 screening mammograms who subsequently underwent CEM. A total of 76 malignant lesions (68 invasive cancers, 8 ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)) with complete imaging and pathology data were analyzed. Invasive cancers were classified into luminal A, luminal B, luminal B/Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2)-positive, HER2-enriched, and triple-negative, and grouped as luminal (Group 1) versus HER2-positive/triple-negative (Group 2). Results: Luminal subtypes predominated (47 of 68, 69%), while 21 of 68 (31%) were HER2-positive or triple-negative. Most cancers appeared as masses with spiculated margins and heterogeneous enhancement. Significant differences were observed in mass shape (p = 0.03) and internal enhancement (p = 0.01). Luminal tumors were more often irregular and spiculated with heterogeneous enhancement, whereas the HER2-positive/triple-negative tumors more frequently appeared round with rim or homogeneous enhancement. Deep learning-derived malignancy scores (iCAD ProFound AI®) demonstrated good diagnostic performance (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.744, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.654–0.821, p < 0.001). The median AI score was significantly higher in malignant compared with benign lesions (70% [interquartile range (IQR) 47–93] vs. 38% [IQR 25–61]; Mann–Whitney U test, p < 0.001). Among malignant lesions, iCAD scores varied across molecular subtypes, with higher median values observed in Group 1 versus Group 2 (87% vs. 55%), although the difference was not statistically significant (Mann–Whitney U test, p = 0.35). Conclusions: CEM features mirrored subtype-specific phenotypes previously described with MRI, supporting its role as a practical tool for enhanced tumor characterization. Although certain imaging and AI-derived parameters differed descriptively across subtypes, no statistically significant differences were observed. As deep-learning models continue to evolve, the integration of AI-enhanced CEM into clinical workflows holds strong potential to improve lesion characterization and risk stratification in personalized breast cancer diagnostics.

30 May 2024 in Preprints.org
Verified
Preprint
Open access
PDF file
FKFarah Khaznadar
Farah Khaznadar
OKOmar Khaznadar
Omar Khaznadar
APAna Petrovic
Ana Petrovic
MHMarija Hefer
Marija Hefer
FGFabian Gjoni
Fabian Gjoni
KBKristina Bojanić
Kristina Bojanić
With around one billion of the world's population affected, the era of Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) pandemic has entered the global stage. MAFLD is a chronic progressive liver disease with accompanying metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity which can progress asymptomatically to liver cirrhosis and subsequently to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and for which, to date there is almost no approved pharmacologic options. Because MAFLD has a very complex etiology and it affects also extrahepatic organs, a multidisciplinary approach is required when it comes to finding an effective and safe active substance for MAFLD treatment. The optimal drug for MAFLD should diminish steatosis, fibrosis and inflammation in the liver, and the winner for MAFLD drug authorisation seems to be the one that significantly improves liver histology. Saroglitazar (Lipaglyn®) was approved for Metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in India in 2020; however, the drug is still being investigated in other countries. Despite that a pharmaceutical industry is still lagging behind to develop an ap-proved pharmacologic therapy for MAFLD, research has been recently intensified and many molecules which are underway in the final stages of clinical trials are expected to be approved in the coming few years. Already this year, the first drug (Rezdiffra™) in the United States was ap-proved via accelerated procedure for treatment of MAFLD, i.e. of MASH in adults. This review underscores the most recent information related to the development of drugs for MAFLD treatment, focusing on the molecules that have come furthest towards approval.

24 February 2026
Verified
Book Chapter
Open access
PDF file
ZEZdravko Ebling
Zdravko Ebling
NANataša Antoljak
Nataša Antoljak
JSJustinija Steiner
Justinija Steiner
BEBarbara Ebling
Barbara Ebling
RGRudika Gmajnić
Rudika Gmajnić
AGAna Gmajnić
Ana Gmajnić
The introduction of the National Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Program in Croatia in 2007 marked a milestone in public health. Built on pioneering primary-care projects in Osijek (1978–1980) and sustained by professional and civic organizations, the program achieved early detection of thousands of adenomas and carcinomas, though participation remains below expectations (~25–30%). Regional experiences from Osijek-Baranja County and national professional societies (Family Medicine Department, Croatian Oncological Society, and Osijek League Against Cancer) provided the foundation for organized screening. Despite persistent barriers, measurable benefits were achieved, underscoring the need for continued efforts to raise participation, strengthen logistics, and expand endoscopy capacity.

31 July 2026 in Preprints.org
Verified
Preprint
Open access
PDF file
Zarko VrbicaZarko Vrbica
Zarko Vrbica
JSJustinija Steiner
Justinija Steiner
Davor PlavecDavor Plavec
Davor Plavec
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Finding patients with early COPD is already difficult, but even those have already an advanced disease in the biological point of view with irreversible lung damage. A lot of effort is done to find the parameters for detection of patients with early pathophysiological changes before they develop airflow limitation. The importance of this stage is recently recognized and has different labels as “pre-COPD” and “early COPD”. Exhaled breath temperature (EBT) is a non-invasive method to detect and monitor inflammation in the respiratory system. Most studies on EBT have been performed in asthma and showed the utility of this approach to assess changes in airway inflammation. In the COPD patients, the number of airways and their vasculature is reduced and EBT decreases proportionally to the level of destruction, but is still increased during the COPD exacerbation. In recent studies, change in EBT after smoking a cigarette in patients without a diagnosis of COPD was significantly predictive for disease progression after 2 years. Early interventions based on these results should be tested for efficacy in prevention of the development of overt COPD.