Purpose. The pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR) is insufficiently understood but may possibly involve chronic, low-grade inflammation. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between inflammatory and haemostatic markers, other markers of endothelial dysfunction and anthropometric parameters, and their association with DR in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods. According to the DR status patients were divided into three groups: no retinopathy, mild/moderate nonproliferative (NPDR), and severe NPDR/proliferative retinopathy (PDR). Results. The groups did not differ in the levels of inflammatory and haemostatic markers, other markers of endothelial dysfunction, and anthropometric parameters. After dividing the patients according to the level of obesity (defined by BMI, WC, and WHR) into three groups ANOVA showed the differences in C-reactive protein according to the WC () and in fibrinogen according to the WHR () as well as in total cholesterol () and triglycerides () according to the BMI. Logistic regression analyses showed that diabetes duration and prolonged poor glycemic control are the main predictors of retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes. Conclusion. Interrelations between obesity, inflammation, haemostatic disturbance, and other risk factors may possibly play an important additional role in endothelial dysfunction involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.

We aimed to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among people with diabetes or hypertension, estimate the effect of cardiovascular comorbidities on HRQoL as well as compare HRQoL in these groups with that of healthy individuals.

The aim of this study was to determine the association of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and pregnancy outcome among pregnant women in Croatia. Women who gave birth in Croatia in 2017 were categorised into four groups according to pre-pregnancy BMI and analysed regarding maternal characteristics and perinatal outcomes. Among 32,051 pregnant women, 5.3% were underweight, 65.5% had normal BMI, 20.4% were overweight and 8.8% were obese. Overweight and obese women had a higher prevalence of induction of labour and delivery by caesarean section compared to normal-BMI women (p < .001), while underweight and obese women had a higher prevalence of preterm birth (p < .001). Gestational diabetes (GD), gestational hypertension and preeclampsia were higher in overweight and obese group. Multivariate logistic regression model showed that older maternal age, higher BMI, GD, gestational hypertension and preeclampsia were significant predictors of having non-spontaneous onset of labour and of not delivering vaginally.

Objectives. To determine the impact of the implementation of new WHO diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on prevalence, predictors, and perinatal outcomes in Croatian population.Methods. A cross-sectional study was performed using data from medical birth certificates collected in 2010 and 2014. Data collected include age, height, and weight before and at the end of pregnancy, while perinatal outcome was assessed by onset of labor, mode of delivery, and Apgar score.Results. A total of 81.748 deliveries and 83.198 newborns were analysed. Prevalence of GDM increased from 2.2% in 2010 to 4.7% in 2014. GDM was a significant predictor of low Apgar score (OR 1.656), labor induction (OR 2.068), and caesarean section (OR 1.567) in 2010, while in 2014 GD was predictive for labor induction (OR 1.715) and caesarean section (OR 1.458) only. Age was predictive for labor induction only in 2014 and for caesarean section in both years, while BMI before pregnancy was predictive for all observed perinatal outcomes in both years.Conclusions. Despite implementation of new guidelines, GDM remains burdened with increased risk of labor induction and caesarean section, but no longer with low Apgar score, while BMI remains an important predictor for all three perinatal outcomes.