Kristina Filic

Dr. Kristina Filic

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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

2Years (2025-Present)

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

Representative Publications

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13 April 2025 in Metabolites
Verified
Journal Article
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SGSelena Gajic
Selena Gajic
SJStefan Nebojša Janković
Stefan Nebojša Janković
MSMilorad Stojadinovic
Milorad Stojadinovic
KFKristina Filic
Kristina Filic
ABAna Bontic
Ana Bontic
Marko BaralićMarko Baralić
Marko Baralić
Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive, irreversible impairment of kidney function due to various etiologies. Numerous studies have shown that sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) slow the progression of CKD, due to their pleiotropic effects. Therefore, there has been an increase in interest in their effects not only on kidney function but also on other parameters in patients with CKD. The aim of the study was to examine the effects of SGLT2i on serum lipid values and kidney function in patients with CKD undergoing SGLT2i treatment. Methods: This study was a retrospective data analysis of 75 patients with CKD on SGLT2i treatment. We compared the values of biochemical parameters, renal function outcomes, and blood pressure at two time points: baseline and 24 months after. Results: Total cholesterol (Chol) significantly decreased in all patients, while triglyceride (Tg) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) levels also decreased in all patients. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) levels increased, but this increase was not significant. Creatinine clearance (Ccr) significantly decreased, and serum urea (Sur) significantly increased in all patients. The proteinuria (Prt) levels did not change significantly. The results showed that the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) significantly decreased in all patients. Conclusions: This study showed that the use of SGLT2i reduced total Chol in all patients with CKD during the 24-month follow-up, regardless of diabetes mellitus (DM) status. No significant differences were observed for the Tg, LDLc, and HDLc values.

9 November 2025 in Life
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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SGSelena Gajic
Selena Gajic
ABAna Bontic
Ana Bontic
Aleksandar Z. SičAleksandar Z. Sič
Aleksandar Z. Sič
VRVidna Karadžić Ristanović
Vidna Karadžić Ristanović
MSMilorad Stojadinovic
Milorad Stojadinovic
Marko BaralićMarko Baralić
Marko Baralić
Background and Objectives: Chronic inflammation (CIn) is common among peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and contributes to adverse outcomes. However, the prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) in PD remains uncertain. Methodology: In this prospective cohort study, 65 PD patients were followed for 18 months. Baseline demographic, clinical and laboratory data were collected and inflammatory indices were calculated. The composite outcome was all-cause mortality or transfer to hemodialysis (HD). Logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors of outcomes. Results: Over the 18-month follow-up, 23 patients (35.4%) died and 13 (20.0%) transferred to HD. Patients with adverse outcomes had higher baseline FAR, C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum glucose (Glc) levels and lower triglycerides (TG). In multivariate analysis, higher FAR (OR 5.28, 95% CI 1.16–24.12), CRP (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.02–1.62) and PTH (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00–1.01) were independently associated with adverse outcomes, while NLR showed marginal significance. In the mortality-only model, FAR (OR 3.99, 95% CI 1.17–13.61) and PTH remained significant predictors. Conclusions: FAR demonstrated a significant prognostic association with mortality and composite adverse outcomes in PD patients, whereas NLR had limited predictive value. Albumin-based inflammatory indices such as FAR may complement established markers for risk stratification. Larger multicenter studies are warranted to validate these findings.

17 June 2026 in Medical Sciences
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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SGSelena Gajic
Selena Gajic
FSFilip Simović
Filip Simović
ABAna Bontic
Ana Bontic
AKAleksandra Kezic
Aleksandra Kezic
MSMilorad Stojadinovic
Milorad Stojadinovic
Marko BaralićMarko Baralić
Marko Baralić
Background and Objectives: Anemia is a common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with reduced quality of life, accelerated disease progression, and increased cardiovascular risk. Sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) have demonstrated significant renal and cardiovascular benefits, and clinical trials have reported improvements in hematologic parameters during treatment. However, real-world evidence regarding their longitudinal effects on hemoglobin (Hb) and iron metabolism in patients with CKD remains limited. Materials and Methods: We conducted a pre–post analysis of 118 adult patients with CKD stages 1–4 treated with SGLT2is (empagliflozin or dapagliflozin) at the University Clinical Center of Serbia between January 2024 and June 2025. Patients received either agent at 10 mg once daily for 18 months. Hb, ferritin, C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin (Alb), daily proteinuria (Prt), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were assessed at baseline and at 18 months. Ferritin was adjusted for inflammatory and nutritional status using a residualization model incorporating CRP and Alb. Changes between the two time points were analyzed using repeated-measures general linear models (GLMs). Results: In unadjusted analyses, mean Hb increased modestly from 136.5 ± 17.9 g/L at baseline to 138.8 ± 18.9 g/L at follow-up (p = 0.028), while median ferritin decreased from 102.2 µg/L to 89.9 µg/L (p = 0.011). After adjustment for CRP and Alb, ferritin levels remained unchanged (p = 0.752). Repeated-measures analyses showed no significant longitudinal effect of time on Hb or ferritin and no significant interaction between time and SGLT2i type. Baseline eGFR, Prt, sex, and baseline ferritin significantly influenced longitudinal hematologic trajectories. Conclusions: SGLT2i therapy was associated with modest increases in Hb levels over 18 months, while inflammatory status remained stable and no significant reduction in ferritin levels was observed after adjustment for inflammatory and nutritional factors. Longitudinal Hb and ferritin trajectories did not differ significantly between empagliflozin and dapagliflozin, while baseline kidney function, Prt, iron status, and sex significantly influenced hematologic outcomes. Although causal inference is limited by the absence of a control group, these findings suggest a possible favorable effect of SGLT2is on anemia-related parameters in patients with CKD.

1 August 2025 in Life
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Journal Article
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Marko BaralićMarko Baralić
Marko Baralić
SGSelena Gajic
Selena Gajic
MKMihajlo Marjan Kostic
Mihajlo Marjan Kostic
MSMilorad Stojadinovic
Milorad Stojadinovic
KFKristina Filic
Kristina Filic
AKAleksandra Kezic
Aleksandra Kezic
Membranous nephropathy (MN) is the most prevalent cause of nephrotic syndrome (NS) in adults, and it can be primary (idiopathic) with an unknown cause or secondary due to a variety of conditions (lupus, infections, malignancies, medications, etc.). It progresses to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in up to 60% of patients, and 10 to 30% develop end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). This retrospective study examines the importance of specific factors, including baseline demographic and clinical data, kidney biopsy PH findings, and selected biochemical parameters, influencing MN outcomes after 10 years of follow-up. The cohort included 94 individuals in whom a diagnosis of MN was established by percutaneous biopsy of the left kidney’s lower pole at the University Clinical Center of Serbia (UCCS) between 2008 and 2013. According to the outcomes, patients were divided into three groups: the recovery (Rec) group, with complete remission, including normal serum creatinine (Scr) and proteinuria (Prt), the group with development of chronic kidney disease (CKD), and the group with development of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Nephropathologists graded pathohistological (PH) results from I to III based on the observed PH findings. During the follow-up period, 33 patients were in the Rec group, CKD developed in 53 patients, and ESKD developed in 8 patients. Baseline creatinine clearance levels (Ccr), Scr, and uric acid (urate) were found to be significantly associated with the outcomes (p < 0.001). The lowest values of baseline Scr and urate were observed in the Rec group. The presence of acute kidney injury (AKI) or CKD at the time of kidney biopsy was associated with the more frequent development of ESKD (p = 0.02). Lower Ccr was associated with a higher likelihood of progressing to CKD (B = −0.021, p = 0.014), whereas older age independently predicted progression to ESKD (B = 0.02, p = 0.032). Based on this study, it was concluded that the most important biochemical and clinical factors that are associated with the outcomes of this disease are the values of Scr, Ccr, and urate and the existence of CKD at the time of kidney biopsy. Unlike most previous studies, the presence of HTN had no statistical significance in the outcome of the disease.

13 November 2025 in Kidney and Dialysis
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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AMAna Mijuskovic
Ana Mijuskovic
JPJelena Pavlović
Jelena Pavlović
VCVladimir Cvetić
Vladimir Cvetić
BLBorivoje Lukic
Borivoje Lukic
ABAna Bontic
Ana Bontic
Marko BaralićMarko Baralić
Marko Baralić
Background: Renal arteriovenous malformations (rAVMs) are rare vascular anomalies that may lead to hematuria, anemia, or acute kidney injury (AKI). Although endovascular embolization is the treatment of choice, post-procedural complications such as new-onset proteinuria may occur and require long-term management. Case Presentation: A 56-year-old man with recurrent gross hematuria and elevated serum creatinine (128 μmol/L) was diagnosed with a right rAVM and underwent successful selective embolization. Despite recovery of renal function, follow-up revealed new-onset proteinuria (2.2 g/24 h). Results: Introduction of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) resulted in partial improvement of proteinuria, while subsequent addition of a sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) achieved almost complete resolution of proteinuria (0.33 g/24 h) and stable renal function (serum creatinine 93 μmol/L) after 12 months. Conclusions: This case highlights the occurrence of post-embolization proteinuria and illustrates the synergistic renoprotective effect of combined ACEi and SGLT2i therapy in a non-diabetic patient with vascular kidney disease.