Ischemic stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with carotid atherosclerosis being its key etiological factor. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) regulates intracellular signal pathways responsible for vascular changes and ischemic brain injury, and is recognized as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. It modifies the activity of macrophages (MΦ) and vascular smooth muscle cells, causing inflammation and affecting the stability of atherosclerotic plaques. A deficiency of miR-21 in macrophages stimulates the inflammatory response and plaque growth. It promotes both the synthesis of extracellular matrix, stabilizing the plaque, and the degradation of the fibrin cap, which leads to plaque instability. The effect of miR-21 on endothelial cells differs: it stimulates both NO· synthesis and inflammation. During ischemic stroke, miR-21 demonstrates neuroprotective effects by modulating post-ischemic inflammation and protecting the integrity of the blood–brain barrier. Therapy targeting miR-21 shows potential in experimental models, but it requires cell-specific delivery and precise timing. Further research efforts should focus on the effects of miR-21 on different cell types, as well as the development of new technologies for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Background/Objectives: Mental diseases are one of the leading groups of health disorders worldwide, with depressive and anxiety disorders being the most prevalent. Depressive disorders can be treated with pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. In cases where these approaches prove ineffective, electroconvulsive therapy may be considered as an alternative. The drugs of choice for treating depressive disorders are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). In the Republic of Serbia, commonly prescribed SSRIs include fluoxetine, citalopram, paroxetine, sertraline, and escitalopram. Methods: Data on drug sales for human medicine from the Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices of Serbia (ALIMS) were used for the analysis of consumption in the period 2018–2022. Data on drug consumption in other European countries were obtained from the respective national registers. Results: From 2018 to 2021, sertraline was the best-selling drug in this group, but with a statistically significant decrease (R² = 0.7948, p = 0.042), while escitalopram showed a statistically significant increase (p = 0.006) and became the best-selling drug in the SSRI group in 2022. Overall, SSRI group consumption fluctuated from 2018 to 2022, with the highest values in 2020. However, these variations were not statistically significant (p = 0.6223). Compared to Serbia, out of 12 European countries, 8 had higher and 4 had lower consumption in 2019 and 2020. A positive correlation was found between antidepressant consumption and GDP per capita. Conclusions: Sertraline was the most commonly prescribed SSRI drug in Serbia from 2018 to 2021. However, in 2022, escitalopram became the most commonly used drug in this group both in Serbia and worldwide, with a consistent increase in consumption.

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.

Background/Objectives: Mental diseases are one of the leading groups of health disorders worldwide, with depressive and anxiety disorders being the most prevalent. Depressive disorders can be treated with pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. In cases where these approaches prove ineffective, electroconvulsive therapy may be considered as an alternative. The drugs of choice for treating depressive disorders are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). In the Republic of Serbia, commonly prescribed SSRIs include fluoxetine, citalopram, paroxetine, sertraline, and escitalopram. Methods: Data on drug sales for human medicine from the Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices of Serbia (ALIMS) were used for the analysis of consumption in the period 2018-2022. Data on drug consumption in other European countries were obtained from the respective national registers. Results: From 2018 to 2021, sertraline was the best-selling drug in this group, but with a statistically significant decrease (R²=0.7948, p=0.042), while escitalopram showed a statistically significant increase (p=0.006) and became the best-selling drug in the SSRI group in 2022. Overall, SSRI group consumption fluctuated from 2018 to 2022, with the highest values in 2020. However, these variations were not statistically significant (p=0.6223). Compared to Serbia, out of 12 European countries, 8 had higher and 4 had lower consumption in 2019 and 2020. A positive correlation was found between antidepressant consumption and GDP per capita. Conclusions: Sertraline was the most commonly prescribed SSRI drug in Serbia from 2018 to 2021. However, in 2022, escitalopram became the most commonly used drug in this group both in Serbia and worldwide, with a consistent increase in consumption.

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.