Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), necessitates effective management strategies. This study aims to evaluate the real-world efficacy of vedolizumab, a newer biological therapy, in treating IBD in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A retrospective observational study was conducted across six medical centers, involving 139 IBD patients, 76 with UC and 63 with CD. Patients were assessed for clinical remission and other outcomes at the 26-week mark post vedolizumab treatment initiation. At 26 weeks, clinical remission was achieved in 82.9% of UC patients and 85.7% of CD patients. Mucosal healing was observed in 38.1% of CD patients. The efficacy of vedolizumab did not significantly differ based on prior anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) exposure. Notably, the clinical scoring tools for predicting vedolizumab response showed limited applicability in this cohort. Vedolizumab demonstrated high efficacy in treating both UC and CD in real-world settings in Bosnia and Herzegovina, underscoring its potential as a significant therapeutic option in IBD management.

BACKGROUND there is no epidemiological estimation of the incidence and prevalence of CDin the adult population in Bosnia and Herzegovina(B&H), nor there are reports about the clinical presentation of CDin patients in B&H. AIM to assess the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of CDin the adult population in Tuzla Canton in northeast of Bosnia and Herzegovina. METHODS we retrospectively analyzed all hospital records of both adult inpatients and outpatients evaluated in University Clinical Center Tuzla, with suspected CD and residing in Tuzla Canton of B&H between 1.1.2007 and 31.12.2009. RESULTS during the 3-year period we registered 42 cases of celiac disease (CD) with 31/42 (73.8%) of female and 11/42 (26.2%) of male patients - male to female ratio 1 to 2.82. The average annual crude incidence of CD during the observed period was 2.55/105 population (%95 CI=1.74-3.36). The average crude incidence in men was 1.51/105 and 4.08/105 in women. The average annual standardized incidence during the time period 2007-2009 was 1.89/105 (%95 CI=1.32-2.56). The sum prevalence during the study period was 7.66/105 population. Prevalence among men was 4.53/105 and 12.23/105 among women. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of CD in our region is demonstrating a steep rise and apparently low prevalence in our region is merely a result of poor availability of diagnostics in previous years.

UNLABELLED The number of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (coronary artery bypass grafting-CABG) older than 70 years is increasing. Cardiac surgeons are investigate applicability of alternative and less invasive methods such as surgery without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The aim of this study was to compare the peri- and postoperative results of CABG in elderly patients operated with and without CPB. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study included subjects older than 70 years, who underwent coronary bypass surgery at the BH Heart Center Tuzla in the period from August 2008 to August 2010, divided into two groups. Group A consisted of 50 patients operated without CPB, group B 50 patients operated with CPB, adjusted by sex, left ventricular ejection fraction values, EuroSCORE, and the number of bypass grafts was made. RESULTS In the group treated without the use CPB there were significantly lower values of the time-duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the amount of postoperative bleeding and blood recovered, the length of hospital stay, levels of serum creatinine, C-reactive protein and creatine kinase MB fraction. CONCLUSION CABG without the use of CPB has a number of advantages over the method with CPB in elderly patients, which is evident from the lower values of renal and inflammatory parameters and markers of myocardial lesion, less time spent on a ventilator, shorter length of stay in the ICU and total hospitalization time, less postoperative bleeding and blood transfusion.