Myocarditis is a limited or diffuse inflammation of the heart muscle, the cause of which might be infectious (viruses, bacteria, fungi, rickettsiae, parasites, protozoas) or non-infectious (systemic diseases, metabolic diseases, toxins). There are types of myocarditis the etiological factor of which cannot be determined and therefore are classified into the group of idiopathic myocarditis. The clinical picture depends on the intensity of the inflammatory process and the lesion topography, varying from a mild form of the disease to severe malignant myocarditis followed by the development of cardiac insufficiency as well as by fatal outcome within a few days. Resting is recommended as the basic method of therapy in all of the patients with suspected myocarditis. If there are signs and symptoms of cardiac insufficiency, an anticongestive therapy must be introduced (diuretics, vasodilators, digitalis). If the conventional therapy does not produce the desired results, it is necessary to introduce continuous intravenous inotropes (dobutamine or phosphodiesterase inhibitors). Rhythm disorders in patients with myocarditis require an appropriate antiarrhythmic drug therapy that should be given as soon as possible. Acute pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium characterized by chest pain, pericardial friction rub, and serial electrocardiogram (ECG) changes. Awareness of the disease has increased due to the introduction of noninvasive diagnostic techniques such as echocardiography, CT scanning, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) . The disease can be severe and even lethal, especially in immunosuppressed children. The disease causative agent can usually be identified from the pericardial fluid by culture or more sensitive tests (e.g. polymerase chain reaction - PCR or from pericardial biopsy samples).

Introduction. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), formerly known as Wegener?s granulomatosis, is characterized by necrotizing granulomatous inflammation in various tissues, including blood vessels, but primarily in the respiratory tract and kidneys. Clinical manifestations can be diverse, including inflammation of the eye and adnexa. Optic neuritis is a very rare ophthalmological manifestation of GPA, not previously described in a teenager. Case report. We presented a case of a 16-year-old girl with a rare extrapulmonary manifestation of GPA. The girl had a previous history of GPA and complained of a sudden blurred vision in the left eye. She was promptly referred to an ophthalmologist who noted a decreased visual acuity of 20/400 in the left eye. Colour vision was impaired in the spectrum of red colour. Clinical examination revealed normal anterior segment findings. On ophthalmoscopy, the left optic nerve oedema was noted. Urgent computed tomography of the left orbit showed a soft tissue mass around the optic nerve in the apex of the orbit. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis of optic perineuritis. After pulse doses of methylprednisolone, the girl achieved complete resolution of vision in the left eye. Conclusion. If untreated, inflammation of the optic nerve can lead to a permanent loss of vision. Prompt diagnostic and adequate treatment of patients with GPA is needed in order to prevent vision-threatening complications and control the systemic disease.

Summary Introduction The aim of this research was to determine oral hygiene related habits, knowledge and behavior in children with asthma compared to healthy children. Methodology This study included 136 children, between 6 to 16 years of age, divided into the two groups. The first group included children with asthma (study group - SG), while the second included healthy children (control group - CG). A questionnaire containing three groups of questions related to oral-hygiene and dietery habits as well as oral health related behaviour in children was prepared. Results The percentage of children from SG that brush teeth several times a day was 60.2% compared to 77.2% of CG children (p<0.05). 19.1% of SG group children versus 38.2% of CG children brush their teeth longer than 2 minutes (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the level of knowledge about plaque impact on oral health between the two groups (p>0.05). More than half (52.9%) of CG respondents regularly visit dentist, while 50.0% of SG goes regularly (p<0.01). 51.5% of CG children visit the pediatric dentist due to preventive reasons, while SG children goes mainly due to rehabilitation of teeth (42.6%). The fear of dental procedures is more pronounced in SG compared to CG children (p<0.001). Conclusion Oral hygiene related habits and oral health behavior were worse in children with asthma, while no difference was found in relation to the knowledge among the observed groups.