Introduction: Stroke is one of the largest socio medical problems of modern times. In addition to the third leading cause of death, it is the first cause of non-trauma disability. Numerous studies show a correlation of risk factors and arteriosclerotic lesions in the coronary arteries and carotid arteries. Patients and methods: Study was conducted at the Clinical Center University of Sarajevo, Clinic for Cardiology surgery, methodologically cross-sectional study and partly manipulative and clinical prevention study, conducted on a representative sample of 100 patients. The subject was divided into 2 groups, coronary and non-coronary patients. Both groups of patients underwent color Doppler of carotid arteries, medical history and laboratory analysis. Results: The results confirm the hypothesis that the critical carotid artery stenosis is more present in patients with coronary disease, while the association of risk factors has been demonstrated for diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia. Conclusion: Screening of carotid arteries in patients scheduled for coronary revascularization is essential. With the presence of critical stenosis of the carotid artery, surgery of carotid artery should be done before coronary revascularization. The implementation of aggressive education and prevention of risk factors for cardiovascular disease is needed.

Introduction: Atherosclerosis blood vessels, be it on extra-cranial or intra-cranial circulation, the most common cause of incidents such as cerebro-vascular insult (ICV). Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a preventive operation to reduce the risk of stroke and it can be performed by eversion carotid endarterectomy (E-CEA) or a classical carotid endarterectomy (C-CEA). The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the used techniques in basic perioperative results and the incidence of postoperative complications. Materials and Methods: It was retrospective-prospective study that involved 173 patients, with carotid stenosis, who underwent CEA, in the period of time December 2013 till December 2016. Subjects were divided into two groups in respect of technique: 90 patients were treated with E-CEA and 83 patients were treated with C-CEA. Results: Between two groups revealed a significant difference in favor of the patients from group E-CEA in the length of the surgery (92.56 ± 29.11 min. vs. 104.04 ± 18.01 min., P = 0.000), the time of clamping the carotid arteries (11.83 ± 1.81 min. vs. 23.69 ± 5:39 min., p = 0.000), the amount of post-operative drainage (25.33 ± 24.67 ml. vs. 36.14 ± 14:32 ml., p = 0.001), time spent in the intensive care unit (± 25.43 vs. 13:51 hours 34.54 ± 35.81 hours, p = 0.000), and the length of stay (4.60 ± 0.90 days vs. 5:42 ± 1.80 days, p = 0.001). In the patients of the group E-CEA, fewer number of individual postoperative complications without statistical significance: ICV (2.2% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.351), cardiac arrhythmia (2.2% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.351), transitory ischaemic attack (TIA) and cognitive disorder (2.2% vs. 7.2%, p = 0.117), mortality (1.1% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.954); and the total number of postoperative complications was significantly less in the same patients (7.77% vs. 18.7%, p = 0.042). Conclusion: The results of this study clearly indicate that operating techniques affects the specified monitored outcomes of vascular treatment of carotid arteries in favor of E-CEA technique. It would be ideally that the conclusions of this study contribute to broader use of E-CEA in treatment of carotid stenosis.

Summary Background: The production of erythrocytes is regulated by the hormone erythropoietin (EPO), which maintains the blood haemoglobin (Hb) levels constant under normal conditions. Human EPO is a glycoprotein hormone and its synthesis is controlled by the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor. The aim of this study was to establish EPO and Hb levels in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), as well as in control subjects, and to investigate the relationship between these parameters. Methods: This cross-sectional, observational study included 356 subjects with CKD divided into 4 subgroups according to their glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The control group consisted of 206 age and sex matched healthy subjects with GFR rate ≥90 mL/min/1.73 m2. EPO, Hb and serum creatinine levels were determined by using immunochemical and spectrophotometric methods. GFR was determined using the MDRD formula. Results: The CKD patients had significantly lower levels of haemoglobin (p<0.0005) and hematocrit (p<0.0005) compared to control group. Our results showed that Hb levels decreased, whereas serum creatinine increased with the increasing renal failure. The CKD patients in all four groups had significantly lower (p<0.0005) Hb levels, and significantly higher (p<0.0005) creatinine levels compared to the control group. The median EPO in group I and II were significantly higher (p=0.002; p=0.018), while median EPO in group III and IV were significantly lower (p=0.03; p=0.011) compared to the control group. Conclusions: In patients with CKD, GFR positively correlated with Hb and EPO, while the correlation between GFR and serum creatinine was negative.

Professor Ismet Ceric, MD, PhD, was one of the last representatives of the recognizable Sarajevo Neuropsychiatry School in the former Yugoslav territory, which was founded by Professor Nedo Zec (1899-1971) in 1946/47 with professors Dimitrije Dimitrijevic (1900-1989), Josip Horvat (1911-1964), Salih Ridjanovic, Slobodan Loga (1936-), Dusan Kecmanovic (1940-2014) and others.