BACKGROUND Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is an effective method for the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) that allows for a short hospital stay and fast recovery. It has been shown that PCI is a predictor of nonattendance at cardiac rehabilitation and correlates with poor adherence to lifestyle changes. AIMS The study was conducted to evaluate the influence of education offered during PCI -related hospitalization on knowledge, awareness, and prevalence of self -reported risk factors for CAD. METHODS We collected data using a self -designed 56-item questionnaire. Questions assessed the knowledge of CAD risk factors and the level of their control. The maximal knowledge score was 31 points and the maximal control score, 15 points. RESULTS The study group consisted of 200 consecutive patients undergoing PCI. Patients with a history of PCI performed at least 8 weeks prior to their current hospitalization were included in the prior -PCI group (64%), whereas the pre -PCI group comprised patients with no history of revascularization (36%). The median (interquartile range [IQR]) knowledge score was 19 (12.5-23) points in the pre -PCI and 21 (12.5-24) points in the prior -PCI group (P = 0.35). The median (IQR) risk control score was 5 (4.5-7) points in the pre -PCI and 6 (4-8) points in the prior -PCI group (P = 0.4). There was no correlation between the level of knowledge and the actual prevalence of CAD risk factors. We found that 50% of the prior -PCI patients did not attend any rehabilitation, which correlated with poor control of CAD risk factors (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Currently used models of postprocedural education do not have an adequate effect on patient knowledge and do not bring recommended lifestyle changes.

Nonagenarians undergoing PCI because of SA may have similar outcomes as patients younger than 90 years. In ACS presentation, they may have worse outcomes than younger counterparts.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α is a proinflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. The aim of the study was to establish an association between TNF-α promoter variability and systemic sclerosis (SSc). The study included 43 SSc patients and 74 controls. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs361525, rs1800629, rs1799724, and rs1799964) located at the promoter of the TNFA gene were genotyped using commercially available TaqMan allelic discrimination assays with real-time PCR. The rs1799724 allele was associated with an increased SSc susceptibility (p = 0.028). In turn, none of the polymorphisms studied were related to the clinical and laboratory parameters of SSc patients, except for a higher prevalence of anti-Ro52 antibodies in the AG rs1800629 genotype in comparison to GG carriers (p = 0.04). Three of four cancer patients had both CT rs1799964 and AG rs361525 genotypes; thus, both of them were related to the increased risk of cancer, as compared to the TT (p = 0.03) and GG carriers (p = 0.0003), respectively. The TNFA C rs1799724 variant is associated with an increased risk of SSc, while the CT rs1799964 and AG rs361525 genotypes might enhance cancer susceptibility in SSc patients, although large observational and experimental studies are needed to verify the above hypothesis.

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Introduction: hypereosinophilic syndrome (hes) is a group of a rare diseases characterized by marked eosinophilia in blood or tissue and eosinophil-related clinical manifestations. Benralizumab is a humanized, monoclonal antibody against interleukin 5 (il-5) receptor a, which is expressed on human eosinophils.Case study: here, we present the case of a patient with severe hes in whom treatment with benralizumab, an anti-il-5 receptor monoclonal antibody, was initiated 6 months ago. Prior to benralizumab administration, the patient was treated with glucocorticoids (gs) and mepolizumab. however, instead of the applied treatment and normal level of peripheral eosinophils the patient presented with fluctuating lower respiratory tract symptoms and recurrent exacerbations of hes.Results: treatment with benralizumab (30 mg s.c. every 4-6 weeks) was started, resulting in significant improvement of respiratory signs and symptoms, normalization of eosinophil count and significant reduction of the methylprednisolone dose (after 5 doses of benralizumab administration). no substantial side effects have been noted during treatment and 6-month follow-up.Conclusions: We argue that in the severe and relapsing course of hes, rescue treatment with benralizumab should be taken into account, particularly in cases of relative inefficacy of gs and mepolizumab.