1. Biological treatment approach to inflammatory bowel disease is similar in academic and nonacademic centres – prime time for decentralisation of inflammatory bowel disease care?Katja Tepeš, Jurij Hanžel, David Štubljar, Karin Strmšek, Luka Erjavec, Eva Supovec, Zala Jagodic, Mirjam Končan, Jan Grosek, Jurij Aleš Košir, Aleš Tomažič, Urška Kogovšek, Gregor Norčič, Renata Šibli, Marija Žnidaršič, Tadeja Pačnik Vižintin, Barbara Sodin, Janez Breznik, Vanesa Anderle, Andreja Ocepek, Cvetka Pernat Drobež, Nejc Bukovnik, Andrej Zafošnik, Tamara Marušič, Nataša Brglez Jurečič, Maja Denkovski, Nataša Smrekar, Gregor Novak, Matic Koželj, Tina Kurent, Jože Simonič, Špela Pintar, Borut Štabuc, David Drobne, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Ključne besede: inflammatory bowel disease, biological treatment choice
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 08.06.2026; Ogledov: 275; Prenosov: 208
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2. Ten-year trends in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in Slovenia (2014–2023) : laboratory-based data from tested individuals and COVID-19-period changesJoško Osredkar, Darko Siuka, Aleš Jerin, Borut Štabuc, Uroš Godnov, 2026, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Background: Vitamin D status is influenced by season, age, and public health messaging. The COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by heightened interest in vitamin D, but long-term national data from Central/Eastern Europe remain limited. We aimed to characterize 10-year trends, seasonal variation, and demographic determinants of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] in Slovenia, with particular focus on changes during the COVID-19 period. Methods: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of all serum 25(OH)D measurements performed at the Slovenian national reference laboratory between January 2014 and December 2023. The core analytic cohort included 106,875 patients with valid 25(OH)D results, aged 0–100 years. Vitamin D status was classified as deficient (<30 nmol/L), insufficient (30–50 nmol/L), adequate (50–75 nmol/L), and optimal (>75 nmol/L). Temporal trends, seasonal patterns, and age- and sex-specific differences were assessed using non-parametric tests and Kendall’s τ. Results: Mean 25(OH)D concentration over the study period was 61.9 ± 34.2 nmol/L; 16.0% of patients were deficient and 22.8% insufficient. Annual mean 25(OH)D increased from 57.0 nmol/L in 2014 to 67.2 nmol/L in 2023, with a significant upward temporal trend and a 14.6% higher mean level during 2020–2023 compared with 2014–2019. Seasonal variation was pronounced (≈20% higher summer–autumn vs. winter–spring), and vitamin D status declined progressively with age, with the highest deficiency prevalence in patients ≥ 70 years. Females had slightly higher 25(OH)D than males, although absolute differences were small. Conclusions: This laboratory-based analysis of tested patients showed higher 25(OH)D concentrations during and after the COVID-19 period, superimposed on persistent seasonal and age-related gradients. These observations identify older adults and winter testing periods as important contexts for vitamin D optimization, but they should be interpreted as descriptive trends among tested individuals rather than as evidence of causal pandemic effects or population-wide prevalence changes.
Ključne besede: 25-hydroxyvitamin D, seasonal variation, deficiency, age factors, COVID-19 pandemic
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 24.04.2026; Ogledov: 297; Prenosov: 234
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3. Gastric intestinal metaplasia in children and adolescents is reversible upon reaching adulthood - results from a long-term cohort studyJan Drnovšek, Nina Zidar, Jera Jeruc, Lojze Šmid, Gaj Vidmar, Borut Štabuc, Matjaž Homan, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Background/Objectives: Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) is considered an irreversible preneoplastic precursor for gastric adenocarcinoma in adults. However, its significance in children and the long-term outcome remain poorly understood. Methods: All children diagnosed with GIM between 2000 and 2020 were identified at a large tertiary referral centre. Upon reaching adulthood (≥18 years), the patients were invited to undergo follow-up esophagogastroduodenoscopy (using narrow-band imaging additionally to high-definition white light endoscopy), with gastric biopsies obtained according to the updated Sydney protocol. Childhood and adulthood gastric biopsies were re-evaluated by two experienced gastrointestinal pathologists using Kreyberg staining. Results: Paediatric GIM was diagnosed in 178/14,409 (1.2%) esophagogastroduodenoscopies performed during the study period. Fifty adult patients with childhood GIM agreed to participate in the study. The mean age at childhood and adulthood endoscopies were 14.3 years (median 15) and 25.2 years (median 24), respectively. The mean follow-up interval was 10.5 years. All childhood GIM cases were classified as complete-type. Notably, GIM completely resolved in 41/50 of patients (82%) by the time of adulthood follow-up. No dysplasia or carcinoma was detected in any patient. Childhood Helicobacter pylori infection, similar to other evaluated host-related factors, was not significantly associated with the persistence of GIM into adulthood (11.2% vs. 29.3%, p = 0.41). Conclusions: Childhood GIM was a rare finding but demonstrated a high rate of reversibility by adulthood regardless of Helicobacter pylori status, with no cases of dysplasia or carcinoma observed during long-term follow-up.
Ključne besede: gastric intestinal metaplasia, preneoplastic lesion, gastric cancer, Helicobacter pylori, paediatric, esophagogastroduodenoscopy
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 10.04.2026; Ogledov: 350; Prenosov: 243
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4. Brain changes in alcohol induced liver cirrhosis patients : insights from quantitative susceptibility mappingAndrej Vovk, Stefan Ropele, Sebastian Stefanović, Borut Štabuc, Dušan Šuput, Marjana Turk Jerovšek, Gašper Zupan, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Background and Purpose: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a neuropsychiatric syndrome associated with liver cirrhosis (LC) that often results in cognitive impairment. Minimal HE (mHE), a subtle form of the condition, significantly affects patients’ quality of life. Advanced imaging techniques, such as quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), provide new insights into the brain changes associated with HE. Materials and Methods: The study included 28 patients (17 with mHE and 11 without) with alcohol-induced LC and 25 healthy controls. MR imaging, including QSM, was utilized to assess microstructural tissue changes and iron deposition in the brain. Cognitive function was assessed through a neuropsychological test battery. QSM quantified magnetic susceptibility in deep gray matter, while enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) were evaluated using T2-weighted images. Statistical analyses, including non-parametric tests and linear regression, assessed differences in susceptibility and their correlation with cognitive performance and EPVS. Results: Significant differences in cognitive performance and brain susceptibility were observed between patients and controls. Patients exhibited lower susceptibility in the caudate nucleus with the accumbens (CNA); mHE patients, in particular, had a significant reduction in CNA susceptibility. Additionally, EPVS grade correlated positively with cognitive decline, suggesting that EPVS may play an essential role in the pathophysiology of mHE. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that QSM can detect subtle brain changes in LC patients, with decreased susceptibility in the CN (caudate nucleus) linked to cognitive impairment in mHE. The role of EPVS in HE warrants further investigation, as it may affect the efficacy of current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. These findings highlight the potential of QSM to improve HE assessment.
Ključne besede: hepatic encephalopathy, QSM, enlarged perivascular spaces
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 09.04.2026; Ogledov: 314; Prenosov: 180
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5. Disrupted vitamin D metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma : free and bioavailable 25(OH)D as novel biomarkers of hepatic reserve and clinical riskJoško Osredkar, Matej Rakuša, Aleš Jerin, Borut Štabuc, Martin Zaplotnik, Saša Štupar, Darko Siuka, 2026, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Background: Although total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) measurements may not accurately reflect functional vitamin D status, vitamin D deficiency is common in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The contribution of altered vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) and albumin to impaired bioavailability is poorly characterized in liver cancer. Methods: We measured total, free, and bioavailable 25(OH)D, VDBP, and albumin in 46 HCC patients and 87 healthy controls during winter and summer. Correlations with Child–Pugh score, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage, and disease aetiology were evaluated. Results: HCC patients exhibited significantly lower VDBP (177.3 ± 237.0 vs. 239.9 ± 141.9 mg/L, p < 0.001) and albumin (35.9 ± 5.4 vs. 48.0 ± 3.9 g/L, p < 0.001) compared to winter controls. Total 25(OH)D was lower in HCC (39.3 ± 22.1 nmol/L) versus summer controls (75.0 ± 22.8 nmol/L, p < 0.001) but comparable to winter controls (p = 0.061). HCC patients lacked seasonal variation in vitamin D fractions, unlike the controls. VDBP negatively correlated with free (ρ = −0.606, p < 0.001) and bioavailable 25(OH)D (ρ = −0.541, p < 0.001). Child–Pugh score correlated positively with BCLC stage (ρ = 0.378, p = 0.012) and inversely with albumin (ρ = −0.565, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Free and bioavailable vitamin D are profoundly compromised in HCC, reflecting impaired hepatic synthetic function and systemic inflammation. These fractions may serve as novel metabolic biomarkers superior to total 25(OH)D for assessing vitamin D deficiency and guiding individualized supplementation strategies in patients with liver cancer.
Ključne besede: hepatocellular carcinoma, vitamin D metabolism, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, free vitamin D, bioavailable vitamin D, vitamin D-binding protein, albumin, Child-Pugh score, BCLC staging, biomarkers
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 08.04.2026; Ogledov: 285; Prenosov: 185
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8. First-line anti-TNF agents, ustekinumab and vedolizumab perform similarly in Crohn' disease, but not in ulcerative colitisEva Supovec, Jurij Hanžel, Gregor Novak, Damjan Manevski, Borut Štabuc, David Drobne, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Background: Real-word comparisons between first-line biologicals in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are scarce. Aims: The aim of this study is to compare drug persistence and patient reported outcome-2 (PRO-2) remission rates of first-line biological classes [anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents vs anti-integrin vedolizumab vs IL-12/23 inhibitor ustekinumab] in real life cohort. Methods: Individual level data of 946 adults (588 Crohn's disease and 358 ulcerative colitis) were retrieved from UR-CARE IBD platform. Adjusted drug survival curves using a pooled logistic model and PRO-2 remission rates for each class of biologicals were calculated and compared. Results: In Crohn's disease, no differences in drug survival were observed for anti-TNF agents vs vedolizumab vs ustekinumab as estimated survival with 95% confidence intervals were 0.81 (0.77-0.84) vs 0.89 (0.82-0.96) vs 0.88 (0.79-0.97) at year 1 and 0.52 (0.46-0.58) vs 0.58 (0.37-0.78) vs 0.58 (0.39-0.77) at year 4. In ulcerative colitis, however, anti-TNF agents had shorter drug survival than vedolizumab with estimated drug survival with 95% confidence intervals 0.60 (0.52-0.67) vs 0.76 (0.67-0.84) at year 1 and 0.37 (0.30-0.44) vs 0.50 (0.36-0.64) at year 4. No differences in PRO-2 remission rates were observed between drug classes in Crohn's disease (P = 0.95), but more patients enjoyed PRO-2 remission in ulcerative colitis treated with anti-TNF agents compared to vedolizumab (94.8 vs 78.9%, P = 0.002). Conclusion: Our real-world data suggest similar drug persistence and efficacy of first-line treatments with anti-TNF agents, vedolizumab and ustekinumab in Crohn's disease. In ulcerative colitis, however, drug persistence was higher for vedolizumab compared to anti-TNF agents, but on the cost of lower PRO-2 remission rates.
Ključne besede: anti-TNF agents, ustekinumab, vedolizumab
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 01.12.2025; Ogledov: 1028; Prenosov: 400
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9. Free and bioavailable vitamin D are correlated with disease severity in acute pancreatitis : a single-center, prospective studyDarko Siuka, Matej Rakuša, Aleš Vodenik, Lana Vodnik Klun, Borut Štabuc, David Štubljar, David Drobne, Helena Matelič, Joško Osredkar, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is primarily caused by inflammation and immunological responses, both of which are regulated by vitamin D. The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between the severity of AP and vitamin D levels, including its total, free, and bioavailable forms. Eighty individuals with AP were enrolled in this study. Serum levels of free 25(OH)D3, bioavailable 25(OH)D3, and total 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D3 were assessed. The severity of the disease course was assessed by scoring systems (Revised Atlanta classification, Ranson score, CTSI). Vitamin D deficiency was common in AP patients, with 31.3% being categorized as deficient (<50 nmol/L) and 27.5% having a severe deficiency (<30 nmol/L). Compared to patients with adequate vitamin D status, those with lower vitamin D levels had a significantly higher risk of developing moderate-to-severe AP (44.7% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.029). Patients with severe vitamin D insufficiency were the only ones who experienced severe AP. Clinical outcomes showed similar correlations: patients with significant vitamin D deficiency had longer hospital stays (mean of 12.1 ± 5.3 days vs. 7.8 ± 3.4 days, p = 0.018) and higher rates of ICU admission (31.8% vs. 8.0%, p = 0.007). Low levels of total, free, and bioavailable vitamin D were significantly associated with the severity of AP and ICU admission. Free, bioavailable, and total vitamin D were correlated with the severity of acute pancreatitis. All severe cases occurred in patients with severe vitamin D deficiency. Given the observational design, these associations require confirmation in interventional or mechanistic studies.
Ključne besede: vitamin D deficiency, acute pancreatitis severity, free and bioavailable vitamin D, inflammation and immune response, clinical outcomes
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 25.11.2025; Ogledov: 648; Prenosov: 435
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10. A "crossomics" study analysing variability of different components in peripheral blood of health caucasoid individualsKristina Gruden, Matjaž Hren, Ana Herman, Andrej Blejec, Tanja Albrecht, Joachim Selbig, Chris Bauer, Jochannes Schuchardt, Michal Or-Guil, Klemen Zupančič, Urban Švajger, Borut Štabuc, Alojz Ihan, Andreja Nataša Kopitar, Maja Ravnikar, Miomir Knežević, Primož Rožman, Matjaž Jeras, 2012, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Background: Different immunotherapy approaches for the treatment of cancer andautoimmune diseases are being developed and tested in clinical studies worldwide. Their resulting complex experimental data should be properly evaluated, therefore reliable normal healthy control baseline values are indispensable. Methodology/Principal Findings: To assess intra- and inter-individual variability of various biomarkers, peripheral blood of 16 age and gender equilibrated healthy volunteers was sampled on 3 different days within a period of one month. Complex ććcrossomicsćć analyses of plasma metabolite profiles, antibody concentrations and lymphocyte subset counts as well as whole genome expression profiling in CD4+T and NK cells were performed. Some of the observed age, gender and BMI dependences are in agreement with the existing knowledge, like negative correlation between sex hormone levels and age or BMI related increase in lipids and soluble sugars. Thus we can assume that the distribution of all 39.743 analysed markers is well representing the normal Caucasoid population. All lymphocyte subsets, 20% of metabolites and less than 10% of genes, were identified as highly variable in our dataset. Conclusions/Significance: Our study shows that the intra-individual variability was at least two-fold lower compared to the inter-individual one at all investigated levels, showing the importance of personalised medicine approach from yet another perspective.
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 04.03.2025; Ogledov: 916; Prenosov: 1048
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