At the 18th ECCO Congress, held in March 2023 in Copenhagen, results from a Spanish real-world study were presented. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC), including the impact of this drug on extraintestinal manifestations of the disease and immune-mediated diseases.

Thanks to the expansion of modern therapies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, many patients now have regimens based on venetoclax. Do you want to help them better understand the practical aspects and principles of this therapy? For this purpose, the Czech Group for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (ČSCLL) in collaboration with PharmDr. Petra Rozsívalová from the Department of Clinical Pharmacy of the Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and the University Hospital Hradec Králové has compiled a new brochure. It clearly and simply informs how this treatment works, the available dosages, how to use it correctly, and the most common side effects. Of course, it includes many practical tips, such as what to do if a patient forgets to take a dose, which foods interact with the treatment, and whether it affects the efficacy of vaccinations.

One of the unique characteristics of certain microorganisms is their ability to form organized communities enveloped in extracellular polymeric matrix and firmly attached to a solid surface or interphase or forming aggregates, collectively referred to as biofilm. Clinically, the major issue is the formation of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic organisms' biofilm on tissues (such as respiratory tracts) or the surfaces of various medical devices (including catheters and implants), as it represents a dangerous complication leading to the development of chronic, recurrent, and scarcely treatable conditions.

One of the substances that could potentially influence the success of treatments for infections associated with biofilm formation in the future is erdostein. This medication is used in the treatment of both acute and chronic diseases of the respiratory system (including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) usually accompanied by increased mucus production. Its effect is mediated by several mechanisms that can also affect bacterial biofilm.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has an irreplaceable role in intensive care medicine. In the context of preventing complications caused by blood clot formation, unfractionated heparin is most commonly used in patients on extracorporeal circulation. However, its administration can lead to complex coagulopathies, which may result in increased bleeding or, perhaps surprisingly, a higher frequency of blood clot formation. A unique case study recently presented by authors from Motol University Hospital in Prague demonstrates the safety and effectiveness of using low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) enoxaparin in this indication for a patient connected to ECMO for a very long duration (3 months), with several days even on two devices simultaneously.

Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are utilized in patients with end-stage heart failure (HF). Warfarin is typically employed for long-term anticoagulation, but there are no standardized recommendations for anticoagulant therapy during the postoperative period. One option to bridge the time until therapeutic INR is achieved after LVAD implantation is the low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) enoxaparin, which was investigated for its efficacy and safety in this indication by experts from Kansas, USA, cited in the following study.

In a freshly published retrospective study, experts from the University of Arkansas investigated how well the professional recommendation that cancer patients undergo extended venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis after major gastrointestinal (GI) surgeries is being followed and what impact this has in real practice.

The aim of the systematic review of the literature published last year was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of initiating treatment with subcutaneously administered immunoglobulins (SCIG) in patients with primary immunodeficiency (PID) who had not previously been treated with this modality. There was insufficient data available for such a defined population because SCIGs had typically been introduced into studies only after intravenously administered immunoglobulins (IVIG).

The Jeffrey Modell Foundation (JMF) proposed 10 warning signs of primary immunodeficiencies (PID). The study presented below examined whether they are applicable to secondary immunodeficiencies (SID) and whether there are any additional signs that could help in diagnosing SID.

Not all patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) who are indicated for biological treatment with dupilumab manage to reach centers where the treatment is provided. It's even more unfortunate when there's ample evidence that the effects of this therapy on disease manifestations and overall quality of life extend beyond just the patients. It also impacts the lives of their close ones who care for those with atopic dermatitis. Head of the Clinic of Venereal and Skin Diseases at Charles University and the University Hospital Hradec Králové Doc. MUDr. Miloslav Salavec, CSc., evaluates how dupilumab has performed over several years of real clinical practice and the specific benefits it has brought to patients.

What is the perception and view of the treatment options for immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) from the patients' perspective, what do they fear, what approaches do they prefer, and why? Lozano et al. included a discussion on this topic in their review article for Expert Review of Hematology, which can be helpful in clinical practice for better understanding patients' needs and adjusting treatment algorithms.

What is the role of second-line therapy, in this case romiplostim, in the management of adult ITP patients who have not yet reached the chronic phase of the disease?

Tafamidis is used in the therapy of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), which has proven its benefit in the ATTR-ACT clinical study. The results of its open-label extension study show that early diagnosis and prompt initiation of therapy are crucial.

A post hoc analysis of a phase II study with tofacitinib in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) evaluated the suppression of spinal inflammation using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based on the Canadian-Danish scoring system (CANDEN), which allows for the assessment of changes in posterolateral structures of the spine, characteristic of AS involvement.

Inflammation in the area where a tendon, ligament, or joint capsule attaches to the bone occurs in 35–50% of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Its presence is associated with higher activity of PsA, and its intensity correlates with the degree of joint damage. Patients with enthesitis are generally in worse functional status and report greater fatigue, pain, and decreased productivity. How can treatment with tofacitinib affect this important domain of PsA?