Vaitiekus, Domas
Item type:Publication, conference output[2026][T1e][M001,N010][2]; ; ; ; ; ; ; 11th Kaunas/Lithuania International Hematology/Oncology Colloquium : 8 May 2026 : Online poster abstract book / Editor Prof. Elona Juozaitytė, 2026-05-08, p. 42-43Background and Objectives Breast cancer (BC) is a heterogenous disease characterized by substantial variability in tumor biology and clinical behavior. This heterogeneity is reflected in clinicopathological features, including hormone receptor status, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression, tumor histological grade, tumor size, and disease stage, which describe tumor features and are key determinants of prognosis. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been proposed as potential contributors to inter-individual differences in these tumor features and clinical outcomes; however, their role in early-stage BC remains insufficiently defined. In this study, polymorphisms in the RRP1B gene, specifically rs2838342 and rs2051407, were investigated for their potential associations with BC features and outcomes. Material and Method Study population. A total of 191 adult female patients with primary stage I-II BC were enrolled. All participants provided written informed consent, and the study was approved by the Kaunas Regional Ethics Committee for Biomedical Research (nos. BE-2-10 and P1-BE-2-10/2014). Peripheral blood samples were collected for genetic analysis. DNA extraction and genotyping. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood using a spin column-based extraction method with a commercially available kit. SNP genotyping was performed using TaqMan allelic discrimination assays on a Quanstudio 3 Real-Time PCR System. Statistical analysis. Associations between SNPs and clinicopathological features as well as binary clinical outcomes (disease progression, metastasis status, and mortality status) were evaluated using logistic regression under an additive genetic model. Both univariate and age-adjusted multivariable analyses were performed. Sensitivity analyses using alternative genetic models were conducted for selected SNPoutcome associations showing non-linear patterns in genotype distributions. Progression-free, overall, and metastasis-free survival (MFS) were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier with log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazards regression models under an additive genetic model. Multivariable Cox models were adjusted for established clinicopathological prognostic factors. To account for multiple testing, the Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) correction was applied separately for clinicopathological features (n = 12), binary clinical outcomes (n = 6), and Cox models (n = 6), using p-values from fully adjusted additive models. Kaplan-Meier analyses were considered descriptive and were not included in correction. Adjusted p-values (q-values) < 0.05 were considered significant. All statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 30.0.0.0. Results Genotype distributions were as follows: for rs2838342, AA 30.9% (n = 59), AG 51.8%, (n = 99), and GG 17.3% (n = 33); for rs2051407, CC 36.6% (n = 70), CT 45.5 % (n = 87), and TT 17.8% (n = 34). The minor allele frequencies were 43.2% for rs2838342 and 40.6% for rs2051407. Genotype frequencies for both SNPs were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p > 0.05). In age-adjusted additive logistic regression models, rs2838342 was associated with tumor size (p = 0.022) and histological grade (p = 0.032), although neither association remained significant after correction for multiple testing. Under a recessive genetic model, rs2838342 was associated with estrogen receptor (ER) status after adjustment for age group (OR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.17-0.85, p = 0.018), suggesting a lower likelihood of ER positivity among GG homozygotes. A similar nonsignificant trend under the same genetic model was observed for rs2051407 (p = 0.072). Kaplan-Meier analyses showed no statistically significant differences in survival outcomes across genotype groups. Consistently, no associations were observed in Cox regression analyses under unadjusted or multivariable-adjusted models accounting for age and clinicopathological variables. All results remained non-significant after Benjamini-Hochberg FDR correction. Conclusions and Recommendations No statistically significant associations were observed between the studied SNPs and clinicopathological or survival outcomes after multiple testing correction. However, nominal and model-specific associations for rs2838342 indicate a potential role in tumor biology requiring validation in larger, independent cohorts.
4 Item type:Publication, conference output[2026][T1e][M001][2]; ; ; ; ; ; ; 11th Kaunas/Lithuania International Hematology/Oncology Colloquium : 8 May 2026 : Online poster abstract book / Editor Prof. Elona Juozaitytė, 2026-05-08, p. 19-20Background and Objectives CMV infection remains a common and clinically significant complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), particularly in the setting of profound post-transplant immunosuppression. CMV reactivation occurs frequently in the early post-transplant period and represents a major challenge in clinical management, especially among seropositive recipients. It may contribute not only to direct organ involvement but also to indirect effects, including increased susceptibility to secondary infections and impaired immune reconstitution. The clinical impact of CMV reactivation may vary depending on patient-related and transplantrelated factors, reflecting the heterogeneity of the transplanted population. Despite advances in viral monitoring and preemptive therapy, CMV reactivation continues to be associated with an increased risk of post-transplant complications and higher mortality rates. This study aimed to assess the frequency of CMV reactivation and evaluate its impact on complications and early post-transplant mortality in a retrospective single-center cohort. Material and Method A retrospective single-center study was conducted including 77 patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Clinics between 2020 and 2025. The study population consisted of adult patients with a median age of 56 years, with a balanced sex distribution, and predominantly myeloid underlying diseases. CMV reactivation was monitored using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Associations between CMV reactivation and post-transplant complications as well as early posttransplant mortality were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods, including chisquare or Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables and non-parametric tests for continuous variables. Early mortality was defined as death during the initial posttransplant hospitalization or within 100 days after transplantation, whichever occurred later. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors. IBM SPSS Statistics (version 30.0.0) was used for statistical analysis. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results CMV reactivation was observed in 53.2% of patients and occurred in 58.0% of seropositive recipients with available serostatus data. The median time to CMV reactivation was 14 days after transplantation (IQR 7.5–27.5), with a mean of 17.8 ± 12.0 days. Antiviral treatment for CMV infection was required in 43.9% of patients with reactivation, reflecting a substantial clinical burden of CMV management after transplantation. CMV reactivation was more frequently observed in patients who developed graft-versus-host disease (65.0% vs. 49.1%), although this difference did not reach statistical significance. Patients with CMV reactivation had a higher frequency of infectious complications (70.7% vs. 55.6%) and overall complications (85.4% vs. 72.2%) compared to those without reactivation; however, these associations did not reach statistical significance. A similar trend was observed across different complication types, suggesting a consistent pattern despite the lack of statistical significance. No significant association was found between CMV DNA load and the number of complications; however, this finding should be interpreted with caution given the limited sample size. CMV reactivation was associated with significantly increased early post-transplant mortality (36.6% vs. 11.1%; p = 0.010), indicating a clinically meaningful impact on early outcomes. In multivariate analysis adjusted for age and graft-versus-host disease, CMV reactivation remained an independent predictor of early mortality (OR = 5.00; 95% CI: 1.44–17.39; p = 0.011). These findings highlight the clinical relevance of CMV reactivation in the early post-transplant period. Conclusions and Recommendations CMV reactivation is a frequent complication after allo-HSCT and was associated with significantly increased early post-transplant mortality, remaining an independent predictor after adjustment for relevant clinical factors. A consistent trend towards higher rates of infectious and overall complications was observed in patients with CMV reactivation, although statistical significance was not reached. In contrast to findings reported in the literature, no association was identified between CMV DNA load and complication burden, which is likely related to the limited sample size of this study. The relatively small cohort (n = 77) may have reduced the statistical power to detect significant associations. These findings highlight the importance of careful CMV monitoring and timely antiviral intervention in the early post-transplant period. Further studies with larger cohorts are needed to better define the clinical impact of CMV reactivation and to validate these findings.
14 Item type:Publication, journal article[2026][S1][M001,N011][13]; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Scandinavian Journal of Pain, 2026-03-13, vol. 26, no. 1, p. 1-13Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of polymorphisms in cytokine genes on pain severity and pain treatment with palliative radiotherapy.
24 Item type:Publication, conference output[2026][T1e][M001][2]; 10th International Health Sciences Conference IHSC : March 5th-6th, 2026 : Abstract book / Edited by Beatrice Ziulyte, Karina Zerr, Gabija Varkuleviciute & Ignas Jusis, 2026-03-05, p. 573-574Introduction Long-term disease stability following discontinuation of targeted therapy is rarely observed in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) despite advances in systemic treatment.[1] Sunitinib is an oral multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that inhibition includes VEGFR and PDGFR, suppressing angiogenesis central to ccRCC biology.[2] This case highlights a prolonged treatment-free interval after sunitinib discontinuation due to toxicity. Case Presentation A 64-year-old female was diagnosed with left-sided ccRCC (pT3aNxM1, G3) with left lung and abdominal lymph node metastases. According to IMDC criteria, the patient was classified as intermediate risk. Left nephrectomy and adrenalectomy were performed, followed by sunitinib in 2017 (50 mg daily, 14 days on/7 days off). A complete response was achieved in 2018, later confirmed on multiple CT scans. During ongoing treatment in 2021, the patient developed sunitinib-associated adverse effects: hypothyroidism, nephrotic syndrome, and deep vein thrombosis, leading to permanent discontinuation. After discontinuation, nephrotic syndrome regressed. The patient has since remained under active surveillance, with no radiological or clinical progression for over four years. Discussion The patient demonstrates prolonged treatment-free survival (TFS). Published retrospective data indicate that patients previously treated with sunitinib monotherapy typically experience a TFS of approximately 3–4.5 months.[3,4] Treatment-related toxicity commonly leads to TKI discontinuation.[5] Nephrotic syndrome is a rare complication linked to prolonged sunitinib use. Discontinuation of sunitinib has been reported to result in regression of nephrotic syndrome and renal recovery.[6,7] At the time of treatment, TKI therapy was standard treatment approach. Current ccRCC management is based on IMDC risk stratification and includes immune checkpoint inhibitors and other therapeutic options.[8] Conclusions This case illustrates unusually prolonged TFS in metastatic renal cell carcinoma after sunitinib discontinuation due to toxicity, with reversible nephrotic syndrome and stable disease over four years, highlighting the potential for durable control and the clinical relevance of TFS.
9 Item type:Publication, research article[2026][S1][M001][18]; ; ; ; ; Complications are frequent in cancer patients and contribute to adverse outcomes and higher healthcare costs, underscoring the need for earlier identification and prediction. This study evaluated the feasibility of using passively generated smartphone sensor data to explore early-warning signals of complications and symptom worsening during cancer treatment. A total of 108 patients were continuously monitored using accelerometer, GPS, and screen on/off data collected through the LAIMA application, while symptoms of depression, fatigue, and nausea were assessed every two weeks and complications were confirmed during clinic visits or emergency presentations. Smartphone data streams were aggregated into variables describing activity and sociability patterns. Machine learning models, including Decision Tree, Extreme Gradient Boosting, K-Nearest Neighbors, and Support Vector Machine, were used for complication prediction, and time-series models such as Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average, Holt–Winters, TBATS, Long Short-Term Memory neural network, and General Regression Neural Network were applied to identify early behavioral changes preceding symptom reports. In this exploratory analysis, the ensemble model demonstrated high sensitivity (89%) for identifying complication events. Smartphone-derived behavioral indicators enabled earlier detection of depression, fatigue, and vomiting by about nine days in a subset of patients. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of passive smartphone sensor data as exploratory early-warning signals, warranting validation in larger cohorts.
13 Item type:Publication, conference poster[2025][T1a][M001][1]; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Bone marrow transplantation : The 51st Annual Meeting of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation: Physicians – Poster Session (P001-P909), 2025-11-05, vol. 60, no. Suppl. 1, p. 633-633Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection/reactivation continues to represent one of the most opportunistic infections after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). CMV infection can escalate to CMV disease with complex outcomes that may be challenging to manage. CMV can indirectly contribute to reduced overall survival (OS) and increase non–relapse mortality (NRM) in HSCT patients. Prevention of CMV and early pre–emptive strategies are fundamental to reduce the risk of end–organ disease. Risk factors for CMV infection or disease include CMV seropositive recipients, mismatched and unrelated transplants, the use of T cell depletion agents, steroid therapy, graft–versus–host disease (GvHD), administration of CMV–positive blood products in seronegative recipients, among other factors. Ganciclovir or valganciclovir remain the mainstream of CMV management in HSCT. Due to adverse effects such as leukopenia and nephrotoxicity, some patients may exhibit intolerance or necessitate early discontinuation of such drugs. A recent review indicated that the pre–emptive use of CMVIG resulted in an overall response in 65%–100% of patients with a clearance time of 14 to 21 days (Whittaker et al 2023). Methods: Objectives: To assess the efficacy of CMVIG in the early pre–emptive management of CMV in high–risk HSCT recipients. Methods: Between December 2022 and October 2024, 13 high–risk patients’ post–prophylaxis with early detection of CMV reactivation were treated with CMVIG. All patients were managed with CMVIG as monotherapy. Clinical parameters such as viral load (IU/ml), medication side effects, and patient tolerance were systemically evaluated. Results: All patients experiencing CMV reactivation exhibited at least one–risk factor predisposing them to CMV reactivation, including D + /R+ serostatus, exposure to anti–thymocyte globulin (ATG), or received a matched unrelated donor (MUD) or haploidentical donor. All patients were receiving Valacyclovir 500 mg b.i.d. for prophylaxis. The median age at transplantation was 53.8 years (range: 24–69). The median viremia level detected during treatment was 3175 IU/ml. (1300 IU/ml. min; 7000 IU/ml. max) with no clinical symptoms. A favourable response defined as achieving undetectable CMV viral load was achieved in all patients. None of the patients required additional antiviral therapy following early initiation of CMVIG. The median duration to achieve viral response was 20 days with CMV load monitoring 2 times per week. CMVIG was well tolerated among all patients, with no reported adverse reactions recorded. Conclusions: This single–centre experience demonstrates the clinical efficacy of CMVIG as monotherapy in the early pre–emptive management of CMV infection, achieving complete remission of in all patients with no product related side effects recorded. CMVIG may be considered as a suitable option in the pre–emptive management to enhance virus clearance, and to avoid or shorten the need for antiviral therapy in high–risk patients or in patients presenting with intolerance to antiviral drugs
17 Item type:Publication, conference poster[2025][T1a][M001][1]; ; ; ; ; ; ; Bone marrow transplantation : The 51st Annual Meeting of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation: Physicians – Poster Session (P001-P909), 2025-11-05, vol. 60, no. Suppl. 1, p. 766-766Background: Malnutrition is a common condition in cancer patients, especially those with hemato–oncological diseases, and is a direct consequence of both the disease itself and its treatment. In patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), the type of conditioning regimen, the nature of the transplant (autologous vs. allogeneic), and post–transplant complications can significantly affect nutritional status. Conditioning regimens often cause side effects such as mucositis, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and infections, which impair food intake, contribute to weight loss, and increase the risk of sarcopenia, affecting 20–70% of patients depending on the type of tumor. Malnutrition is responsible for approximately 10–20% of cancer–related deaths. Therefore, integrating routine malnutrition assessment into clinical care is essential for improving patient outcomes. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using medical records of 120 patients treated at the Hospital of LUHS KC between January 2022 and August 2024. The inclusion criteria were patients who underwent either autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Malnutrition was identified according to the ESPEN guidelines on nutrition in cancer patients, and patients were considered malnourished if parenteral feeding was indicated based on these guidelines. Statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05. Results: Out of 120 patients, 91 (75.8%) underwent autologous HSCT and 29 (24.2%) allogeneic HSCT. Patients receiving allogeneic HSCT had significantly higher rates of malnutrition (55.9%, p < 0.001). The most used conditioning regimen for autologous HSCT was melphalan (76.9%), while reduced–intensity conditioning (RIC) protocols were most common for allogeneic HSCT (37.9%). No significant association was found between conditioning regimens and malnutrition. However, there were significant changes in albumin, protein, and hemoglobin (Hgb) levels before and after HSCT (p < 0.001). Univariate regression analysis showed that higher protein levels before autologous HSCT (OR 0.845, 95%CI 0.743–0.961, p = 0.010) and higher albumin levels after autologous HSCT (OR 0.819, 95%CI 0.685–0.978, p = 0.027) were associated with a reduced risk of malnutrition. Similarly, higher Hgb levels before allogeneic HSCT (OR 0.910, 95%CI 0.834–0.992, p = 0.032) and higher protein levels after allogeneic HSCT (OR 0.724, 95%CI 0.546–0.960, p = 0.025) were also linked to a reduced risk of malnutrition. Conclusions: Patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT were more likely to experience malnutrition. Pre–HSCT nutritional support was found to have a significant impact on nutritional outcomes post–transplant. Additionally, monitoring and timely correction of laboratory parameters such as albumin, protein, and hemoglobin levels can help mitigate the risk of malnutrition.
16 Item type:Publication, conference poster[2025][T1e][M001,N010][3]; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; 10th Kaunas/Lithuania International Hematology/Oncology Colloquium : 23 May 2025 : Online Poster Abstract Book / Editor Prof. Elona Juozaitytė, 2025-05-23, p. 22-24Introduction and aim Sarcomas are rare malignancies of mesenchymal origin, with an annual incidence of 5–7 cases per 100,000 (1,2). Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant bone tumor, representing around 20% of all primary bone cancers (3). However, craniofacial (skull and jaw) localization is exceptionally rare and accounts for less than 10% of all cases (4). In contrast to conventional osteosarcoma, typically affecting adolescents and young adults, craniofacial OS more often occurs in older patients (4). Clinically, these tumors present as a firm, enlarging mass in the facial or cranial region and might cause symptoms such pain, facial asymmetry, neurologic signs or dental issues (5). Standard treatment of high-grade OS consists of perioperative chemotherapy (ChT) and surgery aiming R0 resection. Treatment should be planned and delivered by a specialized sarcoma multidisciplinary team (MDT) (6). As the anatomical complexity of the skull poses significant challenges for surgical management, achieving wide margins is often unfeasible (4). In such cases, postoperative radiotherapy may be considered (7). Despite optimal treatment, craniofacial OS carries a significant risk of local recurrence up to in 30–40%of the cases. Five-year overall survival in localized disease is 60-70% (7). Notably, these tumors demonstrate lower rates of pulmonary metastases compared to appendicular OS, possibly due to higher rates of local relapse influencing its prognosis (4). We present a case of an adult patient with OS of the skull to highlight its diagnostic and therapeutic complexity and the importance of personalized management in a specialized sarcoma center. Case report A 42-year-old man presented at the Sarcoma Center, Hospital of LUHS Kaunas Clinics, with a progressively enlarging lump on his forehead and intense headache. MRI revealed a 4.4 × 2.8 × 5.0 cm tumor mass occupying the frontal sinuses, with intracranial and extracranial extension. Biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of high-grade osteosarcoma. No evidence of distant metastasis was found. As the patient was deemed fit for ChT and given the importance of a shrinkage to achieve clear margins neoadjuvant MAP ChT was started. However, after the first cycle of metotrexate, the patient developed severe acute kidney injury. Methotrexate and cisplatin were excluded in favor of carboplatin and doxorubicin. After two cycles of ChT MRI showed initial dimensional and tissue response and considering the good tolerability the MDT decided to proceed with two more cycles to improve the quality of surgery. R0 surgery including reconstruction with cement cranioplasty followed, with excellent cosmetic and functional outcome. Due to clear margins and the risk of postoperative complications, adjuvant radiotherapy was not administered. The patient completed two further cycles of postoperative ChT. After a-1-year followup, the patient remains free from disease. Discussion Craniofacial OS are rare and present unique management challenges due to the complex anatomy of the skull and proximity to vital structures (4). In this case, the involvement of both intracranial and extracranial compartments required careful coordination between oncology, radiology, surgery, and supportive care. Since management in a specialized sarcoma center is crucial to coordinate care across disciplines and to provide individualized treatment planning (6) treatment decisions were made through repeated multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussions at a dedicated sarcoma center, enabling timely adaptation of the therapeutic plan based on toxicity and response. The initial use of MAP ChT was guided by the need to achieve maximal tumor shrinkage to allow radical resection. However, the onset of methotrexate-induced nephrotoxicity necessitated a regimen change. Response evaluation after two cycles of carboplatin-doxorubicin showed favorable changes in both size and imaging characteristics (e.g., mineralization, reduced enhancement), which informed the MDT decision to prolong neoadjuvant treatment. This highlights the critical role of dynamic response assessment in guiding the number of ChT cycles and improving resectability. Achieving R0 margins was essential to omit radiotherapy and avoid additional morbidity, which can be significant in such a delicate and functionally critical craniofacial region (7). This case reveals the value of specialized sarcoma center care, where individualized treatment, case-by-case MDT decision-making, and response guided therapy are fundamental for optimal outcomes. Conclusions Management of all sarcomas, including skull OS should be conducted in a specialized sarcoma center to ensure expert, multidisciplinary care. Treatment must be tailored case-by-case, balancing oncologic goals with patient-specific factors and therapy tolerability
15 Item type:Publication, research article[2025][S1][M001][18]; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025-04-25, vol. 26, no. 9, p. 1-18Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Anthracyclines (doxorubicin, epirubicin, daunorubicin, idarubicin) are among the most used drugs for the treatment of breast cancer. Unfortunately, anthracyclines cause cardiotoxicity, which is a limiting factor for its use, and the lifetime cumulative dose of anthracyclines is the major risk factor for cardiotoxicity. In our study, we focused on acute and subacute heart damage. One of the main factors is a genetic predisposition, which determines individual susceptibility to anthracycline cardiotoxicity. The main idea of this study was, for the first time, to evaluate drug metabolism-related genes as a risk factor for developing cardiovascular toxicity in breast cancer patients. The main objective of our study was to identify the impact of drug metabolism-related gene SNPs on the development of subclinical heart damage during and/or after doxorubicin-based chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. The data of 81 women with breast cancer treated with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy in an outpatient clinic were analyzed, and SNP RT-PCR tests were performed. The drug metabolism-related gene variants SULT2B1 rs10426377, UGT1A6 rs17863783, CBR1 rs9024, CBR3 rs1056892, NCF4 rs1883112, and CYBA rs1049255 did not reach a statistically important impact on ABCC in multivariate logistic regression analysis. However, we identified that NCF4 rs1883112 had a risk reduction tendency for ABCC (OR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.27–0.87, p = 0.015). Our findings suggest that some SNPs, such as NCF4 rs1883112, may be associated with a reduced risk of cardiotoxicity, while no variants in this study showed a statistically significant increased risk. Even though, NCF4 rs1883112 showed a risk reduction tendency, suggesting the potential for personalized risk stratification. We can conclude that multiple genes are involved in ABCC, with different impacts, and it is unlikely that there is a single driver gene in ABCC pathogenesis.
44WOS© Citations 4 - book[2024][K2a1][M001][627]
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; Kaunas : LSMU Akademinė leidyba, 2024-12-12Jūsų rankose - Lietuvos sveikatos mokslų universiteto vadovėlis „Kardiologijos pagrindai“. Tai platus ir svarus leidinys, apimantis sindrominę diagnostiką, paciento tyrimo metodiką, kardiologijoje naudojamų vaistų klinikinę farmakologiją, vaizdinius širdies ligų tyrimo metodus, genetinius širdies ligų tyrimus bei tam tikrų širdies ir kraujagyslių ligų profilaktiką, diagnostiką, gydymą ir reabilitaciją. Vadovėlį rengė LSMU Kardiologijos klinikos, Vidaus ligų klinikos, Širdies, krūtinės ir kraujagyslių chirurgijos klinikos, Reabilitacijos klinikos, Anesteziologijos klinikos, Genetikos ir molekulinės medicinos klinikos, Onkologijos ir hematologijos klinikos, Fiziologijos ir farmakologijos instituto bei Kardiologijos instituto darbuotojai, iš viso 68 autoriai, todėl kiekvieną skyrių rašė geriausi tos srities specialistai. Pastarasis dešimtmetis medicinoje išsiskyrė įrodymais grįstos medicinos įsigalėjimu, diagnostikai bei gydymui naudojamų technologijų sudėtingumu ir įvairove, labai greitu mokslo bei technikos naujovių įdiegimu į kasdieninę klinikinę praktiką. Todėl tikslinga atnaujinti kardiologijos vadovėlį, kuris taptų ne vien priemone studentams mokyti, bet ir kiekvieno gydytojo rezidento, vidaus ligų gydytojo, kardiologo parankine knyga. Laikas bėga labai greitai, todėl net rengiant šį vadovėlį keitėsi daugelio ligų diagnostikos bei gydymo rekomendacijos, nes greita mokslo pažanga ir nauji duomenys nuolat keičia mūsų požiūrį į daugelį dalykų, kurie atrodė aiškūs ir nusistovėję. Todėl siūlome skaitytojui priimti skaitomą medžiagą kaip geriausią šiuo metu turimą informaciją ir kardiologinės patologijos sampratą, tačiau kartu palikti protą atvirą naujovėms, kurios gali ateiti plečiantis mūsų žinioms visose medicinos srityse. Dėkojame visiems, prisidėjusiems prie vadovėlio „Kardiologijos pagrindai“ išleidimo: autoriams, recenzentams, kalbos redaktorei, leidėjams, o ypač rėmėjams, be kurių pagalbos šis leidinys nebūtų išvydęs dienos šviesos.
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