Jan Kochanowski University

Background Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) are established for in-stent restenosis, whereas their role in de novo coronary lesions continues to evolve. Large-scale data on real-world adoption for native lesions remain limited. Methods We analyzed the nationwide National Registry of Invasive Cardiology Procedures (ORPKI), including all percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) performed in Poland between January 2020 and December 2025. Procedures for in-stent restenosis, chronic total occlusion, and plain balloon angioplasty without drug coating were excluded. The final cohort comprised 504,501 PCI procedures for de novo native coronary lesions, classified as DCB-only, stent-only, or hybrid (DCB plus stent). Temporal trends, clinical and angiographic characteristics, and factors independently associated with a DCB-only strategy were assessed. Results DCB use increased more than eightfold, from 0.55% of procedures in 2020 to 4.78% in 2025 ( P < .001); DCB-only use rose from 0.37% to 4.12%, and hybrid use from 0.20% to 0.66%. The increase was most pronounced in nonmain coronary segments (0.8%-9.5%). Compared with stent-treated procedures, DCB-only procedures more often involved diabetes, chronic kidney disease, previous myocardial infarction, previous PCI, and previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and chronic coronary syndromes. In multivariable analysis, nonmain segment location, previous PCI, previous CABG, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and the use of optical coherence tomography, intravascular ultrasound, and fractional flow reserve were independently associated with a DCB strategy. Conclusions DCB use for de novo coronary lesions increased markedly between 2020 and 2025, with a preference for nonmain, distal, and side-branch segments and for clinically complex patients, often alongside intracoronary imaging or physiological assessment. (Am HeartJ 2027;303:107609.)

Comparative data on the epidemiology and clinical impact of RSV, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2 infections among hospitalized children during the same epidemic season remain limited in Central Europe. This multicenter retrospective study compared the epidemiological characteristics, clinical presentations, and outcomes of laboratory-confirmed respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza, and COVID-19 among hospitalized children in Poland during. A total of 756 patients were evaluated, including 408 with influenza (54.0%), 204 with COVID-19 (27.0%), and 144 with RSV (19.0%). The infections displayed distinct temporal patterns, peaking sequentially from early autumn (COVID-19) through winter (influenza) and early spring (RSV). Demographically, hospitalizations for RSV infection and COVID-19 skewed toward infants and young children (mean ages 1.8 and 2.3 years, respectively), whereas influenza affected a broader age spectrum, extending into (pre)school-aged cohorts (mean age 4.5 years; p < 0.0001). RSV infection was associated with the highest requirement for oxygen support (41.7%) and the longest hospital stay (mean, 6.0 days) compared with influenza and COVID-19 (p < 0.0001). Conversely, pneumonia was most frequently diagnosed in the COVID-19 group (16.2%; p = 0.01), which also exhibited unique elevations in D-dimer levels (p = 0.02). Vaccine and immunoprophylaxis uptake hovered near zero across all cohorts (similar to 1%). Empirical antibiotic use was highly prevalent (26.6%), exceeding objective pneumonia rates by two-to three-fold. Major pediatric respiratory viruses maintain unique clinical and demographic footprints. The observed low immunization rates and disproportionate antibiotic use underscore an urgent need for targeted pediatric vaccination campaigns and antimicrobial stewardship programs.

To characterize switching among GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) in a large private-sector cohort in Poland and to quantify therapy- and patient-level associations with switching while accounting for switching opportunity and calendar-time dynamics. We conducted a retrospective analysis of GLP-1 RA prescription records from the LUX MED network (2018–2025). Switching was defined as any change in agent between consecutive prescriptions. Patients with more than one prescription were included (n = 42,423). The primary analysis used a transition-level discrete-time hazard model in which each prescription-to-prescription interval contributed one observation, and the outcome was switching at that interval. Current-therapy contrasts were reported relative to subcutaneous semaglutide. Sensitivity analyses examined alternative temporal parameterizations and additional adjustment for elapsed time. Overall, 29.7

The propagation of nonlinear energy density waves in a hot Quark-Gluon Plasma is investigated within the framework of relativistic magnetohydrodynamics with nonextensive statistics. Using the reductive perturbation technique, we derive a Burgers-type evolution equation for energy density perturbations in a medium subject to strong external magnetic fields. The thermodynamic coefficients are evaluated using the MIT bag model equation of state incorporating Tsallis nonextensive distributions and Landau-level quantization. Our analysis reveals that magnetic fields significantly enhance wave localization by suppressing nonlinear steepening and dissipation. The degree of stabilization is controlled by the interplay among field strength, background temperature, and nonextensive parameter q. While increased temperature promotes wave delocalization, stronger magnetic confinement and higher nonextensivity parameter counteract this effect, preserving waveform coherence. Interacting effects of magnetic fields, fluctuations, and nonlinear wave dynamics in extreme QCD matter may shed light on the evolution of perturbations in heavy-ion collisions.

To evaluate the clinical associations of admission non-contrast CT morphology in acute pancreatitis within a real-world emergency workflow. This retrospective observational cohort study included 264 consecutive adult patients admitted with acute pancreatitis to two surgical centers between 2019 and 2024. Patients were categorized according to the first imaging modality obtained at admission into an ultrasound-first (US-first) or computed tomography–first (CT-first) pathway. Baseline characteristics and in-hospital outcomes were compared between pathways. In the CT-first subgroup, all examinations were performed without intravenous contrast, and morphologic severity was assessed using the Balthazar classification. Associations between CT morphology and clinical outcomes were evaluated using univariable analyses. Of the 264 patients, 143 (54.2