Journal of Health Sciences
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Clinical importance and sex differences of the femoral anteversion angle
Get PDFIntroduction: The Femoral angle of anteversion (FAA) is responsible for the medial and anterior direction of the femoral neck and therefore the femoral head towards the acetabulum. The aim of this study was to determine the difference in FAA between male and female samples, the correlation between the FAA and biomechanically relevant parameters and to provide a review of relevant clinical features related to FAA.
Methods: We included 100 human dry femora and analyzed FAA, Angle of Inclination (AI), Femoral Head Diameter (FHD), Femoral Biomechanical Length (FBL) and Linear Condylar Parameters (Epicondylar Breadth Width (EBW), Lateral Condyle Depth and Medial Condyle Depth). The measurements were made using a goniometer, sliding calipers and pieces of colored string.
Results: Mean FAA values were 9.84±7.97° and 8.72±8.23° for the male and female samples, respectively (p<0.05). FAA and AI in both male and female correlated negatively (-0.076), while there was a positive correlation between FAA and FHD (0.069), FAA and FBL (0.072), FAA and EBW (0.029), while the correlation was negative between FAA and LCD (-0.072), FAA and MCD (-0.063).
Conclusion: The difference in FAA between male and female femora was found to be significant. This finding may help better understanding such as hip impingement, total hip arthroplasty failure, and design of femoral endoprosthesis parts
Analysis of variables of the nutrition index alcohol and medicament use and PTSD
Get PDFIntroduction: The main aim of the study was to examine the interdependence of values of the nutrition index, the use of medicaments, and alcohol consumption in the group of subjects with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and in control group without PTSD.
Methods: To determine the interdependence of different indices of nutrition and the alcohol and drug consumption in both groups, the crosstab model was used.
Results: In both of the tested groups, medicament users had higher average values for nutritional indexes compared to the subjects that are not the consumers of medicaments, but the confirmed differences were not statistically significant. The subjects with PTSD who consume alcohol had lower average values for nutritional indexes compared to the subjects who do not consume alcohol. In the control group, subjects who consumed alcohol had higher mean values for nutritional indexes than those who did not consume alcohol. Differences in the values of the nutrition index between alcohol and non-alcohol subjects were not statistically significant either in the PTSD group or in the control group. The subjects with PTSD had less average values of all the used nutrition indexes compared to the control group subjects, but the confirmed differences were not statistically significant.
Conclusion: Our results indicate that medicaments use and alcohol consumption do not exert a statistically significant effect on the values of the nutrition index in any of the study groups. Possible concomitant use of drugs with the opposite effect on the monitored parameter (nitrazepam and amitriptyline vs. SSRI and bupropion) can lead to findings like this. We recommend further research to eliminate influence of pharmacodynamic effects of alcohol, drugs, and stress on the development of weight gain or loss
Performance evaluation of three laboratory diagnostic methods for intestinal parasitic infections at rural Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study
Get PDFIntroduction: Even if the prevalence of intestinal parasites is high in Ethiopia, we still use only direct wet mount method for laboratory diagnosis of intestinal parasitic infections, having low sensitivity, and this significantly increases false-negative results. Therefore, the performance evaluation of three laboratory diagnostic methods is mandatory.
Methods: Single stool sample was collected from March 2018 to June 2018, among 211 school children, and processed using a wet mount, modified Baermann (MB), and Ritchie’s methods. The sensitivity and negative predictive values (NPVs) at 95% confidence interval and Kappa values were calculated in terms of the gold standard method (the combined result of altogether).
Results: The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 60.2%. The sensitivity and NPVs of the wet mount, MB, and Ritchie’s methods against the “Gold standard” test were 49.6% and 56.8%, 80.3% and 77.1%, and 67.7% and 68.8%, respectively.
Conclusions: MB showed the best, and wet mount showed the least performance for the laboratory diagnosis of intestinal parasitic infections
Bilateral inferior conchae and turbinate hypertrophy causing choanal pseudoatresia
Get PDFRespiratory distress in neonates is an emergency which requires a thorough investigation to determine the cause, whether it is due to the upper respiratory or lower respiratory entity. Nasal cavity pathologies rarely compromise the neonatal airway. Newborns are obligatory nasal breathers; thus, upper respiratory tract problems could potentially become life-threatening. We report a case of a newborn boy with inferior turbinate hypertrophy (ITH) causing respiratory distress treated successfully by nasal dilatation and posterior septoplasty. Congenital bilateral ITH is rarely seen and can mimic choanal atresia. Congenital ITH would be missed at initial presentation without radiographic imaging and physical evaluation. It should be considered as one of the differential diagnosis in cases suspected for choanal atresia
Lifelong approach to prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases – a road from theory to practice in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Get PDFCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the major cause of disability and premature death all over the world. Annually, 17.5 million people die from CVDs, representing 30% of the total number of deaths. Despite established guidelines for the treatment of acute coronary syndrome, cardiac weakness, atrial fibrillation and CVD prevention, many patients remain inadequately treated, particularly in less developed nations. A brief overview of the development of CVDs, description of the current practice guidelines, and a cross sectional analyses of the status of CVD prevention and control in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is given. In the past 7 years, there has been a steady increase in deaths, where half of all deaths in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina are attributed to CVDs. Deaths from the acute myocardial infarction had a rate of 91.0/100,000 inhabitants, a significant increase compared to 2010, when this rate was 69.2. The second leading cause of death, a stroke, with a rate of 87.1 showed a slight decrease compared to 2010, when it was 89.9. The third leading cause of death, heart failure, with a rate of 68.4, has a slight decrease compared to 2010, when the rate was 75.7. CVDs are the leading cause of mortality in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, in addition to the large number of premature deaths, also causes major costs for the health sector and economy
Computed tomography angiography in the diagnosis of arteriovenous malformations
Get PDFIntroduction: The most common cause of intracranial bleeding in younger patients and children are vascular anomalies. Digital subtractions angiography presents a gold standard in diagnostics of aneurisms and vascular malformations. Our aim is to present our experience in using computed tomography angiography in diagnosing arteriovenous malformations.
Methods: We included 150 patients with acute non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage diagnosed by non-contrast CT examination, after which they were subjected to CT angiography of the cerebral vessels, and then underwent maximum intense projection and volume rendering reconstruction.
Results: Out of 150 patients with non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, in 121 (81%) a diagnosis of aneurysm was rendered, while in 8 (5%) arteriovenous malformation was found. In 29 (14%) patients cause of bleeding was not identified. Patients with arteriovenous malformations, were age 17-77 years, with mean age 42.75 years. Five (62.5%) of them were female patients and three (37.5%) were male.
Conclusion: Spontaneous non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Computed tomography angiography is sufficiently specific and sensitive in diagnosis of arteriovenous malformations in our experience
Comparison of chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) with electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) for Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)
No full textIntroduction: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is used for monitoring of disease progression and treatment response in cancer patients. Our aim was to compare the performance of chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) with electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) for CEA.
Methods: A total of 115 samples were collected during routine diagnostic, prognostic and therapy monitoring procedures in patients with colorectal and pancreatic cancer. We used ARCHITECT i2000SR and Cobas E601 for CEA analysis in sera samples.
Results: The correlation coefficient of 0.984 [95% CI: 0.972 to 0.991] for results obtained on both platforms was observed for CEA≤10 ng/mL group. Moreover, intercept of 0.9027 [95% CI: 0.705 to 1.099] and slope 0.8076 [95% CI: 0.765 to 0.8498] (p < 0.0001) was observed in this group. In CEA >10 ng/mL group we observed slope = 1.1986 [95%CI: 1.1474 to 1.2498] (p < 0.0001), intercept = -11.69 [-17.53 to - 5.84] and correlation coefficient of 0.985 [95% CI: 0.976 to 0.9914]. Mean differences between assays in group ≤10 ng/mL and >10 ng/mL were 0.2066 (95% CI: 0.0019 to 0.4113) and –2.66 (95% CI: -10.10 to 4.76) ng/mL, respectively.
Conclusion: Although there were differences, based on 20 days precision tests, overall results showed a good analytical performance and correlation between CEA assays on ARCHITECT i2000SR and Cobas E601 platforms. Reference intervals appropriate for the method of CEA measurement should be used. The standardization and harmonization of serum CEA concentration assays are needed
The effects of programmed therapeutic exercises on fall risk factors in elderly
Get PDFIntroduction: Identification of the risk factors that can be modified is an essential aspect in the development of the effective strategy for therapeutic intervention with the purpose to improve mobility and injury prevention and post-fall consequences. This research aimed to analyze the impact of programmed therapeutic exercises on the fall risk factors in the elderly.
Methods: We included 260 patients older than 65 years, and assigned them randomly into three groups. Group A: 65 patients subjected to therapeutic exercises for moderate-intensity muscle strengthening with Theraband stretch straps (corresponding to 11-14 on the Borg rating of perceived exertion scale). Group B: 65 patients subjected to therapeutic anti-gravity exercises. Control group: 130 patients not participating in programmed therapeutic exercises.
Presence of fall risk factors was assessed in all three groups with standardized Fast Evaluation of Mobility, Balance, and Fear test (FEMBAF) before the initiation of therapy, after three and after six months of treatment.
Results: At the end of the study, the subjects of the group A had significantly fewer limitations in performing basic life activities at home compared to the patients of the control and Group B, p = 0.037. The control group subjects were statistically significantly more likely to complain of vertigo than subjects of the experimental groups, p = 0.021. The subjects of the experimental groups had more than two falls than the control group subjects, p = 0.003 statistically. In the control group, the number of fractures after the fall at the end of the study increased significantly, statistically higher than in the subjects of the experimental groups, P = 0.037.
Conclusion: Programmed therapeutic exercise significantly reduces the risk of falling factors, and significant effects have been achieved among subjects who have exercised with elastic strips
Serum levels of oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde in breast cancer patients in relation to pathohistological factors, estrogen receptors, menopausal status, and age
Get PDFIntroduction: The aim of this study was to determine the serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in patients with invasive breast cancer in relation to its serum levels in patients with benign breast disease, and to investigate correlation between MDA serum levels with pathohistological prognostic factors (tumor size, lymph node involvement, and histologic grade [HG]), estrogen receptor (ER) status, and with breast cancer patient’s age and menopausal status.
Methods: A total of 43 with well-documented invasive breast cancer were included in this study: 27 with positive axillary’s lymph nodes, and 16 with negative axillary’s lymph nodes, and 39 patients with findings of benign breast diseases. MDA determination in serum of breast cancer and benign breast disease patients was performed by the fluorimetric method, immunohistochemical staining was performed for ER, and routine pathohistological examination was conducted for pathohistological factors.
Results: MDA serum levels in breast cancer patients were significantly higher than MDA serum levels in benign breast disease patients (p = 0.042). No statistically significant difference between MDA serum levels in breast cancer patients with and without lymph node metastases was found (p = 0.238). No statistically significant correlations between MDA serum levels and tumor size (p = 0.256), HG (p = 0.124), or number of positive lymph nodes (0.113) were found. A statistically significant correlation between serum MDA levels and ages of breast cancer patients with lymph node metastases was found (p = 0.006).
Conclusion: Obtained results support the importance of MDA in the carcinogenesis of breast cancer. According to our findings, serum level of MDA could not be a useful prognostic factor in breast cancer
Oral health behavior and attitudes among students of health and non-health oriented studies
Get PDFIntroduction: Unhealthy behavior such as neglecting to brush and floss, using tobacco and alcohol, and inadequate nutrition can adversely affect dental health. The frequency of dental visits is also of great importance in the early detection of different oral disorders. Our aim was to assess oral health behavior and attitudes among students of the 1st year of two health and non-health oriented studies of University of Sarajevo.
Methods: We included 119 students of the 1st year of Faculty of Health Studies and 108 students of the 1st year of Faculty of Architecture of the University of Sarajevo. A self-administered questionnaire was used, comprising demographic data, data on oral hygiene habits, dental attendance pattern, a number of extracted teeth as well as problems with the appearance, comfort, and social life due to teeth problems.
Results: Faculty of Architecture students significantly more often visit their dentist (χ2 = 24.174, df = 5, p = 0.00). Faculty of Health Studies students have significantly more extracted teeth (χ2 = 35.54, df = 4, p = 0.001). Dental health habits were significantly better at the students Faculty of Architecture (χ2 = 16.391, df = 2, p = 0.001). No significant difference between the groups about about avoiding encounters due to teeth and dentures problems.
Conclusion: Oral health related attitudes may be better in students of non-health oriented studies, however, these results have to be confirmed by more investigations and larger studies