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Longitudinal changes in the prevalence of dental fear and anxiety in 9–12-year-old children in clinical setting in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Get PDFIntroduction: Dental fear and anxiety (DFA) is a ubiquitous entity among dental patients in terms of their prevalence and incidence. It is among the major clinical problems in dentistry. In addition, the differences in DFA prevalence were present considering the age and gender of patients and over time, but with some opposite reports. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of DFA presence in children concerning their age, gender, and over time.
Methods: The survey sample comprised 200 of 9–12-year-old children. The DFA presence was determined twice by the modified version of the CFSS-DS scale (CFSS-DS-mod scale) during a 6-months long period between the first and the subsequent dental appointment due to the need for restorative dental treatment. The scale was applied before the restorative treatment started on both occasions.
Results: The prevalence of DFA was 17.5% in the study sample and decreased over time. It was slightly higher in girls.
Conclusions: The DFA prevalence in 9–12-year-old children is decreasing over time. Latent manifestations of DFA presence should be considered for evaluation in the future
The frequency of the use of information and communication technologies in school age children and musculoskeletal disorders connected with their use
Get PDFIntroduction: information and communication technology (ICT) has multiplied its availability and use, resulting in enormous usage, especially among school-age children, who use it for an average of 7.5 hours per day. The amount of time adolescents spend in front of electronic screens has increased significantly between the ages of 10 and 14, but there are significant gender changes. For boys, this increase is 41.6 minutes per day, while for girls it is 22.7 minutes per day.
Methods: The study is designed as an epidemiological, cross-sectional, descriptive-analytic, comparative study. The study will be conducted in the form of an online questionnaire on the Microsoft Forums platform during the period 12/15/2021 to 12/30/2021. Respondents were able to access the request for consent using a link and a QR code, which was previously signed by a parent/guardian giving consent for children to participate in this study.
Results: The results of this study show that school-aged children generally use cell phones with a touch screen between 2 and 3 hours daily during the work week (39.2%) and TV (39.5%). Pain caused by ICT use in the past 12 months occurred mainly in the neck/shoulder area (42.4%), while pain in the previous month occurred mainly in the lower extremities (29.1%).
Conclusion: Increased use of ICT devices was associated with higher levels of musculoskeletal symptoms. The higher pain burden in various body parts is of concern, and further research on the effects of ICT device use in adolescents is needed and warranted
The effect of immersion in beverages and dental bleaching agents on the surface roughness of resin composites
Get PDFIntroduction: Composite materials may be exposed to chemicals in food and beverages in the oral cavity, which can lead to changes in surface roughness. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the surface roughness of two restorative materials after exposure to coffee and green tea followed by a dental bleaching procedure.
Methods: For nanofilled composite and microhybrid composite, 15 samples each were fabricated. Five specimens from each composite were stored in instant coffee and green tea for 4 h a day. After 30 days of immersion, specimens received dental at-home bleaching, using 16% carbamide peroxide (CP), for 7 h a day. The control group was stored in deionized water for 30 days. Surface roughness was determined by profilometry 24 h after polymerization, after 30 days of immersion, and after bleaching. The data were analyzed using a t-test for paired samples and mixed analysis of variance, at a 0.05 significance level.
Results: Neither beverages nor CP treatment significantly altered the surface roughness of the composites. There was no difference between the tested composite materials regarding roughness.
Conclusion: Surface roughness of the microhybrid and nanohybrid composites was not modified by coffee, green tea, and subsequent whitening treatment
Exploring critical factors affecting sign language knowledge and motivation for sign language learning in nurses: A cross-sectional study
Get PDFIntroduction: In times when the term inclusion, rights of patients, and the patient as a subject in health care are used more often, the limited availability of written material or sign language interpreters at health services is still a key barrier to health services for people who are hearing-impaired. The aim of this study is to examine nurses’ knowledge of communication skills with hearing-impaired patients, their preferred methods, and the possibility of using translation services.
Methods: The study was cross-sectional, and data were collected in September–October 2019. The study included 407 nursing students. A demographic data form and questions divided into three parts, namely, communication skills (six questions), communication methods (three questions), and interpretation services (five questions), were used to collect data. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics.
Results: The questionnaire was administered among 424 students, and total of 407 students completed the questionnaire. Most of the respondents were female (320 [78.6%]) with 0–5 years of work experience (227 [55.8%]) in the tertiary level of healthcare (184 [45.3%]). The results showed that 326 (80.1%) of the respondents encountered a person with some form of hearing impairment during their work. Sign language was used by 56 (13.8%) of the respondents, but 74 (18.14%) nurses did not communicate when meeting with hearing-impaired patients. Two-thirds of the respondents never had the opportunity to learn sign language, and 43 (10.54%) respondents would choose an official interpreter as support. Male respondents were aware of the importance of communication with hearing-impaired patients and the use of an application for pain assessment (p < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed regarding the department in which the respondents work (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: The results of the study showed insufficient knowledge and skills of nurses to communicate with hearing-impaired people
Influence of length of use of the Information and Communication Technologies on the health of school-age children
Get PDFIntroduction: The use of the Internet is becoming increasingly important in enabling children and adults to fully participate in society, whether it is learning new skills or connecting with friends and family. Consequently, children\u27s opportunities are increasingly dependent on the Internet. The advance of technological innovations has resulted in more and more ICT devices being available to children, contributing to the deterioration of children and adolescents\u27 health.
Methods: The study was designed as an epidemiological, cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical, comparative study. The study was conducted from October 18, 2021, to January 16, 2022, using an online questionnaire accessible through the Microsoft Forms platform. Respondents were able to access the questionnaire via a link or QR code located on the child\u27s consent form for participation in the study, which was previously signed by a parent/guardian.
Results: The results of the study showed that school-age children were the most frequent users of smartphones and watches TV, with male respondents spending more time using almost all ICT devices, with the exception of tablets, which were used more frequently by female respondents. The analysis of pain intensity in the use of information and communication technologies revealed that respondents most frequently experienced mild pain, especially in the neck/shoulders and lower extremities. The frequency of eye problems after using ICT devices was found to be occasional, with the most pronounced symptoms being fatigue, tearing, and eyestrain, as well as headaches in one in five respondents.
Conclusion: Increasing frequency of ICT device use was associated with higher pain intensity in all anatomic regions. A 1-hour increase in weekly ICT device use also increased the likelihood of pain intensity in all anatomic regions, including eye symptoms and headaches. High exposure to ICT is of concern because it leads to adverse health outcomes for children
Association of the metabolic syndrome components with the chronotype, level of daytime sleepiness and dispositional optimism in patients with arterial hypertension
Get PDFIntroduction: Arterial hypertension (AH) coexists with such conditions as obesity, insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia and dyslipidemia, that is, interrelated metabolic disorders that characterize the metabolic syndrome (MS). The aim of the study was to establish relationships between components of MS and chronotype, level of daytime sleepiness, and dispositional optimism in patients with AH.
Methods: The study included 42 patients diagnosed with stage 2 essential AH. To study the chronotype, we used the validated questionnaire “Composite Scale of Morningness” and scales from official available sources. Dispositional optimism (LOT-R) was assessed using a questionnaire adapted from O.A. Sychova. Epworth scale was used to assess the severity day sleepiness. Laboratory parameters were determined using commercially available kits.
Results: The main components of the MS are found in more than half of the patients with AH, of which 61.90% have abdominal obesity, 42.86% have hypertriacylglycerolemia, 26.19% have hyperglycemia, and 66.67% have a decrease in HDL-C levels. Patients with AH with diagnosed components of MS have an evening chronotype, daytime sleepiness, and low optimism is diagnosed to the same extent as patients without MS. At the same time, evening (53.85%) and intermediate (38.46%) chronotypes are found in patients with abdominal obesity, and the frequency of daytime sleepiness registration, and a low level of optimism does not depend on the presence of abdominal obesity; patients with dyslipidemia are characterized by low optimism, evening and intermediate chronotypes, and severe daytime sleepiness; and a glucose level ≥5.6 mmol/l is registered in most patients with an evening chronotype.
Conclusion: The research conducted showed significant relationships between abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia and evening chronotype, daytime sleepiness, and low optimism in patients with AH
Comparison of values of crestal bone loss around dental implants: A comparative study
Get PDFIntroduction: Many studies have examined values of crestal bone loss according surgical techniques, time of implant placement (immediate post-extraction or after alveolar socket healing), platform switching or convectional platform, surface of the implant, functional loading (immediate or delayed), etc.
Methods: This study analyzed a total of 443 dental implants on 115 images: 161 Bredent blueSKY dental implants and 282 Ritter spiral dental implants. All images were taken at the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Sarajevo: before implantation and after 1 year of functional loading. Crestal bone loss was measured on the mesial and distal side of each implant from the coronal portion of the abutment to the noticeable margin of the alveolar bone.
Results: There is statistically significant differences between Bredent blueSKY and Ritter spiral dental implants regarding mesial (p < 0.001, df = 441, tstat = −64.22) and distal (p < 0.001, df = 441, tstat = −151.21) bone losses.
Conclusion: Platform switching dental implants showed more bone loss on the mesial and distal side of implant than dental implants with conventional platform
Epidemiological data and clinico-pathological features of squamous and basal cell carcinoma: A 20-year single-institution experience
No full textIntroduction: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are the most common skin malignancies in the heterogeneous group of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Due to increasing incidence these tumours remain significant health problem worldwide.
Methods: We conducted retrospective analysis to evaluate the incidence of primary BCCs and SCCs in our institution from 2003 to 2022, and to correlate it with available clinical data.
Results: We noticed that the incidence of NMSC increased between 2018 and 2022 (p<0.01). Among 1570 patients diagnosed with NMSC, BCC represented 77.9% of cases. BCC was constantly more common type of NMSC with statistically significant difference in the period from 2003-2005 and in the period from 2017- 2022 (p<0.01). Nodular subtype of the BCC was the most common, affecting primarily face. Superficial BCC occurred most commonly on trunk (p<0.01), affecting younger patients than the other histological subtypes (mean age 61.29±13.47 years (p<0.01). High-risk BCCs in men were more common on face and scalp (p<0.05). BCCs were predominantly smaller tumours (<2 cm) in contrast to SCCs with highest incidence in pT2-pT4 group (p<0.01). SCC patients were older (mean age 72.89±9.7) than BCC patients (mean age 65.15±12.80) (p<0.01).
Conclusion: In order to improve prevention strategies and prevent further increase in incidence, there is need to develop current and exact registries of these malignancies, especially separately BCC and SCC
Comparative study of long-term effects of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin on fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c in patients with cardiovascular diseases
Get PDFIntroduction: Statins are lipid lowering medications, used for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), but have shown to increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of high-potency statins, atorvastatin, and rosuvastatin on fasting glucose (FG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in CVD patients.
Methods: The case–control study included 123 patients from Tuzla Canton, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, with a diagnosis of CVD, treated in three health centers: Public Health Center Gračanica, Banovići, and Čelić. Of total patients, 84 were statin users (39 atorvastatin users and 45 rosuvastatin users) and 39 were not. Demographic data, diagnosis, and data of the therapy were taken from the medical records, as well as data of the FG and HbA1c, measured before or within 3 months of the statin therapy introduction. For the same patients, FG and HbA1c were also measured at least 3 months after the introduction of therapy.
Results: Obtained results have shown a significant increase of FG in CVD patients on statin therapy in relation to control (p = 0.034). Comparing the diabetogenic effects of atrovastatin and rosuvastatin, it was found that the HbA1c in patients on atorvastatin therapy was significantly higher comparing to those on rosuvastatain therapy (p = 0.028). The FG was significantly increased (p = 0.027) after atrovastatin therapy. Similar results were obtained in diabetogenic CVD patients, where HbA1c on atorvastatin therapy was significantly higher comparing to HbA1c in those on rosuvastatain therapy (p = 0.039). A significant correlation was found between the increase in FG and HbA1c with the duration of atorvastatin therapy (p = 0.001 and p = 0.033), and between the increase in HbA1c and the duration of rosuvastatin therapy (p = 0.001).
Conclusion: Long-term therapy with high-potency statins, atorvastatin, and rosuvastatin, may increase levels of FG and HbA1c in patients with CVD, where atorvastatin shows more significant effects
A cross-sectional study of the antibiotic resistant prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Vietnam
Get PDFIntroduction: Antibiotic resistance in Enterobacteriaceae producing extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) is increasing. Accurate evaluation of antibiotic resistance rates in various categories of bacteria assists medical physicians in recommending suitable indications for their medical problems, improving treatment efficiency, and minimizing dangers for patients. As a result, we undertook this research to assess the prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae as well as the rate of antibiotic resistance in ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 2716 patients at the An Giang Central General Hospital from June 2020 to June 2021. Data collection was based on interviews and used SPSS 18.0 and GraphPad Prism 9 for data analysis and presentation. Samples included urine, blood, sputum, and pus. Samples were treated with the Phoenix 100 automated machine to separate and identify samples.
Results: The highest rate was 64.8% for Escherichia coli, followed by 30.2% for Klebsiella pneumoniae. Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella oxytoca were found in 4.5% and 0.6% of the samples, respectively. Ampicillin resistance was greatest in E. coli (96.5%), K. pneumonia (92.4%), and K oxytoca (83.3%). The frequency of resistance to the other antibiotics was likewise extremely high, approaching 60%. Tobramycin, Amoxicillin/Clavulanate, Cefoxitin, and Nitrofurantoin were totally resistant to K. oxytoca in the ESBL-producing group. E. coli and K. pneumoniae with ESBL-producing genes also have a high antibiotic resistance rate of more than 50%.
Conclusion: E. coli was the most common pathogenic bacteria. Most of the species of bacteria resisted Ampicillin