Medicinski glasnik : official publication of the Medical Association of Zenica-Doboj Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Aim To examine a correlation of demographic characteristics of patients, preoperative modality of conservative therapy and timing on the postoperative outcome of patients six months after the operation. Methods A retrospective, non-randomized, clinical study involved 48 patients of different age and gender with a verified diagnosis of cauda equina syndrome (CES). The inclusion criteria were patients with CES caused by discus hernia. ⋯ Postponement of surgery was negatively correlated with outcome variables (p<0.001). Conclusion The results of the study bring new conclusions that were not previously observed. Possible new characteristics associated with the outcome of cauda equina syndrome were determined.
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Aim Egypt has the highest incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the world. Fibrosis development is common in HCV cases, and it is important in disease prediction. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the role of fibro scan in assessment of changes in hepatic stiffness in patients with chronic HCV infection following direct acting antiviral treatment (DAAT). ⋯ At a cutoff of 1.18, Fib4 calculation can discriminate F0-2 from F3-4, with sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 78.6%, 64.1%, 63.04%, and 78.57%, respectively. Conclusion Hepatic fibrosis measurements such as fibro scan and non-invasive fibrosis scores (FIB-4) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet ratio index (APRI) showed a significant improvement after direct-acting antiviral therapy. Improvements in hepatic function tests, serum creatinine level, and platelet count are also seen.
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Aim Thyroidectomy is the most common operation in the field of endocrine surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the use of LigaSure vessel (LS) and harmonic scalpel (HS) in 1653 total thyroidectomies between January 2008 and March of 2023, with regards to analysis of surgical bleeding complications duration the hospital stay and operative surgical time. Methods It is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database. ⋯ Conclusion Both devices exhibit identical safety profiles in thyroidectomies specifically regarding major bleeding complications that require reoperation. Additionally, HS was found to be more effective at achieving haemostasis, especially in the subgroup of patients with thyroid carcinoma. The results of the present study may be useful for high-volume centres performing numerous thyroidectomies every day.
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Aim To investigate the frequency of consumption of sweet and salty snacks among children aged 2-18 years in relation to their mothers' education level. Methods A descriptive epidemiological study was conducted in five dental practices at the School of Medicine of the University of Mostar from May to October 2022. The data were collected from medical records. ⋯ The frequency of the consumption of biscuits, chocolate and cakes (several times a day) was statistically significantly higher among the children of mothers with high school education (p=0.04), especially among school children. Eating habits of children, regardless of the level of education of their mothers, differed significantly only in the consumption of lollipops, caramels, and candies (p=0.03), which were consumed once a day by 79 (63.7%) schoolchildren and 45 (36.3%) of pre-schoolers. Conclusion A higher level of education among mothers does not necessarily equate to proper nutritional knowledge.
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Aim To determine the relationship between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and the severity of melasma. Methods This cross-sectional analytic study included consecutive patients from the Dermatology and Venereology Polyclinic at Prof. dr. Chairuddin Panusunan Lubis Universitas Sumatera Utara (Prof. dr. ⋯ A moderate negative correlation between BDNF levels and the duration of melasma was found (p=0.007; r= -0.485). There was no significant relationship between BDNF levels and the severity of melasma (p=0.387). Conclusion No significant relationship between BDNF levels and the severity of melasma indicates that the causes of melasma are multifactorial, such as sun exposure, genetic, hormonal, and other factors (drugs, neural and psychological, and lipid metabolism).