Acta clinica Croatica
-
Strabismus is a common disorder in which eyes are not aligned with their optical axis, resulting in an abnormal binocular interaction, thus leading to amblyopia. Accordingly, early detection and diagnosis are mandatory. ⋯ In this paper, a novel, properly tested and evaluated eye-tracking based method for manifest strabismus diagnosis is presented. The evaluation showed the aforementioned method to have both high sensitivity and specificity in detecting manifest strabismus without the need for a skilled examiner, thus being suitable for population screening and highlighting the need for future research regarding testing of latent strabismus.
-
Acta clinica Croatica · Dec 2021
EFFECT OF DIPPING PATTERN OF GESTATIONAL HYPERTENSION ON MATERNAL SYMPTOMS AND PHYSICAL FINDINGS, BIRTH WEIGHT AND PRETERM DELIVERY.
The study aimed to determine if the non-dipping pattern of blood pressure (BP) influences preterm delivery in gestational hypertension (GH), but also maternal clinical findings and birth weight. Sixty women with GH, i.e. 30 women with a dipping BP profile (control group) and 30 non-dippers (study group), were included in the study. Echocardiography was performed in all subjects, as well as ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) during third trimester. ⋯ Total vascular resistance (p<0.0005) and mass index (p=0.014) were significantly higher as compared with women with term delivery, while ejection fraction (EF) (p=0.007) and circumferential systolic velocity (p=0.042) were significantly reduced in the preterm delivery group. Multivariate binary logistic regression identified the average night-time systolic BP, left ventricular mass index and EF as independent predictors of preterm delivery. Study results suggested a relationship of the non-dipping BP pattern in GH with preterm delivery, birth weight, and maternal clinical findings.
-
Acta clinica Croatica · Dec 2021
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN APOLIPOPROTEIN E POLYMORPHISMS AND EPILEPSY IN CHILDREN.
Apolipoprotein E (APOE) plays an important role in lipid metabolism and is a proven risk factor for development of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of the study was to determine the possible connection between particular APOE alleles, blood lipid profile and different types of epilepsy in children. Alleles of the APOE gene, blood cholesterol (total, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were analyzed in blood samples of 111 children with epilepsy and 118 age- and sex-matched children without epilepsy. ⋯ There were statistically significant differences in the levels of total cholesterol (Z=2.09; p<0.05) and LDL cholesterol (Z=2.05; p<0.05) according to the type of epilepsy in favor of symptomatic epilepsy. The study confirmed that there was no connection between APOE and type of epilepsy in children and showed the children with epilepsy to have lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. Interestingly, this also held true for children with idiopathic epilepsy compared to those with symptomatic condition.
-
Acta clinica Croatica · Dec 2021
EFFECT OF ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS ON P300 EVENT-RELATED POTENTIALS IN PATIENTS WITH EPILEPSY.
Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent chronic neurological diseases, affecting about 70 million people worldwide. Patients with epilepsy often encounter cognitive dysfunction, which is influenced by different factors including age at the onset of epilepsy, etiology of epilepsy, type of seizures, seizure frequency and duration, psychiatric comorbidity, and antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy. Event-related potentials are useful, noninvasive, objective clinical and research instrument for evaluation of cognitive functions in patients. ⋯ Cognitive evoked P300 potentials were recorded in all study subjects using auditory 'oddball' paradigm. The results showed the patients taking AED polytherapy to have a significantly longer P300 latency and significantly lower N200-P300 amplitude. These results indicate that AED polytherapy might worsen cognitive impairment in patients with epilepsy.
-
Acta clinica Croatica · Dec 2021
EFFECTS OF A BREASTFEEDING EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AFTER 6 MONTHS.
Breastfeeding attitudes are already being formed in the years of preadolescence-adolescence, which means that the educational program should be focused on this age group. For this purpose, many authors suggest that school should be used as an established educational institution and therefore they are developing different education programs. The authors offered an educational program adapted to the cultural, sociological, legal, health, and other specificities of the community to which the students belong. ⋯ However, 6 months after the education, their knowledge and intentions were less positive than shortly after education, as described in a previous report. The authors suggest that a team of experts be gathered to design a structured educational program that would be interesting to secondary school students. This program should also be adapted to students' age and interest.