Acta clinica Croatica
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Acta clinica Croatica · Mar 2018
Questionnaire on the Midwives' Knowledge About Oral Emergency Contraception.
The aim of the study was to assess the level of knowledge of midwives working in different clinical settings about oral emergency contraception. The study included 225 midwives; during the period from December 2015 to February 2016, they completed a 16-item web-based survey using the SurveyMonkey software available on the Croatian Midwives Chamber site. In total 277 participants started to fill out the survey and 225 participants responded to all 16 questions. ⋯ Having in mind the study group grounds in gynecology and obstetrics, and their public health relevance, targeted educational activities both during midwife formal education and on-job are required to improve the group knowledge about emergency contraception. National guidelines on oral emergency contraception are an at hand learning tool and the most appropriate local source of information on emergency contraception. Various initiatives should be considered for this document to become an integral part of formal midwife education and regular part of their on-job trainings.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Mar 2018
Female Sexual Function and Dysfunction: A Cross-National Prevalence Study in Slovenia.
The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction in Slovenia. We aimed to explore the prevalence itself, comparison among demographic groups and potential correlations. Data were collected based on the validated standardized Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) (N=605). ⋯ The claim of satisfaction was highest in the 24-29 age group, while the pain was highest in the 42-47 age group. Strong correlation was found between the claims of desire and arousal (r=0.585), arousal and lubrication (r=0.879), lubrication and pain (r=0.856), orgasm and lubrication (r=0.856), satisfaction and orgasm (r=0.782), and pain and arousal (r=0.776) (p<0.001). We identified a 31% prevalence of female sexual dysfunction in Slovenia.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Mar 2018
Cardiovascular Risk Assessed by Reynolds Risk Score in Relation to Waist Circumference in Apparently Healthy Middle-Aged Population in Montenegro.
Reynolds Risk Score (RRS) is regarded as a good screening tool for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Since CVD is the leading cause of death in Montenegro, we aimed to assess the risk of CVD as assessed by RRS and to examine its association with cardiometabolic parameters in apparently healthy middle-aged population. In addition, we aimed to test whether obesity had an independent influence on RRS. ⋯ Furthermore, significantly higher fasting glucose (p=0.030), insulin, HOMA-IR, triglycerides (p<0.001 all), anthropometric parameters (e.g., BMI and WC; p=0.004 and p<0.001, respectively), and creatinine, but lower eGFR and HDL-c (p<0.001 both) were recorded in the high-risk subgroup compared with low and medium risk subgroups. In all participants, in addition to LDL-c, diastolic BP and creatinine, WC was independently positively associated with RRS (β=0.194, p=0.006; β=0.286, p=0.001; β=0.267, p=0.001; and β=0.305, p=0.019, respectively), and 40% of variation in RRS could be explained with this model. In conclusion, middle-aged population with higher WC should be screened for RRS in order to estimate CVD risk.
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The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of risk factors according to age, gender, subtypes and recurrence of stroke in eastern Croatia. The study included 250 acute stroke patients admitted to University Department of Neurology, Osijek University Hospital Centre in 2011. Patients were grouped according to age, gender, subtypes and recurrence of stroke. ⋯ Regarding stroke subtypes, significant differences were noticed in the prevalence of arterial hypertension, atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy and cerebral blood vessel stenosis. Atrial fibrillation was significantly more common in first-ever than in recurrent stroke. Study results identified the groups of patients requiring special attention regarding particular risk factors in eastern Croatia and emphasized the need of developing regional strategies of screening, prevention and holistic care for stroke patients.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Dec 2017
Chemerin Blood Levels are Associated with MRI Measured Volumes of Abdominal Adipose Tissue Compartments and Lifestyle Choices.
Obesity is a low-grade chronic inflammatory state, in which a cytokine chemerin with its immunometabolic modulation has an important role. We aimed to study in a healthy population relationships between serum chemerin levels, lifestyle choices and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessed volumes of abdominal visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissues, which have different cytokine expression profiles. Overall, 73 healthy participants undertook lifestyle questionnaire and underwent anthropometric measurements along with MRI scanning of abdominal SAT and VAT. ⋯ The two most important predictors of chemerin levels were MRI detected SAT and thigh circumference. Independently, chemerin levels were associated with smoking, preference of salty food, and favoring flavor/simplicity of preparation over nutritional value of the food. Serum chemerin seems to be more strongly correlated with the volume of abdominal SAT than VAT, with certain lifestyle choices influencing chemerin levels independently of abdominal fat.