Medicinski glasnik : official publication of the Medical Association of Zenica-Doboj Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina
-
Aim To evaluate Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) resistance to clarithromycin and quinolones in patients with dyspepsia in Tuzla Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a region with no data on clarithromycin or quinolones resistance. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at University Clinical Centre Tuzla between January 2021 and June 2022. The study included 99 patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS) due to dyspepsia. ⋯ Antibiotic (AB) resistance was tested in the total of 46/99 (46.4%) patients. Resistance to clarithromycin was detected in 28.26% (13/46), quinolones resistance in 36.96% (17/46) , and resistance to both AB was detected in 8.69% (4/46) tested biopsies. Conclusions Due to high clarithromycin and quinolones resistance rates, we recommend the use of bismuth quadruple or non-bismuth concomitant quadruple therapy for H. pylori eradication in Tuzla Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
-
Aim Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an IgE-mediated inflammation of the nose. Regulatory T cells (Tregs), plasma cells and inflammatory cytokines have shown to play a critical role in allergic airway inflammation. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in generating Treg cells and plasma cells associated with regulating interlukin-10 (IL-10) in AR model. ⋯ This finding was aligned with the significant increase of Treg level. Conclusion MSCs administration regulates IL-10 and plasma cell-mediated immune and inflammatory responses while increasing Treg cell production. MSCs may be a promising therapeutic target for treating Treg-mediated allergic diseases.
-
Aim To investigate the influence of irregular shifts on increased emotional, physical, and cognitive exhaustion and decreased working performance expressed by the phenomenon of presenteeism. Methods The study sample of 405 healthcare workers from Family medicine centres completed questionnaires in two measurement time points, in 2014 (TP1) and repeated in 2019 (TP2), when 301 respondents remained in the study. Healthcare workers completed questionnaires assessing demographics, work schedules, job burnout, and presenteeism. ⋯ Conclusion The adverse effects of rotating day-evening shifts on burnout and presenteeism among healthcare workers in a family medicine centre was little researched, particularly the issue of managing the risks of exposure to rotating day-evening shifts and extended working hours. This study reflects a situation of uncertainty, in which the logic of precaution is imposed on mental health, and keeps working engagements in health care workers. Appropriate management of shift work and better organization of work schedules in the primary healthcare sector protects the wellbeing of healthcare workers and patients, efficient work, and quality of health care, and invites for future research on better working schedules and introducing preventive interventions with available flexibility of working times.
-
Aim Compare the efficacy of nebulized hypertonic saline and normal saline in the treatment of infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis. Methods This retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Pulmonology, Paediatric Clinic, Clinical Centre University of Sarajevo, covering the period from January 2015 to December 2019 and comprising 380 children aged between 1 and 12 months having bronchiolitis. ⋯ Results There was no statistically significant difference between the treatment groups regarding length of hospital stay (LOS) and Clinical Severity Score (CSS) at admission and discharge as well as in oxygen therapy duration and antibiotic use, the duration of symptoms before hospital admission, frequency of nasal discharge, elevated temperature, dyspnoea, cough and dehydration. Conclusion The results of this study are consistent with several recent studies or meta-analyses and support the evidence against the use of NHS in hospitalized infants with mild or moderate bronchiolitis.
-
Aim To determine the most common indications for measuring metanephrine and normetanephrine in plasma by gender and age and to compare the concentrations of metanephrine and normetanephrine by indication, gender and age. Methods The study was conducted on 224 patients whose plasma metanephrine and normetanephrine concentrations were measured at the Clinical Institute for Laboratory Diagnostics at the University Hospital Centre Osijek for one year, until 1st January 2020. Results The most frequent indications for biochemical testing were adrenal incidentaloma, 138 (6.6 %), and symptoms of pheochromocytoma, 41 (18.3%). ⋯ Of the 224 patients, only one patient was diagnosed with pheochromocytoma, whose indication for measurement of metanephrine and normetanephrine was adrenal incidentaloma. Conclusion Adrenal incidentalomas and symptoms suggestive of pheochromocytoma are very common in the general population, while the incidence of pheochromocytoma is extremely low. Clear guidelines for the referral of patients for biochemical testing are needed to avoid unnecessary costs and to identify the correct diagnosis promptly.