Acta clinica Croatica
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Acta clinica Croatica · Apr 2023
ULTRASONOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF FEMORAL CARTILAGE THICKNESS IN PARTICIPANTS WITH ASYMPTOMATIC HYPERURICEMIA: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY.
The aim was to evaluate the effect, if any, of asymptomatic hyperuricemia on distal femoral cartilage thickness through musculoskeletal ultrasonography. A total of 66 participants were evaluated in this prospective, controlled study, including 33 asymptomatic hyperuricemic patients who presented at our outpatient clinic between January and April 2020, and 33 normouricemic subjects matched for age, gender and body mass index. Participants with systemic diseases affecting uric acid level such as chronic renal failure, psoriasis, gout, etc., participants using drugs that can affect uric acid level, and those with knee complaints were excluded from the study. ⋯ No correlation was noted between uric acid levels and cartilage thickness in all measurement areas in either the asymptomatic hyperuricemic or normouricemic group (p>0.05 all). We think that distal femoral cartilages seem to be thinner in participants with asymptomatic hyperuricemia. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether asymptomatic hyperuricemia will lead to knee osteoarthritis in individuals, although we believe that people with asymptomatic hyperuricemia should be informed accordingly in order to prevent development of potential knee osteoarthritis.
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A validated questionnaire is required to evaluate scientifically community-based breastfeeding support and promotion. The aim of this study was to create a valid and reliable questionnaire to measure parents' behavior and attitudes about breastfeeding. The items in the questionnaire were selected by the authors according to regular data from the professional literature, and in consultation with three pediatric lecturers at higher and secondary health education, fellow pediatricians, and parents. ⋯ In the study, the desired outcome was defined as exclusive breastfeeding for 5 or 6 months, as well as breastfeeding for 12 months or more. In conclusion, the final instrument is reliable and valid for collecting breastfeeding data and evaluating changes in parents' behaviors and attitudes achieved through participation in breastfeeding promotion and support programs. The questionnaire may, in addition to the BIAKQ questionnaire, support professionals and activists involved in breastfeeding to create methodologically well-conceived programs.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Apr 2023
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SYMPTOM SEVERITY AND INTENSITY OF ACUTE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN NEWLY DIAGNOSED PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC RHINITIS AND CHRONIC RHINOSINUSITIS.
Chronic rhinitis and rhinosinusitis (CR and CRS) can lead to impairment of the health-related quality of life (HRQL) with higher psychological perceived distress, resulting in disease worsening and poor treatment outcomes. W aimed to evaluate the potential association between disease severity and HRQL impairment with the perceived acute psychological distress in newly diagnosed CR/CRS patients. This single-center cross-sectional study included otherwise healthy consecutive adults with newly diagnosed CR/CRS (European position paper on rhinosinusitis and nasal polyp criteria and International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology - Allergic Rhinitis criteria or non-allergic rhinitis), who were evaluated for CR/CRS symptom severity and HRQL (Sino Nasal Outcome Test 22 [SNOT-22], visual analog scale [VAS]) and acute perceived distress (Perceived Stress Scale [PSS]). ⋯ Upon adjustment for age and sex, higher total SNOT-22 (geometric means ratio [GMR]=1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.06), higher "torment" (GMR=1.13, 1.04-1.24), higher "poor sleep" (GMR=1.11, 1.02-1.21) and higher "wakes-up tired" (GMR=1.11, 1.01-1.21) scores were each associated with a higher PSS score, overall and consistently in CR and CRS patients. In conclusion, more severe CR/CRS is associated with greater perceived psychological distress already at earlier stages of the disease. Paying attention to patient level of distress and anxiety over time may enable better understanding of the connection between exacerbations, symptom severity and psychological burden of the disease.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Apr 2023
CHRONIC MULTIMORBIDITY OF LOW BACK PAIN OR OTHER CHRONIC BACK DISORDERS IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA.
The aim was to assess the prevalence of chronic multimorbidity in patients with chronic low back pain or other chronic back disorders (BD). We analyzed data from the population-based cross-sectional European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) performed in the Republic of Croatia 2014-2015 by the Croatian Institute of Public Health. Outcome was the point-prevalence of chronic multimorbidity defined as having ≥2 chronic illnesses out of 14 contained in the EHIS questionnaire, after adjustment for ten sociodemographic, anthropometric and lifestyle confounders. ⋯ All chronic comorbidities except for asthma and liver cirrhosis were significantly more prevalent in participants with BD than in participants without BD. In the population with BD, the participants with multimorbidity had three to four times higher odds for unfavorable self-reported health outcomes than the participants with no comorbid conditions, whereas the existence of only one comorbidity was not significantly associated with a worse outcome compared to the population with no comorbidities. In conclusion, the population suffering from BD has a higher prevalence of chronic multimorbidity than the population without BD and this multimorbidity is associated with unfavorable health outcomes.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Apr 2023
ANALYSIS OF DIAGNOSTIC EXCISIONAL LYMPH NODE BIOPSY RESULTS: 12-YEAR EXPERIENCE OF A SINGLE CENTER.
Lymph node biopsy is indicated in patients with suspected malignancy or lymphadenopathy due to unclarified reasons. Lymph node biopsy can be performed as fine needle aspiration biopsy, core biopsy, or excisional lymph node biopsy. In particular, the diagnosis of malignant lymphoma is considered insufficient for oncological treatment unless classified into subgroups. ⋯ If the core biopsy is insufficient for diagnosis, it is more appropriate to perform surgical biopsy in order to cause no delay in diagnosis and treatment. Excisional biopsy is a method that can be safely performed and does not cause severe morbidity in palpable peripheral lymphadenopathies. Although it does not cause severe morbidity because it is an invasive procedure, excisional biopsy should be performed in a selected patient group.