Life quality of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Introduction and the aim: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) belongs to the group of the most frequent chronic diseases. The major, and at the same time the most crucial goal of the actions undertaken for patients with COPD, is increase in early detection of this disease which will contribute to the decrease in morbidity and mortality. The aim of the study was to assess the quality of life of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Material and methods: The survey was conducted among 100 patients with recognized chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, treated in the Department of Pneumology, Oncology and Allergology, as well as in the Clinic of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis of the Independent Public Clinical Hospital no. 4 in Lublin as well as in ambulatory way. The research material was collected with help of the questionnaire - St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) for patients with respiratory system diseases.Results: Data analysis shows that in the range of 50% to 100% there were 72 persons, which indicates low level of life quality. Among 96 respondents, the quality of life in the category "symptoms" fit in the range 50% to 100% while no one fit in the range 0% to 10% which means that none of the respondents has reached the best quality of life in this category. The category of the impact of the disease on daily life obtained the best assessment as 69 respondents fit in the range 50% to 100%.Conclusions: Majority of respondents assess their quality of life on rather low level. The lowest quality of life was obtained in the category "symptoms". The dyspnoea was the disease symptom that occurred most often among the respondents. Longer duration of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was related to the deterioration of patients' quality of life

Life orientation and chosen sociomedical indicators of women suffering from type 2 diabetes

The aim of the study: In the process of dealing with diabetes every day the sense of coherence plays an important role. This construct in the salutogenesis theory determines the ability ofan individual to skilfully utilize the available resources for their own wellbeing. In many works the influence of demographic, social and clinical factors on the sense of coherence of people suffering from diabetes was analysed. However, little attention was paid to the detailed description of this issue among women suffering from diabetes. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the sense of coherence and the chosen sociomedical variables among women suffering from type 2 diabetes. Material and methods: In total 131 women suffering from type 2 diabetes treated at the Endocrinology Hospital and the Diabetes Outpatient Clinic were the subject of this research. The women who were selected for this research were 40 years old, had suffered from diabetes for over one year and gave permission to take part in the study.The study was conducted based on the original questionnaire comprising the data concerning: age, educational background, place of residence, marital status and professional activity. The questionnaire allowed gathering medical data like: duration of the disease, BMI index, HbA1c value or the method of diabetes treatment.Life Orientation Questionnaire (SOC-29) by A. Antonovski [4] in a Polish language version was used to determine the rating of the sense of coherence. Results. The level of the sense of coherence of the surveyed women suffering from diabetes was between 47 and 197 points. Statistically significant differences were not observed (p > 0.05) in the ratings of the sense of coherence versus the place of residence, education or marital status. There were no significant relationships (p > 0.05) between the sense of coherence, its components and the method of treatment, HbA1c value and the disease duration time. A statistically relevant difference (p < 0.05) between the sense of coherence, its components and the age of respondents was demonstrated. Moreover, a statistically relevant difference was proven (p < 0.05) between the sense of coherence and Body Mass Index. Furthermore, a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between the sense of coherence, its components and the professional activity of the research subjects was found. Conclusions: 1.The level of sense of coherence was lower than the standard average norms as applied by A. Antonovsky (133-160 points) among women suffering from type 2 diabetes. 2. Women who were professionally active and mature stood out with a high level of the sense of coherence and its components. 3. Women suffering from type 2 diabetes with normal body weight had high a level of the sense of coherence

TsHKT1;2, a HKT1 homolog from the extremophile arabidopsis relative Thellungiella salsuginea, shows K \u3csup\u3e+\u3c/sup\u3e specificity in the presence of NaCl

Cellular Na +/K + ratio is a crucial parameter determining plant salinity stress resistance. We tested the function of plasma membrane Na +/K + cotransporters in the High-affinity K + Transporter (HKT) family from the halophytic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) relative Thellungiella salsuginea. T. salsuginea contains at least two HKT genes. TsHKT1;1 is expressed at very low levels, while the abundant TsHKT1;2 is transcriptionally strongly up-regulated by salt stress. TsHKT-based RNA interference in T. salsuginea resulted in Na + sensitivity and K + deficiency. The athkt1 mutant lines overexpressing TsHKT1;2 proved less sensitive to Na + and showed less K + deficiency than lines overexpressing AtHKT1. TsHKT1;2 ectopically expressed in yeast mutants lacking Na + or K + transporters revealed strong K + transporter activity and selectivity for K + over Na +. Altering two amino acid residues in TsHKT1;2 to mimic the AtHKT1 sequence resulted in enhanced sodium uptake and loss of the TsHKT1;2 intrinsic K + transporter activity. We consider the maintenance of K + uptake through TsHKT1;2 under salt stress an important component supporting the halophytic lifestyle of T. salsuginea. © 2012 American Society of Plant Biologists

Coping with stress by Medical University students

Introduction. Stress can be defined as a physiological and psychic response to external stimuli (stressors) or as a relationship between the body and the environment that can affect the body in a negative, positive or neutral way

Jakość życia chorych z przewlekłą niewydolnością nerek

Przewlekła niewydolność nerek jest zespołem chorobowym o postępującym i często nieodwracalnym przebiegu. Nieodwracalność przebiegu choroby oznacza, że u chorych dotkniętych tym zespołem dojdzie do konieczności zastosowania leczenia nerkozastępczego. Celem pracy była ocena jakości życia chorych z przewlekłą niewydolnością nerek leczonych zachowawczo i nerkozastępczo metodą hemodializ. Materiał i metody. Badaniami objęto 126 osób w tym 100 chorych z przewlekłą niewydolnością nerek i 26 osób zdrowych stanowiących grupę kontrolną. Jakość życia badanych oceniono przy pomocy kwestionariusza ankiety WHOQOL- bref, poddając ocenie cztery aspekty życia: fizyczny, psychologiczny, relacji społecznych i środowiska. Wyniki badań: Jakość życia chorych z przewlekłą niewydolnością nerek w porównaniu do osób zdrowych była niższa we wszystkich analizowanych dziedzinach. Kobiety dializowane lepiej oceniły jakość swojego życia niż mężczyźni, natomiast kobiety leczone zachowawczo gorzej oceniły jakość życia w porównaniu do mężczyzn. Predyktorem jakości życia okazał się również poziom wykształcenia i stan cywilny badanych. Stwierdzono, że pacjenci dializowani posiadający wykształcenie wyższe, pozostający w związku (mężatki, żonaci) lepiej oceniali jakość swojego życia we wszystkich analizowanych dziedzinach w porównaniu do badanych stanu wolnego z wykształceniem średnim czy zawodowym. Również miejsce zamieszkania miało wpływ na jakość życia badanych, która została oceniona lepiej przez chorych mieszkających mieście