Kriza identiteta slepih adolescenata i njihov doživljaj podrške koju im pružaju vršnjaci

Identity crisis was understood here as a developmental difficulty on the road to maturation. Little empirical data are available concerning identity crisis in adolescents with visual impairment, while the results of studies of social peer support remain contradictory. This has motivated us to examine the specifics of identity crisis in the blind in comparison to their sighted peers. Moreover, by using comparative analysis, we also wanted to give a contribution to a better understanding of social peer support and its relations with identity crisis in the young blind. 32 blind and 32 sighted adolescents were interviewed and given a checklist of identity crisis indicators. The results demonstrated that, comparatively, the blind participants' identity crisis was more intense and more often delayed, while their assessment of all three forms of peer support was lower. Moreover, the content of perceived emotional and informational support was similar while the content of perceived tangible peer support was completely different from that in the group of the sighted adolescents. Finally, perceived tangible peer support correlated significantly with identity crisis only in the group of the blind youth. Therefore, the findings underline the special importance of perceived tangible peer support to the young blind.Kriza identiteta je ovde shvaćena kao razvojna teškoća na putu ka zrelosti. O krizi identiteta adolescenata sa oštećenjem vida ima malo empirijskih podataka, dok su rezultati studija o podršci koju im pružaju vršnjaci kontradiktorni. To nas je motivisalo da uporedno ispitamo krizu identiteta kod slepih adolescenata i vršnjaka koji vide. Takođe smo želeli da, koristeći komparativnu analizu, damo doprinos boljem razumevanju podrške koju im vršnjaci pružaju i povezanosti te podrške sa krizom identiteta mladih slepih. Uzorak su činila 32 slepa I 32 adolescenta kontrolne grupe. Podatke smo prikupili putem intervjua i liste indikatora krize identiteta. Rezultati su pokazali da slepi adolescenti u poređenju sa vršnjacima svoju krizu identiteta doživljavaju intenzivnijom, češće odloženom, dok za sva tri oblika podrške vršnjaka daju niže procene. Sadržaji opažene emocionalne i informacione podrške vršnjaka su slični, a sadržaji opažene konkretne podrške vršnjaka značajno su različiti u ispitivanim grupama. Pokazalo se da je jedina značajna korelacija između opažene konkretne podrške vršnjaka i krize identiteta u grupi slepih adolescenata. Dakle, nalazi ukazuju na naročit značaj konkretne podrške vršnjaka za slepe adolescente

Društvena podrška institucija zdravstvene zaštite slepim adolescentima i njihovim porodicama

Social support refers to the structure, quality and function of social networks to which an individual belongs. It is considered a very important source of coping with stress. The forms of social support are emotional, informational and instrumental, and each of these forms of support can be provided in a formal and an informal way. Since families with blind adolescents are more exposed to stress and are more often in need of formal social support from the health care system, the question is whether there are differences in perception of the level and content of this type of support between families with blind adolescents and families with typically developing adolescents. The sample consisted of 32 families in an experimental and 32 families in a control group. Data on the content and level of health care social support were obtained from fathers, mothers and adolescents by means of non-directive interviews and the assessment scale. The results showed that both groups of families are not satisfied with perceived health care social support, and that families with blind adolescents are significantly less satisfied. Content analysis of the health care support system shows numerous similarities in perception between the experimental and control groups. However, families with blind adolescents may have some additional expectations, especially in terms of informational and emotional support of health establishment.Društvena podrška se odnosi na strukturu, kvalitet i funkciju socijalne mreže kojoj pojedinac pripada. Smatra se izuzetno značajnim izvorom za prevladavanje stresa. Oblici društvene podrške su emocionalna, informaciona i konkretna, a svaki od ovih vidova podrške može biti pružen neformalnim i formalnim putem. Budući da su porodice sa slepim adolescentom više izložene stresu i da su češće upućene na traženje formalne društvene podrške od sistema zdravstvene zaštite, nameće se pitanje da li postoje razlike u opažanju nivoa i sadržaja ovog vida podrške između porodica sa slepim adolescentom i porodica sa adolescentom tipičnog razvoja. Uzorak su činile po 32 porodice. Podaci o sadržaju i nivou društvene podrške zdravstva dobijeni su od očeva, majki i adolescenata putem nedirektivno vođenog intervjua i skale procene. Rezultati istraživanja su pokazali da su obe grupe porodica nezadovoljne, kao i da su porodice sa slepim adolescentom znatno nezadovoljnije i da im je potrebna 'posebna' podrška. Analiza sadržaja podrške sistema zdravstvene zaštite ukazuje na brojne sličnosti u opažanju između eksperimentalne i kontrolne grupe, s tim što porodice sa slepim adolescentom imaju i neka dodatna očekivanja, naročito u pogledu informacione i emocionalne podrške zdravstvenih ustanova

Sex differences in self-evaluation of quality of life in blind adolescents

Operacionalizacija pojma kvalitet života, bez obzira na različita teorijska shvatanja, obavezno uključuje emotivni i profesionalni aspekt. U literaturi nalazimo podatke da je manja verovatnoća za slepe žene nego za slepe muškarce da sklope brak i da se zaposle. Cilj našeg istraživanja bio je da utvrdi da li postoje polne razlike u samoproceni i zadovoljstvu emotivnim i profesionalnim kvalitetom života mladih slepih. Ispitali smo po 32 slepa (eksperimentalna grupa) i adolescenta tipičnog razvoja (kontrolna grupa), uzrasta 14 do 26 godina. Grupe su u celini ujednačene po polu (20 ispitanika i 12 ispitanica), uzrastu, profesionalnom statusu, redosledu roenja adolescenta, broju dece u porodici, školskoj spremi majke, starosti majke, starosti oca i sredini - seoska/gradska. Polaznu osnovu za konstrukciju instrumenta predstavljao je Upitnik za merenje kvaliteta života Kovačevića. Rezultati pokazuju da slepi ispitanici daju više samoprocene emotivnog kvaliteta života nego ispitanice. Ove razlike su statistički značajne na 0.01 nivou značajnosti. Ispitanice obe grupe su manje zadovoljne ovim aspektom kvaliteta života nego ispitanici. Suprotno ovome, u kontrolnoj grupi ispitanice daju nešto više samoprocene emotivnog kvaliteta života nego ispitanici, ali razlike nisu statistički značajne. U pogledu samoprocene profesionalnog kvaliteta života polne razlike nisu statistički značajne, mada u obe grupe ispitanice daju više samoprocene nego ispitanici. Ovo se može objasniti time što su u uzorku i adolescenti školskog uzrasta. Slepe ispitanice su zadovoljnije profesionalnim kvalitetom života nego slepi ispitanici, što je u skladu sa njihovim samoprocenama. Ali, ispitanici kontrolne grupe su zadovoljniji nego ispitanice, što je suprotno njihovim samoprocenama. Možemo zaključiti da buduća istraživanja profesionalnog kvaliteta života slepih treba obaviti na homogenijim uzorcima u pogledu profesionalnog statusa. Što se tiče emotivnog kvaliteta života slepih adolescenata, nedvosmisleno su utvrene polne razlike. Razlozi ovih razlika su verovatno u vezi sa rodnim ulogama.Operationalization of the concept of quality of life, regardless of the different theoretical concepts, always includes the emotional and professional aspects. Empirical data pointed out that is less likely for the blind woman than for the blind men to get married and to be employed. The aim of our study was to determine whether there are sex differences in self-evaluation and emotional satisfaction and professional quality of life of young blind people. Sample was consisted of 32 blind (experimental group) and adolescent typical development (control group), aged 14 to 26 years. The groups were paired by sex (20 males and 12 females), age, professional status, order of birth, number of children in the family, mother's education level, mother’s age, father's age and environment - rural / urban. The starting point for the construction of the instrument was the Questionnaire for measuring quality of life by Kovacevic. The results showed that the blind male subjects had higher levels of emotional selfassessment of quality of life than female subjects. These differences were statistically significant at the 0.01 level of significance. Female subjects of both groups were less satisfied with this aspect of quality of life than males. In contrast, females in the control group had higher levels of emotional self-assessment of quality of life than males, but the differences were not statistically significant. In terms of professional self-assessment of quality of life gender differences were not statistically significant, although in both groups females give more values than males. This can be explained by the fact that sample contained school children and adolescents. Blind female subjects were satisfied with the professional quality of life more than blind male subjects, which is consistent with their self-evaluation. But, males of the control group were more satisfied than females, which is contrary to their self-evaluation. We conclude that future research of professional quality of life of the blind should be done on homogeneous samples in terms of professional status. For the emotional quality of life of blind children and adolescents, there are clearly defined sexual differences. The reasons for these differences are probably related to gender roles

Effects of various factors on sleep disorders and quality of life in Parkinson's disease

In Parkinson's disease (PD), sleep disorders (SD) occur as a result of the neurochemical changes in sleep centres, neurodegenerative changes in dopaminergic neurons, and other factors. The most common SD include excessive daytime sleepiness, insomnia, restless legs syndrome and nocturia. The aim of the study was to compare quality of sleep, as a factor that greatly impacts quality of life (QoL), between PD patients and a control group and to further examine SD in the PD group with focus on incidence and SD types as well as on effects various factors (age, sex, PD characteristics, medication usage) have on these disorders. The study included 110 patients who met the criteria for the diagnosis of PD and 110 age-matched healthy controls. We used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PD Sleep Scale, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, PD QoL Questionnaire-8 and PD Questionnaire-39 (items 30 and 33). In the group with PD, we considered the duration of the disease, the stage of disease according to the Hoehn and Yahr scale, medications and their impact on the SD. The average duration of the disease was 6 years and the mean stage was 2.44. The result showed significant differences in the sleep quality between groups. In the PD group, SD differences were also found according to gender, duration of the disease and medication usage. The most common SD were fragmented sleep, insomnia and nocturia. To improve the QoL of PD patients, it is necessary to pay more attention to detecting and solving SD

Current methodological tendencies in studies of Visually-impaired persons

Istraživanja u oblasti ometenosti i rehabilitacije često su praćena brojnim metodološkim teškoćama i propustima. Primena uobičajenih metodološko - statističkih procedura neretko nije moguća i/ili je neopravdana. Osnovni cilj naše meta-analitičke studije je da predstavi aktuelne metodološke tendencije u istraživanjima osoba sa oštećenjem vida. Analiza je obavljena na osnovu uvida u strukturu radova objavljenih u protekle dve godine u jednom od istaknutijih svetskih časopisa koji se bavi ovim tipom ometenosti - „Journal of visual impairment and blindness“. Razmatraju se dominantne vrste istraživanja; struktura i veličina uzoraka; snage efekata; metode analize podataka; kao i izvedeni zaključci. Primetna je dominacija upotrebe kvantitativnog pristupa nasuprot kvalitativnom. Kvalitativna istraživanja se po pravilu sprovode paralelno sa kvantitativnim, a isključivo kvalitativna orijentacija je retkost. Poreenja sa kontrolnom grupom obično izostaju, a u retkim slučajevima kada do njih dolazi, grupe nisu ujednačene. U najvećem broju studija se upotrebljavaju parametrijski statistički postupci na uzorcima koji su uglavnom heterogeni u pogledu stepena oštećenja vida, pola i uzrasta. Studije se sprovode na malom broju ispitanika, što onemogućava velike snage efekata statističkih značajnosti. Ovo ima implikacije na mogućnost uopštavanja rezultata, kao i načine njihove interpretacije. Pregled aktuelnih metodoloških tendencija u oblasti specijalne edukacije i rehabilitacije osoba sa oštećenjem vida otvara brojna pitanja i dileme: Da li je opravdano insistirati na što većim uzorcima pri čemu se zamagljuju i poništavaju razlike izmeu ispitanika u pogledu stepena oštećenja vida i vremena njegovog nastanka, a sa ciljem da se ispune odreeni uslovi da bi se izveo odreeni statistički postupak? Kakva je plauzabilnost zaključaka koji se iznose na osnovu rezultata dobijenih putem statističkih metoda primenjenih “na silu”? Može li kvalitativna paradigma da ponudi odgovarajuća rešenja i pomiri potrebe istraživača za „naučnošću“ njihovih istraživanja i potrebe korisnika za dovoljno preciznim i jasno utemeljenim preporukama i mogućnostima za implementaciju?Research in the area of disability and rehabilitation are often accompanied by a number of methodological difficulties and gaps. Application of the usual methodology - statistical procedures are often not possible and / or unwarranted. The main objective of our meta-analytic study is to present current trends in methodological studies of people with visual impairments. The analysis was conducted based on insight into the structure of papers published in the last two years in one of the most prominent international journals dealing with this type of disability - "Journal of visual impairment and blindness." It discusses the dominant type of research, structure and size of samples; power effects; data analysis methods, and conclusions drawn. There is an evident dominance of the use of qualitative versus quantitative approach. Qualitative research is generally carried out in parallel with the quantitative and qualitative orientation is only rare. By comparison with the controls usually absent in rare cases when they come, groups are not uniform. In most studies used parametric statistical procedures on samples that are generally heterogeneous in terms of the degree of visual impairment, gender and age. Studies are conducted on a small sample size, which limits the effects of the high power of statistical significance. This has implications for the possibility of generalizing the results, and ways of their interpretation. View the current methodological tendencies in the field of special education and rehabilitation of persons with visual impairment raises numerous questions and dilemmas: Is it justified to insist on the larger patterns in which the cloud and the void differences between respondents in terms of the degree of visual impairment and the time of its creation, and with order to fulfill certain conditions in order to perform certain statistical procedures? What is the plausibility of conclusions that are stated on the basis of results obtained by statistical methods applied "force"? Can a qualitative paradigm to offer appropriate solutions and reconcile the needs of researchers for "scienticizm" and their research needs for precise and clear enough-based recommendations and options for implementation

PREDICTORS OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH DRUG RESISTANT EPILEPSY AFTER NEUROSURGICAL TREATMENT: ONE-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

Background: Invasive neurosurgical treatment or minimally invasive neurosurgical treatment are methods of choice for the treatment of patients with drug resistant epilepsy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of neurosurgical treatment and the quality of life of patients with drug resistant epilepsy and to determine what are the potential predictors of quality of life of patients with drug resistant epilepsy one year after neurosurgical treatment. Subjects and methods: The research was performed at the Referral Centre for Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb from February 2015 to February 2020 with Ethics commitee approval. The study included 96 patients with drug resistant epilepsy who were examined for the quality of life before and one year after neurosurgical treatment using the form questionnaire "Quality of life in epilepsy" (QOILE-31) validated Croatian 1.0 version and the questionnaire to assess the degree of depression "Beck Depression Inventory I" (BDI-I) validated Croatian version. Results: Of 96 patients with drug resistant epilepsy one year after neurosurgical treatment 46 (47.9%) patients remained completely free from epileptis seizures. Wilcoxon equivalent pair test showed that the number of epileptic seizures one year after neurosurgical treatment was significantly lower (median before neurosurgical treatment is 10; and after neurosurgical treatment is 1, p<0.001). The most informative potential statistically significant predictor variables of quality of life based on the criterion variables QOLIE-31 and BDI-I are: total disease duration in years (p=0.034), patient age (p=0.042), number of antiepileptics one year after neurosurgical treatment (p=0.001), the number of epileptic seizures per month (p=0,016), and social welfare rights (p=0.045). Conclusion: Neurosurgical treatment of patients with drug resistant epilepsy significantly reduces the number of epileptic seizures which significantly improves their overall quality of life one year after neurosurgical treatment

PREDICTORS OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH DRUG RESISTANT EPILEPSY AFTER NEUROSURGICAL TREATMENT: ONE-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

Background: Invasive neurosurgical treatment or minimally invasive neurosurgical treatment are methods of choice for the treatment of patients with drug resistant epilepsy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of neurosurgical treatment and the quality of life of patients with drug resistant epilepsy and to determine what are the potential predictors of quality of life of patients with drug resistant epilepsy one year after neurosurgical treatment. Subjects and methods: The research was performed at the Referral Centre for Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb from February 2015 to February 2020 with Ethics commitee approval. The study included 96 patients with drug resistant epilepsy who were examined for the quality of life before and one year after neurosurgical treatment using the form questionnaire "Quality of life in epilepsy" (QOILE-31) validated Croatian 1.0 version and the questionnaire to assess the degree of depression "Beck Depression Inventory I" (BDI-I) validated Croatian version. Results: Of 96 patients with drug resistant epilepsy one year after neurosurgical treatment 46 (47.9%) patients remained completely free from epileptis seizures. Wilcoxon equivalent pair test showed that the number of epileptic seizures one year after neurosurgical treatment was significantly lower (median before neurosurgical treatment is 10; and after neurosurgical treatment is 1, p<0.001). The most informative potential statistically significant predictor variables of quality of life based on the criterion variables QOLIE-31 and BDI-I are: total disease duration in years (p=0.034), patient age (p=0.042), number of antiepileptics one year after neurosurgical treatment (p=0.001), the number of epileptic seizures per month (p=0,016), and social welfare rights (p=0.045). Conclusion: Neurosurgical treatment of patients with drug resistant epilepsy significantly reduces the number of epileptic seizures which significantly improves their overall quality of life one year after neurosurgical treatment

IMPACT OF INVASIVE EEG MONITORING AND RESECTIVE NEUROSURGICAL TREATMENT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH DRUG RESISTANT EPILEPSY - PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Background: Neurosurgical treatment is one of important way to cure drug resistant epilepsy. After invasive EEG monitoring and the invasive neurosurgical treatment (resective surgery) there are possible complications (intracranial haemorrhage, cortic al lesions and infections), however there are possible neuropsyhologic outcomes such as memory outcomes, language outcomes and psychiatric outcomes. The quality of life in epilepsy (QOLIE-31) scale is a self-completed questionnaire which contains seven subscales which address the following aspects: emotional well-being, social functioning, energy/fatigue, cognitive functioning, seizure worry, medication effects and overall quality of life. Our study aimed to examine the quality of life in patients with drug resistant epilepsy who had undergone invasive EEG monitoring and resective neurosurgical treatment through the application of t he QOLIE-31 scale. Subjects and methods: The study included 9 patients with drug resistant epilepsy who had undergone invasive EEG monitoring followed by resective neurosurgical treatment in the period from 2010 to 2016, and the control group of 15 patients with drug resistant epilepsy who had not undergone neurosurgical procedures. Clinical variables of interest for this study were obtained through phone contact, and the QOLIE-31 scale was applied. Results: In the domaine of seizure worry, patients in the examined group were more concerned about the seizures (54.7) compared to the examined group (80), as well as in the overal quality of life (examined group 57.5; control group 77.5). Patien ts in the control group complained more in the domain of antiepileptic therapy (score 70.7) than patients in the examined group (scor e 100). In the other domains: emotional well-being, energy/fatigue, cognitive functioning, and social functioning there were mino r deviations between the examined and control groups. Conclusion: There was no statistically significant difference between individual QOLIE-31 questionnaires, as well as between the two groups of respondents

B. burgdorferi infekcija u krpeljma uklonjenih sa ljudi i prisustvo antitela protiv borelija kod pacijenata infestiranih krpeljima

The primary objectives of this study were (1) to determine the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi infection in ticks removed from patients for the purpose of singling out sites with increased risk of Lyme borreliosis, and (2) to determine the presence of IgM and/or IgG antibodies against B. burgdorferi sensu lato (s. l.) complex in sera of patients who had ticks removed. From 108 ticks removed from patients, all were examined zoologically and a sub-sample of 91 ticks was tested using PCR analysis to determine the presence of DNA indicating B. burgdorferi infection. To detect anti-Borrelia IgM and/ or IgG antibodies in 61 patients bitten by ticks, we used line recombinant immunoblot test. The most common tick identified was Ixodes ricinus. B. burgdorferi s. l. was present in 37 of 91 tested ticks (40.7%). Seroconversion against B. burgdorferi s. l. antigen was detected in 12 of 61 patients (19.7%). Most of the infected ticks were from the province of Vojvodina (11 municipalities), with the city of Novi Sad proving to be the site with the highest number of infected ticks, 6 in total.Glavni cilj ove studije je bio da se ispita prisustvo B. burgdorferi infekcije u krpeljma uklonjenih sa pacijenata radi utvđivanja lokaliteta sa povećanim rizikom za obolevanje od lajm borelioze, kao i ispitivanje prisustva IgM i/ili IgG antitela usmerenih protiv B. burgdorferi s. l. kompleksa u serumu pacijenata infestiranih krpeljima. Sa pacijenata je prikupljeno i zoološki ispitano 108 krpelja. PCR analiza krpelja korišc'ena je za utvrđivanje prisustva B. burgdorferi s. l. kompleks kod 91 krpelja od ukupnih 108. Za otkrivanje IgM i/ili IgG antitela protiv B. burgdorferi s. l. korišćeni su linijski rekombinantni imunoblot testovi. Najčešc'i identifikovani krpelj je Ixodes ricinus. B. burgdorferi s. l. je bila prisutna u 37 od 91 testiranog krpelja (40,7%). Prisustvo IgM/IgG antitela protiv B. burgdorferi s. l. otkriveno je kod 12 od 61 pacijenta (19,7%). Najviše inficiarnih krpelja je sa teritorije AP Vojvodine (11 opština), gde je urbani deo Novog Sada lokalitet sa najvećim brojem inficiranih krpelja - 6

FREQUENCY, RISK FACTORS, PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF NOSOCOMIAL INFECTION IN ADULT CARDIOSURGICAL PATIENTS AT INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, RIJEKA UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL CENTER IN 2015

Cilj ove retrospektivne studije bila je analiza učestalosti, rizičnih faktora, primjene preventivnih mjera te antimikrobnog liječenja nozokomijalnih infekcija stečenih u ranom poslijeoperacijskom razdoblju u 392 odrasla kardiokirurška bolesnika liječena u Jedinici intenzivnog liječenja (JIL) kardiokirurških bolesnika Klinike za anesteziologiju i intenzivno liječenje Kliničkog bolničkog centra (KBC) Rijeka od 1. siječnja do 31. prosinca 2015. Kriteriji za proglašenje nozokomijalne infekcije uključivali su tri skupine pacijenata: pacijente s pozitivnim mikrobiološkim kulturama uzetim rutinski prilikom prijma u JIL (urinokultura, bris nosa, VAT), pacijente s pozitivnim mikrobiološkim kulturama nakon 24 sata od prijma u JIL uz dinamsku nestabilnost, Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS skor) 1-6 ili zbog znakova infekcije sternalne rane te pacijente s negativnim mikrobiološkim kulturama, ali sa CPIS skorom većim >6. Učestalost nozokomijalnih infekcija u JIL iznosila je 10 %, s mortalitetom of 7,5 %. Najčešći rizični faktori razvoja nozokomijalne infekcije bili su: pozitivna prijeoperacijska mikrobiološka nadzorna kultura, Sequentional Organ Failure ssessment score (SOFA) pri prijmu u JIL jednak ili >6, invazivna mehanička ventilacija dulja od 72 sata, trajanje operacije dulje od 240 min, liječenje u JIL dulje od 72 sata, poslijeoperacijska hemodinamska nestabilnost 24 sata od operacije, primjena izvantjelesnog krvotoka i hitne operacije. Studija je pokazala kako je u ovih bolesnika najčešće zabilježena infekcija respiratornog trakta čemu je pridonijela činjenica da je 6 % bolesnika pristupilo elektivnoj operaciji s pozitivnim prijeoperacijskm brisom nosa i urinokulturom, pri čemu je najčešće bio izoliran Staphylococcus aureus. Dobiveni rezultati govore u prilog potrebi primjene prijeoperacijskih mjera dekontaminacije nosa intranazalnim apliciranjem mupirocina i odgode elektivnog zahvata do izliječenja uroinfekcije. Kako bi se smanjila pojavnost nozokomijalnih infekcija nužno je i adekvatno perioperacijsko doziranje antimikrobne profi lakse s obzirom na tjelesnu težinu, stupanj krvarenja, trajanje operacije i primjenu izvantjelesnog krvotoka.The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the incidence, risk factors and effi cacy of preventive measures and perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in 392 adult cardiac surgery patients treated early postoperatively in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Rijeka University Hospital Centre, Rijeka, Croatia, between January 1 and December 31, 2015. The following criteria for nosocomial infection were analyzed: patients with positive microbiological cultures routinely taken at ICU (urine culture, swab, ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis); patients with sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score ≥6; patients with positive microbiological cultures 24 hours after admission to ICU due to hemodynamic instability, clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS score) 1-6 or signs of sternal infection; and patients with negative microbiological cultures but with CPIS score >6. Nosocomial infection occurred in 10% of patients and mortality was 7.5%. The following risk factors for development of nosocomial infection in these patients were identifi ed in the study: positive preoperative microbiological cultures, invasive mechanical ventilation longer than 72 hours, theatre rocedures longer than 240 minutes, postoperative ICU treatment longer than 72 hours, persistent hemodynamic instability 24 hours after postoperative admission, application of extracorporeal circulation, and emergency operations. Respiratory tract infections were the most common nosocomial infections; there was high correlation with positive nasal swabs confi rmed preoperatively in almost 6% of patients having undergone elective surgery, with Staphylococcus aureus as the most frequent isolate. Results of our study pointed to the need of preoperative eradication of nasal carriage of bacteria by topical application of mupirocin in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery and urinary infection treatment until negative culture. Also, the doses of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis should be administered according to body weight, level of bleeding, duration of operating procedure, and use of extracorporeal circulation