Are students at Krakow universities turning to energy-boosting dietary supplements?

Introduction. Recent studies have revealed an increase in the consumption of dietary supplements including frequency of use of caffeine, which is addictive and potentially harmful in higher doses. Energy drinks include high doses of caffeine and are particularly targeted at young people. Objective.The aim of the study was to investigate the frequency of use of caffeine-containing energy products, associated factors and understanding the associated side- effects in university students. Materials and method. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among students of the 5 largest Universities in Krakow. Statistical significance was set at the 0.05 level. Results. Around 35% of respondents reported the use of different supplements including high doses of caffeine. Frequency of caffeine-containing products consumption was significantly higher in female students compering to males. Also, those respondents who originated from big cities were more likely to use caffeine-containing products. The study revealed that these substances were also more popular among those participants who study economics. Most students use these substances in order to reduce feeling tired and the duration of sleep, others mainly to increase concentration prior to examinations. Almost one fourth of the group who used these substances admitted to having experienced some side-effects in the past. They suffered mainly from insomnia, but also from excessive stimulation and muscle trembling. Almost half of the substances users did not know of any potential side-effects. Conclusions. Attempts should be made to increase public awareness of the side-effects of these substances, particularly among the student population. These campaigns should be targeted especially at female students who come from bigger cities. This study is a step towards drawing attention to this issue

A comparative analysis of advanced techniques for skin reconstruction with autologous keratinocyte culture in severely burned children : own experience

Introduction: The local treatment in burns larger than 50% of total body surface area is still the great challenge for surgeons. Aim: This paper presents a review of different solutions for deep burn wound healing in children and the early outcomes of treatment with combined autologous cell culture technique. Material and methods: For this study, 20 children aged between 4 and 12 years with 55–65% of TBSA III grade burn injury were analyzed. A skin sample, 1 cm × 1 cm in size, for keratinocyte cultivation, was taken on the day of the burn. After necrotic tissue excision, the covering of the burned area with an isolated meshed skin graft was carried out between day 4 and 7. After 7 days of keratinocyte cultivation, the mentioned areas were covered with cells from the culture. We divided the burned regions, according to the way of wound closure, into 3 groups each consisting of 15 treated regions of the body. We used meshed split thickness skin grafts (SSG group), cultured autologous keratinocytes (CAC group), and both techniques applied in one stage (SSG + CAC group). Results: In the SSG group, the mean time for complete closure of wounds was 12.7 days. Wounds treated with CAC only needed a non-significantly longer time to heal – 14.2 days (p = 0.056) when compared to SSG. The shortest time to heal was observed in the group treated with SSG + CAC – 8.5 days, and it was significantly shorter when compared to the SSG and CAC groups (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study suggests that cultured keratinocytes obtained after short-time multiplication, combined with meshed autologous split thickness skin grafts, constitute the optimal wound closure in burned children

A comparative analysis of advanced techniques for skin reconstruction with autologous keratinocyte culture in severely burned children: own experience

Introduction: The local treatment in burns larger than 50% of total body surface area is still the great challenge for surgeons. Aim: This paper presents a review of different solutions for deep burn wound healing in children and the early outcomes of treatment with combined autologous cell culture technique. Material and methods: For this study, 20 children aged between 4 and 12 years with 55–65% of TBSA III grade burn injury were analyzed. A skin sample, 1 cm × 1 cm in size, for keratinocyte cultivation, was taken on the day of the burn. After necrotic tissue excision, the covering of the burned area with an isolated meshed skin graft was carried out between day 4 and 7. After 7 days of keratinocyte cultivation, the mentioned areas were covered with cells from the culture. We divided the burned regions, according to the way of wound closure, into 3 groups each consisting of 15 treated regions of the body. We used meshed split thickness skin grafts (SSG group), cultured autologous keratinocytes (CAC group), and both techniques applied in one stage (SSG + CAC group). Results: In the SSG group, the mean time for complete closure of wounds was 12.7 days. Wounds treated with CAC only needed a non-significantly longer time to heal – 14.2 days (p = 0.056) when compared to SSG. The shortest time to heal was observed in the group treated with SSG + CAC – 8.5 days, and it was significantly shorter when compared to the SSG and CAC groups (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study suggests that cultured keratinocytes obtained after short-time multiplication, combined with meshed autologous split thickness skin grafts, constitute the optimal wound closure in burned children

Response to the letter concerning the article : "association between carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and overall cardiovascular risk score assessed by the SCORE system in urban Polish population"

Background: The Systemic COronary Risk Estimation (SCORE) system is recommended for the assessment of cardiovascular  disease (CVD) death risk in individuals free of CVD.  Aims: We sought to determine the association between carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CFPWV) and SCORE.  Methods: The study involved 1008 Krakow residents, and a random subsample of 3424 men and 3205 women who participated in Wave 2 of the Polish part of the Health, Alcohol, and Psychosocial factors in Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) study. At baseline we performed a medical interview, physical examination, evaluation of present comorbidities, medications using standardised methods. A follow-up of 4.9 years included measurement of CFPWV using an automatic, computerised Complior® system.  Results: Final analysis included 720 patients (378 women), aged 58.5 ± 6.5 years at baseline. In 488 individuals without his- tory of CVD and/or diabetes, SCORE was calculated. Median CFPWV was higher (p = 0.002) in men (12.5 m/s; interquartile range [IQR] 10.3–15.7) than in women (11.7 m/s; IQR 10.1–13.7). High CFPWV ( &gt; 10 m/s) was observed in 270 men (78.9%) and in 285 women (75.4%). We observed a strong association between high CVD risk (SCORE ≥ 5%) and high CFPWV (odds ratio 2.29; 95% confidence interval 1.17–4.46). The CFPWV cut-off value to differentiate between patients with low and high CVD risk was 11.7 m/s (with 58.6% sensitivity and 71.3% specificity, AUC = 0.68).  Conclusions: Our study is the first to describe the distribution of CFPWV in the adult Polish population. SCORE ≥ 5% pre- dicted high CFPWV in 4.9 years of follow-up, which was independent of other risk factors. CFPWV &gt; 11.7 m/s was most valid in relation to high CVD risk.

Association between carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and overall cardiovascular risk score assessed by the SCORE system in urban Polish population

Background: The Systemic COronary Risk Estimation (SCORE) system is recommended for the assessment of cardiovascular  disease (CVD) death risk in individuals free of CVD.  Aims: We sought to determine the association between carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CFPWV) and SCORE.  Methods: The study involved 1008 Krakow residents, and a random subsample of 3424 men and 3205 women who participated in Wave 2 of the Polish part of the Health, Alcohol, and Psychosocial factors in Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) study. At baseline we performed a medical interview, physical examination, evaluation of present comorbidities, medications using standardised methods. A follow-up of 4.9 years included measurement of CFPWV using an automatic, computerised Complior® system.  Results: Final analysis included 720 patients (378 women), aged 58.5 ± 6.5 years at baseline. In 488 individuals without his- tory of CVD and/or diabetes, SCORE was calculated. Median CFPWV was higher (p = 0.002) in men (12.5 m/s; interquartile range [IQR] 10.3–15.7) than in women (11.7 m/s; IQR 10.1–13.7). High CFPWV ( &gt; 10 m/s) was observed in 270 men (78.9%) and in 285 women (75.4%). We observed a strong association between high CVD risk (SCORE ≥ 5%) and high CFPWV (odds ratio 2.29; 95% confidence interval 1.17–4.46). The CFPWV cut-off value to differentiate between patients with low and high CVD risk was 11.7 m/s (with 58.6% sensitivity and 71.3% specificity, AUC = 0.68).  Conclusions: Our study is the first to describe the distribution of CFPWV in the adult Polish population. SCORE ≥ 5% pre- dicted high CFPWV in 4.9 years of follow-up, which was independent of other risk factors. CFPWV &gt; 11.7 m/s was most valid in relation to high CVD risk.

Comparison of reorganized versus unaltered cardiology departments during the COVID-19 era: a subanalysis of the COV-HF-SIRIO 6 study

Background: Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, numerous cardiology departments were reorganized to provide care for COVID-19 patients. We aimed to compare the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital admissions and in-hospital mortality in reorganized vs. unaltered cardiology departments. Methods: The present subanalysis is a multicenter retrospective COV-HF-SIRIO 6 study that includes all patients (n = 101,433) hospitalized in 24 cardiology departments in Poland between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020, with a focus on patients with acute heart failure (AHF). Results: Reduction of all-cause hospitalizations was 50.6% vs. 21.3% for reorganized vs. unaltered cardiology departments in 2020 vs. 2019, respectively (p &lt; 0.0001). Considering AHF alone respective reductions by 46.5% and 15.2% were registered (p &lt; 0.0001). A higher percentage of patients was brought in by ambulance to reorganized vs. unaltered cardiology departments (51.7% vs. 34.6%; p &lt; 0.0001) alongside with a lower rate of self-referrals (45.7% vs. 58.4%; p &lt; 0.0001). The rate of all-cause in-hospital mortality in AHF patients was higher in reorganized than unaltered cardiology departments (10.9% vs. 6.4%; p &lt; 0.0001). After the exclusion of patients with concomitant COVID-19, the mortality rates did not differ significantly (6.9% vs. 6.4%; p = 0.55). Conclusions: In cardiology departments reorganized to provide care for COVID-19 patients vs. unaltered ones, observed: i) a greater reduction in hospital admissions in 2020 vs. 2019; ii) higher rates of patients brought by ambulance and lower rates of self-referrals; and iii) higher all-cause in-hospital mortality for AHF due to COVID-19 related deaths