Dietary Supplements Use among Serbian Undergraduate Students of Different Academic Fields

The rising popularity of dietary supplements as a part of self-care practice increases interest in monitoring their usage in the general and specific population groups. This study investigated the prevalence and patterns of dietary supplement use among Belgrade University undergraduate students and its variations across different academic study fields. Of the 914 online survey students, 55.7% used dietary supplements during the past year. Female gender, eating behavior, and academic field were significant predictors of dietary supplement use. For all students, the most commonly used dietary supplements were vitamins and minerals, alone or in combination. Magnesium, vitamin C, and B vitamins were the most frequently supplemented micronutrients. The reasons for using, place of purchase, and source of information regarding dietary supplements significantly varied among students of different fields of study. Adverse effects related to dietary supplement use, including gastrointestinal symptoms, skin flushing, dizziness, and heart palpitation, were reported in 4.5% of students. Insufficient knowledge about these products was self-reported by 16.5% of users, more common among non-medical students. Thus, public health interventions are needed to improve students’ knowledge regarding rational and safe dietary supplement use

Krimska Kongo hemoragijska groznica: prikaz porodičnih epidemija

Uvod. Krimska Kongo hemoragijska groznica (KKHG) je akutna, virusna,prirodno-žarišna zoonoza, koja se u prirodnim uslovima prenosi na čovekaubodom nekih vrsta iksoidnih krpelja i interhumano. Klinički se ispoljavafebrilnim toksično-infektivnim sindromom sa izraženim hemoragijamarazličitih lokalizacija i intenziteta.U radu su prikazani bolesnici lečeni odKrimske-Kongo hemoragijske groznice u Klinici za infektivne bolesti Kliničkobolničkog centra u Prištini.Prikazi porodičnih epidemija. U toku lečenja bolesnika obolelih od KKHGzabeleženo je 6 porodičnih epidemija. U četiri su obolela po dva člana porodice,u jednoj četiri i u jednoj šest članova. Bolest se manifestovala visokomtemperaturom i hemoragijama različitih lokalizacija. U porodičnoj epidemijiu kojoj je obolelo šest članova, kao i u epidemiji u kojoj su obolela četiri člana,letalni ishodi su zabeleženi kod indeksnih bolesnika. Dijagnoza je postavljenana osnovu epidemioloških parametara, kliničke slike i seroloških analiza.Zaključak. Krimsku Kongo hemoragijsku groznicu karakteriše pojava febrilnostii hemoragija, a javlja se sporadično ili u manjim, najčešće porodičnimepidemijama. Od velikog je epidemiološkog značaja mogućnost interhumanetransmisije

Comparison of clinical, biochemical and morphological parameters in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus is primarily hepatotropic, causing chronic hepatitis B in 5-10% of patients. Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection is a dynamic process, which may have five phases: immunotolerant, immunoactive, latency phase, reactive and HBsAg negative phase. Aim: Analyze clinical and biochemical parameters in relation to morphological condition of the liver. Material and Methods: The study enrolled 35 patients diagnosed with CHB, 24 males and 11 females, aged between 12 and 62 years, in the period 2015-2016. The diagnosis was based on serological, biochemical results, and liver biopsy. In patients in an ELISA assay demonstrated the presence of HBsAg in serum. Results: The study shows that middle-aged male patients are more prone to chronic hepatitis B infection. Most patients have one or two symptoms.Fatigue and right subcostal pain are most commonly present in the groups with fibrosis in second- and third-degree, and hepatomegaly in the group with fibrosis in first-degree. Splenomegaly is present only in groups with fibrosis in third and fourth degree. Elevated average aminotransaminase levels reflected the degree of fibrosis. Significant statistical difference in aminitransaminase levels was confirmed between the group of patients with third- and forth-degree and patients without fibrosis. Conclusion: The increase in ALT levels reflect the degree of fibrosis and cirrhosis of the occurrence. ALT levels may be a predictor of the process of the fibrogenesis, as well as to indicate the degree of fibrosis in HHB infection. Due to frequent discrepancies between clinical manifestations and results of laboratory tests, liver biopsy has been considered 'gold standard' for establishing the diagnosis, staging chronic hepatitis B, making therapeutic decisions, monitoring the course of the disease, and assessing prognosis