Sociodemographic factors affecting older people’s care dependency in their daily living environment according to Care Dependency Scale (CDS)

The aim of the research was to determine the influence of sociodemographic factors on older people’s care dependency in their living environment according to the Care Dependency Scale (CDS). Methods: The research was conducted in a group of 151 older people staying in their own homes. The methods applied in the research included a sociodemographic questionnaire and scales including the Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS), CDS, Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Lawton’s Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (I-ADL), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Results: Gender had a significant impact on the level of care dependency. The surveyed females obtained the medium or high level of dependency more often than males (22.4% vs. 6.1%), and the low level of dependency was significantly more frequent among men than women (p = 0.006). Moreover, the age of the respondents determined their level of care dependency. The subjects with a medium or high level of care dependency were significantly older (p = 0.001). The subjects with a low level of care dependency were more likely to be married than people with a medium/high level (p < 0.001). The level of education had a significant impact on care dependency. A higher level of education correlated with a medium/high level of dependency (p = 0.003). Conclusions: The survey results confirmed that sociodemographic factors have a significant impact on the level of care dependency. When planning care in the home environment, special attention should be paid to older women, who are more likely to lose their independence than men. These women should be given additional support

Impact of rehabilitation on quality of life in patients with systemic sclerosis

Tytuł: Wpływ rehabilitacji na jakość życia chorych na Twardzinę Układową.Wstęp: Twardzina Układowa to choroba, która z biegiem lat dotyka coraz więcej ludzi na całym świecie. Ostatnie lata przyniosły wiele nowych badań na jej temat, dlatego zmienił się pogląd na naturę i leczenie. Postępy w diagnozowaniu oraz leczeniu stały się dla chorych szansą na utrzymanie jak najdłuższej sprawności i poprawę jakości życia. Cel pracy: Celem pracy było poznanie wpływu rehabilitacji na jakość życia pacjentów cierpiących na Twardzinę Układową.Materiał i metody: Badania przeprowadzono wśród 50 pacjentów Oddziału Reumatologii Szpitala Specjalistycznego im. Józefa Dietla w Krakowie przy ul. Skarbowej 1 oraz oddziału Reumatologii Małopolskiego Centrum Reumatologii, Immunologii i Rehabilitacji mieszczącego się w Krakowie przy ulicy Focha 33. Do uzyskania materiału badawczego wykorzystano autorski kwestionariusz ankiety. Wyniki: Prawie wszyscy ankietowani 98% korzystają z zabiegów rehabilitacyjnych. Prawie połowa 48% respondentów korzysta z zabiegów raz do roku. Większość badanych 68% uważa, że szczególną uwagę należy zwrócić na rehabilitację kończyn dolnych i górnych (w tym dłoni). Połowa badanych 50% nie ma zdania na temat czy jest zadowolona z jakości swojego życia.Wnioski: Rehabilitacja w nieznacznym stopniu wpływa na jakość życia. Istnieją zmienne demograficzne wpływające na jakość życia.Title: Impact of rehabilitation on quality of life in patients with systemic sclerosis.Background: Systemic Scleroderma is a disease that affects over the years more and more people around the world. Recent years have brought a lot of new research on it, so changed the view of the nature and treatment. Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of the sick became an opportunity to maintain the longest performance and quality of life.Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of rehabilitation on quality of life of patients suffering from systemic sclerosis.Material and methods: The study included 50 patients of the Rheumatology Specialist Hospital Jozef Dietl in Cracow near Skarbowa 1 Street and Rheumatology department Malopolska Centre of Rheumatology, Immunology and Rehabilitation located in Krakow, 33 Foch Street. The research material used for authoring a questionnaire. Results: Almost all respondents 98% benefit from rehabilitation treatments. Nearly half, 48% of respondents use treatments once a year. Most of the 68% of the surveyed believes that particular attention should be paid to the rehabilitation of the upper and lower extremities (including hands). Half of the respondents 50% no opinion on whether it is satisfied with the quality of your life.Conclusions: Rehabilitation of marginally affect quality of life. There are demographic variables affecting quality of life

Application of Chosen Data Mining Methods in Predicting Abnormal Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents

Hypertension is a common disease in highly industrialized societies, more often perceived as a health problem in adults rather than children. However, epidemiologists are currently paying more attention to the possibility of idiopathic hypertension during childhood. This article compares three classification models (logistic regression, classification trees and MARSplines) in order to determine the best classification model and distinguish the parameters that are most important in the detection of abnormal blood pressure in children. The study group consisted of 1,378 children aged between 7 and 18. After making comparisons between the methods, it was determined that MARSplines is the model that best assigns subjects to classes and can be an alternative in cases when traditional statistical methods cannot be used due to a lack of fulfillment of conditions. For prediction of abnormal blood pressure in this age group, the most important parameters were the heart rate and selected indicators of body proportions

Wielowymiarowe metody klasyfikacyjne w badaniach transmuralności w ablacji bipolarnej

Zabieg ablacji stosuje się do leczenia zaburzeń rytmu serca. Określono parametry gwarantujące jego skuteczność i bezpieczeństwo. Zastosowano trzy metody klasyfikacyjne: regresję logistyczną, analizę skupień i analizę korespondencji, aby wyznaczyć wartości graniczne analizowanych cech (czasu trwania zabiegu, wielkości końcówki elektrody uziemiającej, obciążenia końcówki elektrody) lub cech anatomicznych blizny (średnicy wyjścia, średnicy wejścia, głębokości wejścia, całkowitej głębokości blizny, zmiany impedancji) o kluczowym znaczeniu w tworzeniu blizny transmuralnej w ablacji bipolarnej, kiedy to przepuszcza się prąd między elektrodami położonymi blisko siebie. Badanie przeprowadzono na 72 sercach świńskich. Dowiedziono, że największe prawdopodobieństwo transmuralności powstaje podczas zabiegu trwającego 90 s z użyciem 8 mm elektrody o nacisku 20 g. Analizy skupień pokazują, że transmuralność można z podobną skutecznością przewidzieć na podstawie parametrów anatomicznych blizn

Serum level of vitamin D is associated with severity of coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Postmenopausal women experience rapid progression of coronary artery disease. Recent studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency might be considered a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The main object of this study was to analyze the potential cardioprotective effect of 25(OH)D and its influence on coronary atherosclerosis assessed by Coronary Artery Surgery Study Score (CASSS). We prospectively enrolled over 300 postmenopausal women undergoing coronary angiography. Our study showed that women with more severe coronary atherosclerosis have significantly lower serum levels of 25(OH)D. We also presented that vitamin D serves as an independent determinant of the CASS Score. Our study provides further evidence that low vitamin D level appears to be a potential risk factor for coronary artery disease. ABSTRACT: Background: Postmenopausal women experience rapid progression of coronary artery disease. Vitamin D deficiency appears to be a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to analyze the impact of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D) level on the severity of coronary atherosclerosis and its potential cardioprotective effect in postmenopausal women. Material and Methods: The study prospectively recruited 351 women in postmenopausal age undergoing coronary angiography. The severity of coronary atherosclerosis was assessed using the Coronary Artery Surgery Study Score (CASSS). A level of 25(OH)D was measured with electrochemiluminescence. Results: Women with more severe coronary atherosclerosis have significantly lower 25(OH)D serum level (p = 0.0001). Vitamin D (β = −0.02; p = 0.016), hypertension (β = 0.44; p = 0.025), age (β = 0.02; p = 0.003), and history of MI (β = 0.63; p < 0.0001), were shown as CASSS determinants. Age, hyperlipidemia, and history of MI were found to determine the level of vitamin D (all p < 0.05). Women with a three-vessel disease hospitalized due to ACS, with a history of MI, hyperlipidemia and hypertension presented the lowest vitamin D level. Conclusions: Our study showed that lower serum 25(OH)D in postmenopausal women is associated with more significant stenosis in the coronary arteries. Therefore, we suggest considering low vitamin D level as a potential risk factor for coronary artery disease

Vitamin D level in patients with consecutive acute coronary syndrome is not correlated with the parameters of platelet activity

Coronary artery disease continues to be the leading cause of death in developed countries. Elevated mean platelet volume (MPV) is associated with an increased incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) and MI-related mortality. Vitamin D concentrations affect the level and function of platelets, which are the crucial mediator of atherothrombosis and plaque rupture. The main aim of this study was to examine the relationship of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels with the platelet activity in patients with a history of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This prospective study recruited 268 patients with a history of MI who underwent coronary angiography due to the suspicion of another ACS. Serum 25(OH)D concentration was determined by electrochemiluminescence. Platelet activity was assessed using the MPV and platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR) parameters. There was no significant difference in MPV and P-LCR values between patients diagnosed with subsequent MI and patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). A significantly lower level of 25(OH)D was demonstrated in patients who had another MI compared to those with CCS (p < 0.05). No significant correlation of 25(OH)D concentrations with platelet activity parameters values was found. The subgroup of patients with consecutive MI was characterized by significantly lower serum vitamin D levels, but this was not related to the analyzed parameters of platelet activity