Level of physical activity in patients with osteoporosis

Objectives: The aim of this research was to examine the degree and types of physical activity (heavy physical activity, medium heavy and light physical activity) in female patients with lower bone mineral density compared to healthy women. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study included 40 female patients (65,85±11,46 yrs) with lower bone mineral density (BMD) and 20 patients (56,25±6,6 yrs) with no existing abnormality of BMD levels. The research was conducted at the Medical Rehabilitation Clinic, Clinical Center of Vojvodina. Data were collected using the internationally endorsed questionnaire IPAQ. BMD was measured at lumbar spine (L1-4) and at proximal femur by Dual X-ray Absorptiometry technique (DXA). Osteoporosis was defined as BMD > -2.5 T score. Results: We found that subjects with a normal bone mineral density had the highest level of physical activity (MET = 3154.58), followed by subjects with osteopenia (MET = 2311.25). Patients suffering from osteoporosis who were physically active had the lowest value of MET (1972.95) (p˂0.01). Sub-analysis based on BMI categories showed 10% (2 patients) of those with osteopenia were underweight, compared to 40% (8 patients) in the group with osteoporosis. Conclusions: Patients with osteoporosis were more obese and less physically active, as compared to healthier females. Our findings support the fact that adapted physical activity seems to be important for the prevention and treatment of patients with osteoporosis

Auditory Event-Related P300 Potentials in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

The aim of the study was to assess P300 event-related potentials (ERPs) in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in relation to the duration of illness, degree of disease activity, anatomical and functional stage of the disease, pain intensity, and pain unpleasantness. The cross-sectional study included 53 women with RA (RA group; mean age 50.58 ± 0.93 years) and 27 healthy women (control group, C; 49.41 ± 1.08 years). The intensity and unpleasantness of pain were determined using a visual analog scale (VAS); the functional status was assessed using HAQ (Health Assessment Questionnaire), and the disease activity was estimated using the disease activity scale (DAS28). The P300 waves initiated by auditory stimulations according to the oddball paradigm were recorded from leads Fz and Cz. There were no significant differences between the P300 latencies in both leads. At the same time, the average P300 amplitudes in both leads were found to be considerably lower (P < 0.05) in the RA group compared to the C group. Thus, there is a statistically significant amplitude difference between the P300 cognitive ERPs in RA patients and control subjects.Були досліджені параметри пов’язаних із подією потенціалів (ППП) P300 у пацієнтів, що страждають на ревматоїдний артрит (РА), та зв’язок цих параметрів із тривалістю та інтенсивністю захворювання, анатомічною та функціональною стадіями останнього, інтенсивністю та неприємністю відчуттів болю. У порівняльне дослідження були залучені 53 жінки з РА (група RA, середній вік 50.58 ± ± 0.94 року) та 27 здорових жінок (контрольна група C, 49.41 ± 1.08 року). Інтенсивність та рівень неприємності болю визначали за допомогою візуальної аналогової шкали (VAS), функціональний статус – згідно з опитувальником HAQ, а інтенсивність хвороби – за шкалою DAS28. Потенціали P300 ініціювали акустичною стимуляцією відповідно до oddball-парадигми та відводили від точок Fz та Cz. Усереднені значення латентних періодів хвилі P300 в групах RA та C не демонстрували якихось істотних відмінностей. У той же час усереднені амплітуди P300 в обох кортикальних зонах у групі RA були вірогідно нижчими (P < 0.05), ніж відповідні величини в групі C. Таким чином, існує статистично значуща різниця між характеристиками когнітивного ППП P300 у пацієнтів із ревматоїдним артритом та здорових суб’єктів, що вказує на негативні зміни сенсорного процесінга та уваги, а також когнітивні дисфункції, виниклі під впливом хронічного болю

Comparative assessment of fracture risk among osteoporosis and osteopenia patients: a cross-sectional study

Snezana Tomasevic-Todorovic,1 Atina Vazic,2 Abukari Issaka,3 Fahad Hanna4 1Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia; 2Higher School, College of Professional Studies in Education of Teachers, Kikinda, Serbia; 3Department of Climate and Agriculture, School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 4Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar Background: Both osteoporosis and osteopenia remain worldwide public health concerns. They both lead to bone fractures, which can lead to disability and burden on those who are afflicted.Objectives: To assess and compare fracture risk between these two groups of patients.Patients and methods: Our cross-sectional study included 82 patients (46 with osteoporosis and 36 with osteopenia) with an average age of 63&plusmn;9.33 years, who received treatment at the Clinic for Medical Rehabilitation, Clinical Center of Vojvodina in Novi Sad, Serbia. The assessment of the fracture risk was executed by applying the Fracture Assessment Risk (FRAX) index (an algorithm developed by the World Health Organization) based on clinical fracture risks or combination of clinical fracture risks and bone mineral density.Results: Patients with osteoporosis had significantly higher risk of major fracture compared to patients with osteopenia (p&lt;0.01). Results from FRAX index in osteoporotic patients showed that more than half (58.70%) of patients had a low risk of fracture; less than one-third of patients (30.43%) had an intermediate risk of major osteoporotic fracture, while almost four out of every 10 (39.96%) had a high risk of hip fracture. The majority of patients with osteopenia (63.89%) had a low risk of major osteoporotic fracture, while 36.11% of them had an intermediate risk. The majority of patients with osteopenia (91.67%) had a low risk of hip fracture. Statistically significant differences in relation to specific fracture risks between patients with osteoporosis and osteopenia, in particular, weight (t=&minus;2.250, p=0.027*) and previous fractures (t=2.985, p=0.004**), were established.Conclusion: Osteoporosis patients had a high risk of major osteoporotic fracture, while there was no association between the intermediate level for major osteoporotic fracture and osteopenia. For patients suffering from an increased fracture risk, especially those who had already been diagnosed with osteoporosis, preventive measures such as designing individual therapeutic programs should be adopted. Keywords: osteoporosis, osteopenia, fracture risk, fractures, FRAX index, bone fracture, body mass index, bone mineral density&nbsp

Radionuclides and heavy metals in Borovac, Southern Serbia

Background, aim, and scope The paper presents the complex approach to the assessment of the state of the environment in Southern Serbia, surroundings of Bujanovac, the region which is of great concern as being exposed to contamination by depleted uranium (DU) ammunition during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) attacks in 1999. It includes studies on concentrations of radionuclides and heavy metals in different environmental samples 5 years after the military actions. Materials and methods In October 2004, samples of soil, grass, lichen, moss, honey, and water were collected at two sites, in the immediate vicinity of the targeted area and 5 km away from it. Radionuclide (Be-7, K-40, Cs-137, Pb-210, Ra-226, Th-232, U-235, U-238) activities in solid samples were determined by standard gamma spectrometry and total alpha and beta activity in water was determined by proportional alpha-beta counting. Concentrations of 35 elements were determined in the samples of soil, moss, grass, and lichen by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Results The results are discussed in the context of a possible contamination by DU that reached the environment during the attacks as well as in the context of an environmental pollution by radionuclides and heavy metals in Southern Serbia. The results are compared to the state of environment in the region and other parts of the country both prior to and following the attacks. Discussion This is the first comprehensive study of the contents of radionuclides and heavy metals in Southern Serbia and consequently highly important for the assessment of the state of environment in this part of the country concerning possible effects of DU ammunition on the environment, as well as anthropogenic source of pollution by radionuclides and heavy metals and other elements. Also, the highly sensitive method of INAA was used for the first time to analyze the environmental samples from this area. Conclusions The results of the study of radionuclides in the samples of soils, leaves, grass, moss, lichen, honey, and water in Southern Serbia (Bujanovac) gave no evidence of the DU contamination of the environment 5 years after the military actions in 1999. Activities of radionuclides in soils were within the range of the values obtained in the other parts of the country and within the global average. The ratio of uranium isotopes confirmed the natural origin of uranium. In general, concentrations of heavy metals in the samples of soils, plant leaves, mosses, and lichen are found to be less or in the lower range of values found in other parts of the country, in spite of the differences in plant and moss species or soil characteristics. Possible sources of heavy metal contamination were identified as a power coal plant in the vicinity of the sampling sites and wood and waste burning processes. Recommendations and perspectives The collected data should provide a base for the health risk assessments on animals and humans in the near future. It should be emphasized that the sampling was carried out 5 years after the military action and that the number of samples was limited; therefore, the conclusions should be accepted only as observed tendencies and a detailed study should be recommended in the future

Stress neuropeptide levels in adults with chest pain due to coronary artery disease: potential implications for clinical assessment

: Substance P (SP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) are neuropeptides involved in nociception. The study of biochemical markers of pain in communicating critically ill coronary patients may provide insight for pain assessment and management in critical care. Purpose of the study was to to explore potential associations between plasma neuropeptide levels and reported pain intensity in coronary critical care adults, in order to test the reliability of SP measurements for objective pain assessment in critical care