Litters Health Status and Growth Parameters in the Sows Feeding Diets Supplemented with Probiotic Actisaf Sc 47® within Pregnancy Or Lactation

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of supplementing standard diets for pregnant and lactating sows with live yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on their health status, as well as the health status and growth parameters of their litters during lactation. A total of 120 sows were divided into three groups: the first group was fed diets supplemented with probiotics during pregnancy (G+P, n=40), the second group was fed these diets during lactation (L+P, n=40), and the third group was the control group which was not fed diets supplemented with probiotics (C, n = 40). During the lactation period, a significantly (p<0.01) smaller proportion of probiotic treated sows (G+P=7.5%, L+P=12.5%) manifested clinical signs of the uterus and/or the udder disease in comparison with the control sows (22.5%). The incidence of infectious diarrhea in the nursing piglets was significantly (p<0.05) lower in the treated sows (12.5%) compared to the control sows (27.5 %). The average number of weaned piglets per litter (p/l) and average litter weight at weaning (lw) (G+P=11.6 p/l and 103.6 kg lw, L+P=11.1 p/l and 102.8 kg lw, C=10 p/l and 79 kg lw) were significantly higher (p<0.01 or p<0.05) in sows treated with probiotic compared to the control sows. These results clearly show that the use of probiotic significantly improves the health status of sows and nursing piglets, as well as the piglets growth parameters

Evaluation of adherence to calcium, vitamin D, and drugs for osteoporosis in patients with low bone mineral density

© 2017, Serbia Medical Society. All rights reserved. Introduction/Objective Osteoporosis is a systemic disease of bone tissue, which leads to an increase in bone fragility and higher risk of fractures. The aim of the study was to determine adherence to calcium, vitamin D, and drugs for osteoporosis in patients with reduced bone mineral density, as well as to analyze reasons for low adherence. Methods The study conducted in the Special Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Novi Sad, Serbia, involved 80 postmenopausal women with reduced bone mineral density measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Each patient filled out a specially designed questionnaire. Assessment of adherence to calcium, vitamin D, and drugs for osteoporosis was done by the Morisky scale. In the statistical analysis we used the SPSS program v. 20. Results All the patients were female; 67.5% had osteoporosis and 32.5% had osteopenia; 62.5% of women said that they use calcium supplementation, 81.3% vitamin D, and 62.3% drugs; 81.2% of women who used supplementation had low adherence to calcium, 82.8% low adherence to vitamin D, and 65.8% low adherence to drugs for osteoporosis. Adherence to medication for osteoporosis is better in relation to the adherence of vitamin D and calcium (p < 0.05, χ2 test). The reasons for low adherence are mainly the cost of preparation and forgetfulness. Patients who received drugs intravenously had better adherence than patients who received drugs subcutaneously or orally. Conclusion Adherence to vitamin D, calcium, and drugs for osteoporosis is presently low in investigated population and the understanding of the causes of low adherence is still insufficiently explored