Pub Date : 2023-06-05DOI: 10.21103/article13(2)_oa24
Moattar Raza Rizvi, Nagi Ibrahim Ali, Alaa Ibrahim Ahmed, Rahma Abdalla Adam, Sami N A Elgak
Background: Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) connected to stroke risk factors, treatment, and the outcome may aid in early case diagnosis, prevention, and minimization of stroke-associated consequences through prompt hospitalization. The goal of our study was to identify the KAP of strokes and explore the relationship between KAP and stroke among Majmaah University students. Methods and Results: Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of strokes, their risk factors, and warning signs were assessed among Majmaah University students using a convenience sampling method. The study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire that had been pre-validated. A total of 284 students were included in the study. A majority, 230(81%), identified stroke as a disease indicating a medical emergency. The knowledge score was poor in 54.2%, satisfactory in 40.5%, and good in only 5.3% of cases. Forty-four percent of participants had positive attitudes, and 56.0% had negative attitudes concerning strokes. Most participants identified high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels (82.7% and 72.5%, respectively) as risk factors for stroke. Diabetes and irregular heartbeat were the risk factors with the lowest probability (34.5% and 33.1%, respectively). Conclusions: This study shows that university students' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding stroke are weak, highlighting the urgent need to develop educational and awareness initiatives for better health promotion among university students. The health belief model's guidelines should be used while creating such programs.
{"title":"Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Stroke and Its Risk Factors and Warning Signals Among the Students of the College of Applied Medicine at Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia","authors":"Moattar Raza Rizvi, Nagi Ibrahim Ali, Alaa Ibrahim Ahmed, Rahma Abdalla Adam, Sami N A Elgak","doi":"10.21103/article13(2)_oa24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21103/article13(2)_oa24","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) connected to stroke risk factors, treatment, and the outcome may aid in early case diagnosis, prevention, and minimization of stroke-associated consequences through prompt hospitalization. The goal of our study was to identify the KAP of strokes and explore the relationship between KAP and stroke among Majmaah University students. Methods and Results: Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of strokes, their risk factors, and warning signs were assessed among Majmaah University students using a convenience sampling method. The study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire that had been pre-validated. A total of 284 students were included in the study. A majority, 230(81%), identified stroke as a disease indicating a medical emergency. The knowledge score was poor in 54.2%, satisfactory in 40.5%, and good in only 5.3% of cases. Forty-four percent of participants had positive attitudes, and 56.0% had negative attitudes concerning strokes. Most participants identified high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels (82.7% and 72.5%, respectively) as risk factors for stroke. Diabetes and irregular heartbeat were the risk factors with the lowest probability (34.5% and 33.1%, respectively). Conclusions: This study shows that university students' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding stroke are weak, highlighting the urgent need to develop educational and awareness initiatives for better health promotion among university students. The health belief model's guidelines should be used while creating such programs.","PeriodicalId":53991,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomedicine","volume":"7 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135752268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-05DOI: 10.21103/article13(2)_oa21
E. Chigrinski, L. Gerunova, T. Gerunov, N. Shorin, Lija Dietz
Background: The purpose of this work was to study the triggering mechanisms of metabolic changes in experimental animals after a single injection of cypermethrin at a dose of 55 mg/kg of body weight. Methods and Results: Sixty rats were randomly divided into four groups (15 rats in each group). Rats of the control groups (G1 and G3) were injected with saline into the stomach. Animals of the experimental groups (G2 and G4) were injected once with the synthetic pyrethroid cypermethrin at a dose of 55 mg/kg of body weight, which is 1/5 LD50. Before being withdrawn from the experiment, blood was taken in vivo under anesthesia, and the liver was removed. The glucose, lactate, uric acid, and total bilirubin concentrations were determined in blood serum by unified research methods. The content of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) was determined in erythrocyte hemolysates. In liver homogenates, the content of total protein, glycogen, uric acid, and inorganic phosphorus (Pi) was determined by unified methods, as well as MDA, GSH, activity of G6PDH, microsomal oxygenase, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR). Administration of cypermethrin to laboratory rats at a dose of 1/5 LD50 causes adaptive changes in metabolism. After one day, there was an increase in the content of glucose in the blood serum against the background of a deficiency of carbohydrates in the liver tissue. At the same time, there was an increase in anaerobic oxidation and an increase in purine catabolism, which was associated with the activation of lipid peroxidation (LP) of cell membranes and the depletion of the pool of antioxidants. GSH deficiency was exacerbated by an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes and xenobiotic biotransformation systems. Seven days after the administration of cypermethrin, rats retained a high rate of breakdown of purines to uric acid. This process was enhanced by a decrease in the RBC, a deficiency of carbohydrates, and inhibition of the activity of G6PDH, GPx, and GR. This ultimately led to the development of oxidative stress. Conclusion: The triggers for the development of oxidative stress under cypermethrin exposure are lactic acidosis and increased catabolism of purine mononucleotides, accompanied by an increase in the production of free radicals and inhibition of the function of the antioxidant system. A decrease in the blood RBC, carbohydrate deficiency, and suppression of the activity of the pentose cycle 7 days after the administration of cypermethrin aggravate this condition.
{"title":"Trigger Mechanisms of Cypermethrin-Induced Changes of Metabolism: An Experimental Study","authors":"E. Chigrinski, L. Gerunova, T. Gerunov, N. Shorin, Lija Dietz","doi":"10.21103/article13(2)_oa21","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21103/article13(2)_oa21","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The purpose of this work was to study the triggering mechanisms of metabolic changes in experimental animals after a single injection of cypermethrin at a dose of 55 mg/kg of body weight. Methods and Results: Sixty rats were randomly divided into four groups (15 rats in each group). Rats of the control groups (G1 and G3) were injected with saline into the stomach. Animals of the experimental groups (G2 and G4) were injected once with the synthetic pyrethroid cypermethrin at a dose of 55 mg/kg of body weight, which is 1/5 LD50. Before being withdrawn from the experiment, blood was taken in vivo under anesthesia, and the liver was removed. The glucose, lactate, uric acid, and total bilirubin concentrations were determined in blood serum by unified research methods. The content of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) was determined in erythrocyte hemolysates. In liver homogenates, the content of total protein, glycogen, uric acid, and inorganic phosphorus (Pi) was determined by unified methods, as well as MDA, GSH, activity of G6PDH, microsomal oxygenase, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR). Administration of cypermethrin to laboratory rats at a dose of 1/5 LD50 causes adaptive changes in metabolism. After one day, there was an increase in the content of glucose in the blood serum against the background of a deficiency of carbohydrates in the liver tissue. At the same time, there was an increase in anaerobic oxidation and an increase in purine catabolism, which was associated with the activation of lipid peroxidation (LP) of cell membranes and the depletion of the pool of antioxidants. GSH deficiency was exacerbated by an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes and xenobiotic biotransformation systems. Seven days after the administration of cypermethrin, rats retained a high rate of breakdown of purines to uric acid. This process was enhanced by a decrease in the RBC, a deficiency of carbohydrates, and inhibition of the activity of G6PDH, GPx, and GR. This ultimately led to the development of oxidative stress. Conclusion: The triggers for the development of oxidative stress under cypermethrin exposure are lactic acidosis and increased catabolism of purine mononucleotides, accompanied by an increase in the production of free radicals and inhibition of the function of the antioxidant system. A decrease in the blood RBC, carbohydrate deficiency, and suppression of the activity of the pentose cycle 7 days after the administration of cypermethrin aggravate this condition.","PeriodicalId":53991,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42362725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-05DOI: 10.21103/article13(2)_oa22
Ilirjana Loxhaj, Sanije Hoxha-Gashi, S. Petrovska, S. Loxha
Background: Urinary tract infections are the most frequent bacterial infections, causing significant morbidity at a high cost of effectiveness. The main purpose of the research was to determine the prevalence and the resistance of gram-negative bacteria in urine samples in the Peja region. Methods and Results: This cohort longitudinal, prospective-retrospective study was conducted in the microbiological laboratories of the regional hospital in Peja and the Regional Centre of Public Health in Peja. The research includes all urine samples tested for gram-negative bacteria from 2018 to 2020. A total of 12,791 urine samples were analyzed in the study, of which 2316 (18.11%) were positive for the growth of gram-negative pathogenic strains, and 10,479 (81.89%) were negative. The most frequently isolated bacteria were E. coli (83.2%), followed by Proteus spp., Klebsiella spp., Acinetobacter spp., and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5.18%, 4.79%, 2.42% and 2.37% respectively). From the data of our research, we can conclude that E. coli, Proteus spp, and Klebsiella spp. were the three commonly isolated microorganisms in the Peja region. A trend of increased resistance of E. coli to ampicillin was registered from 37.41% in 2018 to 65.58% in 2020; to tobramycin - from 3.68% in 2018 to 5.97% in 2020; to cefalexin from 29.41% in 2018 to 31.09% in 2020; to cefuroxime from 23.7% in 2018 to 28.99% in 2020; to cefotaxime from 21.32% in 2018 to 27.94% in 2020; ceftazidime from 18.84% in 2018 to 27.54% in 2020; to piperacillin from 28.73% in 2018 to 34.97% in 2020; to nitrofurantoin from 5.98% in 2018 to 8.21% in 2020; and to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole from 35.56% in 2018 to 42.77% in 2020. In the analyzed period, a trend of the increased resistance of Proteus spp. to ampicillin was registered from 31.43% in 2018 to 81.25% in 2020 and to imipenem from 4.76% in 2018 to 12% in 2020. The resistance rates of Klebsiella spp. strains isolated in 2020 (100% to ampicillin, 5% to amikacin, 38.46% to ofloxacin, 8.7% to imipenem, 33.33% to nitrofurantoin) were higher than those reported in 2018 (87.5%, 2.94%, 34.62%, 6.25%, and 28.21%, respectively). Conclusion: Data from this study can be used to control antibiotic susceptibility trends, create local antibiotic policies, and help clinicians in the rational choice of antibiotic therapy, thereby preventing indiscriminate antibiotic use.
{"title":"Prevalence of Isolated Bacteria from Urinary Tracts and Antibiotic Resistance Trend in Peja Region, Kosovo","authors":"Ilirjana Loxhaj, Sanije Hoxha-Gashi, S. Petrovska, S. Loxha","doi":"10.21103/article13(2)_oa22","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21103/article13(2)_oa22","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Urinary tract infections are the most frequent bacterial infections, causing significant morbidity at a high cost of effectiveness. The main purpose of the research was to determine the prevalence and the resistance of gram-negative bacteria in urine samples in the Peja region. Methods and Results: This cohort longitudinal, prospective-retrospective study was conducted in the microbiological laboratories of the regional hospital in Peja and the Regional Centre of Public Health in Peja. The research includes all urine samples tested for gram-negative bacteria from 2018 to 2020. A total of 12,791 urine samples were analyzed in the study, of which 2316 (18.11%) were positive for the growth of gram-negative pathogenic strains, and 10,479 (81.89%) were negative. The most frequently isolated bacteria were E. coli (83.2%), followed by Proteus spp., Klebsiella spp., Acinetobacter spp., and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5.18%, 4.79%, 2.42% and 2.37% respectively). From the data of our research, we can conclude that E. coli, Proteus spp, and Klebsiella spp. were the three commonly isolated microorganisms in the Peja region. A trend of increased resistance of E. coli to ampicillin was registered from 37.41% in 2018 to 65.58% in 2020; to tobramycin - from 3.68% in 2018 to 5.97% in 2020; to cefalexin from 29.41% in 2018 to 31.09% in 2020; to cefuroxime from 23.7% in 2018 to 28.99% in 2020; to cefotaxime from 21.32% in 2018 to 27.94% in 2020; ceftazidime from 18.84% in 2018 to 27.54% in 2020; to piperacillin from 28.73% in 2018 to 34.97% in 2020; to nitrofurantoin from 5.98% in 2018 to 8.21% in 2020; and to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole from 35.56% in 2018 to 42.77% in 2020. In the analyzed period, a trend of the increased resistance of Proteus spp. to ampicillin was registered from 31.43% in 2018 to 81.25% in 2020 and to imipenem from 4.76% in 2018 to 12% in 2020. The resistance rates of Klebsiella spp. strains isolated in 2020 (100% to ampicillin, 5% to amikacin, 38.46% to ofloxacin, 8.7% to imipenem, 33.33% to nitrofurantoin) were higher than those reported in 2018 (87.5%, 2.94%, 34.62%, 6.25%, and 28.21%, respectively). Conclusion: Data from this study can be used to control antibiotic susceptibility trends, create local antibiotic policies, and help clinicians in the rational choice of antibiotic therapy, thereby preventing indiscriminate antibiotic use.","PeriodicalId":53991,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45649074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-05DOI: 10.21103/article13(2)_oa9
Zohida A Abdelgabar, Mahasin G Hassan, Tasneem S A Elmahdi, Mayson Wanasi, Mariam Khogaly Elamin
Background: Palatine tonsils (PT) reach their maximum normal size in early childhood; after puberty and with other body lymphatic tissue, they gradually atrophy. PT are usually easily seen in the oropharynx during the oral examination. However, clinical size assessment is difficult since the tongue's posture may significantly alter its appearance. The aim of this study was to evaluate normal PT size in healthy children by ultrasound using the anteroposterior and transverse diameters and correlate them with age, weight, and gender. Methods and Results: This cross-sectional study was conducted at different nurseries and schools in Khartoum. A random sample of 79 Sudanese children and adolescents (39 males and 40 females) aged 1–15 years, without PT pathology, was examined. The anteroposterior diameter (APD) and transverse diameter (TD) for both tonsils were measured by ultrasound. APD and TD were 1.46±0.16 cm and 1.38±0.16 cm, respectively, for the right PT and 1.51±0.15 cm and 1.40±0.16 cm for the left PT. The APD was significantly higher than the TD on both sides (P<0.01 in both cases). In addition, L(left)PT-APD was significantly greater than R(right)PT-APD (1.51±0.15 vs. 1.46±0.16, P=0.0044). We found a low-to-moderate positive correlation between all PT measurements with children's age and weight (P<0.01). There was no significant association between PT size and gender. Conclusion: Ultrasound is a reliable, simple, noninvasive procedure for estimating PT size in children. Normal PT size correlates with age and weight; however, no correlation is present for gender. Normal PT sizes (APD and TD) in children and adolescents may be predicted based on age and weight using developed equations.
{"title":"Palatine Tonsil Measurements among Healthy Sudanese Children Using Ultrasonography","authors":"Zohida A Abdelgabar, Mahasin G Hassan, Tasneem S A Elmahdi, Mayson Wanasi, Mariam Khogaly Elamin","doi":"10.21103/article13(2)_oa9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21103/article13(2)_oa9","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Palatine tonsils (PT) reach their maximum normal size in early childhood; after puberty and with other body lymphatic tissue, they gradually atrophy. PT are usually easily seen in the oropharynx during the oral examination. However, clinical size assessment is difficult since the tongue's posture may significantly alter its appearance. The aim of this study was to evaluate normal PT size in healthy children by ultrasound using the anteroposterior and transverse diameters and correlate them with age, weight, and gender. Methods and Results: This cross-sectional study was conducted at different nurseries and schools in Khartoum. A random sample of 79 Sudanese children and adolescents (39 males and 40 females) aged 1–15 years, without PT pathology, was examined. The anteroposterior diameter (APD) and transverse diameter (TD) for both tonsils were measured by ultrasound. APD and TD were 1.46±0.16 cm and 1.38±0.16 cm, respectively, for the right PT and 1.51±0.15 cm and 1.40±0.16 cm for the left PT. The APD was significantly higher than the TD on both sides (P<0.01 in both cases). In addition, L(left)PT-APD was significantly greater than R(right)PT-APD (1.51±0.15 vs. 1.46±0.16, P=0.0044). We found a low-to-moderate positive correlation between all PT measurements with children's age and weight (P<0.01). There was no significant association between PT size and gender. Conclusion: Ultrasound is a reliable, simple, noninvasive procedure for estimating PT size in children. Normal PT size correlates with age and weight; however, no correlation is present for gender. Normal PT sizes (APD and TD) in children and adolescents may be predicted based on age and weight using developed equations.","PeriodicalId":53991,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46200947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-05DOI: 10.21103/article13(2)_oa16
V. Zhjeqi, M. Kundi, M. Shahini, H. Ahmetaj, Luljeta N. Ahmetaj, Shaip Krasniqi
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between mental well-being – as assessed by the SDQ among children with asthma in Kosovo and SES. Methods and Results: For this cross-sectional observational study, data were collected from five regions of Kosovo, public and private institutions, public hospitals and primary healthcare facilities in each area, a tertiary level hospital, and two private immunology clinics in the capital city. The survey included 161 Kosovar children (mean age of 11.1±2.7 years) with asthma, aged 7-16 years, and their caregivers. The survey questionnaires used were those of the American Academy of Pediatrics: The Children's Health Survey for Asthma (CHSA), the parent and child version (CHSA-C), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). SDQ showed conspicuous (borderline or abnormal) results in 25.1% of children. None of the scales of the SDQ, except prosocial behavior, showed statistically significant differences across SES categories. Prosocial behavior scores increased significantly with increasing SES. Conclusion: Children with asthma from lower SES families in Kosovo have more social contact problems but do not show reduced mental well-being nor more conduct problems.
{"title":"Does Socioeconomic Status Affect Mental Well-being Among Children with Asthma in Kosovo?","authors":"V. Zhjeqi, M. Kundi, M. Shahini, H. Ahmetaj, Luljeta N. Ahmetaj, Shaip Krasniqi","doi":"10.21103/article13(2)_oa16","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21103/article13(2)_oa16","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between mental well-being – as assessed by the SDQ among children with asthma in Kosovo and SES. Methods and Results: For this cross-sectional observational study, data were collected from five regions of Kosovo, public and private institutions, public hospitals and primary healthcare facilities in each area, a tertiary level hospital, and two private immunology clinics in the capital city. The survey included 161 Kosovar children (mean age of 11.1±2.7 years) with asthma, aged 7-16 years, and their caregivers. The survey questionnaires used were those of the American Academy of Pediatrics: The Children's Health Survey for Asthma (CHSA), the parent and child version (CHSA-C), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). SDQ showed conspicuous (borderline or abnormal) results in 25.1% of children. None of the scales of the SDQ, except prosocial behavior, showed statistically significant differences across SES categories. Prosocial behavior scores increased significantly with increasing SES. Conclusion: Children with asthma from lower SES families in Kosovo have more social contact problems but do not show reduced mental well-being nor more conduct problems.","PeriodicalId":53991,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45167979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-05DOI: 10.21103/article13(2)_oa23
M. Gjocaj, Shqipe Ukelli, L. Shahini, Klodeta Kabashi, B. Krasniqi, Arian Idrizaj, S. Kabashi, Hedije Maloku, Granit Shatri, Adelina Rexhepi, Vala Prekazi, Nora Salihaj, Sefedin Muçaj
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in drug use among inmates in prisons worldwide, including Kosovo, due to restrictions on visitation and addiction recovery programs. Objectives: This study analyzed drug use among 33,144 inmates in Kosovo prisons over nine years and aimed to identify potential solutions, foster collaboration between relevant institutions, and develop better programs and treatments. Methods and Results: The study is based on data from the medical files of inmates examined over nine years (2014-2022) in 10 Kosovo prison health units. From the total number of inmates, 8.22% were identified as drug users, and the percentage of drug use among inmates steadily increased from 5.8% in 2014 to 15.48% in 2019. In 2020, the first year of the pandemic, there was a decrease of 1.16% (from 15.48% to 14.28%), which was the first decrease in six years. The study also found a disproportional decrease in the number of inmates admitted during the same period. The Medico Psycho Therapeutic Center “Labyrinth” showed a similar trend. Suicide attempts, death under custody, and tobacco use increased linearly, with alcohol use remaining stable. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for effective prevention, treatment, and management strategies for drug use among inmates and the general population in Kosovo. Continuous collaboration between relevant institutions and stakeholders is essential to improve the health and well-being of those affected by drug use and create a brighter future for Kosovo.
{"title":"Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Drug Abuse Among Inmates in Kosovo Prisons","authors":"M. Gjocaj, Shqipe Ukelli, L. Shahini, Klodeta Kabashi, B. Krasniqi, Arian Idrizaj, S. Kabashi, Hedije Maloku, Granit Shatri, Adelina Rexhepi, Vala Prekazi, Nora Salihaj, Sefedin Muçaj","doi":"10.21103/article13(2)_oa23","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21103/article13(2)_oa23","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in drug use among inmates in prisons worldwide, including Kosovo, due to restrictions on visitation and addiction recovery programs. Objectives: This study analyzed drug use among 33,144 inmates in Kosovo prisons over nine years and aimed to identify potential solutions, foster collaboration between relevant institutions, and develop better programs and treatments. Methods and Results: The study is based on data from the medical files of inmates examined over nine years (2014-2022) in 10 Kosovo prison health units. From the total number of inmates, 8.22% were identified as drug users, and the percentage of drug use among inmates steadily increased from 5.8% in 2014 to 15.48% in 2019. In 2020, the first year of the pandemic, there was a decrease of 1.16% (from 15.48% to 14.28%), which was the first decrease in six years. The study also found a disproportional decrease in the number of inmates admitted during the same period. The Medico Psycho Therapeutic Center “Labyrinth” showed a similar trend. Suicide attempts, death under custody, and tobacco use increased linearly, with alcohol use remaining stable. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for effective prevention, treatment, and management strategies for drug use among inmates and the general population in Kosovo. Continuous collaboration between relevant institutions and stakeholders is essential to improve the health and well-being of those affected by drug use and create a brighter future for Kosovo.","PeriodicalId":53991,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48489914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-05DOI: 10.21103/article13(2)_cr3
Nagwan Elhussein, Zuhal Y. Hamd, Amal I. Alorainy, E. Manssor, Awadia Gareeballah, Ibtisam Abdallah Fadulelmulla, M. A. M. Ali, Amel F. Alzain, Daffalla Bala Daffalla, A. Abdelmoneim, S. Ali, B. Alhomida
We present a case of septic arthritis of the knee in an 18-day-old female patient diagnosed by ultrasound. The final diagnosis of SA of the left knee was confirmed by a microbiology examination, which found Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The patient was treated with arthroscopic drainage and appropriate antibiotic therapy.
{"title":"Septic Arthritis of the Knee in a Neonate: A Case Report","authors":"Nagwan Elhussein, Zuhal Y. Hamd, Amal I. Alorainy, E. Manssor, Awadia Gareeballah, Ibtisam Abdallah Fadulelmulla, M. A. M. Ali, Amel F. Alzain, Daffalla Bala Daffalla, A. Abdelmoneim, S. Ali, B. Alhomida","doi":"10.21103/article13(2)_cr3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21103/article13(2)_cr3","url":null,"abstract":"We present a case of septic arthritis of the knee in an 18-day-old female patient diagnosed by ultrasound. The final diagnosis of SA of the left knee was confirmed by a microbiology examination, which found Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The patient was treated with arthroscopic drainage and appropriate antibiotic therapy.","PeriodicalId":53991,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46362888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-05DOI: 10.21103/article13(2)_oa5
Hasan Abd Ali Khudhair, Ali A H Albakaa, Khwam R Hussein
Background: Infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major public health issue worldwide and remains a vital etiology of long-term hepatitis. This study aimed to detect the prevalence of HCV infection among Iraqi people. This research was proposed to detect the frequency of HCV infection in renal failure patients, thalassemia patients, blood donors, and Iraqi medical staff. Such prevalence potentially could assist in the development of a preventive program for this infection and orient future studies. Methods and Results: Cross-sectional research was conducted in Thi-Qar Province (Iraq). The enrolled 1650 individuals (1180 males and 470 females, age range of 1-85 years) were classified into four study groups. Group 1 included 120 patients with renal failure, Group 2 included 220 patients suffering from thalassemia, Group 3 included 1259 blood donor subjects, and Group 4 included 51 subjects from the medical staff. Serum anti-HCV-IgG-Abs were detected qualitatively by a human HCV-IgG-ELISA Kit (MyBioSource, USA). The findings revealed that out of 1650 subjects, only 53(3.2%) were infected with HCV. The highest prevalence was reported among thalassemia patients 34/220(15.45%), followed by renal failure patients 8/120(6.66%) and then the medical staff group 3/51(5.88%), whereas the lowest prevalence was reported among the blood donor group 8/1259(0.64%). The total infection rate of HCV was higher among males [33/53(62.3%)] than females [20/53(37.7%)], with significant differences (P<0.05). We found a significant difference in HCV infection rate according to the age range of the study subjects (P<0.05). The higher infection percentages of 29/53(54.7%) and 15/53(28.3%) were found in age groups of 1-20 years and 21-40 years, respectively, followed by the age group of 41-60 years, which had infection percentages of 7/53(13.2%), while the lowest infection rate was reported in the age group of more than 60 years, which was 2/53(3.8%). Conclusion: The frequency rate of HCV infection among Iraqi people is similar to those in most Asian and non-Asian studied populations, and the infection rate was higher in males and inversely correlated with the age of the subjects. The main routes of HCV infection were blood transfusions, renal dialysis, and HCWs. Thalassemic and hemodialysis patients were potentially vulnerable to HCV infection. Effective screening methods and blood donor screening protocols are likely required to prevent the spread of HCV infection.
{"title":"Detecting the Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus among Iraqi People","authors":"Hasan Abd Ali Khudhair, Ali A H Albakaa, Khwam R Hussein","doi":"10.21103/article13(2)_oa5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21103/article13(2)_oa5","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major public health issue worldwide and remains a vital etiology of long-term hepatitis. This study aimed to detect the prevalence of HCV infection among Iraqi people. This research was proposed to detect the frequency of HCV infection in renal failure patients, thalassemia patients, blood donors, and Iraqi medical staff. Such prevalence potentially could assist in the development of a preventive program for this infection and orient future studies. Methods and Results: Cross-sectional research was conducted in Thi-Qar Province (Iraq). The enrolled 1650 individuals (1180 males and 470 females, age range of 1-85 years) were classified into four study groups. Group 1 included 120 patients with renal failure, Group 2 included 220 patients suffering from thalassemia, Group 3 included 1259 blood donor subjects, and Group 4 included 51 subjects from the medical staff. Serum anti-HCV-IgG-Abs were detected qualitatively by a human HCV-IgG-ELISA Kit (MyBioSource, USA). The findings revealed that out of 1650 subjects, only 53(3.2%) were infected with HCV. The highest prevalence was reported among thalassemia patients 34/220(15.45%), followed by renal failure patients 8/120(6.66%) and then the medical staff group 3/51(5.88%), whereas the lowest prevalence was reported among the blood donor group 8/1259(0.64%). The total infection rate of HCV was higher among males [33/53(62.3%)] than females [20/53(37.7%)], with significant differences (P<0.05). We found a significant difference in HCV infection rate according to the age range of the study subjects (P<0.05). The higher infection percentages of 29/53(54.7%) and 15/53(28.3%) were found in age groups of 1-20 years and 21-40 years, respectively, followed by the age group of 41-60 years, which had infection percentages of 7/53(13.2%), while the lowest infection rate was reported in the age group of more than 60 years, which was 2/53(3.8%). Conclusion: The frequency rate of HCV infection among Iraqi people is similar to those in most Asian and non-Asian studied populations, and the infection rate was higher in males and inversely correlated with the age of the subjects. The main routes of HCV infection were blood transfusions, renal dialysis, and HCWs. Thalassemic and hemodialysis patients were potentially vulnerable to HCV infection. Effective screening methods and blood donor screening protocols are likely required to prevent the spread of HCV infection.","PeriodicalId":53991,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomedicine","volume":"14 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135752266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-03DOI: 10.21103/article13(1)_oa2
L. Tribuntseva, A. Budnevsky, G. Prozorova, S. Kozhevnikova, I. Olysheva, E. Ovsyannikov, T. Chernik
Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the asthma control in multimorbid patients to personalize asthma treatment. Methods and Results: The study involved 237 asthma patients (51 men and 186 women) aged 18 to 78 years (mean age of 52.6±1.3 years). All patients were divided into 3 groups: Group 1 included 59(24.9%) patients with normal body weight (NVW), Group 2 included 69(29.1%) overweight patients, and Group 3 had 109(46.0%) obese patients. The mean BMI was of 23.14±2.84 kg/m2, 27.60±2.58 kg/m2, and 35.82±10.23 kg/m2 in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (F=65.572, P=0.0000). Research methods included numerical rating scale (NRS) for a qualitative assessment of the severity of asthma clinical symptoms, asthma control questionnaire (ACQ-5) to assess asthma control, asthma quality of life questionnaire (AQLQ). Comorbidities were analyzed according to medical records. The mean number of comorbidities among all studied patients was 4.31±0.27: 55(23.2%) people had ≤2 comorbidities, 118(49.8%) people had 3-5 comorbidities, and 64(27.0%) people had ≥6 comorbidities. The Group 3 patients had significantly more comorbidities than patients of Groups 1 and 2 (P=0.000). The mean value of the ACQ-5 results was 0.97±0.32, 1.06±0.53, and 1.82±0.55 in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (F=77.1896, P=0.0000). The level of AC, according to the ACQ-5, had a positive correlation with the number of comorbidities (r=0.5418, P<0.05) and a negative correlation with all scales of the AQLQ: activity limitation (r=-0.6376, P<0.05), symptoms (r=-0.6577, P<0.05); emotional function (r=-0.4535, P<0.05); environmental stimuli (r=-0.4529, P<0.05), and general QOL (r=-0.6504, P<0.05). The asthma course is negatively affected by multimorbidity, which is most pronounced in obese patients. An increase in the number of comorbidities significantly worsens AC in patients of all studied groups, while the worst control level was observed in obese patients. A personalized program for managing multimorbid asthma patients should be developed and implemented, considering the multivariate assessment of treatable signs of disease.
{"title":"Asthma Control in Multimorbid Patients","authors":"L. Tribuntseva, A. Budnevsky, G. Prozorova, S. Kozhevnikova, I. Olysheva, E. Ovsyannikov, T. Chernik","doi":"10.21103/article13(1)_oa2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21103/article13(1)_oa2","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the asthma control in multimorbid patients to personalize asthma treatment. Methods and Results: The study involved 237 asthma patients (51 men and 186 women) aged 18 to 78 years (mean age of 52.6±1.3 years). All patients were divided into 3 groups: Group 1 included 59(24.9%) patients with normal body weight (NVW), Group 2 included 69(29.1%) overweight patients, and Group 3 had 109(46.0%) obese patients. The mean BMI was of 23.14±2.84 kg/m2, 27.60±2.58 kg/m2, and 35.82±10.23 kg/m2 in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (F=65.572, P=0.0000). Research methods included numerical rating scale (NRS) for a qualitative assessment of the severity of asthma clinical symptoms, asthma control questionnaire (ACQ-5) to assess asthma control, asthma quality of life questionnaire (AQLQ). Comorbidities were analyzed according to medical records. The mean number of comorbidities among all studied patients was 4.31±0.27: 55(23.2%) people had ≤2 comorbidities, 118(49.8%) people had 3-5 comorbidities, and 64(27.0%) people had ≥6 comorbidities. The Group 3 patients had significantly more comorbidities than patients of Groups 1 and 2 (P=0.000). The mean value of the ACQ-5 results was 0.97±0.32, 1.06±0.53, and 1.82±0.55 in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (F=77.1896, P=0.0000). The level of AC, according to the ACQ-5, had a positive correlation with the number of comorbidities (r=0.5418, P<0.05) and a negative correlation with all scales of the AQLQ: activity limitation (r=-0.6376, P<0.05), symptoms (r=-0.6577, P<0.05); emotional function (r=-0.4535, P<0.05); environmental stimuli (r=-0.4529, P<0.05), and general QOL (r=-0.6504, P<0.05). The asthma course is negatively affected by multimorbidity, which is most pronounced in obese patients. An increase in the number of comorbidities significantly worsens AC in patients of all studied groups, while the worst control level was observed in obese patients. A personalized program for managing multimorbid asthma patients should be developed and implemented, considering the multivariate assessment of treatable signs of disease.","PeriodicalId":53991,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42096379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-03DOI: 10.21103/article13(1)_oa6
N. Farah, Anass M. Abbas, A. Alameen, M. Shalabi, Abozer Y. Elderdery, L. Eltayeb, Asaad Mohammed Babker, Hatem Mohamed, Abdullah Aedh
Background: Smoking-related hemodynamic events may adversely influence renal function. The aim of this study was to evaluate renal impairment biomarkers among healthy people influenced by cigarette smoke. Methods and Results: In this case-control study, 90 subjects were enrolled: 60 were smokers, and 30 were non-smokers (apparently healthy control). Serum CysC was measured using a semi-automated, specific protein analyzer Mispa-i2 (Germany). Serum creatinine and MAU were assayed in the fully automated biochemistry analyzer (Mindray BS380). The mean concentration of CysC was significantly higher in cigarette smokers than in non-smokers (0.793±0.125 vs. 0.619±0.103, P=0.000). Also, the mean of MAU and serum creatinine levels were significantly higher in cigarette smokers than in non-smokers (18.33±3.41 vs. 12.70±0.517, 1.06±0.161 vs. 0.810±0.058, respectively, P=0.000 in both cases). The mean concentration of CysC and MAU was significantly greater in heavy smokers than in light smokers (P=0.000 and P=0.001, respectively). Serum CysC and MAU levels were positively correlated with the age of cigarette smokers (r=0.734 and r=0.730, respectively; P=0.000 in both cases) and the duration of smoking (r=0.773 and r=0.790, respectively; P=0.000 in both cases). Conclusion: cigarette smoking increases the specific renal biomarkers considered risk factors for renal impairment. Using such inflammatory biomarkers as diagnostic tools can be a necessary precaution in the development of chronic kidney disease caused by smoking and in the avoidance of acute renal consequences linked to cigarette smoking.
{"title":"Impact of Cigarette Smoking on Serum Cystatin C and Creatinine Levels and MAU: A Case-Control Study","authors":"N. Farah, Anass M. Abbas, A. Alameen, M. Shalabi, Abozer Y. Elderdery, L. Eltayeb, Asaad Mohammed Babker, Hatem Mohamed, Abdullah Aedh","doi":"10.21103/article13(1)_oa6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21103/article13(1)_oa6","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Smoking-related hemodynamic events may adversely influence renal function. The aim of this study was to evaluate renal impairment biomarkers among healthy people influenced by cigarette smoke. Methods and Results: In this case-control study, 90 subjects were enrolled: 60 were smokers, and 30 were non-smokers (apparently healthy control). Serum CysC was measured using a semi-automated, specific protein analyzer Mispa-i2 (Germany). Serum creatinine and MAU were assayed in the fully automated biochemistry analyzer (Mindray BS380). The mean concentration of CysC was significantly higher in cigarette smokers than in non-smokers (0.793±0.125 vs. 0.619±0.103, P=0.000). Also, the mean of MAU and serum creatinine levels were significantly higher in cigarette smokers than in non-smokers (18.33±3.41 vs. 12.70±0.517, 1.06±0.161 vs. 0.810±0.058, respectively, P=0.000 in both cases). The mean concentration of CysC and MAU was significantly greater in heavy smokers than in light smokers (P=0.000 and P=0.001, respectively). Serum CysC and MAU levels were positively correlated with the age of cigarette smokers (r=0.734 and r=0.730, respectively; P=0.000 in both cases) and the duration of smoking (r=0.773 and r=0.790, respectively; P=0.000 in both cases). Conclusion: cigarette smoking increases the specific renal biomarkers considered risk factors for renal impairment. Using such inflammatory biomarkers as diagnostic tools can be a necessary precaution in the development of chronic kidney disease caused by smoking and in the avoidance of acute renal consequences linked to cigarette smoking.","PeriodicalId":53991,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomedicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2023-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47515110","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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