Search

Background: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (CVH) has become a critical public health issue, with attitudes toward vaccines emerging as a broader social issue. Public debates surrounding vaccines have expanded beyond health considerations to include issues of trust, misinformation, and societal values, making CVH a complex challenge that requires multifaceted solutions. Analyzing the various determinants of CVH is crucial for developing targeted strategies to improve vaccine acceptance in specific countries and to better prepare for future public health crises. However, no study to date has evaluated the determinants of CVH in a representative sample of the Czech population., Methods: A multiple hierarchical logistic regression was used to analyze the associations between various sociodemographic, trust and attitudinal factors with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance (CVA). The analysis utilized survey data from a representative longitudinal sample of the Czech population (N = 1,407)., Results: After controlling for all other factors, trust in official statements from the Ministry of Health was the strongest predictor of CVA, followed by prior positive attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination (prior to vaccine availability) and older age. Lower trust in COVID-19 misinformation also predicted CVA, while lower interest in COVID-19 media content was associated with CVA. Higher income initially predicted CVA but lost statistical significance after controlling for other variables. Interestingly, education did not play a role in CVA., Conclusion: CVH was primarily driven by distrust in government-provided information. Notably, vaccine refusers demonstrated a higher motivation to seek information on the topic, offering a promising opportunity for health policy interventions. Our findings suggest that strategies to reduce CVH should prioritize building trust in state institutions and effectively combating misinformation., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The procedure was in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of National Institute of Mental Health (CZ) (no. 181/21). All participants provided digital informed consent. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Coal miners with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP, J60 according to ICD-10) were previously found to have a significantly higher risk of lung carcinoma compared to the general male population. The presented study aimed to analyze the (i) incidence of lung carcinoma in miners, (ii) histopathological findings in cohorts with and without CWP, and (iii) effect of smoking cessation on the histopathological profile. Analyzed cohorts consisted of miners with ( n = 3476) and without ( n = 6687) CWP. Data on personal and working history obtained from the medical records were combined with information on lung cancer from the Czech Oncological Register and histopathological findings. Statistical analysis was performed using non-parametric tests and the incidence risk ratio at the significance level of 5%. In 1992-2015, 180 miners (2.7%) without CWP and 169 (4.9%) with CWP, respectively, were diagnosed with lung carcinoma. The risk of lung cancer in miners with CWP was 1.82 (95% CI: 1.48-2.25) times higher than in those without CWP. Squamous cell carcinoma (37%) was the most common histopathological type, followed by adenocarcinoma (22%) and small cell carcinoma (21%). A statistically significant difference between the cohorts ( p = 0.003) was found in the histopathological subtypes, with the incidence of small cell carcinoma being 2 times higher in miners without CWP than in those with CWP. Only a few individuals with lung carcinoma were non-smokers. The incidence of small cell carcinoma, which is strongly associated with smoking, is significantly higher in miners without CWP. Smoking constitutes the most important risk factor for developing lung carcinoma even in that cohort. However, CWP remains a very important risk factor.

Gaucher disease is an autosomal recessive disease belonging to the so-called storage diseases. More than 300 mutations of the GBA1 gene encoding the β-glucocerebrosidase enzyme are known. It is a very rare disease in the Czech Republic. Currently 35 patients are treated. In our case report, we present the case of a 16 year old female patient attending the Clinic of Pediatric Medicine at the University Hospital in Ostrava. Since 2007, the patient has suffered prolonged thrombocytopenia, at the time with progression, and splenomegaly, which has not been further investigated. Trepanobiopsy was sent to the Department of Pathology with suspicion of myelodysplastic syndrome in May of 2018. In the biopsy examination, the individual bloodline did not show dysplastic features and the number of blasts was not increased. The marrow interstitium was 70% permeated with gaucher cells with intraplasmatic fibrous material. Cells were in the appearance of „crumpled paper“ and expressed CD68 in immunohistochemical stain and in histochemical examination of PAS and iron (Fe) staining. Based on a morphological finding, Gauchers disease was suspected. Repeated bone marrow aspirates were subsequently captured by gaucher cells, and a next biochemical examination showed a β-glucocerebrosidase enzyme decrease of activity. Gaucher disease is a progressive disease that requires early diagnosis with the onset of therapy.

Comorbidities associated with depression have been researched in a number of contexts. However, the epidemiological situation in clinical practice is understudied, especially in the post-Communist Central and Eastern Europe region. The aim of this study was to assess physical comorbidities in depression, and to identify whether there are increased odds of physical comorbidities associated with co-occurring depressive and anxiety disorders. Data on 4264 patients aged 18-98 were collected among medical doctors in the Czech Republic between 2010 and 2011. Descriptive statistics were calculated and multiple logistic regressions were performed to assess comorbidities among patients with depressive disorder. There were 51.29% of those who have a physical comorbidity, and 45.5% of those who have a comorbid anxiety disorders among patients treated with depression in Czech primary care. Results of logistic regressions show that odds of having pain, hypertension or diabetes mellitus are particularly elevated at those who have co-occurring depressive and anxiety disorder. Our findings demonstrate that comorbidities associated with depressive disorders are highly prevalent in primary health care practice, and that physical comorbidities are particularly frequent among those with co-occurring depressive and anxiety disorders.

Previous EEG source localization studies in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) reported ambiguous results. The reason probably lies in different OCD samples included in the studies - obsessive-compulsive subjects selected based on a psychopathology questionnaire (the Symptom Checklist - Revised), drug-naïve OCD cases or patients with a long-term disorder. This study was conceived as a replication of our previous research on OCD population coming to treatment in Prague Psychiatric Centre [9]. We included 50 OCD patients (8 drug-free and 42 medicated with SSRIs) and 50 healthy controls. All subjects were different from those enrolled in the previous study. Resting state EEG was analyzed in 8 frequency bands as well as with 1 Hz frequency resolution using the standardized low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA). In OCD, sLORETA indicated low-frequency power excess at 2 and 3 Hz in the cingulate gyrus with maximal t-values in Brodmann area 24. The low-frequency activity was unrelated to the severity of clinical symptoms and illness duration but delta power in the right orbitofrontal cortex positively correlated with age of OCD onset. Our results confirm previous finding of the low-frequency excess in the cingulate gyrus in OCD and document the essential role of delta frequencies. Delta activity in the cingulate gyrus is negatively associated with reward-signalling dopamine release in the ventral striatum and increases in states connected with a need for reinforcement. Thus, delta activity could reflect a repetitive need to perform compulsive behaviour in OCD patients., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Toxoplasmosis is a lifelong parasitic disease that appears to be associated to schizophrenia. However, no distinguishing attributes in Toxoplasma-infected schizophrenia patients have been described as yet., Method: We searched for differences in symptom profile, cognitive performance and treatment response between 194 Toxoplasma-free and 57 (22.7%) Toxoplasma-infected schizophrenia patients treated in Prague Psychiatric Centre between 2000 and 2010., Results: Infected and non-infected patients differed in severity of symptoms (P = 0.032) measured with the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS). Infected patients scored higher in positive subscale of PANSS, but not in the general and negative subscales. Infected men scored higher also in Total PANSS score, and negative, reality distortion, disorganisation and cognitive scores. Higher PANSS scores of positive, negative and disorganised psychopathology were associated with the lower titres of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies suggesting that psychopathology deteriorates with duration of parasitic infection. Infected patients remained about 33 days longer in hospital during their last admission than uninfected ones (P = 0.003). Schizophrenia started approximately 1 year earlier in infected men and about 3 years later in infected women, no such difference was observed in uninfected subjects., Conclusion: Latent toxoplasmosis in schizophrenia may lead to more severe positive psychopathology and perhaps less favourable course of schizophrenia., (© 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Aim of Study: An analysis of prenatal and postnatal incidences of selected birth defects and secondary prevention efficiency in the Czech Republic in 1994 - 2008 period., Type of Study: Retrospective epidemiological analysis of birth defects data from particular centers of clinical genetics and prenatal diagnostics (prenatal data) and from the Czech National Birth Defects Register database (birth data)., Material and Methods: Data from the National Birth Defects Register (Institute for Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic) were used along with data from particular centers of clinical genetics and prenatal diagnostics covering the whole area of the Czech and the 1994 - 2008 period. Total prenatal diagnostics efficiency and an efficiency of prenatal diagnostics of 5 selected defects (anencephaly, spina bifida, omphalocele, gastroschisis and Down syndrome) were studied., Results: In the period under study the number of prenatally diagnosed birth defects has increased. In 1994, the incidence of prenatally diagnosed (and selectively terminated) birth defects was 27.40 per 10 000 live births while in 2008 it was 73.26 per 10 000. In prenatally diagnosed but not terminated defects the corresponding numbers were 8.91 in 1994 and 32.87 in 2008. In last years, a quality change in prenatal birth defects screening has taken place in the Czech Republic. A first trimester screening with an increased efficiency not only for Down syndrome (DS) has been used more often implicating a wider application of chorionic villi sampling (CVS). An increased screening efficiency also made possible a relative decrease of invasive prenatal diagnostics procedures necessary to diagnose a single case of Down syndrome. When comparing CVS and amniocentesis from this particular point of view a higher CVS efficiency (about 12 CVS versus some 120 amniocenteses per 1 case of DS). Prenatal diagnostics efficiency has increased in all defects under study over the 1994 - 2008 period, being about 80% in DS almost 10% in anencephaly, 65 - 68% in omphalocele and gastroschisis and 80% in spina bifida in last years., Conclusions: Chromosomal aberration (DS especially) are among the most frequent prenatally diagnosed birth defects, further being heart defects, neural tube defects (anencephaly, encephalocele, spina bifida), hydrocephalus, congenital skeletal system defects, abdominal wall defects (omphalocele, gastroschisis) and renal defects. In some defects, prenatal diagnostics has also significantly influenced their incidence in births (anencephaly, gastroschisis and DS e.g.).

Aim of Study: An analysis of incidences of selected birth defects in the Czech Republic in 2000 - 2008 period., Type of Study: Retrospective epidemiological analysis of birth defects incidences in births and total birth defects incidences (including prenatally diagnosed cases) from the Czech National Birth Defects Register database., Material and Methods: Data from the National Birth Defects Register (Institute for Health Information and Statistics) in the Czech Republic in the 2000 - 2008 period were used along with data on prenatally diagnosed defects from particular departments of medical genetics. Sixteen selected defects (anencephaly, spina bifida, encephalocele, congenital hydrocephalus, coarctation of aorta, transposition of great vessels, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, Fallot tetralogy, omphalocele, gastroschisis, diaphragmatic hernia, oesophageal atresia and stenosis, anorectal malformations, Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome and Patau syndrome) were analyzed in detail., Results: There were 119 570 live births (61 326 boys and 58 244 girls) in 2008. In the same period, 4664 live births with a birth defect (under the age of one year) were reported, out of which 2754 boys and 1910 girls. Mean incidence was 390.06 (449.08 in boys and 327.93 in girls) per 10 000 live births. In 1994 - 2006, totally 1 238 398 children were born, out of which more than 42 000 with a birth defect. In the 2000 - 2006 period, absolute numbers of diagnosed live births with birth defect varied between 3600 - 3800 cases per year while in 2007 and 2008 years absolute numbers raised over 4600 cases per year. During 2000 - 2008 period following mean incidences (per 10 000 live births) of selected defects were ascertained (total incidences including prenatal diagnostics in brackets): anencephaly 0 - 0.3 (1.9 - 3.7), spina bifida 0.7 - 2.3 (3.2 - 5.2), encephalocele 0.1 - 0.4 (0.9 - 2.4), congenital hydrocephalus 1.6 - 3.5 (5.3 - 7.0), coarctation of aorta 3.9 - 5.2 (4.8 - 6.1), transposition of great vessels 2.9 - 4.5 (3.2 - 5.0), hypoplastic left heart syndrome 0.7 - 2.3 (2.2 - 4.3), Fallot tetralogy 2.6 - 4.0 (3.2 - 4.4), omphalocele 1.0 - 1.7 (1.8 - 3.8), gastroschisis 0.2 - 1.2 (2.4 - 3.4), diaphragmatic hernia 1.3 - 2.9 (1.5 - 3.9), Down syndrome 3.3 - 6.5 (15.8 - 22.2), Edwards syndrome 0.2 - 1.0 (3.5 - 5.8) and Patau syndrome 0.2 - 1.0 (1.2 - 2.6)., Conclusions: There has been no major change in birth defect incidences in live births in the Czech Republic in last years. Number of non-viable defects has decreased in stillbirths and in perinatal mortality in the Czech Republic. An incidence of some defects has decreased mostly due to a nation-wide system of prenatal diagnostics; some incidences remain stable in live-birth population in others incidences have increased. A total incidence has mostly increased (anencephaly being an exception) mostly due to an earlier prenatal diagnostics. In chromosomal syndromes, an increasing maternal age as well as a growing number of mothers of 35 years of age and over has contributed to the increased incidences.

Numerous abnormalities of thyroid hormones in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have been described. Our aim was to analyze the impact of these abnormalities on survival. In 167 hemodialyzed ESRD patients, TSH and thyroid hormone levels (T4, fT4, T3, fT3, rT3) were determined. The patients were then prospectively followed up for up to 5 years and the possible impact of any observed abnormalities on their mortality was studied. Only 16.8 % patients had all six tests within the reference range. The pattern of nonthyroidal illness syndrome was found in 56.3 %. Low T3 was particularly common (44.3 %), and clearly associated with increased 6- and 12-month mortality and decreased overall survival (log rank test, P=0.007). Independent of T3 levels (Spearman correlation, NS), increased rT3 was more frequently observed (9.9 %) than expected from the literature, and was also related to increased mortality and decreased survival (log rank test, P=0.021). Increased rT3 may be more common in ESRD patients than previously described, and together with decreased T3 it may serve as an indicator of poor prognosis in subsequent months.