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Opting for homemademeals is the healthiest choice. We assessed the change in nutritional practices among parents/caregivers exposed to health promotion campaigns. Pre- and post-intervention surveys inquiring about nutritional practices were conducted respectively in March and June 2022 in a community-based sample of 583 parents/caregivers in Albania (62% females; age: 39.7±7.1 years; response: 83%). The multi-component intervention consisted of community-based 'onsite' events (awareness raising campaigns) and 'online' interventions (knowledge portal and digital applications). After the intervention, the prevalence of home cooking and/or provision of home-made foods to children for eating at school increased by 11% (both P<0.01). Engagement in healthy nutritional practices 'only after the intervention' increased especially among Roma/Egyptian parents/caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Prompt and accurate diagnosis of sepsis is of high importance for clinicians. Procalcitonine (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been proposed as markers for this purpose. Our aim was to evaluate the levels of PCT and CRP in early sepsis and its correlation with severity of sepsis., Methods: Levels of PCT and CRP were taken from 60 patients with sepsis criteria and 39 patients with SIRS symptoms from the University Hospital Center "Mother Teresa" in Tirana, Albania during 2010-2012. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values for PCT and CRP were calculated., Results: PCT and CRP levels increased in parallel with the severity of the clinical conditions of the patients. The mean PCT level in patients with sepsis was 11.28 ng/ml versus 0.272 ng/ml in patients with SIRS symptoms, with a sensitivity of 97.4% and a specificity of 96.6% for PCT >0.5ng/ml. The mean CRP level in septic patients was 146.58 mg/l vs. 34.4 mg/l in patients with SIRS, with a sensitivity of 98.6% for sepsis and a specificity of 75 % for CRP >11mg/l., Conclusion: PCT and CRP values are useful markers to determine early diagnosis and severity of an infection. In the present study, PCT was found to be a more accurate diagnostic parameter for differentiating SIRS from sepsis and may be helpful in the follow-up of critically ill patients.

Aim: To evaluate and compare the clinical efficacy of intravenous omeprazole versus intravenous ranitidine therapy for the treatment of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding after endoscopic therapy., Methods: 108 patients (72 males and 36 females) admitted with non-variceal UGI bleeding in the Intensive Care Unit of the University Hospital of Durres, Albania, from 2004 to 2008, were included in the study. Patients with gastro-duodenal malignancy and those who were previously receiving anti-secretory drugs were excluded. All patients were treated endoscopically by injecting epinephrine (diluted 1:10.000) followed by ethanol and subsequently were randomized to receive either intravenous omeprazole (with an initial dose of 80 mg, followed by 8 mg/h infusion [n = 54]), or intravenous ranitidine (100 mg bolus, followed by 100 mg boluses every 6 hours for the next 72 hours [n = 54])., Results: There-bleeding rate 72 hours after endoscopic treatment was lower in the omeprazole group than in the ranitidine group (6 vs. 14 patients, respectively; OR = 3.4; 95% CI = 1.1 -7.2; P < 0.01). Less volume of blood transfusion was needed for the omeprazole group than for the ranitidine one (1.1 +/- 1.8 units vs. 2.3 +/- 2.9 units, P = 0.03). The hospitalization period was shorter among patients treated with omeprazole than among those treated with ranitidine (5.4 +/- 2.6 days vs. 6.8 +/- 3.3 days, respectively; P = 0.04). The need for surgery and the mortality rate were not statistically different between the two groups., Conclusion: After endoscopic treatment of non-variceal UGI bleeding, intravenous omeprazole reduced the risk of recurrent bleeding, decreased the need for blood transfusion and shortened the period of hospitalization. Intravenous omeprazole should be used in patients with non-variceal UGI bleeding after effective endoscopic treatment.