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Rehabilitation of stroke patients is a complex process that requires coordination between healthcare professionals, patients and their families. This study aims to develop strategies to optimize coordinated care and rehabilitation in order to improve patients' quality of life and facilitate their return to normal life. The main objective is to examine the implementation of coordinated care and rehabilitation before, during and after hospital discharge. The study was conducted within the framework of the project GAJU 066/2022/S, approved by the Ethics Commission (number 6/2022). A qualitative approach was used, with semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals involved in the rehabilitation of patients after stroke as the main method of data collection. The study involved 143 professionals from different hospitals, including doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, social workers and nurses. The data were analysed using ATLAS.ti software and different coding strategies. Based on the information obtained, a SWOT analysis was conducted, the results of which were used to propose process optimization. It helped to identify key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to coordinated rehabilitation. The results indicate the need to improve cooperation between professionals and increase the availability of coordinated rehabilitation services. Key challenges include insufficient support and awareness of patients and their families, limited access to home-based rehabilitation services, and insufficient coordination between health and social service providers. Recommended strategies include improving interprofessional communication, expanding access to home-based services, increasing financial support, improving education of patients and their families, and introducing a system for monitoring the quality of services provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Q fever, which is caused by Coxiella bumetii, is a worldwide zoonotic infectious disease and ruminants are the main reservoir for human infections. Humans become infected primarily by inhaling aerosols that are contaminated with C. bumetii. Ingestion (particularly drinking raw milk) and person-to-person transmission are minor routes. Animals shed the bacterium in urine and faeces, and in very high concentrations in birth by-products. The bacterium persists in the environment in a resistant spore-like form which may become airborne and transported long distances by the wind. Q fever is considered primarily an occupational disease of workers in close contact with farm animals or processing their products, however, it may occur also in persons without direct contact. To prevent the introduction and spread of Q fever infection, preventive measures should be implemented including immunisation with currently available vaccines of domestic animals and humans at risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the estimates of genetic parameters for external udder measurements of different dairy ewes. Nine different sheep genotypes and breed were included in the study. It is indicated that udder and teat characteristics are important determinants of milk yield and ease of milking or milking ability in dairy ewes.

Introduction: The health parameters of the Roma minority appear to differ significantly from other population groups. Information about the health of Roma is only available from a few scientific studies, because in general the indication of ethnicity is not allowed to be entered in governmental health statistics. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the reproductive parameters of Roma and non-Roma populations when controlling for mother's age and socio-economic status. Material and methods: The data from cross-sectional study (947 Roma and 2.713 Non-Roma) were derived from maternal and newborn obstetrics reports and personal mother's interview. Newborn medical reports included data about birth weight, birth length, chest and head circumference, and Apgar score. Maternal reports included reproductive parameters (e.g. type of delivery, gestation age, spontaneous abortion, mother's weight increase) as well as socio-demographic and health data (education, employment, marital status, smoking, coffee and alcohol abuse). To analyse the data t-test, linear regression and logistic regression were used. Statistical model of linear model included regression of birth weight and gestational age. Results: Between Roma and non-Roma significant differences were found regarding reproductive characteristics. Roma had more deliveries (p < 0.001) and lower mother's weight increase (p < 0.001). Significant differences were also found regarding newborn parameters, in particular birth-weight (on average 401 grams less in Roma, p < 0.001), birth-Length (1.30 cm less in Roma, p < 0.001), chest and head circumference (both p < 0.001). Linear regression model for low birth weight showed as the most important social factors: education, smoking and single marital status; for low gestational age smoking, education and employment. Conclusions: The results show great differences between Roma and non-Roma in reproductive and newborn characteristics. There still remain questions, however, about whether these differences are caused by lower socio-economic status or ethnicity suggesting the need for developing lower birth-weight end birth-length standards for Roma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood obesity is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and poses one of the major cardiovascular risk in adulthood. Prevalence of obesity has globally worldwide increasing trend among schoolchildren and youths. Central and Eastern European countries are dealing with social, political, cultural and health status difference of Roma (Gypsies) ethnic. Material and methods: In the cross-sectional anthropometrical study subjects were 1,172 school children aged 6-11 years, 420 Roma and 752 non-Roma. Overall prevalence of overweight has been evaluated as >95th percentile BMI for age. Results: Prevalence of overweight showed no difference between non-Roma (10.9%) and Roma (9.8%). Independent predictors for obesity was parents education and employment (p < 0.01), single parent family (p < 0.05). The research didn't confirm ethnic differences in obesity, however Roma children have very different socio-economic background. Roma children body height and weight comparison is showing shorter statue, lower body weight but approximately equal BMI in all age groups, more expressed in boys. Comparison of Roma weight and Roma height is showing large gaps when compared to National Slovak Anthropometric Survey. The results might be also influenced by hereditary factors confirming Roma people are shorter. Conclusions: In conclusion Roma schoolchildren do not confer any more or less risk for overweight compared to non-Roma. As obesity in childhood is rising rapidly, early intervention from public health officials will be required to prevent excessive weight gain. Outputs are claiming lower anthropometrical parameters in the Roma children population, due to both: genetic-ethnic and socio-economic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Urinary incontinence is an extremely stressful and often debilitating disease, increasing morbidity in society. The aim of the work is to point out the problems of the management of incontinent patients - seniors in the context of their quality of life as well as treatment costs to find ways to make the widest possible public awareness of the fact that in most cases incontinence is solvable in terms of improving the quality of life., Methods: The group consisted of 100 patients with urinary incontinence who were treated with conservative medical procedures at the urological outpatient clinic of the Railway Hospital in Košice. The research was conducted in the period from September 2018 to February 2019. The extended standardized Urinary Incontinence Quality of Life Measure (I-QOL) questionnaire was used to evaluate the quality of life. The SPSS program - version 16.0 was used for statistical analysis of the file and hypotheses, and the chi-square test and the McNemar test for analysis of non-parametric data distribution., Results: The average value of the total social I-QOL score was 14.15 ± 5.03, which means that this area contributes significantly to the reduction of the quality of life. The average value of the total I-QOL score of the group studied was 63.86 ± 19.29, which indicates that urinary incontinence has a significant impact on the quality of life of seniors. Respondents considered the frequent urge to urinate and the absence of a toilet in a reachable place to be a negative factor. Feeling of the state of a certain form of inferiority and obsession was the most serious. Patients expressed approximately equal concerns about feeling out of control of their bladder and concerns about urinating as well as concerns about worsening incontinence due to aging., Conclusion: Based on the presented results, participants achieved the highest average score in the psychological domain of quality of life (27.81 ± 7.54) and the lowest in the social domain (14.15 ± 5.03). Social support programmes aimed at reducing stigma and enhancing social engagement for individuals dealing with incontinence could help improve the social quality of life. Physical health interventions, such as pelvic floor exercises could support physical well-being.

Objective: Childhood overweight and obesity has been a major global problem for a long time, with a steadily increasing prevalence of obesity and a growing number of cases of serious health complications associated with childhood obesity. The main objective of the study is to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity in boys and girls before the COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic., Methods: Body height, weight, BMI, and body composition (fat free mass, skeletal muscle mass, body fat, visceral fat area) were assessed in a cohort of 4,475 subjects (2,180 boys and 2,295 girls) aged 6-15 years. Somatic status was assessed by standardized anthropometry and body composition was determined by bioelectrical impedance. The subjects were classified according to BMI in percentile bands (up to 3rd percentile, P3-10, P25-75, P75-90, P90-97, above 97th percentile). Statistical analysis was performed using the software TIBCO Statistica 14.0.015., Results: During growth, statistical differences in the proportion of fat-free mass and fat fractions were found between boys and girls. In boys, there is an increase in muscle mass, in girls, there is an increase in the proportion of fat fraction. Sexual differentiation is pronounced during pubertal growth. By their BMI, 10.32% of the boys and 7.36% of the girls were categorized as overweight, and 8.12% of the boys and 7.71% of the girls were categorized as obese. Using bioelectrical impedance analysis and the percentage of fat fraction, 21.61% of the boys and 21.87% of the girls were categorized as obese; 5.96% of the boys and 8.19% of the girls were found to have visceral adipose tissue posing a health risk (more than 100 cm 2 ). From 2002 to 2019, there was a significant increase of 3.72% in the overweight category for boys and 1.36% for girls, while the obesity category showed an increase of 3.62% for boys and 4.91% for girls., Conclusion: The results confirm the increasing negative trend of overweight and obesity in the BMI and the relative body fat categories in children aged 6-15 years. Greater attention and monitoring of the effectiveness of preventive measures is needed to slow and stop the obesity epidemic which has health, social and economic impacts on the entire society.

Objectives: The aim of this study was the evaluation of a group of patients treated at the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology of Locomotory Apparatus at Luis Pasteur University Hospital in Košice for septic arthritis in relation to risk factors and chronic diseases and its microbial aetiologic profile., Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients including all episodes of septic arthritis from March 2013 to August 2022. The occurrence of chronic diseases, risk factors and its microbiological profile were investigated., Results: A total of 141 patients were included: 92 (65%) males and 49 (35%) females, the mean age of patients was 58.1 years. A continued decrease in cases was recorded during the period of COVID-19 pandemic and the post-pandemic years. The largest group of our cohort represented septic arthritis of the knee (87 cases, 61.7%), followed by hip and shoulder arthritis - 17 (12.1%) and 14 (9.9%) cases, respectively. Gram positive aetiologic flora represented 87.5% of all pathogens isolated and antibiotics were administered to 46 (32.6%) patients before microbiological culture samples were obtained. The dominant chronic disease was diabetes mellitus with 42 (29.8%) cases and degenerative joint disease affecting the joint was verified in 86 (61%) patients. Dental foci in 28 (19.9%) cases and skin infections in 17 (12.1%) cases were the most numerous groups of risk factors with predominant distribution for cases without previous intervention in the affected joint leading to infection., Conclusion: The distribution of joint involvement and microbial agents was similar to other literature without affecting negative culture results by prior administration of antibiotics. Representation of chronic diseases and risk factors was comparable to the work of other authors. Notable was the continued decline in total number of cases in post-pandemic years of COVID-19 pandemic. What was interesting was the number of confirmed cases of distant focal infection distributed mainly in the group of patients without a history of any previous intervention on the joint before the infection. There is a lack of literature on distant silent infection as a risk factor.

Objective: Anxiety and depression in patients following cerebrovascular accidents are among frequently occurring complications of the medical condition. The consequences affect personal, family, professional, and social life. They cause severe functional and cognitive impairments, limit the ability to perform normal daily activities, which can result in complete disability. The aim of the study was to monitor the occurrence of anxiety and depression in patients following cerebrovascular accidents hospitalized in neurological departments in the region of eastern Slovakia., Methods: A total of 101 patients following cerebrovascular accidents, aged from 48-86 years, were included in the descriptive study. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from patients and from medical records. We determined the occurrence of anxiety disorders, depression and emotional distress in patients following cerebrovascular accidents using a standardized Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire., Results: Data analysis confirms a high incidence of anxiety in the HADS-A subscale (9.23 ± 4.13) and depression in the HADS-D subscale (9.09 ± 4.43) during the hospitalization phase of the disease. It demonstrates the pathological occurrence of anxiety states in 37%, depression in 36%, emotional distress in 36%, and a serious degree of combination of pathological values of the anxiety subscale and the depression subscale in 27% of patients. The existence of a strong positive correlation between anxiety and depression indicators was confirmed., Conclusion: The results confirm a high prevalence of anxiety and depression in the acute phase of the disease. The findings indicate that patients recovering from cerebrovascular accidents not only face physical difficulties and loss of independence but also struggle with anxiety and depression, which can negatively impact and slow their recovery. Given the high frequency of these psychological conditions, further research is needed to enhance the quality and effectiveness of care provided to patients with cerebrovascular accidents.

Objectives: Patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are repeatedly affected by oral diseases or problems, including dental caries and periodontal diseases (PDs). Periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis are chronic inflammatory destructive diseases that share many similarities. The objective of this study was to assess oral health status including examination of hard dental tissues and periodontium in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and compare the results with healthy controls. We hypothesize some interlink between oral diseases and RA., Methods: The epidemiological case-control study involved a total of 64 subjects divided into an experimental group (14 rheumatoid arthritis cases) and a control group (50 healthy individuals). Disease activity in the subjects with RA was assessed by the Disease Activity Score (DAS28). The number of Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) and Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Need (CPITN) as a basic epidemiological oral health indexes were recorded. Finally, the data were analysed statistically., Results: The RA patients (19.21, SD = 6.95) showed a higher caries index level measured by DMFT than the control group (17.72, SD = 6.19); the difference was not statistically significant (U = 387.5, p = 0.547). In terms of a mean number of teeth decayed (p = 0.078), teeth filled due to caries (p = 0.397), and missing teeth (p = 0.126), the two groups were not significantly different. In terms of periodontal health, a significant difference was observed between the two groups concerning the CPI maximum score (p = 0.003). The RA patients showed higher prevalence of periodontitis than the controls., Conclusions: A complete basic oral examination, along with an oral health instruction including adequate oral and dental hygiene, is crucial to prevent dental caries and periodontal diseases and associated complications in RA patients, since they appear to be more vulnerable than the non-RA population.

Objective: This study aims to describe the outcomes of COVID-19 patients treated with molnupiravir and to explore the associations with various risk factors., Methods: We conducted a single-centre, descriptive, retrospective study without a comparison group., Results: Out of 141 patients, 70 (49.7%) required follow-up outpatient care. In the subgroup of 66 (46.8%) hospitalized patients, 28 (19.9%) developed interstitial viral pneumonia, with 6 (4.3%) deaths. Unvaccinated patients had a higher incidence of pneumonia (p = 0.020), and obesity was a significant risk factor for both pneumonia (p = 0.001) and mortality (p = 0.011). Patients over 60 years (p = 0.040) and those with cardiovascular diseases (p = 0.026) also had increased pneumonia risk. Male sex was associated with a higher risk of death (p = 0.020)., Conclusion: Molnupiravir treatment was linked to reduced risks of hospitalization and death, particularly in high-risk patients. Vaccination provided additional protection, and obesity obstructive pulmonary disease and autoimmune diseases were significant risk factors for severe outcomes.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the metabolic syndrome (MS) prevalence in a sample of adolescents, to calculate their continuous metabolic syndrome scores, and to determine the associations of continuous metabolic syndrome score with overweight/obesity and selected cardiometabolic and lifestyle factors., Methods: We enrolled a sample of 2,590 adolescents (1,180 males, mean age 17.1 ± 1.04 years) from 14 grammar schools and 48 secondary schools in the Bratislava Self-Governing Region, Slovakia. Data were collected from a standard anthropometric examination, biochemical analysis of fasting venous blood, blood pressure measurement, physical fitness assessment, and a comprehensive questionnaire focused on selected lifestyle characteristics. Continuous metabolic syndrome score and paediatric simple metabolic syndrome scores were calculated., Results: The criteria for the MS diagnosis according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) guidelines for children and adolescents were fulfilled in the whole sample by 38 (1.4%) adolescents; all were classified as overweight/obese. In the obese subgroup (n = 270), the MS prevalence rose to 13.3%. The largest number of adolescents was in the group without any of the MS components (67.5%). In the groups with 1, 2 or 3 MS components, males predominated; 0.6% of males and no females had 4 components of MS. The increasing number of individual components of MS is accompanied by a continuous increase (in the case of HDL-cholesterol - a decrease) of mean values mostly of blood lipid levels. Mean values of blood pressure (BP) and anthropometric parameters were highest in the group with three MS components. Significant correlations with body fat content or with selected lifestyle factors were not found. Using the continuous MS score calculation we found 31 adolescents, of whom 14 (45.2%) had only 1 or at most 2 MS components, i.e., they did not meet the criteria for the MS diagnosis., Conclusion: From the point of view of atherosclerosis prevention and early intervention, it is extremely important to monitor the MS prevalence in children and adolescents, especially in the current obesity pandemic. The paediatric MS score calculation is simple and accurate, allowing assessment of the severity of cardiometabolic risk in individuals even before the diagnosis of MS. The continuous MS score is useful in identifying individuals at increased risk and in the management of preventive health care for children and youth.

Objectives: Many studies draw attention to the negative consequences of the pandemic or lockdown on the well-being and lifestyle of different sections of the population. This study considers whether changes occurred in dietary regime and level of physical activity during three periods - before the pandemic, during the lockdown, and during the present in older Slovak adults. We also investigate whether individual weights changed during the pandemic., Methods: The study has a cross-sectional design. We collected 436 questionnaires from older adults (60+) living in Slovakia; 277 come from the first phase of online data collection (04/2022-06/2022) in university students of the third age, and 159 from the second phase of offline collection (07/2022-11/2022) in social service facilities. We monitored if there were any changes within the observed periods in the variables of diet regime, physical activity, and BMI. The database has been processed in IBM SPSS Statistics., Results: During the lockdown, the frequency of physical activity decreased (p < 0.001), the quality of movement worsened (p < 0.001), and the time respondents devoted to physical activity during the week decreased (p < 0.001). At present, the variables have increased. Within the dietary regimen, statistically significant changes occurred in appetite and non-alcoholic beverage intake (p = 0.002). However, there were no significant changes in the number of daily meals (p = 0.190), or the amount of alcohol consumed (p = 0.066). The BMI of older men and women did not change after the pandemic (p = 0.519), and it did not differ between men and women either before the pandemic (p = 0.281) or after it (p = 0.449). Also there is no difference between UTA students and social facility living seniors before the pandemic (0.933) and now (0.317). The results showed that even though physical activity significantly decreased during the lockdown, the older adults in our study did not eat more during the lockdown, nor did they gain weight. However, this probably had negative consequences for the quality of their movement., Conclusion: It is essential to simultaneously create compensatory measures while implementing future anti-epidemic (or other) measures. They would help maintain the desired amount of physical activity or other healthy habits on an optimal level.

Objectives: The main aim of the article is to indicate how selected socioeconomic factors contribute to the selected characteristics of the subjectively perceived health of seniors 65+ living in the Czech Republic., Methods: Data collection took place in the Czech Republic from 27 January 2020 to 14 February 2020. The total number of interviews carried out in the research was 1,172, from a representative quota sample of seniors from the senior population living in the Czech Republic. Questionnaires were distributed in the form of PAPI interviews., Results: The assessment of subjective social status increases with education and employment (these three aspects are closely linked), and the assessment transferred to the senior years., Conclusion: The accumulation of advantages and disadvantages should encourage the Government of the Czech Republic, as well as other European states, to focus on those who, based on their low levels of education and social status, have very low assessments of their subjective health. Prevention (in both health and social fields), which includes access to information and the subsequent better life decisions, must be implemented throughout a person's lifetime (so as to reduce the disadvantages that accumulate from the cradle to the grave).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to confirm the relevance of knowledge a dentist has regarding obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), considering the fact that based on specific risk factors a dentist may be the first clinician to identify patients who are at risk of being affected by this serious condition., Methods: The cohort consisted of 53 subjects who underwent a routine dental examination. Anthropometric data and data on tongue size (Mallampati classification), tonsil size (Friedman classification), daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale) and systemic risk factors were recorded in a record sheet. On the basis of the monitored parameters, selected subjects underwent polysomnography in order to objectivise the parameters observed., Results: Polysomnography confirmed a 96% success rate in our identifying subjects as being at high risk of developing OSA. This indicates that the parameters monitored during a routine dental examination were properly selected to identify patients with this condition in advance., Conclusion: The relevance of information dentists have about the early identification of patients with OSA may be crucial in the management of further therapy to be provided to these patients.

Objective: Our research was focused to find a relation between the occurrence of spondylodiscitis and occurrence of chronic diseases. We were trying to discover some new risk factors and relations between chronic disorders in our research group. This analysis was also focused to detect factors that prolong the hospitalization of patients and worsen their prognosis., Methods: A study was carried out involving patients with spondylodiscitis treated between 2013 and 2022. A statistical analysis expressed by several coefficients was calculated in software IBM SPSS 21., Results: The study group comprised 32 (53.3%) females and 28 (46.7%) males. During the period the overall incidence of spondylodiscitis was increasing (except the year 2020 where only 2 patients were treated) with a peak in 2019. The average age of patients was 69.3 (±12.3) years, and the highest incidence was in the age group 60-69 years (n = 19, 31.7%). The most impacted vertebral region was lumbar (n = 29, 48.3%). The most prevalent associated comorbidity was some cardiovascular disorder (n = 39, 65%) followed by diabetes mellitus (DM) (n = 23, 38.3%). Genitourinary system was the most common source of primary infection (n = 22, 36.7%). Average length of stay was 34.3 (±14.5) days and surgery prolonged hospitalization period. Mortality rate was 1.7%., Conclusion: The results of our study are confirmed by the data of other European and non-European studies. We confirmed diabetes mellitus and hypertension as the most common non-infectious risk factors of spondylodiscitis and the presence of pathogens in genitourinary system as the most frequent source of primary infection.

Objectives: An occupational disease (OD) is a disorder or health condition which arises due to work related activities and tasks or is caused by work environment. The impact of ODs on medical and social system may be considered as a very important in relation to mortality, morbidity, and invalidity. The most common ODs in the European Union are musculoskeletal disorders (58% of all ODs in 2015). The aim of the study was to determine the differences in the incidence of occupational diseases between the Slovak Republic (SK) and the Czech Republic (CZ)., Methods: Data were obtained from the Health Statistics Yearbooks of the National Health Information Centre of the Slovak Republic and in CZ from the Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic. We worked with records from 2009 to 2019. The average incidence rates (aIR) per 100,000 labourers were calculated based on the number of workers in a given year. All data were calculated separately for SK and CZ, and for males and females. P < 0.05 was considered a significant value., Results: In SK, the number of ODs diagnosed from 2009 to 2019 amounted to 2,351 cases in males and 1,605 cases in females. In CZ, the amount of ODs diagnosed from 2009 to 2019 reached 6,616 cases in males and 5,513 cases in females. In SK, from 2009 to 2019, the incidence of ODs decreased significantly from 7.3 to 4.8 cases per 100,000 labourers (rs = -0.76; p = 0.006). Diseases from one-sided excessive load were the most common ODs in SK (aIR = 7.6 ± 2.2) and in CZ (aIR = 8.2 ± 3.5), followed by ODs caused by vibration. Occupational diseases due to noise, vibrations and SiO 2 inhalation were considerably more common among males. Diseases due to long-term excessive one-sided load, skin and infectious diseases were more prevalent in females. Occupational hearing damage due to noise was more frequent in SK and silicosis, asthma bronchiale, respiratory allergies, dermatoses, and infectious diseases were remarkably more frequent in CZ., Conclusion: Regarding the main goal, we found a significantly higher aIR of ODs caused by noise in SK than in CZ. In CZ, there was a markedly higher presence of ODs caused by SiO 2 inhalation, asthma and respiratory allergy, ODs of skin and infectious and parasitic ODs when compared to SK. In both countries different principles for discontinuance in work are applied when a risk factor occurs. It is necessary to enhance surveillance data and reporting of ODs and increase investments in occupational safety, health education and research for the future.

Objective: Pregnancy at advanced maternal age has become more common over the last decades. Therefore, the study aimed to describe the characteristics and maternal and perinatal outcomes of women giving birth at advanced maternal age and very advanced age., Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 2,300 singleton births that occurred in 2020-2021 at the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of the Louis Pasteur University Hospital in Košice. The control (age 20-34 years), advanced maternal age (35-39 years), and very advanced maternal age (≥ 40 years) groups included 1,851, 382, and 67 women, respectively. Exclusion criteria were multiple pregnancies, maternal age less than 20 years, smoking and alcohol use, foetal malformation and intrauterine foetal death, and birth weight of 500 grams or less. Data on mothers and newborn infants have been reported from the birth book and the reports on mothers at childbirth. The data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0., Results: Our results confirmed statistically significant differences regarding the rate of preterm birth (p = 0.004), very preterm birth (p = 0.010), caesarean delivery rate (p < 0.001), very low birth weight (p = 0.027), extremely low birth weight (p = 0.001), and Apgar score at 5 minutes < 7 (p = 0.020) between newborns in the compared maternal age groups., Conclusion: Advanced maternal age is a prognostic factor for poor pregnancy outcomes. Women of advanced maternal age are at higher risk of adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes.

Objective: The EU global health priorities focus on ensuring better health and well-being for people throughout their lives as well as on reducing inequalities between countries. The COVID-19 pandemic can be understood as a set of several events that directly or indirectly affected the mental health of people around the world. The aim of this study was to identify the main groupings of co-occurrence of all keywords related to the main keywords "COVID-19" and "mental health" acquired through search in the Scopus database using the VOSviewer tool., Methods: Descriptive study based on a bibliometric analysis of the occurrence of the keywords "COVID-19" and "mental health" in scientific articles retrieved from the Scopus database on 31 January 2023 covering period from 2020 to 2022 plus January 2023 in the field of medical research. The result was 1,625 articles extracted into a csv file and inserted into VOSviewer tool. By counting the number of co-occurrences of keywords using the VOSviewer, the final result was 1,211 keywords. Out of the 1,211 keywords 44 different keywords with the total power link strength of association with the keywords "COVID-19" and "mental health" were selected., Results: The presence of high rates and power links of depression and anxiety after the pandemic situation has been confirmed by visualization of keywords in scientific articles retrieved from Scopus database. The keywords "social support", "social isolation", "perceived social support", and "dementia" inform us about potential areas of research and trigger discussion about the impact of the recent pandemic on mental health. Another warning was the occurrence of the keyword "obesity" and its association with health consequences for individuals and society. Among all countries, the United States, the United Kingdom and China contributed the most with scientific publications focusing on pandemic and mental health., Conclusion: The visualization of the keywords "COVID-19" and "mental health", specifically "depression" and "anxiety" create a new area for further research as well as establishing preventive measures leading to protection from mental health damage in the events of possible dangers of this type.

Objectives: Overweight and obesity are important concerns for global health. They are characterized by excessive fat accumulation that can harm health. Childhood obesity has reached alarming levels around the world due to urbanization and changes in lifestyle. This trend highlights an urgent need for effective public health strategies to promote healthier lifestyles, prevent chronic diseases, and support the wellbeing of future generations. This study aimed to monitor the impact of the risk factors on blood pressure and lipid profile parameters., Methods: Data were collected from 267 school-age children from Slovakia. The study assessed blood pressure using the sphygmomanometer technique, where systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure were measured in a seated position and repeated three times. The pulse rate was evaluated using Ruffier's physical fitness test. Anthropometric measurements included body weight, height, waist circumference, hip, and chest circumference, body mass index (BMI), and fat skinfolds measurement. The children's parents completed a comprehensive questionnaire. The data were statistically evaluated using IBM-SPSS version 19., Results: Our analysis showed a statistically significant difference in SBP between obese and non-obese children (p < 0.001), but no significant differences for DBP and total cholesterol. Similar results were found between normal-weight and overweight children for SBP (p < 0.001), with overweight children showing higher SBP. No significant differences were noted for DBP or total cholesterol. Among children with "bad fitness", 57.9% had elevated SBP, compared to 37.86% with "good fitness" (p < 0.01). Additionally, 41.67% of children with bad fitness had elevated DBP, versus 23.05% in good fitness (p < 0.001). Significant differences in total cholesterol were also observed in these two groups (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: The results of this study confirm the importance of monitoring risk factors that significantly influence cardiovascular parameters.

Objectives: An unhealthy lifestyle, inappropriate eating habits, and inadequate physical activity are the most common risk factors affecting health and causing the premature onset of non-communicable diseases. The study aimed to evaluate lifestyle factors, eating habits, and daily regimens in a sample of Slovak adolescents., Methods: The sample involves 524 students aged 15-22 years attending selected secondary schools from the model region of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. We assessed the prevalence of selected lifestyle factors and investigated the relationship between negative lifestyle factors and the presence of overweight and obesity., Results: We found eating irregularities including avoidance of school lunch, inadequate daily consumption of vegetables, dairy products and wholegrain foods, and the high consumption of sweets and sweetened beverages. The prevalence of excess weight and obesity in the sample was 18.4%. Compared to the non-obese, overweight or obese students had significantly lower daily consumption of vegetables and used to avoid sports more frequently. Almost 37% of students did not do sports at all. Students who were not doing sports on regular basis used to skip breakfast more frequently, they ate fewer vegetables and more sweets and spent considerable time in sedentary activities., Conclusion: In the sample of secondary school students, we investigated several negative lifestyle factors and the relatively high prevalence of overweight and obesity. The results of the study can be used for the development of preventive measures to protect and promote the health of children and youth.

Background : Psoriasis is a common, T-cell-mediated inflammatory and immune-mediated skin disease. Numerous studies confirmed that patients with psoriasis have a significant frequency of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and CV diseases (CVDs). Risk stratification is helpful in light of the elevated risk of CVD in psoriasis patients. SCORE2 and SCORE2-OP, a new algorithm derived, calibrated and validated to predict the 10-year risk of first-onset CVD in European populations, enhances the identification of individuals at higher risk of developing CVD across Europe. Objective : Using the SCORE2 and SCORE2-OP scoring systems, the current study objective was to evaluate CV risk in Slovak psoriasis patients and the relationship between CV risk and psoriasis features in a real-world setting. Results : A case-control study was conducted involving 115 outpatients with plaque psoriasis and 66 age- and gender-matched controls with skin conditions other than psoriasis. Patients with psoriasis had significantly higher mean SCORE2 values. In the age group up to 50 years, more psoriasis patients were classified as moderate risk than controls (33.8% vs. 13.6%, p = 0.010); the high-risk category was dominated by psoriasis patients. Analysing the relationship between CV risk and selected variables, we determined, using linear regression, the dependence of the SCORE2 risk score on gender in the age group up to 50 years, on age in both age groups, on waist circumference (WC) in the category up to 50 years and on the duration and severity of psoriasis in both age groups using linear regression. For individuals older than 70, we estimated the SCORE2-OP risk score, with the average risk score being 19.5 ± 4.95. We did not observe controls with a high risk score. Psoriasis patients were more likely to be smokers and had significantly higher mean values for body mass index (BMI), WC, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and systolic blood pressure (BP). Conclusions : Because CV risk factors and psoriasis are strongly related, the importance of CV risk stratification is growing, and initiating preventive lifestyle changes or therapeutic interventions in patients with psoriasis is warranted.

The objective of this article is to describe and classify usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) changes according to their relevance in the pathology of the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) process. In a cohort of 50 patients (25♀, 25♂) with UIP findings, the percentage ratio between fibrotic and preserved parts of the lungs was quantified. Three quantitative stages of fibrotic involvement of the lung parenchyma and concomitant changes were defined. These are initial (≤20%), advanced (21-40%), and diffuse (≥41%) fibrosis of the lungs. Histologically, temporal heterogeneity is predominant with thickened alveolar septa, interstitial fibrosis, and the presence of fibroblastic foci up to mature diffuse fibrosis with honeycomb changes. The finding is accompanied by variably mature lymphocytic inflammation, presence of macrophages, emphysema, bronchioloectasia of the alveoli, bronchiectasis, bronchial muscle wall hypertrophy, hypertrophy of the vessel walls, alveolar mucosa, focal haemorrhage, and hyalinization of the lungs. Pneumocyte hyperplasia, occasionally atypical in appearance with hobnail changes, as well as squamous metaplasia are observed. In the methodically quantified stages of fibrous involvement, 14 subjects were classified (6♀, 8♂) into the stage of initial fibrosis, 21 subjects (11♀; 10♂) into the stage of advanced fibrosis, and 15 subjects (8♀; 7♂) into the stage of diffuse fibrosis.

Background: Lack of adherence to treatment in patients with arterial hypertension leads to poor blood pressure control, increased morbidity and mortality, and increased costs to health and social care. Regular assessment of treatment adherence as well as factors influencing it is important to improve patient adherence and consequently increase treatment efficacy. Personal beliefs, particularly illness representations, are significant factors that influence adherence., Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the associations between adherence to treatment, illness perception, and selected sociodemographic and clinical characteristics in patients with arterial hypertension., Methods: In this cross-sectional observational study, 235 patients with arterial hypertension completed the Hill-Bone Compliance to High Blood Pressure Therapy Scale and the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Associations between variables were assessed by Spearman ρ and multiple linear regression analysis., Results: Younger age, male gender, overall number of drugs used, and poorer beliefs related to the timeline, treatment control, and understanding were associated with higher levels of nonadherence. The final regression model significantly ( P ≤ .05) explained 19.4% of the variance in diet adherence, 5.0% in appointment keeping, and 17.8% in medication adherence., Conclusion: Comprehensive care aimed at regular evaluation of illness perceptions with an emphasis on increasing understanding of the disease and its treatment and reducing patient worries and negative emotions seems to be a relevant strategy for improving adherence to antihypertensive treatment in everyday clinical practice., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

One of the major social and public health problems in the world is adolescent pregnancy. Adolescent pregnancy is strongly associated to less favorable results for both the mother and the newborn. We conducted this research to ascertain the impact of teenage age on neonatal outcomes and also observed the lifestyles of pregnant teenage girls. We conducted a study of 2434 mothers aged ≤19 years (n = 294) or 20-34 years (n = 2140) who gave birth in 2019-2020 at the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Louis Pasteur University Hospital in Košice. The data on mothers and newborn infants have been reported from the reports on mothers at childbirth. Women between the ages of 20 and 34 served as the reference group. The teenage mothers were more likely to become pregnant if they were unmarried (OR = 14.2; 95% CI = 9.3-21.6; p < 0.001) and had a basic education or lack of education (OR = 16.8; 95% CI = 11.5-24.6; p < 0.001). Additionally, they were more likely to smoke when pregnant (OR = 5.0; 95% CI = 3.8-6.6; p < 0.001). Low birth weight was more common in newborns born to adolescent mothers than in those born to adult mothers ( p < 0.001). Our findings showed that infants of teenage mothers often had lower birth weights (-332.6 g, p < 0.001). Adolescent mothers were associated with lower Apgar scores at the first minute ( p = 0.003). As compared with the control group, pregnant teenage girls had a greater prevalence of preterm deliveries in our research ( p = 0.004). This study finds significant age-related disparities in neonatal outcomes between mothers. These results might be used to identify vulnerable groups who need special assistance and actions to reduce the probability of negative outcomes for such groups.

Objectives: Low birth weight (LBW) is one of the major factors affecting child morbidity and mortality worldwide. Every day, approximately 800 women die from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth worldwide. Maternal ill health increases the risk of LBW. This study seeks to investigate determinants and incidence of LBW., Methods: This study was conducted based on the medical records of mothers and their 1,946 infants born in 2016-2019 at the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Louis Pasteur University Hospital in Košice. Data on mothers and newborn infants were obtained from the Reports on mothers at childbirth. The inclusion criteria were singleton births and birth weight > 500 g. The exclusion criteria were twins or multiple births, congenital anomalies and stillbirths, birth weight ≥ 4,000 g or ≤ 500 g, and Roma ethnicity. Roma children are more likely to be born prematurely, with low birth weight. Roma mothers have different lifestyle. Univariate analysis was employed to evaluate the association between the independent variables and LBW. Variables that were found to be statistically significant were then further analysed using multivariable logistic analysis for each dependent variable. The implementation of the research was approved by the Ethics Committee., Results: Of 1,946 newborns, 271 (13.90%) have low birth weight. The mean of birth weight at delivery was 3,068.62 (SD 671.16) grams. Factors that were associated with LBW were primary maternal education (OR = 2.98, 95% CI: 1.08-8.21, p = 0.034), marital status single (OR = 2.88, 95% CI: 1.68-4.94, p < 0.001), number of prenatal care visits less than 8 (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.01-2.61, p = 0.047), and preterm birth (OR = 74.94, 95% CI: 45.44-123.61, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: The reducing of LBW requires strategies to improve maternal lifestyle, maternal care before, during and after birth and to strengthen social support.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of long-term treatment of patients with osteoporosis being actively managed by medical staff and following the therapeutic methods and principles of treatment of osteoporosis., Methods: The medical records of patients which were examined in an osteological outpatient office first time in the year 2009 were reviewed. The results of densitometry examinations were compared with the results from the year 2019. Patients regularly absolved densitometry, properly and regularly took prescribed medicaments for either anti-osteoporotic treatment or for supplementation of vitamin D and calcium. The cohort consisted of 100 patients. Next, we split the group into 3 categories - less than 65 years of age, 65-75 years of age and lastly over 75 years of age. By default, we assessed and compared the T-scores (deviation from the average value of bone density of 30 years old healthy person) in the area of the proximal femur and in the area of the lumbar spine. The bone mineral density (BMD) values in g/cm 2 and their relation to corresponding T-score from set area were also reviewed., Results: Based on the results of densitometry, osteoporosis was diagnosed in 41 patients, manifest osteoporosis in 14 and osteopenia in 36, nine patients had their bone density value within the normal range. The average T-score values of "total hip" were -1.42, "neck" -2.08, BMD values of "total hip" were 0.802 g/cm 2 , "L1-L4" -2.05, "L total" -1.45, and BMD of "L total" was 0.886 g/cm 2 . In the time of the last examination, the T-score (disregarding the type of treatment) raised from the initial value by 40.16% in the area of lumbar spine, by 56.69% in the area of "total hip", and by 40.16% in the area of "neck". While sorting the cohort based on age, we detected a similar effect of active management of treatment in each of the 3 categories., Conclusion: Cooperation of the patients during the treatment of a chronic disease requiring long-term usage of medicaments is often problematic and it is necessary to devote adequate attention to it. The solution to improve the treatment can be active management of the patient by the medical facility or by the medical staff.

Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the use of electronic cigarettes (EC) among medical students, their knowledge and beliefs (opinion about harmfulness and addiction potential) on ECs, perceptions of the risk, as well as to assess the type of education and cessation training they received during their study at Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia., Methods: This cross-sectional, anonymous online e-mailed survey was conducted among medical students via the Study Department by sending e-mails containing the survey link. Participants completed the online questionnaire adapted from the American Survey on Tobacco and Alternative Tobacco Products. It included questions about the personal use of EC, perceptions about the harms and their role in disease causation, education and cessation training, and practices related to conventional cigarettes (CC), EC, and alternative tobacco products (ATP). The e-mailed questionnaire filled in 577 medical students (71.9% women) from Comenius University in Bratislava, the average age was 23 ± 2 years. The sample comprised 486 (84.2%) Slovak and 91 (15.8%) foreign students. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25., Results: There were 385 (66.7%) non-smokers, 111 (19.3%) ex-smokers and 81 (14%) current smokers in the study sample. EC currently use 13.5% of medical students, with a statistically significant intersexual difference (22.2% males vs. 10.12% females; OR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.55-4.13), more foreign students than Slovak students (24.2% vs. 11.52%; OR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.41-4.26), more smokers of conventional cigarettes than non-smokers (46.9% vs. 8.06%; OR = 10.07, 95% CI: 5.85-17.34). EC seems to be less harmful to 59.97% of students, mostly in the age group ≤ 24 (61.76% vs. 51.49%; OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.03-2.07), 41.25% of students consider EC to be less addictive, 55.6% think they do not get enough education on EC during their medical study., Conclusion: The results overall show the high consumption of tobacco products and the lack of knowledge and awareness among medical students, future health care providers. In health promotion and disease prevention, they should serve as a model for their patients and for the general public as well. Our study emphasizes the need for intervention in this field at medical faculties and for support of further monitoring in Slovakia and other countries and draws attention to the ongoing lack of EC regulation.

Objectives: The main goal of the study was to describe the demographic, epidemiological, clinical and laboratory characteristics of a monitored group of patients with psoriasis to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities and to define the cardiovascular risk profile., Methods: One hundred and ninety outpatients aged over 18 were included in the prospective observational cross-sectional study. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from patients. The severity of psoriasis was evaluated using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). The results of laboratory testing were identified based on patient health records., Results: Based on an evaluation of psoriasis phenotypes, 150 patients (78.95%) suffered from plaque psoriasis, 18 (9.5%) from palmoplantar psoriasis, 11 (5.8%) from guttate psoriasis, 6 (3.2%) from generalized pustular psoriasis, and 5 (2.6%) from erythrodermic psoriasis. The personal medical history discovered the occurrence of arterial hypertension in 83 patients (43.7%), the occurrence of depression in 49 patients (25.8%), type 2 diabetes in 29 patients (15.3%), and dyslipidaemia in 48 patients (25.3%)., Conclusion: It is noteworthy that psoriasis may be demonstrated as a multi-system disease which does not only affect the skin and its adnexa. The association of psoriasis with comorbidities may significantly increase morbidity and total mortality as well as the demands for health care provision.

Objectives: This work aimed to determine the representation and resistance of bacteria belonging to the genus Staphylococcus and Enterococcus on inanimate surfaces of two selected workplaces of the University Hospital of L. Pasteur in Košice (UHLP) and to investigate their importance in the hospital environment. The men's ward of the Department of Internal Medicine (DIM) and the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (DAIC) were chosen., Methods: Using sterile sampling kits, a total of 182 swabs were collected from the inanimate surfaces of both UHLP workplaces. The swabs were then transported to a microbiological laboratory and inoculated onto sterile culture media (blood agar containing 5% ram erythrocytes). After culturing (24-48 hours, in a thermostat at constant temperature 37 °C), bacterial colonies were identified by mass spectrometry on a MALDI TOF MS. Bacteria belonging to the genera Staphylococcus and Enterococcus were subsequently separated from the spectrum of identified bacteria. Nosocomial significant strains of staphylococci (Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus) and all isolated enterococci were subjected to susceptibility testing for selected antibiotics using the disk diffusion method - E-tests., Results: Several members of the genus Staphylococcus were identified from the inanimate surfaces of both workplaces. These were mainly coagulase-negative strains - Staphylococcus epidermidis (45), Staphylococcus capitis (34), Staphylococcus haemolyticus (20), Staphylococcus hominis (45), Staphylococcus pasteuri (2), Staphylococcus sroph (1), Staphylococcus simulans (3), and Staphylococcus warneri (4). Staphylococcus aureus strains were also identified (2). Nosocomial significant isolates were tested for susceptibility to the antibiotics cefoxitin (FOX) and oxacillin (OXA). Two members of the genus Enterococcus - Enterococcus faecium (7) and Enterococcus faecalis (8) were isolated. All strains were subject to vancomycin susceptibility testing using the disk method.

Objectives: Lyme borreliosis is a tick-borne disease of increasing incidence and public concern. Our cross-sectional study was aimed at evaluating seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in a group of respondents from Eastern Slovakia., Methods: In total, 515 blood samples collected in 2013-2016 were analysed with NovaLisaTM, NovaTec - Borrelia IgG/IgM kit (Immunodiagnostica, Dietzenbach, Germany). Positive and equivocal IgG-antibody results were further examined with immunoblotting (LYMECHECK® OPTIMA IgG and IgM kits, BIOSYNEX, France). Data detected by serological methods were matched with those obtained from a questionnaire. Differences between groups by residence/seropositivity were tested by χ 2 test. The effect of socio-demographic and risk factors on seropositivity of IgG antibodies was assessed using binary logistic regression., Results: IgG antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi were detected in 67 cases (13.01%) and IgM antibodies in 40 cases (7.8%). Previous tick bite had been noted in 67.2% of these seropositive individuals. Higher seropositivity was observed in men and persons aged over 61 years. Rural residents had higher seropositivity (39%) than those living in urban (29%) areas. Very few of these seropositive persons reported prior symptoms., Conclusion: The study reveals that IgG-seropositivity for Borrelia burgdorferi in Eastern Slovakia is predominant in men and occurs mainly in rural areas. The findings also suggest that exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi (with subsequent antibody response in serum) does occur, mostly without giving rise to clinical Lyme borreliosis.

Objectives: Smoking during pregnancy is causally associated with reduced birth weight and is strongly related to preterm birth. This study analyses the differences in birth outcomes between non-smokers and women who continued to smoke during pregnancy., Methods: We conducted a study of 1,359 mothers who gave birth in 2017-2019 at the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Louis Pasteur University Hospital in Košice. Data on mothers and newborn infants have been reported from the birth book and from the reports on mothers at childbirth. For low birth weight we considered the weight of a newborn being less than 2,500 g and as for premature birth we referred to childbirth before pregnancy week 37. Two groups of mothers were classified according to the smoking habit during pregnancy and statistically processed in IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0., Results: Infants born by women who smoked during pregnancy had the lower birth weight (2,769.0 grams on average) compared to non-smokers (3,224.1 grams) (p < 0.001). The differences in prevalence of premature birth have not been confirmed as statistically significant. Women who continued smoking during pregnancy were significantly more likely to be very young (OR = 5.9; 95% CI: 3.9-8.9; p < 0.001), unmarried (OR = 9.3; 95% CI: 6.1-14.0; p < 0.001), of lower level of education (OR = 39.6; 95% CI: 22.6-69.5; p < 0.001), and more likely to consume alcohol (OR = 6.6; 95% CI: 5.8-7.5; p < 0.01), and drugs (OR = 6.6; 95% CI: 5.8-7.5; p < 0.01) during pregnancy. When pregnant, they were most likely to see a doctor for the first time after the first trimester (OR = 0.1; 95% CI: 0.1-0.2; p < 0.001) and were more likely to see a doctor less than 8 times (OR = 6.1; 95% CI: 4.2-8.8; p < 0.001) during pregnancy., Conclusion: Tobacco prevention and cessation campaigns should focus on improving pregnancy outcomes in the future.

Objectives: Demographic differentiation caused by the history of migration in the Czech and Slovak Republics led the authors of this article to analyse generational differences in the groups of foreigners living in the Czech Republic (CR) and the impact of generational differences on selected aspects of their social situation and perceived health. The crucial research question was whether and to what degree do different generations of foreigners vary from each other and what impact this has had on their social situation and health determinants., Methods: The main goal was to examine mutual relationships between selected characteristics of social situation and health determinants in various groups of foreigners living in the CR. A total of 1,003 questionnaires among foreigners officially living in the Czech Republic were collected and analysed. In the area of subjective perception of health, a comparison of foreigners with Czech citizens (representative sample of Czech seniors; 1,172 respondents) in the age category 65+ was made in order to find out whether this perception differs between senior foreign nationals and senior Czechs., Results: Older individuals (50-64 years and 65+ years) appeared to have the best integration into Czech society. This age generation felt positive about stay and migration status in the CR. Older foreigners differ from older Czech citizens who tend to refer to their health as very good to rather good compared to foreigners who described their health as neither good nor bad. The middle generation (30-49 years) of foreigners was characterized by hard work and the initial stages of integration into Czech society. This group also reported positive feelings about living in the CR relative to their home country., Conclusion: The oldest generation of foreigners is the best integrated in the Czech Republic (with regard to selected aspects tested in this article). This generation is able to offer new immigrant effective integration strategies. However, they assess their subjective health one degree worse in comparison with Czech seniors (representative sample), this finding should lead to the setting of preventive programmes related to a healthy lifestyle, including lifestyle for foreigners living in the Czech Republic.

Objective: Prostate adenocarcinoma (CaP) is one of the most common malignancies in men in Slovakia and in the world. The disease accounts for more than 22% of all tumors in the male population. Screening studies show an increase in the diagnosis of CaP without improvement in overall or CaP-specific mortality. The main goal of the work is to evaluate the incidence of CaP in the group of patients examined and treated during the period from 2014 to 2019 at the urological outpatient clinic of the Railway Hospital (RH) in Košice, and to evaluate the risks and treatment options., Methods: Men aged 40 to 75 years underwent a preventive examination in 2014-2019 at the urology outpatient clinic, RH Košice. The number of screened patients was 3,943. Epidemiological parameter, diagnosis-related examinations (prostate specific antigen - PSA examination, digital rectal examination, and ultrasonography examination) as well as the frequency of examinations were monitored during the specified period on the basis of documentation. The number of prostate biopsies, incidence of prostate cancer and relation to PSA values were also monitored, as well as the classification of prostate cancers according to the degree of risk. Initial treatment in individual patients was also evaluated., Results: PSA values in patients who underwent biopsy ranged from 3.6 ng/mL to 2,000 ng/mL. We observed positive digital rectal examination in 52 patients. Of the number of patients examined, 231 (61.28%) were positive biopsies. There were negative biopsies with the finding of benign prostatic hyperplasia in 92 patients or chronic prostatitis in 54 patients, i.e., 146 (38.72%). According to the criteria for risk assessment based on the PSA value and the result of the histological examination, we diagnosed 109 low-risk patients, 57 medium-risk patients and 24 high-risk patients., Conclusion: CaP is detected by prevention about 10 years before it develops clinically. The main aim of preventive examinations should be to detect, in particular, high-risk forms of early-stage prostate cancer and to improve the quality of life of men. Due to the results of extensive studies, it is necessary to continue the active search for prostate cancer. This reduces the risk of metastatic forms of CaP.

Objectives: The beta-lactamases with extended spectrum of activity (ESBL) are medically one of the most important group of enzymes. Another group of beta-lactamases representing of Enterobacteriaceae is group of the AmpC-type cephalosporinases. The presented study provides identification and determination of the spectrum of resistance against different and clinically used antimicrobial drugs in the clinical isolates of Escherichia coli., Methods: These isolates had origin in different departments of the L. Pasteur University Hospital in Košice. The goal was the detection of beta-lactamase production with extended-spectrum effect and testing of AmpC-type cephalosporinases by several phenotypic tests in clinical isolates. MALDI-TOF MS analysis was performed on a Microflex MALDI Biotyper. Samples were positively tested for ESBL with the use of the disc diffusion method. PCR were performed with a series of primers designed for the detection of Ambler class A, B and C beta-lactamase genes., Results: For all 485 isolates, we determined the production of ESBL, which we detected in 166 E. coli isolates, which represents a 34.2% prevalence of ESBL production. It is clear from the results that the prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli out of the total number of E. coli investigated reached 34.2%. In the monitored period, we confirmed at least one resistance gene from 485 E. coli in 188 positive isolates., Conclusions: We describe a complex ESBL epidemiology. The study revealed a high rate of ESBL-producing E. coli isolates; bla TEM and bla SHV enzymes dominated in ESBL-positive E. coli isolates in the L. Pasteur University Hospital in Košice.

Celiac disease (CD) is a disorder that affects both children and adults. Over the few last decades, several new atypical cases have been identified through improved diagnostic tools. On the other hand, the onset of CD at a later age, including atypical CD forms whose clinical picture overlaps with other autoimmune diseases, shows that currently there are several unknown gene mutations, which could be responsible for the disease development. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is entity included by the ingestion of gluten leading to intestinal, or extraintestinal symptoms that improve once the gluten is removed from the nutrition. In this article relationships between genetically modified rodent animals with previously unknown multiple organ changes and CD, respectively NCGS are reviewed. Relationships between the small bowel histological changes and other organs pathology are discussed. Results of research document that changes have similar genetic background and can develop to serious autoimmune systematic diseases, including small bowel inflammation resembling atypical CD or NCGS. These may have extra-intestinal symptomatology but without a clear explanation of causes and differences in their manifestations. Research on animal models helps to discover links between several disorders associated with gastrointestinal damage. New methods based on individual gene mutations can help in atypical adult CD and NCGS recognitions in the future.

Objectives: Premature birth is a serious pregnancy complication that is affected by many biological as well as psychosocial factors. Several studies have shown that a mother's positive relationship with her child's father reduces the mother's stress, anxiety and depression during pregnancy, promotes a healthier mother's lifestyle and thus has a positive effect on pregnancy as such. This research was therefore aimed at identifying possible differences in the incidence of premature births in mothers depending on the quality of the relationship with the father of their child., Methods: The research involved 210 mothers after childbirth in the period from October 2020 to September 2021. A questionnaire aimed at obtaining descriptive data about the mother and her child and a questionnaire aimed at determining the quality of the relationship - Quality of Relationship Inventory (QRI) were distributed. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to determine differences between groups., Results: Of 210 children, 44 (21%) were born prematurely, 154 (73.3%) mothers were married and 176 (83.8%) lived with the father of their child in the same household. The results showed that the degree of quality of the mother's relationship with the child's father is approximately the same for mothers who gave birth prematurely and for those who gave birth at term, so there were no differences in this factor between the two groups of mothers., Conclusion: The results of other researchers have shown the positive impact of partners on pregnancy and the overall well-being of the mothers. However, our research has not confirmed the positive effect of the quality of the relationship between mother and father of her child on reducing the incidence of premature births. Further research is needed to clarify how specifically and whether the quality of the relationship between parents can affect the incidence of premature births at all.

Objectives: Eating habits, regular fluid intake, lifestyle and body composition are a primary point of research. The research focused on urolithiasis approaching potential danger, trying to interpret risk factors responsible for urolithiasis and disease recurrence., Methods: Research file contains 166 patients suffering from urolithiasis, 87 (52.4%) males and 79 (47.6%) females, and 172 healthy subjects from control group. All data was accessed using fully anonymous and confidential questionnaires, then evaluated in the statistical GNU PSPP 1.4 software., Results: More than 3/4 patients have a BMI higher than 24.9 and almost 40% of subjects have obesity class I, II, or III. Patients have higher BMI than subjects (d = 1.285; p < 0.001), and females have significantly higher BMI than males (d = 0.385; p = 0.007). Female patients have higher BMI than Slovak healthy females (p < 0.001; MD = 4.581; CI: 3.24-5.93). Patients have a lower daily water intake than subjects (φc = 0.157; p = 0.04) and more than 2 /3 of patients have insufficient water intake. Sedentary employment prevails markedly in patients than in subjects. Patients are much less physically active than subjects (φc = 0.633; p < 0.001) and the difference is rising with increasing age of patients (ρ = - 0.232; p = 0.003). Low physical and working activity are characteristic for patients in this study. Patients smoke more often in comparison to subjects (φc = 0.261; p < 0.001). Patients consume more meats (red and white), cocoa and lentils. A lot of patients exceed recommended daily intake of pork and beef., Conclusions: Many conditions are different for the healthy population and patients' group. High BMI, low fluid intake, exceeded red meat consumption, and low physical activity are the strongest factors for developing urolithiasis. Patients should consume more fluids daily, exercise frequently and vigorously, and lower amount of red meat consumed.

Objective: A three-year retrospective study of fungi isolated from samples of patients with suspected fungal skin infections in Eastern Slovakia is presented., Methods: A total of 11,989 samples were collected and investigated with direct microscopic examination using 20% KOH and cultivated in Sabouraud and Mycosel medium. Identification was based on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics., Results: Of the total samples, 61.76% (7,405/11,989) were completely negative and 38.24% positive (4,584/11,989). Dermatophytes accounted for 45.88% of isolates (2,103/4,584), yeasts for 26.79% (1,228/4,584), non-dermatophytes for 15.29% (701/4,584), and Malassezia sp. for 12.4% (552/4,584). Trichophyton rubrum was the most prevalent causative agent (79.08%) implicated in fungal skin infections, followed by Trichophyton interdigitale (10.60%). Less frequent isolates included Trichophyton tonsurans (5.13%), and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (3.14%). Other dermatophytes (Microsporum audouinii, Microsporum gypseum, Microsporum canis, Trichophyton violaceum, Trichophyton verrucosum, and Epidermophyton floccosum) were very rarely identified (each in less than 1% of all samples). The main clinical form of dermatophytosis in the sample was tinea unguium (42.61%), followed by tinea pedis (30.86%), tinea inguinalis (11.65%), tinea corporis (8.04%), and tinea manus (4.76%). Tinea capitis et faciei (2.08%) was more common among children and adolescents., Conclusion: The assessment of data has showed the predominance of tinea unguium among adult patients, tinea capitis et faciei among children, and the prevalent aetiological role of Trichophyton rubrum in fungal skin infections; findings that are in agreement with recent European studies.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of West Nile virus (WNV) among the variable population of Eastern Slovakia., Methods: A serologic survey was conducted using 464 serum samples. The basic demographic, epidemiologic and clinical information was obtained for each serum sample at the time of specimen collection. The presence of antibodies against WNV was investigated using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All the ELISA positive samples were further analysed by a neutralization test with WNV and Usutu virus., Results: Three serum samples (0.65%) from the participants (N = 464) were considered positive for antibodies to WNV. A 29-year-old female was repeatedly exposed to mosquito bites working as a shepherdess and participating in many outdoor activities. Two other females (61 and 76 years old) were treated at the Department of Neurology due to monoparesis of the upper extremity, vertigo; both had a significant epidemiological history with frequent tick and mosquito bites and stay in an endemic region., Conclusions: Although there was no evidence of WNV infection in the Slovak Republic, the epidemiological situation in the neighbouring countries warrants vigilance and appropriate measures, including the introduction of specific diagnostic tools into clinical practice. The constant monitoring of birds and mosquitoes also seems necessary.