Ewa Mojs

The serum zinc, copper, iron, and chromium concentrations in epileptic children

To assess whether epileptic children have abnormal values of some trace elements, the aim of this preliminary study was to assess the serum zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and chromium (Cr) concentrations in 23 children with initial recognition of epilepsy before beginning of pharmacological therapy in comparison with a healthy control group of 25 children, according to the gender. The study demonstrated that epilepsy decreases levels of Zn and Cr concentrations in all patients, and Fe level in girls, and increases level of Cu in all patients. The frequency distribution of these metals was significantly different in epileptic patients than in healthy subjects. There is a conclusion that status of trace elements in epileptic children needs to be monitored.

Predictors of caregiving satisfaction in informal caregivers of people with dementia

OBJECTIVE The prevalence of dementia is increasing and consequently the demands from families, institutions and healthcare system. Although a substantial amount of research on caregiving has emphasized the negative aspects of caregiving, specifically on caregiver burden and depression, less attention has been paid to the positive aspects of caregiving. The aim of the present work was to study the phenomenon of caregiving satisfaction in informal caregivers of people with dementia by assessing their likely predictors. METHODS A stress process model was used to study caregivers satisfaction (measured using the Revised Caregiving Satisfaction Scale) on 101 informal caregivers of patients with dementia in relation to the caregivers background and context, stress-related factors, and mediators. RESULTS The regression model has an adjusted R(2) of 0.20, which indicates that having a consanguinity relationship with the care recipient, suffering from lower levels of subjective burden, and managing individuals with severe cognitive impairment are the most important predictors of higher caregiving satisfaction. CONCLUSION Interventions focused on the enhancement of the caregiving satisfaction by increasing the understanding of the disease, should be especially addressed to caregivers without a consanguinity relationship and with high levels of subjective burden, and to those managing care recipients with mild or moderate stages of dementia.

The Mediating Role of Dysfunctional Coping in the Relationship between Beliefs about the Disease and the Level of Depression in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Aim. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most severe chronic diseases. In many cases it leads to disability and results in a decreased quality of life and increased levels of anxiety and depression. The problem that needs to be addressed is the following: which mental processes lead to increased levels of depression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis? Methods. 210 patients with rheumatoid arthritis hospitalized in rheumatology wards took part in the research. They filled in illness perception questionnaires (IPQ-R) and questionnaires for testing strategies of handling stress (Mini-COPE) and the level of depression (CES-D). Results. The observed correlation coefficients indicate that several elements of the perception of ones disease moderately contribute to a high level of depression. Moreover, frequent use of dysfunctional coping strategies contributed to high levels of depression. Dysfunctional coping was moderately linked to depression. Conclusion. The conducted analyses confirmed the links between the beliefs about the disease and levels of depression and showed that the use of dysfunctional coping strategies mediates the relationship between the following elements of the representation of the disease: illness coherence, emotional representation, psychological attribution, risk factors, and the level of depression.

Delays in Motor Development in Children with Down Syndrome

Background Children with Down syndrome (DS) present with delays in motor development. The reduced size of the cerebrum, brain maturation disorders, and pathophysiological processes lead to motor development delay. The aim of this study was to examine the gross motor function and estimate what motor abilities are significantly delayed in children with Down syndrome even if they attend physical therapy sessions. Another purpose of the study was to assess the functional balance. Material/Methods The study group consisted of 79 children with DS (42 boys, 37 girls), average age 6 years and 3 months ±4 years and 6 months. Participants were divided into 3 groups according to (i) age: <3 years old, 3–6 years old, and >6 years old; and (ii) motor impairment scale: mild (SNR 1), moderate (SNR 2), and severe (SNR 3). Children were assessed using the Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88) and Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS). Results None of the assessed children developed all the functions included in GMFM-88. The standing position was achieved at the specified age by 10% of children in the first age group (<3 years old) and 95% of children aged 3–6 years. Similarly, the walking ability was performed by 10% of children under 3 years old and by 95% of children aged 3–6 years. The median score of PBS was 50 points (min. 34 p. – max. 56 p.). There was a statistically significant correlation between PBS scores and GMFM-88 scores, r=0.7; p<0.0001, and between balance scores and GMFM – 88 E (walking, running, jumping) (r=0.64; p<0.0001). Conclusions Motor development, especially standing position and walking ability, is delayed in children with Down syndrome. Balance and motor functions are correlated with each other, so both aspects of development should be consider together in physical therapy of children with Down syndrome.

Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of XRCC2 and XRCC3 homologous recombination repair genes and triple-negative breast cancer in Polish women

XRCC2 and XRCC3 genes involved in homologous recombination repair (HRR) of DNA and in the maintenance of the genome integrity play a crucial role in protecting against mutations that lead to cancer. The aim of the present work was to evaluate associations between the risk of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and polymorphisms in the genes, encoding for two key proteins of HRR: XRCC2 Arg188His (c. 563 G>A; rs3218536, Genbank Accession Number NT 007914) and XRCC3 Thr241Met (c. 722 C>T; rs861539, Genbank Accession Number NT 026437). The polymorphisms of the XRCC2 and XRCC3 were investigated by PCR–RFLP in 70 patients with TNBC and 70 age- and sex-matched non-cancer controls. In the present work, a relationship was identified between XRCC2 Arg188His polymorphism and the incidence of triple-negative breast cancer. The 188His allele and 188His/His homozygous variant increased cancer risk. An association was confirmed between XRCC2 Arg188His and XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphisms and TNBC progression, assessed by the degree of lymph node metastases and histological grades. In conclusion, XRCC2 Arg188His and XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphisms may be regarded as predictive factors of triple-negative breast cancer in female population.

The occurrence of iron-deficiency anemia in children with type 1 diabetes.

Objective A higher risk for iron deficiency, which can lead to anemia, has been noticed in children with early stages of type 1 diabetes. Anemia in diabetes is not uncommon and thus may contribute to disease complications. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of type 1 diabetes incidence on the manifestation of iron-deficiency anemia. Materials and Methods The study included 100 children with type 1 diabetes, aged 6 to 17 years. The diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in all patients was made on the basis of clinical symptoms and, at a later stage, on the basis of the occurrence of islet cell autoantibodies. The patients were divided into groups according to the duration of the disease: those with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes (ND), those who have the disease for 1 to 3 years (FMD), those who have it for 4 to 6 years (SMD), and those who have it for more than 6 years (LD). Morphological parameters of blood have been measured by means of the flame atomic absorption spectrometry method: red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB), acetylated HGB, hematocrit (HCT), RBC volume (mean corpuscular volume [MCV]), HGB mass in RBC (mean corpuscular HGB [MCH]), mean HGB content in RBC (MCH concentration), and serum iron concentration. Results In the ND children, significantly lower concentrations of HCT and HGB as well as the amount of RBC and MCV have been shown, in comparison with the children who have type 1 diabetes longer: for HGB, compared with the FMD children; for HCT, compared with the SMD and LD children; for RBC, compared with the LD children; and for MCV, compared with the SMD children. Some significant inverse correlation has been observed in the MCH concentration in comparison with the children who have type 1 diabetes for more than 1 year. It has been shown that, when compared with the FMD, SMD, and LD children, more ND children are characterized by the coexistence of at least 3 reduced values of the morphological blood parameters associated with iron-deficiency anemia (26%, 17%, 7%, and 3%, respectively). At the same time, it has been found that the mean iron concentration in the blood serum of the ND group is significantly lower than that of the SMD and LD groups. Conclusions The incidence of anemia in the early stages of the disease justifies conducting the screening in all children with type 1 diabetes and taking appropriate preventive measures toward the patients at risk for iron-deficiency anemia.

Are students prone to depression and suicidal thoughts

Introduction Depression may affect up to 9.8% of adolescents and young adults and is associated with significant life-long consequences. The aim of our study was to assess the association between symptoms of depression and demographic factors such as gender, having brothers or sisters, background (rural/small town or urban permanent place of residence), perceived financial status, current living arrangements, year and major area of study. Material and methods One thousand one hundred eighty-three students of medical or similar faculties, 71% of whom were females, anonymously answered the Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale (KADS) and completed a demographic questionnaire. Results We found that 6.5% of all participants (n = 77) had depression according to Kutchers criteria whereas 1.5% of them (n = 18) reported suicidal thoughts. We also observed the influence of such factors as gender (p < 0.009), year (p < 0.001), major area of study (p < 0.034), and financial status (p < 0.000–0.003), on depression scores. Moreover, depressive symptomatology was most frequent in subjects who were only children, in freshmen and in students of psychology (11.5%, 13.2% and 16.7% respectively). However, we did not observe an impact of such agents as students’ permanent place of residence (p = 0.929) or current living arrangements on depressive symptoms (p = 0.940). Conclusions Susceptibility to depression fluctuates throughout the course of study and depends on factors associated with the study itself such as the students major or year of study and other socio-demographic agents, i.e. gender or self-reported financial status.

What causes grief in dementia caregivers

Alzheimers disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease in the world. Most AD patients become dependent on their relatives, i.e. family caregivers. Providing care to a person with AD influences caregivers life and leads to feelings of grief, which often precede caregiver depression. The purpose of the article was to evaluate the Meuser and Marwit Caregiver Grief Inventory (MM-CGI-50) for use in Polish family caregivers and to find out determinants of grief of family caregivers of AD individuals living in Poland. A sample of 151 spouse and adult child caregivers of community-dwelling AD patients (95 females and 56 males) was interviewed to determine the influence of such factors as caregivers age, gender, family relation to the care recipient (CR) and caregiving-related changes in caregivers working time, leisure time and material status to find out the impact of caregiving role on intensity of caregiver grief. Caregiver grief was measured by means of MM-CGI-50. Additionally, carers were administered a questionnaire including patients and caregivers demographics. Also, CRs dementia assessment was informant-based and determined with investigator-administered clinical dementia rating (CDR) scale. Of all analyzed factors, only caregivers informant dementia rating significantly influenced caregiver grief. To conclude, the effect of caregivers age, gender, family relation to the CR and caregiving-related changes in caregivers working time; leisure time and material status could not be found. To add, MM-CGI-50 can be effectively used to assess grief in Polish family caregivers of AD patients.

Attention and memory impairments in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis and inflammatory bowel disease in comparison to healthy controls

The main aim of the study was to analyze and compare attention and memory performance in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and in healthy controls. 28 patients with CF, 30 patients with IBD and 30 healthy subjects took part in the study (all in age range of 7–17). All subjects were in intellectual norm. To analyze the functioning of attention, the d2 Test of Attention by Brickenkamp (d2 test) was applied. Memory performance was assessed using the Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) and the Trial of 10 words. The CF and IBD groups committed significantly more errors in the d2 test than the healthy controls. The CF group also had significantly higher fluctuation rates and received significantly lower scores in overall concentration performance than the control group. Patients with CF made more mistakes and had fewer correct memory projections in BVRT than the healthy controls. Patients with IBD committed significantly more errors in BVRT than the control group. Patients with CF and IBD also got significantly lower scores in the Trial of 10 words than the control group. Pediatric patients with CF and IBD performed more poorly than the healthy controls on attention and memory tests. More distinct cognitive impairments were observed in the CF group. Further research is needed to find the underlying mechanisms and clinical and/or functional significance of observed cognitive deficits.

Stressful Events and Serum Concentration of Substance P in Acne Patients

Background Psychological stress is an important factor of acne pathogenesis. Stress related production of hormones, cytokines and neuropeptides may result in the chronic course and exacerbations of the disease. Objective The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between acne severity, intensity of emotional stress and serum concentration of substance P (scSP), to compare the intensity of adversities, psychological stress and scSP in acne patients with healthy controls and to compare coping techniques for stress. Methods The study consisted of 80 patients. Emotional stress was analyzed with the use of social readjustment rating scale, whereas the methods of coping with stress were assessed with the coping inventory for stressful situation questionnaire. The blood concentration of substance P was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method in a group of 40 patients with acne vulgaris and in control subjects. Results There was no statistically significant difference between the severity of acne and the intensity of stress. Acne patients presented a higher average scSP than the controls. No statistically significant correlation was observed between the severity of acne and scSP; however, the intensity of stress correlated with scSP in the control group. The evaluation of methods of coping with stress showed significantly higher rate for the avoidance-oriented coping among acne patients. Conclusion The number of stressful events is not a factor that determines the severity of acne. The course of the disease may depend on tolerance to stress and methods of coping with stress.