Ljiljana Gvozdenović

Protective Effects of Celery Juice in Treatments with Doxorubicin

The aim of this work was to investigate possible protective effect of celery juice in doxorubicin treatment. The following biochemical parameters were determined: content of reduced glutathione, activities of catalase, xanthine oxidase, glutathione peroxidase, peroxidase, and lipid peroxidation intensity in liver homogenate and blood hemolysate. We examined influence of diluted pure celery leaves and roots juices and their combinations with doxorubicine on analyzed biochemical parameters. Celery roots and leaves juices influenced the examined biochemical parameters and showed protective effects when applied with doxorubicine.

Effects of Mistletoe (Viscum Album L., Loranthaceae) Extracts on Arterial Blood Pressure in Rats Treated with Atropine Sulfate and Hexocycline

Acute effects of different extracts of mistletoe stem (Viscum album) were investigated on values of arterial blood pressure in Wistar rats. Arterial blood pressure was registered by direct method in the left carotid artery and the investigated extracts (total ethanol, ether and ethyl acetate) of mistletoe stem were administered into the right jugular vein. The total ethanol extract exhibited the best effect even on the lowest applied concentration (3.33 × 10−5 mg kg−1) and significantly decreased the blood pressure after applied concentration 1.00 × 10−3 mg kg−1. On the contrary, the ether and ethyl acetate extracts exhibited notable activity only by higher administered doses. Atropine as a nonselective blocker of muscarinic receptors reduced the hypotensive effects of ethanol extract of mistletoe. Hexocycline, a selective blocker of muscarine receptors, significantly raised blood pressure and decreased the hypotensive effect of ethanol extract of mistletoe on arterial blood pressure in rats.

Incidence and outcome of ventilator-associated pneumonia (our experience)

entilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most significant osocomial infection in patients in the intensive care unit ICU) who have been on mechanical ventilation (MV) for over 8 hours, and is related to higher morbidity and mortality of hese patients (24% to 72%).1,2 During a prospective study, 813 atients were hospitalized in the ICU of the Clinical Center of ojvodina, Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia. All patients were on V for over 72 hours. 40% of our patients were on MV for five o ten days. Dostanic et al.3 have obtained similar results. The ean duration of MV was 222.3 hours. There were both male nd female patients, and their mean age was 55 years. VAP as suspected in 115 patients. Microorganisms were isolated nd identified in 82 patients. Of the total number of analyzed

Predictive Factor of Mortality and the Scoring Systems

Polytrauma incidence are increasing across the world, being a major contributing factor for hospitalization of individuals under 65 years of age, and resulting in high mortality rates . Not only does it cost up to 5% of the healthcare budget in some countries, perhaps even more important to the finances/economy is the reduction of capable workers . Mortality of individuals under 65 years of age does not only impact a reduction in workforce but also leaves a burden on those that financial depended on them; especially their children who will now most likely depend on society for help. Characterization of injury severity is crucial to the scientific grading of trauma, numerous scoring systems exist, the focus will be on four Injury Severity Score (ISS), New Injury Severity Score (NISS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS) and Emergency Trauma Score (EMTRAS).

Chronic fatigue after a night of work in Serbia (our experience)

Working during the night, especially with geriatric patients, has a detrimental effect on the circadian rhythm. (1) This study was approved by the Ethics Committee and Commission for Examining Ethics. The sample was randomly formed and consisted of 1200 nurses. In order to meet ethical standards in research, subjects voluntarily signed the consent form to join the study. The study group consisted of 600 nurses working the night shift with geriatric patients. The control group consisted of 600 nurses working the eight-hour day shift. As a survey instrument, two questionnaires were used. The first questionnaire was originally made for the purpose of this study and collected demographic and sociological data about individual respondents (gender, age, years of service, working night shift, marital status, number of children, material and social satisfaction). A standardized questionnaire, Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS; α = 0.85), collected data on subjective assessment of the level of fatigue. The Piper Fatigue Scale consists of 22 questions and provides answers on a ten-point scoring scale, which best describe quality and intensity of fatigue felt in the past seven days. Obtaining a higher score indicates greater intensity of fatigue. Student’s t-test and Pearson’s chi square test were used to assess demographic and sociological data, whereas Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to test the effect of night shift on the level of fatigue. In terms of demographic and sociological characteristics of each sample, females accounted for the majority of night shift subjects (p < 0.001) and most of the day shift subjects (p < 0.001). Generally, night shift respondents were younger in comparison to day shift respondents, and this difference is statistically significant (p < 0.001). Respondents were divided into 3 categories according to the length of service: I-category (0-10 years), II-category (11-21 years), and III-category (> 21 years). Night shift workers had fewer years of service SIGNA VITAE 2015; 10(1): 151 153

History of alcohol abuse after major non-cardiac surgery and postoperative cognitive dysfunction

INTRODUCTION The risk factors for postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) after non-cardiac surgery include advanced age and preexisting cognitive impairment. MATERIAL AND METHODS Data was collected in a prospective manner on 220 patients of both genders. Patients were triaged into three groups, with American Society of Anesthesiologists-ASA Physical Classification System levels I-IV. Patients were 55 years of age and older, with self-reported alcohol abuse and were matched to age-, sex-, and education-matched nonalcoholic controls. They were tested using a neurocognitive battery before and two weeks after elective surgery or after a corresponding time interval without surgery. Verbal memory, visuospatial memory, and executive functions were assessed. Neurologic examination was performed in order to exclude subjects with potential cerebrovascular damage. Standard laboratory analyses were done and findings recorded. Significant predisposing factors for developing POCD were noted. RESULTS From the total number of participants involved in the study, 135 (67.5%) patients belonged to ASA class III. Among all patients, 168 (84%) patients were chronic alcohol users. Pearsons χ(2) test shows a statistically significant difference regarding the use of alcohol (χ(2)=19.220, df=1, p=0.000, p<0.05). Significant three-way interactions (analysis of variance) for Visual Immediate Recall, Visual Delayed Recall, Semantic Fluency, Phonemic Fluency, and the Color-Word Stroop Test implied that cognitive performance in the alcoholic group decreased after surgery. DISCUSSION In the study by Mason which involved 255 elderly patients that were postoperatively admitted to the intensive care unit following a major abdominal surgery, development of POCD was two times greater in urgent cases (~40% of cases), when compared to elective interventions. CONCLUSION Our results complement the data given by the World Health Organization and results of similar studies.

National estimates of severe sepsis (our experience in Novi Sad, Serbia)

According to the US Centers for disease control and prevention, severe sepsis is the 13th leading cause of death in the USA, and the 1st cause of death in the ICU. There has been an increase in the rate of severe sepsis deaths in recent decades, which is attributed to an increase in invasive procedures, increase of immunocompromised and elderly patients.1,2 This was a prospective, randomized study of 1638 patients, with polytrauma, admitted to the emergency center, Clinical Center Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia, during a sevenyear period. Out of 1638 patients there were 36 (2.2%) septic patients diagnosed upon positive hemoculture and inclusion criteria for severe sepsis. For the purpose of the study all septic adult patients (age >18 years), admitted to surgical ICU, between 2004 and 2012, were recruited from the database. A total of 2.2% were septic patients, with male predominance of 89%. Nguyen et al.3 have shown that the age-adjusted incidence and mortality of septic shock are consistently greater in men than in women.