Marcin Rząca

Socio-demographic differentiation of selected risk factors in a group of patients with respiratory system diseases

Introduction: Tobacco smoking is the major risk factor of respiratory system diseases. However, it is worth noticing other crucial factors increasing the risk of such diseases, such as alcohol consumption, obesity, excess fat tissue around the neck and throat, malnutrition, tranquilisers and soporifics, and previous respiratory system diseases. Aim of the research: To analyse the socio-demographic differentiation of selected respiratory system diseases risk factors in a group of pulmonological patients. Material and methods: The research covered 126 pulmonological patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tuberculosis, or lung cancer. The study employed standardised research tools: the Fagerström test, Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), and a self-designed questionnaire. Neck circumference and body weight measurements were performed to calculate body mass index and waist-hip ratio. The significance level was established at p < 0.05. Results: Most patients smoked tobacco in the past or were active smokers. Over 50% reported occasional alcohol drinking and demonstrated malnutrition risk or abdominal obesity. Smoking was more often practised by men, people with lower education, and COPD and tuberculosis patients. Malnutrition risk was associated with tuberculosis and lung cancer. Tobacco consumption as a respiratory system diseases risk factor more often applied to men and people below 50 years of age. The use of soporifics increased with age and concerned lung cancer patients. Previous respiratory system diseases correlated with the respondents’ education. Conclusions: The most frequent respiratory system diseases risk factors are smoking, malnutrition, and abdominal obesity. Respiratory system diseases risk factors are significantly correlated with sex, age, place of residence, and previous respiratory system diseases.

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in ticksremoved from skin of people and circumstancesof being bitten – research from the area ofPoland, 2012–2014

INTRODUCTION During feeding, the tick sucks blood from the host along with the pathogens that are in the blood, simultaneously exchanging its own pathogens with the host. Humans can also be a host. It is important to understand the most typical circumstances in which people might become infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. This knowledge will help to prepare health education programmes aimed at the prevention of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to determine the percentage of ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, depending on the circumstances of getting bitten. MATERIAL AND METHODS The research material consisted of ticks acquired from people who had been bitten, and questionnaires completed by these people. 510 ticks were acquired from 257 females and 253 males. Following delivery of a tick for testing, the stage of its development was determined and a molecular assay of Borrelia burgdorferi DNA performed. RESULTS A positive result of the nested-PCR test was obtained in 78 ticks, which represents 15.30% of all ticks. The infected ticks were collected from male (41 ticks - 52.56%) and female subjects (37 ticks - 47.44%). The biggest number of infected ticks were collected in autumn (54 ticks - 69.23%) and from people who had been into forests (44 ticks - 56.41%). Among the people from whom the infected ticks were acquired, the dominating group included persons over 16 years of age (53 persons - 67.95%) and children aged 0-5 years (16 persons - 20.51%). One in four infected ticks were acquired from the southwestern (20 ticks - 25.64%) and eastern regions of Poland (21 ticks - 26.92%). CONCLUSIONS Infestation of ticks infected with Lyme disease spirochete in this study proved to be variable and depend on the season, the area of tick attack and the region in Poland. The results of the study clearly show that ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi inhabit all regions of Poland. The results are consistent with National Institute of Hygiene data which indicates that Lyme disease cases are recorded in all regions of Poland.

The effect of pre-emptive analgesia on the level of postoperative pain in women undergoing surgery for breast neoplasm

Aim of the study Dynamic development of research on pain has resulted in the formulation of the concept of pre-emptive analgesia, which involves administration of analgesics before the first pain-producing stimulus appears. It is meant to prevent increased sensitivity to pain in the postoperative period. The aim of this study was to assess the possibilities of modifying the intensity of postoperative pain evaluated with the visual analogue scale (VAS) in patients after surgical treatment for breast neoplasm offered by pre-emptive analgesia. Material and methods The intensity of postoperative pain was measured immediately after the surgery as well as 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours later in 100 women who had undergone surgery for breast tumour. The correlation between experienced pain and the type of analgesic administered pre-emptively, including metamizole, tramadol, ketoprofen, and placebo was examined. The effect of other correlates such as the extensiveness of surgery, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate on the level of experienced pain as well as the usefulness of physiological parameters for its assessment were also analysed. Results The conducted study demonstrated the effectiveness of tramadol (p = 0.004) and ketoprofen (p = 0.039) administered half an hour before the beginning of surgery, but there was no similar effect in the case of metamizole (p = 1.0). A positive correlation was observed between the level of experienced pain and blood pressure values (p < 0.001). Heart rate does not seem to be significantly linked with the intensity of experienced pain (p = 0.157).

Retrospective study of injury rates among children and adults in the Lublin Region of Poland

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE In Poland and worldwide, injury rates, as well as accident rates among children and adolescents still remain a social, health and economic problem, despite an attempt to inhibit the growing tendency of this phenomenon. OBJECTIVE An attempt to evaluate current trends in injury rates among children and adolescents based on the example of two provinces in the Lublin Region of Poland during the period 2006-2010. MATERIALS AND METHOD The retrospective study was conducted by the method of examination of documents, using the technique of content analysis. The research material was data from the Emergency Procedures Charts and Medical Emergency Team Response Charts, while the study group were children and adolescents aged from 6 weeks - 19 years, from the counties of Kraśnik and Świdnik in the Lublin Region. RESULTS Analysis of the research material showed that during the period examined the number of injuries and accidents in the study group remained on a constant level, with a slight decrease in the number of events at home, accompanied by an increase in the number of road accidents and events which occurred in the school environment and in a public place. It was also found that the spring-autumn season, and in particular the summer months, the age group 7-13 and male gender exerted an effect on the number of injuries and accidents. The analysis did not confirm that injuries related with employment of children and adolescents in agriculture and deaths due to external causes constituted a considerable percentage of the events registered. CONCLUSION Analysis of trends should be a basis for the planning of prophylactic actions and the promotion of safety in all environments in which the study population functions.