Rimantas Stukas

Significance of blood serum catalase activity and malondialdehyde level for survival prognosis of ovarian cancer patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Several markers were found to be potential prognostic factors in ovarian cancer. Among markers resembling systemic changes in the hosts organism are markers of the oxidative stress. In this study we attempted to analyze the oxidant and antioxidant parameters of ovarian cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 42 patients with newly diagnosed stages I-IV primary ovary cancer were examined. Level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and catalytic activity catalase (CAT) were determined spectrophotometrically. RESULTS Significantly lower CAT (28.2±15.5 vs. 36.1±14.6nmol/L/min, P=0.019) activity and higher MDA levels (8.7±3.0 vs. 6.7±2.7nmol/L, P=0.002) were observed in cancer patients compared with healthy volunteers. Both variables were not confirmed as prognostic factors according to Kaplan-Meier survival estimates. CONCLUSIONS MDA and CAT demonstrate oxidative stress in cancer patients: CAT activity was significantly lower and MDA levels higher in cancer patients compared to healthy controls. These variables were not confirmed to be prognostic factors in ovarian cancer, possibly due to small size of the study group.

Prevalence and determinants of anxiety and depression symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes in Lithuania.

Background Depression is associated with a variety of diabetes complications, including diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and macrovascular complications. The prevalence of the symptoms of anxiety (32%) and depression (22.4%) in patients with diabetes is considerably higher than in general population samples (10%). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and determinants of anxiety and depression symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Material/Methods This survey was conducted during 2007–2010. In total, 1500 patients were invited to participate in the study. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure depression and anxiety for the evaluation of the depressive state and anxiety. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 17.0. Results More than 70% of all respondents who participated in the study had diabetes mellitus complications (72.2%). The prevalence of mild to severe depression score was 28.5% (95% CI 25.7–31.4). The prevalence of anxiety was 42.4% (95% CI 39.3–45.5). Anxiety was more frequent among females (46.8%) than among males (34.7%) (p<0.001). A significant negative trend was observed between prevalence of anxiety and depression, and age and education (p for trend <0.001). Conclusions A significant association between depression and diabetic complications was identified (p<0.05). Duration of diabetes was a risk factor significantly associated with higher scores of anxiety among the patients with T2DM.

Quality of life in relation to social and disease factors in patients with type 2 diabetes in Lithuania

Background Diabetic patients are more than twice as costly to manage as non-diabetic patients, due mainly to the high costs associated with management of diabetic complications. As in most nations of the world, the number of patients with DM is increasing every year in Lithuania. The aim of this study was to determine relation between quality of the life and disease and social factors of patients with type 2 diabetes in Lithuania. Material/Methods Independently prepared questions about the subjects of the survey were: gender; age; weight; education; social and marital status; duration of the disease (in years); treatment method; complications; morbidity with arterial hypertension; change in dietary habits after diagnosis of diabetes (started to eat accordingly to recommendations of the therapist); how often nourishment is taken accordingly to recommendations of the therapist; if beginning to exercise after diagnosis of the diabetes; and if exercising, exercises at least 2–3 times per week. Body mass index was calculated as the relation between body mass in kg and height m square (BMI=kg/m2). The hospital anxiety and depression (HAD) scale was used for the evaluation of depression and anxiety. Quality of life of patients was evaluated with the SF-36 questionnaire. We surveyed 1022 patients with type 2 diabetes (372 men and 650 women). Association between quality of the life and explanatory parameters (disease and social factors) were analyzed using the logistic regression analysis model. Results We found that women had lower scores than men in all fields of quality of life (p<0.001). Peroral treatment had a positive impact on the quality of life (QL) fields of the role limitations due to emotional problems (ORa 0.16. 95% CI 0.07–0.34; p<0.001). Treatment with insulin had a positive effect on restriction of activity because of emotional problems (ORa − 0.23. 95% CI 0.11–0.49; p<0.001) and mental health (ORa − 0.38. 95% CI 0.19–0.78; p=0.008), but had a negative impact on bodily pain (ORa − 3.95. 95% CI 1.41–11.09; p=0.009) and physical health (ORa − 4.14. 95% CI 2.03–8.47; p<0.001). Conclusions Age and BMI are less important factors that can influence quality of life. Peroral treatment positively acted on the role limitations due to emotional problems, bodily pain, and mental health, but had a strong negative effect on emotional state.

Self-reported consequences and healthcare costs of falls among elderly women

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Although the falls in elderly people lead to serious health consequences, the economic burden is underestimated. The aim of this study was to calculate the medical costs of fall consequences in elderly women. MATERIALS AND METHODS Women aged 65 years and older were interviewed by phone recording the consequences and healthcare procedures related to every fall sustained during the previous 12 months. The healthcare costs were estimated by calculating the sum of costs for all self-reported contacts with medical care providers: ambulance, emergency department, visits to family doctor and other specialists, hospitalisations, and rehabilitation. RESULTS The study population consisted of 878 community-dwelling women (mean age 72.2±4.8 years). Falls were reported by 310 (35.3%) women; one in three of them had fallen twice or more. Of all women who fell, 280 (90.3%) reported their fall resulted in an injury, and 77 (15.3%) falls led to bone fractures. Fear of falling was reported by 72.9% of women. Fall-related medical care was provided to 135 women (43.5% of those fallen), and 18 (5.8%) subjects were hospitalised, mostly for the fracture. The mean estimated healthcare cost was 254 EUR per patient receiving fall-related medical care, and 116 EUR per women fallen. The highest mean cost (1289 EUR) was estimated in falls resulted in hip fracture; the lowest (135 EUR), in nonfracture injury. CONCLUSION The data on the self-reported consequences of falls in elderly women showed a significant number of fall-related injuries and a high cost of healthcare.

Food allergies among 5th-9th grade schoolchildren in Vilnius (Lithuania)@@@Vilniaus 5-9 klasių moksleivių maisto alergijos

Allergic diseases are a frequent disorder of children health the world over. Th e prevalence of food allergies among schoolchildren in Vilnius was estimated by an anonymous, questionnaire-based survey. 540 schoolchildren answered the questionnaire. Th e prevalence of food allergies among schoolchildren was 12.8%. It was independent of the gender and age of respondents. Th e pupils who did not have food allergies estimated their state of health better than those who did have it. Th ere were two times more children who had food allergy in the families where family members had food allergy, than in families without food allergy. Schoolchildren that had food allergies mostly suff ered from body rashes (34.8% of respondents), short breath (14.5%), run-ning and itchy eyes (34.8%). 1.3% of schoolchildren had urticaria; they were mostly allergic to eggs, strawberries, wild strawberries, chocolate and oranges; 1.9% of schoolchildren had atopic dermatitis; they did not tolerate milk, wild strawberries and nuts. Key words: schoolchildren, prevalence, food allergy, atopic dermatitis, urticaria

Small Intestinal Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Metastasis in the Left Ventricle

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are rare and usually appear in childhood and adolescence. These tumors often take a benign course, but tend to reoccur in a quarter of cases and metastasize locally. Distant IMT metastases are extremely uncommon. To our knowledge, metastatic spread to the heart has not been reported. We present a case of a 43-year-old woman with small intestinal IMT metastatic spread to the cavity of the left ventricle, stomach, liver, vertebra, and pelvic bones. The cardiac tumor was resected, and the patient survived for 9 months. She dies because the progression of IMT at other sites.

Predictors of mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Lithuania: Data from a cohort study over 10 years

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Increased mortality and shorter survival among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are recognized but not fully explained. This cohort study aimed to identify predictors of mortality among RA patients at a tertiary clinical setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients with RA were recruited during 1998-2003 and followed up until April 1, 2012, or death whichever happened first. Baseline variables included sociodemographic and disease characteristics, and comorbidities. Cox regression and hazard risk (HR) were computed to estimate risks for mortality. RESULTS One hundred ninety-one patients were included into the study, 186 patients were eligible for the analysis and of these 131 patients (70.4%) completed the entire period of followed-up while 55 patients (29.6%) died. The average follow up period was equivalent to 9.24 year per person. A Cox regression model identified four major factors having an impact on survival. History of a stroke at baseline was identified as a major factor (HR=5.33; 95% CI, 2.13-13.32). Statistically significant risk factors were also age over 50 years (HR=4.59; 95% CI, 2.04-10.30); education less than 11 years (HR=3.3; 95% CI, 1.72-6.33) and angina pectoris (HR=1.98; 95% CI, 1.03-3.80). CONCLUSIONS Higher age, lower education and cardiovascular comorbidities were identified as predictors of mortality in this prospective cohort study while disease-related variables were not independent predictors of mortality.

Low preparedness for food allergy as perceived by school staff: a EuroPrevall survey across Europe.

Low preparedness for food allergy as perceived by school staff: a EuroPrevall survey across Europe Thuy-My Le, MD, PhD*, Ischa Kummeling, PhD*, Danielle Dixon, MD, Laura Barreales Tolosa, MD, Barbara Ballmer-Weber, MD, Michael Clausen, MD, M. Hazel Gowland, BA, Barbara Majkowska-Wojciechowska, MD, Tihomir Mustakov, MD, Nikolaos G. Papadopoulos, MD, PhD, Andre C. Knulst, MD, PhD, James Potts, BSc, Rimantas Stukas, PhD, and Peter Burney, MD

A Technical Approach to the Evaluation of Radiofrequency Radiation Emissions from Mobile Telephony Base Stations

During the last two decades, the number of macrocell mobile telephony base station antennas emitting radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation (EMR) in residential areas has increased significantly, and therefore much more attention is being paid to RF EMR and its effects on human health. Scientific field measurements of public exposure to RF EMR (specifically to radio frequency radiation) from macrocell mobile telephony base station antennas and RF electromagnetic field (EMF) intensity parameters in the environment are discussed in this article. The research methodology is applied according to the requirements of safety norms and Lithuanian Standards in English (LST EN). The article presents and analyses RF EMFs generated by mobile telephony base station antennas in areas accessible to the general public. Measurements of the RF electric field strength and RF EMF power density were conducted in the near- and far-fields of the mobile telephony base station antenna. Broadband and frequency-selective measurements were performed outside (on the roof and on the ground) and in a residential area. The tests performed on the roof in front of the mobile telephony base station antennas in the near-field revealed the presence of a dynamic energy interaction within the antenna electric field, which changes rapidly with distance. The RF EMF power density values on the ground at distances of 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 m from the base station are very low and are scattered within intervals of 0.002 to 0.05 μW/cm2. The results were compared with international exposure guidelines (ICNIRP).

The self-reported quality of life of Lithuanian children with asthma was comparable to Western populations

Quality of life (QoL) has been widely researched among children with asthma in Western countries, but there is a lack of data from eastern Europe, where the prevalence is relatively low, but hospital admission rates are higher. We evaluated the overall level and major determinants of QoL in Lithuanian children aged 5–11 years with asthma.