Current issue
Volume 53, Issue 4, 2025
Online ISSN: 2560-3310
ISSN: 0350-8773
Volume 53 , Issue 4, (2025)
Published: 30.06.2025.
Open Access
All issues
Contents
15.02.2025.
Professional paper
EXAMINATION OF INTRACRANIAL TRANLUCENCY AS A MARKER FOR EARLY DETECTION OF OPEN SPINA BIFIDA
This article focuses on the sonographic axamination techique for evaluation of intracranial translucencies during the first trimester ultrasound scan. Appropriate knowledge of sonographic landmarks is the most important factor for evaluation normal as well as abnormal brain structure, and this examination may enable detection of open spina bifida and Arnold – Chiari anomaly at an early stage of fetal develpoment.
Nenad Šulović, Goran Relić
15.02.2025.
Original scientific paper
THE PREVALENCE OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AMONG STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE
Introduction/Objective
The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of alcohol use in the student population of the University of
Belgrade.
Methods
The cross-sectional study was conducted in a population of 2,000 students of the Belgrade University. Four faculties (Medicine, Geography,
Economics, Electrical Engineering) from which the students participating in this research were chosen by the method of random choice (by computer
listing), conducted in the period April - June 2010.
Results
Among our respondents, the highest amount of spirits is consumed by respondents from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, with 22% of
them consuming more than 6 shots on each occasion, while the smallest number of students who drink more than 6 shots on each occasion are from
the Faculty of Economics, with 8%. Students from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, who have the lowest prevalence of cigarette use, consume
alcohol in a binge drinking pattern. The highest frequency of binge drinking in the past year and in the past month before the survey was among
respondents from the Faculty of Geography.
Conclusion
There is a need for developing a conscience about all the effects that alcohol has, especially physical ones which are not usually noticed
immediately; taking responsibility for own actions; working on a healthy life style and educating people to enhance and improve their health control.
Mirjana Stojanovic-Tasic, Mirjana Virijevic, Kristina Rakic, Emilija Novakovic, Ivana Stasevic Karlicic, Nenad Milosevic, Jelena Aritonovic Pribakovic, Jovana Milosevic, Milica Bogdanovic, Suzana Adzic, Katarina Bisevac, Mary Vuksa
15.02.2025.
Original scientific paper
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE APPROACH TO PATIENTS WITH DISORDERS OF THYRIOD GLAND FUNCTION IN THE DENTAL OFFICE
Thyroid hormones, thyroxine and triiodothyronine, affect the work of all organs and organ systems. Whether they are in excess or in deficit, they lead to significant disturbances in the homeostasis of the organism, changing first of all the metabolic processes and leading to significant clinical manifestations, primarily in the cardiovascular, but also in other organ systems. The imbalance of thyroid hormones also has oralmanifestations, which are often the reason why patients visit the dentist. However, what worries dentists the most is the possibility of acute decompensation of hyper or hypothyroidism, with the appearance of thyrotoxic storm or myxedema coma, which are life-threatening conditions. Therefore, a valid pre-procedural evaluation and preparation of patients with thyroid hormone function disorders for pre-planned dental interventions is of great importance. During dental procedures, it is necessary to adhere to recommendations regarding the choice of local anesthetics, hemostasis, drug interactions, the possibility of infection and minimizing stress, all in order to avoid acute decompensation of thyroid imbalance.
Radomir Mitić, Nina Dimitrijević Jovanović, Hristina Ugrinović, Jelena Vulović, Milena Šibalić, Nevena Kalezić
15.02.2025.
Case Reports
IDIOPATHIC PULMONARY HYPERTENSION – CASE PRESENTATION
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a hemodynamic condition characterized by a mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) ≥ 25 mmHg at rest, pulmonary arterial wedge pressure (PAWP) ≤ 15 mmHg, and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) > 240 dyn·s·cm⁻⁵. The annual incidence of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is approximately 3–10 new cases per million adults. It is estimated that the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in individuals over 65 years of age is around 10%.The aim of this study is to present the case of a female patient with progressive dyspnea in whom PAH remained undiagnosed for a prolonged period.A 74-year-old female patient, M.P., was hospitalized in the Coronary Care Unit of the Clinical Center in Kosovska Mitrovica due to symptoms of shortness of breath, choking, fatigue, leg swelling, and weakness. The admission ECG revealed: sinus rhythm, normal axis, high R wave in V2, ST depression, and negative T waves in leads II, III, aVF, and V4–V5. Echocardiography findings showed right ventricular enlargement (2.9 cm), pulmonary artery dilation (3.3 cm), 1–2+ pulmonary regurgitation, and 3+ tricuspid regurgitation, with a systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) of up to 126 mmHg. The right ventricle measured 5.3 cm in the 4Ch view, with a TAPSE of 1.8 cm. Right heart catheterization revealed the following pressures: PA 78/34/57 mmHg, RV 74/8/10 mmHg, RA 6/6/7 mmHg, CO 4.3 l/min, and LV 99/10/8 mmHg. Although primary pulmonary hypertension is predominantly a disease of younger individuals, it should also be considered in older patients presenting with progressive dyspnea in the absence of structural heart disease.
Kristina Bulatović, Vladan Perić, Maja Šipić, Jovana Milošević, Erdin Mehmedi, Sanja Jovanović
01.12.2021.
Professional paper
The impact of body weight on the secondary osification centers development and the term of closure of the anterior fontanelle in infants
Introduction: during the infant development, the organ growth is influenced by genetic factors, diet, hormones and many neuropeptides. The secondary ossification center in the hip joint begins to form around the 4th month of life. Primary dentition begins at the age of 5-6 months with the emergence of the central incisor in the maxilla. At birth, 6 fontanelles are present between the plate bones of the cranium. The largest is the anterior or large fontanelle. Objective of our research is to analyze the development of the secondary ossification center in the femoral head in relation to dentition and closure of the anterior fontanelle closure as well as influence of childrens' birth weight and current weight on these processes. Methodology: The study included 284 infants, male and female, aged 3 to 8 months. Clinical examination of the musculoskeletal system, anthropomentric measurements and ultrasonographic findings of the hip joint were performed at the Pediatric Clinic of the Clinical Hospital Center Pristina in Gracanica. Results: The development of secondary ossification centre correlated with child's age, dentition, anterior fontanelle closure, birth weight and delivery method, as well as actual body weight. Anterior fontanelle size was inversely related to age, body weight and secondary ossification. Conclusions: According to regression analysis, body weight is the only factor that has a direct and independent impact on the onset and progression of ossification process. Every additional kilogram of a child's body weight accelerates secondary ossification by 1.3-3.77 times.
Snežana Marković-Jovanović, Aleksandar Jovanović, Radojica Stolić, Milica Popović, Danijela Ivanović
01.12.2021.
Professional paper
Importance of postoperative pain and possibilities of prevention and treatment
The paper presents the importance of acute postoperative pain, the risk factors for its occurrence and intensity, instruments for its measurement and assessment, as well as the possibilities of prevention and treatment. The fact that post-surgical pain represents not only a subjective unpleasant experience for the patient, but also a factor that significantly contributes to complications and unfavorable outcomes of surgical treatment is well known. Despite that, postoperative pain can be seen very often. To successfully prevent and relieve pain, it is necessary to establish a possible cause-and-effect relationship between the occurrence and intensity of postoperative pain, type of surgical intervention, anesthesia technique, demographic characteristics of patients, comorbidities, chronic therapy, and family and socioeconomic factors. Besides the application of recommendations from the current guidelines and protocols for the prevention and treatment of post-surgical pain to achieve positive treatment outcomes, an individual approach to each patient and the application of multimodal analgesia techniques that include the use of different classes of analgesics, co-analgesics, and non-pharmacological measures, based on modern ERAS-protocols aimed at accelerated recovery after surgical intervention should also be employed.
Anka Tošković, Marina Stojanović, Ksenija Jovanović, Jovan Jozić, Milan Jovanović, Nevena Kalezić
01.12.2021.
Professional paper
Arterial hypertension in geriatric population
INTRODUCTION Chronic non-contagious diseases: heart and blood vessel diseases, malignant tumors, diabetes, obstructive pulmonary disease, injuries and poisoning, mental health disorders and others, have dominated the world and our national pathology for decades. Arterial hypertension is one of the most common diseases of the present, which affects in more than 60% of people over the age of 60, and represents a risk factor for infarction, insult, chronic heart failure, renal insufficiency, progressive atherosclerosis and dementia, indicating the importance of hypertension frequency testing in the geriatric population in our country and in the world. OBJECTIVE is to point out the specificity, the high frequency and the risk of hypertension in the geriatric population in our country and in the world. METHODS We analyzed the data and literature in the field of geriatrics, internal medicine, neurology, public health, social medicine and health statistics in the part dealing with the protection of the health of the elderly in our country and in the world. The research was conducted through the analysis of previous scientific research obtained from the literature and the search of electronic databases in accordance with the areas defined in the aim of the work. Using the analytical observational method, all necessary data on this topic were collected, recorded and analyzed. A systematic review of the literature in the researched area was carried out, with the aim of reviewing the methodological characteristics of published studies in the mentioned area. Relevant papers based on this search were collected in full text. Data were extracted from such works, analyzed and presented in this paper. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of elderly mortality, and it is believed that by removing it in people over the age of 65, the life expectancy would be prolonged for 16 years. The results of some studies show that a third of patients over the age of 65 have isolated systolic hypertension, which is a significant risk factor for apoplexy. In developed countries, the geriatric population is on the rise and reaches more than 30% of the general population, and cardiovascular disease is one of the most common diseases and causes of mortality in this population. Studies have shown that the incidence of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular events is doubled in patients over 65 years of life with hypertension. Only two groups of diseases, heart and blood vessels diseases and malignant tumors, account for over half of all causes of death. In the Republic of Serbia, in 2021 the population aged 65 and over accounted for 21.28% of the population, while the percentage representation of very old people, over 85 years of age, is constantly increasing. Observed since 2002, more than 100,000 people die annually in Serbia from all causes of death, and almost every second resident of Serbia dies from diseases of the heart and blood vessels. The burden of diseases of the circulatory system or diseases of the heart and blood vessels is on the rise globally, and in recent years in Serbia, on average, 55% of people who have died are victims of one of the diseases from this group. The most common diagnosis within the group of diseases of the cardiovascular system is essential arterial hypertension. The most common causes of death in 2021 belong to the following groups of diseases (according to ICD-10 - International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization): Diseases of the circulatory system 41.4%; Tumors 15.1%; Diseases of the respiratory system 5.3%; Diseases of glands with internal secretion, nutrition and metabolism 2.6%. Diseases of the heart, blood vessels and malignant tumors accounted for over half (55.7%) of all causes of death in 2021 in Serbia. As many as 41.4% of all deaths were the result of dying from diseases of the circulatory system, and every sixth person who died (15.1%) was a victim of a malignant tumor. Studies have shown that in patients over 65 years of age with hypertension, the frequency of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular events is twice as high. CONCLUSION Hypertension is very common in elderly and is a growing problem for them, their family and entire community, as it significantly affects the quality of their lives. The number of elderly in general population is increasing and a growing number of them is with hypertension. Successful prevention can significantly affect the reduction in the incidence of this disease in the population of elderly, which would certainly be one of the priority tasks in improving their health and quality of life.
Ljiljana Kulić, Vesna Krstović-Spremo
01.12.2021.
Professional paper
Case report of Parkinson's disease and orthostatic hypotension
Introduction: Parkinson's disease is an idiopathic, slow progressive neurodegenerative condition with the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra compacta of the midbrain. Due to cardiovascular dysautonomia and impaired baroreflex function in Parkinson's disease, the development of orthostatic hypotension is most common, along with increased blood pressure variability, supine hypertension, nocturnal hypertension, etc. Orthostatic hypotension in Parkinson's disease increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and the risk of overall, and cardiovascular mortality. Case report: Orthostatic hypotension in Parkinson's disease is associated with an increased risk of gait disturbances, loss of balance, falls resulting in injuries and limb fractures, and mortality. In this paper, we presented a patient who had previously been treated for arterial hypertension, with the current clinical presentation of symptomatic orthostatic hypotension in Parkinson's disease. After neurological evaluation and the implementation of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy for orthostatic hypotension, gradual improvement and stabilization of blood pressure values are achieved, along with a reduction in orthostatic hypotension symptoms and a decrease in subjective discomfort. Conclusion: In the presence of orthostatic hypotension in Parkinson's disease, in addition to pharmacological therapy, nonpharmacological treatment measures are very important for stabilizing blood pressure values and reducing the symptoms of orthostatic hypotension.
Miloš Mijalković, Nikola Vukašinović
01.12.2021.
Professional paper
Fournier 's gangrene: Literature review and case report
Fournier's gangrene is a progressive necrotizing bacterial dermo-hypodermitis of the perineum and external genitalia. It represents a secondary polymicrobial infection with an aerobic and anaerobic group of bacteria, which have a synergistic effect in the development of this disease. Fournier's gangrene is an urgent, potentially life-threatening, medical condition that requires a multimodal approach: surgical debridement of the necrotic tissue, resuscitation of the patient, and the application of a broad spectrum of antibiotic therapy. We present the case of a 45-year-old male, referred to our department due to pain and swelling of the perineal region and scrotum, in the initial stage of Fournier's gangrene. The patient was hospitalized, a surgical incision and drainage of the areas affected by gangrene were made, and he underwent surgical treatment of the wound and intensive suppurative therapy for 23 days. After 23 days of hospitalization, the patient was discharged for home treatment with prior suturing of the incisional wounds, with an orderly local status and good general condition. Timely incision, debridement and application of intensive therapy in a condition such as Fournier's gangrene is of crucial importance. In this way, the possibility of potential complications, the progression of local to systemic disease, as well as the percentage of fatal outcome, is reduced.
Aleksandar Jakovljević, Gojko Igrutinović, Nikola Miljković, Mladen Kasalović, Danijela Vićentijević
01.12.2021.
Professional paper
Understanding wedge resection research productivity with visualization: A scientometric attitude
This research paper presents a scientometric analysis of wedge resection research productivity. The study aims to evaluate the evolution and different types of literature on wedge resection, identify the principal countries, institutions, and sources that have contributed to publications on wedge resection, track the increase of literature on wedge resection citations each year, and determine the most frequently discussed topics in wedge resection research publications. To achieve these objectives, the study utilized a scientometric approach that involved a systematic analysis of existing research on wedge resection and productivity, with a focus on the application of scientometric methods. The results of the analysis provide a comprehensive examination of wedge resection productivity, which can be used to guide future research in the field. The study demonstrates the potential of scientometric methods in examining research output and productivity in various fields, including wedge resection. Overall, this research paper provides valuable insights into wedge resection productivity that can inform future research and decision-making in the field.
Tushar Khachane, Bidhan Dolai