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Validity shows the degree of concurrence between the results received by an actual measuring and that of what an instrument is supposed to measure. There are three main types of validity: content validity, criterion-related validity and construct validity. Factor validity is a special approach to constructive validity, tested by statistical analysis called factor analysis. Hamilton rating scale for depression and Montgomery-Asberg depression scale are the most widely used psychiatric instruments. The aim was to carry out a systematic review of the literature on factor structure of psychiatric scales reported in different times during longitudinal studies. The units of analysis were published papers obtained by searching the two bibliographic databases: MEDLINE and PsycINFO. Factor validity of the HAMD scale was reported in 6 (0.09%) of 6590 studies which used this scale, whereas the factor validity of the MADRS scale was reported in 4 (0.2%) of 2051 studies which used the MADRS scale. The difference between the first and the last measuring in relation to values was not statistically significant: median of the number of extracted factors of the HAMD scale (p=0.371), median of total explained factor variance of the HAMD scale (p=0.250), median of variance explained by the first factor of the HAMD scale (p=0.125). Factor validity of the MADRS scale in repeated measuring also did not have statistically significant difference for the following values: median of the number of extracted factors of the MADRS scale (p=0.174), median of variance explained by the first factor of the MADRS scale (p=0.125). Coefficients of concurrent validity of the HAMD i MADRS depression scales show the trend of increase in longitudinal studies and their values are for about a third higher at the end of studies than in their beginning. Low frequency of reporting the data about reliability and validity of applied rating scales is the main problem in using the meta-analytical methods effectively to study changes in adequacy of measures in longitudinal studies.

Planning cluster randomized studies requires special attention due to their specific design. To achieve balance on a cluster level as well as on individual level, it is necessary to apply randomization techniques which involve restricted randomization. Objective: Determine randomization techniques as well as their frequency in protocols for cluster randomized trials. Materials and method: Searching the MEDLINE bibliographic database, there were 1020 bibliographic units, the analysis included only the protocols for cluster randomized trials, which was a total of 169 trials. Data on randomization techniques, units of randomization and publication years of protocols were extracted. Results: The randomization technique with most frequency was stratification (35.9%). After stratification the most frequent was simple randomization (13.5%), followed by a combination of block and stratification (10%), block randomization (9.4%) and matching (9.4%). The most frequent units of randomization were health facilities (52%). The number of published protocols statistically increases during time (p

Introduction. Obesity is a complex metabolic disorder and one of the most common modern health problems. Numerous studies indicate association between chronic low-grade inflammatory state and obesity. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and its reactive oxidants participate in tissue damage in the course of inflammatory processes. The aim of this study was to examine MPO activity in the serum of obese participants with metabolic syndrome and its relationship with other indicators of inflammation. Material and Methods: Participants were divided into three groups according to the anthropometric parameters and biochemical indicators: normally fed ones (n=30), participants with abdominal obesity (n = 30) and participants with metabolic syndrome (n = 30). In the serum of patients was being determined chlorination activity of MPO by spectrophotometry. Results: Significant differences were found in MPO activity in all three groups of participants such as: the maximum activity was measured in patients with metabolic syndrome (p

Introduction: In over of 99% cases of cervical cancer its appearing is preceded by persistent cervical epithelium infection caused by high-risk oncogenic types of human papillomavirus (HPV). The aim of the study was to examine the distribution of high-risk oncogenic HPV types compared to patohistological diagnoses of cervical diseases in women. Materials and methods: The study included 56 women with suspected premalignant and malignant cervical lesions, due to suspected colposcopic and cytological findings (Papanicolaou test). The HPV typing by 'in situ' hybridization method on high-risk HPV types 16, 18, 31 and 33 was performed in all patients from cervical smear as well as cervical biopsy. Histological findings of cervical biopsy was a 'gold standard' in the analysis of materials. Results: Histologically detected premalignant or malignant changes of the cervix were found at 34 (60.7%) of all 56 examined women: 17 of them had LSIL, 13 of them had HSIL, while 4 had squamous cell carcinoma. A positive HPV test had a 47 (84%) of them with a prove of the presence of one or more types of HPV. The most common type of virus was HPV 16 and it was detected in 27 (48.2%) women, followed by HPV 31 that was detected in 26 (46.4%) women, HPV 18 in 18 (32.1%) of women and HPV 33 in 4 (7.1%) women. The infection caused by oncogenic type HPV16 was significantly more frequent in patients with HSIL and cervical cancer (p

Atrial arrhythmias are an often and common problem in patients with arterial hypertension. Some recent studies have shown that the electrical pulse delay estimated by echocardiography is prolonged in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation compared to healthy persons. To assess the electromechanical function of the left atrium in patients with various degrees of hypertension compared to healthy persons. The study has included 103 patients with artery hypertension, who were divided into four groups according to the degree of arterial hypertension and 46 healthy persons as a control. The volumes of the left atrium were measured by echocardiography using the disk, active and passive emptying volumes of left atrium and the fractions were calculated. Electrical delay within the left atrium and between the two atria were measured using the tissue Doppler. The values of passive left atrial emptying fraction were highest in patients in the control group and in patients with prehypertension they have significantly declined with the increased degree of hypertension (12.8 vs 12.6 vs 11.2 vs .10.2 vs 9.9%, p