Search

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection mainly affected elderly patients in many countries. The care of elderly patients, especially in countries where the percentage of people over 65-years of age is significant, is an important public health problem now during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this review particular attention to the problem of proper nutrition of such patients was paid, which must be preceded by an appropriate assessment of their nutritional status. The important role of physical activity and adequate rehabilitation is highlighted. The care of elderly patients should be in line with the recommendations of the relevant scientific societies and international organizations in this respect.

Introduction. Excessive or inefficient body weight in pregnant women is a serious obstetric problem, associated with an increased risk of complications for the mother and child. Excessive birth weight of an infant carries the risk of emergency obstetric conditions, in turn, low birth weight of an infant may pose a risk of developmental disorders. Objectives. To evaluate the impact of nutritional condition of mothers on anthropometric parameters value of newborns. Material and methods. The study included 247 women and their newborns. The diagnostic survey method was applied. An original questionnaire was used and anthropometric measurements of women and newborns were taken. Results and Conclusions. Statistically significant differences were found in birth weight of newborns depending on the nutritional condition of women prior to pregnancy. The children of mothers with insufficient bodyweight had a significantly lower birth weight (p = 0.0079) than the children of mothers with normal weight, excessive weight and obesity. It was also demonstrated that the children of mothers with insufficient body weight had significantly lower (p < 0.0001) head circumference than the children of mothers with normal weight, excessive weight and obesity. The research revealed a correlation between maternal body mass index and neonatal anthropometric parameters. Mothers with insufficient weight gave birth to children with a significantly lower birth weight than the children of mothers with normal weight, excessive weight and obesity. Mothers with excessive weight and obesity gave birth to infants with significantly higher birth weight than mothers with normal or insufficient weight before pregnancy. Nursing Topics 2015; 23 (4): 490–495

The analysis included 53 patients (32 men and 21 women) aged 43 to 66 years, who were subjected to radical treatment (surgical or combined) because of stomach (22 patients) or large bowel (31 patients) cancer. All the patients were included in the same model of control examinations, which considered evaluation of the erythrocytes TAS and of the Ca19-9, CEA and AFP concentrations in serum. It was confirmed that in all the patients in whom the recurrence and/or the dissemination occurred of the cancer, the average erythrocytes TAS value increased 5.5 times by comparison with the period before progression and 7 times in comparison with the patients without recurrence and/or dissemination of the cancer. Moreover it was shown that statistically significantly higher TAS values were associated with the progression of the large bowel cancer in comparison with the stomach cancer and that the blood cells TAS positively correlated with the changes of the Ca19-9, CEA and AFP concentrations in patients with progression of the cancer after radical treatment.

The analysis included 78 patients (42 men and 36 women) aged 48 to 67 years treated with cytostatics because of a neoplastic disease. In all the patients examined was evaluated the influence of the chemotherapy carried out on the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities. It was confirmed that the effect of the action on the glutathione enzymes (GE) activity of the antineoplastic chemotherapy changes depending on the duration of the treatment with cytostatics. In the end this activity settles at a high level, statistically significantly higher than that registered before the beginning of the antineoplastic treatment. The increase of the GE activity is mainly favoured by the chemotherapy following the schemes FAC (5-fluorouracyl + doxorubicin + endoxan) and PAC (cisplatin + cyclofosfamide + pharmorubicin).

A wide set of biochemical and spirometrical parameters was applied to a group of 41 welders. The obtained parameters were analyzed by the pattern recognition method: principal-components analysis (PCA) and mutual contribution analysis (MCA). The aim of the investigation was to find out which of 23 parameters had an influence on the pulmonological indices of COPD. It was found that PCA gave a substantial reduction of dimensionality. The most relevant parameters were Fe, Zn, Cu (all elements in blood, not in hair), FEV1, MEF50, bilirubin, TAS, and SOD. Only the relationships of MEF50, Cu, and TAS were statistically valid.

Introduction. An increase in the number of women with eating disorders such as excessive weight, obesity, or malnutrition has been observed. Pregnancy and childbirth affect the subjective perception of women’s quality of life. Aim of study. Assessment of womens’s quality of life in pregnancy, puerperium and lactation period, depending on the nutritional condition prior to pregnancy. Material and methods. The research included 247 women. The survey was conducted three times: postnatally, six weeks and six months after childbirth. The diagnostic survey method was used, the tools being a standardized questionnaire SF-36v1 (Quality of Life SF-36v1), an original questionnaire and anthropometric measurements of body weight and height, serving to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI). Results and conclusions. The study revealed better quality of life in women six weeks and six months after childbirth, compared to the postnatal period. Statistically significant differences were shown in the following scales: Physical functioning (PF) (p < 0.0001), Role limitations due to physical health problems (RP) (p < 0.0001), Body pain (BP) (p < 0.0001), General health perception (GH) (p < 0.0001), Vitality, energy or fatigue (VT) (p = 0.0002) Social functioning (SF) (p < 0.0001), Role limitations due to emotional problems (RE) (p < 0.0001), and in Physical Component Sumary (PCS domain) (p < 0.0001). In the studied group the quality of life was improved in subsequent periods of the surveys. It has been shown that the women with inefficient weight before pregnancy had a significantly higher quality of life indicators compared to women with normal weight, excessive weight and obesity. Nursing Topics 2015; 23 (4): 484–489

A study was carried out on 92 patients (58 males and 34 females) aged 42-76 treated for malignant neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract (54 patients with colorectal carcinoma, 38 with gastric carcinoma). In all patients, the zinc serum concentration was measured and the results obtained were referred to some epidemiological-clinical factors (sex, age, primary cause of cancer, the stage of clinical progression, and histological type). The results showed that the most pronounced hypozincemia occurred in male patients with mucous membrane carcinoma of the stomach.

We have studied the effect of chronic treatment with imipramine, citalopram and electroconvulsive shock (ECS) on serum and brain zinc levels in rats. Chronic treatment with citalopram (but not with imipramine or ECS) significantly (approx 20%) increased the serum zinc level. Chronic treatment with both drugs slightly (by approx 10%) increase the zinc level in the hippocampus and slightly decreased it in the cortex, cerebellum and basal forebrain. Calculation of the ratio hippocampus/brain region within each group demonstrated a significantly (approx 20%) higher value after treatment with either imipramine or citalopram. Moreover, chronic ECS induced a significant increase (by 30%) in the zinc level in the hippocampus and also a slight increase (by 11-15%) in the other brain regions. Thus, these different antidepressant therapies induced an elevation of the hippocampal zinc concentration, which indicates a significant role of zinc in the mechanism of antidepressant therapy.

Background The previous study indicated the enhancement of the anti-inflammatory effect of ketoprofen by acute and sub chronic administration of zinc hydroaspartate. Methods The present study examined anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcerogenic and analgesic activity induced by chronic (14 days) administration of ZHA (30 mg/kg, po ), with a combination of a single administration of ketoprofen, in rats. Moreover, the zinc concentration in serum and stomach mucosa was also determined. Results Chronic ZHA po administration exhibits anti-inflammatory activity and enhanced the effect induced by ketoprofen. Likewise, ZHA administration demonstrated anti-ulcerogenic activity. While ZHA alone did not exhibit analgesic action, it enhanced the effect of ketoprofen. Conclusions The present study demonstrated for the first time that chronic treatment with zinc salt exhibits anti-inflammatory activity. Besides, anti-ulcerogenic activity and the enhancing properties of zinc to ketoprofen induced anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity were also shown.

The zinc content in the hair of 654 children living in various rural and industrial areas in southern Poland was assayed by means of the atomic absorption spectrometry, following the dry digestion procedure. The hair of girls exhibited statistically significant higher level of Zn than the boys' hair, although in the site of extremal Zn contamination, the inverse relation was found.

Samples of 20 varieties of flour were examined for contents of toxic elements (Pb, Cd) and of some macro- and microelements (Mg, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn). Chemical composition of flour and its baking characteristics found in the course of routine analysis were also studied. The relationship between both groups of parameters was assessed by the canonical correlation method.

We have studied the effect of chronic treatment with imipramine, citalopram, and electroconvulsive shock (ECS) on serum and brain copper levels in rats. Chronic treatment with citalopram and imipramine (but not ECS) significantly (approx 14%) decreased the serum copper level. Chronic treatment with both drugs did not alter the brain copper level. However, chronic ECS induced a significant increase (by 36%) in the copper level in the hippocampus and also in the cerebellum (by 16%). In contrast to the zinc, where both pharmacologic and ECS treatment increased its hippocampal concentration, these two antidepressant therapy (drugs versus ECS) differ in their effect on brain copper level. These findings suggest that the mechanism by which copper is involved in ECS differs from that of any involvement in the action of the drugs studied.

Chromium concentrations in hair were compared in groups of children and students from Southern Poland. There were no statistically significant differences (at p greater than 0.05) between girls and boys. The results are similar to those found by other authors in different countries.