BACKGROUND: The presence of several risk factors (genetic and non-genetic) has greater impact on the risk of premature coronary artery disease (CAD) than single risk factor. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to establish possible relations between genotypes and alleles of 677C>T polymorphism of MTHFR gene and some traditional risk factors e.g. elevated levels of lipid parameters and smoking in development of premature CAD. METHODS: The groups comprised 152 patients with angiographically documented premature CAD (aged 42.9 +/- 5.5) and 121 age-matched blood donors (aged 42.3 +/- 6.5) were studied. The MTHFR 677C>T polymorphism was genotyped with Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. RESULTS: Patients with TT genotype who simultaneously smoked had increased risk of premature CAD compared to non-smoking cases with CC genotype (OR = 24.62). We also found that individuals with TT genotype and elevated LDL-cholesterol (LDL-chol.) level had significantly higher risk of CAD (OR = 9.92) than individuals with normal LDL-chol. level and CC genotype. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that simultaneous presence of MTHFR TT genotype and smoking or elevated levels of LDL-chol. influences the risk of premature CAD. This findings give interesting contribution to gene-environment interaction problem that may have clinical implications in the future. and B. Sarecka-Hujar, I. Zak, J. Krauze
Cíl: Cílem práce bylo vyhledat důkazy na podporu intervence žvýkaní žvýkačky v pooperační péči u pacientů podstupujících operační výkon v břišní dutině ke snížení rizika paralytického pooperačního ileu, a to snížením času do prvního odchodu větrů a času do první stolice. Metodika: Za účelem nalezení důkazů pro použití žvýkaní žvýkačky v pooperační péči u pacientů podstupujících operační výkon v břišní dutině jako strategie na snižení rizika paralytického pooperačního ileu (snížením času do prvního odchodu větrů a času do první stolice) byl proveden přehled vybraných metaanalýz a randomizovaných kontrolovaných studií (RCT). Vyhledávání probíhalo v následujících databázích: OVID Medline®, CINAHL, and PubMed. Vyhledávání se zaměřilo na publikace v anglickém jazyce v recenzovaných časopisech v období 2002 až 2012. Z metaanalýz byl abstrahován rozdíl vážených průměrů (weighted mean difference) jako míra účinku (effect size) žvýkaní žvýkačky na čas do prvního odchodu větrů a na čas do první stolice. Z výsledků randomizovaných kontrolovaných studií bylo vypočítáno Cohenovo d (effect sizes) na určení míry účinku (effect size) žvýkání žvýkačky na čas do prvního odchodu větrů a na čas do první stolice. Na znázornění míry účinku (effect size) z RTC byly vytvořeny grafy (forest plots). Výsledky: Ke kritickému zhodnocení byly vybrány čtyři randomizované kontrolované studie a dvě metaanalýzy. Všech šest studií prokázalo statisticky významný a velmi velký až střední učinek na čas do prvního odchodu větrů a na čas do první stolice. Na základě míry ůčinků (effect sizes) byl vyvozen závěr, že žvýkaní žvýkačky v pooperačním období klinicky významně zkracuje čas do prvního odchodu větrů a čas do první stolice. Závěr: Silné důkazy podporují žvýkaní žvýkačky v pooperační péči u pacientů podstupujících operační výkon v břišní dutině, co vede ke snížení rizika paralytického pooperačního ileu, a to snížením času do prvního odchodu větrů a času do první stolice., Aim: The aim of the paper was to search for evidence that the use of gum chewing in the postoperative care of patients who had undergone abdominal surgery decreases the risk of paralytic postoperative ileus by significantly reducing the time to first flatus and time to first bowel movement. Methods: A literature review of selected meta-analyses and randomized control trials (RCT) was conducted to find the evidence that the use of gum chewing in the postoperative care of patients who had undergone abdominal surgery decreases the risk of paralytic postoperative ileus expressed as the time to first flatus and time to first bowel movement. The following databases were searched: OVID Medline®, CINAHL, and PubMed. The search focused on material published in English in peer-reviewed journals between the years 2002 and 2012. Weighted mean difference was the effect size abstracted from the meta-analyses of gum chewing on time to first flatus and time to first bowel movement. From the RCT, Cohen’s d effect sizes were calculated to determine the strength of the gum chewing intervention on time to first flatus and time to first bowel movement. Forest plots were created to present the effect sizes from the RCT. Results: Four randomized controlled trials and two meta-analyses were selected and critically appraised. All six studies concluded that gum chewing has a statistically significant and very large to medium effect on time to first flatus and time to first bowel movement. Based on the effect sizes, the conclusion was drawn that chewing gum during the postoperative period leads to a clinically significant reduction in time to passage of first flatus and time to first bowel movement. Conclusion: Strong evidence supports the use of gum chewing in postoperative care of patients who have undergone abdominal surgery to reduce the risk of paralytic postoperative ileus., and Renáta Zeleníková, Anthony Chao, Gloria Enright, Mary Rogers Schubert, Kaitlin Shotsberger, Cecelia Wise, Elizabeth A. Schlenk
Rubber dam is considered an ideal device for tooth isolation. Nevertheless, its usage is quite rare in the Czech Republic. The aim of this study was: firstly, to gather and evaluate information regarding the use of rubber dam by dentists in the Czech Republic and to compare it with other countries; secondly to find out whether there are any influencing factors as to rubber dam usage; and finally to find out frequency of rubber dam use separately in endodontic treatment and in placing fillings of different materials. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted. Dentists filled in the questionnaires during dental conventions, educational events, conferences and congresses. Rubber dam was routinely used by less than eight per cent of the respondents (n = 35); less than twenty-two per cent of the respondents (n = 97) used rubber dam occasionally, and more than seventy per cent of the respondents (n = 317) has never use it. The results showed that rubber dam is not used frequently in the Czech Republic. If rubber dam is used, then it is typically for endodontic treatment or composite fillings. There were several factors with a statistically significant influence on the usage of rubber dam, such as gender, length of professional career, percentage of direct payments, previous experience in using rubber dam, and undergraduate training in rubber dam use., Martin Kapitán, Zdeňka Šustová, and Literatura 22
Introduction: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is an inflammatory rheumatic disease characterized by the development of osteoproductive changes in the spine which could possibly result in ankylosis. Treatment with tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) inhibitors has proved to be an important step forward in the treatment of this disease, but for the time being it is not clear whether it favourably influences radiographic progression of the disease. Vascular endothelial growth factor most probably plays a role in the development of osteoproductive changes and recently its predictive influence on radiographic progression has been demonstrated. Bone morphogenic protein 2 (BMP-2) participates in the regulation of bone proliferation and its increased serum level has been demonstrated in patients with advanced AS and correlated with the degree of radiographic changes. Aim: The study aims to evaluate the VEGF and BMP-2 levels in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and how these levels relate to the concurrent treatment with TNFα inhibitors. Methods: Sera were evaluated from patients at the Rheumatologic Clinic of the Hradec Králové Faculty Hospital who fulfilled the modified New York Criteria for AS (n = 55). In these patients, the parameters of the activity of the disease (BASDAI = Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, CRP = C-reactive protein) and the concurrent therapy (TNFα inhibitors, n = 21, vs. non-anti TNFα, n = 34) were recorded. The levels of VEGF and BMP-2 were analyzed using the ELISA method. Results: In patients treated with TNFα inhibitors, a significantly lower VEGF level was found when compared to untreated patients (140.3 (109.4; 262.2) vs. 261 (172.4; 396.6) pg/ml; p = 0.02). No difference was found between BMP-2 levels in both groups (treated vs. untreated patients) (254.8 (2301; 267.3) vs. 261.1 (248.6; 273.5) pg/ml; p = 0.24). A correlation analysis did not reveal any relationship between VEG F and BMP-2 (r = 0.057; p = 0.68). Serum levels of VEGF correlated with serum levels of CRP (r = 0.56; p = 0.00001) and the BASDAI value (r = 0.33; p = 0.015). Conclusion: Significantly lower VEGF levels were found in patients treated with TNFα inhibitors versus the untreated patients. These findings are in harmony with some hitherto published analyses and may give evidence of a favourable effect of TNFα inhibitors on radiographic progression. Neither influence on the BMP-2 level by treatment with TNFα inhibitors nor correlation with VEGF levels was demonstrated. and M. Tošovský, P. Bradna, C. Andrýs, K. Andrýsová, E. Čermáková, T. Soukup