Metabolic syndrome among the inhabitants of the Island of Cres

Metabolic syndrome presents a significant public health problem today, in Croatia as well as the rest of the world, considering the fact that the World Health Organization classifies its diagnostic criteria, such as high blood pressure and obesity, among ten major risk factors for health. The research of the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among the inhabitants of the island of Cres included a total of 385 adult subjects, 249 women and 136 men. The incidence of metabolic syndrome in two subpopulations of the inhabitants: the inhabitants of the town of Cres (urban population) and the inhabitants of other settlements (rural population), was analysed. The incidence of metabolic syndrome among the inhabitants of the island of Cres was determined according to definitions of the WHO (World Health Organization) and the NCEP-ATP III program (National Cholesterol Education Program-Third Adult Treatment Panel III). It was established that the overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome on the island of Cres was 14% according to the WHO definition (20.6% in men and 10.4% in women) and 24.9% according to the NCEP-ATP III definition (33.1% in men and 20.5% in women). The study also showed that the prevalence of risk factors for developing metabolic syndrome and complex diseases was much higher among the subjects from other settlements than among the subjects from the town of Cres, a consequence of age and a lifestyle with lack of physical activity.

Body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio: which anthropometric indicator is better predictor for the hypertension development in women population of the island Cres

The aim of this research was to investigate the prevalence of obesity and high blood pressure and to prove which of three anthropometric indicators of obesity - waist circumference, body mass index (BMI) waist-to-hip ratio - is better predictor for the development of hypertension in women population of the island of Cres. We approached separately groups of women with measured high blood pressure and with previously diagnosed. The research was preformed within the research project "Genetic and biomedical characteristics of the population of the island of Cres". This was the cross sectional study and data were obtained on the sample of 247 females over 18 years old that voluntarily participated in this study. In our study group the prevalence of overweight was 39.0%, obesity 27.5%, increased waist circumference was present in 69.4% while increased blood pressure was found in 53.0% examinees. Our results indicate that age, BMI, impaired glucose concentration and serum cholesterol could be considered as predictors for the development of arterial hypertension, whether measured or previously diagnosed.

Olanzapine treatment in anorexia nervosa: case report

A 15 year old patient suffering from psychiatric disturbances looked for psychiatric help but refused hospital admission. Following an ambulatory treatment, the patient was diagnosed with Anorexia nervosa. The patient, a girl, was 175 centimeters tall, weighting only 39 kilos. Within the clinical picture, there were few dominant disorders present; anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, fear of feminization, with recurrent psychotic episodes. By the implementation of an intensive psychotherapeutic treatment, without the use of psychopharmacs, the weight was kept stable. In accordance with the girl's mother, a psychopharmacotherapy was commenced, a combination of olanzapine and paroxetine (the choice of psychopharmacs was lead by the side effects known). At the end of a 24-month period of a psychological treatment which was combined with psychopharmacotherapy, the patient exhibited no symptomatology and a stable clinical remission of the illness was achieved.

[The impact of some bad habits and environmental factors on the somatic status of male adolescents]

AIM

The aim of the study was to investigate whether some bad habits of sedentary lifestyle influence the occurrence of diagnoses in male adolescents, divided according to their environment into urban, rural and and island groups.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 437 male adolescents underwent physical examination and functional diagnostic tests at Occupational Medicine Clinic in Rijeka, in order to evaluate their fitness for military service. The method of physical examination and anthropologic measurements was used. The results were analyzed by the Stat Soft, Statistics 6.0 software. Pearson chi-squared-test test and correlation matrices were used.

RESULTS

The results showed obesity to be present in a relatively high percentage of subjects from urban area (10.94%) and rural area (13.19%), whereas asthenia was more pronounced in islanders (8.69%), yielding a statistically significant between-group difference (p<0.05). In contrast to asthenia, the islanders had the lowest percentage of flatfoot, with a significant difference from the two other groups (p<0.05). Refraction errors, primarily myopia, were not influenced by the place of residence. The incidence of myopia in all three groups was slightly over 20%. Contrary to our expectation, bronchial asthma was most common in the islanders (5.43%), however, there data could not be considered representative because of the rather big rate of migration from the inland to prevent relapses of respiratory diseases. The incidence of mild kyphoscoliosis ranged from 5.55% in the subjectss from rural settings up to 11.95% in the islanders, without a statistically significant between-group difference.

DISCUSSION

It is difficult to identify the causes of differences in body weight among adolescents from urban, rural and island settings. It is not so easy to criticize the former for predominantly sedentary life, watching TV, video or Internet. Physical activity cannot be readily performed in towns because of the increasing presence of pollutants in the atmosphere. The prevalence of bronchial asthma was slightly higher than expected, which was explained by the permanent residence of atopics on the islands in order to prevent disease relapses. The lowest incidence of flatfoot among islanders was explained by their free lifestyle, barefoot walking along the rocky seaside, and high level of physical activity. Refraction errors including myopia as the leading diagnosis were equally present in the three groups, exceeding 20%. Besides heredity, the sight is influenced by intensified effects of ultraviolet radiation that causes changes of the eye structure. Also, neon signs and lights as well as too strong night streetlights lead to phototoxic vision damage in adolescents. Study results showed that male adolescents who lead physically inactive life should not to be blamed for the occurrence of the mentioned diagnoses. Like all of us they are daily affected by harmful pollutants that cause damage to the eyes, cardiovascular, respiratory and other organ systems. This study has helped identify the causes of the mentioned diseases in the group of male adolescents, emphasizing the role of occupational medicine. Specialists in occupational medicine should be involved in the monitoring of somatic and other parameters in adolescents from the early school age. In this period, it is still possible to reduce or and even prevent the occurrence of the mentioned diagnoses by examinations, education, exercises and diets. In this way, the candidates for military service would be healthier and fit.

Measures for achieving recruits' enhanced fitness--a transversal study

Because of 10.94% frequency in obese recruits in Rijeka in 2005 occupational medicine decided to study causality of that and other most frequent diagnoses: pedes plani, myopia and astigmatism, kyphosis and scoliosis, asthma, hypertension and branch block. Double monitoring of 1,311 recruits was carried out by a transversal study during 2005, 2000 and 1995 and within each year according to location: city, suburbs, islands. The differences in the three periods in the city were obesity (p < 0.05) with highest frequency in 2005, asthenia (p < 0.05) with lowest frequency 0.99% in 2005, and pedes plani (p < 0.05) with highest frequency in 1995. Suburbs showed (p < 0.05) forpedes plani, p = 0.054 for obesity, and the islands obesity (p < 0.05). Myopia and astigmatism frequency went up to 25%, kyphosis to 14.13% and asthma to 5.43%. Hypertension frequency was negligible. Occupational medicine decided to react by measures increasing recruit fitness cooperating with school medicine, teachers and parents, by check-ups, corrections, dieting and physical activities.

Site-directed mutagenesis of the sodium pump: analysis of mutations to amino acids in the proposed nucleotide binding site by stable oxygen isotope exchange

A model for the active site of P type ATPases has been tested by site-directed mutagenesis of amino acids in two conserved sequences of Mg(2+)-dependent and Na(+)- and K(+)-stimulated ATPase. The mutants K501R, K501E, D586E, D586N, P587A, and P588A were expressed in yeast cells and compared with wild type. In addition to previously published assays of adenosine 5'-triphosphate binding and hydrolysis, measurements of 18O exchange between Pi and water have been used to identify steps in the E2 half of the reaction cycle affected by the mutations. The study supports the prediction that K501 in the KGAP sequence interacts with adenosine 5'-triphosphate. However, quantitative comparisons of the effect of mutation K501E on the activity with the effects of mutations to an enzyme of known structure that also catalyzes phosphoryl group transfer make a direct role for the positive charge on the side chain of K501 in catalysis by stabilizing the transition state unlikely. No evidence for the predicted interaction between D586 and the hydroxyl groups of ribose was found. However, the data do indicate that the spatial organization of the loop containing the DPPR sequence is critical for phosphorylation of the enzyme. A role for D586 in coordinating the Mg2+ that is required for activity is proposed.