Regular dog-walking improves physical capacity in elderly patients after myocardial infarction.

Various positive effects of pet ownership on cardiovascular health are well known. The aim of this prospective and controlled longitudinal study was to determine the effects of everyday dog-walking on physical capacity in elderly patients during the first year after myocardial infarction. Regularly dog-walking for at least 15 minutes three times a day is related to significantly higher work load on the bicycle exercise test (72.5 +/- 10.75 versus 67.6 +/- 11.6 W p < 0.05) in the "dog-walking" group (N = 29, mean age 72.5 years) at 12 months compared to the control group (N = 30, mean age 71.7 years). Our results suggest that dogs may help to maintain continuous physical activity in elderly cardiovascular patients promoting their physical capacity. Further researches are needed to confirm this association as well to identify other possible influences of dog ownership on the cardiovascular health and on the outcome in patients after myocardial infarction.

Defense mechanisms in alcohol dependent patients with oral and oropharinegal cancer.

The effects of psychological factors in alcoholics with malignant tumor of the oral cavity and oropharynx are scarcely explored. The aim of the research was to examine early family relations and investigate differences in the use of defense mechanisms in alcohol dependent patients suffering from malignant tumor of the oral cavity and oropharynx compared to alcohol dependent persons without malignant tumors and healthy controls. The research included 51 alcohol dependent patients treated for malignant tumor of the oral cavity and oropharynx at the University Hospital Center Rijeka from 2005 to 2009. The control groups corresponded to the experimental group in age, sex and education level. The research used a general demographic questionnaire, the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview and the Revised Questionnaire of Life Style and Defense Mechanisms. The research groups showed significant differences in difficult childhood (p < 0.001) including abuse (p = 0.004). The alcohol dependent persons suffering from malignant tumors of the oral cavity and oropharynx significantly less frequently used primitive defense mechanisms of regression (p = 0.004) and displacement (p = 0.013) compared to alcoholics without malignant tumors who significantly more often used neurotic defense mechanisms - compensation (p = 0.005) and intellectualization (p < 0.001). The earliest emotional experiences and quality of family relations affect the development of defense mechanisms. These are the psychological factors in the development of oropharyngeal cancer in alcohol addicts.

Effects of obesity reduction on cardiovascular risk factors: comparison of individual and group treatment--substudy of the Croatian Healthy Weight Loss Programme.

Prevention of obesity may help reduce the morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases. In Croatia, over half of adult population is overweight. Aldo the basic medical principles of healthy weight-loss programmes are well known, it is believed that mainly because of the leak of successful therapeutic approach obesity remains the most challenging changeable cardiovascular risk factor in nowadays clinical practice. Objective of this Croatian Healthy Weight Loss Programme substudy was to determine effects and differences between the intensive group and intensive individual weight-loss program on weight loss and cardiovascular risk factor. A clinical trial included 476 adults whose body mass index (BMI) was > 30 or > 28 accompanied by increased blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol. The study participants completed either a group (n = 243) or individually-based (n = 233) 6-month weight-loss program consisting of education, low-fat diet, pharmacological treatment with orlistat, psychological counselling, and exercise. Body weight, body mass index, blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood cholesterol were measured in all participants after 3 and 6 months. The average weight loss was 12.2 (13%) kg and 7.6 (9%) kg in the group and individual program, respectively. Beside the weight reduction, the levels of blood cholesterol, glucose, and blood pressure were also significantly reduced in comparison with baseline, decreasing to normal values in all participants (P < 0.001 for all). Decrease in the monitored parameters was greater in participants in the group program. The weight loss program provided a healthy loss of extra weight in the period of 6 months. The group program produced greater decrease in body weight, body mass index, blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol than the individual program.

Iron deficiency anaemia influences cognitive functions.

Many diseases, different nutritional, metabolic and hormonal changes, ageing and drugs can alter cognitive functions. Anemia via cerebral hypoxia and other possible mechanisms has been suggested to have a great influence on cognition. Iron deficiency anemia, the most common form of anemia, has been suggested to result in cognitive deterioration and alteration of neurological functions. Previous studies resulted in significant discrepancies considering correlation between anemia and cognitive achievement mainly because different or not sensitive enough tests used to measure cognition. We suggest a significant influence of iron deficiency anemia on dynamic properties and functional features of the central nervous system activity. Cognitive achievement is strongly related to hemoglobin level and could be expected in all patients. Higher hemoglobin level results in better CNS function. As a first step in confirming or refuting our hypotheses we suggest standardization of the method used to measure cognition, such as a very sensitive apparatus like Complex reactiometer Drenovac (CRD).