Unintentional Opioid Overdoses Treated at University Clinic of Toxicology-Skopje in a Nine-Year-Period.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiological profile of unintentional opioid overdoses, the prevalence and number of psychotropic substances involved in opioid overdoses. METHODS: This was a descriptive study, in which 180 participants were enrolled, and covered a nine-years-period. For collecting data was used the National patient electronic system "My term". The variables as gender, age, duration of opioid dependence, number of overdoses, type of substance, number of antidote ampoules, duration of hospitalization were analyzed. Severity of poisoning was made by using the Poison severity score. RESULTS: Opioid overdose cases were significantly higher among males than females. Mean age with standard deviation (SD) was 32.23 ± 6.71 years. Mean years (±SD) of duration of opioid use disorder was 11.60 ± 5.89 years. The most commonly used primary substance was methadone in 68.89% and heroin in 31.11% cases. Twenty patients were treated with mechanical ventilation because of the severe respiratory depression. Poison severity score was moderate in 51.11%, severe in 45.56% and fatal in 3.33% of the cases. CONCLUSION: Most of the cases, predominantly males used one or two substances. The combination of methadone and benzodiazepine was most frequently used and the most common way was by injecting the abused substances. In most of the subjects PSS score was moderate and severe with no differences between genders.

The Connection between the Endometrial Thickness and the Risk of Endometrial Malignancy in Postmenopausal Women.

BACKGROUND: Postmenopausis is a period that starts one year after the last menstruation. Late menopause, after 70 years, is called senile. AIM: To examine the correlation between endometrial thickness and the risk of endometrial malignancy in postmenopausal. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective clinical study involving 120 postmenopausal patients treated at the University Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics - Skopje, divided into two groups: control and examination. The control group included 40 postmenopausal patients, hospitalised and operated due to urogenital pathology. The examined group consisted of 80 patients divided into three subgroups according to the ultrasound verified thickness of the endometrium: from 5-8 mm; > 8-11 mm and above 11 mm. A detailed history and intervention were taken in the patients from both groups, and the material was sent for histopathological analysis to determine eventual malignancy. RESULTS: The probability of endometrial malignancy significantly increased by 1.012 times in the group with a thickness of the endometrium from 5-8 mm, 1.769 times in the endometrial thickness group > 8-11 mm and 4.737-fold in the group over 11 mm compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: In postmenopausal patients, the likelihood of endometrial cancer significantly increases with the thickness of the endometrium.

Use of Medicines from the Group of Benzodiazepines in the Period of 2003-2013 Year in the Republic of Macedonia.

AIM: The aim of this study was to analyze the use of benzodiazepines in the period of 2003-2013 year in the Republic of Macedonia (MKD). METHOD: The study was cross sectional and analyzes the available data on the use of benzodiazepines in the country. This study used several sources of data: Statistical Reports of the United Nations regarding the consumption of psychotropic substances; data from the Ministry of Health associated with the use of benzodiazepines (BZD), derived from reports of Ministry of Health stakeholders; Data extracted from the database of the Ministry of Health in the electronic database "My term" and Analysis of reports of Health Insurance Fund. RESULTS: The analysis for the period 2003-2013 showed that the most consumed drug in MKD from the group of BZD is Diazepam, with 54.8 and predominantly is use of diazepam of 5 mg with 59 %. According to the Health Insurance Fund, Diazepam is second most prescribed medicaments of all medicaments with marketing authorization in MKD. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis shows that the use of BZD in MKD is particularly high. Limited number of studies was performed for this kind of drugs relating to their effects; differences in use between genders; adult population. There is need for additional focused research that will contribute to developing a full picture of the situation.