Predicting depression with temperament and character in lung cancer patients.

Depression is highly prevalent in cancer patients. Variations in intensity and frequency of depression in cancer patients may be attributed, in part, to differences in personality dimensions. Our aim was to asses if dimensions of temperament and character could predict depression in lung cancer patients. Ninety newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer patients were assessed in the oncology unit with the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), pain subscale of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ) C30 and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Fifty out of 90 patients (55.6%) fulfilled the cut-off criteria for depression on the CES-D scale. Logistic regression performed to assess if depression was predicted by personality dimensions, revealed dimension of temperament Harm Avoidance and pain as significant predictors of depression. Depressive reactions are highly prevalent in lung cancer patients and related to patients' personality. These findings may be helpful in planning preventive, as well as psychoeducational and treatment programmes for newly diagnosed, and depression prone patients.

Protective effect of neonatal BCG vaccines against tuberculous meningitis.

Neonatal BCG vaccination reduces the risk of tuberculosis and provides protection higher than 80% against the development of meningeal and miliary tuberculosis in newborns. Tuberculosis meningitis remains a major problem and also an important cause of death in some countries. In countries with high and moderate incidence of tuberculosis, prevention from the most severe complications of tuberculosis can be achieved only with a high coverage of the universal BCG neonatal immunization, being higher than 98% in the cohort of newborns. The decrease in BCG immunization coverage within immunization program during the year 2003 in Bosnia and Herzegovina influenced the increase in tuberculous meningitis. During 2002, when coverage with BCG vaccination in cohort of newborns was 90%, the incidence rate of tuberculous meningitis was 19. 04%oo. With the 68% decrease in BCG immunization coverage in the cohort of newborns in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the year 2003, the incidence of tuberculous meningitis raised to 33 33%oo. It has been proven that the 22% decrease of the neonatal BCG immunization coverage in the cohort of newborns /vaccination program of children/ caused 175 times higher number of the tuberculous meningitis cases. Newborns affected by the tuberculous meningitis were not BCG vaccinated. BCG vaccine provided effective protection against tuberculous meningitis, as well against the death of newborns caused by tuberculosis.

[Clinico-epidemiologic aspects of pulmonary echinococcosis in western Herzegovina from 1969 to 1998]. / Klinicko-epidemioloski aspekti ehinokokoze pluca u zapadnoj Hercegovini od 1969. do 1998. godine.

This research has included 111 pulmonary echinococcosis patients in the billy-mountainous, more cattle raising region of Western Herzegovina. Since 1969, the prevalence of pulmonary echinococcosis, which was 27 (0.15%) at the time, has had a slow declining tendency after the application of various epidemiological-preventive measures synchronized by the veterinarian and the medical services. It was not until 1998 the prevalence result fell down to 1 (0.01%). This study describes the therapy approach of surgery results with 82 patients who were operated on, as well as the prognosis of 29 other echinococcosis patients who rejected surgery but were regularly checked up. Apart form the progress in healing this disease, which is still found and presents a problem in the Mediterranean part of Herzegovina, because of its frequency and the difficulty in diagnostics; and particularly because of possible complications of this zoonosis. The possibility and the way of the albendazolom drug treatment have also been described here.

Cytologic changes of the respiratory tract in vineyard spraying workers.

A cytologic investigation of sputum samples, obtained from rural workers engaged for years in spraying of vines, was performed in comparison to that of inhabitants of the same environment who were not vineyard workers. The subjects were grouped according to their smoking habits. Sputum specimens were conventionally stained with hematoxylin and eosin and were also tested for copper by rubeanic acid. Macrophages containing copper-granules in the cytoplasm were found in 64% of the workers engaged in vine spraying, compared to none in the control group. Sputum specimens were evaluated in respect of eosinophils, respiratory spirals, respiratory cell atypia and squamous metaplasia. In both groups abnormal findings were more frequent in smokers than in nonsmokers. Atypical squamous metaplasia was observed in 29% of smokers who were vineyard workers.

The relationships between the asthma and weather.

In this study there has been investigated the effect of climatic factors on the occurrence of the bronchial asthma. The study was performed among 129 patients aged 5-67 years in the region of west Herzegovina (Bosnia and Herzegovina) with mild climate. The attacks of the asthma were checked on each individual patient by questionnaire as well as by reporting at polyclinical's investigation in several centres according to the months (year when attack polyclinic occur). From meteorological services there were obtained the monthly values of temperature, relative humidity of air and the number of hours of sunshine per month. The highest number of the asthmatic attacks were during the period from XI-I month of highest humidity and the lowest temperature. In this period individuals over 35 years were ill more frequently while younger than 34 have more asthmatic attacks during the period III-V months. The coefficient of multiple correlation R express connection among the asthmatic attacks with each meteorological factors. The coefficient was high R = 0.494 which means that in 90% of cases of the attacks of the asthma bronchial the climatic factors have also participated.