[Significance of atopic diathesis in atopic diseases prediction].

Introduction: Atopy is a complex disorder characterized by affinity for elevated titre of IgE antibodies against one or more ubiquitous antigens, by the joint respiratory and skin manifestations, that is caused by an individual gene structure. Urticaria is a monomorphous dermatosis meaning a short-lived eruption of urticaria, characterized by circumscript edema of superficial dermis.

Aim: The objective of this study was to establish a participation of atopic genesis in the examined groups, on the basis of the questionnaire results.

Atherosclerotic changes on head and neck blood vessels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of atherosclerotic plaque of head and neck blood vessels and to determine the dynamics of circulation through the brain blood vessels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In 35 patients with SLE aged 37.67+/-9.

Survey of attitudes towards curriculum reforms among medical teachers in different socio-economic and cultural environments.

Background: Curriculum reforms in medical schools require cultural and conceptual changes from the faculty.

Aims And Methods: We assessed attitudes towards curriculum reforms in different academic, economic, and social environments among 776 teachers from 2 Western European medical schools (Belgium and Denmark) and 7 medical schools in 3 countries in post-communist transition (Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina). The survey included a 5-point Likert-type scale on attitudes towards reforms in general and towards reforms of medical curriculum (10 items each).

[Effects of therapy on functional ability of patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

Unlabelled: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a diseases which causes great suffering of patients, and it demands a complex medicamentosus therapy (including diseases modifying antirheumatic drugs DMARD) and physical therapy. Disease often progresses, in spite of therapy and leads to severe functional disability. That is why it is often discussed whether the usage of expensive therapy such as DMARD is justified.

[Valorisation results of home exercises in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

Unlabelled: In order to preserve functional ability of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) one needs to continuously apply exercises which will preserve range of joint motion. There is not enough data in the literature about their real value in the preservation of joint movement of RA patients. The aim of this work was to examine the effects of home exercising on the joint movement duration one year, as well as to determine optimal treatment periods of RA patients in hospital conditions.

A comprehensive assessment of medical schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Objectives: To perform internal and external evaluations of all 5 medical schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina against international standards.

Methods: We carried out a 2-stage survey study using the same 5-point Likert scale for internal and external evaluations of 5 medical schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Banja Luka, Foca/East Sarajevo, Mostar, Sarajevo and Tuzla). Participants consisted of managerial staff, teaching staff and students of medical schools, and external expert assessors.

[Pericarditis and exudative pleuritis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus before and after therapy].

Aim Of The Study: To establish the presence of pericarditis and exudative pleuritis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) prior to and after glicocorticoid and cytotoxic therapy.

Patients And Methods: In 43 patients, 39 women and 4 men, with SLE (disease was diagnosed according to revised American College of Rheumatology ACR criterias, 1997), aged between 20 and 61 and averaged disease duration of 5.54 +/- 5.

[Criteria for work capacity evaluation in rheumatoid arthritis].

The Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes early retirement and great number of working day losses. According to our investigation, retirement of patient in our country comes even earlier then in other countries. Possible causes for that are limited possibilities of application of contemporary therapy, which result in severer clinical course of the diseases as well as of the different criteria of the physicians for evaluation of the working ability.

[Functional ability and parameters of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis].

After the pain, the loss of functional ability is the most important sign of severity of the disease for patient who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our research is based on the correlation between functional disability with other parameters which determine the course of a disease, its activity and the level of its progression. The sample consists of 40 patients with RA, with mean age 56.