Adolescent Pregnancy Outcomes and Risk Factors.

One of the major social and public health problems in the world is adolescent pregnancy. Adolescent pregnancy is strongly associated to less favorable results for both the mother and the newborn. We conducted this research to ascertain the impact of teenage age on neonatal outcomes and also observed the lifestyles of pregnant teenage girls.

Generational differences in selected aspects of social situation and health status of foreigners living in the Czech Republic.

Objectives: Demographic differentiation caused by the history of migration in the Czech and Slovak Republics led the authors of this article to analyse generational differences in the groups of foreigners living in the Czech Republic (CR) and the impact of generational differences on selected aspects of their social situation and perceived health. The crucial research question was whether and to what degree do different generations of foreigners vary from each other and what impact this has had on their social situation and health determinants.

Methods: The main goal was to examine mutual relationships between selected characteristics of social situation and health determinants in various groups of foreigners living in the CR.

Potential differences in occurrence of preterm births according to quality of relationship between mothers and fathers of the children.

Objectives: Premature birth is a serious pregnancy complication that is affected by many biological as well as psychosocial factors. Several studies have shown that a mother's positive relationship with her child's father reduces the mother's stress, anxiety and depression during pregnancy, promotes a healthier mother's lifestyle and thus has a positive effect on pregnancy as such. This research was therefore aimed at identifying possible differences in the incidence of premature births in mothers depending on the quality of the relationship with the father of their child.

Risk factors associated with low birth weight.

Objectives: Low birth weight (LBW) is one of the major factors affecting child morbidity and mortality worldwide. Every day, approximately 800 women die from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth worldwide. Maternal ill health increases the risk of LBW.

Influence of maternal smoking during pregnancy on birth outcomes.

Objectives: Smoking during pregnancy is causally associated with reduced birth weight and is strongly related to preterm birth. This study analyses the differences in birth outcomes between non-smokers and women who continued to smoke during pregnancy.

Methods: We conducted a study of 1,359 mothers who gave birth in 2017-2019 at the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Louis Pasteur University Hospital in Košice.

Genetically modified rodent models and celiac, non-celiac gluten sensitivity: a minireview.

Celiac disease (CD) is a disorder that affects both children and adults. Over the few last decades, several new atypical cases have been identified through improved diagnostic tools. On the other hand, the onset of CD at a later age, including atypical CD forms whose clinical picture overlaps with other autoimmune diseases, shows that currently there are several unknown gene mutations, which could be responsible for the disease development.

Seroprevalence of Borrelia IgG antibodies among individuals from Eastern Slovakia.

Objectives: Lyme borreliosis is a tick-borne disease of increasing incidence and public concern. Our cross-sectional study was aimed at evaluating seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in a group of respondents from Eastern Slovakia.

Methods: In total, 515 blood samples collected in 2013-2016 were analysed with NovaLisaTM, NovaTec - Borrelia IgG/IgM kit (Immunodiagnostica, Dietzenbach, Germany).

Seroprevalence of Lyme disease in Eastern Slovakia.

Objective: Lyme disease (LD) is chronic, multi-system zoonosis transmitted by ticks, and LD aetiological agents are spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. The aim of the cross-sectional study was to analyze the LD incidence on the basis of the presence of specific antibodies in the serum of patients in Eastern Slovakia, and to compare the results of serological ELISA and immunoblot assays.

Methods: Venous blood with questionnaires was obtained by field sampling of respondents from Eastern Slovakia.

Association of seroprevalence and risk factors in Lyme disease.

Objective: The aim of the presented cross-sectional seroepidemiological study was to determine the current presence of antibodies against B. burgdorferi s.l.

Serostatus and risk factors of tick-borne encephalitis.

Objective: The aim of this seroepidemiological study was to determine the current prevalence of antibodies against tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in the representative group of Slovak population with included potential risk factors for TBEV.

Methods: Representative group consisted of 428 persons (also with possible exposure to risk factors for tick bite or raw milk consumption). Serum samples were screened by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

West Nile virus - a new infection in the Slovak Republic?

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of West Nile virus (WNV) among the variable population of Eastern Slovakia.

Methods: A serologic survey was conducted using 464 serum samples. The basic demographic, epidemiologic and clinical information was obtained for each serum sample at the time of specimen collection.

Risk factors of preterm birth and low birth weight neonates among Roma and non-Roma mothers.

Objective: This study analyses the differences in birth outcomes between Roma and non-Roma mothers and investigates the potential causes of such differences.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1,989 non-Roma and 799 Roma mothers who gave birth in 2014 and 2015 at the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Clinic of Louis Pasteur University Hospital in Košice. Data on mothers and new-born infants have been obtained from the birth book and from the reports on mothers at childbirth.

Compliance with gluten-free diet in a selected group of celiac children in the Slovak Republic.

Objective: Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic long-term disease with autoimmune disorder connected to an allergic reaction to the molecule of gluten. CD is manifested in persons who are genetically predisposed. The only therapy for CD is a strong gluten-free (GF) diet.

Prevalence of lifestyle and cardiovascular risk factors in a group of medical students.

Objective: The aim of the cross-sectional study was to evaluate cardiovascular risk factors in the group of medical students with gender, overweight and obesity categorisation.

Methods: Cross-sectional study included 364 medical students, 207 females and 157 males. We investigated anthropometric parameters, BMI, body fat percentage, WHR (waist-hip ratio), TCH (total cholesterol) and LDL-CH (LDL-cholesterol), SBP and DBP (systolic and diastolic blood pressure).

Anthropometric predictors of systolic and diastolic blood pressure considering intersexual differences in a group of selected schoolchildren.

Objectives: Although the association between anthropometric parameters and blood pressure has been established for adults, the relationship for children has not been thoroughly studied in Slovakia. Present study investigates the association between anthropometric parameters and systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the group of randomly selected schoolchildren.

Methods: Examinations were conducted as a cross-sectional study with 760 schoolchildren from Eastern Slovakia, 381 boys and 379 girls.

Prevalence and Trends of Metabolic Syndrome in Slovakia during the Period of 2003-2012.

Objective: Metabolic syndrome is a combination of clinical risk factors for cardiovascular disease as well as for diabetes. Metabolic syndrome arises from insulin resistance accompanied with abnormal adipose deposition. The aim of our cross-sectional time trends study was to characterize the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its five risk determinants among the clients of Health Advice Centres of Regional Public Health Authorities in Slovakia.