Alcohol use among Croatian adolescents: the alignment of 13-year-old and 15-year-old girls with boys, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aim: To determine age and gender patterns of alcohol use among Croatian pupils and assess whether alcohol use was associated with factors related to school, peers, family, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Data were collected from the 2022 Health Behavior in School-aged Children cross-sectional study conducted in Croatia involving 5338 pupils. Pearson χ2 test and multivariate logistic regression were performed.

Navigating the shadows: medical professionals' values and perspectives on end-of-life care within pediatric intensive care units in Croatia.

Background And Aim: This study explores healthcare professionals' perspectives on end-of-life care in pediatric intensive care units (ICUs) in Croatia, aiming to illuminate their experiences with such practices, underlying attitudes, and major decision-making considerations. Amid the high variability, complexity, and emotional intensity of pediatric end-of-life decisions and practices, understanding these perspectives is crucial for improving care and policies.

Methods: The study utilized a cross-sectional survey intended for physicians and nurses across all pediatric ICUs in Croatia.

Experiences and attitudes of medical professionals on treatment of end-of-life patients in intensive care units in the Republic of Croatia: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Decisions about limitations of life sustaining treatments (LST) are made for end-of-life patients in intensive care units (ICUs). The aim of this research was to explore the professional and ethical attitudes and experiences of medical professionals on treatment of end-of-life patients in ICUs in the Republic of Croatia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among physicians and nurses working in surgical, medical, neurological, and multidisciplinary ICUs in the total of 9 hospitals throughout Croatia using a questionnaire with closed and open type questions.

Nutrition education in medical schools (NEMS) project: Joining ESPEN and university point of view.

Background & Aims: Nutrition education is not well represented in the medical curriculum. The aim of this original paper was to describe the Nutrition Education in Medical Schools (NEMS) Project of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN).

Methods: On 19 January 2020, a meeting was held on this topic that was attended by 51 delegates (27 council members) from 34 countries, and 13 European University representatives.

The importance of introducing artificial intelligence to the medical curriculum - assessing practitioners' perspectives.

Aim: To assess the attitude about the importance of introducing education on artificial intelligence (AI) in medical schools' curricula among physicians whose everyday job is significantly impacted by AI.

Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was distributed at the national level in Croatia among radiologists and radiology residents practicing in primary, secondary, and tertiary health care institutions, both in the private and the public sectors. The overall response rate was 45% (144 of 321).

Follicular fluid vascular endothelial growth factor is associated with type of infertility and interferon alpha correlates with endometrial thickness in natural cycle in vitro fertilization.

The aim of this study was to analyse the presence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interferon alpha (IFN-α) in the follicular fluid (FF) and their possible influence, as pro-angiogenic or anti-angiogenic factors, on in vitro fertilization outcome. The concentrations of VEGF and IFN-α were correlated with oocyte and embryo quality, concentrations of hormones in the serum, perifollicular blood flow and endometrial thickness. VEGF was detected in all FF samples (median 706.

General dentists' awareness of how to cope with medical emergencies in paediatric dental patients.

Background: General dentists (GDs) should be aware of the symptoms, signs, diagnoses and treatment of medical emergencies in paediatric patients.

Aim: To evaluate the knowledge of GDs in coping with medical emergencies, and to identify whether they are confident to diagnose and treat medical emergencies in paediatric patients.

Design: The questionnaire was conducted immediately before the beginning of national dental meetings and continuing education seminars in Croatia, attended by the GDs, in order to obtain a representative sample.

Trends in general practitioners/family doctors workload in Croatia in period 1995-2012.

This research aimed to present public data describing the Croatian family doctors (FDs) workload, presented as the average number of patients on the lists, and annual and daily number of consultations per one FD team during the period 1995-2012. Croatian Health Service Yearbook for consecutive years was used as basis for data collection. Impressive increase number of persons on FD lists and significant increase of rate of persons per FD team were observed.

Croatian dentists' knowledge, experience, and attitudes in regard to child abuse and neglect.

Background: Child abuse and neglect (CAN) is a widespread social phenomenon encompassing all forms of maltreatment with serious lifelong consequences. Dentists and dental team members are in the unique position to identify the symptoms of CAN often visible in craniofacial region.

Aim: To evaluate Croatian dentists' level of knowledge, experience, and attitude towards CAN issue.

Anterior versus posterior approach in 3D correction of adolescent idiopathic thoracic scoliosis: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: Systematic review was conducted to compare effectiveness and safety of anterior and posterior surgical approach in 3D correction of adolescent idiopathic thoracic scoliosis.

Methods: Data sources were MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases. We included studies on the use of either anterior or posterior instrumentation, or their combination, in surgical correction of adolescent idiopathic thoracic scoliosis, with at least 10 enrolled patients, aged less than 20 years at the time of surgery, and a follow-up of at least 24 months.

Ductal plate malformation in patients with biliary atresia.

Unlabelled: The presence of ductal plate malformation (DPM+) on liver histology in children with biliary atresia (BA) is a marker of early intrauterine disease onset and an indication of an unfavorable prognosis. We studied the prognostic value of DPM in infants with BA after hepatoportoenterostomy (HPE). We reviewed 28 BA patients who underwent HPE in a single medical center.

Serum apoptosis markers in HIV-infected patients with human herpesvirus type 8 and herpes simplex virus type 2 co-infection.

This study aimed to examine the influence of human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) co-infections on apoptosis serum markers in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. Sera from 110 HIV-infected and 59 HIV-uninfected individuals were analyzed for soluble Fas (sFas), sFas ligand (sFasL), caspase-8, and Bcl-2. The findings of HIV-infected patients with no co-infection (n = 37), HIV-infected patients with HHV-8 co-infection (n = 22), HIV-infected patients with HSV-2 co-infection (n = 51), and patients with HSV-2 co-infection and no HIV infection (n = 20) were compared to controls (reference group) with no HIV, HSV-2, and HHV-8 co-infections (n = 39).

Regional differences in incidence and clinical presentation of type 1 diabetes in children aged under 15 years in Croatia.

Aim: To determine regional differences in the incidence, incidence trends, and clinical presentation of type 1 diabetes in children under the age of 15 years in Croatia in a 9-year period (1995-2003).

Methods: We included the patients who had been diagnosed with the disease and had started the insulin treatment before they were 15 years old. Regional differences between eastern, central, and southern Croatia were observed.

Dream recall after night awakenings from tonic/phasic REM sleep.

Eleven healthy subjects, 9 females and 2 males aged 21-23, were submitted to all night polygraphic recording and awaken in REM (Rapid Eye Movements) sleep, randomly upon tonic or phasic REM. Immediately upon awakening subjects were asked about possible dreaming according to the standardized questionnaire. Seventy-seven dreams, i.

Incidence and trends of childhood Type 1 diabetes in Croatia from 1995 to 2003.

Aims/hypothesis: The aim of this study was to examine incidence and trends of Type 1 diabetes in children aged 0-14 years in Croatia from 1995 to 2003.

Methods: The incidence data were obtained from two sources. The incidence was calculated as the number of newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetes patients per 100,000 person-years for the age group 0-14 years, and subgroups 0-4, 5-9, and 10-14 years.

Physicians' strike and general mortality: Croatia's experience of 2003.

The aim of the study was to establish whether the physicians' strike, which took place in Croatia in 2003, had an impact on the mortality of the population. Mortality data from the National Bureau of Statistics relating to the strike period (15 January - 14 February 2003) were selected and compared with the previous and subsequent periods of the same duration in 2001, 2002 and 2004. Of the 52,575 deaths in 2003, Croatia recorded 4,682 (8.

[Osteoporosis prevalence in Croatian males--the results of calcaneus ultrasound].

The aim of the study was to establish the normative QUS data in a healthy sample of Croatian males and estimate the prevalence of osteoporosis. A total of 1002 male participants, aged 20-99, were recruited in seven study centers (Zagreb, Ivanić-grad, Koprivnica, Sibenik, Pula, Slavonski Brod, Vukovar). In each subject broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), speed of sound (SOS) and quantitative ultrasound index (QUI) of the calcaneus were measured using the Sahara ultrasound device.

Respiratory findings in art and medical students. Effects of the art environment.

Background: Art students are exposed to many noxious agents during their training, in contrast to medical students, who are not exposed to known environmental pollutants.

Objectives: In order to investigate the potential effects of toxic agents in the art students' environment, we studied respiratory findings in a cohort of 117 art students and 128 medical students, matched for age, sex and smoking.

Methods: Acute and chronic respiratory symptoms were evaluated by modifying the British Medical Research Council questionnaire.