Thyroid Cancer Incidence in Bulgaria before and after the Introduction of Universal Salt Iodization: An Analysis of the National Cancer Registry Data.

Background: Thyroid cancer is the most common malignancy of the endocrine system and it has become the fastest growing cancer among women. The suspected risk factors include increased exposure to ionizing radiation during childhood, environmental pollutants, possible iodine deficiency, and excessive iodine exposure.

Aims: To analyze the thyroid cancer incidence between 1980 and 2013 in Bulgaria and to determine the incidence rate before and after the introduction of universal salt iodization in 1994 in regions with different iodine deficiency levels.

Influence of serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies, age and gender on depression as measured by the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale.

Unlabelled: The AIM of the present study was to explore the level of depression in the respondents using the Zung self-rating depression scale (SDS) and find a correlation with the levels of the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and the anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (anti-TPO), the age and gender of the participants.

Patients And Methods: 2401 subjects aged 20-84 yrs were included, 1344 of them female aged 48.7 +/- 14.

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection: prevalence of extrahepatic manifestations and association with cryoglobulinemia in Bulgarian patients.

Aim: To assess the prevalence of extrahepatic manifestations in Bulgarian patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and identify the clinical and biological manifestations associated with cryoglobulinemia.

Methods: The medical records of 136 chronically infected HCV patients were reviewed to assess the prevalence of extrahepatic manifestations. Association between cryoglobulin-positivity and other manifestations were identified using chi2 and Fisher's exact test.

Cancer incidence among Bulgarian medical radiation workers: epidemiological study.

Purpose: To look for the cancer incidence in a cohort of medical radiation workers in relation to work history (year of first employment, duration of occupational exposure, and radiation doses received for the whole period).

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study the cancer incidence among 315 medical workers (radiotherapists, diagnostic radiologists and technical personnel) was compared with that of 320 other medical specialists not having occupational contacts with radiation sources, who worked in hospitals in the territory in Sofia for the period 1960-2000. Data concerning incident cancer occurrence were obtained via a questionnaire.

Psychophysiological assessment of stress and screening of health risk in peacekeeping operations.

Medical surveillance for military personnel participating in peacekeeping missions (PKMs) is required to define the effect of stress on health status. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of stress on the autonomic cardiovascular control and health risk of 72 Bulgarian peacekeepers participating in a PKM in Kosovo. The assessment of psychophysiological stress and determination of stress characteristics were implemented with analysis of heart rate variability and personal interviews.