Browsing by Author "Pekmezovic, T.D. (7003989932)"

Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) usually undergo toxic treatment (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy). They can experience devastating effects of illness and therapies on their psychological and emotional well-being. On the other hand, untreated psychological distress is associated with reduced quality of life and inadequate palliation of physical symptoms. In order to estimate frequency of anxiety and depressive symptoms and influence of demographic, socioeconomic and clinical factors on psychological well-being, we performed this cross-sectional study in group of 100 patients with advanced stage of disease. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) and Hamilton Depression Rating scale (HDRS). Health-related quality of life data are obtained by EORTC QLC C30 and SF 36. Patients with poor performance status (PS) experienced significantly more anxiety and depressive symptoms (p=0.001) and worse emotional (p=0.001) and mental functioning (p=0.001). Treated patients had significantly better mental (p=0.011) and emotional (p=0.001) functioning in compared to newly diagnosed ones. Somewhat unusual, unemployed participants reported significantly less anxiety (p=0.029) and depressive (p=0.002) symptoms, better mental (p=0.030) and emotional functioning (p=0.007). Additionally, nausea and vomiting adversely affected mental health and emotional functioning and correlated significantly positively with HARS and HDRS scores. Our findings suggest significant impact of some disease-related factors (PS, active treatment) and treatment-related factors (chemotherapy - induced nausea and vomiting) on psychological well-being of patients with advanced NSCLC. This should be taking an account when appropriate interventions are planned.

The objective of the present study was to test the different hypotheses about factors related to the occurrence of brain tumors in children and adolescents. The case-control study of brain tumors was conducted in Belgrade (Serbia) from 1998 through 2000. The study group consisted of 60 newly diagnosed brain tumor patients and the same number of hospital controls. In the analysis conditional univariate and multivariate logistic regression were applied. According to the final model of multivariate analysis the following factors were significantly related to brain tumors: schooling of father < 14 years (OR = 11.05, 95% CI 2.41-50.63, P = 0.002), mothers - housewives or workers versus clerks (OR = 2.62, 95% CI 1.06-6.57, P = 0.036), number of brothers and sisters greater than one (OR = 3.02, 95% CI 1.50-7.22, P = 0.001), and more frequent presence of malignant diseases, including brain tumors, in family history (OR = 3.54, 95% CI 1.30-9.60, P = 0.001). This case-control study was made to investigate different factors of possible importance for brain tumors in children and adolescents. Lower family social status, and more frequent occurrence of malignant tumors amongst relatives seem to be the factors that contribute the most to the higher risk of brain tumors. © 2005 EFNS.

The objective of the present study was to test the different hypotheses about factors related to the occurrence of brain tumors in children and adolescents. The case-control study of brain tumors was conducted in Belgrade (Serbia) from 1998 through 2000. The study group consisted of 60 newly diagnosed brain tumor patients and the same number of hospital controls. In the analysis conditional univariate and multivariate logistic regression were applied. According to the final model of multivariate analysis the following factors were significantly related to brain tumors: schooling of father < 14 years (OR = 11.05, 95% CI 2.41-50.63, P = 0.002), mothers - housewives or workers versus clerks (OR = 2.62, 95% CI 1.06-6.57, P = 0.036), number of brothers and sisters greater than one (OR = 3.02, 95% CI 1.50-7.22, P = 0.001), and more frequent presence of malignant diseases, including brain tumors, in family history (OR = 3.54, 95% CI 1.30-9.60, P = 0.001). This case-control study was made to investigate different factors of possible importance for brain tumors in children and adolescents. Lower family social status, and more frequent occurrence of malignant tumors amongst relatives seem to be the factors that contribute the most to the higher risk of brain tumors. © 2005 EFNS.