Browsing by Author "Vlajinac, Hristina (7006581450)"

Aims and background. The aim of the present study was to examine if certain aspects of a woman's experience of abortion might be associated with the risk of breast cancer. Methods and study design. The case-control study was conducted in Kragujevac (Serbia) during the period 2004-2005. The case group (191 women) consisted of patients with newly diagnosed first primary breast cancer, which was histologically confirmed. The control group (191 women), individually matched by age (± 2 years), hospital admittance and place of residence (rural/urban) to the respective cases, was selected from female patients admitted for other diseases. The analysis was restricted to parous women (168 cases and 171 controls). Results. Breast cancer risk was reduced among women who had a history of any abortion (adjusted OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.24-0.88). The protective effect was found for both induced abortion (adjusted OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.25-0.90) and spontaneous abortion (adjusted OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.10-0.98). It seems that these associations did not depend on the number of abortions, age at first abortion, or gestational age at first aborted pregnancy. Conclusions. Our study suggests that even short pregnancies ending in abortion add to the protection against breast cancer.

Aims and background. The aim of the present study was to examine if certain aspects of a woman's experience of abortion might be associated with the risk of breast cancer. Methods and study design. The case-control study was conducted in Kragujevac (Serbia) during the period 2004-2005. The case group (191 women) consisted of patients with newly diagnosed first primary breast cancer, which was histologically confirmed. The control group (191 women), individually matched by age (± 2 years), hospital admittance and place of residence (rural/urban) to the respective cases, was selected from female patients admitted for other diseases. The analysis was restricted to parous women (168 cases and 171 controls). Results. Breast cancer risk was reduced among women who had a history of any abortion (adjusted OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.24-0.88). The protective effect was found for both induced abortion (adjusted OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.25-0.90) and spontaneous abortion (adjusted OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.10-0.98). It seems that these associations did not depend on the number of abortions, age at first abortion, or gestational age at first aborted pregnancy. Conclusions. Our study suggests that even short pregnancies ending in abortion add to the protection against breast cancer.

The aim of this study was to compare demographic, clinical and biochemical characteristics, including inflammatory markers, according to the nutritional status of patients with verified atherosclerotic disease. This cross-sectional study involved 1045 consecutive patients with verified carotid disease or peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Anthropometric parameters and data on cardiovascular risk factors and therapy for hypertension and hyperlipidemia were collected for all participants. Carotid disease was positively and PAD was negatively associated with body mass index (BMI). Negative association between obesity and PAD was significant only in former smokers, not in current smokers or in patients who never smoked. Overweight and general obesity were significantly related to metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001), lower values of high - density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.001), increased triglycerides (p < 0.001), hyperglycemia (p < 0.001), self-reported diabetes (p < 0.001), hypertension (p < 0.001), high serum uric acid (p < 0.001), increased high sensitivity C-reactive protein (p = 0.020) and former smoking (p = 0.005) after adjustment for age, gender and type of disease. Antihypertensive therapy seems to be less effective in patients who are overweight and obese. In conclusion, overweight and general obesity were significantly related to several cardiovascular risk factors. © 2019 Society of Medical Biochemists of Serbia and Montenegro.

The aim of this study was to compare demographic, clinical and biochemical characteristics, including inflammatory markers, according to the nutritional status of patients with verified atherosclerotic disease. This cross-sectional study involved 1045 consecutive patients with verified carotid disease or peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Anthropometric parameters and data on cardiovascular risk factors and therapy for hypertension and hyperlipidemia were collected for all participants. Carotid disease was positively and PAD was negatively associated with body mass index (BMI). Negative association between obesity and PAD was significant only in former smokers, not in current smokers or in patients who never smoked. Overweight and general obesity were significantly related to metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001), lower values of high - density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.001), increased triglycerides (p < 0.001), hyperglycemia (p < 0.001), self-reported diabetes (p < 0.001), hypertension (p < 0.001), high serum uric acid (p < 0.001), increased high sensitivity C-reactive protein (p = 0.020) and former smoking (p = 0.005) after adjustment for age, gender and type of disease. Antihypertensive therapy seems to be less effective in patients who are overweight and obese. In conclusion, overweight and general obesity were significantly related to several cardiovascular risk factors. © 2019 Society of Medical Biochemists of Serbia and Montenegro.

A case-control study was performed in order to assess risk factors for repeated sexually transmitted diseases. The study comprised 101 patients who had had sexually transmitted diseases 3 or more times during their lives and 182 controls who had no history of sexually transmitted disease. The subjects all attended the City Department for Skin and Venereal Diseases in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, from June 1997 to April 1998. According to multivariate logistic regression analysis, sexually transmitted diseases repeaters, in comparison with the controls, were older, more frequently divorced and widowed and without a regular partner, had more sexual partners and more sexual intercourse, and had more frequent sexual contact with people on the same day as meeting them. They also consumed alcohol, used sedatives and were prosecuted for criminal offences more frequently than the controls. The results of this study support the hypothesis that sexually transmitted diseases repeaters are different from their controls in terms of their behavioural and social characteristics.

A cohort study was conducted to examine the association of an increased body mass index (BMI) with late adverse outcomes after a carotid endarterectomy (CEA). It comprised 1597 CEAs, performed in 1533 patients at the Vascular Surgery Clinic in Belgrade, from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2017. The follow-up lasted four years after CEA. Data for late myocardial infarction and stroke were available for 1223 CEAs, data for death for 1305 CEAs, and data for restenosis for 1162 CEAs. Logistic and Cox regressions were used in the analysis. The CEAs in patients who were overweight and obese were separately compared with the CEAs in patients with a normal weight. Out of 1223 CEAs, 413 (33.8%) were performed in patients with a normal weight, 583 (47.7%) in patients who were overweight, and 220 (18.0%) in patients who were obese. According to the logistic regression analysis, the compared groups did not significantly differ in the frequency of myocardial infarction, stroke, and death, as late major adverse outcomes (MAOs), or in the frequency of restenosis. According to the Cox and logistic regression analyses, BMI was neither a predictor for late MAOs, analyzed separately or all together, nor for restenosis. In conclusion, being overweight and being obese were not related to the occurrence of late adverse outcomes after a carotid endarterectomy. © 2023 by the authors.

A cohort study was conducted to examine the association of an increased body mass index (BMI) with late adverse outcomes after a carotid endarterectomy (CEA). It comprised 1597 CEAs, performed in 1533 patients at the Vascular Surgery Clinic in Belgrade, from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2017. The follow-up lasted four years after CEA. Data for late myocardial infarction and stroke were available for 1223 CEAs, data for death for 1305 CEAs, and data for restenosis for 1162 CEAs. Logistic and Cox regressions were used in the analysis. The CEAs in patients who were overweight and obese were separately compared with the CEAs in patients with a normal weight. Out of 1223 CEAs, 413 (33.8%) were performed in patients with a normal weight, 583 (47.7%) in patients who were overweight, and 220 (18.0%) in patients who were obese. According to the logistic regression analysis, the compared groups did not significantly differ in the frequency of myocardial infarction, stroke, and death, as late major adverse outcomes (MAOs), or in the frequency of restenosis. According to the Cox and logistic regression analyses, BMI was neither a predictor for late MAOs, analyzed separately or all together, nor for restenosis. In conclusion, being overweight and being obese were not related to the occurrence of late adverse outcomes after a carotid endarterectomy. © 2023 by the authors.

Aim: To provide a comprehensive assessment of burden of selected cancers in Serbia. Method: We calculated disability adjusted life years (DALY) - the sum of the years of life lost (YLL) from premature mortality and the years lived with disability (YLD) - for cancers of stomach, colon and rectum, lung, breast, and cervical cancer for central Serbia and Vojvodina, Serbia and Montenegro. The obtained values were compared with the corresponding values for European region as estimated by the World Health Organization. The study was conducted between October 2002 and September 2003. The cancer burden was estimated for the year 2000. Results: Observed cancers were responsible for 133 689 DALYs (73 197 for men and 60 482 for women). There were significantly more losses because of premature death than disease disability (95.2% vs 4.8% in men P<0.001, and 93.2% vs 6.8% in females, P<0.001). The cancer burden was dominated by lung cancer in men and breast cancer in women. The cancer burden was very small before the age of 35. Conclusion: DALYs per 1000 population were higher in Serbia than in the European region for all observed cancers except for stomach cancer. The participation of a burden caused by disability in the total burden of selected cancers was lower in Serbia than in other European countries, with the greatest differences in colorectal, breast, and cervical cancers.

To provide estimates of cardiovascular disease burden to guide future health strategies and interventions and enable improvements in health and performance of the health care system to be monitored. A descriptive study. The study was performed in Serbia without Kosovo and Metohia for the year 2000. Disability-adjusted life years (DALY) was used to provide a comprehensive assessment of premature mortality (years of life lost; YLL) and disability attributable (years lived with disability; YLD) to ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and cerebrovascular diseases, and to estimate the attributable and avoidable burden of these diseases caused by smoking, hypertension, overweight/obesity, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption and an inadequate consumption of fruit and vegetables. IHD was responsible for 150 889 DALY (16.28/1000 population), and cerebrovascular diseases were responsible for 136 090 DALY (14.49/1000 population). There were considerably more YLL for both IHD and stroke than YLD. For both diseases DALY rates increased with ageing in men and women. The risk factors most responsible for IHD and stroke burden were smoking, physical inactivity, hypertension and overweight/obesity. Sex and age differences were present in the burden attributable to various risk factors. Despite limitations the DALY estimates represent a useful measure of the size of the health problem. The DALY and related estimates for cardiovascular disease can be used as a guide for the prevention of IHD and stroke as well as the evaluation of future health gains by reducing population exposure to lifestyle and related risk factors. © 2006, European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.

The objective of this study is to estimate the burden of tuberculosis (TB) in Serbia in the period 1992-2002 based on incidence, mortality, and disability adjusted life years (DALY). The average age-adjusted TB incidence rate in the period 1992-2002 was 36.7/100,000 in males and 21.4/100,000 in females. During the period observed, TB incidence levelled of after a long period of decreasing trend during the preceding several decades. The incidence showed slightly increasing tendency in males and decreasing one in females. The average age-adjusted mortality rate was 4.1/100,000 in males and 1.3/100,000 in females. Mortality rates significantly decreased in both males (P = .0001) and females (P = .0001). The burden of TB (DALY) was 0.70/1000 for males and 0.26/1000 for females. DALY rates significantly decreased in both males (P = .009) and females (P = .008). TB incidence and mortality as well as DALY rates increased with aging. © 2006 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.

AIM: To analyze cancer mortality trends in men in Central Serbia during 1985-2006 period. METHODS: Mortality rates and trends for the most frequent cancers in men (lung, stomach, colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancer) were calculated. Mortality rates for all cancers were adjusted by direct standardization. Percentage changes of the rates were calculated as the percentage difference between the rates of two successive years and then as a mean of these changes for the entire observed period. Trend lines were estimated using linear regression. RESULTS: Total cancer mortality in men increased, with mean percentage of annual changes being 1.53% (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.09-3.16). Lung, stomach, colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancers represented 58.1% and 61.6% of total cancer deaths in 1985 and 2006, respectively. Increasing trends were observed for all investigated cancers: mean annual percentage change for lung cancer was 2.31%(95% CI, 1.03-3.59), for colorectal cancer 2.23% (95% CI, -0.18-4.65), for prostate cancer 3.06% (95% CI, -2.07-8.18), and for pancreatic cancer 1.58% (95% CI, -2.17-5.32). Stomach cancer mortality significantly decreased in age groups 40-49 and 50-59 years. CONCLUSION: The most frequent cancers in men in Central Serbia, i.e., lung, colorectal, prostate, and pancreatic cancer, showed an increasing trend. Only stomach cancer mortality decreased over time.

Aims and background: The aim of the present study was to test some hypothetical risk factors for anaplastic thyroid cancer. Study design: A case-control study comprised 110 patients with histologically or cytologically verified anaplastic thyroid cancer and 110 hospital controls individually matched with cases by sex, age, place of residence and time of hospitalization. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used for data analysis. Results: According to the conditional logistic regression analysis, the following factors were significantly and independently related to anaplastic thyroid cancer: history of goiter or thyroid nodules (odds ratio, OR, 37.55; 95% confidence interval, CI, 4.86-290.11), history of residence in endemic goiter area (OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.05-6.22), history of previous malignant non-thyroid tumor (OR, 5.51; 95% CI, 1.04-29.25), diabetes mellitus (OR, 4.06; 95% CI, 1.29-12.81) and low educational level (OR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.17-5.06). Conclusions: The results are in line with the current knowledge on factors related to thyroid cancer, except for the association between thyroid cancer and diabetes mellitus, which as far as we know has not yet been reported.

Aims and background: The aim of the present study was to test some hypothetical risk factors for anaplastic thyroid cancer. Study design: A case-control study comprised 110 patients with histologically or cytologically verified anaplastic thyroid cancer and 110 hospital controls individually matched with cases by sex, age, place of residence and time of hospitalization. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used for data analysis. Results: According to the conditional logistic regression analysis, the following factors were significantly and independently related to anaplastic thyroid cancer: history of goiter or thyroid nodules (odds ratio, OR, 37.55; 95% confidence interval, CI, 4.86-290.11), history of residence in endemic goiter area (OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.05-6.22), history of previous malignant non-thyroid tumor (OR, 5.51; 95% CI, 1.04-29.25), diabetes mellitus (OR, 4.06; 95% CI, 1.29-12.81) and low educational level (OR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.17-5.06). Conclusions: The results are in line with the current knowledge on factors related to thyroid cancer, except for the association between thyroid cancer and diabetes mellitus, which as far as we know has not yet been reported.

The aim of the study was to examine the factors which play a role in the occurrence of differentiated thyroid cancer as related to anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). A case-control study was performed during the period 1993 to 2005. The case group comprised of 126 patients with ATC. The control group comprised of 126 patients with papillary thyroid cancer. Cases were individually matched by gender and place of residence. ATC was significantly related to older age (odds ratio = 1.11, 95% confidence interval = 1.07-1.14) and goiter (odds ratio = 1.20, 95% confidence interval = 1.07-1.35). Copyright © 2010 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Background The Roma ethnic group is the largest and most marginalized minority in Europe, believed to be vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections. Aim The purpose of the study was to investigate frequency and characteristics of gonorrhea and syphilis among the Roma population in Belgrade. Methods Data from the City Institute for Skin and Venereal Diseases to which all gonorrhea and syphilis cases are referred were analyzed. Results During the period of 2010–2014 sexually transmitted infections were more frequent among Roma than in rest of Belgrade population. Average percentages of Roma among all reported subjects with syphilis and those with gonorrhea were 9.6% and 13.5%, respectively, while the percentage of Roma in the total Belgrade population was about 1.6%. Roma with syphilis and gonorrhea were more frequently men (75%), most frequently aged 20–29 years (43.4%), never married (64.5%), with elementary school or less (59.2%), unemployed (80.3%), and heterosexual (89.5%). Among Roma 10.5% were sex workers and 68.4% did not know the source of their infection. Significant differences between Roma cases and other cases in Belgrade in all characteristics observed were in agreement with differences between Roma population and the total population of Serbia. Conclusion The present study confirmed the vulnerability of the Roma population to sexually transmitted infections. © 2016 Elsevier Editora Ltda.

Background: Despite the fact that breast cancer is the most common female cancer worldwide, more than half of the breast cancer risk factors remained unexplained. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of cigarette smoking with risk of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted in the Clinical Centre of Kragujevac, Serbia, covering 382 participants (191 cases and 191 controls). In the analysis of data logistic regression was used. Results: Breast cancer risk was significantly increased in those who quit smoking at =50 years of age (OR=2.72; 95% confidence interval - 95%CI=1.02-7.27) and in those who quit smoking less than 5 years before diagnosis of the disease (OR=4.36; 95%CI=1.12-16.88). When smokers were compared with nonsmokers without passive exposure to smoking, former smoking significantly increased breast cancer risk (OR=2.37; 95%CI=1.07-5.24). Risk for breast cancer was significantly increased in those who quit smoking at =50 years of age (OR=3.29; 95%CI=1.17-9.27) and in those who quit smoking less than 5 years before diagnosis of the disease (OR=5.46; 95%CI=1.34-22.28). Conclusions: These data suggest that cigarette smoking is associated with an elevated risk of breast cancer among former smokers in Serbia.

Background: Despite the fact that breast cancer is the most common female cancer worldwide, more than half of the breast cancer risk factors remained unexplained. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of cigarette smoking with risk of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted in the Clinical Centre of Kragujevac, Serbia, covering 382 participants (191 cases and 191 controls). In the analysis of data logistic regression was used. Results: Breast cancer risk was significantly increased in those who quit smoking at =50 years of age (OR=2.72; 95% confidence interval - 95%CI=1.02-7.27) and in those who quit smoking less than 5 years before diagnosis of the disease (OR=4.36; 95%CI=1.12-16.88). When smokers were compared with nonsmokers without passive exposure to smoking, former smoking significantly increased breast cancer risk (OR=2.37; 95%CI=1.07-5.24). Risk for breast cancer was significantly increased in those who quit smoking at =50 years of age (OR=3.29; 95%CI=1.17-9.27) and in those who quit smoking less than 5 years before diagnosis of the disease (OR=5.46; 95%CI=1.34-22.28). Conclusions: These data suggest that cigarette smoking is associated with an elevated risk of breast cancer among former smokers in Serbia.

Aims and background: Thyroid cancer, whose etiology is largely uncertain, has been negatively associated with cigarette smoking in a several studies. We examined the association between cigarette smoking and risk for female thyroid cancer. Methods: A case-control study including 204 histologically verified female thyroid cancer patients and an equal number of hospital controls individually matched with cases by sex, age (± 2 years), place of residence and time of hospitalization was carried out during the period 1996-2000. In the analysis of data, univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression methods were applied. Results: According to univariate analysis, female thyroid cancer was negatively associated with the initiation of smoking at a younger age, before the age of 20 (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.50-0.90). None of the smoking habits remained independently related to female thyroid cancer after adjustment for other factors which were significantly associated with thyroid cancer in the present study. Conclusions: The results of the study do not suggest a role of cigarette smoking in the development of thyroid cancer in women.

Aims and background: Thyroid cancer, whose etiology is largely uncertain, has been negatively associated with cigarette smoking in a several studies. We examined the association between cigarette smoking and risk for female thyroid cancer. Methods: A case-control study including 204 histologically verified female thyroid cancer patients and an equal number of hospital controls individually matched with cases by sex, age (± 2 years), place of residence and time of hospitalization was carried out during the period 1996-2000. In the analysis of data, univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression methods were applied. Results: According to univariate analysis, female thyroid cancer was negatively associated with the initiation of smoking at a younger age, before the age of 20 (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.50-0.90). None of the smoking habits remained independently related to female thyroid cancer after adjustment for other factors which were significantly associated with thyroid cancer in the present study. Conclusions: The results of the study do not suggest a role of cigarette smoking in the development of thyroid cancer in women.

The five-year incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) was examined in middle-aged diabetics (54 insulin-dependent - IDDM, 152 non-insulin-dependent - NIDDM) and 105 controls. In comparison to the controls, CHD incidence was higher only in IDDM patients (11.5 vs 4.0%), but the difference was not a significant one. CHD incidence cases in both IDDM and NIDDM groups were significantly related with longer duration of the disease and, when IDDM patients are concerned, with higher diastolic blood pressure. © 1995 Kluwer Academic Publishers.