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Doina Azoicăi

Publications and source records attributed to Doina Azoicăi.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

[The ecological accident on the Siret River. A possible cyanide intoxication of children].

THE PURPOSE: Of our study is to assess the gravity of cyanide intoxication of children, in the ecological accident in January 2001. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included in our study 127 children aged between 2 months and 17 years. They were hospitalized in January and February 2001, in the "Sf. Maria" Children's Hospital. Case analysis was based on data of the emergency unit and units where the children were sent after primary care. We evaluated the patients from clinical and paraclinical point of view and we took samples of biological products in order to confirm the diagnosis. RESULTS: Age distribution was 0-1 year (4%), 1-3 years (7.8%), 3-6 years (9.4%), 6-12 years (33.8%), and 12-18 years (42.5%). The lapse of time between the ingestion of contaminated fish and symptomatology was variable. Measures were taken: removal from toxic contact, hospitalization, antidote administration, and treatment of complications. DISCUSSIONS: Although literature data shows that this intoxication appears after the age of three, we found that mother ingestion of contaminated fish, determined intoxication in nursings. Symptoms appeared at 3-12 hours after fish ingestion from the contaminated river and it was suggestive for the diagnosis. First aid measurements were necessary in specialized emergency unit and antidote administration sometimes only in clinical suspicion of intoxication. Correlation between clinical findings and toxic concentrations in urine samples confirm the diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our study tries to highlight those ecological accidents with cyanides present important consequences on people and animal's health. The therapeutic intervention must be fast in order to stop blood distribution of the toxic.

Adolescent↗

[SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Emergent transmissible disease].

Of the reemergent transmissible diseases of the past decades, SARS is probably not the last to express the alterations occurring in the relationships of the human being with its global ecosystem. The life of contemporary man is characterized, among others, by a huge thirst for traveling, for varied reasons, consequence of the globalization process. SARS virus, mutant belonging to Coronaviridae, occurred in one of the most densely populated areas of the world. There are two main moments marking the reemergence and evolution of SARS: firstly, the onset of the epidemic in China in November 2002 followed by the worldwide spread of the epidemiological process, and secondly the discovery of SARS virus as a mutant of coronaviruses in March-April 2003 in USA, Canada, and Hong Kong. The possibilities of general and special prevention, and particularly vaccine prevention are likely to bring this disease under control.

Animals↗

[Risk of increase in nosocomial infections incidence in a surgical clinic. A case-control study].

The complex activities of epidemiological surveillance of nosocomial infections (NI) have, among the main objectives, the identification of the causes and the assessment of risk factors. In 2002, the Clinic Hospital of Pneumology Iasi had 220 beds and was divided into the following units: Pneumophtisiology Unit (PPU), Thoracic Surgery Unit (TSU) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The global incidence of NI was of 0.85%. The incidence of cases with NI in the TSU and ICU increased to 5.39% in the interval April-June 2002 so that urgent epidemiological measures were applied to limit the phenomenon. After that, a case-control study was proposed in order to identify and assess the risk levels. The retrospective study met the methodological conditions such as case definitions for NI and post-surgical NI, for extrinsic and intrinsic risk factors, the selection of cases according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, the formation of the representative sample. The study included 16 patients with pleural NI and 55 controls with the pleurotomy performed between April-June in the TCU, as a common feature. The factors that increased the probability of a post-surgical NI development were: the external pleural drainage maintained more than 30 days (OR = 185.5; p < 0.0001 for CI = 95%), tuberculosis as the most important associated disease among the patients' pathological history records (OR = 28.0; p < 0.0001; CI = 95%); the antibiotherapy with multiple associations (OR = 3.30; p < 0.04; CI = 95%). The conclusions underlined that the patients suffered from tuberculosis since the very admission, which need pleurotomy have an increased risk to develop a NI. This fact should require an appropriate epidemiological, clinical and microbiological surveillance and the empirical antibiotic strategy or that conducted by the antibiogram results has to be performed adequately, according to the operative recommendations.

Adult↗

Statistical epidemiological screening methods assessing certain biochemical markers.

The epidemiological studies have shown that it is difficult to define a "normal" value for the serum concentration of some biochemical markers with predictive significance for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) as follows: total cholesterol (TC), total lipids (TL), triglycerides (TG), glycemia (G), and urea (U). Our study establishes the mean and limit values of the normality for the above mentioned markers, in an adult population from the Iaşi City, using the epidemiological screening method. The employed methodology includes the records of the results of 2788 biochemical determinations during a period of 5 years, in order to assess the state of health of the population, as well the data working up and interpretation by means of the EpiInfo computer program. By testing a series of "normal" limits, the values found with apparent healthy persons (n = 2691) and persons previously diagnosed with diabetes mellitus or CVDs (n = 97) were analyzed in a differentiated way. In the sample of apparent healthy individuals, with the age between 20 and up to 60, the mean values were: 210 mg% for TC; 6.74 g@1000--TL; 125.74 mg%--TG; 0.91 g%--G and 0.34 g%--U. Satisfactory correlations (correlation coefficient-"r") of age with the values of TC (r = 0.38); TG (r = 0.26) and G (r = 0.23) comparatively with U (r = 0.15) or TL (r = 0.14) were noticed. The comparison of the mean values between males and females did not reveal a significant difference (p > 0.05) for any of the assessed constants. The clinical and community studies of the CVD risk assessed in the Iaşi City area will have to be referred to the registered and analyzed values of this epidemiological screening in the interpretation of some biochemical markers data.

Adult↗

[Comparing population means using the ANOVA method].

ANOVA is the abbreviation of the ANalysis Of Variance. It was developed for inferences concerning more than two populations. The tested hypothesis is the equality of the means of several normal populations. Some mathematical aspects are presented and also advantages and drawbacks of the method are marked out. Finally a practical example (implementing the ANOVA test) using the SPSS statistical software and also Microsoft Excel are shown.

Algorithms↗

[Oxidative stress in atherosclerosis].

Oxidative stress is the result of the imbalance between pro-oxidant and antioxidant factors. The participation of oxidative stress in atherosclerosis (ATS) is reflected by lipid peroxidation which is a process initiated and maintained by oxygen reactive species generated by the aterogenic cells themselves. The endothelial aggression in ATS is accompanied by endothelial dysfunction, which is due to the neutralization of nitric oxide by superoxid anion. The key role in the onset and the development of the ATS lesions belongs to oxidated LDL-cholesterol that influence at different levels and by several mechanisms the ATS process. The neutralization of the toxic effects of free radicals is due to the endo and exogen antioxidant systems. It appears that the individual antioxidant status is influenced by environmental factors as well as by a genetic determinant. The antioxidant therapy, which is controversial at the moment, represents an associated therapy in endothelial dysfunction from ATS.

Antioxidants↗

[Epidemiological aspects and methodological difficulties in establishing the causal relationship of Chernobyl nuclear accident with cancer].

The epidemiological, etiologic and clinical polymorphism of the morbid states, those accounted by radioactivity included, create major obstacles in the standardization of the methods for assessing the incidence of some diseases and their lethality. The many risk factors that can associate to radiations from various sources make the epidemiological data difficult to evaluate. The Chernobyl nuclear accident has revived the concerns and research in the field of prevention, early diagnosis and intervention of the effects of nuclear radiations by development of comparative, spatial and temporal, researches based on standardized methods, thus comparable results being provided. In Romania, the multidisciplinary epidemiological researches on the effects of Chernobyl accident upon health are still limited, and consequently insignificant for global conclusions.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[The changing spectrum of lower gastrointestinal haemorrhages].

UNLABELLED: Lower gastrointestinal haemorrhage (LGH) is a frequent reason for medical referral. It has an annual incidence ranging between 17 and 20.5 cases per 100,000 adults and represents 20-30% of all gastrointestinal haemorrhages. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the evolution of the etiologic spectrum of lower gastrointestinal bleeding. METHODS: All the files of patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding admitted in our unit between 1990 and 2001 were reviewed retrospectively. The annual admission and annual admission rates for each disease (disease/total LGH in a specific year) were analysed using linear regression. RESULTS: We identified 2565 patients with LGH (mean age 50.8+/-8.7 years, 1338 (52%) men and 1227 (48%) women). The annual number of patients had a linear increase (p<0.05) from 103 in 1990 to 399 in 2001. The mean age of the patients increased linearly from 48.5 to 53 years (p<0.05). The annual rate for some specific diseases has changed over time. There was a trend of increase for the colorectal cancer and polyps, which reach statistical significance for diverticular disease and haemorrhoids (p<0.05). While the annual incidence for ulcerative colitis remained constant the annual rates decrease. For Crohn disease, angiodysplasia and radiation colitis no changes was found.

Adult↗

[Epidemiologic aspects of group A betahemolytic streptococcus infections in Galaţi County between 1990 and 2000].

The infections caused by group A betahemolytic streptococcus represent a major problem of community health, worldwide and in Romania, too. Between 1990-2000, in the Galati County, scarlet fever registered values of morbidity with a yearly variability between 8.2 and 54.1 cases/100,000 inhabitants. Angina, although underrated, reached values of 30-80%ooo, followed by erysipelas with an incidence of 80-100%ooo. The socio-economical impact was partially highlighted by assessing the dynamics of hospitalizations which registered values from 363.86 to 527.14%ooo inhabitants. To the previous, the costs of bacteriological investigations were added. For example, 60-80% of cases of angina were positive.

Adolescent↗

[Prospective epidemiologic and clinical observations on the prevalence of risk factors for stroke, performed on 374 inpatients, during the period of June 2001-June 2004].

UNLABELLED: Within the framework of cardiovascular pathology, with an epidemopandemic aspect, the stroke, through its mortality and sequels, represents, worldwide, a major problem of community health. In this context, we present the results of an epidemiological and clinical study, both prospective and interdisciplinary, performed on a sample of 374 inpatients suffering from stroke, hospitalized in the Neurology Ist Clinic of Iaşi, during the period June 2001-June 2004. The characteristics of the studied sample: age--78.8% over 51 years old, sex--53.7% male; residence--51.4% urban; provenance: rural--70.0% (p<0.001); studies: higher education--7.7% ; pensioners--76.2%; passive finding--96.8%; previous hospitalizations for cardiovascular diseases and/or diabetes mellitus: 48.2%; blood groups: OI and AII--86.61%. RESULTS: Risk factors for stroke: 56.6%--BMI > 25; "A" behavior type (Bortner's test)--63.8%; stress: familial--74.1% and occupational--25.9%; excess consumption: alcohol--11.4%; salt--32.8%; tobacco--24.9%; passive smoking--10.8%. Releasing and aggravating risk factors: arterial hypertension (AHT)--55.4% (p<0.001); obesity--12.9%; diabetes mellitus--12.5%. Hereditary antecedents: AHT--46.8%; ischemic cardiopathy and myocardial infarction--15.6%; obesity and dyslipidemia--15.0%; stroke--10.8%. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the multifactorial and associative etiology of stroke is confirmed once more, and the estimate costs of 1.21 milliard lei, only for the 10-day average hospitalization, for each of the 374 inpatients.

Computer Graphics↗

[Epidemiology of poststreptococcal, non-suppurative, late complications, in a Moldavian area (Romania) during the last decade].

The ubiquity of the acute infections caused by the group A beta-haemolytic streptococcus (ABHS) requires the continuation of the screening strategies of the risk to develop nonsuppurative late complications. The aim of this study was to assess the poststreptococcal pathologic evolution in an area where, during the last 10 years, there were recorded high values of the morbidity due to acute infections determined by ABHS. Using methods of retrospective data collecting, in Galaţi district, during 1990-2003, they monitored the dynamics of the case incidence and general and hospitalized morbidity, according to various age and home environment categories, for acute rheumatic fever (RF), carditis (CR), and acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSG). The results emphasized the need to re-launch some targeted prevention programs, in order to lower the still high morbidity, due to these complications and, implicitly, to limit the deriving invalidity or social economical loss.

Adolescent↗

[Epidemiologic research to assess some socioeconomic aspects of health care in patients with infections caused by group A beta hemolytic streptococcus and their complications].

Authors present some epidemiological aspects of medical and socioeconomic implications caused by group A beta hemolytic streptococcus (ABHS) infections and by their complications, assessed on 10948 inpatients with angina, 323 with scarlet fever, and 644 with erysipelas, hospitalized in the City of Galati, between 2000-2003. All these three major diseases determined by ABHS needed 79125 days of hospitalization, with an average period of 6.4 days for angina, 76 for scarlet fever, and 10.4 for erysipelas. The costs of the mere hospitalization of these inpatients (11915) amounted to 14,479,543,800 lei. This fact highlights how costly the infections caused by AHBS are.

Adolescent↗