Severity of COVID-19 Symptoms among University of Belgrade Students during the July-September 2021 Pandemic Wave: Implications for Vaccination.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the intensity of COVID-19 symptoms during the pandemic wave during July-September 2021 and to identify factors associated with having moderate and severe symptoms of COVID-19 among affected students in the University of Belgrade. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was carried out at the Institute for Students' Health (ISH) in Belgrade, Serbia. The ISH is the referral institution for health care delivery at primary and secondary levels. This analysis includes students who presented from July 1 until September 30, 2021, when the latest pandemic wave of COVID-19 was observed among university students. Data were extracted from students' electronic medical records. Three levels of COVID-19 symptom intensity were defined: mild, moderate, and severe. RESULTS: Of students seeking medical care at the ISH who were diagnosed with COVID-19, 27.3% had mild disease and the majority, 59.3%, had moderate disease, and 13.4% had severe symptoms. Of all students, 124 (21.8%) were fully vaccinated with 2 doses of Sinopharm (81, 60.9%), Pfizer-BioNTech (38, 28.6%), Sputnik V (7, 5.3%), or the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine (7, 5.3%). The multiple multinomial regression model suggests that students who were vaccinated against COVID-19 were 78% less likely to develop moderate symptoms and 96% less likely to develop severe symptoms of COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Students who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are at lower risk of developing moderate and severe symptoms of the disease.

[Transobturator tension-free "inside-to-out" suburethral sling procedure for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence].

INTRODUCTION: Stress urinary incontinence is an involuntary leakage of urine on a sudden increase of intra-abdominal pressure by physical activity, exercise, coughing, sneezing or laughing. OBJECTIVE: To assess symptoms, functional and anatomical status of voiding function, complications and short term success of a novel procedure, tension-free vaginal tape obturator technique (TVT-O) in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. METHODS: A prospective study was performed on 40 female patients who underwent the TVT-O suburethral sling at the Urology Department of the Health Centre in Prokuplje and Urology Hospital in Nis between May 2009 and February 2010. The mean patients' age was 58 years (range 34-84 years). Preoperative evaluation included a detailed history and gynaecologic examination including urodynamic testing and voiding studies. UDI-6 and UIQ-7 score testing was performed before, and six months after surgery. All patients who demonstrated stress urinary incontinence with a Q-tip test-angle during maximal straining were included into the study. Postoperatively, outcomes evaluation included voiding function, anatomical parameters, complications, as well as subjective success rates. RESULTS: In 30 patients surgery was performed under spinal and in ten under general anaesthesia. The average intraoperative blood loss during theTVT-O was minimal (<50 ml). There were no vascular, bladder, bowel, and neurological injuries. Thirty-eight patients (95%) were discharged voiding satisfactorily. There was a statistically significant difference in symptoms between UDI-6 and UIQ-7 before and after surgery. CONCLUSION: Initial experience with TVT-O suburethral sling is promising. The TVT-O differs from retropubic procedures by resulting in lower postoperative morbidity, intraoperative and postoperative complications.

[Nocturia and benign prostatic hyperplasia].

BACKGROUND/AIM: Nocturia often occures in patients with benign prostata hyperplasia (BPH). The aim of the study was to investigate the frequency of nocturia in patients with BPH. Nocturia and other factors associated with it were also investigated. METHODS: Forty patients with the confirmed diagnosis of BPH were studied. Transurethral and transvesical prostatectomy were performed in all the patients. Simptoms were evaluated with the International Prostete Sypmtom Score before, as well as three and six months after the surgery. All the results were compared with the control group. RESULT: . There was no statistically significant difference between the patients before and after the surgery regarding nocturia. There was, howerer, a statistically significant difference between the operated patients and the control group regarding nocturia, as well as a statistically significant correlation between noctruia and the age of the patients in both the investigated and the control group. A correlation also existed between nocturia and the prostatic size. CONCLUSION: There was no statistically significant improvement in symptoms of nocturia after the surgery. It is necessary to be very careful in decision making in patients with nonabsolute indiction for surgery and isolated bothersome symptom of nocturia. Age of a patient should also be considered in the evaluation of favourable result of the surgery because of a significant correlation between noctura and the age of a patient.