Health utilities and willingness to pay in adult patients with coeliac disease in Hungary.

BACKGROUND: Coeliac disease (CD) is a life-long food-related disorder with a global prevalence of approximately 1%. Patients with CD often experience reduced health-related quality of life that could improve with a strict adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD). OBJECTIVES: To obtain visual analogue scale (VAS), time trade-off (TTO) and willingness-to-pay (WTP) values amongst patients with CD. METHODS: In 2020-2021, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted amongst 312 adult CD patients in Hungary. Patients completed the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) and evaluated their current health and three hypothetical health state vignettes defined based on dietary adherence using VAS, conventional 10-year TTO and WTP. Multivariate regressions were used to explore the effect of patients' demographic and clinical characteristics on utility and WTP values. RESULTS: Mean VAS values for current health and 'CD with strict adherence to GFD', 'CD with loose adherence to GFD' and 'CD without GFD' hypothetical health states were 79.69 ± 18.52, 85.36 ± 16.18, 62.44 ± 19.91 and 36.69 ± 25.83, respectively. Corresponding mean TTO utilities were: 0.90 ± 0.19, 0.91 ± 0.20, 0.87 ± 0.23 and 0.76 ± 0.29. Mean annual WTP values for returning to full health were: €845 ± 1077, €648 ± 1002, €862 ± 1135 and €1251 ± 1496. Older age at diagnosis, male sex, more severe gastrointestinal symptoms (GSRS) and having comorbidities were associated with lower VAS and TTO or higher WTP values for current own health (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to report TTO utilities for CD health states. Strict adherence to the GFD may result in substantial health gains in symptomatic patients. Utilities and WTP results can be used to estimate benefits of GFD in cost-utility and cost-benefit analyses.

Canine microsatellite polymorphisms as the resolution of an illegal animal death case in a Hungarian zoological gardens.

Several animal carcasses were found in the paddocks of a Hungarian County Zoo during 1 week. The 14 animals killed were thought to be the victims of a dogfight training. The primary suspect was the security guard of the Zoo with his guard dogs. DNA tests were carried out on hairs and bloodstains and 10 canine-specific STR loci were analysed by fluorescently labelled multiplex PCR using the ABI PRISM 310 Genetic Analyzer. The results confirmed that the killer was a single animal and all of the guard dogs were excluded.

Analysis of eight STR loci in two Hungarian populations.

A multiplex reaction for the eight STR loci D3S1358, FGA, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820 was used to generate allele frequency databases for two Hungarian population samples, Caucasians from the Budapest area and Romanies from Baranya county. During the analysis two intermediate-sized alleles and a sequence variant allele were observed at the D7S820 locus. All three types of allelic variants were found to have modifications in the same block of a (T)9 stretch located within the 3' flanking region of each allele, which may indicate a possible higher mutation rate of this (T)9 block. For the loci D3S 1358 and D7S820 the Romany population database showed departures from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The forensic efficiency values for the Romany population were slightly different from those found in the Hungarian Caucasian population. Comparing the allele frequency values by G-statistic, calculating the F(ST) indices and with the pair-wise comparisons of interpopulation variance, the two Hungarian populations could be distinguished using data from the eight STR loci.

Analysis of eight STR loci in two Hungarian populations.

A collection of eight STR loci (D3S1358, FGA, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820) was used to generate allele frequency databases for two Hungarian population samples, Caucasians from the Budapest area and Romanies from Baranya county. During the analysis two intermediate sized alleles and a sequence variant allele were observed at the D7S820 locus. All three types of allelic variants were found to have modification (deletion, insertion, transversion) in the same block of a (T)(9) stretch located within the 3' flanking region of each allele, which may indicate a possible higher mutation rate of this (T)(9) block. For the loci D3S1358 and D7S820 the Romany population database showed departures from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The forensic efficiency values for the Romany population were slightly different from those found in the Hungarian Caucasian population. Comparing the allele frequency values by G-statistic, calculating the F(st) indices and with the pairwise comparisons of inter-population variance, the two Hungarian populations could be distinguished using data of the eight STR loci.

[Accuracy of two methods of age determination by teeth in the Hungarian population]. / Fogazatból történó két életkor-becslési eljárás ellenórzó vizsgálata magyar felnótt populációs mintán.

The authors tested two methods of age estimation through dental examination. 42 autopsy cases, ages 18 to 79, were randomly selected by the University Medical School of Pécs, Department of Forensic Medicine in 1997-1998. After the odontograms were taken, one tooth from each individual was removed from the corpses and examined using both the Gustafson's and the Johanson's methods for age calculation. The results according to both methods showed a large standard deviation. It suggests the necessity of national data base and the re-examination of all of the methods tested on different population samples. The authors of this paper would like to inspire a revival of Hungarian forensic odontostomatology.

[Plastic facial reconstruction in forensic medicine]. / Plasztikus arcrekonstrukció az igazságügyi orvosszakértöi gyakorlatban.

Plastic facial reconstruction is the field of personal identification where the limitations of science are augmented by the intuition of an artist. In this field, success requires the cooperation of an anthropologist and a sculptor--and sometimes a little luck. Authors summarize the applications and limitations of this method. For the first time in the history of their institute, University Medical School of Pécs, the face of a victim in an actual crime case have been reconstructed. In this situation, the victim was in advanced stages of decomposition. The features of the man's face were unrecognizable. Using thirty craniometric measuring points, the soft tissues on the victims macerated scull was reconstructed, based on known soft tissue thickness of the middle-European population. After the reconstruction was complete, police circulated a photograph of the victim's face. The victim's son recognized her missing father from the photograph and notified the police. These efforts were noted as the first success of its kind in our region.

Y-STR haplotyping in two Hungarian populations.

A set of seven Y-chromosomal STR loci (DYS19, DYS389-I, DYS389-II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393) with the addition of the bilocal marker DYS385 was used to generate male-specific haplotype databases for two Hungarian population samples, Caucasians from the Budapest area and Romanies from Baranya county. At the locus DYS385 three types of intermediate sized alleles were detected in six males. The presence of a (GA) dinucleotide, probably due to an (AA) deletion in the second (GAAA) repeat of the polymorphic repeat region leads to an intermediate allelle 17.2. The intermediate alleles 17.-1 and 18.-1 with the consensus repeat structure of (GAAA)17 and (GAAA)18, respectively, were found to lack a T in the same (T)7 stretch located within the 3' flanking region of each allele. The forensic efficiency values for the Romany population were significantly lower than those found in the Central Hungarian and other non-isolated Causasian populations, which may imply a possible common paternal ancestry of some haplotypes in the Romany sample. With pairwise comparisons of inter-population molecular variance, the two populations analyzed here and an Italian population sample, could be clearly distinguished using the seven monoclonal Y-STRs. A sizing precision of < or = 0.14 nucleotide standard deviation was obtained with capillary electrophoresis carried out on an ABI Prism 310 Genetic Analyzer. Objective and accurate genotyping is thus possible using an internal size standard with a high density of fragments.

Personal identification on the basis of antemortem and postmortem radiographs.

This report documents three recent cases in Hungary in which personal identification was achieved by comparison of antemortem and postmortem radiographs. These cases demonstrate three examples of radiological identification. In Hungary, comparison methods play an important role in personal identification because of the lack of adequate dental records for most of the population. The authors emphasize that in cases where antemortem radiographs and photographs are available, radiographic comparison is deemed preferable to photographic superimposition, because it is more technically exacting and permits the matching of a potentially larger number of anatomical, pathological or traumatic features.

Population genetic data on four STR loci in a Hungarian Romany population.

A population study of Hungarian Romanies was carried out on the STR loci HumLPL, HumF13B, HumFES and HumF1301. There was little evidence for association of alleles within/between the four STR systems. Allele frequency distributions were significantly different between the Romany and the previously reported Central Hungarian population databases. Population differentiation was estimated by computing F- and phi-statistics as well as frequency estimate differences of individual phenotypes for these two population samples. The results suggest that the population structure may have an effect on the interpretation of forensic DNA evidence in Hungary. Phylogenetic tree reconstruction with six populations from three major ethnic groups revealed a relatively distant genetic relationship of the Baranya Romanies with other Caucasian populations.

Semi-automatic DNA profiling in a Hungarian Romany population using the STR loci HumVWFA31, HumTH01, HumTPOX, and HumCSF1PO.

A population study of Hungarian Romanies was carried out for the STR loci HumVWFA31, HumTH01, HumTPOX, and HumCSF1PO. After multiplex PCR amplification semi-automatic DNA profiling was performed using an ALF DNA sequencer. At the loci investigated there was little and no evidence for departures from Hardy-Weinberg expectations and linkage equilibrium, respectively. The allele sizing accuracy of the ALF DNA sequencer was increased to a high level (99.97% on average) by applying external and internal markers. Allele frequency distributions of the STR loci, with one exception, were significantly different between the Romany and other Hungarian population databases. On the other hand, however, only small differences in frequencies of individual phenotypes were found.

A detailed study on suicides in Baranya County (Hungary).

Suicidal deaths which occurred in Baranya County, Hungary between 1983 and 1987 were investigated with regard to biodemographical aspects. The number of suicidal deaths for this period was 1056 and the rate for this region was higher in villages than in towns. The male: female ratio was 3:1. The analysis of age groups showed that the rate increased with age and that the most frequent method was by hanging (50-55%). Moreover in 375 cases in-depth interviews were made with the relatives. The analysis of the interviews showed that 20% of elderly males could not cope with their losses and found no way out except through suicide. Suicide was less frequent among persons with intellectual occupations. Severe alcohol abuse was found in 165 cases. In 83% of the 1056 cases studied, pathological disorders of varying severity were observed. Toxicological analysis was performed in 810 cases but 17.9% of these cases should be isolated since they involved acute drug intoxication. Our data showed that most of the suicide victims contacted a doctor and received some treatment immediately before death or not long before. The present health and geriatric care systems in Hungary do not provide a level of psychotherapeutic care which could protect the population at risk from suicide. In our opinion, it would be reasonable to develop the knowledge of practitioners and health care personnel working in this field.