Lifestyle and Cancer Prevention-Opinions and Behaviors Among Romanian University Students.

BACKGROUND: Healthy lifestyle promotion represents an important component of cancer prevention. The aim of this study is the assessment of opinions and behavior related to healthy lifestyle and cancer prevention among Romanian university students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed by anonymous questionnaires in 2017 among 400 university students from the four main universities from Cluj-Napoca, Romania. RESULTS: One out of five students was overweight or obese, but 83% meet the recommendations for performing physical activity. The majority did not meet the recommendations of eating 400 g of fruits and vegetables daily, while almost half declared eating more than 500 g of red meat weekly and more than one third do not respect the recommendations for alcohol consumption. The factor analysis reveals two factors with regard to cancer prevention-related behaviors. The first one consists of those having an appropriate body weight, and having a higher tendency for consumption of fruits and vegetables, performing physical activity, while being more prone not to respect the recommendations regarding the alcohol consumption. The second factor refers to a higher tendency to respect both the recommendations for alcohol and red meat consumption. CONCLUSION: Future educational activities should focus on promoting better nutritional habits, decrease alcohol consumption and offer appropriate services for weight management among Romanian university students.

Actual Weight, Perceived Weight and Desired Weight of Romanian School Children by Parents and Children.

Background and Objectives: The perception of the body weight by children and parents influences the consequent actions undertaken for children's body weight management. This study investigated the correspondence between objective evaluations of Romanian school children (actual weight) and perceptions about weight (perceived weight), preoccupation with body weight management (desired weight) and parents' perceptions on children's weight. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was performed among 344 children aged 11 to 14 and 147 parents from Cluj-Napoca, Romania. We made anthropometric measurements of children, and short questionnaires were completed by the children and the parents. Results: The results show that 3.8% of children were underweight, 68.3% had a normal weight and 27.9% were overweight. Of this sample, 61.5% of underweight children, 20% of normal weight children and 43.7% of overweight children had misperceptions about their weight. The percentage of parents who did not estimate their children's weight correctly was 50%, 11.9% and 41.5%, respectively, for each of the three weight groups. The results of the logistic regression analyses showed that several factors were associated with the misclassification of their own body weight by the children, such as body mass index, gender, weight management practices, misclassification by the parents as well as parent-child discussions on these issues. Conclusions: Education for both Romanian parents and children is needed with regard to correctly identifying and managing children' body weight.

Risk factors of subclinical atherosclerosis in obesity and overweight.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship of carotid intima-media thickness with weight-gain, overweight and obesity.. METHODS: The experimental, analytical study was conducted at the CF University Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, from 2012 to 2014, and comprised randomly selected in patients from the Medical Ward. The patients were divided into normal-weight subjects in Group I and overweight and obese subjects in Group II Intimate-media thickness was measured by carotid Doppler ultrasound. Data was analysed using SPSS 13. RESULTS: Of the 111 subjects, Group I had 27(%) and Group II had 84(%) subjects. Mean carotid intimamedia thickness was significantly greater (p<0.001) in Group II compared to Group I, especially in those with metabolic syndrome (p<0.001) and higher high-sensitivity C reactive protein (p<0.05). With the exception of Group II where there was a direct correlation (p<0.05) between triglycerides and intimamedia thickness, and an inverse correlation (p<0.05) between high-density lipoprotein and intimamedia thickness, no significant correlations were recorded (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Intima-media thickness was found to be increased in asymptomatic overweight and obese subjects, significantly higher in those with associated metabolic syndrome and high levels of highsensitivity C-reactive protein, as an indication of the presence of early, subclinical atherosclerosis.

Dietary patterns, physical activity, body mass index, weight-related behaviours and their interrelationship among Romanian university students-trends from 2003 to 2016 / Patrones dietéticos, actividad física, índice de masa corporal, conductas relacionadas con el peso y su interrelación entre estudiantes universitarios rumanos entre 2003 y 2016

Introduction: promotion of a healthy diet and involvement in physical activity among young people has an important impact on their actual and future lifestyle, health and well being. Objectives: this study investigates dietary patterns, physical activity, body mass index (BMI) and weight-related behaviours as well as their interrelationship among Romanian university students. Methods: the study used anonymous questionnaires and was performed in Cluj-Napoca, Romania in 2003 (n = 320) and 2016 (n = 320). Results: the factor analyse revealed three main dietary structures which were similar at both waves. The first one describes a varied diet. The second one shows a diet rich in white meat, dietary fibres and varied sources of carbohydrates. The last one refers to a diet containing red meat, fat, potatoes, sugar. The first dietary structure protects against overweight and it correlates positively with daily physical activity, while has a negative correlation with using several methods for losing weight. The second dietary factor is also protective for overweight, but has a positive correlation with using several methods for losing weight. It has a negative association with eating frequently in fast food restaurants and with daily physical activity. The last dietary structure is negatively associated with daily physical activity, while being positively associated with eating frequently in fast-food restaurants and with a higher BMI. Conclusions: the study presents trends in dietary patterns, physical activity, BMI and weight related behaviours among Romanian university students between 2003 and 2016 and highlights the existence of several main dietary structures, which seems stable over time

Introducción: en los jóvenes la promoción de una dieta saludable y la realización de actividad física tienen un importante impacto sobre su estilo de vida, presente y futuro, en su salud y en su bienestar. Objetivos: este estudio investiga los patrones dietéticos, la actividad física, el índice de masa corporal (IMC) y las conductas relacionadas con el peso, así como su interrelación, en los estudiantes universitarios rumanos. Métodos: el estudio utilizó cuestionarios anónimos y fue llevado a cabo en Cluj-Napoca (Rumania), en 2003 (n = 320) y en 2016 (n = 320). Resultados: el análisis de los factores a estudio reveló tres estructuras dietéticas principales que fueron similares en las dos ondas. La primera describe una dieta variada. La segunda muestra una dieta rica en carne blanca, fibra y fuentes variadas de carbohidratos. La última presenta una dieta que contiene carne roja, grasas, patatas y azúcar. La primera estructura dietética protege contra el sobrepeso y se correlaciona positivamente con la actividad física diaria, si bien tiene una correlación negativa con el uso de varios métodos para perder peso. La segunda estructura dietética también protege frente al sobrepeso, aunque tiene una correlación positiva con el uso de varios métodos para perder peso, y negativa con comer con frecuencia en restaurantes de comida rápida y con la actividad física diaria. La última estructura dietética se relaciona negativamente con la actividad física diaria, pero se asocia positivamente con comer con frecuencia en restaurantes de comida rápida y con un mayor IMC. Conclusiones: el estudio describe las tendencias en los patrones dietéticos, la actividad física, el IMC y las conductas relacionadas con el peso en los estudiantes universitarios rumanos entre 2003 y 2016, y resalta la existencia de varias estructuras dietéticas principales que parecen estables en el tiempo

Accuracy of transvaginal ultrasonography compared to endometrial biopsy for the etiological diagnosis of abnormal perimenopausal bleeding.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Perimenopause is marked by clinical manifestations which disturb everyday life and which may also hide a pathomorphological, more precisely endometrial, substrate. An accurate early diagnosis established by accessible, non-invasive methods is very important for the therapeutic management. METHOD: The study included 103 patients aged between 41.5-55.11 years, divided into 3 age groups: 40-44 years (n=10), 45-49 years (n=54) and ≥50 years (n=39). RESULTS: Certain risk factors of endometrial neoplasm or premalignant conditions were evidenced, their accurate identification being useful in limiting the number of patients with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) submitted to diagnostic screening. The most common cause of AUB in our study was fibroma, followed by functional causes. CONCLUSIONS: Transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) represents a minimally invasive method for the screening of perimenopausal patients with AUB, especially to rule out endometrial adenocarcinoma (EAC). TVUS sensitivity was higher than clinical diagnosis in case of leiomioma, polypi and EAC. TVUS was more accurate in the diagnosis of EAC, polypi and leiomioma.

Respiratory manifestations in endocrine diseases.

The control mechanisms of respiration as a vital function are complex: voluntary - cortical, and involuntary - metabolic, neural, emotional and endocrine. Hormones and hypothalamic neuropeptides (that act as neurotrasmitters and neuromodulators in the central nervous system) play a role in the regulation of respiration and in bronchopulmonary morphology. This article presents respiratory manifestations in adult endocrine diseases that evolve with hormone deficit or hypersecretion. In hyperthyroidism, patients develop ventilation disorders, obstructive and central sleep apnea, and pleural collection. The respiratory abnormalities in hyperthyroidism as a result of the hypermetabolic action of thyroid hormones are hyperventilation, myopathy and cardiovascular involvement; recent studies have reported pulmonary arterial hypertension in Graves' disease, as a result of the association of several mechanisms. Thyroid hypertrophy can induce through compression of the upper airways dyspnea, stridor, wheezing and cough. The respiratory disorders in acromegaly are ventilatory dysfunction and sleep apnea, which contribute to an unfavorable evolution of the disease. Respiratory changes in parathyroid, adrenal and reproductive system diseases have been described. Respiratory disorders should be recognized, investigated and monitored by medical practitioners of various specialties (family physicians, internists, endocrinologists, pneumologists, cardiologists). They are frequently severe, causing an unfavorable evolution of the associated endocrine and respiratory disease.

Cardiac Changes in Overweight and Obese Patients.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and overweight are two pathologies that are more and more frequent in the XXIst century diagnosis and are causing high morbidity and mortality rates in the general population, especially through cardiovascular complications. AIMS: Identification and early diagnosis of cardiac changes in overweight and obese patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We carried out a sectional, analytical and observational study on 111 subjects: 27 normal weight subjects and 84 overweight and obese patients, which were submitted to a clinical exam, biochemical exams and 2D ultrasound. RESULTS: The presence of diastolic dysfunction is twice more frequent in overweight patients in comparison to normal weight ones (30% vs 15%) and 5 times more frequent in obese patients than normal weight ones (75% vs 15%). The size increase of the interventricular septum is correlated with the body mass index, there being statistically significant differences between normal weight vs overweight vs obese patients, as well as between overweight and obese ones. Within the whole group and within the groups, both the left ventricle mass (g) as well as the left ventricle mass to body surface ratio (g/m²) are statistically significantly higher in patients with present diastolic dysfunction (E/A < 1). This indicates a relation between the presence of diastolic dysfunction, increased left ventricle mass and body mass index (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obese patients, unlike normal weight ones, present early cardiac changes, such as: a decrease of left ventricle ejection fraction, diastolic dysfunction, thickening of the interventricular septum, increase of the left ventricle mass both per se as well as in ratio to body surface.

Challenges of thyroid cancer management in amiodarone-treated patients: a case report.

Thyroid carcinoma (TC) is the most common endocrine malignancy. Although the overall prognosis for patients with TC is good, up to 20-30% of patients have recurrent or persistent disease after conventional therapy by surgical resection and radioactive iodine (RAI). Amiodarone is a highly efficient anti-arrhythmic drug with a very long half-life, so it may interfere with RAI many months after the drug withdrawal. This case report mirrors the challenges of thyroid cancer management in an amiodarone-treated patient.