The Serbian version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) and the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ).

We report herein the results of the cross-cultural adaptation and validation into the Serbian language of the parentís version of two health related quality of life instruments. The Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) is a disease specific health instrument that measures functional ability in daily living activities in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) is a generic health instrument designed to capture the physical and psychosocial well-being of children independently from the underlying disease. The Serbian CHAQ-CHQ were fully validated with 3 forward and 1 backward translations. A total of 139 subjects were enrolled: 79 patients with JIA (30% systemic onset, 28% polyarticular onset, 6% extended oligoarticular subtype, and 36% persistent oligoarticular subtype) and 60 healthy children. The CHAQ clinically discriminated between healthy subjects and JIA patients, with the systemic, polyarticular and extended oligoarticular subtypes having a higher degree of disability, pain, and a lower overall well-being when compared to their healthy peers. Also the CHQ clinically discriminated between healthy subjects and JIA patients, with the systemic onset, polyarticular onset and extended oligoarticular subtypes having a lower physical and psychosocial well-being when compared to their healthy peers. In conclusion the Serbian version of the CHAQ-CHQ is a reliable, and valid tool for the functional, physical and psychosocial assessment of children with JIA.

[Osteoporosis]. / Osteoporoza.

INTRODUCTION: Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone density and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to enhanced bone fracture risk. Due to its increasing prevalence (affects more than 10 percent of population) and consequences (bone fractures), osteoporosis is a growing medical, social and economic problem. PREVENTION AND STATISTICS: Of particular importance is hip fracture, with increasing incidence and lethal outcome in 20 percent, and less than 33 percent of patients with complete recovery. For better prevention of such undesired consequences, accurate diagnosis in the early phase of bone loss is necessary. Bone loss is a silent process, without signs and symptoms of the disease, and so active screening of persons at risk is needed, particulary among the postmenopausal women with some of the recognized risk factors for the development of osteoporotic bone fracture. In such persons, for early detection of bone mass loss, diagnostic measurement of bone density should be done, preferably dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Prevention of osteoporosis is the best approach to the problem, and it should be started in early childhood with general measures (diet with sufficient calcium intake, life style with physical exercise) in a involved national program. CONCLUSION: Treatment of osteoporosis lasts for many years and includes general measures and medication with osteodensitometric assessment over a two-year period.