Background A pilot study conducted in academic 2017/18 among undergraduates of the University of Sarajevo showed energy drinks to be most frequently consumed during academic activity, less frequently mixed with alcohol in leisure, and rarely in the sports activity. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on energy drinks consumption among undergraduates of the same University, with a focus on their consumption during exams. Study design A cross-sectional study was conducted by an online questionnaire. Methods The questionnaire, mainly based on the Consortium Nomisma-Areté questionnaire, was customized to compare energy drinks consumption before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and distributed among students between July 26th, 2020 and April 3rd, 2021. Results Out of 1,045 students who chose to participate in the study (participation rate of 14.7%), 653 students, mostly women, attending the lower study years, reported energy drinks consumption. Both be-fore and during pandemic, overall energy drinks consumption was most frequently reported as rare [281 (43.9%) before, 326 (51.2%) during the pandemic], and exams-related energy drinks consumption as once or twice a week [156 (43.8%) before, 130 (42.1%) during pandemic]. The pandemic increased the number of frequent consumers (consumption of 4-5 energy drinks per week) in both overall [35 (5.5%) before, 46 (7.2%) during pandemic] and exams-related energy drinks consumption [42 (11.8%) before, 48 (15.5%) during pandemic]. Study year (OR=0.842; 95% CI 0.77-0.921; p<0.001), being single and living alone [OR=0.512; 95% CI 0.296-0.883; p=0.016), or living with a partner and children [OR=0.377; 95% CI 0.168-0.847; p=0.018) were identified as negative independent predictors for exams-related energy drinks consumption, while being a regular smoker (OR=0.429; 95% CI 0.223-0.875; p=0.011) appeared its new negative independent predictor during pandemic. Conclusions The pandemic seemed to decrease both the overall and exam-related energy drinks consumption among undergraduates of the University of Sarajevo with the exception of a portion of already frequent energy drinks consumers.

Summary Family medicine physicians in their daily practice meet with a number of diseases and conditions that are the result of stress and physical trauma. One of the most frequent is post-traumatic stress disorder syndrome, which in our terms is a result of the aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina and in total morbidity occupies more than 30% of all mental illnesses. This paper describes one such case in our practice. Timely diagnosis means the establishment of adequate therapy and relatively successful treatment.