In diabetic retinopathy (DR) and other angiogenesis-associated diseases, increased levels of cytokines, inflammatory cells, and angiogenic factors are present. We investigated the hypothesis that rs2243250 polymorphism of the interleukin 4 (IL-4) gene or rs1800896 polymorphism of the interleukin 10 (IL-10) gene, and rs3212227 polymorphism of the 3’ untranslated region (3’ UTR) of the interleukin-12 p40 gene (IL12B) may be associated with the development of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) in Caucasians with type 2 diabetes (DM2). This cross sectional case — control study included 189 patients with PDR and 187 patients with type 2 diabetes without PDR. Polymorphisms rs1800896 of the IL-10 gene, rs2243250 of the IL-4 gene, and rs3212227 of IL12B gene were analyzed by ARMS -PCR and RFLP -PCR methods. Multivariate analysis demonstrated the GG genotype of the rs1800896 polymorphism of the IL-10 gene to be associated with increased risk for PDR (OR=1.99; 95% CI=1.11–3.57; P=0.02), whereas the TT genotype of the rs2243250 polymorphism of the IL-4 gene and the AA genotype of the rs3212227 polymorphism of the IL-12 gene were not independent risk factors for PDR. Our findings suggest that the genetic variations at the IL-10 promoter gene might be a genetic risk factor for PDR in Caucasians with type 2 diabetes.

Objective. The aim of this study was to analyse individual and combinedsensitivity and specificity of ultrasound and mammography inbreast cancer diagnosis and emphasize the importance of combiningbreast imaging modalities. Patients and methods. By means ofa cross-sectional study, ultrasound and mammographic examinationsof 148 women (mean age 51.6 ± 10.8 years) with breast symptomswere analysed. All women underwent surgery and all lesions were examinedby histopathology analysis which revealed the presence of 63breast cancers, and 85 benign lesions. In relation to age, the womenwere separated in to a group under 50 years and a group 50 years andolder. Ultrasound and mammographic findings were classified on theBI-RADS categorical scale of 1-5. Categories 1, 2 and 3 were considerednegative, while categories 4 and 5 were positive for cancer. Forstatistical data processing the McNemar chi-square test for pairedproportions was used. The differences on the level of p<0.05 were consideredstatistically significant. Results. In the group under 50 years,the ultrasound sensitivity was significantly higher than the mammographicsensitivity (p=0.045, c2=4), without a statistically significantdifference in specificity (p=0.24, c2=1.39). In the women over 50, asignificant difference between sensitivity of ultrasound and mammographywas not proved (p=0.68, c2=0.17), nor any difference in thespecificities (p=0.15, c2=2.08). In the group consisting of all patients,the sensitivity of ultrasound was statistically significantly higher incomparison with the sensitivity of mammography (p=0.04, c2=4.27)with higher specificity (p=0.04, c2=4). By combining the two methodsin all patients sensitivity of 96.8% was achieved, in patients up to 50sensitivity was 90.47% and in patients over 50, sensitivity was 100%.When the two methods were combined in all patients, a decrease inspecificity was noted. Conclusion. The combination of ultrasound andmammography in breast cancer diagnosis achieves high sensitivityand the number of undetected breast cancers is reduced to minimum.

Intellectual disability is the state of stopped or incomplete mental development which is featured by the impairment of abilities occurring at the development age and contributes to general level of intelligence, such as speech, cognitive, motor and social abilities. Disability can occur together or separately from other mental or physical disorders. 290 million people worldwide are estimated to have disabilities. Health is a core element in quality of life, but poverty, marginalization, limited access to primary health care, and lack of health promotion knowledge compromise health. Based on a research results in all nine areas of the family life quality (health, nancial status, family relations, support of other, support of services, influence of values, career, leisure and recreation, and community interaction) community could influence with the permanent preventive measures on 6 concepts of family life quality: importance, possibility, initiative, achievement, stability and satisfaction. The research could be of great help for the development of comprehensive strategies for improvement of quality of life for families that have one or more members with intellectual disability. From inclusion we expect approach to individual and his/her family by the society, to take into account all their diversities, preservation and improvement of their personal physical and mental health, for optimal possible functioning, at all personal and social levels.

Introduction: Gastrointestinal infectious diseases are a group of frequent diseases in developing countries as a result of industrialization in food production and often consuming of the food in public places. In Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Canton Sarajevo these diseases are frequent. The aim of this work is to investigate epidemiological characteristics of the most often gastrointestinal infectious diseases in Canton Sarajevo (Enterocolitis acuta, Toxiinfectio alimentaris, Salmonellosis, Amoebiasis) compared with Viral Hepatitis A and to estimate the need for the implementation of vaccination against this disease.Methods: We used individual reports as well as monthly and annual bulletins about the movement of infectious diseases which are obligatory for reporting from the Epidemiology department of the Institute for public health in Canton Sarajevo. This work is a retrospective study, for the period 2005-2009. Descriptive- analytical method was used. In statistical processing we used mean, structure index and trend index.Results: The research showed that gastrointestinal infectious diseases are registered in a huge number in all the observed years. The most often was Enterocolitis acuta, and the rarest was Viral Hepatitis A. The diseases were mostly sporadic. Distinct seasonality and coherence with warm months in the year is expressed in Enterocolitis acuta and Intoxicatio alimentaris, while the other diseases are registered during the whole year.Conclusions: Incidence of gastrointestinal infectious diseases in Canton Sarajevo is high and we need to work intensively to improve sanitary conditions as the most eficient preventive measures. There is no justification for implementing of the vaccine against Viral hepatitis A.

Introduction: Traumatic injuries of the spinal column are among the most devastating injuries in orthopedics. The primary goals of rehabilitation of these injuries are prevention of secondary complications, maximizing physical functioning and reintegration into the community. Rehabilitation after spinal injury reqires multidisciplinary team approach. Team members include, but are not limited to, physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, psychologists, health care managers and social workers, with each member having role and responsibility in their area of expertise. This study aimed to determine the difference in the occurrence of spinal injuries according to gender, age, cause of injury, neurological phenomenon in injured patients, the treatment and physical procedures used in the early stages of rehabilitation. Methods: The study was conducted as a retrospective and comparative at the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology of Clinical Center University of Sarajevo. Medical records of 100 patients, treated at from January 1 st 2007 till June 30 th 2008, were processed and data about outpatient protocols and surgery protocols analyzed. Results: The results obtained from the data showed greater proportion of women (56%) compared to men (44%). Most patients were in the age group between 41 and 60. Injuries were most often due to falls from height

Introduction: In the case of the Thoraco-lumbar Junction Syndrome the pain is located in the region of the lumbo-sacral junction. Sudden torsion movements and lifting of objects while the spine is in position of torsion is the cause in most cases. In those cases, a blockade on the  Th11-Th12-L1 vertebrae occurs. The aim of this research was to determine the number of patients with the Low Back Pain whose origin is in the thoracic vertebral dynamic segments, in relation to the total number of patients according to gender, age and profession.Methods: In this retrospective, descrtiptive study we have analyzed patients treated for Lumbosacral syndrome of thoracic origin in private specialist ambulant “Cebic” in Zavidovici during one year period. We analyzed data from patients medical records and history.Results: Total of 1882 patients were treated for the Low Back Pain, of which 67 (3.56%) had an origin of the pain in the Thoraco-lumbar Junction. In the analyzed group, there were 49 (73.1%) man and 18 (26.8%) women. The largest number of males, 21 (42.8%), were between 40-49 years old, while the largest number of woman, 9 (50%), was 20 to 29 years old. Largest number of male patients, 35 (71.8%), were physical workers, while most of the female subjects, 7 (38.8%), were of ce workers.Conclusions: Our research concludes that the number of patients with Low Back Pain of the thoracic origin (3.56%) is not disregarded, but these facts are usually overlooked. Therapy for those kinds of patients is in most cases concentrated to the lower segments of the lumbar spine, which gives unsatisfactory therapeutic results.

Ultrasound devices and methodologies have been continuously evolving and becoming more important as tools in diagnostic medicine. Recently a new ultrasound diagnostic technique has been developed. Named sonoelastography, the technique enables evaluation of tissue elasticity and is based on differences in stiffness (hardness, compressibility, elasticity) of pathological changes and normal adjacent tissue. Sonoelastography (SE) is also known as Real-time tissue elastography (RTE), Real-time sonoelastography (RTSE), Tissue type imaging (TTI) and Ultrasound Strain Imaging Technology. It has been found useful in many medicine � elds and adopted readily by clinicians of different specialties. It gives more information than conventional ultrasound in evaluation of tumors, liver disease, skeletal muscles, rheumatoid nodules and other pathological changes. This review covers the basics of elastography, its applications, instruments, techniques, the scoring system and the indications for elastography. © 2011 University of Sarajevo Faculty of Health Studies