Thesis (doctoral)--Freie Universität Berlin, 1980.

Thesis (M.P.H.M (Primary Health Care Management))--Mahidol University, 2004.

Objective: Paraquat is a commonly used herbicide worldwide and is a well-documented cause of pulmonary fibrosis in studies of laboratory animals and in humans following high dose exposure (usually accidental or as parasuicide). The respiratory effects of long-term, low dose paraquat exposure have not been fully evaluated. We set out to evaluate the possible effects of paraquat spraying among deciduous fruit farm workers in the Western Cape, South Africa. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 126 workers was performed. Administered questionnaires generated information on exposure, respiratory symptoms and confounding variables. Spirometry and gas transfer were measured and chest radiographs performed. Oxygen desaturation on exercise testing was by oximetry during a modified stage one exercise test. Results: No association was found between long-term paraquat exposure and reported symptoms, spirometry (FVC, FEVl, FEVl/FVC) and gas transfer (TLco and Kco) or chest radiography. Multivariate analysis showed a significant relationship between measures of long-term paraquat exposure and arterial oxygen desaturation during exercise (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Previous studies have also not shown a significant relationship between measures of paraquat exposure and standard tests of lung function. Arterial oxygen desaturation during exercise represents a more sensitive test. Our findings indicate that working with paraquat under usual field conditions for a long period is associated with abnormal exercise physiology in a dose dependant fashion.

<p>Poremećaji disanja tokom spavanja (Sleep disordered breathing &ndash; SDB) obuhvataju spektar bolesti koje nastaju usled povećanog otpora u gornjem disajnom putu i reflektuje se na spavanje. Najveća podgrupa SDB su prekidi disanja tokom spavanja ili sleep apnea sindrom (Sleep Apnea Syndrome &ndash; SAS). SDB su prisutni kod 20% op&scaron;te populacije, dok je 82% mu&scaron;karaca i 93% žena koje imaju umerenu i te&scaron;ku OSA nedijagnostikovano. Kako osnovna dijagnostička metoda, polisomnografija, zahteva stručan kadar i adekvatnu laboratorijsku opermu nameće se potreba za brzom, efikasnom i jeftinom skrining metodom pri dijagnostici SAS. Cilj ove studije jeste da se uradi validacija i prevođenje &ldquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnika sa engleskog na srpski jezik i utvrdi njegova specifičnost i senzitivnost u odnosu na vrednosti AHI indeksa kod odraslih ispitanika pri dijagnostikovanju SAS i da se utvrdi senzitivnost i specifičnost &ldquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnika i Epfortove skale pospanosti zajedno. Istraživanje je u potpunosti sprovedeno u Centru za patofiziologiju disanja sa medicinom sna Instituta za plućne bolesti Vojvodine, Sremska Kamenica. Studijsku grupa se sastojala od 102 ispitanika koji su popunjavali oba upitnika, a potom je svima urađena polisomnografija. Testiranje &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnikom, kao i retest nakon mesec dana uradilo 30 ispitanika. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da su u uzorku dominirale osobe mu&scaron;kog pola 69,6%. Prosečna starost je iznosila 50,1&plusmn;13,8 godina. Najveći broj ispitanika je imao poremećaj disanja tokom spavanja (73,5%). Prema stepenu težine najveći broj ispitanika (30,4%) je bolovao od te&scaron;kog oblika (apnea/hipopnea indeks- AHI&gt;30), a prema tipu poremećaja dominirali su opstruktivni poremećaji sa 66,7% u ukupnom uzorku. Prekomerna dnevna pospanost, merena Epfortovom skalom pospanosti, bila je prisutna kod 58,8% ispitanika i korelirala je sa stepenom težine poremećaja (r=0,43). Dobijena senzitivnost i specifičnost za &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnik je iznosila 62,7% i 51,9% respektivno. &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnik je preveden na srpski jezik, a zatim je urađen test i retest upitika gde nije bilo razlike u odgovorima. Dobijena je granična vrednost za &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnik koja iznosi 4.5, a senzitivnost i specifičnost testa za različit stepen težine SAS je zadovoljavajuća i iznosila je 70,7%/66,7% za laku, 78,6% /60,9% za umerenu i 87,4%/ 50,7% za te&scaron;ku sleep apneu. Pri poređenju oba upitnika zajedno dobijena je bolja specifičnost 85,2%, 76,1%, 69,0% ali lo&scaron;ija senzitivnost 53,3%, 58,9% ,71,0% za laku , umerenu i te&scaron;ku sleep apneu respektivno u grupi ispitanika koji su imali vrednosti oba upitnika iznad graničnih vrednosti. U grupi ispitanika gde je jedan od upitnika imao vrednosti iznad granične vrednosti dobijena je bolja senzitivnost ali lo&scaron;ija specifičnost u odnosu na samo &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnik. Istraživanjem je utvrđen skrining metod -&ldquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; upitnik, koji stratifikuje pacijente na osnovu kliničkih simptoma, fizičkog pregleda i prisustva faktora rizika, na one pacijente sa visokim rizikom kojima treba hitno uraditi polisomnografiju i uputiti ih dalje na lečenje i na one kojima polisomnografija nije potrebna.</p> / <p>Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) includes a spectrum of diseases occurring due to an increased resistance in the upper airway, which affects sleeping. The major SDB subgroup is sleep apnea syndrome (SAS). SDB is present in 20% of the general population, and among the subjects with a moderate or severe SAS, 82% of males and 93% of females remain undiagnosed. Since polysomnography - the basic diagnostic method, requires a well-trained staff and adequate laboratory equipment, the need for a fast, efficient and cheap screening method in the diagnosis of SAS has breen imposed. Objectives of the study are to evaluate and translate the &ldquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire from English to Serbian, establish its specificity and sensitivity in relation to the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) values while diagnosing SAS in adults, and to assess the cumulative sensitivity and specificity of the &ldquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. The investigation has been entirely carried out in the Lung Function and Sleep Medicine Centre of the Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica. The study cohort included 102 subjects who were all, having answered both questionnaires first, submitted to polysomnography. Thirty subjects were tested by the &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire, and retested a month later. Results of the investigation show the male sex predominated in the study sample (69.6%). The subjects&#39; mean age was 50.1&plusmn;13.8 years. Most subjects had SDB (73.5%). The majority of ther subjects (30.4%) had a serious SDB form (AHI&gt;30). Obstuctive disorders prevailed, registered in 66.7% of the study population. Excessive daily sleepiness, measured by the Epworth sleepiness scale, was registered in 58.8% of the examined subjects, correlating well to the disorder severity level (r=0.43). Sensitivity and specificity obtained for the &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire amounted to 62.7% and 51.9% respectively. The &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire was translated to Serbian first, followed by testing an retesting using the questionairre, providing no differences in the obtained answeres. The obtained cut-off value for the &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire was 4.5, and the test sensitivity and apecificity for different SAS severity levels were satisfactory, amounting to 70.7%/66.7% for mild, 78.6% /60,9% for moderate, and 87.4%/50.7% for severe sleep apnea. The cumulative comparation of the two questionnaires has disclosed a better specificity of 85.2%, 76.1%, and 69.0%, but a worse sensitivity of 53.3%, 58.9%, and 71.0% for a mild, moderate and severe sleep apnea respectively in the group of subjects whose values for both questionnaires exceeded the cutoffs. In the group of subjects with one of the questionnaire values exceeding the cutoffs, a better sensitivity but a worse specificity were obtained related to only the &bdquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire. The investigation has established the screening method &ndash; the &ldquo;STOP BANG&ldquo; questionnaire which (on the basis of the clinical symptoms, physical examination and present risk factors) stratifies the patients into the high risk group requiring urgent polysomnography and referral for further treatment, and to those requiring no polysomnography.</p>

<p>Uvod: Tematika ove doktorske teze, usmerena je na analizu respiratornih poremećaja tokom spavanja, uzimajući u obzir činjenicu da se većina trudnica žali na poremećaje u ovoj sferi. Akcenti na ovom polju, odnose se na identifikaciju ovih patolo&scaron;kih stanja u trudnoći. Zato se ovi poremećaji moraju posmatrati integrisano sa rizičnim trudnoćama, ne samo kao njihovi pratioci, već najverovatnije i uzročnici i bitni činioci.<br />Cilj istraživanja: Cilj nam je bio da ukažemo na neophodnost primene neinvazivne ventilacije kod selektovane grupe trudnica, koja ima poremećeno disanje tokom spavanja, prema praktičnom kliničkom protokolu koji će, nadamo se, proisteći iz ovog istraživanja<br />Metodologija: Istraživanje je sprovedeno u formi prospektivne studije, na Klinici za ginekologiju i aku&scaron;erstvo, Kliničkog centra Vojvodine i u Centru za medicinu sna, Instituta za plućne bolesti Vojvodine, u periodu: od maja 2009. do juna 2011 godine.i obuhvatilo je finalno 110 trudnica. Studija je po tipu bila kohortna i eksperimentalna, po&scaron;to je identifikovala ispitanice na osnovu prisustva određenog faktora (SDB) i uticaj prisustva, odnosno odsustva predložene terapijske intervencije na tok i ishod trudnoće.<br />Rezultati:<br />- Respiratorni poremećaji tokom spavanja (SDB) su većinom tranzitornog karaktera tokom trudnoće, bez razlike između rizičnih trudnoća i onih uobičajenog toka;<br />- SDB tokom rizičnih trudnoća, uop&scaron;teno gledano, negativno utiču na tok i ishod istih;<br />- Primenom neinvazivne ventilacije (NIV), postiže se signifikatno smanjenje dnevne pospanosti (mereno sa ESS) i pobolj&scaron;anje oksigenacije, te redukcija kardiovaskularnih i metaboličkih komplikacija bez statistički značajne razlike sa i bez NIV-a;<br />- Trudnice lečene sa NIV (grupa 1) imaju duže trajanje gestacije u odnosu na nelečene (grupa 2) bez statistički značajne razlike;<br />- Rezultati Apgar-skora takođe su vi&scaron;ih vrednosti kod grupe 1 u odnosu na grupu 2 (bez NIV-a) bez statistički značajne razlike;<br />- Nije zabeležena statistički značajna razlika telesne mase novorođenčadi između grupe 1 i grupe 2, kao ni kod obe grupe u odnosu na kontrolnu (grupu 3);<br />- Pojava hipertenzivnog sindroma u grupama 1 i 2 je bez signifikantne razlike iako je manje trudnica imalo ovaj sindrom u grupi 1;<br />- Prisustvo SDB nije uticalo na način zavr&scaron;etka porođaja u svim ispitivanim grupama, ali su rizične trudnoće če&scaron;će zavr&scaron;avane operativnim putem.<br />Zaključak: Naučna opravdanost disertacije, ogleda se u tome, da se po prvi put, na na&scaron;im prostorima, uvođenjem neinvazivne ventilacije, kod pacijentkinja sa rizičnim trudnoćama, utiče na parametre perinatalnog ishoda i bolje zdravstveno stanje trudnica i njihovih novorođenčadi. Velika ekspanzija naučnog istraživanja u vodećim svetskim centrima o ovoj problematici, a imajući u vidu izražen trend negativnog prirodnog prira&scaron;taja u na&scaron;oj sredini, navela nas je na neophodnost re&scaron;avanja ovog problema na domaćem terenu, kao jednom od prioriteta u naučno-istraživačkom radu i praktičnom medicinskom delovanju.</p> / <p>Background: The theme of this thesis is focused on the analysis of respiratory disorders during sleep, since most pregnant women complain of sleep disturbances. The goal is to identify pathological respiratory disorders in pregnancy, considering them an integral part of high risk pregnancy, being most likely a cause of some of them, not only a side effect.<br />Objective: The aim of the study was to point out the necessity of application of non-invasive ventilation in selected pregnant women who have disrupted breathing during sleep. Based on the results of this research, a clinical protocol is developed.<br />Method: The research was conducted in the form of prospective studies in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Center and the Center for sleep medicine, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, in the period from May 2009 through June 2011 godine.U covered the final 110 pregnant women. The study by the type of the cohort and experimental, as the respondent identified by the presence of certain factors (SDB) and the effect of the presence or the absence of the proposed therapeutic interventions on the course and outcome of pregnancy.<br />Results:<br />- respiratory disorders during sleep (SDB) are mostly transitory nature during pregnancy, with no difference between risk pregnancies and those ordinary course;<br />- SDB during high-risk pregnancies, in general, negatively affect the course and outcome of the same;<br />- Application of non-invasive ventilation (NIV), achieved statistical significance reduce daytime sleepiness (measured with the ESS) and improve oxygenation and reduce cardiovascular and metabolic complications with no statistically significant differences with and without NIV;<br />- Pregnant women treated with NIV (group 1) have a longer duration of gestation compared to untreated (Group 2) with no statistically significant differences;<br />- Results Apgar-score values were also higher in group 1 compared to group 2 (without NIV) with no statistically significant differences;<br />- Not statistically significant difference in body weight between newborns Group 1 and Group 2, or in both groups compared to the control group (group 3);<br />- The emergence of hypertensive syndrome in groups 1 and 2 is no significant difference although less of pregnant women have this syndrome in group 1;<br />- The presence of SDB did not affect the ending of delivery in all groups, but risk pregnancies often ends with surgically.&nbsp;</p><p>Conclusion: For the first time in the region, non-invasive ventilation in patients with high-risk pregnancies is introduced, which will influence perinatal outcomes and improve health of pregnant women and their newborns. Since there is a negative trend of natural population increase in Serbia, new scientific developments in this field enable better medical care, as one of the priorities of scientific research.</p>