BackgroundThe percentage of people aged 65 or older living in Poland is 13.6%, but 17.2% in Łódź. The aim of the study was to identify factors correlating with the self-rated quality of life of elderly inhabitants of cities applying for social help, on the basis of a cross-sectional study.MethodsThe study was conducted in Łódź, a large Polish city, between September 2011 and February 2012 in a group of people applying for help in the Municipal Social Welfare Centre. Four hundred and sixty-six respondents aged 65 or older were included in the study. The tool used in the study was an interview questionnaire. The respondents answered questions on their demographic situation, living conditions, financial, health and social situation. The authors also applied the WHOQOL-BREF Questionnaire, the Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GSOD). For statistical purposes, the authors used single- and multiple-factor regression and the Statistica 9.0 Program. The results were presented as an odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI); the adopted significance level was p < 0.05. The authors applied the Pearson’s x2 test in order to evaluate the structure of the studied group and the subpopulation, who were aged 65 or older and using social help, throughout the city.ResultsLogistic regression confirmed that a high quality of life depends on the following variables: university education (OR = 2.31; p < 0.05), an income which is sufficient to live (OR = 1.63; p < 0.05), no heart palpitations (OR = 2.32; p < 0.05), stable blood pressure (OR = 2.32; p < 0.05), no headaches (OR = 1.55; p < 0.05), no pain in the chest (OR = 1.51; p < 0.01), no shortness of breath (OR = 1.51; p < 0.01), no tiredness (OR = 2.08; p < 0.05), a score on the Geriatric Depression Scale pointing to a lack of suspected depression (OR = 9.88; p < 0.001 if the person does not suffer from depression and OR = 6.33; p < 0.001 if there is uncertain depression) as well as not using nursing services, a score on the ADL Scale confirming the person’s fitness and participation in family gatherings.ConclusionsA subjective evaluation of the quality of life of the elderly depends on many factors. An identification of these factors might be helpful in implementing steps aimed at improving the quality of life of elderly people who, as a consequence, will need less social help: particularly nursing services.

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The aim of the study was an analysis of years of life lost due to cervical cancer in Poland in the period 2000 to 2015 with consideration given to differences related to education and place of residence. The study material was 28,274 death certificates of all female inhabitants of Poland, who died in 2000 to 2015 due to cervical cancer. In order to calculate years of life lost, the authors used indices: SEYLLp (Standard Expected Years of Life Lost per living person), SEYLLd (per deaths) and AAPC (Average Annual Percentage Change). The SEYLLp index (per 100,000) due to cervical cancer in Poland decreased from 394.3 in 2000 to 220.9 years of life in 2015 (AAPC = −3.6%). Women with university education lost the smallest number of years of life (SEYLLp = 139.0 in 2000 and 53.7 in 2015; AAPC = −5.4%), whereas those with elementary education had the greatest number of years of life lost (524.2 and 312.8; AAPC = −3.4%). Women living in rural areas lost on average 329.5 years in 2000 and 177.0 in 2015 (AAPC = −3.8%). In city areas, the values were 428.6 and 247.1 (AAPC = −3.4%). Many of the years of life lost could have been avoided by including more women, particularly those with elementary education, in screening examinations.

All medicinal products authorized in the European Union are subjects of constant drug-safety monitoring processes. It is organized in a pharmacovigilance system that is designed to protect human health and life by the detection, analysis and prevention of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and other drug-related problems. The main role of the aforementioned system is to collect and analyze adverse drug reaction reports. Legislation introduced several years ago allowed patients, their legal representatives and caregivers to report adverse drug reactions, which caused them to be an additional source of safety data. This paper presents the analysis of EudraVigilance data related to adverse drug reactions provided by patients, their representatives, as well as those obtained from healthcare professionals related to medicines which belong to M01A anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic products, a non-steroid group. The objective of the study was to identify the changes in the number and structure of adverse reaction reporting after the introduction of pharmacovigilance (PV) obligations in EU. A review of scientific literature was also conducted to assess the differences in adverse reactions reported by patients or their representatives and by healthcare professionals. We also identified other factors which, according to literature review, influenced the number of adverse reaction reports provided by patients. Analysis of data collected from the EudraVigilance showed that from 2011 to 2013 the number of reports made by patients and their caregivers increased by approx. 24 percentage points, and then, from 2014, it constituted around 30% of the total of reported reactions every year, so patient reporting is an important part of pharmacovigilance system and a source of drugs’ safety information throughout their use in healthcare practice. Additionally, there was no interrelationship between the seriousness of reported adverse reactions and the overall number of patient reports when compared to reports form healthcare professionals.

Background: The aim of the study was to assess trends in mortality and the number of lost years of life due to breast cancer in the female population in the years 2000-2016, with consideration given to differences regarding the level of education and place of residence. Methods: The analysis was based on a database of the Central Statistical Office of Poland, containing information gathered from 92,154 death certificates of all Polish female inhabitants who died in the period 2000-2016 due to breast cancer. The SEYLL p (Standard Expected Years of Life Lost per living person), the SEYLL d (per deaths), the APC (Annual Percentage Change), the AAPC (Average Annual Percentage Change) were calculated to determine years of life lost. Results: The mean age of women who died from breast cancer increased in the study period from 64.7 years to 69.7. The SEYLL p index (per 100,000) increased to 776.8 years in 2016 (AAPC = 0.5%). The most unfavorable changes were observed in the group of women with secondary education. In 2004, the SEYLL p values started to grow at a rate of 2.3% and since 2011, they have been higher than amongst women with elementary education. In the years 2000-2016, the authors observed that SEYLL p was steadily declining (APC =-1.0%) in the group of inhabitants of rural areas, whereas with regards to city dwellers, the SEYLL p index has been increasing since 2004 (APC = 0.5%), which has resulted in increased disproportions regarding the place of residence. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that breast cancer is becoming a serious epidemiological problem in Poland. There is the need to intensify activities among women at highest risk group and it should be the starting point for making key decision in combating breast cancer.

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Background The aim of the study was to evaluate trends of mortality and the number of years of life lost due to lung cancer in Poland, in the period 2000–2016. Methods The study material was 375,151 death certificates of all inhabitants of Poland who died in the period 2000–2016 due to lung cancer. In order to calculate the number of years of life lost, the authors used indices: SEYLLp (Standard Expected Years of Life Lost per living person), SEYLLd (per deaths), APC (Annual Percentage Change) and AAPC (Average Annual Percentage Change). Results The standardized death rate (SDR) due to lung cancer decreased in the analyzed period from 74.5 to 68.3 per 100,000 population (AAPC = −0.6%). The most rapid decrease was noted in the years 2008–2011 (APC = –2.2%). With regards to males, SDR decreased from 148.8 to 114.5 (AAPC = –1.7%), whereas in females, it increased from 25.7 to 37.6 (AAPC = 2.3%). The SEYLLp index, calculated per 100,000 inhabitants, increased from 1189.9 in the year 2000 to 1250.5 in the year 2016. The trend and pace of changes fluctuated. In 2000–2008, the SEYLLp index was increasing at a pace of 0.7%. This growth was followed by a decrease at a pace of −1.2%, noted in 2008–2011. After the year 2011, the indices started to grow at an annual pace of 0.4%. AAPC in the whole study period was 0.3%. Increased mortality in females was responsible for the increase in the number of lost years of life. SEYLLp values in this sex group increased from 464.8 in the year 2000 to 774.7 in the year 2016 (APC = 3.3%).With regards to males, SEYLLp values, calculated for 100,000 male population, decreased in the analyzed period from 1961.1 to 1758.3. Conclusions Lung cancer still poses a serious epidemiological problem in Poland and the number of years of life lost due to this cause reflects social and economic implications of premature lung cancer-related mortality. There is a great need to educate, particularly women, and show effective ways of quitting smoking.

COVID-19 is not only a short-term infection, as patients (pts) recovering from SARS-CoV-2 infection complain of persisting symptoms, which may lead to chronic fatigue syndrome. There is currently no evidence that nutritional supplements can assist in the recovery of pts with chronic fatigue syndrome. 1-Methylnicotinamide (1-MNA) is an endogenic substance that is produced in the liver when nicotinic acid is metabolized. 1-MNA demonstrates anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic properties. Therefore, we investigated whether 1-MNA supplements could improve exercise tolerance and decrease fatigue among patients recovering from SARS-CoV-2. Methods: The study population was composed of 50 pts who had recovered from symptomatic COVID-19. The selected pts were randomized into two groups: Gr 1 (NO-1-MNA)—without supplementation; Gr 2 (1-MNA) with 1-MNA supplementation. At the beginning of the study (Phase 0), in both groups, a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) was carried out and fatigue assessment was performed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Both FSS and 6MWT were repeated after 1 month. Results: A significant improvement in the mean distance covered in the 6MWT was noted at follow-up in Gr 1-MNA, compared with Gr NO-1-MNA. We also noted that in Gr 1-MNA, the 6MWT distance was significantly higher after 1 month of supplementation with 1-MNA, compared with the beginning of the study (515.18 m in Phase 0 vs. 557.8 m in Phase 1; p = 0.000034). In Gr 1-MNA, significantly more pts improved their distance in the 6MWT (23 out of 25 pts, equal to 92%), by a mean of 47 m, compared with Gr NO-1-MNA (15 of 25 pts, equal to 60%) (p = 0.0061). After one month, significantly more patients in the group without 1-MNA had severe fatigue (FSS ≥ 4) compared with the group with supplementation (Gr 1-MNA = 5 pts (20%) vs. Gr NO-1-MNA = 14pts (56%); p = 0.008). Conclusions: 1-MNA supplementation significantly improved physical performance in a 6-min walk test and reduced the percentage of patients with severe fatigue after COVID-19. The comprehensive action of 1-MNA, including anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant effects, may be beneficial for the recovery of patients with persistent symptoms of fatigue and low tolerance to exercise after COVID-19.