- Poland
Krystyna Pawlas
Wroclaw Medical University, Department of Hygiene, Faculty Member
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Introduction and objective: This paper is concerned with the harmful impact of nitric oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) on humans. The objective was to determine which source of emission is the most urgent in terms of its... more
Introduction and objective: This paper is concerned with the harmful impact of nitric oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) on humans. The objective was to determine which source of emission is the most urgent in terms of its reduction.Abbreviated description of the state of knowledge: In published epidemiological studies multiple notifications indicating the harmful impact of particulate matter on human health can be found. The harmful impact is underscored by the increase in the number of hospitalisations owing to diseases of respiratory and cardio-vascular systems, as well as by the rise in general fatality rate. The analysis of the PM impact on the human body is prompted by the fact that its detrimental effects are not clearly defined. Additionally, nitric oxides contribute to the increased number of exacerbations of respiratory disease and are a factor increasing susceptibility to development of local inflammation. Conclusions: The following study is meant to show that the air pollution which derives from vehicles (NOx and PM) has a significant impact on human health. This applies particularly to residents of cities and big towns. This issue has gained special importance in Poland. According to the data from the Central Statistical Office, the increasing number of vehicles in use and their age lead to increased emission of the pollutants considered.
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Wstęp. Popularność napojów energetycznych w Polsce rośnie odkąd zostały wprowadzone na rynek europejski w 1987 roku. Zawierają one substancje bioaktywne, takie jak kofeina i tauryna, które znacząco poprawiają wydolność organizmu. Celem... more
Wstęp. Popularność napojów energetycznych w Polsce rośnie odkąd zostały wprowadzone na rynek europejski w 1987 roku. Zawierają one substancje bioaktywne, takie jak kofeina i tauryna, które znacząco poprawiają wydolność organizmu. Celem pracy była ocena spożycia napojów energetycznych, a także ich wpływu na samopoczucie studentów największych wrocławskich uczelni wyższych. Materiał i metody. Badania przeprowadzono w miesiącach styczeń–luty 2015 roku we Wrocławiu wśród 1263 studentów w wieku 18–28 lat. W pracy wykorzystano autorski kwestionariusz internetowy, który uwzględniał płeć i uczelnię wyższą. Pytania dotyczyły częstotliwości i okoliczności stosowania napojów energetycznych, celu i efektów ich stosowania, oceny szkodliwości i skutków ubocznych. Wyniki. Ponad połowa badanych spożywała napoje energetycznie okazjonalnie (50,7%), natomiast zaledwie co szósty badany deklarował, że nie spożywa ich wcale (16,0%). Z kolei 52,2% badanych przyznało, że to sesja egzaminacyjna, a zatem czas zwiększonej ilości nauki był okresem nasilenia spożywania tych napojów. W uzasadnieniu badani argumentowali to głównie chęcią dodania sobie energii (68,3%) oraz zmniejszenia senności (55,5%). Spośród badanych spożywających napoje energetyczne 54,7% zauważyło występowanie skutków ubocznych, a za najczęstsze podawali uczucie kołatania serca (63,3%), zaburzenia snu (45,3%) i drżenie rąk (41,2%). Natomiast zdecydowana większość studentów spożywających napoje energetyczne uznała, że są one szkodliwe (94,5%). Wnioski. Dostępność i różnorodność napojów energetycznych powoduje, że stały się one bardzo popularne wśród studentów. W związku z występowaniem efektów ubocznych spożywania napojów energetycznych należałoby się zastanowić nad wprowadzeniem ostrzeżeń o niepożądanych efektach i podawania maksymalnej dziennej dopuszczalnej dawki.
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The rising prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and teenagers is a major challenge for public health. Obesity is a complex and heterogeneous disorder, affected by many interacting genetic and non-genetic factors. The aim of... more
The rising prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and teenagers is a major challenge for public health. Obesity is a complex and heterogeneous disorder, affected by many interacting genetic and non-genetic factors. The aim of this article was to focus on the environmental risk factors for childhood obesity. Among different factors contributing to an increase in BMI, we highlighted the role of exposure to cigarette smoke, DDT, bisphenol A, pesticides, and noise. The correlation between exposure to environmental toxins during prenatal period and obesity development in later life was underlined. According to obesogenic environment hypothesis, some features of distal and proximal neighbourhood also have a pivotal impact on children's behaviour and may contribute to increasing the risk for overweight. The area of residence (urban or rural) may affect access to sports facilities or other opportunities for physical activity. Therefore, for designing adequate prophylaxis, it is essential to take into account modifiable risk factors present in residential neighbourhood. Prevention of childhood obesity should integrate activities for both microand macro-environment surrounding the child.
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strEszczENiE Wrocław to miasto charakteryzujące się brakiem obec-ności przemysłu ciężkiego. Głównymi źródłami emisji za-nieczyszczeń powietrza są transport drogowy, emisja niska oraz miejska elektrociepłownia. Transport drogowy jest... more
strEszczENiE Wrocław to miasto charakteryzujące się brakiem obec-ności przemysłu ciężkiego. Głównymi źródłami emisji za-nieczyszczeń powietrza są transport drogowy, emisja niska oraz miejska elektrociepłownia. Transport drogowy jest szczególnie uciążliwy dla mieszkańców Wrocławia, świad-czy o tym prędkość przejazdu przed miasto wynosząca 36 km/h, co doprowadza do znacznej koncentracji pyłu zawieszonego (PM) oraz tlenków azotu (NO x) wzdłuż głównych arterii komunikacyjnych miasta. Zanieczysz-czenia powietrza pochodzące z emisji niskiej są szczegól-nie zauważalne w obrębie gęstej zabudowy śródmiejskiej, gdzie znaczna część mieszkań nie jest podłączona do węz-ła ciepłowniczego. W puli emisji zanieczyszczeń powietrza swój udział zaznacza również wrocławska elektrociepłow-nia wpływając na poziom pyłu frakcji PM10 szczególnie w okresie grzewczym. W pracy przedstawiono zestawienie liczby dni z prze-kroczeniami PM oraz NO 2. Jednocześnie dokonano omó-wienia potencjalnego negatywnego wpływu powyższych zanieczyszczeń powietrza na zdrowie człowieka. Słowa kluczowe: zanieczyszczenia powietrza, pył za-wieszony, tlenki azotu AbstrAct The feature which characterizes Wroclaw city is the lack of heavy industry. The main sources of air pollutants are road transport, low emission from households and power plant. Road transport is particularly burdensome for residents of Wroclaw, as evidenced by the speed of passing traffic through the city amounting to 36 km/h, which leads to a significant concentration of the particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NO x) along the main thoroughfares of the city. Air pollution from households is particularly noticeable within the densely populated downtown area where a significant part of flats is not connected to district heating. Emission from heat and power plant in Wroclaw city also contribute significantly to the level of PM10 especially during the heating season. The paper presents a summary of the number of days when PM10 concentration is exceeded. At the same time discussion took place on the potential impact of these air pollutants on human health. Niniejszy materiał jest udostępniony na licencji Creative Commons-Uznanie autorstwa 3.0 PL. Pełne postanowienia tej licencji są dostępne pod:
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Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between selenoprotein P, peroxiredoxin-5, renalase, total antioxidant status (TAS), mean blood pressure (mBP), and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). Methods The study group... more
Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between selenoprotein P, peroxiredoxin-5, renalase, total antioxidant status (TAS), mean blood pressure (mBP), and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). Methods The study group consisted of 112 patients hospitalized to verify the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The inclusion criteria were consent to participate in the study and age ≥ 18 years. Patients with active proliferative disease, severe systemic diseases, or mental diseases were excluded from the study. Each patient underwent full polysomnography and had blood pressure measured. Blood samples were collected and laboratory test was performed. Results Among 112 patients enrolled, there was a statistically significant negative linear correlation between blood pressure values (sBP, dBP, mBP) and selenoprotein P, renalase, and TAS levels. Similarly, there was a negative linear correlation between AHI and selenoprotein P, renalase, and TAS levels, but none between ...
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This study aimed to assess the relationship between chosen antioxidants, namely selenoprotein P (SELENOP), peroxiredoxin-5 (Prdx-5), renalase and selected cardiovascular consequences tested in ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM)... more
This study aimed to assess the relationship between chosen antioxidants, namely selenoprotein P (SELENOP), peroxiredoxin-5 (Prdx-5), renalase and selected cardiovascular consequences tested in ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and echocardiography (ECHO). In our work, cardiovascular consequences refer to higher mean blood pressure (MBP) and pulse pressure (PP) on ABPM, as well as to left atrial enlargement (LAE), left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF%) on ECHO. The study group consisted of 101 consecutive patients admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine, Occupational Diseases and Hypertension to verify the diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). Each patient underwent full polysomnography, blood tests, ABPM and ECHO. Both selenoprotein-P and renalase levels correlated with different ABPM and ECHO parameters. We found no correlation between the peroxiredoxin-5 level and none of the tested parameters. We point to t...
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The aim of our study was to assess the incidence of respiratory system disorders among residents in the neighborhood of a wastewater treatment plant compared to the population living outside the impact area. We conducted a questionnaire... more
The aim of our study was to assess the incidence of respiratory system disorders among residents in the neighborhood of a wastewater treatment plant compared to the population living outside the impact area. We conducted a questionnaire survey on two populations: one from the vicinity of the wastewater treatment plant (586 people) and another from a village located far away from the plant (502 people). Studied populations were also divided according to place of residence and distance from the plant: zones A, B, C. Survey questions concerned the respiratory system symptoms and housing conditions. Respondents from the exposed group reported the following symptoms more often than the control group: frequent colds, recurrent respiratory tract infections, throat irritation, dyspnoea, recurrent rhinitis, and nasal irritation/ burning sensation. Among the risk factors for respiratory disorders, signifi cant were: living in blocks of fl ats (OR = 1.78; CI 1.13-2.81), air pollution by odours (OR = 1.64; CI 1.04-2.56), period of residence (OR = 1.02; CI 1.00-1.03) and age of respondents (OR = 0.98; CI 0.97-0.98), while the ownership of pets had a protective effect (OR<1). Reported symptoms were also associated with air pollution by staphylococci (OR~5). The obtained results show that proximity to a wastewater treatment plant deteriorates the health of nearby residents.
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The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between cadmium exposure and the likelihood of developing or exacerbating symptoms of inflammatory arthritis (IA). The study included 51 IA patients and 46 control subjects.... more
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between cadmium exposure and the likelihood of developing or exacerbating symptoms of inflammatory arthritis (IA). The study included 51 IA patients and 46 control subjects. Demographic and lifestyle data were collected. Haematological and biochemical parameters and blood cadmium levels (Cd-B) were determined. Cd-B correlated positively with age, smoking, living in a high-traffic area, and serum levels of inflammatory markers and negatively with mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC). The binary logistic regression model implied that high Cd-B (≥0.65 μg/L) is linked with an increased risk of IA in the studied population (odds ratio: 4.4). High levels of DNA oxidative damage marker (8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine) (≥7.66 ng/mL) and cyclooxygenase-2 (≥22.9 ng/mL) and frequent consumption of offal was also associated with increased risk of IA. High Cd-B was related to increased risk of disease symptoms onset in the gro...
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Breakfast is considered one of the crucial elements of a healthy diet. Most studies evaluate breakfast consumption with the risk of obesity and other health effects. Less attention is paid to the evaluation of breakfast composition and... more
Breakfast is considered one of the crucial elements of a healthy diet. Most studies evaluate breakfast consumption with the risk of obesity and other health effects. Less attention is paid to the evaluation of breakfast composition and patterns. Thus, this study aimed to describe the most frequently observed breakfast patterns and to assess breakfast composition and quality in a group of Polish early school-age children. The cross-sectional survey study was conducted in school years 2017/2018 and 2018/2019. Information regarding breakfast was obtained with the use of an original paper-based weekly observation diary, and breakfast quality was assessed with a special scoring designed to be used together with the diary. In total, 223 schoolchildren of the second and third grades participated in the study, and 200 diaries were analyzed. More than ¾ of the participants consumed breakfast every day. Nearly 68% of meals were classified as well balanced, but only 16.5% of children eat a wel...
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Background Arterial hypertension (AH) constitutes a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The aim of the study was to evaluate the extent of knowledge on the causes and complications of arterial hypertension in... more
Background Arterial hypertension (AH) constitutes a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The aim of the study was to evaluate the extent of knowledge on the causes and complications of arterial hypertension in randomly selected students from Polish cities: Kielce, Wroclaw and Zielona Gora. Material and methods The study was caried out in a group of 232 students (23.14 ± 1.23 years), among them students from Kielce constituted 37.5% of participants (subgroup I, n = 87), students from Wroclaw 29.7% (subgroup II, n = 69), and students from Zielona Gora 32.8% (subgroup III, n = 76). Among the examined was carried out questionnaire survey on knowledge of the causes of arterial hypertension and its complications. Results Among causes of arterial hypertension the most commonly selected answer was overweight and obesity (93.97% of the answers), drinking coffee (75.43%) and stress (72.41%). The incorrect answer chosen most often was drinking high amounts of coffee (75.43...
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The paper presents a short review of scientific papers , and other sources concerning health effects of exposure to noise, infrasounds, electromagnetic radiation and mechanical hazards induced in dwellers living in vicinity of wind farm.
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Stress is considered to be both a trigger of autoimmune diseases and a factor which contributes to disease exacerbation. Emotional stress before the disease onset is reported by up to 80% of patients suffering from autoaggressive... more
Stress is considered to be both a trigger of autoimmune diseases and a factor which contributes to disease exacerbation. Emotional stress before the disease onset is reported by up to 80% of patients suffering from autoaggressive diseases. A significant increase in the prevalence of autoimmune diseases in recent years and the growing number of stressors in our daily lives, including the work environment, raise a question about a link between psychological stress and autoimmune disorders. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to highlight the potential role of stress in both development and exacerbation of autoimmune diseases. The potential mechanisms by which stress can affect autoimmunity are characterised. In particular, the focus is on rheumatic diseases, autoimmune endocrine disorders, multiple sclerosis, and psoriasis. In addition, the role of post-traumatic stress disorder is underlined, as well as the possible association between stress present in the work environment and...
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Our study focused on the assessment of the effects of environmental lead exposure on brain electrical activity. Electrophysiological procedures were conducted on 92 children with Pb level of 5.9 + 3.8 μg/dL (min.=2.3 μg/dL, max.=23.0... more
Our study focused on the assessment of the effects of environmental lead exposure on brain electrical activity. Electrophysiological procedures were conducted on 92 children with Pb level of 5.9 + 3.8 μg/dL (min.=2.3 μg/dL, max.=23.0 μg/dL). The study was performed on a blind basis, and consisted of blood lead level measurements, standard EEG examinations, brain electric activity mapping, and psychological tests. Results of electrophysiological assessment were correlated with the blood lead concentration (PbB). Elevated PbB significantly correlated with: abnormal EEGs (R=0.419; p<0.001), border-line results, IQ measurement results and difficulties in learning. In conclusion, psychological tests and electrophysiological methods were effective in the assessment of environmental exposure of children to lead.
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Background. The toxic effect of exposure to cadmium and copper is a result of their concentrations and interac− tions in the body. Free radical mechanisms and disorders of zinc metabolism have been implicated in the damage of kidneys... more
Background. The toxic effect of exposure to cadmium and copper is a result of their concentrations and interac− tions in the body. Free radical mechanisms and disorders of zinc metabolism have been implicated in the damage of kidneys caused by Cd and Cu. Physical exercise causes the oxidative stress and also changes the metal distrib− ution and disturbs its metabolism. On the other hand, moderate physical training influences favourably on the antioxidative protection and can reduce the toxic effect caused by cadmium and copper. Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of both physical training and intoxication with cadmium, copper, and cadmium and copper simultaneously on the concentrations of metals (Cd, Zn, Cu) in the blood and kidneys; the concentration of indicators of oxidative stress (malonyldialdehyd (MDA), sulfhydryl groups) in the kidneys of rats; and the changes in some antioxidant components such as: superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxi...
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The aim of the study was to evaluate the estimation efficacy of aortic valve calcium score (AVCS) based on the multislice computed tomography (MSCT) angiographic phase. The evaluation of the reduced amount of ionizing radiation dose was... more
The aim of the study was to evaluate the estimation efficacy of aortic valve calcium score (AVCS) based on the multislice computed tomography (MSCT) angiographic phase. The evaluation of the reduced amount of ionizing radiation dose was performed because of this estimation. The study included 51 consecutive patients who qualified for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) (78.59 ± 5.72 years). All subjects underwent MSCT: in the native phase dedicated to AVCS as well as angiographic phases aimed to morphologically assess the aortic ostium and arterial accesses for TAVI. Based on the native phase, an AVCS assessment was performed for axial reconstructions at 3.0 mm and 2.0 mm slice thickness (AVCSnative3.0 and AVCSnative2.0). Based on the angiographic phase AVCS was estimated for axial reconstruction at 0.6 mm slice thickness with increased values of lesion density in aortic valve cusps/aortic valve annulus, which is considered a calcification, from a typical value of 130 HU ...
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The built environment, which refers to human-made or modified features of the physical neighbourhood, such as homes, schools, workplaces, or parks and recreational areas, undoubtedly has a great impact on our lifestyles and health... more
The built environment, which refers to human-made or modified features of the physical neighbourhood, such as homes, schools, workplaces, or parks and recreational areas, undoubtedly has a great impact on our lifestyles and health behaviours. The objective of this paper is a review of the literature on the correlations between neighbourhood environment and weight status of local residents. This paper presents factors in the built environment which may be related to overweight and obesity prevalence among local residents, resulting in changes in energy balance and affecting BMI. The focus is especially on the relationship between the distance from home to parks and green spaces and physical activity levels, and between the access to fast food restaurants and BMI status or obesity prevalence among residents. The results of recent studies are inconsistent, primarily because of several limitations and methodological problems, and due to multifactorial and complex relationships between t...
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The after-school period may play a critical role in the accumulation of children’s physical activity and sedentary time. The study aimed to characterize familial correlates of early school-age children’s leisure time activities. A... more
The after-school period may play a critical role in the accumulation of children’s physical activity and sedentary time. The study aimed to characterize familial correlates of early school-age children’s leisure time activities. A cross-sectional study was conducted among a group of 223 children (mean age 8.7 ± 0.5) and their parents. The percentage of children with daily leisure time physical activity (LTPA) >1 h was 23.32%, and with daily screen time <2 h was 32.74%. The average children’s leisure time physical activity was significantly higher on weekend days than on weekdays (114.85 vs. 89.43 min, p = 0.005). Similarly, the average screen time was higher on weekend days than on weekdays (95.50 vs. 66.10 min, p < 0.001). The multivariate regression analysis revealed that independent predictors of children’s leisure time physical activity were the father’s education level and the father’s occupational status, whereas at least one parent with higher education correlated ne...