Chronic diseases are a major cause of mortality and morbidity globally, with non-communicable diseases being responsible for most deaths. Older adults are at a higher risk of developing chronic diseases due to various sociodemographic and lifestyle factors such as age, sex, income, education, employment, place of residence, dietary supplementation, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption. Understanding the relationship between these factors and chronic diseases is crucial for identifying vulnerable populations and improving healthcare delivery. Through both an online and an interview-based survey, this cross-sectional study aimed to examine these associations, focusing on adults aged 50 and above, with the goal of identifying potential areas for intervention and prevention. The study found that gender, area of residence, education status, employment status, nutritional supplementation, body mass index (BMI), alcohol usage, and age are associated with the risk of chronic disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Female gender, higher educational level, employment, normal BMI, and younger age were found to be protective factors, while living in rural areas, alcohol consumption, and older age were identified as risk factors. The study recommends targeted interventions and improved access to healthcare to reduce risk factors and enhance healthcare delivery for better health outcomes.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main cause of death in the population with diabetes mellitus. This study purposed to determine clinical laboratory markers that might be correlated with the risk of CVD in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: Using data from the Clinical Center of the University of Debrecen from 2016 to 2020, we assessed cardiovascular risk in 5593 individuals with T2DM over a five-year follow-up period. There were 347 new cases of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke during the period. Following the stratification of these individuals into two groups according to the diagnosis of these CVDs until 2020, the risk of these CVDs was assessed through the utilization of the Chi-square test and Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: The findings of the Cox proportional hazards regression model showed that the number of HbA1C measurements per year (HR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.31–0.7), decreased levels of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (HR = 1.6, 95% CI 1.04–2.47), and elevated triglyceride levels (HR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.06–2.29) were correlated with CVD in patients with T2DM. The area under the curve (AUC) was increased from 0.557 (95% CI 0.531–0.582) to 0.628 (95% CI 0.584–0.671) after the inclusion of the laboratory variables into the model showing improved discrimination for AMI and stroke. Conclusions: These findings indicated that eGFR, triglyceride, and the number of HbA1C per year are correlated with AMI and stroke in patients with T2DM.

Background/Objectives: Acute sinusitis (AS) is a common infection of the upper respiratory tract that places considerable clinical and economic burden worldwide. Although frequently encountered in practice, the factors that predispose individuals to AS remain poorly understood. This study examined how different respiratory disorders and comorbidities influence the likelihood of developing AS, aiming to clarify its underlying risk profile. Methods: A longitudinal analysis was performed using electronic health records from the Clinical Center of the University of Debrecen Hospital. The study cohort (2007–2022) encompassed 37,164 observations. To evaluate the risk of AS progression, Log-Rank tests and Cox proportional hazards regressions were applied whilst adjusting for covariates. Results: The risk of developing AS was significantly higher among individuals with preceding respiratory conditions. Patients with common cold demonstrated a 2.3-fold increased risk of developing AS (95% CI [1.51–3.40]). Compared to those without such disorders, participants with acute bronchitis had a 2.5-fold higher hazard of AS (95% CI 1.90–3.26). The strongest association was observed for allergic rhinitis (HR = 4.04, 95% CI 3.18–5.13), followed by chronic sinusitis (HR = 3.10, 95% CI 2.13–4.51). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was also identified as a significant predictor for AS (HR = 1.62, 95% CI 1.04–2.52), whereas dental pathologies were associated with a modest protective effect (HR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.48–0.97). Conclusions: Patients with allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, acute bronchitis, common cold, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have a markedly higher risk of developing AS. Clinicians should actively screen for these conditions when assessing patients with recurrent or severe sinus infections. Early recognition and management of underlying respiratory disorders may reduce AS episodes, promote symptom control, and lessen healthcare burdens. Future research should concentrate on precision medicine to leverage AS preventive and management strategies.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) represent a considerable global health burden with no definitive treatments. Emerging evidence suggests that periodontitis may contribute to NDD through shared inflammatory, microbial, and genetic pathways. A retrospective cohort design was applied to analyze hospital records from 2012–2022 and to determine whether periodontitis independently increases NDD risk when accounting for major cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory confounders. Likelihood ratio-based Cox regression tests and Weibull survival models were applied to assess the association between periodontitis and NDD risk. Model selection was guided by Akaike and Bayesian information criteria, while Harrell’s C-index and receiver operating characteristic curves evaluated predictive performance. Periodontitis demonstrated an independent association with neurodegenerative disease risk (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.02–1.99). Cerebral infarction conferred the highest hazard (HR 4.81, 95% CI 2.90–7.96), while pneumonia (HR 1.96, 95% CI 1.05–3.64) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (HR 2.82, 95% CI 1.77–4.51) also showed significant increases in risk. Older individuals with periodontitis are at heightened risk of neurodegenerative disease, an effect further intensified by cerebrovascular, cardiometabolic, and gastroesophageal conditions. Pneumonia also emerged as an independent pathophysiological factor that may accelerate disease onset or progression. Attention to oral and systemic factors through coordinated clinical management may mitigate the onset and severity of neurodegeneration.

Introduction: Patients with haemophilia (PWH) often have difficulty accessing dental services.Aim: To determine the accessibility of dental care for PWH and to examine their perceptions of how coronavirus type‐2 (CoV‐2) disease (COVID‐19) has affected their ability to access dental treatments following the pandemic.Methods: The questionnaire survey was conducted between July 2022 and December 2022 at haemophilia treatment centres in Hungary. Variables with statistical significance (Pearson's Chi‐squared test; p < .05) were included in logistic regression analyses. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used as a machine learning technique to identify the most predictive variables.Results: Twenty‐one percent of the sixty‐eight participants reported that they had been refused dental treatment, mainly in primary care (86%). Dental refusal was influenced by infectious disease (OR: 4.48, CI: 1.14–17.69) and previous dental bleeding complications (OR: 4.23, CI: 1.10–16.27). There was correlation between dental visits and having a permanent dentist or receiving oral hygiene advice (OR: 9.95, CI: 2.86–34.62 and OR: 3.84, CI: 1.09–13.58). Participation in an oral hygiene consultation increased patients’ satisfaction with their dental care (OR: 6.28, 95% CI: .71–55.88). Twenty‐eight percent of patients had experienced difficulties since the start of the COVID‐19, but 84% had visited their dentist at least once between 2021 and 2022 (p = .002). Nevertheless, 16% of respondents went for only the most necessary treatments due to pandemic.Conclusion: Refusal of dental care was high among participants, especially in primary care. The COVID‐19 pandemic has exaggerated the difficulties of PWH in accessing dental treatment.Highlights: Patients with haemophilia (PWH) have difficulty accessing dental care, and the coronavirus type 2 (CoV‐2) disease pandemic (COVID‐19) has created a new barrier. The study revealed a high prevalence of dental care refusal (21%), particularly in primary care (86%). This 2022 survey found that 28% of patients experienced difficulties since the pandemic started and 16% only sought necessary treatments.

Background/Objectives: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a global health problem and the third leading contributor to mortality worldwide. This systematic review aims to summarize the results of previous studies tackling the question of the efficacy of long-term prophylaxis of antibiotics in COPD patients, with particular regard to exacerbation rate, time to first exacerbation, health status, airway bacterial load, inflammatory markers, cell counts in sputum samples, and potential adverse events. Results: Four studies found significant improvement in the exacerbation rate in patients receiving antibiotic intervention. One study found doxycycline to have negative effects on patients’ exacerbation outcomes. Two studies recorded a reduction in total airway bacterial load using quantitative culture of sputum samples, but the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria increased in all studies that measured it. No change in inflammatory markers was observed; however, there was a decline in neutrophil cell counts and, subsequently, reductions in neutrophil elastase concentrations. Methods: PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched for English-language studies presenting data on the prophylactic use of antibiotics in COPD management. All included studies are randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meet the inclusion criteria. Conclusions: Based on current evidence from RCTs, the prophylactic antibiotic approach utilizing macrolides is the most effective in reducing the incidence of COPD exacerbation. However, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens is notable. Whether the beneficial effects of macrolides on exacerbation are due to their antibacterial or immunomodulant properties is still inconclusive. Future studies are needed to better understand the interactions between antibiotics and the airway microbiome during COPD exacerbation.