Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the greatest global public health challenges. Acute exacerbations of COPD lead to the accelerated deterioration of lung function, reduced quality of life, a higher number of hospitalizations, and increased mortality. The factor causing the exacerbation is usually an infectious agent, but the impact of environmental factors is being studied more thoroughly. Among them, meteorological factors are the least examined. Multiple studies have shown that lower temperatures during the cold season, as well as sudden temperature changes regardless of the season, have the most significant negative effect on patients with COPD. However, higher temperatures, especially during summer heatwaves, can also cause COPD exacerbation and it is expected that this will be an even more important health problem in the future considering climate changes. The effects of other meteorological factors on acute exacerbation of COPD, such as atmospheric pressure, solar radiation, rainfall, wind speed, and humidity are far less investigated and opposing results have been obtained in different studies. Thus, there is a need for further research in this area that would result in clinical recommendations and public health interventions that could decrease the global burden of COPD.

Increased usage of herbal food supplements by both the paediatric and adult populations prompted a health risk assessment study. The elemental profiles of 52 supplements collected in Serbia were obtained using ICP-MS. The calculated contribution to permitted daily exposure was in compliance with the guidelines for elemental impurities: up to 46.8% for Pb (infants), 67.2% for Cu (toddlers), 6.8% for As (preschool children), and 8.0% for Hg (adolescents). Hazard quotients indicated high exposure of toddlers to Cu (100.9%) and Zn (112.7%), although by only one supplement, for which hazard indices ranged from 229 to 105% (aligning from toddlers to adolescents). Based on the margin of exposure, As and Pb were not of safety concern. Conversely, the proportion of supplements exceeding the acceptable level of lifetime cancer risk due to As exposure varied from 41.9% in adolescents to 54.3% in adults. Simultaneous use of multiple supplements over a prolonged period of time could further deepen health concerns.

Background: The aim of this study has been to examine the association between climate conditions (CC) and hospital admissions for the subcategories of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), according to patients’ age. Material and Methods: From January 2010 through December 2011, the daily number...

The available data on the impact of air pollution on acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) are inconsistent. We investigated the influence of air pollution on the number of severe AECOPD hospitalizations of non-infectious etiology in patients residing in Novi Sad, Serbia. In this time-series, we used a quasi-Poisson generalized linear model in conjunction with distributed lag non-linear models, after controlling for lag days, seasonal and long-term trends, and meteorological factors (air temperature and humidity), to estimate the relative risk (RR) of AECOPD hospitalization for each increase of 10 μg/m³ in the air pollutant concentration. A total of 552 AECOPD hospitalizations were registered during 2017–2022. With each 10 μg/m³ increase in the selected air pollutants’ concentration, the cumulative RR (lags0–7) in single-predictor models for AECOPD admission were 1.52 (95% CI 0.98–2.35) for PM₁₀, 1.44 (95% CI 0.93–2.25) for PM_2.5, 1.13 (95% CI 0.87–1.47) for SO₂, and 0.99 (95% CI 0.69–1.42) for NO₂. Similar results were found in multi-predictor models as well as in group analyses between smokers and non-smokers. In conclusion, no significant associations between exposure to air pollutants and the daily AECOPD admissions were found. There is an obvious need for additional research on the topic.

Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate heavy metal(loid)s (Cd, Pb, Hg, Cr, Mn, Mo, Ni, and As) in lung cancer patients in order to elucidate their role as lung cancer environmental risk factors. Sixty-three patients of both sexes with adenocarcinoma stage IIIB or IV were enrolled in this research. The heavy metal(loid) urine concentrations were measured using ICP-MS. Arsenic was quantified above 10 μg/L in 44.44% of the samples. Nickel urinary concentrations above the ToxGuide reference levels were found in 50.79% of the samples, while lead was quantified in 9.52% of the urine samples. The urinary chromium levels were above the mean ToxGuide levels in 41.27% of the patients and were significantly higher in men in comparison with women (p = 0.035). The chromium urinary concentrations were positively associated with the CRP serum levels (p = 0.037). Cadmium was quantified in 61.90% of the samples with levels significantly higher in females than in males (p = 0.023), which was associated with smoking habits. Mercury was measured above the limit of quantification in 63.49% of the samples and was not associated with amalgam dental fillings. However, the Hg urinary concentrations were correlated positively with the ALT (p = 0.02), AST (p < 0.001), and GGT (p < 0.001) serum levels. In 46.03% of the samples, the Mo concentrations were above 32 μg/L, the mean value for healthy adults according to the ToxGuide, and 9.52% of the patients had Mn levels higher than 8 μg/L, the reference value for healthy adults based on ToxGuide data. The obtained results are preliminary, and further studies are needed to have a deeper insight into metal(loid) exposure’s association with lung cancer development, progression, and survival prediction.

Provision of safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in health care facilities is a priority at the global, national, and local levels. To inform improvements planning, conditions of WASH, waste management, and environmental cleaning were assessed in 81 facilities in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia, as part of a nationally representative survey in 2019. The survey included on-site checks, structured interviews, and drinking-water quality analysis. WHO/UNICEF indicators for WASH service levels and an advanced service level defined at the national level were applied. The results showed that all investigated facilities provided basic water services; 94% of facilities provided basic hygiene and waste management services; 58 and 2%, respectively, provided basic cleaning and sanitation services. Only 1% of investigated facilities met the basic level for all five WASH dimensions. Advanced service levels were only met for hygiene, waste management, and/or cleaning in 15–38% of facilities. In 33% of health care facilities, drinking-water quality was not in compliance with the national standards. The results revealed that there is a need for increased awareness and efforts to ensure basic provisions for sanitation, environmental cleaning, and drinking-water safety.