Introduction. According to modern literature data, the quality of life of medical students is significantly lower than in the general population. Poor quality of life affects academic performance and can lead to rapid burnout. In this regard, an urgent problem is to study the practical significance of the impact of academic performance on the quality of life of students enrolled in medical universities, to improve their level of professional training. Materials and methods. With the help of the SF-36 questionnaire, 290 2nd year students of the pediatric faculty of the Medical University were examined. Students’ performance was assessed based on the results of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) and an average examination grade for 1-3 semesters. All students are divided into three groups - best, mediocres and worst. Results. For successful students, a high level of emotional state did not interfere with the performance of daily activities. The total physical component of health was the highest among average students. Students with poor academic performance had a minimal total mental health component, which indicated that they had depressive states and bad mood. It was found that the deterioration of academic performance led to a violation of the performance of daily activities, a sharp limitation of social contacts and the level of communication. A high level of academic performance correlated with low vital activity, increasing fatigue and disadaptation. Limitations. This study is limited to a selection of students studying at medical universities and undergoing an assessment of the quality of education with the help of OSCE. Conclusion. The quality of life, health status and academic performance of students are interdependent indicators. The use of questionnaires will reveal the reasons for the decline in working capacity associated with the deterioration in the quality of life.

Study Objective: To assess the relation between clinical manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and specific gastrointestinal (GIT) motility in children using electrogastroenterography (EGEG). Study Design: observational comparative study. Materials and Methods. We examined 55 children at the age of 7 to 17 years old with confirmed GERD. All patients underwent EGEG. In order to study the specificity of GIT motility and evacuation in patients with traditional signs of GERD, we compared complaints with fasting and postprandial EGEG results. Complaints included heartburn, belching, nausea, and vomiting. Study Results. The study made it possible to identify statistically significant correlations between clinical manifestations of GERD in children and EGEG results. Patients complaining of fasting heartburn had electric activity (Р(I)/PS, %) at ileum frequencies that was significantly lower than in children who did not complain of heartburn (р = 0.033); these changes evidence impaired ileum motility. P(I)/P(I + 1) jejunum /ileum ratio in patients with heartburn was significantly higher than without heartburn (р = 0.043), thus evidencing dislocated motility in these GIT sections. Children with fasting belching demonstrated a significant increase in the rhytmicity coefficient (Kritm) at the frequencies of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum (р = 0.042, р = 0.035, р = 0.036, respectively), thus evidencing non-propulsive contractions in these GIT sections. Patients with postprandial nausea, P(I)/P(I + 1) duodenum/ jejunum was significantly lower than in patients without complaints (р = 0.029). In children with fasting vomiting, Р(I)/PS, % at the stomach and duodenum frequencies was significantly higher than in children who did not have this problem (р = 0.028, р = 0.036, respectively); therefore, motility in these sections was increased. Patients complaining of vomiting demonstrated higher P(I)/P(I + 1) duodenum/ jejunum (р = 0.048). In patients with vomiting, Kritm in all GIT sections was significantly lower than in children not complaining of vomiting. Conclusion. Children with GERD who complained of vomiting and belching demonstrated the highest number of significant changes in fasting EGEG results, namely Р(I)/PS, % at the stomach and duodenum frequencies; and Kritm of all GIT sections. These changes evidence impaired motility, its incoordination, non-propulsive contractions, justifying prescription of medicines that can correct impaired motility. Keywords: gastroesophageal reflux disease, motility, gastrointestinal tract, peripheral electrogastroenterography, children.

Objective: To evaluate parental attitudes towards vaccination in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), assess the level of adherence to immunization schedules, and identify key barriers hindering vaccination. Materials and Methods: A comparative survey was conducted involving 215 respondents, divided into an IBD group (109 parents of children with IBD) and a control group (106 parents of healthy children). The majority of respondents were mothers (96%) with higher education (81% and 79%, respectively) residing in a major metropolitan area. We assessed demographic data, vaccination history of both children and parents, sources of medical information, and reasons for vaccine refusal. Results: Routine vaccination coverage in children under 6 years of age was high and comparable in both groups (>93%). The majority of parents in the IBD group (n = 68; 62%) expressed a positive attitude towards vaccination. However, following the onset of IBD, only 24 (22%) continued vaccination, while 85 (78%) reported a categorical refusal to continue immunization. It was found that parents tend to misinterpret normal post-vaccination reactions as vaccine complications. A significant factor contributing to refusal is the lack of information from attending physicians and reliance on the Internet as a primary information source. Additionally, low rates of adult revaccination were noted, with over 30% of parents in both groups not being vaccinated in adulthood. Conclusions: The low vaccination rate in children with IBD after disease onset is driven not by initial anti-vaccination sentiment, but by acquired fears and a lack of professional communication from primary care providers and specialists. Improving immunization coverage requires the active implementation of educational programs for parents regarding vaccine safety during immunosuppressive therapy, as well as the development of specific guidelines for attending physicians.

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases with an early-onset form (EO-IBDs) make up a special disease group with certain clinical and phenotypic characteristics. This article discusses the features of such early onset in a group of children, based on five years of monitoring a registry of children with IBD from a specialized center. Methods: This retrospective single-center cohort study included pediatric patients diagnosed with EO-IBD between 2019 and 2024. Clinical, laboratory, and endoscopic data were collected from medical records, including fecal calprotectin, inflammatory markers, disease activity indices, and endoscopic severity scores. Localization was classified according to the Paris system, and histological activity was assessed using the IBD-DCA score. Results: There were 20 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 17 with Crohn’s disease (CD). Clinical activity was moderate or high (p = 0.179). UC was more characterized by diarrhea and rectal bleeding. CD was more often accompanied by abdominal pain, weight loss, and fever. In total, 82.4% of patients with CD had an inflammatory form. UC-like intestinal lesion was typical of both nosologies—L3 64.7% and E4 60% forms in CD and UC, respectively. Morphological activity was moderate for both nosologies (p = 0.54). IBD-U was present in 43.2% of patients. The median time after which it was possible to diagnose UC was 24 weeks (IQR 20–48) and 40 weeks (IQR 30–45.5) for CD (p = 0.56). Conclusions: Our study confirms the presence of characteristic signs of EO-IBD development, such as a frequent family history of IBD, high or moderate clinical activity during diagnosis verification, colon damage, and a high frequency of extraintestinal manifestations.