To determine oral health status and identify predictors of oral health in a representative sample of psychiatric in-patients in Serbia. The study included 186 psychiatric in-patients and 186 control participants without psychiatric illness matched to the study group by age, sex, marital status, education level, employment, and monthly income. Dental examinations were done in both groups to measure the following indices of oral health: decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index; community periodontal index; and plaque index. Participants were also interviewed about their dental health behavior and their medical records were examined. Psychiatric in-patients had higher caries prevalence, poorer periodontal health, and poorer oral hygiene than controls. The average DMFT score in the patient group was 24.4 and 16.1 in the control group (P<0.001). Periodontal diseases were significantly more prevalent among psychiatric in-patients than among controls (P<0.001). The average plaque index for patients was 2.78 and 1.40 for controls (P<0.001). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that 1) DMFT index was associated with age, male sex, duration of mental illness, use of antidepressants, time since the last visit to the dentist, and snacking frequency; 2) community periodontal index was associated with male sex; and 3) plaque index was associated with age, male sex, education level, employment, monthly income, tooth brushing technique, and snacking frequency. Psychiatric in-patients in Serbia have poorer oral health than healthy controls. It is necessary to intensify preventive dental care in this vulnerable population.

Aim. To measure diameter of foveal avascular zone (FAZ), FAZ area, and vessel density using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCT-A) in patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and to establish the possible role of OCT-A in diagnosis and follow-up of patients with NTG. Methods. Twenty-one eyes of 21 patients with NTG and 30 eyes of 30 healthy subjects underwent complete ophthalmic examination as well as OCT-A on ZEISS AngioPlex. 3×3 macula scans were used to measure vertical, horizontal, and maximum diameter of FAZ by two graders. Mean values and interobserver variability were analyzed. Image J was used for analysis of FAZ area and vessel density. Results. Mean vertical diameter (t=5.58, p<0.001), horizontal diameter (t=3.59, p<0.001), maximum diameter (t=5.94, p<0.001), and FAZ area (t=5.76, p<0.001) were statistically significantly enlarged in the NTG group compared to those in the control group. Vessel density (t=-5.80, p<0.001) was statistically significantly decreased in the NTG group compared to that in the control group. Conclusion. OCT-A could have an important role in the future in diagnosis of patients with NTG. In patients with NTG, there is larger FAZ area, while the vessel density is reduced in comparison to the control group.

Background/Aim. Previous studies on medical students? subjective perception of health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) showed inconclusive results. Moreover, there are no published studies to compare HRQoL of medical students to non-medical university students. The aim of the study was to assess subjective perception of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in medical students? sample, to compare it with non-medical university stu-dents and to ascertain predictors of better perception of HRQoL in medical students. Methods. Scores of all domains on the Mental and Physical Component Summary subscales and total score of the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), used for assessment of HRQoL in samples of 561 medical and 332 non-medical university students were assessed and compared. In addition, linear regression to identify predictors of better perception of mental and physical components of HRQoL and overall HRQoL in the sample of medical students was used. The dependant variables were subscores and total score with the SF- 36, and independent variables were certain sociodemographic and academic characteristics of the students. Results. Medical students had statistically significantly higher scores on the Mental Component Summary and total SF-36 score compared to non-medical students. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that higher scores of Physical Component Summary were associated with age, male sex and the year of studies. The Mental Component Summary were associated with age, male sex, the year of studies and marital status. The total SF-36 score was associated with age, male sex and the year of studies. Conclusion. Medical students perceive their health much better than other university students do, but female, older and second grade medical students have worse perception of their HRQoL. Those points should be potential target areas for specific prevention and treatment in order to achieve better HRQoL.

Introduction: The aim of the paper was to analyze the changes in the macular ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer (GCL-IPL) thickness in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Material and methods : The study enrolled 46 patients with established diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease...

Aim: To compare ganglion cell (GCL) and inner plexiform layer (IPL) thickness in patients at different stages of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), determine their sensitivity and specificity values, and correlate thickness values with mean deviations (MD). Methods: This prospective, cross- sectional study was conducted in a group of patients with confirmed POAG who were compared to an age- and gender-matched control group. Glaucomatous damage was classified according to the Hodapp-Parrish-Anderson scale: glaucoma stage 1 (early), glaucoma stage 2 (moderate), and glaucoma stage 3 (severe). The average, minimum, and all 6 sectoral (superotemporal, superior, superonasal, inferonasal, inferior, and inferotemporal) GCL + IPL thicknesses were measured and compared between groups. Results: The average GCL + IPL thickness of 154 eyes of 93 patients in glaucoma stages 1, 2, 3, and 94 eyes of 47 persons in the control group were 76.79 ± 8.05, 65.90 ± 7.92, 57.38 ± 10.00, and 86.01 ± 3.68 μm, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the average, minimum, and all 6 sectoral GCL + IPL values among the groups. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for average and minimum GCL + IPL thickness values were 0.93 and 0.94, respectively, sensitivity 91.5 and 88.3%, and specificity 98.9 and 100%, respectively. Both thickness values showed significant correlations with MD. Each micrometer decrease in the average GCL + IPL thickness was associated with a 0.54-dB loss in MD. Conclusion: GCL + IPL layer thickness is a highly specific and sensitive parameter in differentiating glaucomatous from healthy eyes showing progressive damage as glaucoma worsens. Loss of this layer is highly correlated with overall loss of visual field sensitivity.

Sarcoidosis is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease which belongs to a group of systemic granulomatous diseases. It can be confirmed through characteristic systemic and ocular manifestations and histological findings. Biopsy is the golden standard for diagnosing sarcoidosis. Ocular sarcoidosis can be confirmed, probable, or possible. Over a two-year period, ocular manifestations were studied on a sample of 52 patients, each followed for four months and diagnosed with some form of systemic sarcoidosis. Most frequent systemic manifestations in patients with ocular sarcoidosis were pulmonary, skin, glandular, and systemic generalized sarcoidosis. The disease was diagnosed four times more frequently in females than males (42:10, respectively; p < 0.05). Most frequent, and statistically significant, manifestation of ocular sarcoidosis is anterior uveitis (64.61%; p < 0.01). Macular edema and periphlebitis associated with periarteritis were frequent, and statistically significant (43.90% and 29.26%, respectively; p < 0.05). Overall, with regards to gender and location (right eye; left eye), visual acuity was >0.5 and of statistical significance (76.92%; p < 0.01). The most common therapy consisted of systemic corticosteroids (26.67%) and/or a combination of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs (23.33%). In 16 eyes treated with repeated doses of sub-Tenon’s injections, both initial and control visual acuity correlated with average thickness. There was positive correlation between several optical coherence tomography findings before and after treatment.