Current Health Sciences Journal
"CURRENT HEALTH SCIENCES JOURNAL" is an Open Access journal that aims to provide a highly transparent and valuable body of literature, an essential documentation database, for medical scholars, researchers in the medical and biomedical fields, as well as for the medical practitioner. The journal's scope is focused on publishing outstanding and relevant novel material in the fields of bio-medical diagnostic and research, data that push the boundary of toda's body of knowledge.
Read more...No.2 / 2025
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PUBLISHED
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Clinical and Radiological Spectrum in Cleidocranial Dysplasia: A Case Series
/ 2025/06/30Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by a mutation in Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), primarily affecting bones undergoing intramembranous ossification, characterized by generalized dysplasia of bones and teeth. Affected individuals exhibit short stature, partial or complete absence of clavicles, delayed fontanel closure, open skull sutures, multiple wormian bones. Dental issues include retention of deciduous teeth, delayed eruption of permanent teeth, supernumerary teeth, absence of cellular cementum. Diagnosis is based on clinical & radiographic findings. Early diagnosis enhances treatment and quality of life. This case series presents spectrum of clinical radiographic findings of four adult CCD patients with varying dysplasia manifestations. -
Spectrum of Post Tuberculosis Chronic Lung Disease in Patients with Previous Bacteriologically Confirmed Pulmonary Tuberculosis
/ 2025/06/30The discovery of anti- tuberculosis (TB) drugs, in the middle of last century, did not resolve the goal of a better healing, and the most important cause is represented by delayed diagnosis of TB disease. We conducted a single-center case control study, from January, 1st, 2017 to December, 31st, 2024, including 400 adult symptomatic inpatients diagnosed with post TB lung disease (PTLD), after a previous episode of treated TB disease. There were excluded 168 patients without pulmonary function testing (PFT), those with significant occupational exposure, and/or diseases autoimmune, COVID-19 or HIV infection, which might interfere lung function assessment. All demographics, behavioral and baseline PTB characteristics (relapses, clinical, imagistic, endoscopic, microbiologic, PFT, evolution) were assessed in order to inventorying sequelae and lung damage, types of lung function impairment. Eligible patients (n=232), mean aged 60.94+/-11.895 years, males (55.17%), were divided into 129 cases with previous bacteriologically confirmed PTB (mean age 58.37+/-11.86 years; 55.81% males) and 103 controls with previous clinically diagnosed PTB (mean age 60.04+/-11.222; 54.37% males). Delayed diagnosis and relapses of PTB had greater impact on PTLD development in cases (p=0.000), as well as previous cavitary PTB (p=0.000). The risk of death, during hospitalization, was greater in cases (p=0.000). Spectrum of PTLD, in cases, was dominated by bronchiectasis (p=0.000), suppurative episodes (p=0.004), open healing cavitation (p=0.000), intracavitary aspergilloma (p=0.002), fibrothorax (p=0.000), lung function impairment (p=0.030). In conclusion, PTLD severity is related to delayed diagnosis of previous contagious PTB, permanent lung damage, impairment of lung function, having a higher risk of death. -
High School Teachers’ Awareness of Internet Addiction and Related Factors Among Greek Adolescent Students
/ 2025/06/30In recent years, concerns about internet addiction (IA) have grown. The study aimed to assess to what extent teachers are informed about IA and are familiar with the internet, and to investigate their personal views and their perceptions of students’ daily habits. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from Nov 2023-to-Apr 2024 across public high schools (Day Lyceums) in Crete, Greece, with high school teachers from 42 randomly selected schools completing an original structured questionnaire on internet use. Habits and IA were assessed through regression analysis. Of the 349 high school teachers with a mean age of 47.1 years (±9.1), 65.9% were female. The teachers primarily used the internet for educational purposes (70.5%) or for social media/communication (50.7%). In fourteen questions regarding IA, feeling curiosity when using the internet was the most prevalent response (74.2%), while the mean total IA score (scale 0-100) was low (36.3±14.2). Discussions with students about rational internet use were more common among female teachers in relation to male (83.9% vs. 73.9%, respectively, p=0.026), those with longer work experience (14.3 years vs. 11.4 years, p=0.014), and those who had a lower mean IA score (34.6 vs. 41.3, p<0.001). In general, teachers who discussed rational internet usage with students had a lower IA score (unstandardized ?=-6.62, p<0.001). High school teachers' perceptions highlight the complex relationship between teachers and internet use. Our findings underscore the crucial role that teachers play in promoting healthy lifestyles and the need for better training in digital literacy and internet safety practices. -
Preoperative Oral Health Screening in Patients Undergoing Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: A Cross-Sectional Study
/ 2025/06/30Aim of study was to assess the prevalence and distribution of oral infections potentially leading to bacteriemia in patients scheduled for hip and knee arthroplasty. Materials and Methods: This prospective research was performed on a study group of 51 patients (mean age 67.51+/-5.78 years; 21-males, 30-females) diagnosed with hip osteoarthritis and knee osteoarthritis, scheduled for hip or knee arthroplasty in Clinical Rehabilitation Hospital (Iasi, Romania). A dental specialist performed a standardized clinical and paraclinical intraoral examination on all patients. The following conditions were assessed as oral sources of infection: chronic periapical lesions, endo-periodontal lesions, deep periodontal pockets, residual roots, fixed prosthetic restorations with inadequate marginal adaptation. Results: All patients were diagnosed with periodontal disease. Chronic periapical lesions (23.5%) and endo-periodontal lesions (41.2%) were frequently in maxillary molars. Residual roots were detected in 84.3% of patients (mostly in mandibular molars) while ill-fitting fixed prosthetic restorations in 64.7% of patients. Periodontal treatment of deep periodontal pockets was the most commonly treatment need, followed by replacement of ill-fitted fixed prosthetic restorations, and tooth extraction. Conclusions: Oral infectious foci-associated pathologies were frequent among patients scheduled for hip or knee arthroplasty, with deep periodontal pockets being the most frequent source of oral infection, followed by residual roots and ill-fitted fixed prosthetic restorations. Our results emphasize the necessity of the preoperative oral health evaluations for patients scheduled for hip and knee arthroplasty, a therapeutic approach required especially in the case of those with comorbidities or with risk of systemic bacteriemia of dental origin. -
Statin Use in Cervical Artery Dissection and Subsequent Ischemic Stroke
/ 2025/06/30Background and purpose: The role of statins in preventing recurrent ischemic strokes in the setting of non-traumatic cervical artery dissection remains unclear. This study, a secondary analysis of Antithrombotic Treatment for Stroke Prevention in Cervical Artery Dissection (STOP-CAD) study, investigates the impact of statin therapy on subsequent ischemic stroke. Methods: STOP-CAD, a multicenter retrospective observational study, included 4023 patients with non-major trauma-related CAD. For this sub study, we included 2610 patients with ischemic stroke, excluding those with non-ischemic presentations and missing statin information. Patients were stratified based on statin use at hospital discharge and a sensitivity analysis was conducted based on intensity: high-intensity, moderate-intensity, low-intensity, or no statin. Primary outcome was the incidence of subsequent ischemic stroke after hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes included major hemorrhage, mortality and 90-day functional outcomes. Statistical analyses included univariate analyses, Cox regression models to evaluate odds and hazard ratios. Results: There was no significant difference in subsequent ischemic strokes after hospital discharge between the statin group (3.1%) and no statin group (3.3%) (aHR 0.73 95% CI, 0.43-1.24, p=0.25). Similarly, the incidence of major hemorrhage, mortality and 90-day functional outcomes showed no significant differences between the groups. Conclusion: Statin therapy did not significantly reduce the risk of subsequent ischemic stroke, major hemorrhage, functional outcome, or mortality. While statins are beneficial in reducing vascular events and improving outcomes in ischemic stroke, its benefits in CAD-related ischemic strokes are less clear. These findings highlight the need for individualized treatment strategies and further research to optimize secondary prevention in CAD-related stroke. -
Biosafety and Selective Cytotoxicity of Kojic and Ellagic Acids in Salivary Gland Carcinoma: A Preclinical Perspective
/ 2025/06/30Salivary gland carcinomas (SGCs) are rare, aggressive tumors with high histopathological diversity and resistance to conventional therapies. The need for novel therapeutic approaches has drawn attention to natural compounds with antitumor potential. Objective: This study aims to investigate the in vitro and in ovo cytotoxic and safety profiles of two natural agents, kojic acid (KA) and ellagic acid (EA), on human submandibular salivary gland carcinoma (A253) cells and human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT), as well as to assess their irritant potential via the HET-CAM assay. The cytotoxicity and morphological changes of A253 and HaCaT cells were evaluated using the MTT assay and brightfield microscopy. The HET-CAM assay was applied to evaluate the irritant effects of the compounds in ovo. Both KA and EA reduced A253 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with the highest cytotoxicity observed at 100 µM. In contrast, HaCaT cells maintained high viability and exhibited no notable morphological alterations post-treatment, supporting the selectivity of the compounds. HET-CAM scores for both KA and EA fell within the non-irritant range (IS=0.07), further confirming their biosafety. KA and EA exhibit promising antitumor activity against A253 salivary gland carcinoma cells, with minimal toxicity toward normal epithelial cells and no significant irritation potential. These findings justify further investigation of these compounds for their potential use as adjuvant agents in the treatment of salivary gland carcinoma (SGC). -
Purine Derivatives in the Management of Antiresorptive Drug-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw
/ 2025/06/30Purinic derivatives has recently attracted attention as a potential therapeutic agent, with preliminary evidence suggesting its utility in the management of osteonecrosis of the jaw. work aims at providing an update of the current literature, shedding light on the purinic derivatives treatment for patients who received intravenous antiresorptive drugs and developed osteonecrosis of the jaw. A retrospective study was conducted at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department of ”Prof. Dr. Dan Theodorescu” Clinical Hospital in Bucharest, Romania, involving 160 consecutive patients diagnosed with refractory, established antiresorptive drug-related osteonecrosis of the jaw between 2022 and 2024. A study group of 23 consecutive patients was selected to receive adjunctive therapy with pentoxifylline (800 mg/day) and vitamin E (1000 IU/day) for six months, while the remaining 137 patients who were not eligible for pentoxifylline tretament formed the control group. Bone healing outcomes were assessed based on the extent of exposed necrotic bone. The study results indicate the fact that 100% of patients in the study group experienced symptomatic improvement, despite a higher prevalence of stage III medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, provides strong evidence supporting the therapeutic efficacy observed in this sample population. Post-hoc power analysis showed that the study was strongly powered to detect the observed differences, supporting the reliability of the results. Treatment with purine derivatives demonstrates significant therapeutic potential in the management of antiresorptive drug-related osteonecrosis of the jaw and should be considered as complementary to the standard therapy, particularly in advanced stages of the disease. -
Correlation between Early Life Exposure to Regulatory Relevant Doses of Herbicide Mixtures Based on Glyphosate and Development of Liver Dysfunction
/ 2025/06/30Human exposure to low-level mixtures of herbicides is widespread, yet regulatory assessments still rely on single-compound, high-dose studies. This study aimed to determine whether prenatal-to-adolescent exposure to regulatory doses of glyphosate (GLY) alone or combined with 2,4-D and dicamba (COMB) alters liver function in rats. Pregnant Wistar dams (n=5/group) received drinking-water containing (i) no herbicide (BLANK), (ii) GLY at the EU acceptable daily intake (ADI, 0.5mg/kg bw/day; GLY 1), (iii) GLY at the EU NOAEL (50mg/kg bw/day; GLY 2) or (iv) the COMB mixture (each herbicide at its EU ADI). Offspring (?10/sex/group) continued the same exposure until 90 days post-weaning. Serum lipids and liver enzymes were quantified; livers were weighed and examined histologically. In COMB-exposed males, ALAT, ASAT and ALP increased significantly; females showed elevated ALAT, ASAT, cholesterol and triglycerides. GLY 2 reproduced this pattern in males, while GLY 1 heightened ALAT and ALP in males and triglycerides in females. Liver weight was unchanged, but histology revealed dose-related centrilobular vein dilation, granular degeneration, micro-vacuolar change and focal necrosis, most severe in the COMB group. Continuous exposure from gestation to young adulthood to herbicide doses at or below current “safe” limits produced clear biochemical and structural liver injury, amplified by the glyphosate plus 2,4-D and dicamba mixture and with sex-specific sensitivity. These findings challenge the adequacy of single-chemical risk assessments and underscore the need to re-evaluate mixture toxicity, particularly for vulnerable populations. -
Basic and Descriptive Spectrum of Tuberculosis in a Large Cohort of Hospitalized Patients
/ 2025/06/30After 143 years from the discovery of Koch bacillus, the natural history of tuberculosis (TB) is characterized by heterogeneity and gaps of staging defining. The aim of the study consists in assessing the prevalence and characteristics of TB stages, from infection to disease, from acute to chronic disease, among inpatients of Constanta Clinical Pneumophthisiology Hospital. A cross sectional 8-year study, performed, from January 2017 to March 2025, among 630 inpatients, mean aged 58.23 years+/-13.812 std dev, mostly men (n=436; 69.2%) and smokers (n=414; 65.71%), enrolled with a positive diagnosis of TB infection (75 cases, based on positive QuantiFERON TB Gold Plus, 4% progressive forms), or disease (424 infectious, 410 new cases and 178 relapses, 35 multi drug resistant, 17 with mono or poly drug resistance). Subclinical TB was significantly more infectiousness than clinical forms (p=0.000). Active TB disease is characterized by delayed diagnosis (58.57%) and advanced extensive cavitary lesions (73.17%). Post treated lung TB disease (PTLD) occurred in 74.91% of cases, after a mean interval of almost 17 years (205.68 months+/-214.00 std dev), calculating from the first episode of treated TB disease. TB mortality rate was 16.66%o. In conclusion, landscaping tuberculosis? new stages is very complex and challenging. TB infection and subclinical TB are intricated through progressive forms of infection. PTLD must be considered a part of the basic triangle of TB spectrum, standing near infection and active disease, states in a continuous dynamic relation, overlapping through reinfections and relapses, causing PTLD and death. -
Esophageal Stenting Using Laparogastroscopy Compared With Esophageal Endoscopic Stenting: Retrospective Analysis
/ 2025/06/30Esophageal stenosis is a debilitating condition that impairs swallowing and markedly reduces quality of life. Its etiology is multifactorial, including gastroesophageal reflux, radiation, caustic and surgical injuries, benign and malignant tumors. Endoscopic stenting represents a modern, minimally invasive treatment, yet some cases remain refractory to such approaches. Surgical options in benign strictures are limited, often leading to feeding enterostomies that compromise patient outcomes. Laparo-gastroscopic esophageal endoprosthesis, introduced in 1997, bridges endoscopy and surgery, reducing morbidity. This hybrid technique offers a reliable alternative for patients unfit for conventional surgical repair. Our study evaluates its role compared to standard endoscopic stenting, focusing on patient selection, outcomes, and dysphagia improvement. -
Underutilization of Respiratory Assessment and Management in Chronic Neck Pain: Exploring Physiotherapists' Practice Patterns
/ 2025/06/30Background: A significant link has been reflected between the respiratory dysfunction and chronic neck pain. Patients with chronic neck pain (CNP) experience various symptoms related to respiratory dysfunction due to its close relationship between muscular attachments and thoracic cage movements. Therefore, it is essential to include respiratory assessment and management while treating patients with CNP. Hence, the present study aims to determine whether physiotherapists incorporate respiratory assessment and management in their practice while treating patients with CNP. Methodology: It was a cross sectional, observation study, carried out using a Google form, which included a self-structured questionnaire inquiring about the current practice pattern of physiotherapists for managing patients with CNP. Total of 141 Physiotherapists managing patients with CNP were recruited through personal contacts and snowball sampling. Frequency and proportions of responses were analyzed. Results: Of 141 responses collected, only 3 physiotherapists (2.13%) included respiratory assessment and management in their practice for CNP patients, while majority focus on neuro-musculoskeletal system to be addressed while assessing and managing patients with CNP. Conclusion: A notable awareness and knowledge gap is revealed by the low number (2.13%) of physiotherapists who treat respiratory dysfunction in CNP patients. This highlights the necessity of better instruction and training in order to understand the importance of respiratory assessment and care for patients with CNP. -
Genistein: A Preliminary In Vitro Evaluation on IMR-32 Neuroblastoma Cells
/ 2025/06/30Neuroblastoma (NB) is a frequent pathology among children with a serious prognosis. Although there is currently a chemotherapeutic treatment, over the years resistance to existing therapy has developed, necessitating new therapeutic approaches. The current study aimed to evaluate in vitro genistein (GEN) on human neuroblastoma cells-IMR-32, a possible candidate for treating NB. The results indicated that GEN does not affect healthy cells (HaCaT), but has a cytotoxic effect on tumor cells, at concentrations of 50 and 75µM, significantly reducing viability. Moreover, depending on the dose, GEN degraded the cell membrane by releasing LDH and caused changes in the cell shape as well as at the nuclear level similar to apoptosis. The data provide an important perspective on the therapeutic effect of GEN at the NB level, opening the way to new directions in treating this pathology with natural compounds. -
Association of Visual Impairment and Falls in Elderly Individuals-A Cross-Sectional Study
/ 2025/06/30Background: Falls are considered to be the most frequent and significant cause of unintentional harm and mortality among the elderly. Impaired vision is a significant risk factor for falls. Aim: To analyse the relationship between visual impairment and falls in the elderly. Methodology: This hospital-based cross-sectional study included 270 participants after obtaining informed consent. Details of demographic profile, lifestyle, gait and balance deficits, ophthalmic and systemic condition were collected. The identification of independent risk variables for falls in the elderly was performed by logistic regression analysis. Results: Among 270 participants, 115 participants had falls. The mean age of fallers was 72.97 years. Females had significant falls. 87.8% of participants had visual impairment. Visual risk factors like cataract (80.9%), uncorrected refractive error (59.1%), glaucoma (24.3%), age-related macular degeneration (20.2%), and corneal opacity (13%) were very strongly associated with fall (P<0.001). On multivariate logistic regression analysis visual risk variables like Cataract, uncorrected refractive error and glaucoma had a significant association with falls (P<0.05) with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of less than 1. Diabetic retinopathy had strong association of fall (P<0.001) with aOR of 41.8 (95% CI 4.27-409.2). Conclusion: Falls and visual impairment are public health concerns that require attention. Since many causes of visual impairment in the elderly are reversible, lowering the risk of falls in this population may be a controllable goal. -
Family Doctors’ Perception of Patient Safety Issues in Rural Versus Urban Primary Healthcare Facilities
/ 2025/06/30Background: The Republic of Moldova is an Eastern European country with the capital in Chisinau and 2,5 million inhabitants (57% rural areas). Aim: To identify differences between rural, urban and Chisinau family doctors’ perception of patient safety culture and to benchmark the results. Methods: This cross-sectional study is based on 776 responses gathered with the AHRQ MOSOPSC in 2020. Percent of positive responses (PPRs) by item and administrative area were analyzed and benchmarked against other countries. Results: PPRs based on responses from Chisinau (45%), rural (33%) and urban (22%) primary healthcare facilities (PHFs) were ? 75% for 80% items and ?50% for tree items: rush when taking care of patients, high ratio patient/personnel, inadequate capacity to handle everything effectively. Five items in urban areas had PPRs significantly lower than in the other areas: exchanging accurate, complete and timely information with hospitals (70%); level of disorganization in the office (64%); workflow problems in the office (60%), difficulty to voice disagreement (56%), insufficient staff to handle the patient load (36%). Conclusion: Significant differences were only found in urban PHFs. High shortage of resources in rural areas and free choice of family doctors by rural residents increase affluence to urban or Chisinau PHFs. Urban PHFs have less resources to cope with patient number and workflow than Chisinau and this is likely to lead to significant differences in the family doctors’ perception of patient safety culture.
