International Research Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences

9-18

Authors: B. Brankov and A. Zlatareva

The purpose of the study is to examine the opinion of the medical community on the need for further training on matters relating to drug policy (as a dynamic and rapidly changing area of healthcare policy bearing on the work of a number of healthcare specialists) and the attitudes to web-based forms of further training. The study was conducted among healthcare professionals (healthcare professionals means graduates in medicine and/or pharmacy – physicians, dentists, pharmacists and healthcare professionals and managers etc. who practice their occupation applying the set of regulatory standards governing drug policy) from three Balkan countries – Bulgaria, Slovenia and Croatia – who have completed a dedicated survey. Participation in the survey was voluntary and the polling was conducted on the basis of the ‘snowballing’ technique for survey dissemination and recruitment of respondents. The statistical processing of collected data relied on a correlational descriptive and regression analysis. The results reveal that respondents are aware of the need and are willing to pursue possibilities for further training on matters relating to drug policy. The correlational analysis has revealed interesting further data. A statistically significant negative correlation has been established between knowledge assessment and the method of updating and upgrading knowledge on matters relating to drug policy. The data suggests that according to the respondents self-learning and attending courses led by trainers who are subject-matter experts increases the evaluation of knowledge in the area of drug policy (rho = 0.-631, р = 0.002). Furthermore, the greater frequency of additional training events to improve current levels of knowledge is also a factor that increases self-assessment of being up to date on the latest developments in this area (rho = 0.577, р = 0.006). There is a need for further training in the area of drug policy and the preferred form of this type of training are the online and physical training events by guest trainers conducted by medical schools. In order to ensure that training conforms to a high-quality standard, a test should be taken at the end and a certificate attesting to the training should be issued as a quality assurance guarantee.

24-33

Authors: W. S. Ahmed, R. M. Gharib, H. M. Salah El-Din and H. A. El-Talawy

The aim of this research was to examine the impact of pelvic girdle stability training in children with hypotonic cerebral palsy on functional sitting control. Thirty children with hypotonic cerebral palsy in both sexes, with their ages ranging from two to four years were used in the study. There were fifteen children in the experimental group and fifteen children in the control group. The study group received pelvic girdle stability training program in addition to a selected program for upper limbs and trunk muscles strengthening exercises, while the control group received only the selected program for upper limbs and trunk muscles strengthening exercises. Results revealed significant difference of GMFM88 (sitting domain) (P < 0.01), stationary raw scores and stationary standard scores of PDMS-2 (P < 0.05) but no significant difference of age equivalent of PDMS-2 (P > 0.05). GMFM88, on the other hand, had a significant difference (sitting domain) (P < 0.05) but no significant difference of stationary raw scores, stationary standard scores and age equivalent of PDMS-2 (P > 0.05) in the control group. Paired t-test were conducted for comparison between pre and post treatment mean values of sitting domain and stationary scores in each group. From the obtained results of the present study, we conclude that pelvic girdle stability training program was more effective in generating core muscle activity for functional sitting control compared to traditional physical therapy of upper limbs and trunk muscles strengthening exercises in children with hypotonic cerebral palsy.

43-51

Authors: Parichehr Tootoonchi

Angiolipoma is the most common soft tissue tumor in human trunk and extremities, mostly affecting young male patients; however, in children, it occurs rarely and the most involved area has not been determined. A 9 year old girl was admitted to the pediatrics ward because of a newly arousal of pain associated with suddenly rapid increasing of the size of an old mass on the right side of her chest wall for almost one month without any history of trauma to the area; she had the lesion since her birthday. Otherwise, her physical examination and laboratory tests were unremarkable. Findings of different types of imaging of the mass were in favor of a benign chest wall lesion. A surgical excision was performed and histopathologic report of the lesion was consistent with typical features of a non-infiltrating angiolipoma. The patient recovered uneventfully with complete resolution of lesion. No recurrence of the tumor was observed in the patient in the following 30 months. This report seems to be the first documented case of congenital non-infiltrating angiolipoma of the chest wall in a child. Review of literature has shown that in children, angiolipoma is mostly a single, benign lesion commonly appears in the face or the spinal region, with complete recovery after a simple surgical excision and no recurrence.