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Background and Objectives: Mental health disorders are often the consequence of hormonal disorders such as those accompanying polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), where changes in appearance and having to deal with a number of other problems occur due to this illness. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and severity of anxiety and depression symptoms, the level of ego-resiliency, and the ways that women with PCOS cope with stress compared to healthy women in order to determine the influence of socio-demographic characteristics in relation to levels of anxiety and depression with ego-resiliency and stress-coping methods. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in Poland in 2021 and included 230 women with PCOS and 199 healthy controls aged 20–40 years old. The hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADs), ego-resiliency scale, as well as the MINI-COPE inventory were used. Results: The women with PCOS had higher levels of anxiety and depression and poorer ego-resiliency in comparison to the healthy women. The women with PCOS used passive stress-coping strategies significantly more commonly than the healthy women. Living in rural areas, having a lower level of education and being childless increased anxiety levels. Similarly, being over 30, living in a rural area, having a lower level of education, being childless, and being obese increased depression levels in the women with PCOS. A low level of ego-resiliency and passive stress-coping strategies are predictors of high levels of anxiety and depression in women with PCOS. Conclusions: Women with PCOS should be checked for anxiety and depression. They should also be checked to see whether they have the resources to cope with chronic stress in order to optimize therapeutic interventions.

Osteonecrosis (ON) is usually a progressive disease that negatively affects the quality of life and leads to significant disability. Most patients are aged 30–50 years and require multiple surgical interventions throughout their lifetime. In non-traumatic ON, alcohol abuse and corticosteroids are involved in up to 80% of cases. This narrative review aims to summarize data on their impact on healthy bone and the development of pathophysiological processes leading to ON development. We conducted EMBASE and MEDLINE database reviews to identify relevant research. We found that for both agents, the risk was time and dose-dependent. ON in alcohol and steroid use shared many pathogenetic mechanisms leading to the development of necrosis, including increased adipogenesis, the induction of chronic inflammation, vascular alterations, and impaired bone-cell differentiation. Because both alcohol and steroid use are modifiable factors, both general physicians and orthopedic surgeons should encourage patients to limit ethanol intake and avoid corticosteroid overuse. In the presence of ON, because both alcohol- and steroid-induced disease tend to be multifocal, addiction treatment and limiting steroid use are justified.

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of pelvic floor contraction on urethral mobility and the size of the urogenital hiatus, as well as to compare two ultrasonographic approaches for the assessment of urethral mobility: transperineal with a transabdominal probe and transvestibular with a transvaginal transducer.

The sensation of pain is common to both animals and human beings. Its threshold, intensity, tolerability, and characteristics are variable and depend on ethnicity, gender, stress exposure, co-existing mental disorders, such as depression or anxiety, social and economical background, as well as on genetic factors. It is estimated that about 5 and 20 percent of population suffer from acute and chronic pain, respectively, which results in the search for medical advice in healthcare facilities, and causes great expenses in health care budgets worldwide. Research aimed at identifying the causative agents of pain syndromes include single nucleotidepolymorphism (SNP), family history studies, twin siblings' genetic diversity studies, and recently, also a genome-wide association study (GWAS). Clinical syndromes of derangement of pain sensation are generally caused by single gene mutations (e.g. erythromelalgia and paroxysmal extreme pain disorder caused by mutations of SCN9A), but can also be associated with multiple gene mutations, as happens in migraine, fibromyalgia or hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies. Structural changes of proteins caused by gene mutations involve various cellular element, such as ion channels, receptors, scaffolding proteins, enzymes, transporting proteins, eventually leading to numerous clinical entities in which pain or its lack remain the leading symptoms. The sensation of pain is initiated by a stimulus, which activates the free nerve endings via chemical mediators, and the mechanical stimuli is then transmitted to the brain along the neurons and spinal tracts. Synaptic neurotransmitters and cell structures take part in this process and eventually affect the intensity of pain sensation.

The study aimed to investigate the association between the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) polymorphism and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and obesity, as well as the coexistence of MetS and obesity, in peri- and post-menopausal Polish women. The study group consisted of 202 peri-menopausal and 202 post-menopausal women. ERα polymorphism: Xba I and Pvu II, MetS, BMI, and serum estrogen concentration were analyzed. MetS was found in 29% of the peri-menopausal women and in 21% of the post-menopausal women. BMI did not significantly differ between the peri- and post-menopausal women (≈42% were normal weight, ≈40% were overweight, and ≈18% were obese), (p = 0.82). Serum estrogen concentration in the peri-menopausal women was 91 ± 75 pg/mL, while that in the post-menopausal women was 17 ± 9. pg/mL, on average. Peri-menopausal women with AA and TT genotypes of the ERα polymorphism have a lower risk of obesity and MetS and the co-existence of obesity and MetS, whereas those women with the G or C allele have a higher risk of those health problems.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of pelvic floor contraction on urethral mobility and the size of the urogenital hiatus, as well as to compare two ultrasonographic approaches for the assessment of urethral mobility: transperineal with a transabdominal probe and transvestibular with a transvaginal transducer. Materials and methods: Modified Oxford Scale (MOS) was used for clinical evaluation of muscle contraction. The parameters obtained in both ultrasound approaches were assessed for all six Oxford grades. The values of ΔH, ΔD and vector, measured at rest and on pelvic floor muscle contraction, were used to evaluate urethral mobility parameters in both ultrasound methods. Patients with a history of urogynecological surgery, pelvic radiotherapy, significant pelvic prolapse (grade 2 or grater in at least one compartment), as well as those with unilateral or bilateral complete avulsion of the puborectalis muscle were excluded. Results: A total of 272 women were included in the analysis. A statistically significant correlation was found between the contraction force and urethral mobility parameters ΔH and vector-positive and ΔD-negative, obtained in both ultrasound approaches. However, no correlation was demonstrated between the contraction force and changes in the analyzed hiatal parameters. The Bland-Altman analysis showed a high agreement of both measurement methods. Conclusions: The force of pelvic floor muscle contraction, as measured with the Oxford Scale, correlated with urethral mobility in both ultrasound examinations. Assessment of urethral mobility using the three assessed parameters (ΔH, ΔD, vector) allows for the most comprehensive analysis. Only minor differences were found in the analyzed urethral mobility parameters between both ultrasonographic approaches. The impact of pelvic floor muscle contraction on the size of the urogenital hiatus was not confirmed.

Physical activity is one of the basic needs of people throughout their lives. Physical activity prevents many diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, which have the highest mortality rate, both among urban and rural populations in Poland. The average life expectancy in Poland and the European Union is increasing. The proportion of children and adolescents under the age of 20 is decreasing slowly but steadily, while the proportion of older people (aged 65+) in the total population is gradually increasing. According to the forecast of the Central Statistical Office, the percentage of older people increased rapidly after 2010, and will reach 22.3% in 2030. The number of the elderly will increase from 5,134,000 in 2007 to 8,195,000 in 2030. The health situation of Poles is less favourable compared to other European Union states. The most common health risks are: nicotine, drug addiction, alcoholism and obesity. One of the causes of obesity is an unhealthy lifestyle. Lifestyle is a basic determinant of human health. The aim of this study is to present research results based on a literature review on the importance of physical activity for human health as an element of organizing and managing the lifestyle of urban and rural populations. Comprehensive measures should be taken to increase public health awareness and promote health education, especially among school-age children and youths, and to provide appropriate sports infrastructure in particularly neglected rural areas.

There is a significantly higher risk of lipid disorders occurrence, including atherogenic dyslipidemia in women after menopause than it is in general population. The aim of the work was to investigate the correlation between health behaviours and the occurrence of lipid disorders in women after menopause working in agriculture. The study was conducted in years 2015-2016 and included 843 post-menopausal women working in agriculture. The following were used: a questionnaire including socio-demographic data, laboratory lipid tests, inventory of health behaviours. The following were estimated: logistic regression models for serum lipids concentration versus frequency of health behaviours in the examined women. Adverse lipid profile was found in over a half of post-menopausal women working in agriculture, whereas the frequency of health behaviours were estimated at the average level, although the frequency of correct eating habits and health practices was significantly lower than preventive behaviours and positive psychological attitudes. A correlation was found between the frequency of health behaviours and the occurrence of lipid disorders in women after menopause working in agriculture: more frequent health practices co-existed with the lower concentration of total cholesterol and a higher concentration of HDL-cholesterol, more frequent preventive behaviours co-existed with lower concentration of LDL-cholesterol. Women with higher concentration of triglycerides undertook pro-health practices relatively more often. The study revealed a high prevalence of lipid disorders in postmenopausal women working in agriculture. More effective health education programmes are necessary in the area of reduction the risk factors of CVD in the population of women working in agriculture.

The biggest threat to life are cardiovascular diseases which are a serious problem in Poland, Europe, and worldwide. Therefore, it has become important to have proper health behaviours which significantly eliminate the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. The main aim of this study is to present factors that determine health behaviours of the 50+ population with cardiovascular diseases. The study was carried out among 411 individuals aged over 50 with cardiovascular diseases. The method used was a diagnostic survey. The study involved an authors' survey questionnaire and the Inventory of Health-Related Behaviours (IHB). A detailed statistical analysis was carried out in the R programme, version 3.5.1. The most common disease in the study group was coronary heart disease - 63.75%. The majority of respondents showed (via Inventory of Health-Related Behaviour [IHB]) that the level of their health behaviours was moderate - 41.12%; the highest level of health behaviours in the study group were related to health practices, while a slightly lower level was observed in the area of positive mental attitude. Statistical significance was also found between the level of intensity of health behaviours and age, gender, BMI, place of residence, education, professional activity and marital status of the respondents. Anti-health behaviours were predominant among the respondents; significant demographic and social factors determining health behaviour were determined, such as age and gender; a high level of health behaviours was found in the group of women with higher education and correct body mass, living in cities and married.

Aim: This study aimed to examine the correlations between specific urethral function parameters observed in urodynamic testing and selected urethral characteristics evaluated by pelvic floor ultrasonography. Addition- ally, the presence of urethral funneling during straining was evaluated in female patients referred for surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence. Material and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 192 female patients referred for surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence with the use of retropubic tension-free vaginal tape. Maximum urethral closure pressure and functional urethral length were evaluated urodynamically during resting profilometry. Ultrasound measurements, along with the assessment of funnel- ing, were performed as part of the pelvic floor examination, following the technique described by Kociszewski. Patients with clinically significant pelvic organ prolapse, a history of anterior compartment surgery, prior ra- diotherapy, or symptoms of overactive bladder were excluded from the analysis. Results: The values obtained from urodynamic and ultrasound examinations were evaluated statistically. No correlation was identified be- tween the analyzed urodynamic and ultrasound parameters. Long urethral funneling was confirmed in all patients with stress urinary incontinence assessed as eligible for the placement of tension-free vaginal tape. Conclusions: The results indicate that urodynamic and ultrasound examinations assess distinct aspects of ure- thral anatomy and function, and therefore their findings cannot be used interchangeably. Long urethral funnel- ing assessed during pelvic floor ultrasonography was noted in all patients with clinically and urodynamically confirmed stress urinary incontinence