IntroductionThe Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist (PCL) is a 17-item self-report measure of the 17 DSM-IV symptoms of PTSD. The PCL has a variety of purposes, including screening individuals for PTSD, diagnosing PTSD, monitoring symptom change during and after treatment. There are three versions of the PCL: PCL-C (civilian), PCL-M (military) and PCL-S (specific). PCL-M asks about symptoms in response to “stressful military experiences” and used for active service members and veterans. The PCL-M can be completed by participants of a research study in approximately 5–10 minutes. Interpretation of the PCL-M should be completed by a clinician. There is no valid PCL-M Latvian language version.AimsThe goal of the study is to assess the evaluative and discriminative properties of the Latvian language version of the PCL-M in PTSD risk group patients (PTSD-RGP).MethodsTotally 30 participants (males, Europeans, of average age 26.2, PTSD-RGP - Latvian Contingent of International Operations) were examined. Standart validation protocol was applied for PCL-M Latvian language version's reliability and validity testing: reliability consequence, construct validity, test-retest, Cronbach alpha criterion.ResultsCronbach alpha criterion was more than 0,70 (means reliable response sets), the reliability-consequence scale is from 0.6 to 0.9 (means precise definition). Test-retest by Spearman showed r ≥ 0.75 (means reliable stability).ConclusionsIt was concluded that the PLC-M Latvian language version has sufficiently acceptable evaluative and discriminatory properties and is therefore a valid instrument for PTSD measurements in clinical and research studies in Latvian military active service members and veterans.

The aim of the study was to determine the most effective medical treatment of patients with chronic pancreatitis, by using either pancreatin alone or in combination with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) or PPI and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Patients with chronic pancreatitis, who did not require a surgical treatment, received medical treatment for a one–month period: 20 patients received pancreatin monotherapy; 48 patients were given a combination of pancreatin and PPI; 38 patients were treated with a combination of pancreatin, PPI and NSAID (PNP therapy group). In comparison with other groups, patients in the PNP therapy group showed improvement in body mass index, abdominal pain, bowel movements, chronic pancreatitis severity, as well as their quality of life assessment (p< 0.05). The combination of pancreatin, PPI and NSAID was the most effective among those applied in chronic pancreatitis patient treatment. A one–month long course of this therapy was safe and did not cause any significant adverse effects. The combination of pancreatin, PPI and NSAID for treatment of chronic pancreatitis can be recommended, as it is based on pathogenesis of the disease, effective, safe and economically advantageous.

Increased excitotoxity in response to stressors leads to oxidative stress (OS) due to accumulation of excess reactive oxygen/nitrogen species. Neuronal membrane phospholipids are especially susceptible to oxidative damage, which alters signal transduction mechanisms. The Contingent of International Operations (CIO) has been subjected to various extreme stressors that could cause Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Former studies suggest that heterogeneity due to gender, race, age, nutritional condition and variable deployment factors and stressors produce challenges in studying these processes. The research aim was to assess OS levels in the PTSD risk group in CIO. In a prospective study, 143 participants who were Latvian CIO, regular personnel, males, Europeans, average age of 27.4, with the same tasks during the mission, were examined two months before and immediately after a six-month Peace Support Mission (PSM) in Afghanistan. PCL-M questionnaire, valid Latvian language “Military” version was used for PTSD evaluation. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and lipid peroxidation intensity and malondialdehyde (MDA) as OS indicators in blood were determined. Data were processed using SPSS 20.0. The MDA baseline was 2.5582 μM, which after PSM increased by 24.36% (3.1815 μM). The GPx baseline was 8061.98 U/L, which after PSM decreased by 9.35% (7308.31 U/L). The SOD baseline was 1449.20 U/gHB, which after PSM increased by 2.89% (1491.03 U/gHB). The PTSD symptom severity (total PCL-M score) baseline was 22.90 points, which after PSM increased by 14.45% (26.21 points). The PTSD Prevalence rate (PR) baseline was 0.0357, which after PSM increased by 147.06% (0.0882). We conclude that there is positive correlation between increase of OS, PTSD symptoms severity level, and PTSD PR in a group of patients with risk of PTSD - CIO. PTSD PR depends on MDA intensity and OS severity. OS and increased free radical level beyond excitotoxity, is a possible causal factor for clinical manifestation of PTSD

Chronic Pancreatitis: Problems of Classification The article encompasses a review of those classifications of chronic pancreatitis (CP) that are of value for clinical practice. None of them gives a reliable description of the severity of clinical presentation and severity of CP course. Clinical pancreatic index (CPI), introduced by the authors, is a clinical classification aimed at solving this problem. CPI gives a quantitative degree of clinical symptom intensity and the severity of clinical course of CP. The application of CPI is useful both when completing clinical researches and in clinical practice. CPI is designed to help choose the best CP treatment option and its intensity.