Michał Czapla

• Doctor of Health Science
• Professor (Associate) at Wroclaw Medical University

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The impact of poor nutritional status on increased mortality and prolonged ICU (intensive care unit) stay in critically ill patients is well-documented. This study aims to assess how nutritional status and BMI (body mass index) affected in-hosp...

Background: A nutritional status is related to the prognosis and length of hospitalisation of patients with heart failure (HF). This study aims to assess the effect of nutritional status on in-hospital mortality in patients with heart failure. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study and analysis of medical records of 1056 patients admitted t...

Background: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a common reason for calls for intervention by emergency medical teams (EMTs) in Poland. Regardless of the mechanism, OHCA is a state in which the chance of survival is dependent on rapid action from bystanders and responding health professionals in emergency medical services (EMS). We aimed to i...

Background: Contemporarily, cardiac arrest (CA) remains one of the leading causes of death. Poor nutritional status can increase the post-CA mortality risk. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and Nutritional Risk Score 2002 (NRS 2002) results and in-hospital mortality in patients admitted to the i...

Background The purpose of this exploratory study was to identifying demographic factors and unique predictors of ON e.g., the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the use of social media and the Grindr ® dating application among a sample group of Spanish and Polish identifying gay men. Methods The study was conducted in Poland and Spain between...

Background The admission of a family member to intensive care represents an emotionally complex experience, often characterised by anxiety, stress and uncertainty. ICU diaries, compiled by nurses and family members, have been proposed as a useful tool to support caregivers’ psychological well-being, improve communication and humanise the care envir...

Introduction Healthcare professionals play a critical role in providing affirmative care to gay and lesbian patients. However, their attitudes and practices can vary significantly depending on cultural and educational contexts. This study aimed to evaluate differences in affirmative practices among healthcare professionals in Poland and Spain, focu...

Introduction Iron deficiency and anemia are common complications in critically ill patients, particularly in the Intensive Care Unit setting (ICU), where inflammation and infection are prevalent. Traditional markers like ferritin are unreliable in these contexts due to their behavior as acute-phase reactants. New hematimetric indices, such as Retic...

Obesity has emerged as one of the most pressing public health challenges of the 21st century, impacting millions worldwide and contributing to serious health complications such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, as well as a diminished quality of life. This editorial explores the multifaceted nature of obesity, emphasizing the interpla...

Background Psoriasis significantly impacts patients’ mental health and social relationships, often leading to feelings of stigmatization and shame due to the visibility of skin lesions. This study aimed to identify factors influencing the quality of life in patients with psoriasis. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2018 t...

Background The rationing of nursing care is a significant concern in palliative care settings, where resource limitations can prevent nurses from providing comprehensive patient care. This study aims to examine the factors influencing the rationing of nursing care among palliative care nurses, focusing on the impact of psychological factors and wor...

Background: Evidence-Based Nursing Practice (EBNP) plays a crucial role in ensuring high-quality patient care. This study evaluates master’s degree nursing students’ knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to EBNP, identifying strengths and key gaps that require curriculum improvements to enhance their competencies in evidence-based practice. Meth...

Background/Objectives: Arterial hypertension (HT) is a leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, often contributing to prolonged lengths of hospital stay (LOHS), which place significant strain on healthcare systems. This study aimed to analyze the factors associated with prolonged lengths of hospital stay in patients with HT, focu...

Introduction LGBT + individuals in Poland frequently encounter significant barriers to receiving appropriate and respectful healthcare. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical competence of Polish healthcare professionals in providing care to LGBT + patients and to identify sociodemographic factors influencing these competencies. Methods We cond...

Purpose of Review This review aims to present the current state of the art in measuring frailty in patients with heart failure (HF), covering the entire spectrum from diagnosis to advanced stages of the disease. Frailty is a critical factor that significantly impacts outcomes in heart failure, and accurate assessment is essential for guiding treatm...

Frailty is common among heart failure (HF) patients and linked to increased risk of adverse outcomes. Contributing factors include inflammation, sarcopenia and neurohormonal issues which diminish physiological reserves and accelerate the decline of health. Managing frailty in HF requires a multidisciplinary approach to address physical, nutritional...

Introduction Health disparities experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals have been partially attributed to healthcare professionals’ lack of cultural competence in addressing their specific needs. This study aimed to assess the differences in competencies and preparedness among health professionals from Poland and S...

Aims This study aimed to identify factors associated with frailty in heart failure (HF) patients, focusing on demographic, biochemical and health‐related variables. It also explored the correlation between frailty and comorbidities such as malnutrition, cognitive impairment and depression, assessing how these factors interact to influence frailty r...

Frailty syndrome (FS) is a complex and multifaceted condition commonly observed in old adults patients with chronic diseases, often accompanied by cognitive impairments. This review explores the integration of frailty interventions into existing care models to improve patient outcomes, focusing on four key areas. First, it emphasizes the importance...

Background Hypertension is a common condition among the elderly and is frequently accompanied by frailty syndrome (FS). The coexistence of hypertension and FS poses significant challenges in patient management and negatively impacts the quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to analyze the relationship between FS and QoL in elderly patients with s...

Background and purpose Body mass index (BMI), as a straightforward measure, is widely used in clinical practice, and its results are linked to HT and patient prognosis. This study aimed to ascertain if sex differences exist in the prognostic significance of BMI at the time of admission to the cardiology unit, and how this impacts the LOHS for patie...

Background/Objectives: Heart failure (HF) is a significant public health issue with high morbidity and mortality rates. This study aims to investigate the interrelationships between frailty, cognitive impairment, and depression in older adults with HF, specifically focusing on how the physical and neuropsychiatric dimensions of frailty contribute t...

Background Smoking is a significant risk factor for numerous diseases, including coronary artery disease (CAD). Chronic inflammation from smoking affects endothelial function and may alter adipokine secretion, particularly resistin, in perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT). This study investigated the association between resistin concentrations in PVA...

Background/Objectives: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals often face discrimination in healthcare settings, resulting in health disparities. Evaluating healthcare professionals’ affirmative practices is essential for promoting inclusive care and addressing these disparities. The aim of this study was to assess the psychometr...

Introduction Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death in Poland and worldwide. Lifestyle changes and early diagnosis can reverse this unfavorable trend. In the face of escalating global health challenges, the identification of CVD risk factors becomes paramount, especially within national contexts where demographic shifts and li...

Background and Aims Although decreased exercise capacity (due to dyspnea or angina-like symptoms) constitutes the fundamental characteristics of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the pathophysiology of these symptoms remains only partly understood. We investigated clinical and functional determinants of decreased exercise capacity in a broad range...

Background: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a critical global health challenge and a leading cause of mortality. This study investigates the combined effect of initial cardiac arrest rhythm, patient age, and location on the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in OHCA patients. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed medical records...

Background: Amidst current misinformation, media literacy is an essential competency for nursing professionals. This study aimed to analyze the level of media health literacy among Spanish undergraduate nursing students, stratifying the results by gender, region, and other associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at fiv...

Background/Objectives: Poisonings among children are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and present a significant challenge for emergency medical services (EMS). The aim of this study was to analyze the types of substances causing poisonings and the intention of poisonings in children, providing detailed information on the most comm...

Background The adult human skeleton is composed of cortical and cancellous bone. The proportions of these two types of bone tissue differ in various parts of the skeleton. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to quantify the determinants of bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content in various regions of interest (ROIs) in smokers and...

Background Cardiac arrest (CA) is a global public health challenge. This study explored the predictors of mortality and their interactions utilizing machine learning algorithms and their related mortality odds among patients following CA. Material/Methods The study retrospectively investigated 161 medical records of CA patients admitted to the Int...

Introduction Hypertension (HT) is one of the world’s most important health problems. This study aimed to identify and characterize multimorbidity clusters in hypertensive patients and to assess which characteristics were responsible for length of hospital stay (LOHS). Material and methods Data were obtained from 489 patients admitted to the cardio...

Heart failure (HF) is a major health issue, affecting up to 2% of the adult population worldwide. Given the increasing prevalence of obesity and its association with various cardiovascular diseases, understanding its role in HFrEF outcomes is crucial. This study aimed to investigate the impact of obesity on in-hospital mortality and prolonged hospi...

Introduction Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a global public health problem. Obesity is one of the factors that reduces the odds of a return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The aim of this study was to assess whether there are sex differences in the prognostic impact of obesity on ROSC in OHCA patients. Methods A retrospective study an...

Introduction Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, there have been fundamental changes to the delivery and operation of healthcare facilities across the world, significantly impacting how patients with a variety of diseases are treated. We aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patient management outcomes among patients with acute coronar...

Background In recent years, there has been an increasing use of sex-related substances (known as “Chemsex”) to facilitate, intensify, and prolong the sexual experience of men who have sex with men. This phenomenon poses a public health problem, increasing the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and mental disorders. Objective The primar...

Introduction The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people often face unique medical disparities, including obstacles to accessing adequate and respectful care. The purpose of this study was to test the psychometric properties(internal consistency, reliability, and factor structure) of the Polish-language version of the Gay Affirmative...

Background: Nutritional assessment on admission of critical patients is of vital importance to determine critical patients in whom there is a risk of malnutrition. Currently, it has been detected in most of the patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) that 60% of the daily calories are not achieved. Nurses play an essential role in the co...

Background During childhood and adolescence, skeletal microarchitecture and bone mineral density (BMD) undergo significant changes. Peak bone mass is built and its level significantly affects the condition of bones in later years of life. Understanding the modifiable factors that improve bone parameters at an early age is necessary to early prevent...

INTRODUCTION: Several factors influence spontaneous circulation (ROSC) return in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients, and obesity can be one of them. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of obesity on ROSC in patients following OHCA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study and analyzed 4,925,214 emergen...

Background Implicit rationing of nursing care refers to a situation in which necessary nursing care is not performed to meet all of the patients’ needs. Purpose To examine the factors influencing the rationing of nursing care, nurses’ assessment of the quality of patient care, and their job satisfaction in Internal Medicine Departments. Methods A...

Background The Heart Failure Somatic Perception Scale (HFSPS) is an instrument that examine the existence and gravity of physical signs and symptoms in patients with heart failure, as well as early and subtle symptoms of HF that have clinical value, we aimed to translate and adapt the HFSPS from English to Spanish and evaluate the psychometric prop...

Background Rationing of nursing care (RONC) has been associated with poor patient outcomes and is a growing concern in healthcare. The aim of this systematic study was to investigate the connection between patient safety and the RONC. Material/Methods A thorough search of electronic databases was done to find research that examined the relationshi...

Background Nutritional status is related to the length of hospitalization of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study is to assess the prognostic impact of nutritional status and body mass index on length of hospital stay (LOHS) among patients with AF relative to their sex. Methods A retrospective analysis of the medical recor...

Background: A number of factors influence mortality in post-cardiac-arrest (CA) patients, nutritional status being one of them. The aim of this study was to assess whether there are sex differences in the prognostic impact of BMI, as calculated on admission to an intensive care unit, on in-hospital mortality in sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survivor...

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is still one of the leading causes of death. Obesity can increase the risk of post-SCA mortality. The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze the differences between non-obese and obese patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after...

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction The number of people with hypertension will increase by 15-20% by 2025. Research shows that up to two thirds of hypertensive patients have other comorbidities. Multimorbidity defined as the coexistence of two or more diseases in the same person, is now a common phenomenon. Patien...

Healthcare rationing has been the subject of numerous debates and concerns in the field of health economics in recent years. It is a concept which refers to the allocation of scarce healthcare resources and involves the use of different approaches to the delivery of health services and patient care. Regardless of the approach used, healthcare ratio...

Background and aims: In patients with some cardiovascular disease conditions the result of Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) and body mass index (BMI) is related to the in-hospital mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic impact of BMI and NRS 2002 on in-hospital mortality among patients with acute myocardial infarcti...

Aims: A nutritional status is related to the length of hospitalisation and in-hospital mortality of patients with heart failure (HF). The aim of this study is to assess the prognostic impact of nutritional status and BMI on in-hospital mortality among patients with HF relative to their sex. Methods and results: We conducted a retrospective study...

Burnout is common in public trust professions that help people, particularly in healthcare. Professional burnout is a psychological syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a lowered sense of personal achievement in individuals who work with other people. Research has also shown that occupational burnout can result from the incompet...

Health behaviours are a key component of bone health. In 657 young women examined the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC) in the distal and proximal part of the forearm, and physical activity (PA), smoking (AS), environmental tobacco smoke exposure (ETS) and body mass index (BMI). The densitometry method, Glo...

Introduction Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic, progressive disease, often with multiple complications, with periods of exacerbation and remission. The onset of the disease usually affects people under 30 years of age. The disease impairs physical, psychological, and social functioning, leading to disability. Therefore, patients with AS face...

Patients with heart failure (HF) are heterogeneous, not only related to comorbidities but also in the presentation of frailty syndrome. Frailty syndrome also affects patients with HF across the lifespan. Frailty in patients with HF has a significant impact on clinical features, diagnosis, management, adverse medical outcomes and costs. In everyday...

Pathological processes associated with ageing increase the risk of cognitive deficits and dementia. Frailty syndrome, also known as weakness or reserve depletion syndrome, may significantly accelerate these pathological processes in the elderly population. Frailty syndrome is characterized by decreased physiological function and neuropsychiatric sy...

Medical datasets, apart from interval data, usually contain variables of categorical kind, either nominal or ordinal, such as symptoms and stage of disease, diagnosis, medications used, gender, etc. The attempts to cluster such data brings specific challenges that are not feasible with sets consisting of interval variables only, because assumptions...

Unlabelled: The benefits of coordinating care between healthcare professionals and institutions are the main drivers behind reforms to the payment and delivery system for healthcare services. The purpose of this study was to analyse the costs incurred by the National Health Fund in Poland related to the comprehensive care model for patients after...

Background The rationing of nursing care is a complex process that affects the quality of medical services. Purpose An assessment of the impact of nursing care rationing on burnout and life satisfaction in cardiology departments. Methods The study included 217 nurses working in the cardiology department. The Perceived Implicit Rationing of Nursin...

Background Among the risks of the critically ill patient, one of the aspects to be taken into account is the high probability of occurrence of malnutrition risk (40–50%). This process leads to increased morbimortality and worsening. The use of assessment tools allows the individualization of care. Objective To analyze the different nutritional ass...

Background Nutritional status is related to the prognosis and length of hospital stay (LOHS) of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). This study aimed to assess how nutritional status affects LOHS for patients with AF. Methods We performed retrospective analysis of the medical records of 1,813 patients admitted urgently with a diagnosis of AF to...

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, despite diagnostic and pharmacological advances. These adverse effects lead to the search for new etiological factors and effective ways to prevent, treat and rehabilitate CVD. The impact of psychological factors on the development of CVD has gained scientific recognition....

Frailty syndrome (FS) is one of the most important variables that have a proven impact on the increased risk of morbidity and mortality in cardiac surgery. However, FS assessment is not routinely incorporated into daily clinical practice or included in commonly used risk assessment models. The inclusion of FS in perioperative risk prediction models...

Background Epidemiological studies about acute poisoning are useful for developing clinical toxicology, especially those carried out in hospital emergency departments. We aimed to evaluate acute intoxication clinical and sociodemographic profile in South Aragon Hospital, Spain. Methods We carried out a retrospective cross-sectional study. We inclu...

Quality of life (QoL) is closely linked to the health status of the individual. In turn, health status strongly depends on lifestyle. Health behavior, which is defined as the actions and attitudes of a person that affect their physical and mental health, is one of many lifestyle components. The nursing community, which is exposed to a range of dang...

Critically ill polytrauma patients with hemorrhage require a rapid assessment to initiate hemostatic resuscitation in the shortest possible time with the activation of a massive transfusion or a critical hemorrhage management protocol. The hospital reality experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic in all countries was critical, as it was in Spain; a...

Contemporary pain management regimens in children do not include the use of the middle step of the analgesic ladder, i.e., weak opioids. The aim of this study was to analyse the comparison of side effects and the therapeutic efficacy of morphine and nalbuphine in pain management in children with cancer. We conducted an observational, prospective st...

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Intorduction Frailty syndrome (FS) and multimorbidity are closely related but separate constructs that are associated with higher risk of death, higher rehospitalization rates, disability, and reduced quality of life. Identification of multimorbidity and FS in the cardiac surgery patient popu...

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Other. Main funding source(s): Wroclaw Medical University Background Nutritional status is related to the prognosis and the length of hospitalization of individuals with heart failure. The effects of thyroid dysfunction in patients with pre-existing heart failure and nutritional status have not bee...

Background: The purpose of this exploratory study was to identifying demographic factors and unique predictors of ON e.g., the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the use of social media and the Grindr ® dating application among a sample group of Spanish and Polish identifying gay men. Methods: The study was conducted in Poland and Spain betwee...

The aim of this randomized, controlled trial was to determine whether children undergoing otolaryngological procedures (adenoidectomy, adenotonsillotomy, or tonsillectomy) benefit from pre-emptive analgesia in the postoperative period. Methods: Fifty-five children were assessed for eligibility for the research. Four children refused to participat...

Background: Nutritional status is related to the prognosis and length of hospital stay (LOS) of patients with hypertension (HT). This study aimed to assess how nutritional status and body mass index (BMI) affect LOS for patients with hypertension. Method: We performed a retrospective analysis of 586 medical records of patients who had been admit...

Renal transplantation (RT) is the optimal renal replacement treatment approach in terms of patient survival and high quality of life. Proper adherence to medication is essential in order to prolong graft life and patient survival. This study aimed to investigate the effects of psychosocial factors and age-related declines on adherence in kidney tra...

Sexual satisfaction (SS) is defined as an affective response arising from one's subjective evaluation of the positive and negative dimensions associated with one's sexual relationship. It is an important indicator of health. In women, SS has an important personal component consisting of the physical experiences of pleasure and the positive feelings...

Background: The Caregiver Contribution to Self-Care of Heart Failure (CC-SCHFI) is a theoretically driven instrument to measure the extent to which caregivers support heart failure (HF) patients to perform self-care. The CC-SCHFI measures caregivers’ contribution to self-care maintenance and self-care management and caregiver confidence in contribu...

Background: Multimorbidity is a common problem worldwide. It carries the risk of reduced quality of life, disability, frequent hospitalizations, and death. The present study was designed to assess the relationships that exist between multimorbidity and disability in elderly patients. Methods: The study included 100 patients and was conducted bet...

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) affect 60% of people over 60 years of age and are one of the main causes of death in the world. Diagnosed cardiovascular disease also triples the likelihood of Frailty syndrome (FS). FS has become increasingly relevant in cardiology and cardiac surgery and occurs in a significant number of patients with CVD, with preva...