Little information is available on exposure of general population to metals at low levels. As a part of a research project PHIME within the EU 6th Framework programme and National Human Biomonitoring ...programme, several studies following the same protocol were conducted to find out to what extent the Slovenian population of women in childbearing age, women 50–60 years, men and children 6–11 years is exposed to environmental chemicals including Hg, Pb, Cd and As and on the other hand to estimate their supply with essential elements (Se, Zn, Cu). Hair, blood and urine were collected from all participants, breast milk from lactating mothers. Most of the subjects had the levels for non-essential toxic metals below the reference levels and the levels for essential elements Zn, Cu and Se within the reference intervals. Concentrations of metals and As did not differ between genders, while significantly higher levels of Se were observed in men and significantly higher levels of Cu in women. Comparing women of different ages, higher Hg levels and lower Cd and Pb levels were found in blood of younger women (20–35) than in older women (50–60). Se levels were higher in older women, while Cu and Zn levels were higher in younger women. In compare to children, women (both, younger and older) and men showed higher Cd, Pb, Se and Zn concentration in blood. Hg concentration was higher in women (20–35) and men than in children. Looking at the difference between different geographical areas where subjects were recruited, we found higher Cd and Pb levels in blood of rural children than in children from urban area. Hg in blood and urine was in contrary, higher in children from urban area than in children from rural area. In adults, As was observed to be the highest in urban area. Levels of essential elements differed between different areas in Slovenia as well. The present study has provided the basis to establish preliminary reference values for the selected population, depending on different parameters assessed by questionnaires. When additional subjects from other areas of Slovenia are recruited, the connection to the environmental database will be established using GIS modelling tools.
S100B protein in benzodiazepine overdose Ambrozic, J; Bunc, M; Osredkar, J ...
Emergency medicine journal : EMJ,
02/2008, Letnik:
25, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Severe benzodiazepine overdose can result in coma and respiratory depression that might cause brain hypoxia, necrosis and delayed post-anoxic leucoencephalopathy with permanent neurological sequelae. ...The aim of this study was to assess the possible role of S100B, a structural protein of astroglial cells, as a biochemical marker of brain injury in acute benzodiazepine overdose.
Serum S100B determination was performed in 38 consecutive patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) in Ljubljana with benzodiazepine overdose. The level of consciousness and respiratory insufficiency on the scene were assessed by responsiveness to a verbal stimulus and pulse oximetry. Blood samples were taken immediately after arrival at the ED and S100B concentrations were measured with a commercial immunoluminometric assay. 20 healthy sex- and age-matched volunteers formed a control group.
There were significant differences in S100B levels between the control group and the patients with benzodiazepine overdose according to their responsiveness to a verbal stimulus. Post hoc test results showed that S100B levels in patients with benzodiazepine overdose who were unresponsive to a verbal stimulus were significantly higher than those in patients responsive to a verbal stimulus (median 0.31 vs 0.11 microg/l; p = 0.001). Both groups of patients with benzodiazepine overdose had significantly higher S100B levels than the control group (median 0.07 microg/; both p = 0.001). Arterial oxygen saturation of patients with benzodiazepine overdose unresponsive to a verbal stimulus was significantly lower than in patients responsive to a verbal stimulus (median 83% vs 94%; p = 0.001). There was no significant difference in the systolic blood pressure of patients with benzodiazepine overdose responsive or unresponsive to a verbal stimulus.
Raised levels of S100B protein are associated with depressed levels of consciousness and respiratory insufficiency in patients with benzodiazepine overdose.
Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a multifunctional growth factor that may play a significant role in atherosclerotic vascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes. This study was ...designed to investigate the association between genetic polymorphisms (–553 T/A, −834 T/A and −921 C/G) in the promoter region of the bFGF gene and myocardial infarction (MI) in 443 patients with type 2 diabetes (149 with MI and 294 with no history of coronary artery disease). The −553 T/A, −834 T/A and −921 C/G polymorphisms of the bFGF gene were found not to be risk factors for MI in patients with type 2 diabetes. The impact of bFGF gene polymorphisms on serum bFGF levels was also investigated and significantly higher serum levels of bFGF were demonstrated in diabetes patients with the TA genotype of the −553 T/A polymorphism compared with diabetes patients with the TT wild type genotype (9.0 ± 5.6 ng/l versus 3.0 ± 1.9 ng/l, respectively). Thus, the tested bFGF gene polymorphisms cannot be used as genetic markers for MI in diabetic Caucasians.
To establish whether LPA determination improves the differentiation of benign from malignant ovarian tumors.
Total LPA and LPA species in the serum were determined using a novel method in 142 ...patients with ultrasound (US) suspecious ovarian tumors and in 78 healthy women. All women underwent determination of CA125 in the serum, a vaginal US examination and morphology scoring of the tumor.
The levels of total LPA and its species in women with ovarian tumors were significantly higher from those in healthy women (p < 0.001). No significant difference was found in the levels of total LPA or any of its species between the women with benign and those with malignant ovarian tumors.
Determination of serum LPA would be an appropriate test for ovarian tumor presence, especially in women of reproductive age. The method however does not differentiate benign from malignant ovarian tumors.
GH and IGF system components are important regulators of bone formation and at the same time pathogenetic factors in functional hyperandrogenism (FH) in lean females. We studied the relationships ...between bone mineral density (BMD) and serum concentrations of GH, GH-related parameters, androgens and estrogen, in 18 non-obese women of reproductive age with functional hyperandrogenism compared to a group of 10 healthy eumenorrheic age- and weight-matched women. In androgenized women, a significant positive correlation was found between BMD and GH-binding protein (GHBP), whereas BMD did not correlate to GH or other related parameters. It is suggested that higher tissue GH receptor responsiveness in non-obese androgenized women may contribute to their higher BMD.
Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of substituting lean meat with fat meat on oxidative stress in a diet with or without fruit and vegetables. Methods: Thirty-two ...pigs were divided into groups and fed isocaloric daily rations: LM+FV (balanced diet with lean meat and fruit and vegetables); FM+FV (as LM+FV, but lean meat was substituted with fat meat); LM-FV (as LM+FV, but without fruit and vegetables), and FM-FV (as FM+FV, but without fruit and vegetables). Oxidative stress was evaluated by measuring the 24-hour urine malondialdehyde excretion rate, the degree of leukocyte nuclear DNA damage, the concentration of tocopherols in blood plasma, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity and the total antioxidant status of plasma. Results: The substitution of lean meat with fat meat modestly increased the rate of leukocyte DNA damage only in the diet with fruit and vegetables but had no effect in the group deprived of fruit and vegetables. Regardless of the fruit and vegetable content of the diet, the substitution of lean meat with fat meat did not affect any other parameters measured. In comparison to both fruit- and vegetable-containing diets, the deprivation of fruits and vegetables in the LM-FV and FM-FV groups significantly increased the rate of leukocyte DNA damage and reduced the plasma alpha-tocopherol level (significant only for FM+FV). Conclusion: The substitution of fat meat with lean meat in a diet with or without fruit and vegetables has only a marginal or no effect on oxidative stress. But fruit and vegetable exclusion markedly increased the level of oxidative stress.
Department of Nephrology, 1 University Medical
Center Ljubljana; Institute of Microbiology and
Immunology, 2 Medical Faculty, University of Ljubljana;
Clinical Institute for Clinical Chemistry and
...Biochemistry, 3 University Medical Center Ljubljana,
Ljubljana, Slovenia; Divisions of Baxter Novum and Renal
Medicine, 4 Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska
University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Correspondence to: J. Pajek, Department of Nephrology, University Medical
Center Ljubljana, Zalo ka 2, 1525 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
jernej.pajek{at}mf.uni-lj.si
Objectives: This study was designed to compare the
local peritoneal and systemic inflammatory effects of a conventional
lactate-based (Lac) peritoneal dialysis (PD) solution and a new biocompatible
bicarbonate/lactate-based (Bic/Lac) solution having low concentration of
glucose degradation products.
Methods: 26 stable, prevalent PD patients were enrolled
in this prospective study. They sequentially underwent 3 months of therapy
with the Lac solution and 3 months with the Bic/Lac solution in a randomized
order. Flow cytometry was used to measure the expression of inflammatory
molecules on peritoneal cells in overnight effluent collected at the end of
each study period.
Results: 21 patients successfully completed the study.
Mean fluorescence intensity of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR and CD14
expression by macrophages were not different between Lac and Bic/Lac. The
peritoneal appearance rate of cancer antigen 125 (kU/minute) was 68 ±
37 with Lac and 133 ± 66 with Bic/Lac ( p < 0.001), and of
interleukin (IL)-6 (ng/minute), 0.28 ± 0.2 with Lac and 0.18 ±
0.16 with Bic/Lac ( p = 0.014). HLA-DR macrophage expression and IL-6
peritoneal appearance rates did not correlate. Serum concentrations with Lac
and Bic/Lac were, for IL-6, 3.49 ± 2.28 and 3.72 ± 2.46 ng/L
( p = 0.17), and for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, 2.31
± 2.98 and 2.71 ± 3.31 mg/L ( p = 0.32) respectively.
The concentration of effluent macrophages ( x 10 6 /L) with Lac
was 1.6 ± 1.6 and with Bic/Lac 2.6 ± 3.3 ( p =
0.07).
Conclusions: We conclude that, although there was a
significant reduction in peritoneal IL-6 in patients using Bic/Lac solution,
systemic levels of inflammatory markers did not differ between the two
solutions and no changes were present in macrophage surface activation
markers, suggesting perhaps a less important role of peritoneal macrophages in
the intraperitoneal chronic inflammatory process. The number of effluent
macrophages tended to be higher in patients using the Bic/Lac solution,
possibly contributing to improved intraperitoneal defense.
KEY WORDS: Inflammation; glucose degradation products; bicarbonate/lactate solution; flow cytometry.
Received 29 March 2007;
accepted 13 July 2007.
The effects of intravenous and epidural clonidine, 4 microg kg-1, combined with epidural morphine, 40 microg kg-1, on the neuro-endocrine and immune stress responses to thoracic surgery are reported. ...A control group received only epidural morphine. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol. Catecholamines, vasopressin, cortisol, beta-endorphin concentrations and leucocyte counts were measured before drug administration, immediately after intubation of the trachea, after thoracotomy and at the end of surgery. Catecholamines did not change in any of the groups. The other stress hormones increased during surgery, the pattern being similar in the three groups. Total leucocyte and neutrophil counts were increased in all groups at the end of surgery, but the increase was least in the epidural clonidine group. The number of lymphocytes was reduced at the end of surgery in the epidural and intravenous group, compared with the control group in which the number of lymphocytes did not change. The effects are more pronounced with epidural than with intravenous administration. We conclude that clonidine can modulate the immune stress response to thoracic surgery.
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