Endothelin-1 (ET-1), N-terminal fragment of pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (NTpro-ANP), and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in children with primary hypertension and hypertension of renal origin

Introduction: Hypertension is regarded as a condition of mild inflammation and endothelial imbalance. The aim of the study was to evaluate serum concentrations of biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial function: tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), endothelin-1 (ET-1), and N-terminal fragment of pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (NTpro-ANP) in hypertensive and normotensive children.Material and methods: We studied 63 children aged 13.56 ± 3.73 years, divided into two groups: a group with primary hypertension (n = 50) and a group with renal hypertension (n = 13). The control group consisted of 34 normotensive children aged 12.76 ± 3.96 years. Biomarkers were measured with ELISA tests.Results: ET-1 levels were significantly higher in primary hypertension (9.93 ± 1.73 pg/ml) and renal hypertension (10.77 ± 1.50 pg/ml) in comparison to controls (4.03 ± 0.97 pg/ml), (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). NT-pro ANP concentrations in primary hypertension (71.03 ± 10.02 pg/ml), and renal hypertension (84.78 ± 6.44 pg/ml) were significantly higher than in the control group (29.62 ± 5.56 pg/ml) (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). TNF-α concentrations in primary hypertension (8.36 ± 1.60 pg/ml) and renal hypertension (7.35 ± 0.93 pg/ml) significantly exceeded concentrations in controls (4.49 ± 0.93 pg/ml), (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). ET-1 and NT-pro ANP concentrations in renal hypertension significantly exceeded those in primary hypertension (p = 0.049, p < 0.001, respectively) while TNF-α levels in renal hypertension were significantly lower than in primary hypertension (p = 0.046).Conclusions: The results of our study show that ET-1, NT-pro ANP, and TNF-a concentrations are increased in hypertension in children.Our investigation indicates significant importance of inflammation and endothelial involvement in hypertension in youth

Cortisol, testosterone, and pain levels among patients undergoing McKenzie therapy and suboccipital relaxation

Sedentary lifestyle and the development of consumer electronics, often associated with a faulty posture, arewidespread factors contributing to cervical spine dysfunction (CSD). The purpose of our study is to comparetwo methods of physical therapy of CSD: suboccipital relaxation and the McKenzie method. Their effect onperceived pain level and life quality was assessed using VAS and NDI scores. Serum levels of biochemicalstress indicators like testosterone and cortisol were also evaluated. Eighty-six adult patients were dividedinto two groups: Group A and Group B. Group A included 42 patients treated using the McKenzie method.Group B consisted of 44 patients who underwent suboccipital relaxation. The therapy in both groups includedthree treatment sessions over a six-week period. Testosterone and cortisol levels were assessed usingthe ELISA technique. Pain evaluation was performed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The disabilitylevel was evaluated with the Neck Disability Index (NDI). In both groups, a similar improvement in VASand NDI scores was observed. A distinct cortisol level decrease in patients subjected to the suboccipitalrelaxation was noticed, while the McKenzie method did not affect cortisolaemia significantly. We did notnotice any difference in testosterone levels between the two groups. Both treatment methods contributedtowards clinical improvement in our patients, represented by the drop in VAS and NDI scores. We alsoobserved a biochemical improvement: decreased cortisol level in the group treated with suboccipitalrelaxation. Due to the important role of testosterone and cortisol in the pathogenesis of chronic pain, ourstudy should be the pilot experience on their use as markers in CSD

Assessing the merits of existing pancreatic cancer biomarkers

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) suffers from a very poor prognosis because early stages of the disease are asymptomatic and thus diagnosis is delayed until late. Discovering a suitable PDAC biomarker could thereby improve PDAC treatment by having an early diagnosis. The carbohydrate antigen, CA 19-9, currently used for diagnostics, may help in assessing the disease stage, however it is unsuitable for screening purposes. PDAC specific nucleotides can be detected in plasma but not at the early stages of the cancer. Furthermore, measuring circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in patient blood entails high costs and is only useful for advanced stage disease. Other potential PDAC marker candidates are Laminin g2A, Cyclophilin B and blood circulating adipokines, which seem to hold particular promise. At present, making early PDAC diagnosis is limited. The potential markers described herein might in the future be introduced into clinical practice however further studies are still required. Using combinations of several biomarkers also merit consideration, which may increase the overall sensitivity and specificity of PDAC detection

Comparison of two methods of cervical spine pain manual therapy using clinical and biochemical pain markers

Background. Sedentary lifestyle, often associated with faulty posture is a widespread facilitating factor forcervical spine dysfunction (CSD).Objective. The purpose of our study was to compare two methods of physical therapy for CSD: theMcKenzie method and suboccipital relaxation. We investigated the effect of these methods on pain levelperceived by patients and their physical fitness. The levels of biochemical stress indicators were assessed.Materials and methods. Eighty-six adult patients divided into two groups: A and B. Group A included 42patients treated with the McKenzie method. Group B consisted of 44 patients, who underwent suboccipitalrelaxation. The treatment in both groups comprised 3 treatment sessions over a 6-week period. To assesssalivary sIgA concentration, the ELISA technique was used. The alpha-amylase activity was determinedusing static method. Pain assessment was performed using the VAS scale. Disability level was evaluatedwith the NDI scale.Results. Significant decrease of VAS and NDI scores were observed in both groups. An increase of sIgAconcentration was observed in both groups. No difference in amylase activity between the groups was observed,however, time and group effects the interaction was found to be significant. A significant correlationbetween both biochemical markers and VAS score was observed in group B and in the general population.Conclusions. Both therapies improve patient outcomes, however, at present we cannot indicate theadvantage any method

Assessing the merits of existing pancreatic cancer biomarkers

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) suffers from a very poor prognosis because early stages of the disease are asymptomatic and thus diagnosis is delayed until late. Discovering a suitable PDAC biomarker could thereby improve PDAC treatment by having an early diagnosis. The carbohydrate antigen, CA 19-9, currently used for diagnostics, may help in assessing the disease stage, however it is unsuitable for screening purposes. PDAC specific nucleotides can be detected in plasma but not at the early stages of the cancer. Furthermore, measuring circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in patient blood entails high costs and is only useful for advanced stage disease. Other potential PDAC marker candidates are Laminin γ2A, Cyclophilin B and blood circulating adipokines, which seem to hold particular promise. At present, making early PDAC diagnosis is limited. The potential markers described herein might in the future be introduced into clinical practice however further studies are still required. Using combinations of several biomarkers also merit consideration, which may increase the overall sensitivity and specificity of PDAC detection

Ocena stężenia adypocytokin u dzieci z przewlekłą chorobą nerek

Introduction: Adipose tissue through the many secreted adipocytokines creates a highly active metabolic and endocrine organ. The evaluationof serum adipocytokine concentration in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) could serve as a marker of cardio-vascularcomplication progression and an index of outcome in adulthood and after kidney transplantation.Material and methods: The aim of the study was to evaluate simultaneously the serum concentrations of six different adipocytokines:adiponectin, apelin, chemerin, omentin, resistin, and vaspin, in 28 children with CKD stage 5 on haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.Results: The concentration of apelin, omentin, and resistin in children with CKD was significantly higher and the concentration ofvaspin, adiponectin, and chemerin was significantly lower than in the control group. After adjusting to body mass index (BMI), the sameresults were obtained. After adjusting to body surface area (BSA), the concentration of vaspin, adiponectin, and chemerin did not differbetween children with CKD and the control group. In analysis of the correlation between serum total adipocytokine levels in childrenwith CKD we found a negative relationship in pairs: omentin–apelin and omentin–vaspin, and positive in pairs: adiponectin–chemerinand adiponectin–resistin.Conclusions: Our results show that changes in serum adipocytokines concentration are associated with the kidney dysfunction in CKDin children. Longitudinal studies on larger groups of paediatric cohorts would be helpful in investigating whether adipocytokines playa harmful role in the development of CKD and would enable further understanding of the risk factors for CKD progression.(Endokrynol Pol 2015; 66 (2): 100–107)Wstęp: Tkanka tłuszczowa poprzez wydzielane liczne adipocytokiny tworzy narząd bardzo aktywny metabolicznie i hormonalnie. Ocena stężenia adipocytokin w surowicy krwi u dzieci z przewlekłą chorobą nerek (CKD) może służyć jako marker progresji powikłań sercowo-naczyniowych i wskaźnik rokowniczy w wieku dorosłym i po przeszczepie nerki.Materiał i metody: Celem pracy była ocena stężenia w surowicy krwi jednocześnie sześciu różnych adipocytokin: adiponektyny, apeliny, chemeryny, omentyny, rezystyny i waspiny u 28 dzieci z CKD w stadium 5. leczonych hemodializami i dializą otrzewnową.Wyniki: Stężenie apeliny, omentyny i rezystyny u dzieci z CKD było znacząco wyższe, stężenie waspiny adiponektyny, chemeryny było znacząco niższe niż w grupie kontrolnej. Po skorygowaniu do wartości BMI uzyskano takie same wyniki. Po skorygowaniu do wartości powierzchni ciała stężenia waspiny, adiponektyny i chemeryny nie różniły się u dzieci z CKD i w grupie kontrolnej. W analizie korelacji pomiędzy całkowitym stężeniem adipocytokin w surowicy krwi u dzieci z CKD stwierdzono ujemną zależność w parach: omentyna–apelina i omentyna–waspina i pozytywną w parach: adiponektyna–chemeryna, rezystyna–adiponektyna.Wnioski: Wyniki przedstawionego badania wskazują, że zmiany stężenia adipocytokin w surowicy krwi są związane z upośledzeniem czynności nerek w CKD u dzieci. Długoterminowe badania w większych grupach pediatrycznych byłyby pomocne w wyjaśnieniu, czy adipocytokiny odgrywają niekorzystną rolę w rozwoju CKD, oraz umożliwiłyby dalsze zrozumienie czynników ryzyka progresji CKD. (Endokrynol Pol 2015; 66 (2): 100–107

Ocena stężenia adipokin u dzieci z mukowiscydozą

Introduction: Patients with CF present numerous pathological conditions such as malnutrition, depletion of fat-free mass, metabolic disturbances (abnormal glucose metabolism, increased insulin resistance, chronic energy deficit, local and chronic inflammation), which could affect or be associated with altered adipokines concentration Material and Methods: We aimed in this study to investigate the levels of selected adipokines such as resistin, apelin, adiponectin to demonstrate their application as possible markers of inflammation. Results: Serum level of resistin was higher (p < 0.001) and adiponectin - lower (p=0.02) in CF children than in healthy children. There was no difference in serum apelin level between two examined groups. However, values of adiponectin/BMI and apelin/BMI ratios in CF did not differ significantly from controls. Higher values of resistin/BMI ratio in CF in comparison to controls were observed Serum resistin/adiponectin ratio was significantly higher in CF patients than in controls (p < 0.0001). Resistin/BMI ratio correlated negatively with FEV1 (R:-48,p < 0.043). Serum resistin/adiponectin ratio correlated negatively with FEV1/FVC (R:-49, p=0.04), Adipokines showed no correlation with BMI and BMI-SDS, glucose, total cholesterol, and LDL-, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride serum levels. Spirometric parameters FEV1, FVC, VC correlated negatively with serum glucose levels (R: -0.55, p < 0.018; R: -0.65 p < 0.0025; R:-0.76, p < 0.0008 respectively). FEV1 and FVC correlated positively with BMI-SDS (R:0.58, p < 0.01; R:0.5, p < 0.036, respectively). Conclusions: A significant increase in resistin concentration expressed also as resistin/BMI, and resistin/adiponectin ratios, observed in children with CF may suggests that this adipokine is involved in the inflammatory process underlying the disease and is related to worse spirometric parameters describing airways obstruction.Wstęp: Pacjenci z mukowiscydozą (CF) ujawniają liczne stany patologiczne, takie jak niedożywienie, zmniejszenie beztłuszczowej masy ciała, zaburzenia metaboliczne m.in. nieprawidłowy metabolizm glukozy, zwiększoną insulinooporność, przewlekły deficyt energetyczny, miejscowe i przewlekłe stany zapalne, które mogą wpływać lub być związane ze zmianami stężenia adipokin. Materiał i metody: Celem aktualnego badania było oznaczenie stężenia wybranych adipokin, takich jak rezystyna, apelina, adiponektyna w celu wykazania możliwości ich zastosowania jako markerów stanu zapalnego. Wyniki: Stężenie rezystyny w surowicy było wyższe (p &lt; 0.001) a adiponektyny — niższe (p = 0,02) u dzieci z CF niż u zdrowych dzieci. Nie stwierdzono różnicy w stężeniu apeliny w surowicy krwi pomiędzy tymi dwoma badanymi grupami. Wartości wskaźników adiponektyna/BMI i apelina/BMI u dzieci z CF nie różniły się jednakże znacząco od stwierdzanych w grupie kontrolnej. Obserwowano wyższe wartości wskaźnika rezystyna/BMI w CF w porównaniu z grupą kontrolną Wskaźnik rezystyna/adiponektyna w surowicy był znacząco wyższy u pacjentów z CF niż u osób z grupy kontrolnej (p &lt; 0.0001). Stosunek rezystyna/BMI korelował negatywnie z FEV1 (R: –48, p &lt; 0.043). Stosunek rezystyna/adiponektyna w surowicy korelował negatywnie z FEV1 / FVC (R: –49, p = 0,04). Stężenie adipokin w surowicy nie wykazało korelacji z BMI i BMI-SDS, stężeniem glukozy, cholesterolu całkowitego, stężeniem cholesterolu LDL i HDL, stężeniem triglicerydów. Parametry spirometryczne FEV1, FVC, VC korelowały negatywnie ze stężeniem glukozy w surowicy (R: –0,55, p &lt; 0.018, R: –0,65 p &lt; 0.0025, R: –0,76, p &lt; 0.0008). FEV1 i FVC wykazywały dodatnią korelację z BMI-SDS (R: 0,58, p &lt; 0,01, R: 0,5, p &lt; 0.036). Wnioski: Znaczne zwiększenie stężenia rezystyny wyrażone również jako wskaźnik rezystyna /BMI oraz stosunek rezystyna/adi­ponektyna, obserwowane u dzieci z CF może sugerować, że ta adipokina jest zaangażowana w proces zapalny leżący u podstaw choroby i jest związana z pogorszeniem parametrów spirometrycznych opisujących niedrożność dróg oddechowych

Is adiponectin in children with immunoglobulin A vasculitis a suitable biomarker of nephritis in the course of the disease?

Introduction: Immunoglobulin A vasculitis (IgAV) is the most common form of vasculitis in children. Nephritis in the course of this disease (IgAVN) is observed in 30–50% of patients and might lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Finding a non-invasive biomarker to distinguish initially between patients with and without nephritis and to facilitate a therapeutic decision to reduce the risk of long-term renal impairment is currently the target of much research. The aim of this study was to evaluate the adiponectin concentration in children with IgAV and estimate whether it might be used as a marker of IgAVN. Material and methods: The study involved 29 IgAV children and 34 healthy controls. Eleven (38%) patients had renal involvement (IgAV-N) and 18 (62%) did not exhibit nephritis (IgAV-noN). The serum adiponectin level was estimated in children in an acute phase of IgAV and after 2–6 months during a follow-up visit. The relationship between the concentration of adiponectin and anthropometric measurements, epidemiological data and laboratory parameters were evaluated. Results: The concentration of adiponectin in serum was significantly higher in children with acute phase of IgAV as compared to the control group (p &lt; 0.001), and in patients without renal involvement in comparison with IgAV-N children (p &lt; 0.049). In analysis of correlation we found a negative relationship between adiponectin level and serum creatinine concentration (r = –0.437, p = 0.02). The logistic regression evaluation demonstrated that a low adiponectin level increased the risk of nephritis in the course of IgAV. Conclusions: Our study revealed that the serum adiponectin level increased markedly in patients with IgAV. We also documented that higher risk of nephritis in the course of the disease was associated with lower concentration of this hormone

THE EFFECT OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO LEAD ON THE NON-ENZYMATIC ANTIOXIDANT SYSTEM

Background: The role of non-enzymatic antioxidants, such as uric acid, albumin, bilirubin, and α-tocopherol, in lead poisoning remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore the association between occupational exposure to lead and nonenzymatic antioxidant concentrations in serum and plasma. Material and Methods: The study population consisted of 278 healthy male employees of lead-zinc plants, with 129 workers classified as having low lead exposure (blood lead level – PbB = 20–39.9 μg/dl) and 149 workers classified as having high lead exposure (PbB = 40–59.8 μg/dl). The control group was composed of 73 healthy male administrative workers. No one from this group had blood lead level or zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) level greater than normal levels, being 10 μg/dl and 2.5 μg/g of hemoglobin, respectively. In addition to the levels of PbB and ZPP, serum levels of uric acid (UA), albumin, thiol groups of albumin, and bilirubin were determined. The ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) and the plasma level of α-tocopherol were also evaluated. Results: Lead exposure indices were significantly elevated in the examined subgroups as compared with the controls. Serum uric acid levels were significantly elevated in both subgroups, particularly in the group with high exposure. Serum bilirubin concentration was significantly elevated in the group with high exposure compared with the control group, while in the group with low exposure, it showed only a non-significant trend towards an increase. In contrast, ferric-reducing ability of plasma was not significantly greater in the examined subgroups as compared with the control group. Nevertheless, levels of albumin, thiol groups of albumin, and α-tocopherol levels were significantly decreased in the exposed subgroups compared with the control group. Conclusions: Occupational exposure to lead interferes with the blood non-enzymatic antioxidant system. Med Pr 2014;65(4):443–45