37 research outputs found
Impact of Hemoglobin Concentration on Plasma B-type Natriuretic Peptid Level and Left Ventricle Echocardiographics Characteristics in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients
Anemia is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and contributes to cardiovascular alterations. Recent findings suggest that B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a sensitive biomarker for left ventricular dysfunction, but relationship between hemoglobin and BNP in CKD patients is unclear. Hemoglobin, plasma BNP and serum creatinine levels were measured in 49 patients with CKD (without heart failure), divided in two groups according to the hemoglobin status (cut-off point 110 g/L). All patients underwent echocardiography in order to assess left ventricular (LV) morphology and function. The results showed that in the group of patients with hemoglobin levels under 110 g/L BNP levels were significantly elevated (p<0.001), as well as left ventricular mass index (p<0.001). Systolic and diastolic LV function were significantly better in patients with hemoglobin levels above 110 g/L (p<0.001). Hemoglobin levels were inversely related to BNP values (r=–0.451, p<0.001). Significantly negative correlation between BNP level and creatinine clearance (p=0.009), and significantly positive correlation between BNP level and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were established. A similar but positive relationship was observed between hemoglobin levels and creatinine clearance (p<0.01). We established statistically significant negative correlation between hemoglobin levels and LVMI (r=–0.564, p<0.001). In conclusion, BNP and hemoglobin levels depend on the renal function. Anemia may contribute to elevated BNP levels in CKD patients, and may represent an important confounder of the relationship between BNP and cardiac alteration in these patients
The Value of Serum Thyreoglobulin Levels and Whole Body (I-131) Scintigraphy in the Follow-Up of the Thyroid Cancer Patients after Thyroidectomy
Serum thyreoglobulin (Tg) and whole body scintigraphy (I-131 WBS) have been used to detect recurrent and metastatic thyroid cancers postoperatively. However, discordant results of Tg measurement and 131I WBS have been reported. Negative 131IWBS and a positive Tg test are usually found, but less common occurrence of positive 131IWBS and a negative Tg test has also been demonstrated in a small but significant number of cases. Therefore, the aim of the study was to retrospectively analyse patients with positive 131I WBS after total thyreoidectomy and again 1 year after the radioactive iodine.
There were 52 patients included in the study. Four weeks after surgery, during which thyroid hormone treatment was not introduced, each patient received an ablative dose of 131I. The evaluation of the WBS was qualitative and considered positive if thyroid remnant, lymphatic node or metastasis were detected. WBS and serum Tg was measured 12 months after 131I ablation with thyroid hormone suppression. We considered positive any Tg level above the sensitivity values and negative if lower than this level. Tg levels were related to the existence of a positive scan or a negative one. In our 52 WBS positive patients concordant positive Tg levels were observed in 42 patients while in 10 patients we found a negative Tg levels after the surgery. After 1-year follow-up, out of initially 42 concordant patients 8 patients showed remaining concordant positive Tg and WBS values. Discordant results were observed in 13 patients (4 patients were Tgand WBS+ while 9 patients were Tg+ and WBS-). In the majority of patients (50%) remained with concordant results
but changed from Tg+ and WBS+ to Tg- and WBS-. Diagnostic WBS is an additional valuable tool, besides Tg levels, in the follow up of patients after total thyreoidectomy
SPOLNE RAZLIKE U RAZINI GLUKOZE U KRVI KOD ŠTAKORA NAKON VJEŽBE FORSIRANOG PLIVANJA
The aim of this study was to investigate possible
differences in blood glucose levels between male and
female rats immediately after acute bout of forced
swimming exercise. Adult male Wistar rats (weight 300-
350 g) were divided into two groups by gender: males (n
=8) and females (n =8). All the rats were given standard rat
chow and tap water ad libitum and were housed at 25±3o C
on a 12-hour dark/light cycle. Both groups of rats were
exposed to forced swimming stress daily, for 6 days.
Duration of each swimming session progressively
increased from 5 minutes on the first day to 30 minutes on
sixth day, allowing adaptation to swimming conditions.
The rats were forced to swim in plastic tanks (90 cm wide,
120 cm deep) containing tap water (temperature ca. 25
degrees C). The depth of water was 40 cm. Seventh day we
performed acute bout of 40 minutes swimming exercise.
Animals were fasted 12 hours before start of last
swimming sessions to obtain fasting blood glucose levels.
Preexercise blood samples were taken immediately before
last swimming session (7th day) and postexercise samples
immediately after the last swimming session from rat\u27s tail
vein. Glucose levels in blood were determined using
Optium Xceed™ Diabetes Monitoring System (Abbot).
Before last swimming session male rats had slightly lower
glucose levels in comparation with female rats, but this
difference was not statistically significant (3.77vs4.64
mmol/l). Acute bout of forced swimming exercise raised
blood glucose level and established values in postexercise
period were significantly higher in both study group in
comparation to values before exercise. Male rats had
greater postexercise glucose blood levels (11.85 mmol/l)
in comparation with female rats (6.26 mmol/l). Our
findings document the existence of gender impact on the
glucose postexercise concentrations confirming the
differences in the energy substrates utilization and
glucose metabolism regulation during and after exercise.Cilj ove studije bio je istražiti moguće razlike razine
glukoze u krvi izmeðu muških i ženskih štakora odmah
nakon akutnog opterećenja vježbom forsiranog plivanja.:
Odraslih muški štakori soja Wistar (prosječne mase
300-350 g) su bili podijeljeni u dvije skupine po spolu:
muški (n= 8) i ženski (n = 8). Svi štakori su dobili
standardnu, komercijalnu hranu za štakore i vodu iz
slavine ad libitum, a bili su smješteni na 25 ± 3 ° C na 12-
satnom tamno / svijetlo ciklusu. Obje skupine štakora bila
su izložene vježbama forsiranog plivanja,dnevno u
trajanju od 6 dana. Trajanje svake sesije plivanja postupno
se povećavalo sa 5 minuta prvog dana do 30 minuta
šestog dana , čime se postigla prilagodba životinja na
uslove plivanja. Sedmi dan smo izveli akutno opterećenje
40 minutnog forsiranog plivanja. Štakori su plivali u
plastičnim spremnicima (90 cm širine, 120 cm dubine)
koji su sadržavali vodu iz slavine (temperature približno
25 stupnjeva C). Dubina vode iznosila je 40 cm.
Životinjama nismo davali hranu 12 sati prije početka
posljednje sesije plivanja kako bi dobili razine glukoze u
krvi natašte. Uzorci krvi za odreðivaje glukoze uzeti su
neposredno prije posljednje sesije plivanja (7.dan) i
neposredno nakon posljednje sesije plivanja iz repne vene
štakora. Razine glukoze u krvi utvrðene su pomoću
Optium ™ Xceed Dijabetes sustava praćenja (Abbot) . U
uzetim uzorcima krvi neposredno prije posljedenje sesije
plivanja utvrðene su nešto niže razine glukoze kod
muških u usporedbi s ženskim štakorima, ali ta razlika nije
bila statistički značajna (3.77vs4.64 mmol /l). Akutno
opterećenje vježbom forsiranog plivanja podiglo je
razinu glukoze u krvi i srednje vrijednosti u uzorku
uzetom neposredno nakon posljednje sesije plivanja bile
su značajno više u obje skupine u usporedbi s
vrijednostima prije vježbanja. Muški štakori imali su
značajno veću razinu glukoze u krvi (11,85mmol / L) u
usporedbi sa ženskim štakorima (6,26 mmol / L). Naši
rezultati ukazuju na uticaj spola na razinu glukoze nakon
fizičkog opterećenja potvrðujući spolne razlike u
iskorištavanju energetskog supstrata i i regulaciji
metabolizma glukoze u toku i nakon vježbanja
Spirulina Platensis Protects Against Renal Injury in Rats with Gentamicin-Induced Acute Tubular Necrosis
The present study was carried out to evaluate the renoprotective antioxidant effect of Spirulina platensis on gentamicin-induced acute tubular necrosis in rats. Albino-Wistar rats, (9male and 9 female), weighing approximately 250 g, were used for this study. Rats were randomly assigned to three equal groups. Control group received 0,9 % sodium chloride intraperitoneally for 7 days at the same volume as gentamicin group. Gentamicin group was treated intraperitoneally with gentamicin, 80mg/kg daily for 7 days. Gentamicin+spirulina group received Spirulina platensis 1000 mg/kg orally 2 days before and 7 days concurrently with gentamicin (80mg/kg i.p.). Nephrotoxicity was assessed by measuring plasma nitrite concentration, stabile metabolic product of nitric oxide with oxygen. Plasma nitrite concentration was determined by colorimetric method using Griess reaction. For histological analysis kidney specimens were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain. Plasma nitrite concentration and the level of kidney damage were significantly higher in gentamicin group in comparison both to the control and gentamicin+spirulina group. Spirulina platensis significantly lowered the plasma nitrite level and attenuated histomorphological changes related to renal injury caused by gentamicin. Thus, the results from present study suggest that Spirulina platensis has renoprotective potential in gentamicin-induced acute tubular necrosis possibly due to its antioxidant properties
Chronic Kidney Disease and Endothelium
The endothelial cell layer is responsible for molecular traffic between the blood and surrounding tissue, and endothelial integrity plays a pivotal role in many aspects of vascular function. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of death in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its incidence and severity increase in direct proportion with kidney function decline. Non-traditional risk factors for CVDs, including endothelial dysfunction (ED), are highly prevalent in this population and play an important role in cardiovascular (CV) events. ED is the first step in the development of atherosclerosis and its severity has prognostic value for CV events. Several risk markers have been associated with ED. Reduced bioavailability of nitric oxide plays a central role, linking kidney disease to ED, atherosclerosis, and CV events. Inflammation, loss of residual renal function, and insulin resistance are closely related to ED in CKD. ED may be followed by structural damage and remodelling that can precipitate both bleeding and thrombotic events. The endothelium plays a main role in vascular tone and metabolic pathways. ED is the first, yet potentially reversible step in the development of atherosclerosis and its severity has prognostic value for CV events
The utility of procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide for the bone status assessment in postmenopausal women
The utility of procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) in the management of metabolic bone diseases remains a subject of debate since the reference ranges are not rigorously established and fail to account for many of the preanalytical variables. We aimed to establish reference intervals for P1NP level in healthy and osteoporotic postmenopausal females stratified by age, body mass index and menopausal duration. We also aimed to assess the relationship between P1NP and BMD. This cross-sectional study enrolled 183 postmenopausal females who were divided in osteoporosis group (N=93) and control group (N=90) with preserved bone mass based on BMD assessed by DXA. In the osteoporosis group median P1NP was significantly higher (51.7 ng / mL; 95%CI 43.2-53.7) compared to control group (38.9 ng/mL; 95%CI 34.2-43.9)(p<0.01). After controlling for age, BMI and years since menopause, there was significant inverse association between BMD and P1NP at the femoral neck (r=-0.18), total hip (r=-0.207) and lumbar spine (r=-0.236). There was no significant difference in P1NP concentration across quartiles of age in postmenopausal females. P1NP was significantly lower in obese postmenopausal females with preserved bone mass compared to normal weight and overweight females in control and in osteoporosis group.
In conclusion, we showed that P1NP is inversely associated with BMD even after controlling for age, BMI and years since menopause. Although, P1NP is significantly higher in postmenopausal females with osteoporosis compared to postmenopausal females with preserved bone mass its low specificity does not warrant its utility is diagnosing osteoporosis
B-type natriuretic peptide and adiponectin releases in rat model of myocardial damage induced by isoproterenol administration
B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and adiponectin play important role in the cardiovascular homeostasis regulation. We investigated BNP and adiponectin serum levels followed by isoproterenol (ISO) administration to rats and explored the relationship between them. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) blood level was used as biochemical evidence of myocardial damage development. Adult male Wistar rats (average body weight 273.33 ± 21.63 g) were distributed into groups: control group received saline (n=6) and ISO groups (n=12) treated with ISO (subcutaneous single dose 100 mg/kg of rat body weight). ISO group was divided into two groups according to the time of BNP, adiponectin and cTnI determination: ISO I (n=6; 2 hours after ISO administration); ISO II (n=6; 4 hours after ISO administration). Blood for determination of parameters was taken from rat abdominal aorta. BNP, adiponectin and cTnI were determined by ELISA method. Data were statistically analysed by using SPSS version 13 computer program. P value less 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Blood BNP and adiponectin were lower at 2 hours after ISO administration in comparison with control group (p=0.004 for BNP and p=0.174 for adiponectin). Four hours after ISO administration, we have noted significant elevation of both parameters compared to ISO I group (p=0.004 for BNP; p=0.02 for adiponectin). Test of correlation have showed significant relation between their blood levels during experimental period (rho=0.577; p=0.01). BNP and adiponectin are not simple indicators of myocardial damage development. They have possible associated and additive effects in cardiovascular homeostasis regulation
The utility of procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide for the bone status assessment in postmenopausal women
The utility of procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) in the management of metabolic bone diseases remains a subject of debate since the reference ranges are not rigorously established and fail to account for many of the preanalytical variables. We aimed to establish reference intervals for P1NP level in healthy and osteoporotic postmenopausal females stratified by age, body mass index and menopausal duration. We also aimed to assess the relationship between P1NP and BMD. This cross-sectional study enrolled 183 postmenopausal females who were divided in osteoporosis group (N=93) and control group (N=90) with preserved bone mass based on BMD assessed by DXA. In the osteoporosis group median P1NP was significantly higher (51.7 ng / mL; 95%CI 43.2-53.7) compared to control group (38.9 ng/mL; 95%CI 34.2-43.9)(p<0.01). After controlling for age, BMI and years since menopause, there was significant inverse association between BMD and P1NP at the femoral neck (r=-0.18), total hip (r=-0.207) and lumbar spine (r=-0.236). There was no significant difference in P1NP concentration across quartiles of age in postmenopausal females. P1NP was significantly lower in obese postmenopausal females with preserved bone mass compared to normal weight and overweight females in control and in osteoporosis group.
In conclusion, we showed that P1NP is inversely associated with BMD even after controlling for age, BMI and years since menopause. Although, P1NP is significantly higher in postmenopausal females with osteoporosis compared to postmenopausal females with preserved bone mass its low specificity does not warrant its utility is diagnosing osteoporosis
Endothelin in health and disease
Endothelin is a recently discovered peptide composed of 21 amino acids. There are three endothelin isomers: endothelin -1 (ET-1), endothelin -2 (ET-2) and endothelin - 3 (ET-3). In humans and animals levels of ET-1, ET-2, ET-3 and big endothelin in blood range from 0,3 to 3 pg/ml. ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3 act by binding to receptors. Two main types of the receptors for endothelins exist and they are referred to as A and B type receptors. Different factors can stimulate or inhibit production of endothelin by endothelial cells. Mechanical stimulation of endothehum, thrombin, calcium ions, epinephrine, angiotensin II, vasopressin, dopamine, cytokines, growth factors stimulate the production of endothelin whereas nitric oxide, cyclic guanosine monophosphate, atrial natriuretic peptide, prostacyclin, bradykinin inhibit its production. Endothelins have different physiological roles in human body but at the same time their actions are involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases.
The aim of this review was to present some of, so far, the best studied physiological roles of endothelin and to summarize evidence supporting the potential role of ET in the pathogenesis of certain diseases