The role of iron metabolism and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of endometriosis

Despite many years of extensive investigations and increasing number of studies, the pathogenesis of endometriosis remains unclear. Accumulated data suggests that disrupted iron metabolism may induce oxidative stress in the peritoneal cavity of endometriosis patients

Depresja i myśli samobójcze u pacjentów z rakiem płuc oczekujących na zabieg chirurgiczny

Aims of the study: An assessment of the incidence and severity of suicidal thoughts and depression in a group of patients with lung cancer. Furthermore, we have investigated whether the increase in suicidal thoughts and depression depends on pain intensity and the overall physical function of patients. Material and methods: The study included 62 patients diagnosed with lung cancer, hospitalised in the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the Thoracic Surgery Clinic in Lublin, at the Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 4 in Lublin. The patient population included 21 females (34%) and 41 males (66%). A total of 35 (56%) respondents came from rural regions, and the remaining 27 (44%) from the city. The average age was 59 years (standard deviation was 12.6). The severity of depression and suicidal thoughts was evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory. In addition, Numeric Pain Intensity Scale and the Karnofsky Scale were used to assess the general functioning of the study population. Sociodemographic variables were analysed using a self-designed survey. Results: Suicidal thoughts occurred in 6.45% of respondents, exclusively in males. Statistical analysis showed that the group with depression received significantly less points in a scale measuring general functioning. There was a negative correlation between depression severity and the general functioning of patients. Depression was diagnosed in 32.25% of respondents, including mild in 25.8%, moderate in 6.45%, and severe in 4.83%. Depression affected 36.58% of men and 23.8% of women. No correlation between the severity of depression and the severity of pain was observed. Conclusions: The severity of depression increases with the decrease in overall physical functioning and is not related to pain severity

Increased oxidized LDL cholesterol levels in peritoneal fluid of women with advanced-stage endometriosis

Summary Introduction: Proinflammatory and prooxidative environment in the peritoneal cavity may be involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Imbalance between reactive oxygen species levels and the antioxidant capacity leads to oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL). The importance of oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL) in the development of atherosclerosis is well recognized. Aim: The aim of our study was to evaluate for the presence of ox-LDL in the peritoneal fluid (PF) of women with and without endometriosis. Material and Methods: A total of 60 women who underwent laparoscopy were divided into groups: endometriosis sufferers with minimal to mild (n 20) and moderate to severe (n 20) stages, and the reference group (n 20) with functional follicle ovarian cysts. Oxidized LDL levels were determined in the PF using enzyme immunoassay. Results: Oxidized LDL levels were detectable in all peritoneal fluid samples. Significantly increased levels of ox-LDL were observed in PF of women with stage III/IV endometriosis compared to the reference group (p=0.03). However, peritoneal fluid ox-LDL concentrations did not differ significantly between patients with minimal/mild and women with moderate/severe stage of the disease (p=0.2). No significant difference in the PF ox-LDL concentrations was also found between women with stage I/II endometriosis and patients with follicle cysts (p=0.3). Conclusions: Increased peritoneal fluid ox-LDL levels observed in women with advanced-stage endometriosis suggest the important role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of the disease

Zwiększone stężenie białek ostrej fazy w płynie otrzewnowym kobiet z zaawansowaną endometriozą

Objectives: Most investigators agree that endometriosis is associated with a state of subclinical, non-infectious peritoneal inflammation. The objective of the study was to assess concentrations of two markers of the acute inflammatory phase proteins, haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin, in peritoneal fluid of endometriotic women. Material and methods: 229 women who underwent diagnostic or therapeutic laparoscopy were included in the study. Minimal, mild, moderate and severe endometriosis according to ASRM was confirmed in 119 women (study groups), whereas 110 patients suffered from simple serous or dermoid ovarian cysts (reference groups). Haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin concentrations in the peritoneal fluid samples aspirated during laparoscopy were measured using commercially available radial immunodiffusion kits. Results: The concentration of haptoglobin in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis was significantly higher as compared to patients with serous and dermoid ovarian cysts. Significantly higher haptoglobin level was observed in patients with severe and moderate endometriosis as compared to women from both reference groups. No significant difference in the peritoneal fluid ceruloplasmin levels was found between patients with endometriosis and women from reference groups. However, it was noted that ceruloplasmin levels are higher in the subgroup of patients with severe endometriosis as compared to both reference groups and women with mild disease. Conclusions: Our results support the hypothesis that endometriosis is associated with subclinical inflammation within the peritoneal cavity. It may be speculated that pro-inflammatory stimuli strong enough to cause an increase in acute inflammatory phase proteins peritoneal fluid concentrations are observed only in the advanced stages of the disease.Cel pracy: Etiopatogeneza endometriozy nie jest do końca wyjaśniona, a większość badaczy zgadza się, że w płynie otrzewnowym kobiet chorych na tę chorobę stwierdza się subkliniczny proces zapalny pochodzenia nie-infekcyjnego. Celem pracy była ocena stężenia dwóch markerów, białek ostrej fazy zapalnej: haptoglobiny i ceruloplazminy w płynie otrzewnowym kobiet z endometriozą. Materiał i metody: Do badań włączono 229 kobiet, które przebyły diagnostyczną lub terapeutyczną laparoskopię. Endometriozę w stopniu minimalnym, łagodnym, umiarkowanym wg ASRM potwierdzono histologicznie u 119 kobiet (grupa badana). Pozostałe 110 pacjentek leczono z powodu prostych lub dermoidalnych torbieli (grupa referencyjna). Stężenia haptoglobiny i ceruloplazminy w próbkach płynu otrzewnowego oceniano przy użyciu komercyjnych zestawów do immunodyfuzji radialnej. Wyniki: Stężenie haptoglobiny w płynie otrzewnowym pacjentek z endometriozą było znacznie wyższe w porównaniu do pacjentek z grupy referencyjnej. Większe stężenie haptoglobiny dotyczyło podgrupy pacjentek z umiarkowaną i ciężką postacią choroby. Nie stwierdzono różnic w stężeniu ceruloplazminy w płynie otrzewnowym pacjentek z endometriozą w porównaniu do pacjentek z grupy referencyjnej. Jednakże wykazano, że stężenie ceruloplazminy jest większe w podgrupie pacjentek z ciężką postacią choroby w porównaniu do pacjentek z grupy referencyjnej i podgrupy pacjentek z łagodną postacią choroby. Wnioski: Wyniki naszych badań potwierdzają hipotezę o istnieniu subklinicznego stanu zapalnego w jamie otrzewnowej pacjentek z endometriozą. Wydaje się, że działanie silnych bodźców prozapalnych powodujących zwiększenie stężenia białek ostrej fazy w płynie otrzewnowym dotyczy jedynie pacjentek z zaawansowanymi postaciami choroby

Polycystic ovary syndrome and mental disorders – discussion on the recommendations of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE)

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy in women at the reproductive age. In 2018, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) developed and published new accurate recommendations for the diagnosis and management of women with PCOS. In this work, a separate chapter is devoted to the quality of life and mental disorders in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

Low-Density Lipoproteins Oxidation and Endometriosis

The etiopathogenesis of endometriosis still remains unknown. Recent data provide new valuable information concerning the role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of the disease. It has been proved that levels of different lipid peroxidation end products are increased in both peritoneal fluid (PF) and serum of endometriotic patients. We assessed the concentration of oxidized low-density lipoproteins (oxLDL) in PF of 110 women with different stages of endometriosis and 119 women with serous () or dermoid () ovarian cysts, as the reference groups. PF oxLDL levels were evaluated by ELISA. We found that concentrations of oxLDL in PF of endometriotic women were significantly higher compared to women with serous but not dermoid ovarian cysts. Interestingly, by analyzing concentrations of oxLDL in women with different stages of the disease, it was noted that they are significantly higher only in the subgroup of patients with stage IV endometriosis as compared to women with ovarian serous cysts. In case of minimal, mild, and moderate disease, PF oxLDL levels were similar to those noted in reference groups. Our results indicate that disrupted oxidative status in the peritoneal cavity of women with endometriosis may play a role in the pathogenesis of advanced stages of the disease

Comparison of selected clinical and personality variables in alcohol–dependent patients with or without a history of suicide attempts

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine differences in the range of socio-demographic variables, selected clinical variables, temperament and character traits, coping with stress strategies and the level of aggression in alcohol addicts with or without a history of suicide attempt(s)