Vasoprotective effect of effective lipid-lowering therapy in patients with <i>ST</i>-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Aim. To study the vasoprotective effects of atorvastatin depending on the achievement of the target level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) within 48 weeks of follow-up. Materials and methods. Included were 112 STEMI patients who received atorvastatin 204080 mg. On days 79 from the onset of the disease, after 24 and 48 weeks, ultrasound examination of the carotid arteries with RF technology and applanation tonometry were performed, the lipid profile was determined. The patients were divided into groups: group 1 (n=41) of highly effective therapy (HET) who achieved the target LDL-C after 24 and 48 weeks; group 2 (n=29) in relatively effective therapy (RET) achieving target values at 24th or 48th week; group 3 (n=42) insufficiently effective therapy (IET) did not reach the target LDL-C. Results. When examining the carotid arteries in the HET group, the intima-media thickness (IMT) decreased by 10.713.1%, the b index by 14.926.3% after 2448 weeks. In the RET group, the IMT regression was 10.413.3%; b index 23.9% by the 48th week. In the IET group, the b index decreased by the 48th week by 14.3%. According to applanation tonometry in the HET group, the central pressure did not change. In the RET group, systolic pressure in the aorta increased by 1015.7% after 2448 weeks, pulse pressure by 33.9% by the end of observation. With IET, the increase was 8.66.8 and 19.825.9%, respectively. The odds ratio of developing endpoints in the RET group was 4.7 (95% CI 1.226.4; p=0.02), in the IET group 3.9 (95% CI 1.124.8; p=0.03) compared with HET. Conclusion. The most pronounced vasoprotective effect and a decrease in cardiovascular risk are associated with the achievement of the target LDL-C throughout the entire treatment period

The Combination of In Vitro Assessment of Stress Tolerance Ability, Autoaggregation, and Vitamin B-Producing Ability for New Probiotic Strain Introduction

The health benefits of probiotics are beyond doubt. The positive effects of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria on the function of many body systems have been repeatedly proven by various studies. To completely realize the potential of probiotic microorganisms, the strains should be tested by the greatest combination of characteristics that contribute to the wellness of the host. In this work, for the first time, a combined assessment of the probiotic properties and vitamin B-producing potential of various species and strains of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli was carried out. The presence of an additional advantage, such as vitamin-producing ability, can prevent vitamin deficiency both at the level of the consumption of fermented foods, when the enrichment will occur naturally on the spot, and during colonization by these intestinal strains, when synthesis will occur in vivo. To select potential probiotics, the stress tolerance ability of 16 lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria strains to low pH values, bile, and proteolytic enzymes, as well as their ability to autoaggregate, were studied under conditions of modeling the gastrointestinal tract in vitro. The ability of the strains to extracellularly accumulate water-soluble B vitamins was evaluated by capillary electrophoresis. Among the tested strains of bifidobacteria, B. adolescentis VKPM AC-1662 is of interest; it was characterized by the greatest stress tolerance ability and the ability to autoaggregate, in addition to the extracellular synthesis of riboflavin and pyridoxine. Among lactic acid bacteria, L. sakei VKPM B-8936 demonstrated the greatest tolerance to low pH, L. plantarum VKPM B–11007 to duodenal conditions, L. acidophilus VKPM B-2213 to pepsin, and L. salivarius VKPM B–2214 to pancreatin. The highest percentage of autoaggregation was observed in L. salivarius VKPM B-2214, which also accumulated the largest amount of pantothenic acid, but it was sensitive to stress conditions. The obtained results could be used to create new products enriched with probiotics and B vitamins

Influence of Hepatitis C Coinfection and Treatment on Risk of Diabetes Mellitus in HIV-Positive Persons

Abstract Background The role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection and HCV-RNA in the development of diabetes mellitus (DM) in HIV-positive persons remains unclear. Methods Poisson regression was used to compare incidence rates of DM (blood glucose\hspace0.25em&gt;11.1 mmol/L, HbA1C &gt;6.5% or &gt;48 mmol/mol, starting antidiabetic medicine or physician reported date of DM onset) between current HIV/HCV groups (anti-HCV-negative, spontaneously cleared HCV, chronic untreated HCV, successfully treated HCV, HCV-RNA-positive after HCV treatment). Results A total of 16 099 persons were included; at baseline 10 091 (62.7%) were HCV-Ab-negative, 722 (4.5%) were spontaneous clearers, 3614 (22.4%) were chronically infected, 912 (5.7%) had been successfully treated, and 760 (4.7%) were HCV-RNA-positive after treatment. During 136 084 person-years of follow-up (PYFU; median [interquartile range], 6.9 [3.6\textendash 13.2]), 1108 (6.9%) developed DM (crude incidence rate, 8.1/1000 PYFU; 95% CI, 7.7\textendash 8.6). After adjustment, there was no difference between the 5 HCV strata in incidence of DM (global P\hspace0.25em=\hspace0.25em.33). Hypertension (22.2%; 95% CI, 17.5%\textendash 26.2%) and body mass index\hspace0.25em&gt;25 (22.0%; 95% CI, 10.4%\textendash 29.7%) had the largest population-attributable fractions for DM. Conclusions HCV coinfection and HCV cure were not associated with DM in this large study. The biggest modifiable risk factors were hypertension and obesity, and continued efforts to manage such comorbidities should be prioritized