No evidence of enhanced oxidant production in blood obtained from patients with obstructive sleep apnea

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a recognized risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, perhaps due to causative exacerbations of systemic oxidative stress. Putative oxidative stress related to numerous episodes of intermittent hypoxia, may be an oxidants chief driving force in OSAS patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We assessed the resting and n-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP)- induced whole blood chemiluminescence (as a measure of oxidant production by polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes), ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) and H₂O₂generation in the whole blood of 27 untreated OSAS patients, 22 subjects after a night of CPAP therapy and 11 controls without OSAS. All of them were matched to age, BMI (body mass index) and smoking habits. All parameters were measured before and after polysomnography-controlled sleep, individual results were obtained as a mean from duplicated experiments.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>No significant differences were distinguished between evening and morning blood chemiluminescence, H₂O₂activity and FRAP within and between all three study groups.</p> <p>For instance patients with untreated OSAS had similar morning and evening resting whole blood chemiluminescence (2.3 +/- 2.2 vs. 2.4 +/- 2.2 [aU·10^-4phagocytes]), total light emission after stimulation with fMLP (1790 +/- 1371 vs. 1939 +/- 1532 [aU·s·10^-4phagocytes]), as well as FRAP after 3 min. plasma incubation (602 +/- 202 vs. 671 +/- 221 [uM]). Although, in the subgroup of 11 patients with severe OSAS (apnea/hypopnea index 58 +/- 18/h and oxygen desaturation index 55 +/- 19/h), the morning vs. evening resting chemiluminescence and total light emission after stimulation with fMLP observed a propensity to elevate 2.5 +/- 2.7 vs. 1.9 +/- 1.8 [aU·10^-4phagocytes] and 1778 +/- 1442 vs. 1503 +/- 1391 [aU·s·10^-4phagocytes], respectively, these did not attain statistical significance (p > 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our investigation exposed no evidence in the overproduction of oxidants via circulating phagocytes, once considered a culprit in the oxidative stress of OSAS patients.</p

Dysfunction and pain temporomandibular disorder caused by impeded eruption of third mandibular molars

Introduction. There are reports in literature which indicate the connection between impacted third molars and occurrence of symptoms of craniomandibular dysfunctions and headaches. Objectives. The aim of this study was evaluation of the outcome of patients who reported specific symptoms of craniomandibular dysfunction and had impacted mandibular third molars. Materials and method. The research material consisted of 10 women who reported to the Department of Craniomandibular Disfunctions of the Medical University in Lublin, Poland, with pain and acoustic symptoms in the Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) area. During preliminary therapy, the patients used a silicone occlusal device; ionotherapy was ordered and the patients were recommended to eliminate parafunctions. Results. Clicks before treatments were present in 6 patients, after treatment with silicone occlusal device and ionotherapy with Profenid gel in 5 patients, while two years after extraction of the impacted teeth the clicks were no longer present, and differences in the presence of clicks analyses by means of the Q-Cochran test were statistically significant between examinations 1m vs.3 (Q=10.33; p<0.01) and examinations 2 vs.3 (Q=8.40; p<0.05). Conclusions. The study showed that extraction of the mandibular third molars can cause regression of some symptoms of craniomandibular disorders

Aktywność zapalna okołonaczyniowej tkanki tłuszczowej może wpływać na skład blaszki miażdżycowej u pacjentów z ostrym zespołem wieńcowym bez przetrwałego uniesienia odcinka ST: wyniki wstępne

Background: The extravascular expression of inflammatory mediators may adversely influence coronary lesion formation and plaque stability through outside-to-inside signalling. It has been shown that the maximal standardised uptake value (SUV) of 18-fluorodeoxyglucose detected by positron emission tomography (PET/CT) is proportional to macrophage density.Aim: To investigate whether the inflammatory activity of pericoronary adipose tissue (PVAT) may influence plaque composition in acute coronary syndrome without persistent ST-segment elevation (NSTE-ACS) patients.Methods: In a prospective study, 36 coronary arteries (LM, RCA, LCX, LAD) were investigated in non-diabetic patients with a low or intermediate risk of NSTE-ACS (GRACE ≤ 140). SUV was measured in fat surrounding coronary arteries on the sections corresponding to proximal and medial segments (Siemens biograph 64-PET/CT system). Additionally, SUV was measured in subcutaneous fat (SC), visceral thoracic fat (VS), and epicardial fat over the right ventricle (EPI). Virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) was performed to assess plaque composition (Volcano, USA). PET/CT sections were further examined in segments corresponding to coronary plaques.Results: PVAT SUV in NSTE-ACS patients was significantly greater than in other fat locations (LM SUV: 1.60; RCA SUV: 1.54; LCX SUV: 1.94; LAD SUV: 2.37 vs. SC SUV: 0.57; VS SUV: 0.77; EPI SUV: 0.98; p &lt; 0.001; ANOVA). PVAT SUV positively correlated with plaque burden (r = 0.49, p &lt; 0.05) and necrotic core plaque rate (r = 0.68, p &lt; 0.05), and negatively correlated with fibrous plaque rate (r = –0.52, p &lt; 0.05).Conclusions: The inflammatory activity of PVAT reflected by SUV is greater than in subcutaneous, visceral thoracic, or epicardial tissue in NSTE-ACS patients; PVAT SUV correlates with the plaque burden and necrotic core component of coronary plaque.Wstęp: Pozanaczyniowa ekspresja mediatorów zapalnych może niekorzystnie wpływać na powstawanie i stabilność blaszki miażdżycowej w mechanizmie oddziaływania z zewnątrz do wewnątrz. Wykazano także, że maksymalna wartość znormalizowana wychwytu (SUV) 18-fluorodeoksyglukozy (FDG) mierzona za pomocą pozytonowej tomografii emisyjnej (PET/CT) jest proporcjonalna do gęstości makrofagów.Cel: Celem niniejszej pracy było zbadanie, czy aktywność zapalna okołowieńcowej tkanki tłuszczowej (PVAT) może wpływać naskład blaszek miażdżycowych u chorych z ostrym zespołem wieńcowym bez przetrwałego uniesienia odcinka ST (NSTE-ACS).Metody: W badaniu prospektywnym poddano analizie 36 tętnic wieńcowych (LM, RCA, LCX, LAD) u pacjentów z NSTE-ACS,bez wywiadu cukrzycy, z niskim lub umiarkowanym ryzykiem zgonu (GRACE ≤ 140). SUV mierzono w tkance tłuszczowej otaczającej tętnice wieńcowe w przekrojach odpowiadających proksymalnym i środkowym odcinkom tętnic (Siemens biograph 64-PET/CT system). Ponadto mierzono SUV w podskórnej (SC), trzewnej-wewnątrzpiersiowej (VS) i nasierdziowej tkance tłuszczowej (EPI). Morfologię zmian oceniano za pomocą ultrasonografii wewnątrzwieńcowej (IVUS) z wirtualną histologią (VH-IVUS) (Volcano, USA). Przekroje PET/CT były następnie analizowane w segmentach, w których zlokalizowano blaszki miażdżycowe.Wyniki: PVAT SUV u pacjentów z NSTE-ACS była istotnie wyższa niż w innych lokalizacjach tkanki tłuszczowej (LM SUV:1,60; RCA SUV: 1,54; LCX SUV: 1,94; LAD SUV: 2,37 vs. SC SUV: 0,57; VS SUV: 0,77; EPI SUV: 0,98; p &lt; 0,001; ANOVA). PVAT SUV korelowała pozytywnie z wielkością blaszki miażdżycowej (r = 0,49; p &lt; 0,05), jądra martwiczego (r = 0,68;p &lt; 0,05), a negatywnie — ze stopniem zwłóknienia blaszki (r = –0,52; p &lt; 0,05).Wnioski: U pacjentów z NSTE-ACS aktywność zapalna okołowieńcowej tkanki tłuszczowej oceniana za pomocą pomiaru wychwytu 18-FDG jest większa niż w tkance tłuszczowej podskórnej, trzewnej-wewnątrzpiersiowej i nasierdziowej; PVAT SUV koreluje z wielkością blaszki i wielkością jądra miażdżystego blaszki miażdżycowej

Perception of Difficulties Encountered in Eating Process from European Elderlies' Perspective

To maintain wellbeing, independence and nourishment of elderly population, one promising strategy is to provide home care by delivering food using “meals on wheels” (MoW) system. Even when the food is home-delivered, the difficulties encountered by elderlies during the overall eating process can be a limiting factor. Hence, the objective of this self-reported study was to explore the difficulty perception in the entire eating process from opening up the package, reheating, hand manipulation and oral processing of the food to bolus swallowing in 405 elderly consumers from five European countries (Finland, France, Poland, Spain and United Kingdom) with three different levels of dependency (category 1: participants living at home with help needed for food purchasing; category 2: participants living at home who need help for meal preparation or meal delivery; category 3: participants living in nursing homes/sheltered accommodation). Frequencies of responses and cross tabulation test were calculated for the difficulties perceived. Results show that the most difficult package to open was the cap irrespective of country or dependency levels (at P < 0.05). Although, glass was the most preferred packaging material, category (P = 0.034) and country (P = 0.001) had significant influence. Self-feeding dependency was correlated with the eating difficulties perceived, category 1 participants did not perceive difficulties in the meal preparation and reported minimal difficulties in the hand manipulation and oral processing (<30%), whilst the difficulties perceived by categories 2 and 3 were significantly higher (∼60% of participants). The insights generated might be helpful for designing efficient MoW systems with appropriate user-friendly features

Fruit and vegetables liking among European elderly according to food preferences, attitudes towards food and dependency

As the population ages and dependency for food-related activities increases, it becomes crucial to better understand food expectations of elderly consumers. Fruit and vegetables (F&V) are generally appreciated by elderly people. However, few studies have investigated elderly peoples’ F&V liking, taking into account their dependency and countries’ specificities. The present study aims to identify the liking of F&V, eating styles and food selectivity depending on the country of residence and levels of dependency. A European survey was conducted with 420 elderly people delegating meal-related activities, living at home or in nursing homes. Based on general food preferences, three eating styles were identified. Results showed that F&V liking is a segmenting variable. Elderly people from the style 1 (n = 145) do not really appreciate fruits nor desserts. On the contrary, elderly people from style 2 (n = 121) are really fruit lovers. Finally, elderly people from style 3 (n = 126) liked desserts, fruits, and even more vegetables. Results showed that elderly people were nor selective towards F&V, even if there were some exceptions as exotic fruits (disliked by 19%) and fennel (disliked by 33%). Fruit and vegetables selectivity was significantly different between countries (p 0.05 in both cases). Selectivity for F&V was very variable and could reach 32 vegetables among 42 and 28 fruits among 34. The most selective participants were from Finland and the least ones, from the UK. These results can be used to design and/or adapt F&V-based products according to elderly consumers’ liking, taking into account their country of origin and their dependency