Determinants Related to Oxidative Stress Parameters in Pediatric Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Adequate glycemic management is one of the main goals in treating type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and preventing the early onset of diabetic complications. Improperly controlled diabetes mellitus (DM) will result in oxidative stress (OS) and lead to further related health issues. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the body’s ability to defend against OS depending on the duration of T1DM, metabolic management, antioxidant intake and modern glycemic monitoring systems (GMS). The study included 103 adolescents with T1DM aged 10–17 years. The control group consisted of 65 healthy peers. The patients’ blood was assayed for antioxidant enzymes, minerals and toxic elements. In addition, their dietary intake of antioxidant components was assessed. The T1DM group had higher total oxidant status, oxidative stress index and Cu/Zn ratio values, higher concentrations of malondialdehyde and lower total antioxidant status (TAS) and chromium, zinc, superoxide dismutase and catalase levels than their healthy peers. The comparison between GMS types revealed favorable changes in OS parameters for the flash and continuous systems. Furthermore, an effect of vitamin A and C dietary intake on serum TAS concentrations was detected. More than 82% of the patients with high TAS fulfilled the estimated average requirement norm for vitamin A, and more than 60% fulfilled the vitamin C requirement. In youths with T1DM, it is advisable to observe the antioxidant activity of the body to prevent the accelerated development of diabetic complications

Cytology of nasal mucosa, olfactometry and rhinomanometry in patients after CO2 laser mucotomy in inferior turbinate hypertrophy.

To evaluate the cytology of nasal mucosa and sense of smell and nasal patency in patients underwent carbon dioxide laser turbinoplasty (CO2 laser mucotomy) due to chronic nasal hypertrophy. 46 patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy underwent complete laryngological examination, anterior rhinomanometry, olfactory measurements and cytology of nasal mucous which were performed before and 3 months after CO2 laser mucotomy. Laser mucotomy was performed under local anesthesia. Cytograms revealed significant changes in cell proportion before and after the surgery. Goblet cells predominated in nasal smears before the laser mucotomy. An average percentage of eosinophils in evaluated cytograms before the surgery was 2.1%. Three months after laser mucotomy we observed decrease in goblet cells proportion (the mean range of goblet cells was 16.4%) in nasal cytology. We have also observed improvement in olfactory function, however only in 7 patients (20.6%). The mean value of total nasal airway resistance (NAR) before treatment was 0.98+/-0.24 Pa/cm3/s at 75 Pa. Rhinomanometry after 3 months showed a reduction in mean total resistance from the pretreatment level to 0.77 Pa/cm3/s. We believe that CO2 laser mucotomy is an efficacious, minimally invasive and easy to use treatment of inferior turbinate hypertrophy which is performed under local anesthesia with little discomfort for the patient and does not require hospitalization

Selenium, Copper, Zinc Concentrations and Cu/Zn, Cu/Se Molar Ratios in the Serum of Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke in Northeastern Poland—A New Insight into Stroke Pathophysiology

Background: In recent years, trace elements (TEs) have gained considerable attention in the course of treatment and diagnosis of ischemic stroke. The purpose of the conducted research was to determine the trace mineral status (Se, Cu, Zn, Cu/Zn ratio, and Cu/Se ratio) in patients with acute ischemic stroke compared to the population of healthy people in the northeastern region of Poland. Materials and methods: 141 patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and 69 healthy control subjects were examined. The serum concentrations of mineral components were assessed by the atomic absorption spectrometry method. Clinical parameters were updated based on medical records. Results: The serum Se and Zn concentrations were significantly decreased (p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001) in patients with AIS compared with healthy control subjects. However, no significant differences were revealed in terms of the serum Cu concentration (p = 0.283). As expected, we found that the serum Cu/Zn and Cu/Se molar ratios were significantly higher (p = 0.001; p < 0.0001) in patients with AIS compared with healthy control subjects. Conclusions: Disturbed metal homeostasis is a significant contributor to AIS pathogenesis. Furthermore, marked disruption of the serum Cu/Zn and Cu/Se molar ratios could serve as a valuable indicator of AIS patients’ nutritional status and oxidative stress levels

Concentration of Zinc, Copper, Selenium, Manganese, and Cu/Zn Ratio in Hair of Children and Adolescents with Myopia

The aim of this work was to determine the concentration of trace elements, zinc, copper, selenium, manganese, and Cu/Zn ratio, in scalp hair samples of children and adolescents with myopia. The study included 92 children (mean age 14.5 ± 2.5 years) with myopia and 43 healthy persons (mean age 11.8 ± 4.7 years). Each patient had a complete eye examination. Trace element concentrations in hair were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Cu/Zn ratio was also calculated. The zinc level in the hair of myopic patients was significantly higher (260 µg/g) in comparison to the control group (130 µg/g). There was a significantly lower Cu/Zn ratio in myopic patients (0.045) compared with controls (0.07). An insignificant difference was observed in the hair level of copper, selenium, and manganese between patients and controls. The results show that trace elements may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of myopia. Further studies should pay more attention to determine the effect of trace element on children myopia

Gluten-Free Cereals and Pseudocereals as a Potential Source of Exposure to Toxic Elements among Polish Residents

Background: Nutritional food quality plays a crucial role in maintaining human health. However, food and drinking water, along with occupational exposure, are the main routes of exposure to toxic elements for humans. The main aim of this study was to determine the content of As, Cd, Pb and Hg in naturally gluten-free grains and products made from buckwheat, millet, maize, quinoa and oat. The safety of consumption of the products tested was also assessed. Methods: The contents of As, Cd and Pb were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). To measure Hg, an atomic absorption spectrometry method (AAS) with the amalgamation technique was applied. To assess the level of consumption of the tested products, an online survey was conducted. To estimate health risk, three indicators were used: the target hazard quotient (THQ), cancer risk (CR) and hazard index (HI). The research material obtained 242 different samples without replications. Results: The highest average content of As, Cd, Pb and Hg were observed for the following groups of products: oat (10.19 µg/kg), buckwheat (48.35 µg/kg), millet (74.52 µg/kg) and buckwheat (1.37 µg/kg), respectively. For six samples, exceedance of established limits was found—three in the case of Cd and three of Pb. Due to the lack of established limits, As and Hg content of the tested products was not compared. Generally, no increased health risks were identified. Conclusions: Based on the obtained results, the consumption of gluten-free cereals and pseudocereals available on the Polish market seems to be safe. However, there is a great need to establish maximum levels of the toxic elements, especially As and Hg in cereal products in European legislation

Body Composition of Young Women and The Consumption of Selected Nutrients

The choices of food products and their nutritional value have a significant impact on nutritional status and body composition parameters. Popular and low-cost indicators of nutritional status, such as BMI, may not reflect the actual condition of the body. The aim of the study was to assess the consumption of energy as well as selected nutrients, such as protein, fats, carbohydrates, unsaturated fatty acids, lactose, starch, and dietary fiber, and to evaluate body mass index (BMI) and the parameters of the body composition among young women. Next, correlations were made between these nutrients and the parameters, such as percent body fat (PBF), visceral fat area (VFA), and fitness score (FS). The study group included 478 young women. To assess their consumption, the participants completed 72 h dietary interviews. In addition, the participants had a body composition analysis performed by bioelectric impedance technology by the InBody 720 Body Composition Analyzer (InBody, South Korea). The average energy value of the diets was about 1480 kcal. Most diets contained adequate portions of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. The diets were deficient in terms of unsaturated fatty acids and fiber. We showed that up to 37% of women with normal BMI had excess body fat. Moreover, the % energy from plant protein consumption negatively correlated with PBF and BMI (r = −0.10, p = 0.029, r = −0.10, p = 0.037, respectively) and dietary fiber with PBF, BMI, VFA, and FS (r = −0.17, p = 0.0003, r = −0.12, p = 0.01, r = −0.18, p = 0.0001, r = 0.09, p = 0.041, respectively). Education on the proper consumption of basic nutrients, including plant-based protein and dietary fiber, seems to be essential in preventing overweight and obesity

Dietary Habits, Selenium, Copper, Zinc and Total Antioxidant Status in Serum in Relation to Cognitive Functions of Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the neurodegenerative process and can impair cognitive functions. In the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), an adequate consumption of dietary antioxidants may be a major factor. The objective of the study was to estimate selenium (Se), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and total antioxidant status (TAS) in the serum of patients with AD in relation to their cognitive functions and dietary habits. A total of 110 patients (aged 54–93 years) with early or moderate AD, as well as 60 healthy people (aged 52–83 years) were studied. The severity of the disease was assessed using the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scale. Food-frequency questionnaires were implemented to collect the dietary data. The concentrations of Se, Cu and Zn in the sera were determined by the atomic absorption spectrometry method. TAS was estimated spectrophotometrically using ready-made kits (Randox). Significantly lower concentrations of Se, Zn and TAS, and higher Cu:Zn ratio in the serum of patients with AD, compared to healthy people, were observed. A low correlation between the MMSE score and TAS in the serum of AD patients and significantly higher MMSE values in patients with TAS above the reference range were also noted. In patients with serum Cu concentration above the norm, significantly lower MMSE values were found. Selected dietary habits such as the frequency of consumption of various food products had a significant impact on the concentration of the assessed parameters in the serum of people with AD

Assessment of the Safe Consumption of Nuts in Terms of the Content of Toxic Elements with Chemometric Analysis

Nuts are characterized by high nutritional value and are recommended as a part of a healthy diet. At the same time, toxic elements could also be found in them. In this research, we measured the content of As, Cd, Pb and Hg in a wide variety of edible nuts. To determine the As content, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was applied. Cd and Pb were detected by the electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry analytical technique (ETAAS) with Zeeman background correction, while atomic absorption spectrometry method (AAS) with the amalgamation technique in the case of Hg was used. The study material consisted of 120 samples without replications (10 for each subgroup) including the following nuts: Almonds, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecan nuts, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts. Indicators such as the target hazard quotient (THQ), cancer risk (CR) and hazard index (HI) were used to assess the health risk. The highest median As, Cd, Pb and Hg contents were observed for pistachios (192.42 µg/kg), pine nuts (238.40 µg/kg), peanuts (82.06 µg/kg) and pecans (82.06 µg/kg), respectively. The exceedance of the established limits was found in the case of Pb for nine samples: macadamia nuts (221.49 µg/kg; 2350.94 µg/kg; 2581.43 µg/kg), pine nuts (266.33 µg/kg), peanuts (1353.80 µg/kg) and pecans (2689.13 µg/kg, 2758.26 µg/kg, 2992.29 µg/kg and 3169.41 µg/kg). Extremely high (>2500 µg/kg) Pb content was found in 33% of studied pecans imported from the USA. The health risk indicators did not identify increased health risk. This research is significant considering the food safety issues and indicates the need to regularly control the content of toxic elements in food, as well as to establish the specific limits for heavy metals content in nuts. The chemometric analysis included cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA). Cluster analysis made it possible to distinguish four subgroups on the basis of the ability to accumulate toxic elements: pine nuts, pecans, pistachios and other analysed nuts. PCA indicated primarily factor 1, distinguishing mainly pecans, macadamia nuts and peanuts. Chemometric analysis can be a useful tool in estimating the ability of different nut species to accumulate contaminants

Content of Toxic Elements in 12 Groups of Rice Products Available on Polish Market: Human Health Risk Assessment

Background: Rice is one of the most commonly consumed grains. It could be a good source of nutrients in a diet, but its consumption could also contribute to exposure to toxic elements. All rice products available on the Polish market are imported, which may pose a particular concern as to the safety of their consumption. The aim of our study was to estimate the content of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg in rice products and to assess the health risk indicators related to exposure to toxic elements consumed with rice products among the adult population in Poland. Methods: A total of 99 samples from 12 groups of rice products (basmati, black, brown, parboiled, red, wild, white rice and expanded rice, rice flakes, flour, pasta, and waffles) available in the Polish market were obtained. The content of Hg was determined using the atomic absorption spectrometry method (AAS). To measure As, Cd, and Pb, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used. The health risk was assessed by calculating several indicators. Results: The average As, Cd, Pb, and Hg contents in all studied products were 123.5 ± 77.1 μg/kg, 25.7 ± 26.5 μg/kg, 37.5 ± 29.3 μg/kg, and 2.8 ± 2.6 μg/kg, respectively. Exceedance of the limit established by the Polish National Food Safety Standard was observed in one sample as regards the As content and exceedance of the European Commission standard in two samples for Hg. The samples of foods imported from European markets (n = 27) had statistically higher As content (p < 0.05) than those imported from Asian countries (n = 53). The values of health risk indicators did not show an increased risk for the Polish adult population. However, the daily intake of 55 g of rice corresponds to the benchmark dose lower confidence limit (BMDL) for Pb. Conclusion: The studied rice products could be regarded as safe for consumption by the Polish population as far as the content of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg is concerned